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BUYING GUIDE
BUYING GUIDE
Shade sails
Before buying a product, whether on the web or in a shop, we try to understand the differences, the characteristics, in order to choose the best product for our needs. In this article we want to explain what lies behind the design of Maanta sails and why our products can be considered different.
We leave it up to you to judge whether we can consider them the Best Shade Sails.
Sails are not simply pieces of fabric cut into bands or triangles; the right shape is crucial to performance.
When we designed the system with straps, we analysed the main safety problem that wind causes. On a sail, whether it is a shading sail or a nautical sail, the lift is that effect that allows a sailing boat to move forward, or a shading sail to swell, tear and create serious damage. The lift is due to the pressure difference on the two faces of the sail.
By installing a shade sail, a laminar flow is created on the two sides of the sail, with the downwind side being faster than the upwind side, resulting in a depression downwind of the sail and greater pressure upwind.
“Commonly we can say that due to the principle of the lift a sail is 'sucked in' downwind"


Daniel Bernoulli
Swiss mathematician and physicist
This phenomenon was described by the physicist Bernoulli: in a moving fluid, speed and pressure are inversely proportional.
Sailors use this principle to move quickly across the water. With backyard shade sails, it has to be kept to a minimum: if a shade sail isn't tensioned correctly, this effect makes the fabric belly out, which can make it very dangerous.
Maanta shade sails are based on nautical design, but they must be installed in exactly the opposite way to boat sails. At sea, you harness the wind to move; we need to minimize this force (known as "lift") so the shade sail stays stable and safe.
Solaria +Plus and Solaria, Maanta's Made in Italy shade sails, minimize this effect thanks to adjustable straps (see how to tension your shade sail correctly) that control the sail's tension and remove the belly (known in sailing jargon as "draft").
The tighter the shade sail, the lower the lift effect.
Saill and Solaria are the only shade sails on the market that can manage the effect of wind on the sail.
Venturi was an Italian physicist who, in the early 1800s during some research into fluid mechanics, made some important statements. Venturi stated that a fluid moving inside a duct increases or decreases its pressure in relation to its velocity.
This effect comes into play when installing overlapping sails. Two sails placed on top of each other create an area where air can channel. If they are not positioned correctly and little space is left between one sail and the other (in addition to being damaged by the continuous rubbing between the two layers of fabric) the channelling of air will lead to the formation of the Venturi effect.
We know that due to Bernoulli's law, the wind above the sail runs at a higher speed (low pressure). If a second overlap sail were placed on top, it would increase the speed even more, risking tearing the top sail and its anchorages.


Giovanni Battista Venturi
Italian physicist
Shade sails are also becoming increasingly popular due to their aesthetic impact, creating elegant, modern design spaces (see installation for Renzo Piano)
They adapt to any location and, in addition to providing high degrees of safety when installed according to our instructions, they offer a striking visual effect, decorating and complementing your space.






A solution that both our customers and us like very much is the overlap of the sails.
Thereby, one can play with shapes and colours, creating a unique chill-out corner to suit everyone's needs.
All these principles can make installation seem complicated, creating all sorts of doubts. The reality is that we at Maanta have thought of a functional product while keeping it simple to install.
Maanta shade sails and accessories come in handy; installation is easy thanks to the video guides on the website and telephone support in several languages. Don't leave your installation to chance and enjoy your outdoor area!