Summer sailing is the perfect time to evaluate your sail inventory in action—often in conditions similar to those you'll face while racing. As you hoist, trim, and stow your sails, you're engaging with the very equipment you rely on for offshore performance. This makes it an ideal moment to inspect and assess. Waiting until the off-season risks production delays, limited testing windows, and costly last-minute decisions.

Even more importantly, a well-paced planning process lets you work with your sailmaker to make smart, strategic upgrades. Whether that means optimizing ratings, upgrading to 3Di construction, or reshaping your existing inventory, early engagement gives you options. Leave it too late, and the only option may be a rush order that draws attention away from your other critical issues. 

To help guide your inspection, we have put together a five-part self-assessment checklist based on expert advice from our webinars and loft teams. These simple checks can be done dockside or while sailing, and they will help you determine if your sails are up to the challenge, or if it is time to call your sailmaker.

• Condition and Core Integrity - Start by feeling the sail. Any areas that seem soft, thin, or overly stiff could indicate core damage or delamination. Pay special attention to high-load corners, frequently folded areas under reefs, leech tapes, and any seams. If a sail feels inconsistent across its surface, it is likely losing some of its structural integrity.
• Shape and Performance - A tired sail will show signs of bagging or deformation, especially under load. You may notice that your pointing suffers with your headsail, or you cannot get your main as flat as you used to. These are signs that the designed foil is no longer intact, and performance is slipping away. 
• Hardware, Reinforcements, and Repairs - Check patches, corner rings or webbing, and batten pockets. If you have made multiple repairs to high-load areas, or if fittings look corroded or over-stressed, the reliability of the entire sail may be in question. Offshore racing demands rugged gear, and your sails must be up to the task. 
• Age and Usage - Even if a sail looks okay, time can take its toll. Most performance sails begin to lose shape after 1-2 seasons, especially if used regularly. Offshore-rated sails may last longer with proper care, but if yours have seen heavy use or have not been serviced regularly, it may be time for a refresh.
• Completeness of Inventory - Finally, make sure you have the full range. A race like Newport Bermuda requires more than just a main and a jib—you will want light and heavy headsails, storm sails for rule compliance, and spinnaker options for different wind angles. Do not let an equipment gap limit your tactics or safety offshore. 

Once you have completed your summer audit, fall becomes the perfect window to work with your sailmaker. New sails ordered before the spring rush can be delivered and tested with time to spare for sea trials and tuning. You will avoid long lead times and benefit from offseason availability and promotions. 

Better still, confirming your inventory early allows your team to enter the next phase of preparation with confidence — focusing on navigation, tactics, and crew work, not scrambling to patch old sails or hope for a rushed production spot. 

The Newport Bermuda Race is one of offshore sailing’s great tests. It rewards preparation, patience, and resilience. By checking your sails now, you take the first—and one of the most important—steps toward a successful campaign. So do not wait. Think while you are sailing this now and start the conversation with your North Sails consultant, because your best performance next June starts with what you do now.