NORTH SAILS BLOG

Formirana Melges 24 CRO flota Foto: regate.com.hr Melges kao jedriličarski brand krenuo je 1945. godine, a od tada su iz njihovih hala izašle mnoge sportske jedrilice, a neki modeli su se etablirali u svijetu jedrenja kao globalne monotip klase. Jedna od njih je i Melges 24, malena sportska jedrilica u kojoj može jedriti 4-5 jedriličara u tehničkim regatama oko oznaka, dok se s njima kvalitetno može jedriti i u dvoje. Jedan primjer, istina malo ekstreman, je sudjelovanje Melgesa 24 - Blue Label na ovogodišnjem Susku. Jedrilice ove klase na Jadranu se mogu vidjeti već neko vrijeme. Prva pod Hrvatskom zastavom bila je u Rijeci, a kormilarka joj je bila Niki Keser. Par godina nastupala je na međunarodnim regatama klase koje su bile organizirane u Italiji, poput Garde i San Rema. U međuvremenu nekoliko jedrilica je stiglo i u Sloveniju pa su mogli zajedno raditi treninge i regate, a povremeno bi nastupali i na regatama krstaša poput Mrduje u nas i Barcolane u Italiji. Nakon par godina ova dvadesetčetvorka odlazi u Dansku, a obitelj Keser nabavlja Melges 32. Nakon DSK u Hrvatsku stiže spomenuti Blue Label, nastupa uglavnom na Kvarnerskim regatama i sve do 2017. je jedini Melges u nas. Te godine u Dubrovnik stiže čuveni Lero. Lera ne treba posebno predstavljati jer je to jedrilica s kojom Ivo Kvestić nastupa na svim važnijim Dalmatinskim regatama. Redovito pobjeđuje kako u svojim skupinama, nerijetko i na cijelim regatama, a možda najzvućniji trofej u posljednje vrijeme je i pobjeda na Melges 24 monotip regati koja se ove godine jedrila u Trstu kao uvod u Barcolanu! Nastavak priče je u Splitu gdje se u kratkom razdoblju pojavljuju Cezibordo i The Pimp. Cezibordo je doveo Srđan Ninčević i parkirao (jer su Melgesi uglavnom na trailerima kad nisu na regati) kod Labuda, dok je The Pimp na sjevernu stranu Marjana doveo Roko Štambuk. Nakon toga kreće lavina u Splitu u kojem se trenutno nalazi većina Hrvatske flote. Kroz godinu bi imali najmanje četiri regate klase koje bi se bodovale za Kup i jedna bi bila Prvenstvo Hrvatske. Tako da bi sve to bilo službeno zadovoljeno krećemo s akcijama oko formiranja klase i zadovoljavanja svih formalnih zahtjeva. Za sada smo se dogovorili da će JK Mornar biti domaćin regati početkom studenog, JK Labud bi organizirao regatu zadnji vikend listopada i ostale bi bile ili u svibnju ili u kolovozu. Plan nam je da ih naporavimo tako u serijama i da su ti datumi usklađeni s datumima Europskog Kupa za klasu Melges 24, tako da možemo službeno pozivati i posade iz inozemstva tako da im možemo ponuditi da ostave brodove kod nas između dvije regate. Tako da se mogu vratiti doma i kasnije na drugi event u skorom periodu. Također planiramo i službene treninge u veljači za koje već imamo neslužbeno najavljeno nekoliko brodova iz vani, jedriličara iz Mađarske i Italije i jednog Nijemca, koji bi došli u slučaju da se ova situacija oko nas normalizira. Za 2020. smo izvukli maksimum koji smo mogli. Brodovi se množe skoro na tjednoj bazi. Evo neslužbeno sam čuo da je još jedan kaparan ovih dana, također čujem da su u tijeku pregovori da jedan stigne u Pulu. U Splitu imaju još dva ozbiljno zainteresirana buduća vlasnika... Filip Jurišić, Melges 24 - Strilica U sklopu organiziranja klase u planu je i angažiranje službenog premjerača koji bi vodio računa da sve bude po pravilima i da naša flota može regularno i bez stresa putovati i na regate u inozemstvu. Foto: regate.com.hr O tome koliko dobro je Melges 24 prihvaćen u Splitu govori i podatak da su neke jedrilice kupljene zajedničkim ulogom po nekoliko jedriličara i u floti su trenutno nalaze i imena vrlo iskusnih jedriličara poput Tonija Bulaje, Borisa Bakotića, Tonka Kuzmanića, Matije Longina, Jakova Šokote, a kalkulira se i s još nekim imenima olimpijskih jedriličara... Stvarno sam oduševljen ovom klasom. Ono što mi je najdraže kod nje je to što i nama starijim jedriličarima pruža šansu da konkurentno jedrimo protiv aktualnih olimpijaca, svjetskih i europskih prvaka, što inače više ne bi imali prilike u malim klasama. Jedrilica je stvarno fenomenalnih mogućnosti, a o adrenalinu koji se razvije kad se jedri niz vjetar s genakerom ne treba posebno trošiti riječi! U svakom slučaju mislim da je ovo izvrsna stvar! Toni Bulaja, Melges 24 - Obi One Kao što se iznad moglo pročitati, trenutno se bazama klase mogu smatrati Pula, Ičići, Zadar, Split i Dubrovnik, a s obzirom na očite prednosti malobrojne posade i toga što nije potreban vez, te relativno male cijene jedrilice u dosta dobrom stanju, za očekivati je da se priča brzo proširi i u drugim gradovima. A ako još uvijek niste sigurni o čemu pričam povirite fotogaleriju snimljenu na jednom od treninga u Splitu ili doživite užitak koji se pokušao dočarati u ovom videu. READ MORE

STARTING THE ONE DESIGN SEASON WITH SUCCESS Etchells and Young 88 National Titles Claimed by North Clients 📸 Andrew Delves North Sails One Design clients have started the season off with a bang after winning both the Etchells and Young 88 New Zealand Nationals last month. Etchells Nationals Hosted by the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron in Auckland, North-powered teams had a great event in windy conditions, finishing with a clean sweep on the podium. Defending champion and Sales Manager of North Sails New Zealand, Andrew Wills (Willzy), helmed the winning boat Cruel Jane with One Design Manager, Derek Scott, on the bow. “It had been a long time since Derek and I sailed together,’’ Willzy explains, “but it was an absolute pleasure. We have been friends since we were teenagers and have worked together for about 15 years.’’ Sailing with them as the mainsheet and kite trimmer was Anatole Masfen who has also been sailing with Willzy for many years. As well as having a good crew dynamic, the three sailors are experienced Etchells sailors but only sailed the boat twice this year in the lead up to the Nationals, which Willzy said made him feel a little nervous as some of the other teams were well prepared and were sailing fast. “The standard and depth of the New Zealand fleet have really improved as of late, which is great to see,’’ Willzy explains. “Alongside Fifteen + and Alliance who finished second and fourth overall respectively, we chose two newly designed headsails (MAL & GT) for the event. They were fast out of the box which meant we had a great first day, winning three of the four races which set us up well for the last day which brought a little more breeze, but nice flat water. Racing was tight with everyone keeping a close eye on the competition and their points. Special mention to Jannet Airey - this was her first nationals as Race Officer and the courses were faultless.’’ Harken Young 88 Nationals After a postponed Harken Young 88 Nationals, the regatta successfully went ahead at the end of November with 16 boats on the line raring to go. Racing between St Heliers and Rangitoto, congratulations to North powered team Raging Hormones who took home the National title after eight races. Sailing as tactician with owner Zane Gifford helming, Andrew Wills raced with fellow North expert Matt Kelway on the bow: “It was awesome to see so many teams out for the Nationals as it has been such a disruptive year for sailing in general,’’ says Kelway. “The racecourse was tricky with shifty conditions and a decent breeze on the final day. The key to the event this year was consistency; you had to be quick but also patient with the wind shifts and just find little moments to fight your way back in each race. The new sails complimented the existing inventory and were able to change modes really well through the range. I hope to see the class numbers up for the remaining Sprint Series and of course the Nationals next year.’’ “We had a new 3Di genoa and Radian mainsail for this event, both of which seemed fast from the get-go,’’ Willzy comments. “The fleet size is increasing again which was good to see. Our strong point was consistency and being able to dig out of bad situations. I also felt very confident with our boat handling, crew work, and physicality which really helped, especially on the last day when the breeze built. The wind was oscillating so it was key to stay in phase, both upwind and downwind. Being able to foot off, fast, to the next header seemed really important. It was great to do well against such strong competition and equally, to see so many of our customers sailing fast and achieving strong results. I know many of them are very passionate about sailing their boats and have put lots of time in, so seeing them being rewarded for their efforts was brilliant.’’ Sailing onboard Nick Gillies’ Waka Huia, One Design expert Matt Steven comments on the level of competition within the event: “This regatta was probably the most competitive in recent history for the 88's. The 16 teams brought very mixed results, so consistency was the winning formula. On Waka Huia with a full North inventory, we put the boat in too many tight spots on the first day, and as a result, did multiple penalty turns. On day two, we got the boat sailing in a really nice groove and placed really well, clawing ourselves back up the leaderboard. Raging Hormones were a class act and well-deserved winners." To discuss inventory options for either the Etchells or Young 88, visit the class page and talk to a local expert. Etchells Young 88 READ MORE

WINTER SAIL SERVICING : PROTECTING YOUR GREATEST ASSETS November Update from Your North Sails Service Team The loft busy as winter closes in A Note from Shane Hughes, Loft Service Manager, North Sails Ireland: As we enter our 6th month of trading I have finally had a little time to reflect on how our opening has gone. 2020 has been a remarkable period in all of our lives and for me personally has seen the arrival of a new baby girl and the opening of a new business! If you had told me I would be here one year ago.... First of all, I would like to thank all of our clients for supporting the new loft opening thus far. It has been a busy 6 months with us taking in and completing over 200 individual sail repairs and we are still receiving many more contacts as we head into the winter months despite all of the disruption wreaked by the Covid 19 pandemic and the lack of sailing in 2020. After UV replacement on a furling genoa. Protect your investment! With that in mind and with one eye on 2021, now is the time to book your sail(s) or canvas for annual inspection. Our Certified Annual Inspection will provide you with a full spectrum of services which include: racing re-cuts, replacement UV strips on cruising sails, reinforcement patches on your sail covers or canvas, and more! A recent project involved supporting Pam Lee and Cat Hunt on their successful Round Ireland double handed record attempt. It was a pleasure to host Pam and Cat in the loft, both super enthusiastic and committed sailors, to run through some of the do’s and dont's around repairing sails in an offshore environment. We were delighted to see all the repairs and modifications we made work out so well for them on their record attempt, but even happier for them to have achieved what they set out to do. Supporting clients in achieving their goals is important to us and we enjoy the interaction on projects like this. Find out more on their project. As the only North Sails Certified Service loft in Ireland, we are the only repair facility with access to specific North Sails products and expertise in terms of servicing some of North Sails unique product types such as 3Di. Our location in Wicklow allows us quick and easy access up to all of the East coast clubs And marinas. We can deal with bigger sails by providing a direct service to and from the boat making life easier for clients in some cases. As well as direct pick up and drop off service in the local area (inc. all of Dublin), we also offer a full nationwide service leveraging the DPD courier network. So wherever you are located and whatever your requirements, we are ready to assist. Stiffening around batten pocket on J109 3Di Mainsail using NS pure composite and 3Di PSA allowing the sail to sheet more cleanly on the leech. So please get in touch to discuss your specific needs and how we can help you prepare for sailing in 2021. Learn more about North Sails Service offerings + Scheduling an appointment with your local sail experts. In the mean time stay safe and best regards! North Sails Certified Service Contact Shane Adding reefing point to Xi Aramid mainsail New stack pack installed on Puppeteer 330 READ MORE

A PASSION FOR SAILING FROM A YOUNG AGE How One's Passion Influenced Their Move To The Pacific North West A passion for sailing brought this enthusiastic 26 year old sailor from Nakhodka, Russia to Vancouver, British Columbia. Learn how Alexander Levkovskiy's passion developed from a young age and still brings him great joy in life. Local North Sails expert Drew Mitchell caught up with Alexander to learn his story. How did you get into the sport of sailing and how old were you? When I was a kid my family had a Carter 30 sailboat. I spent a lot of time on it going out cruising and doing some clubhouse racing. Then at the age of 7 I started to sail an Opti. Everybody has a sailing role model growing up, who was yours and why did you look up to him? Can’t say that I had a role model but I had a group of sailors who I was keeping eye on. Top 3 on my list were: Dean Barker, Karol Jablonski and Ben Ainslie. All of those guys were incredibly talented match racers and I have been in love with match racing ever since I saw the America’s cup finals in 2003. What dinghies are most popular in Vladivostok, which ones did you sail/race? The most popular are Optis, Cadets, Lasers and 420’s. I went through Opti, two-person dinghy Cadet, Laser 4.7 / Radial. When I turned 18 keel boats took me over. What is the racing scene like in Vladivostok and what are the popular keel boats to race? Which one did you enjoy racing on the most and why? You can sail 6-7 months a year before it gets too cold and then you can sail ice boats. Summer racing schedule is pretty good. Wednesday nights start in the middle of May and finish in late August. You can find a regatta to sail almost every week. They can be as short as 2 days and be up to a week. As winter season comes and the bay gets covered in ice you can sail Ice Optis and DN’s. Ice boats are great to learn how apparent wind works and can go pretty quick. I would definitely recommend trying it! Two main one design fleets are Conrad 25R’s and Platu 25’s. This year guys got into Melges 20’s and it sounds like this fleet is going to grow. Also various sizes and types for boats in the ORC fleet. I really enjoyed sailing the Platu 25, great design by Bruce Farr. It feels like a big dingy, requires physical work and the fleet is super tight! After University you decided to move to Canada, you got yourself on the Vancouver racing scene pretty quickly. Are there many differences between racing in Vladivostok to racing in Vancouver? Can’t say that it’s super different. Maybe not as many windward leeward races. The biggest difference is that the season never stops. You can sail 12 month a year but it can be a little bit chilly in January. Also it’s pretty awesome that you can go sailing, skiing and mountain biking on the same day. What do you find the most challenging part of racing in Vancouver and around PNW? Tide and current. Local knowledge is a huge factor in the coastal races here. You better have good instruments on the boat so that you can keep track of those things. What is your favorite race in the PNW and why? Can I pick two? Southern Straits and the outside legs of Van Isle 360. Both races delivered great weather and champagne downwind sailing when I was doing it. Local guys say it can be pretty rough and wet weather sometimes but I’ve been lucky. You joined the Wet Coast Sailing Team, Melges 24 team based in Victoria, in 2018. You guys have had quite the success on the race course. Could you list off some of your results? As a team we sailed pretty much all the events of the V.I.R.C ( Vancouver Island Race Series) in 2018-2019 and pretty much all one design events available in the Pacific Northwest. I guess the biggest achievement for the team was winning the Corinthian division/ 5th overall in North American championships in 2019 which was held in Traverse City, Michigan. You would travel to Victoria almost every weekend to train with the team. You must really like your teammates. Who are they and can you list off everyone's position on the boat? I did so many ferry rides that potentially I could become a BC Ferry shareholder! But it's 100% worth it when you have such an incredibly good group of guys! We always have a lot of fun on and off the water. Alright I’ll start stern to bow: Fraser McMillan is our skipper, Aidan Koster does tactics, Keegan Moynihan trim and me as the lightest but most hungry guy on the boat do bowman/floater. At least this was how we planned to sail 2020 Worlds but with the pandemic and world changes we may have some changes to come too. With most all big Melges 24 events canceled what other sailing/racing have you been up too? It was frustrating to realize that sailing season was not going to be as exciting as planned but I’ve been doing some online sailing! Even organized a virtual regatta during Easter weekend in April. It was fun to experience the Race Committee job on a virtual course; glad I didn’t have to move marks all the time. Since we didn’t have much racing going on I got the opportunity to do some cruising with some of my closest friends and see some cool places. It was a great feeling to sail downwind while cooking steaks on the barbecue! I know that team won’t allow me to do that on M24 when racing is back on so I enjoyed that moment. You also co-own Martin 242 with your Dad. Looks like you guys have done some upgrades since the purchase. What's your guys plan with this? When we got the boat it was desperately looking for some upgrades! The majority of the jobs were done at the deck level: running rigging, standing rigging, hardware, some fibreglass work and other things. More upgrades to come! The plan for 2020 was to make the boat able to compete on the race course, do some day time cruising in English bay and race it. The boat did its first official race in October and it felt pretty good. I had a great opportunity to have my buddies from North Sails Vancouver on board and heard their opinion about how we can improve the boat and sails and make it ready for the Nationals in Nanaimo next year. That’s about it. Are you following the Vendee Globe? Who are you cheering for and why? I do! Cheering for everyone in the fleet. You have to be a super tough sailor to do this kind of race so I support all of them and wish them fair winds. Last fun question: If you could buy any boat in the world and race it what boat would you purchase and why? Also who would you buy your sails off? Oh that’s easy, a TP 52 built by Botin Partners powered by North Sails. Your phone number would be on speed dial; It is a high performance fleet with great sailors in it. As you know dreams come true, so maybe one day. READ MORE

HUR VET MAN NÄR DET ÄR DAGS ATT BYTA SPINNAKER? Vad du ska titta efter och hur du förlänger livslängden 📸 Cate Brown / BIRW I den här artikeln tar vi en närmare titt på nylonduk, förklarar hur du kan bedöma skicket på din spinnaker och tipsar om hur du maximerar dess livslängd. Om du har haft en ny spinnaker minns du säkert det prasslande ljudet och hur det lite styva materialet skrynklade sig när du packade ner seglet i säcken. De vita panelerna var vita och de färgade panelerna var djupt mättade. När spinnakern hissades och fylldes kändes det i hela båten att den ville framåt. Dina sinnen – synen, hörseln, känseln – registrerade att seglet var nytt, och samma sinnen kan nu hjälpa dig att förstå om den har gjort sitt eller kan användas ett tag till. Alla segel är förbrukningsvaror, på ungefär samma sätt som däcken på din bil. De slits lite varje gång du använder dem, och till slut är de utslitna bortom räddning. Och precis som med däck är det bra att dels känna till vad du kan göra för att minska slitaget och förlänga seglets livslängd, dels kunna förstå när det faktiskt är läge att skaffa något nytt. Spinnakern är det segel som det är svårast att bedöma skicket på, men det finns några enkla tumregler som tar dig en bra bit på vägen. En titt i mikroskopet En spinnaker opererar i relativt låga skenbara vindhastigheter. Duken behöver därför vara lätt, vilket är anledningen till och de flesta spinnakers görs av nylon. Fibrerna är tunna och lätta och väven är inte särskilt tät. Det här varierar i och för sig. En spinnaker eller gennaker gjord för cruising är vanligtvis gjord i duk med tätare vävteknik. Mikroskop-bilden till vänster visar en traditionell 0.75 oz (i verkligheten 1,1 oz) nylonduk. Lägg märke till hur varpen och väften överlappar varandra utan några egentliga mellanrum. Porositet, som är ett begrepp som används för att beskriva mängden luft som kan passera genom ett material, är låg i en spinnaker gjord av den här sortens duk. Låg porositet är förstås en värdefull egenskap i alla segel, men det är extra viktigt vid spinnakersegling, där man ju kämpar för att omvandla varenda liten pust till framåtdrivande kraft. Samtidigt är låg vikt en lika värdefull egenskap. Duken i en renodlad racing-spinnaker kan vara 40 procent lättare än duken i en mer cruisingbetonad variant. Bilden till höger visar hur en racing-duk kan se ut. Om du tittar noga ser du att varpen och väften bara delvis överlappar varandra och att det alltså finns tomma ytor utan några fibrer. Dessa ytor täcks istället av en tunn "coating", i det här fallet en uretanbeläggning. Det är knappast förvånande att denna uretanhinna har sämre hållbarhet än själva väven. Även kostnaden stiger, eftersom nylonduk med coating är dyrare att tillverka än nylonduk utan coating. Precis som med bildäck och en rad andra produkter är det priset man får betala för högre prestanda. Hur ser jag att spinnakern börjar bli sliten? De skillnader du kan se över tid är subtila. Men om panelerna nära hornen börjar påminna om korrugerad plåt, så är det ett tydligt tecken på ålder. Likaså den så kallade "elefantrumpan", det vill säga att det uppstår en vertikalt rynka mitt i spinnackerns övre del. Ytterligare tecken att hålla utkik efter är om ytterpanelerna tenderar att vika över på ett mer abrupt sätt än tidigare när du trimmar spinnakern. I takt med att spinnakern åldras kommer du också kunna märka att det blir svårare att nå dina målfarter. Om du förr brukade ha en "extra växel" när du lovade upp för att exempelvis passera en båt i lovart, och den effekten nu verkar ha klingat av, så är det också ett tydligt tecken på att din spinnaker har sett sina bästa dagar. 📸 Cate Brown Och som sagt, hur duken känns i handen kan säga mycket om dess skick. Om skillnaden är stor jämfört med när den var ny beror det på att duken har börjat tackla av. Här behöver du inte bara förlita dig på minnet. Du kan ju allltid ta med spinnakern till din segelmakare och jämföra med hur en sprillans ny duk känns. Se bara till att du känner på en duk med liknande karaktär, så att du inte jämför äpplen med päron. Att din spinnaker ofta får hål och revor kan också vara ett tecken på ålderdom – samtidigt som det antyder att du nog bör ta ett varv runt rigg och båt med tejp och kanske till och med fil. En mjuk nylonduk har ingen chans mot vassa spridarnockar, lösa kardeler, saxpinnar och liknande. En helt ny spinnaker är faktiskt mer känslig för den här sortens slitage än en som har använts ett litet tag, så det här är extra viktigt när seglet hissas de första gångerna. Men det är ju under en kort. övergående fas, och det påverkar inte det faktum att en äldre spinnaker tål mindre slitage än en nyare. Håll också uppsikt efter färgförändringar. Att vita paneler gulnar eller att färgade paneler mattas av är ett uppenbart tecken på att seglet är ute på sista benet. Och för att återknyta till det där med porositet – om du märker att det går att blåsa aldrig så lite luft genom seglet, så har gränsen passerats för länge sedan. Tips som ökar din spinnakers livslängd Vi avslutar med fem snabba råd som hjälper dig att få ut max av din spinnaker: #5: Vi har nämnt det tidigare men tar det igen: Tejpa eller ta bort alla vassa detaljer ombord som seglet kan komma i kontakt med. #4: Använd inte ditt segel i högre vindstyrkor än vad det är konstruerat för. #3: Försök undvik att "tråla" med spinnakern. Att dra upp den ur vattnet medan båten gör fart framåt utsätter duken för oerhörda påfrestningar. #2: Håll spinnakern torr, så långt det är möjligt. Lämna aldrig en blöt spinnaker i säcken, utan ta med den hem eller lägg den på ett sätt som gör att den kan torka. Om den har fått saltvatten på sig är det bra att skölja den med sötvatten. Men tvätta den aldrig med någon form av klor-baserat medel. Det är som kryptonit för nylon! #1: Torka aldrig spinnakern efter segling genom att hissa den på masten och låta den fladdra i vinden. Det skär i hjärtat på varje segelmakare – och ett segel som fladdrar kan åldras mer under en halvtimme än under flera säsongers normal segling. Intresserad av en ny spinnaker? Kontakta oss så hjälper vi dig att få mer ut av din undanvind. Request A Quote Color Code READ MORE

North Sails & Swan 45 - recept za Susak Foto: regate.com.hr Yacht Club Croatia uspješno je nastavio s postavljanjem temelja novoj tradiciji Istre i Kvarnera organiziranjem drugog izdanja regate od Ičića do Suska i natrag za dvojce i posade. Nažalost ove godine nije odjedrena kompletna ruta, ali i na skraćenom izdanju svi sudionici imali su ispred sebe vrlo naporno i zahtjevno jedrenje! Prilikom prijavljivanja regate za ovogodišnji kalendar HJS-a, rezervirani su petak, subota i nedjelja 20 - 22.11. međutim, zbog vremenske prognoze cijeli tjedan ranije se moglo očekivati da će doći do nekih promjena u službenom programu, jer su svi meteo modeli najavljivali jaku buru na skoro cijeloj ruti između Ičića i Suska. Inače, start je trebao biti dan u petak ujutro u 10:00, ali unatoč želji organizatora da organizira jednu zahtjevnu jesensku, pomalo avanturističku, regatu taj termin definitivno nije dolazio u obzir! Po najavama zainteresiranih jedriličara iz Istre i Kvarnera, na startu se moglo očekivati preko 25 posada, kako u dvočlanom formatu, tako i u punom sastavu. Najavilo se i pet posada iz Slovenije, pa bi se nakon lanjskog nastupa jedne Ruske posade nastavio međunarodni karakter regate. Ali s jedne strane zaključana Dežela i olujna bura na putu posada sa zapadne strane Istre srezali su startnu listu na 19 imena većinski iz Riječkog zaljeva. Iz najdaljeg su stigli samo momci s Dolce far niente, članovi JK Horizont iz Poreča i mix dvojac Kostelić - Kliba kao predstavnici JK Uljanik iz Pule. Prvi potez Organizacijskog odbora po pitanju odgode starta povučen je par dana pred start kad su svi sudionici obaviješteni da se start pomiče na subotu ujutro u 10:00. Ova dvadesetičetiri satna odgoda po tada aktualnim prognozama još uvijek je omogućavala da se odjedri kompletna ruta, jer su po jakoj buri jedrilice trebale stići do Suska, a već u očekivano vrijeme njegovog obilaska bura bi bila u padu i povratak bi išao mnogo ugodnije, a definitivno brzo s obzirom da bi se većina rute mogla odjedriti na jednim uzdama, čak i u laškoj orci. Sastanak kormilara odvio se u subotu ujutro u ACI marini Ičići, bazi YC Croatia u 9:00. Foto: regate.com.hr Svima, ili bar većini, bilo je jasno da je stanje već ispred same marine bilo više nego zahtjevno za jedrenje i s obzirom da je DHMZ izdao crveno upozorenje za Kvarner, isplovljavanje nije dolazilo u obzir. Također, organizatori su raspolagali s informacijama da je na otvorenom moru između Istre i Cresa, kao i na Susku, izmjereno pa i preko 50 čvorova bure. Odluka je samim tim bila vrlo jednostavna, odnosno odgoda starta u trajanju od deset sati. Idući sastanak kormilara zakazan je za 19:00, a mogući start najavljen je za 20:00. Tijekom dana bura je i dalje vrlo jako puhala i ispred Opatije, ali kako je sunce počelo zalaziti tako je sve više slabila i bar na milju od kopna pala na desetak čvorova. S obzirom da je vremenski interval koji je bio ispred jedriličara bio značajno skraćen u odnosu na prvotni, odgoda starta od dan i pol povlačila je za sobom i skraćenje rute. Regatni odbor obavijestio je nazočne kormilare da se neće ići do Suska, već da će točka obaveznog obilaska biti lanterna Zaglav na sredini zapadne obale Cresa. Ugrubo, ruta je skraćena na pola. Na raspolaganju je bilo još nekoliko točaka na izvornoj ruti koje su mogle biti iskorištene umjesto Zaglava, ali prognoze su najavljivale drastičan pad bure u nedjelju ujutro. Takav rasplet doveo bi u pitanje povratak većine sudionika, pa je izabrana spomenuta opcija. Do ovog izdanja regate Susak noćni start u ovom akvatoriju nije baš prakticiran. Iznimka je jedino nekoliko Galijola koje su se jedrile u kasno ljetnom terminu, što je ipak mnogo ugodnije doba za jedrenje, pa je samim tim i noćni start bar psihički manje zahtjevan a i tada su skoro sve posade bile u punom sastavu. Na ovom Susku od 19 prijavljenih posada 11 su bile u doublehanded kategoriji, a 8 u punom sastavu. Noćni start, prateću hladnoću i ostale eventualnosti tri posade su prepoznale kao elemente s kojima bi mogle imati poprilično problema i službeno su se povukle iz regate, a s druge strane već u petak poslijepodne posada Molo Longa javila je organizatorima da odustaju od sudjelovanja. Tako da je na start pristupilo 15 posada. Uglavnom, među njima nije bilo dvočlanih posada, svi koji su stigli u Opatiju odlučili su jedriti, a posade u punom sastavu su predstavljali samo Finally i Žut. Predstartna procedura odbrojavala se na istom mjestu kao i godinu ranije... Regatni odbor na valobranu marine u Ičićima, pored "tri antene", i bova označena bljeskalicom na oko 200-300 metara okomito na obalu. S obzirom da bura ovdje puše skoro okomito na obalu start je bio u laško i odvijao se po maksimano desetak čvorova, ali po vrlo uzburkanom moru kratkog, oštrog vala. Vrlo nezgodni uvjeti kad je u jedrima malo vjetra, a s obzirom da se uvijek nakon starta svi nastoje izvući što više od obale Istre u zonu jačih zračnih strujanja, trebali su su se koristiti drifteri i genakeri kojima nisu bili svi opremljeni. Uglavnom su se koristile genove i jedinice, a nekolicina s odgovarajućim laganim jedrima u zonu za koju su očekivali da će biti vjetrovitija stigli su malo ranije. Međutim, tamo ih nije dočekalo pretjerano mnogo vjetra i sa stvarno malenim brzinama skreću na pravi kurs i nastavljaju na jug. Jedine dvije jedrilice koje su izabrale značajno drugačiju taktiku bili su Damaco i Bokeljka. Oni su prvih pola milje jedrili bliže kopnu i tek onda su se priključili na "autoput". Kao što se može vidjeti na početnom dijelu playbacka Bokeljka je bila bar za 20% brža od najbržih u ostatku flote i na momente hvatala i preko 7 čvorova. Slično je bilo i s Damacom, ali zbog tehničkih problema nedostaje prvih pola sata njegove snimke. Nakon prebacivanja vani flota sustiže Bokeljku, ali Damaco zadržava vodstvo koje u nastavku regate nije niti jednom ispustio. U ovom dijelu regate možda je najveće iznenađenje JOD 35 - Skradin. On se probio na drugo mjesto i predvodio je potjeru u kojoj su još sudjelovali maleni Mini 650 - Libera i Elan 340 - Dolce far niente. Dalje je regata bila praktički natjecanje u brzini, jer nije bilo nekih posebnih taktičkih poteza s kojima su se neki izdvajali od drugih. U ovoj etapi najviše su se isticali Melges 24 - Blue Label i Bavaria 38 Match - Fly 5. Oni su iskoristili posjedovanje genakera i s vanjske strane pokušavali su hvatati priključak s vodećima. Uglavnom, nekako u visini Mošćeničke drage bura ponovno jača i sad cijela flota ima vrlo visok prosjek brzina. Više o situaciji na moru ispričao je član kasnije pobjedničkog dvojca, Hrvoje Petrović, koji je jedrio zajedno s Niki Keser na Swanu 45 - Damaco: S obzirom da smo kasnili na start i brod je velik, pa kad smo u dvoje sve ide relativno sporo, nismo stigli ništa pametno dignuti. Istina, dignuli smo puno jedro i veliki flok za mezzonave, ali nismo stigli pripremiti genaker. Kasnije smo ga uspjeli spremiti, ali mislim da je na sreću bura počela probivati kad je sve bilo spremno, tako da nismo ništa veliko dignuli. Na startu su ispred nas bili Bokeljka i Libera. Mislim da je Bokeljka imala genaker, a Libera drifter. S tim su počeli voziti na razne strane, jer vjerojatno to sve nisu uspjeli spustiti na vrijeme, a mi smo sve to prošli na flok. Jer relativno brzo je s 5-6 čvorova na startu dignulo na 15 čvorova iz smjera Krka! Znači bio je čisti bok, a dok smo se izvlačili vani imali smo orcu prema Cresu. Kako smo išli prema Velim vratima to je sve više jačalo. Mi smo i dalje imali puno jedro i jib top. I kad smo stigli u Vrata na instrumentima smo čitali 32-33 čvora. Tu nam je vjetar već bio u pola krme i krma i tu zonu smo proletjeli s tim punim jedrima. Sve je prošlo bez stresa i ja sam čak uspio malo odmoriti, odraditi neki polu san. Niki je vozila. I onda je iza Cresa krenuo zanimljivi dio, dio patnje. Kad smo prošli puntu Porozine sve je stalo. Bonaca... oko 6 čvorova iz svih smjerova malo krma, malo orca... Srećom, nismo išli puno pod Cres. Bili smo oko milju - milju i pol van, kad vidim tracking znat ću točno... i relativno brzo smo to prošli. Nakon toga ponovno smo imali vjetar u bok prema Zaglavu... refuli od 30 čvorova, pa pad na 5... pa ponovno 30 čvorova... Nekoliko puta smo mijenjali na jedru prvi krat, pa prvi, pa ponovno drugi, pa puno jedro... i sve s istim flokom. Cijelo vrijeme bok, krma i max laška orca. Uglavnom bočni kutevi. I onda na 3-4 milje pred Zaglavom, kad smo se spremali priječi na trojku za natrag, dignulo je na 35 čvorova. To je dio koji ćese na trackeru vrlo jasno vidjeti :) Tih 35 čvorova je bilo zadnje što sam u tim trenucima vidio na instrumentu jer sam otišao na provu čupati flok prema dolje. Kako smo mi to "mudro" zaključili da ćemo spuštati u krmu, šteke koje imamo u floku su se omotola oko štraja. Bila je prava mala karamela. Niki je na timunu uspjela to odvrtiti, a ja sam uspio spustiti flok. Međutim, umjesto da je to sve trajalo 3 minute, trajalo je 23... Kad smo to spustili zavozili smo na Zaglav i tamo smo imali između 25 i 30 čvorova, ništa previše strašno. Jedro nam je tada bilo na prvom kratu i dignuli smo trojku. Na Zaglavu smo imali jednu viru koja je bila posljednja do Ičića. Desne uzde sve do gore... na desni bok smo nakrcali sve flokove i spinakere koje smo imali... sve na palubu. Mislim da oko 15 minuta iza Zaglava ponovno dižemo jedro na puno i do kraja više ništa nismo mijenjali do kraja. U Vratima smo imali 15-20 čvorova, ful orca i na izlasku iz vrata do 35 čvorova laške orce. Brod je išao kao metak, najljepši dio regate što se mene tiče! Tu je već i iskopalo val, pa je bilo i malo mokro. A na provi smo izgubili dvije naglavne lampe. Taktika za kraj nam je bila da se držimo čim više vani, da ne odemo pod Istru gdje je uvijek po buri dosta lošije... ako nema tramuntane uvijek treba ići van prema Kvarneru. Negdje u visini Ike dobili smo prvi znak da idemo u bonacu, pa smo se s dvije-tri vire izvukli još više vani i tako smo skoro prošli Ičiće i u krmu se spustili prema cilju. U Ičićima je sve zabonacalo i zadnjih milju smo morali jedriti orcu da bi ušli u cilj. Rezime je da nije bilo panike, osim te jedne izmjene floka, kod nas to stvarno nije izgledalo strašno. Mislim da je primarni razlog to što je brod spreman! Ja znam brod napamet. Imam hrpu milja i sati u brodu, Niki također. Jedrili smo puno regata zajedno ove sezone i mislim da nam je to bio najveći plus, što smo znali brod. Točno sam znao koje jedro i kada, kako brod podnosi pojedini setup, kako mogu voziti i ponavljam da je brod spreman za offshore. Ja i Bero (Berislav Vranić, vlasnik Damaca, op.a.) spremamo se za Sv.Nikolu za dvojce, jer Niki radi, ne može dobiti slobodno... a inače nas dvoje planiramo jedriti dalje, a čak razmišljamo i o mixed offshore kombinaciji da i nas dvoje pokušamo s kvalifikacijama za olimpijadu. Što se tiče treniranja, Swana imamo uvijek na raspolaganju, također možemo jedriti na X-Treme 37 od Nikijine obitelji, možemo posuditi i Mini 650 od prijatelja Darija... sad samo čekamo službene informacije koje u stvari sviju i zanimaju da mogu krenuti s ozbiljnim planovima za kvalifikacije. Hrvoje Petrović, Damaco - Swan 45 Krenuvši od Damaca, pa dalje, u pitanju su bile jedrilice za koje se po potrebi dio posade može skloniti u kabinu, ako je sve u redu čak malo i odspavati, a i u većini ako uvjeti na moru dopuštaju normalno i opušteno pripremiti neki topli napitak ili topli obrok. Sušta suprotnost tome bila je jedrilica Blue Label, Melges 24 na kojem je jedrio dvojac YC Croatia, Jelača i Smojver. Foto: regate.com.hr Tijekom regate čak 5 jedrilica se povukla iz regate zbog uvjeta na moru. Neki su morali odustati ranije, neki u blizini Zaglava, a dvojac s Blue Labela taj potez je morao povući prilikom pokušaja okreta ove lanterne. Kako je u prvoj polovici regate jedrenje bilo uglavnom u bok i niz vjetar oni su se dobro snalazili, a i stvarno brzo prešli tih 22-23 NM. Ali upadaju u probleme pred obilazak... detaljnije o tome, kao i o organizacijskim izazovima ispričao nam je Petar Smojver: Mogu reći da smo kao organizatori iz ove regate stvarno puno naučili i izvukli puno iskustva, pogotovo da slušamo sami sebe i da ne upadamo pod tuđi utjecaj. A tako smo i postupili pogotovo po pitanju odgode starta. Za iduću godinu planiramo da jedan ozbiljni gumenjak budu uz flotu cijelo vrijeme. Da bude pri ruci ako nekom bude trebalo... bez obzira što se to ne radi na drugim regatama... ali ja bi to zbog svog mira. Mislim, bez obzira što smo mi ovog puta spašavali sebe i tražili zaklon, meni je cijelo vrijeme puno više u glavi bilo pitanje kako druge posade to rješavaju i da im se nešto ne desi. Imali smo mi dogovoreno i spremnu pripravnost Sea Helap, ali oni su u Lošinju i treba im sat vremena do tamo gdje smo mi bili... nezgodno je... stvarno treba netko s tom ulogom biti bliže! A što se tiče nas na Melgesu, jasno je da to nije jedrilica za ovakvo vrijeme. Međutim, po svim prognozama bura je bila u padanju do dvadeset čvorova i to se može. Pripremili smo i olujna jedra baš za njega i moglo se s tim jedriti do 30 čvorova, a to smo i isprobali za vrijeme regate. NAs dvojica smo bez problema upravljali brodom, išli smo 14 čvorova... s kratom i flokom jedrili krmu... glisirali smo noću po velikom valu i to je bilo kako treba. A kasnije kad smo upali u nekakvu bonacu od Porozine, pa tamo negdje do Velog Boka. Bila je bonaca, pa val iz Valuna, pa val po krmi od Porozine, vjetar čas čista orca, pa čas čista krma... to je bilo nekih sat i pol borbe i kad smo to prošli nekih 3 milje pred Zaglavom je zapuhalo. Očekivali smo da će refuli odmah biti jaki i odmah smo ih dočekali s kratom. Tako smo normalno mogli jedriti do Zaglava i onda je tamo još pojačalo i tu smo počeli imati prve probleme jer nas je štraorcalo i nismo mogli zapojati. Tada smo spustili glavno i dignuli olujno glavno i uspjeli proći Zaglav i ići prema Cresu. Tu je ponovno pojačalo i nikako nismo mogli ni virati ni napraviti pojalabandu, niti zapojati. I sad kad smo došli pod Cres nije bilo druge... tu nije bilo niti jedne rupe među refulima... mi smo čekali neku rupu da zapojamo, a nikako dočekati. I kad smo stigli pre blizu Cresu spustili smo glavno i samo s flokom smo uspjeli okrenuti. Naravno, nismo uspjeli okrenuti Zaglav, jer samo s flokom nismo imali potrebni kut i tu smo donijeli odluku da je to to i da odustajemo od regate jer ne možemo s ispravne strane okrenuti Zaglav. Sve ovo što sad pričam traje dvadesetak minuta. Za to vrijeme refuli su još i pojačali i onaj flok koji nam je bio podignut trebalo je zarolati jer smo se previše naginjali. Kasnije su nam rekli ovi što su iza nas stigli do Zaglava da su neki mjerili 37, neki 42 čvora i to ne refule, već konstantnog vjetra! Flok smo skroz zarolali. Po tom vjetru se zarolao skroz na tanko i kako je taj konop od rola na Melgesu napravljen na mjeru, a sad koliko je tanko bio zarolan ostalo je vani viriti nekih 40-50 cm jedra. I tek to malo jedra je brod mogao podnijeti! jedna od opcija koje smo tad imali na raspolaganju je da na lijeve uzde idemo prema Susku ili na desnim uzdama na Pomer, to su bile opcije za krmu. Ili eventualno probati to što smo na kraju i napravili, a to da smo na desne uzde i tuči mezzonave koliko nas pusti. Nekako smo procijenili da ćemo uhvatiti Crnu puntu, a ako nju ne uhvatimo ušli bi u Rašu i tamo hvatati neku zavjetrinu. I tako smo mi to i napravili... je da je to tražilo prelazak preko otvorenog mora od Cresa prema Istri, ali da smo išli prema Susku opet bi nas čekali udari pod Lubenicama i pred Martinščicom i to bi bila katastrofa, a da smo išli na Pomer išli bi na otvoreno more, a tu je i val i sve što ide uz to. Uglavnom, rekli smo idemo poprijeko za Istru. Naravno, ovisiš o brodu i opremi. Hočće li jarbol puknuti ili izdržati, međutim s obzriom da smo imali samo tih kvadrat - kvadrat i pol jedra mislim da to nije bila tolika opasnost bez obzira na jačinu. Po mojoj procjeni valovi su bili oko tri metra. U jednom trenu... dok smo prelazili nismo puno pričali... ali čim smo pristali sjetili smo se jedne situacije. Vidi se svjetlo Rapca, a Rabac je dosta visoko u brdu i u jednom trenu ne vidiš više njegovo svjetlo jer 100 metara dalje bio je val i sad taj val dolazi prema tebi nije više crn nego bijel! Tako da je povremeno bilo tih ogromnih valova. Brod je to OK podnosio. Kad ne bi izdržao reful u mezzo onda bi ga malo zapojao, a to je opet novi par rukava. Kad okreneš u krmu i zaglisiraš na valu, zabiješ se u slijedeći i u jednom trenu nam je prova bila cijela u moru sve do kabine, situacja kao kad se vide video klipovi kad ljudi jedre sa spinakerom u krmu, tako se to nama desilo s tih kvadrat i pol jedra! Ali što je tu je, izvučeš se i onda opet u mezzonave šibaš dalje. Kad smo stiglo do Crne punte tamo je bila zavjetrina, uspjeli upaliti motor, uplovili i vezali se na prvu bovu ispred cementare i odmah je bilo zavlačenje u kabinu. Slijedeće je bilo da moramo zadržati temperaturu, ne se pothladiti. Naravno, vreće nismo uzeli, jer idemo "samo" do Zaglava i digurno nežemo morat bježati. Dok smo planirali odlazak do Suska znali smo da ćemo se negdje trebat skloniti i pričekati da prođe vjetar, a ovo je bilo kao idemo na sigurno :) Tako da nam je to bila velika greška i tako smo morali čekati dok se prva birtija otovori da možemo ući unutra da se zagrijemo, pa da možemo krenuti natrag. Po prognozi je bilo da će ujutro oko dva sata bura kompletno stati, a na kraju je tamo u Koromačni bura puhala sve do 11 ujutro... eto, svi modeli su totalno pogriješili! Vjerojatno je bura toliko lokalnog karaktera da oni ne mogu sve to tako precizno odrediti. Petar Smojver, YC Croatia Ono što posebno veseli organizatore je to što se na regati okupio toliki broj dvojaca i koji nisu odustali unatoč vremenskim uvjetima, a što znači da su bili dobro pripremljeni i oni i brodovi. S druge strane također su zadovoljni i s ozbiljnim pristupom onih koji su u jednom trenutku rekli da oni ne mogu odjedriti cijelu rutu po takvim uvjetima i na taj način sačuvali i sebe i svoje jedrilice. U svakom slučaju regata je pokazala da postoji dovoljan broj ozbiljnih jedriličara s kvalitetnim jedrilicama i što je najvažnije da su spremni jedriti i u jesen i po teškim vremenskim uvjetima, kratiti na vrijeme i nikog dovoditi u rizik! Karakteristika područja oko Zaglava je da čak i noćni burini u toj zoni mogu vrlo jako puhati, tako da kad je na širem području bura na Zaglavu će sigurno vladati uvjeti poput onih koje su doživjeli sudionici ove regate. Ovog puta, po riječima Slovenskog meteorologa Jure Jermana, situaciju je dodatno pojačalo još uvijek toplo more. Gradijent bure uzrokovan tlakom, spoji se s noćnim burinom. Kopno je vrlo hladno zbog bure, a more je još uvijek dosta toplije. I onda se po noći to spoji, pogotovo do otprilike ponoći. Dok se more ne stigne ohladiti, upravo vrijeme kad su jedriličari obilazili Zaglav, dobije se još dodatnih 78 čvorova na buru. Inače u toj zoni, bura je najjača na potezu od Zaglava do Osora. Kad se pogleda smjer puhanja, to je točno preko puta Senja. Rezultate regate po različitim podjelama možete pronaći na priloženim linkovima: OPEN - svi OPEN - x2 OPEN - grupe svi OPEN - grupe x2 ORC - x2 Kvarner Yardstick - x2 U nastavku se može napraviti i kratka analiza statistike koja je izračunata posebno za dionicu od Ičića do Zaglava, a potom i za kompletnu rutu. Treba primijetiti da su se prvi statistički podaci računali na osnovu procjene dolaska do visine Zaglava, odnosno kad je u pitanju Damacov široki obilazak, vrijeme kad je stigao u njegovu blizinu. Statistika dionice Ičići - Zaglav Jedrilica Trajanje jedrenja Prejedreno Prosječna brzina Max. brzina 1. Damaco 03:42:00 27.95 7.55 13.09 2. Fly 5 03:48:00 24.55 6.46 13.25 3. Libera 03:53:00 24.13 6.21 13.27 4. Žut 03:54:00 26.72 6.85 16.79 5. Ariel 03:59:00 24.25 6.09 12.34 6. Bokeljka 04:02:00 24.10 5.98 13.54 7. Beba 04:19:00 24.22 5.61 11.82 8. Skradin 04:25:00 25.99 5.88 12.84 9. Blue Star 04:53:00 24.02 4.92 11.58 Blue Label 04:30:00 25.10 5.58 14.14 Dolce far niente 04:36:00 25.07 5.45 10.35 Statistika kompletne rute Jedrilica Trajanje jedrenja Prejedreno Prosječna brzina Max. brzina 1. Damaco 07:49:48 53.50 6.83 13.09 2. Fly 5 08:34:23 50.63 5.91 13.25 3. Ariel 08:53:32 50.88 5.72 12.34 4. Bokeljka 09:20:31 50.62 5.42 13.54 5. Skradin 10:28:23 53.64 5.12 12.84 6. Žut 10:40:18 57.66 5.40 16.79 7. Libera 10:40:39 54.56 5.11 13.27 8. Blue Star 13:15:00 56.13 4.24 11.58 Playbacko jedrenja možete pronaći na priloženom linku. Molim jedino da one koji se odluče na analizu snimljenih putanja obrate pažnju na jednu anomaliju u snimljenim podacima, a izgleda da je vezana uz točno određenu geografsku širinu na kojoj svi trackeri, bilo u prilasku ili odlasku od Zaglava, pokazuju pogrešne pozicije. Ako netko zna razlog takvog ponašanja molio bi ga da to podijeli s ostalima! PLAYBACK A malena fotogalerija snimljena na regati može se pronaći na ovom linku: FOTO - SUBOTA READ MORE

ORC Prvenstvo Hrvatske - jedina ovogodišnja regata za ORC Cup Jedriličarski klub Val još jednom je u suradnji s D-Marin Mandalina og 6. do 8. studenog uspješno organizirao Prvenstvo Hrvatske po ORC-u, a spletom aktualnih okolnosti to je bila i jedina ovogodišnja ORC regata koja se vozila i za Kup. Naime, kalendar je predviđao da se većina regata za Kup jedri u proljeće za vrijeme kad je i Hrvatska bila "zaključana", a u jesenskom dijelu planiran je samo Šibenik ORC Cup koji je potom preimenovan i prekategoriziran u Prvenstvo Hrvatske. Najave su ovog puta išle malo konzervativnijim nego tijekom prijašnjih godina. Sve posade koje smo ranijih godina naučili gledati na ovim regatama imale su namjeru sudjelovati, ali svi su bili rezervirani po pitanju slanja prijava zbog konstantne opasnosti od desetkovanja broja članova posade. U posljednjem tjednu taj scenario se i desio na nekim od jedrilica, ali srećom nitko od jedriličara nije bio razlogom samoizoliranja, već su to bili "kontakti od kontakta" i slično. Uglavnom, dovoljno da se poremete planovi svim ostalima na jedrilicama. Ono što posebno veseli kad se pregleda popis posada, a i onih koji su htjeli sudjelovati, je to što se prijavilo i nekoliko jedrilica koje do sada nisu sudjelovale na ovom tipu regata, dok su neke posade nastupile na svojim novim bolidima. Naravno, nije im to bila i prva regata na tim jedrilicama, ali prvo pravo testiranje u tehničkom jedrenju, odnosno na tipu regate gdje je potrebno biti koncentriran prvenstveno na maksimiziranje vlastite izvedbe, a ne toliko na pokrivanja i taktička nadmudrivanja s protivnicima. Također je na ovom PH bilo zanimljivo i to što se značajno povećao udio posada koje krmu jedre s genakerima... sa spinakerima je ove godine jedrilo manje od pola flote, odnosno četiri posade, a također treba reći da je čak šest jedrilica imalo svoju premijeru u ORC-u, pa kad se sve uzme u obzir ovo je bio vrlo zanimljiv test po mnogim pitanjima. Foto: regate.com.hr Tjedan pred početak regate očekivalo se 14 jedrilica, ali u četvrtak se što u Mandalinu, što u Vodice, vezalo devet posada: Molo Longo, Damaco, All 4 One, Gringo 3, Elaya, Mr.J, Mareus II, Orca i Pixel. S obzirom na odgovarajuće CDL koeficijente koji ih svrstavaju u pojedine ORC skupine i broj jedrilica u pojedinoj skupini, Regatni odbor davao im je zajedničke starteve i bodovao ih je na zajedničkoj ljestvici, pa su proglašeni prvaci Hrvatske samo u ORC A skupini. Vremenska prognoza za cijeli vikend bila je povoljna u smislu temperatura i izostanak kiše, ali tako stabilno vrijeme dozvoljavalo je samo lagane vjetrove. U petak, prvog dana regate, na more se izašlo najkasnije i uspješno su organizirana dva plova. Oba su se jedrila po laganoj tramburi koja je malo pojačavala kako se sunce približavalo horizontu. Tako je prvi plov odjedren po brzinama vjetra od 6-9 čvorova, a što je kasnije softver za proračun rezultata najbržoj jedrilici po ORC korekciji izračunao da joj je prosječni izvedeni vjetar bio 7-9 čvorova (stupac Implied Wind u rezultatima), dok je u drugom plovu računalo "izbacilo" da je korigirano najbrži jedrio po prosječnih 10.5 čvorova. Softver koji proračunava rezultate inače podatak Implied Wind-a ispisuje za svaku pojedinu jedrilicu i ranije su se rezultati ispisivali s tim podacima za svaku pojedinu jedrilicu. Međutim, posljednje dvije-tri sezone taj podatak o vjetru uzima se od jedrilice koja je bila korigirano najbrža i "fiksira" se svima u floti i kalkulacija se potom mora ponoviti. Tako dobiveni rezultati su konačni. Na kraju se ispostavilo da su ta dva prva štapa ujedno bili i najdulji štap kursevi po kojima se taj vikend jedrilo. Duljine su im bile preko 6NM, odnosno prva orca je bila dulja od milje i pol. To je otprilike neka optimalna duljina po uvjetima laganijeg do umjerenog vjetra. Jedino je posada Molo Longa mogla malo negodovati po tom pitanju, jer jedrilici te veličine definitivno više odgovara polje veće duljine, ali većina flote je bila prosječnih četrdesetak stopa duljine pa je taj podatak prevagnuo prilikom postavljanja polja. S druge strane, ovo je bila prva ORC regata jedrilice Molo Longo. Kako je riječ o plovilu koje je ciljano dizajnirano za sudjelovanje i pokušaj osvajanja Trščanske Barcolane, njen karakter je čisto openaški i praktički je riječ o velikoj surf dasci. Primjera radi u njenom trupu nema stajaće visine, silueta je vrlo niska, ima canting keel, a o snasti ne treba previše trošiti riječi. Uglavnom, njeni koeficijenti nakon premjeravanja su bili vrlo blizu granice po kojoj bi se uopće mogla svrstati u ovu flotu, a sredstvo s kojim postiže svoje najbolje performanse (canting keel) u ORC regati ne smije koristiti, odnosno, kobilica mora biti fiksirana u sredinu kao što je na svim ostalim jedrilicama. Koliko to ima posljedicu na njeno jedrenje najbolje se vidi u orci u kojoj je Swan 45, a ponekad i Salona 42, stizao prije ovog Ceccarellija 53. Naravno, u dionicama niz vjetar Molo Longo je to sve nadoknađivao, ali svejedno matematika nije bila na njegovoj strani. Pobjedu u prvom plovu odnijela je posada jedrilice All 4 One. Od ove sezone viđat ćemo je na Jadranskim regatama s novim vlasnikom, Karlom Kuretom za kormilom, a njegova prethodna Salona 34 prešla je pod zastavu JK Zenta i nadamo se da će se ponovno vratiti na naše ORC regate od iduće sezone, ali ovog puta s novom posadom. U ovom plovu Kuret i posada su dojedrili 21 korigiranu sekundu ispred sviju, a na drugom mjestu završila je posada iz Pule na jedrilice Orca, dok je Zadarski Gringo 3 završio na 3. mjestu. Rezultati All 4 One i Gringa 3 nisu toliko iznenadili koliko rezultat Puležana koji su tijekom nastavka prvenstva pokazali da to ipak nije bilo slučajno! Inače, na regatnom polju primjetno je bila bolja lijeva strana na kojoj su se sve jedrilice nalazile veliku većinu vremena. Taj pritisak je u nastavku dana imao za posljedicu da se za drugi plov cijelo polje moralo zarotirati u lijevo za dvadesetak stupnjeva jer je to prethodilo odlasku vjetra u lijevo za toliki kut. Na ovom novom polju totalni rezultatski preokret... Orca dominantno osvaja prvo mjesto s 42 sekunde ispred Mareusa II i skoro dvije minute ispred Damaca! Tako da nije bilo nimalo upitno tko se u petak vratio u marinu na liderskoj poziciji. Prognoza za subotu nije nagoviještala toliko dobre uvjete za jedrenje štap polja, pa je ta situacija iskorištena za jedrenje navigacijskog plova. S uvrštenjem navigacije na klasičnu ORC regatu kalkuliralo se i diskutiralo dosta vremena i od ove sezone je to trebala postati konstanta, pogotovo što je ORC odredio da se od lani na svjetskim prvenstvima jedri po dva navigacijska plova. Tako su se naši ORC jedriličari usuglasili da se to kod nas uvrštava u službene Oglase regata koje se jedre za Kup i da se za navigaciju ostavi dan kad su najnepovoljniji vremenski uvjeti. Startna linija navigacije ponovno je postavljena između Zlarina i Obonjana, a kako je puhala lagana bura postavljena je jedna bova u smjeru orce i koja se morala obavezno okrenuti. Nakon toga ruta je vodila oko Šibenskih otoka. Lijevim bokom trebalo je ostaviti Prčevac na sjeverozapadu i Komoricu na jugoistoku, te desnim bokom hrid Galijola ispred Prvić Luke i završiti u cilju u Zlarinskoj luci. Duljina rute koja je uzeta u kalkulaciju bila je 19.5NM. Formula po kojoj se radila korekcija jedrenog vremena bila je Offshore TMF (Time Multiplaying Factor, ranije poznato kao Time on Time - ToT). Prvi realno u cilj ulazi Molo Longo nakon malo manje od tri sata jedrenja, ali ORC softver je izračunao da je zakasnio za All 4 One više od pola sata iako je u cilju bio više od dvadeset minuta prije njega. Na drugom mjestu završio je J 111 imena Mr.J. Inače je to jedrilica na koju je prešla posada koja je do prošle sezone jedrila na malenom Firstu 34.7 - Ladies First s Damirom Desabotom za kormilom. Foto: regate.com.hr Dok se jedrila navigacija vjetar je s bure ponovno okrenuo na tramontanu i svi su do cilja stigli dovoljno brzo da se po tramuntani može odjedriti još jedan štap. Start je signaliziran u 15:15, postavljena orca duljine 1.43NM i jedrilo praktički do zalaska sunca. Uvjeti na moru su bili vrlo slični onima iz drugog plova, pa čak i brzina vjetra koja je fiksirana po All 4 Ona na 9.3 čvora. Flota je podjednako jedrila na obje strane regatnog polja, osim što je većini taktičara procjena bila da favoriziraju lijevi gate. U svakom slučaju dan je bio maksimalno iskorišten, jedino što se od regate nakon završetka četvrtog plova morala oprostiti jedrilica Elaya, novi Elan E5. Naime, ova jedina slovenska posada na regati, morala se vratiti doma do ponoći zbog epidemioloških pravila u Deželi koja nisu dozvoljavala izbivanje iz Slovenije dulje od 48 sati. Unatoč tom ograničenju, tolikom putu i transferu iz i u Biograd, te jedrenju s jedrilicom koja trenutno nije dovoljno konkurentna za ozbiljniji rezultat u ovoj floti, ova posada je ipak stigla na regatu da uživa u jedrenju i definitivno ih treba pohvaliti zbog toga i mnogi drugi bi takav pristup trebali uzeti za primjer! Na kraju dana u generalnim rezultatima dolazi do smjene na tronu i vodstvo preuzima posada All 4 One, dok Orca pada na drugo mjesto, a Mr.J preuzima treće mjesto od Mareusa koji pada na četvrto s jednakim brojem bodova kao i petoplasirani Gringo 3, dok im je samo jedan bod iza Damaco. Program (Oglas) regate dozvoljavao je mogućnost jedrenja još tri plova u nedjelju. S prvim plovom krenulo se u 11:55, ali nešto kraće polje s najjačim vjetrom tog vikenda omogućilo je da jedrenja idu jedno za drugim. Ponovno se jedrilo po tramontani koja je sad u prvom plovu dana puhala brže od 10 čvorova, da bi u posljednjem plovu softver izračunao da je prosjek bio 11.6 čvorova. Po pitanju biranja strane regatnog polja ponovio se scenario od prethodnih dana. Prvi plov pritisak po polju bio je ravnomjerno raspoređen i jedrilo se i na lijevoj i na desnoj strani. Međutim, kako je tramontana jačala skoro svi su birali jedrenje na lijevoj strani, a najvjerojatniji razlog ovakvog gradijenta vjetra po regatnom polju je što je polje postavljeno praktički kao nastavak Zmajanskog kanala. U dva od tri odjedrena plova pobjedu je odnio All 4 One, dok je u trećem slavila Orca. Uz Kuretovu posadu u top tri jedini konstantni su bili momci i djevojke s Damaca s dva druga i jednim trećim mjestom. Na kraju, kad su se zbrojili svi bodovi i odbacili najlošiji rezultati pobjeda odlazi posadai jedrilice All 4 One, drugoplasirana je Orca, a na trećem mjestu ekipa s jedrilice Damaco. Evo što su o regati izjavili predstavnici najzadovoljnijih: Jedna stvarno lijepa regata, ne samo zbog toga što smo na kraju pobijedili, naravno to podiže cijeli dojam. Uvjeti za jedrenje su bili odlični, rekao bi i idealni. Možda je nedostajao još neki brod, ali skupilo se 5-6 ekipa s ambicijama, pripremljenim posadama i brodovima. U svakom slučaju smo uživali jedriti! Konkretno gledajući ekipu na mom brodu odavno nisam jedrio neku regatu gdje baš sve tako dobro štimalo. Možda je i mene to malo iznenadilo. Osim druge regate kad sam napravio krivi taktički potez, nepotrebno odvajanje, sve ostalo je prošlo glatko. Nije bilo nikakvih problema u manovrama, komunikaciji i odlukama... tako da sam baš ugodno iznenađen kako su prošla ta tri dana. Ovo mi je bila prva regata s genakerom nakon što sam na staroj Saloni puno jedrio u klasičnoj konfiguraciji i mogu reći da sam i po tom pitanju vrlo ugodno iznenađen. Downwind VMG nam je stvarno dobar, pogotovo gledajući neke od brodova s kojima se možemo mjeriti... npr. Gringo 3 i Damaco. Tako da sam iznenađen kako u odnosu na Gringa dobijemo par duljina broda u krmu na jednu stranicu, a sa Swanom smo po malom vjetru tu negdje, ako ne i brži. Kad bi zapuhalo Swan bi nam napravio 2-3 dužine na tih milju i pol stranice. Mislim da je to super jer sam očekivao da bi s njima mogli imati problema, pogotovo kad vjetar digne na 14-15 čvorova, ali zadnja regata kad je vjetar digao nije bilo nikakvih problema. Također i kut koji smo vozili u odnosu na Swana bio je možda samo 7-8° orcaniji, što me stvarno ugodno iznenadilo. S druge strane rejting nije toliko nastradao. Dobro na 5-6 čvorova "plaćamo" dosta, ali smo i brži, a onda se ta razlika anulira kako zapravo spinaker postaje efikasniji u odnosu na genaker. Ali s druge strane manovra je neusporedivo lakša i jednostavnija i na kraju, suma sumarum, ne namjeravam se vraćati na spinaker tako lako. Osim ako neki brojevi kasnije ne pokažu da će rejting biti isplativiji sa spinakerom, ali sve ostalo je na strani genakera. Karlo Kuret, All 4 One - kormilar Regata je bila odlična, organizacija također, čak nismo mislili d aćemo uspjeti odraditi tih šest štapova i navigaciju. Stvarno bez greške! Što se nas tiče moram reći da smo možda jedrili i najbolje do sada iako na ovom brodu jedrimo već 4 godine u manje više jednakom sastavu. Vrijeme i vjetar su nam odgovarali, odnosno što je manje vjetra trenutno nam više odgovara za približiti se brodovima koji su ispred nas. Što se tiče posade ne bi nikog posebno izdvajao jer je svatko na svojoj poziciji odradio izvrstan posao! Bili smo maksimalno sinkronizirani... od mene za kormilom, pa taktičara, do trimera jedra i genove, pitmana i bowmana. Moram reći da nam se bowman ozlijedio u nedjelju prije isplovljavanja. Uganuo je zglob, ali svejedno dao je sve od sebe. Uglavnom, sve smo odradili kako treba, osim što smo bili preko linije na posljednjem startu, pa smo se morali vraćati... mislim da smo tri sekunde bili vani... probali smo zapojati, ali što sam više išao u poju to nam je krma više izlazila vani, a brodovi od ispod su stiskali. Tako da nismo imali dovoljno prostora ispod nas da se vratimo na vrijeme. Ali niti tada se nismo predali. Rekli smo što je tu je, tu smo gdje jesmo i pokušali smo dati maksimum koliko možemo. A kad smo vidjeli u petak da smo ispred sviju i da možemo biti tako visoko nismo mogli vjerovati. Naša očekivanja su bila da ako budemo unutar pet da smo napravili odličan rezultat. Sam odlazak na regatu visio nam je u zraku, jer par dana prije nego je brod krenuo prema Šibeniku na popisu nas je bilo samo četvero. Još nismo znali idemo li... ovaj može, onaj ne može... ali nekako smo se skupili i evo rezultat je to sve nagradio! Malo mi je žao što se nije skupilo još nekoliko posada, jer znam koliko teško je okupiti osam ljudi ili deset ljudi za četiri dana... Svidjela mi se i navigacija. Bova od orce i kasnije kroz otoke. Vjetra je bilo OK za navigaciju... prvi dio regate bilo je manje vjetra. Startali smo odlično i do bove smo se držali s ostalima. Malo teže je bilo držati korak kad je krenulo laško. Neki su dizali driftere, neki genakere... mi nemamo tog "oružja", ali zato kasnije nakon što smo okrenuli Prčevac i krenuli u krmu bilo je odlično. Nama je odgovaralo za spinaker i tu smo se jedno vrijeme držali s Mr.J. On nam je kasnije pobjegao jer je bio brži s genakerom, ali zato smo ostale iza sebe pokušali držati na distanci. U jednom trenutku smo dobili čisti vjetar iz vani, sa zapada i to nas je još više odvojilo od Pixela, Mareusa i Elaye. Onda smo vidjeli da nas prvi nisu nešto puno ostavili, pa smo stisnuli još do cilja. Čak smo u posljednjoj orci imali i dosta dobru brzinu i radili smo do cilja bez prestanka... ni jesti ni piti :) I za kraj svi zajedno, kao posada, želimo se zahvaliti Davoru Zaniniju koji nam je ustupio brod i koji ima veliko povjerenje u nas! Goran Zuban, Orca - kormilar Teo Piasevoli me zvao na regatu i rekao da ćemo jedriti na Swanu 45, a ja kako ne pratim premjere nisam znao kako stojimo i kakve su nam uopće mogućnosti. Tako da meni osobno rezultat nije bio toliki motiv koliko da zajedrim sa Šibenčancima s kojima mi je to uvijek zadovoljstvo. Ono što mi je posebno drago za regatu je to što se održalo sve što je planirano, cijeli program, pogotovo što su sad kraći danni, a s druge strane ORC traži stabilne uvjete. Ali taj Šibenski akvatorij nije podbacio i moram reći da mi je on uvijek zanimljiv za jedriti i mislim da su tu najbolji uvjeti za održavanje bilo koje regate. Mi smo na početku malo platili danak nepoznavanju broda. To nam je u stvari bilo ono što nas je u stvari najviše koštalo, jer prvi dan smo jedrili sporije nego što smo jedrili posljednji dan... dok smo spoznali što ide, što ne ide, što može bolje... ali s druge strane nisu nam ni jedra baš odgovarala uvjetima na regatnom polju. Naš setup je optimalan za vjetrove od 10 do 15 čvorova. Nismo imali ni jedinicu genovu, ni spinaker jedinicu... nas je to stvarno koštalo kad smo jedrili po laganijim uvjetima. Mislim, rejting to plaća, a nemaš jedra s kojim to možeš opravdati! A generalno gledajući mislim da smo odjedrili vrlo dobru regatu. Da smo bolje poznavali brd na početku moglo je biti dosta bolje... recimo prvu regatu, prvu orcu, napravili smo ogromnu prednost koja se prebrzo topila u krmu, jer je vjetar bio prelagan za naša jedra, nismo znali kakav nam je optimalan trim... ali stalno smo ubrzavali i to je najvažnije. S druge strane na brodu je stalno vladala dobra atmosfera, dečki su bili motivirani za rad i kako smo rezultat stavili u drugi plan jer s ORC-om je to uvijek teško prognozirati mogli smo opušteno jedriti i bez presinga dati sve od sebe. Na kraju, u nedjelju, vjetar je počeo ulaziti u taj range koji odgovara našim jedrima i da ga je bio još neki čvor više vjerujem da bi rezultati bili još bolji. Tomislav Bašić, Damaco - taktičar Što se tiče rezultata sa svim relevantnim podacima za analizu, njih možete pronaći na slijedećim linkovima: REZULTATI - 1. PLOV REZULTATI - 2. PLOV REZULTATI - 3. PLOV - NAVIGACIJA REZULTATI - 4. PLOV REZULTATI - 5. PLOV REZULTATI - 6. PLOV REZULTATI - 7. PLOV U rezultatima posljednjeg plova može se primijetiti da nedostaje jedrilica Pixel, a razlog su bile neodgodive obaveze posade zbog kojih su morali ranije napustiti regatno polje. Foto: regate.com.hr Kako su na regati bili postavljeni trackeri, kako na bove, tako i na jedrilice, od snimljenih podataka napravljeni su playbackovi i izvučena statistika za svaku pojedinu jedrilicu za regate u štap poljima. Snimljene statističke podatke možete pronaći na priloženim linkovima: STATISTIKA - 1. PLOV STATISTIKA - 2. PLOV STATISTIKA - 4. PLOV STATISTIKA - 5. PLOV STATISTIKA - 6. PLOV STATISTIKA - 7. PLOV Playbackove pojedinih jedrenja možete pronaći na slijedećim linkovima: PLAYBACK - 1. PLOV PLAYBACK - 2. PLOV PLAYBACK - NAVIGACIJA PLAYBACK - 4. PLOV PLAYBACK - 5. PLOV PLAYBACK - 6. PLOV PLAYBACK - 7. PLOV Naravno tu su i bogate fotogalerije snimane sva tri dana, kako iz gumenjaka, tako i iz drona, a mogu se pronaći u fotogaleriji za 2020. godinu ili direktno na slijedećim linkovima: FOTO - PETAK FOTO - SUBOTA FOTO - NEDJELJA Foto: regate.com.hr Eto toliko o ORC-u za ovu natjecateljsku sezonu, koja je srećom ipak održana unatoč svim zaprekama, a s obzirom na prikazani duh i entuzijazam na ovom Prvenstvu Hrvatske za očekivati je da iduća sezona ponovno privuče pozornost jedriličara i ovoj tehničkoj disciplini, koja jedina na našim regatama krstaša traži puni sportski pristup i angažman. Još par tjedana je ostalo do objavljivanja službenog kalendara HJS-a za sezonu 2021. i tada će se točno znati raspored regata za ORC Kup iduće godine, ali ono što je za sada poznato je da će vjerojatno broj regata ostati jednak kao i posljednjih godina, a po dosadašnjim informacijama sponzor ORC toura i dalje će biti D-Marin. To bi i dalje sa sobom trebalo vući uobičajene beneficije za članove Udruge ORC jedriličara, ali konkretno o cijeloj temi kad za to stignu službene potvrde! READ MORE

CRUISING CLIENTS GET A NEW 3Di WARDROBE North Sails Expert Austin Powers Shares All On Cruising Clients with New 3Di OCEAN As we all know this year has been unlike any other in the sailing world. In the last couple of updates, we have been focusing heavily on all of the amazing results that our customers have been achieving around the Chesapeake Bay. This month we have decided to shift more towards a cruising focus, as we are also in the great migration season where cruisers up and down the East coast start to chase warmer weather. For those lucky few, they are able to head south to paradise on their sailboats. For this month we want to highlight two boats who both received new suits of performance cruising sails in North’s 3Di family. The first is a Beneteau 473 called Flight Risk who took delivery of some new 3Di OCEAN 330 series sails. Specifically, an In-mast furling mainsail and 140% roller furling genoa. The owner of this boat, previously had woven polyester sails and was ready to take a step up in performance over his previous set. The 330 series utilizes the same polyester fiber that is found in woven sails, but when paired with the 3Di production process you get a significantly more durable, lower stretch sail, with no extra weight from Mylar to stabilize the fiber. Both the In-mast mainsail and roller furling genoa had stable shapes that could be de-powered easily which means better pointing, less healing, and arriving to the destination quicker. 140% Roller furling genoa has a rope luff on opposite side for roller reefing The North Sails service team along with Will Keyworth to help with the test sail (Will Keyworth Photography) Also this month, the North Sails Annapolis loft put new 3Di OCEAN 700 sails on a Swan 77. The boat was captained by Peter Horton who decided to go with North Sails after receiving sails on a previous Swan. This boat had just gone through a full refit including new decks, rigging, mast painting. The only piece left was to bend on the new sails. North’s OCEAN 700 series which is geared to be the most durable Superyacht-centric product that we offer. This series uses a blend of Ultra PE and Aramid Fibers to make a rugged low stretch composite sail that makes little compromise on weight. Next month we plan to check in on the various Frostbite series happening around the bay. We hope to see all of our customers out on the water! 3Di OCEAN 700 with White Surface tapes, Full Carbon C tech battens READ MORE

NORTH SAILS DOMINATES MELGES 24 CHARLESTON OPEN North Sails Jeff Bonanni Shares Replay Credit: Daniel Bergey What factors do you believe led your team to the win? Team owner and helm John Brown did a great job managing thin lanes, which allowed us to execute our strategy in every race. What was your inventory at the open. What sails did you use? What difference did you notice between you and other teams? We had light to medium breeze, with flat water, so we used the North Sails AP-3K mainsail, J-7K jib and P-1 Reacher. These designs are the gold standard in the Melges 24 class, and we like these particular sails for the lighter breeze in Charleston. They react to sail control changes very well, which is important on a short race track like Charleston when you need to work through a few upwind modes. How was your overall feelings like heading into the last day? Any nervousness? Was there anything your team had to do well to remain in standings? I wouldn’t say nervous, our team has a lot of strong personalities with even more self-confidence. The breeze was very light on the final day, and ultimately the only race was abandoned. I find it very difficult to stay engaged when waiting for breeze, but we kept the energy up and remained prepared. List your top three takeaways from this event. In Charleston, stay disciplined with regards to current strategy. Current trumps all other factors in this location particularly. Always stay in touch with the pack of boats in front of you. There are many opportunities to pass and even more opportunities to gain as long as you stay close to the pack just ahead of you. Ensure that you’re tuned and trimmed for the conditions! With the flat water conditions we had at the regatta, a firm leech seemed to work best for us. What’s next on the racing circuit for the Melges 24 class? What are you most looking forward to? Our next event is the Atlantic Coast Gulf Coast Championship in Mobile, AL. We plan on sailing all the events through the 2021 Worlds in Charleston, which we’re most looking forward to. Why do you like racing in the Melges 24 class? What keeps you coming back? We think this is the best sport boat design ever! It’s very rewarding to sail, takes us to beautiful venues all over the US and World, and we all have life-long friends sailing in the class. Credit: Daniel Bergey Shop Inventory Contact an Expert Request a Quote READ MORE

#NSVICTORYLIST: IRISH CLIENTS STAND OUT IN 2020 A Successful Year Despite Unusual Circumstances Light air sail set-up session on Beneteau 31.7 'After you Too' Dublin Bay in July. Nigel Young: Cork Here at North Sails Ireland, we wanted to celebrate our clients' fantastic achievements in 2020. Despite this being the shortest Irish sailing season on record, our amazing clients still made the best of it whenever they could get on the water. We put together our traditional Victory List for 2020, thinking it might not add up to much and we were very pleasantly surprised; congratulations to all the winners powered by North Sails. It was like letting off a champagne cork in July when suddenly all the racers were released from captivity! Sometimes you have to stop what you are doing and take stock to realize how much you enjoy something. I think that was the case for so many other sailors and me when we could finally get back sailing again—remembering why we love this sport so much and just enjoying the simple act of sailing. The beauty of limited travel was that I was home to participate in lots of local races that I may have missed in the past. New experiences with new teams and sailing different types of boats made it all the more fun. We had lots of sail orders in the process when the pandemic hit, so once the restrictions were lifted, we were all swamped, checking out new sails and working with our clients out on the water. We are all looking forward to 2021 and a slightly different sailing season ahead, fingers crossed! : 'Lambay Rule's winning HYC Wednesday flying her 3Di 780 Mainsail and Code 1 Jib. : Aboard JPK 1080 'Rockabill VI' winning DBSC Thursday race in August flying her 3DL 860 Mainsail and 3Di 780 Code 2 Jib. : DBSC Racing on Beneteau 40.7 'Tsunami' © Onboard Images by Prof Maurice O'Connell: Dublin We all know that 2020 continues to be a strange one! What I loved about it was the sheer unbridled joy that our fantastic clients all over Ireland experienced once they got out racing again in July. I was chomping at the bit! In that short two-month window, I fitted sails, raced with clients, and coached teams in the HYC Wed night series, the DBSC Thursday and Saturday series, the truncated RCYC Autumn League, and the epic Fastnet 450 race co-hosted by the National YC and Royal Cork YC. I also visited Bangor in Co. Down and several clubs in Strangford Lough to deliver new sails and coaching sessions with our clients there. Well done, and thanks to all our amazing customers for squeezing in these fantastic results in 2020. Sail FAST, and here's to lighting a BIG Christmas candle for 2021! https://youtu.be/-SnGH8uxpJQ Shane Hughes: Wicklow 'Well, 2020 will have to go down as the most bizarre sailing season in my (and I'm sure most of our) living memory. Looking back, it is hard to believe we got any sailing in at all, but we did! Actually, for the few months that restrictions allowed us out on the water, the appetite for competition and often just the option to be on the water enjoying fresh air and sailing generally left me with a very positive feeling about how 2021 will pan out. Far from a reluctance to get out there, the pervasive attitude was positive and proactive. I hope this spirit is carried forward into 2021. Sailing wise, I got over to Howth for the midweek series running over there. DBSC, as always, was well supported, as was the ISORA series. One design racing for me was restricted to the J80 Nationals in Dun Laoghaire. As for minimal events, I managed to get some socially distanced Fast 40 sailing in the UK, including around the Isle of Wight race with just 6 of us onboard; that was busy! Near the end of the year, we managed to get one regatta sailed on the Club Swan 50, but all in all, the international regatta calendar was a washout this year. In June, I also took ownership of the North Sails Ireland sail service operation from Richard Marshall. The support I have received so far from North Sails clients has been truly amazing, and I am very grateful for that. As a new start-up business in the current pandemic, I did not expect such a positive response, but we are fully up and running now and getting a great response so far. We are looking forward to working with existing and new clients in 2021 and are standing by to help with all your sail care needs, so please get in touch and get prepped for a busy 2021. Fingers crossed! Nieulargo takes the winning gun overall in the Fastnet 450 Chris Power Smith and his J122 team take line honours in the Fastnet 450 Denis & Annamarie Murphy overall winners Fastnet 450 READ MORE

NEW LIFE WITH NEW SAILS Customer Spotlight: Matthew Henderson Local North Sails expert Drew Mitchell sat down with Matthew Henderson, owner of C&C 29 MK2 Mariah, to discuss her new sails and the impact they've had. In the last 18 months you have purchased a full set of upwind and downwind sails off North Sails for Mariah. Why did you choose North Sails over other sail makers and how was the experience? North Sails and Drew Mitchell were recommended to me by Dave M on Boondoggle (J/160). Being my first set of sails on my first boat (which I had only owned for a year) I was still figuring out what I wanted from new sails and how I was going to be using the boat long term. Drew helped explain some materials, construction, PHRF size limits, battens, etc. rather than just turn around a quote like some others and it earned my business. I was very happy with the upwind sails and chose North again for two new kites a few months later. I’m very happy with the new sails and the difference they make. With the current state of the world people are sailing with less crew. You are a racer/cruiser that is usually sailing short handed, how have you set up your boat differently than say a full time racer/cruiser that sails with a full crew? Fortunately the boat was well setup for singlehanded sailing when I bought it: Nice 40 speed Andersen self-tailors, traveller and mainsheet easy to reach from the wheel, and all control lines led aft. Being a bit of a tender boat I’ve focused a lot on mainsail control. I’ve added temporary means to add tension to the babystay, added a Cunningham, and led the Vang aft to the cabintop. I’ve also focused on sheet leads with inhaulers, barberhaulers, and tweakers to get a bit more out of the sails I’ve got up and avoid a peel. When switching from cruising to racing does much change on the boat? If I happen to have some casual crew I tend to do very little. If I’m single-handing or with crew that cares I give the bottom a scrub and unload everything I can: 200ft of anchor chain and the primary anchor, the two 10lb propane bottles, crab traps, cockpit cushions, tools, spares, 600ft of stern line, barbeque… the list goes on. I follow you on instagram and it seems like you are out on the water all time. How many days have you got out this year and how do you manage to get out so often? As of November 8th I’ve been off the dock 102 days this year with 400 hours underway. 65 days were single-handed. With working remotely all spring/summer using the boat just became habitual with every sunset sail after work, morning coffee on the hook, and hoist of the sails reinforcing it. There’s plenty of daylight after work all summer and the Espar works well when it’s cold. I can’t understand why marina’s aren’t empty every weekend. What was your longest trip this year and where did you go? What is your favorite part about cruising in the PNW? I had three big trips this year; 10 days in Desolation in early July and 10 & 20 day trips throughout the Gulf Islands. Swimming in the dark with phosphorescence glittering over my entire body is definitely a favourite. What was your favorite cruising moment this year? The dinghy shenanigans were certainly memorable. Took the 8ft inflatable through some 10kt rapids in Von Donop Inlet and got four dinghies lashed together up on plane just to name a couple. What races have you done this year and what is your favorite part about sailboat racing? I did the unofficial round Bowen, Great Gambier Gallivant, Big Breakfast Bonanza, RNSA, Jack & Jill, and a couple other unofficial laps. I enjoy comparing my skills and boat performance to everyone else and learning as much as I can. Learning all of the local tactics with respect to tides and winds helps me stay sailing while cruising longer and get to my destinations faster. Every sailboat owner is always working on his/her boat. Do you have any projects on the go or planned for the near future for Mariah? I’m hoping to replace all of my running rigging over the winter with some higher tech stuff, I’ve got new clutches and deck organizers to install, new v-berth hatch to install, a transmission to rebuild, and some lights I want to replace. If you had a choice of any racer/cruiser to race and cruise in the PNW which boat would you choose and why? I’ve had a big crush on the J/112e lately. Modern rig and sail inventory, great performance uphill and downhill, moves in light air, it isn’t trying to be a floating apartment, and I’d be happy to take it to Hawaii and back if I can get the time away from work. READ MORE

SKIMMELSVAMP, JORDSLAG OG MUG PÅ SEJL Hvad gør man 📸 Michael Egan / Egan Images Vores Gør Det Selv guide til sejlpleje gælder kun traditionelle dug og laminater. 3Di er en komposit teknologi og ikke et laminat sejl!. For information om pleje af 3Di-sejl, se artiklen Sail Maintenance. Her er, hvad du har brug for at vide når traditionel sejldug er blevet jordslået. Jordslåede sejl. Der er mange gæt på, hvorfor nogle sejl bliver mere jordslåede end andre, men desværre ikke så meget fakta. Tre ting vi ved: Skimmelsvamp, jordslag og mug er ikke et strukturelt problem i sejlet. Skimmelsvamp, jordslag og mug ser grimt ud. Det er ikke rart at se på sine sejl, når de har sorte pletter. Et par ting vi har observeret på sejl, der er og ikke er blevet angrebet af jordslag: Sejl i varme fugtige områder er i høj grad udsatte for at få skimmelsvamp, jordslag og mug. Det ser ud til at hjælpe, hvis man forsøger at holde sejlet tørt. Ved for eksempel at tage en kort sejltur for at lufte en fugtig rullegenua, især hvis du ikke skal bruge båden i en længere periode, og din sidste sejltur involverede en masse regn og skumsprøjt. Saltvandrester tørrer langsommere end ferskvand, så saltvandets fugtighed er værre end ferskvandets fugtighed. Områder med mere luftforurening eller pollen har tendens til at give flere problemer med jordslag og mug. Laminerede sejl er mere modtagelige for skimmelsvamp, jordslag og mug end vævede Dacron-sejl. Rengøring af skimmelsvamp, jordslag og mug Sejldugsproducenter har gennem tiden udviklet forskellige kemiske behandlinger for at hæmme vækst af skimmelsvamp, jordslag og mug når dugen produceres. Det er dog en fin balance da folk helst ikke skal blive syge af kemien, derfor er den nuværende løsning ikke perfekt, hvilket betyder at problemet ikke er helt forsvundet. Skimmelsvamp, jordslag og mug på overfladen kan renses af sejlet med en fortyndet Rodalon-opløsning. Men når skimmelsvampen kryber ind mellem lagene af stof, skal sejlene sendes til industriel rengøring. For mere information, se artiklen Vask af sejl fra A-Z Det er vores erfaring at når først et sejl får skimmelsvamp, vil det altid have skimmelsvamp. Et godt rengøringsmiddel kan reducere de sorte pletter, men hvis båden forbliver i det samme område, hvor skimmelsvampen opstod, er det desværre oftest kun et spørgsmål om tid, før de bliver sorte igen. Hvordan undgår man skimmelsvamp og mug Luft dine sejl regelmæssigt, især efter en regnvejrsdag. Soltørring fungerer rigtigt godt, men for meget sol kan give UV-skader. Læg ikke sejlene væk mens de er fugtige eller fulde af salt. Saltet tiltrækker og bevarer fugt. Opbevar sejlene tørt. Hvis du ikke bruger din båd i mere end en uge eller to, skal du tage sejlet af riggen og opbevare dem tørt eller sørge for at nogen “lufter” dem med jævne mellemrum. Hvis skimmelsvamp opstår Behandl jordslaget så hurtigt som muligt. Jordslag og mugpletter er lettere at behandle, når de er nye, relativt små og tæt på overfladen. Hold jordslags- og muginficerede sejl adskilt fra de rene sejl da jordslag og mug desværre “smitter” Den mest populære fungicid er Rodalon, der sælges i en opløsning specifikt til bekæmpelse af skimmel og mug. BRUG ALDRIG KLORIN UNDER NOGEN OMSTÆNDIGHEDER! Ved dybtliggende pletter nedsænkes pletten i et fungicid i 12 timer eller mere. En høj koncentration er ikke nødvendig. Ingen skrubning af overfladen vil kunne gøre, hvad en god gennemblødning kan. Brug aldrig blegemidler! Klorin kan forårsage skader på langt sigt. Hvis mugpletten ikke kan fjernes ved ovenstående behandlinger, er der desværre ikke meget mere du kan gøre. Yderligere behandlinger kan forårsage skade på sejlet. Scotchguard® og lignende vandafvisende midler har ikke vist sig at hverken dræbe eller forhindre skimmelsvamp. Lysol® husholdnings desinfektionsmiddel er et effektivt fungicid og hæmmer udviklingen af skimmelsvamp. Nogle sundheds- og miljøstyrelser forbyder brugen af stærkere fungicider. Alt, hvad du bruger til at dræbe eller fjerne skimmelsvamp, vaskes eller slides væk på relativt kort tid. North NorLam™ dug bliver behandlet med det kraftigste kommercielle fungicid, der er tilladt. Det er 100% effektivt under laboratorieforhold, men alligevel påviseligt mindre effektivt i den virkelige verden. Slutteligt om skimmelsvamp: Det er ikke nogen hemmelighed, at skimmelsvamp vokser på sejl. Selvom vi ikke helt forstår det og ikke har mange gode råd til forebyggelse og udbedrelse, er det her, hvad vi ved, og hvad du bør vide, når du håndterer problemet med skimmelsvamp. Skimmelsvamp er en svamp. Ligesom andre svampe vokser den bedst under fugtige forhold og trives ikke i dagslys. Skimmelsvamp trives i alle slags klimaer, både de varmeste og de koldeste. Skimmelsvamp lever af mikroskopiske organismer, som det får fra luften, vandet eller sejlets overflade. Skimmelsvamp dannes på moderne syntetisk sejldug, inklusive lim og andre klæbemidler, overflader, film osv., Men forårsager ikke strukturelle skader. Skimmelsvamp påvirker ikke sejldugens ydeevne, så det er udelukkende det kosmetiske og æstetiske udseende, som tager skade. Skimmelsvamp kan vokse på ankerliner og fortøjningsliner, skøder og sejlcovers, dodgers, cockpitpuder, madrasser, skotter osv. Skimmelsvampesporer bæres i luften, især i regnvand, og overføres let ved kontakt. READ MORE

VASK AF SEJL FRA A-Z Vores team af sejlmagere fortæller dig alt, hvad du behøver at vide om sejlvask Vi får ofte spørgsmålet: 'hvordan vasker jeg mine sejl' og 'hvordan får jeg mine sejl til at se ud som nye igen'. Det korte svar er (ikke overraskende), at få dine sejl vasket. De tre vigtigste fordele ved sejlvask er: Hvidere sejl Renere sejl Forlænget holdbarhed Sejl ser altid lysere og nyere ud efter vask. Selve sejlet er renere, da snavs fjernes under processen. Resultatet er forlænget holdbarhed på dit sejl, fordi du slipper af med mug og skimmelsvamp, som dermed ikke nedbryder sejlet. Selve processen er ret enkel og tager cirka en uge fra start til slut, inden vi gennemfører vores 10-punkts service inspektion. Ud over sejl, har vi også mulighed for at vaske bompresenninger, sprayhoods og andet kanvas. Prissætningen er baseret på størrelsen på dit sejl. Lad os repetere! Hvad kan en sejlvask fjerne? Insekter Snavs Salt Oliepletter, Mug og skimmelsvamp kan oftest fjernes, men i 100% rent bliver det desværre ikke. Kan man vaske 3Di? Ja. Som alt andet, der er i kontakt med saltvand, kan 3Di-sejl skylles med ferskvand og tørres inden opbevaring. Hvilke materialer er enkle at vaske? Dacron Kanvas Hvilke materialer skal man være forsigtige med at vask. Laminat sejl bør spørge sin sejlmager til råds, hvis sejlet kræver mere end blot fersk vand for at blive rent. 3Di er ikke et laminat sejl Hvordan fungerer prissætningen? Størrelse på sejlet Forlig x Fod /2 Se flere tjenester, der tilbydes af dit North Sails certificerede serviceteam! READ MORE

Stipanović i Bilić 4. na Europskom za Stelle Foto: ISCYRA Facebook Od 28. listopada, pa do 1. studenog na sjevernom kraju jezera Garda jedrilo se Europsko prvenstvo klase Zvijezda. Nažalost, zbog raznoraznih blokada proglašenih u mnogim državama po Europi broj natjecatelja nije bio reprezentativan, ali u ovom slučaju najvažnije je bilo da se tradicija održi, a to je organizatorima pošlo za rukom uz podršku osamnaest posada iz devet Europskih zemalja i Argentine. Administracijski dani, rezervirani za premjeravanja i registraciju bili su srijeda i četvrtak, 28. i 29. listopada, a jedrenje je bilo na rasporedu od petka do nedjelje. Ukupno se odjedrilo 7 plovova po laganim i umjerenim vjetrovima, a jedini hrvatski predstavnici, posada Tonči Stipanović i Tudor Bilić zauzeli su izvrsno 4. mjesto! Na kraju ih je samo pet bodova dijelilo od postolja na kojem su završile posade s 21, 23 i 24 boda. Kao što se analizom rezultata može vidjeti, prvih 6-7 posada jedrilo je prilično stabilno i uglavnom su oni između sebe podijelili mjesta u top 10. Jednako tako je i naša posada osvajala dosta dobre rezultate i jedino su u prvom plovu bili lošiji od 10. mjesta. S obzirom na broj odjedrenih regata taj rezultat su na kraju mogli odbaciti, ali tijekom prva dva dana malo im je kvario rezultatsku sliku. Inače je ista ova lokacija bila poprištem Europskog prvenstva klase godinu ranije kad je na njemu jedrilo 80 posada, a ponovne organizacije se klub Fraglia della Vella Riva uhvatio jer se ovogodišnje EP na planiranoj lokaciji otkazalo. Domaćini su trebali biti jedriličari iz Stockholma, ali je procijenjeno da je epidemiološka situacija u talijanskim Alpama dosta povoljnija i da će regata imati bolji odaziv ako se održi u Italiji. Brojevi s kojima se pred regatu baratalo najavljivali su sudjelovanje tridesetak posada, ali kako su pojedine države krenule s mjerama zbog očekivanog jesenskog vala Korone, broj je spao na spomenutih 18. U petak, prvog dana regate odjedrila su se dva plova po laganim uvjetima dijametralno suprotnih vjetrova. Prvo se jedrilo po sjevercu od desetak čvorova, a drugi plov po laganoj verziji Ore, lokalnog poslijepodnevnog vjetra koji ovog puta nije prelazio 8-10 čvorova. Tonči i Tudor su dojam 12. mjesta iz prvog plova u drugom poboljšali s finišem na drugom i kraj dana su dočekali kao četveroplasirani s jednakim brojem bodova kao i trećeplasirana posada iz Argentine koja je za kormilom imala jednu dizajnersku legendu Juana Kouyoumdjiana. Idućeg dana odjedrena također su odjedrena dva plova. Ovog puta naši momci nisu dozvolili da im se desi kiks iz prvog plova i regatu otvaraju s 3. mjestom, dok u četvrtom plovu kroz cilj prolaze na sedmom mjestu. Stvarno im se ne može ništa zamjeriti s obzirom da je riječ o stvarno solidnom prosjeku, ali još četiri posade su odjedrile regatu na jednako dobrom nivou i na kraju je bodovna situacija bila krajnje napeta. Osim prvoplasirane švicarsko-portugalska posade Eckert-Melo, koja je i drugi dan završila kao vodeća s 5 bodova, drugoplasirani Austrijanci imaju 11, zatim Argentinci, Nijemci i naši sa po 12 bodova i najbolja talijanska posada s 13 bodova. Primjenom pravila broja boljih mjesta i boljeg plasmana u posljednjem plovu naši su najlošije plasirani u skupini od 12 bodova i na spavanje odlaze kao 5. u generalnom plasmanu. Pretposljednji dan regate Regatni odbor je organizirao još dva plova. Tonči i Tudor su i dalje u dobroj formi. Jedrilo se po jakom sjevercu i dan otvaraju s petim, a zatvaraju ga s još jednim drugim mjestom. U odnosu na konkurenciju bili su koncentriraniji i subotnja jedrenja završavaju na trećem mjestu s dva boda razlike od drugoplasiranih Austrijanaca. I za kraj, u nedjelju 1. studenog, odjedrio se još samo jedan plov. Zanimljivo je da su do tada vodeći uglavnom lošije jedrili nego prethodnih dana, a da su profitirale posade iz, može se reći, drugog plana. Jedini iz liderske skupine koji su ponovili dobro jedrenje su bili Talijani Negri i Lambertenghi koji su od 4. plova bili u neprekinutom nizu pobjeda i drugih mjesta. Naš dvojac nažalost upisuje plasman na desetom mjestu i taj bodovni teret ih udaljava na korak do medalje. Foto: ISCYRA Facebook Bilo nam je baš lijepo. Sedam dana smo jedrili svaki dan, tako da smo stvarno zadovoljni što smo uspjeli izdvojiti taj tjedan ranije da osjetimo brod i da budemo koncentrirani isključivo na Stellu. Tako da je ukupni dojam stvarno dobar iako je četvrto mjesto nekako najgore... Stvarno smo davali maksimum. Bilo je i dosta grešaka... vožnja u krmu je totalno drugačija i ja sam imao nekoliko krivih procjena, tako da smo tu prosuli nekoliko bodova. Ponovno smo u odnosu na konkurenciju bili slabiji po pitanju opreme. To je bila ekipa koja je totalno nabrijana. Imaju brodove ne starije od tri godine, a na svaku regatu dođu s novim jedrima! Dok smo mi jedrili s brodom iz 2008. i glavnim jedrom starim tri godine. Jedino smo flok imali novi i to se moram zahvaliti Marku Marinoviću koji nas je počastio s njim i to nas je stvarno spasilo. Da nismo imali taj flok i da smo jedrili s našim starim ne bi sigurno bili ovako dobri. Na kraju kad se sve zbroji i oduzme mislim da je ovo stvarno bio maksimum koji smo mogli pružiti i ono što je dobro je to da smo se doma vratili s još većim željama i ambicijama za jedrenje u ovoj klasi, a prvi korak nam je da se bolje opremimo za slijedeću regatu. A što se vremena na regati tiče, jedrili smo uglavnom kroz jutro i nije baš da su bili lagani vjetrovi. Puhalo je nešto slično našoj buri i vjetra je bilo čak i do 16-17 čvorova. Jedino smo jednu regatu odjedrili po Ori i tada je puhalo 7-8 čvorova. Tako da je na kraju bila vitraška regata. Tonči Stipanović, kormilar Prva iduća regata koju planira ova posada je Europsko prvenstvo koje se treba jedriti u Splitu. Međutim, Stipanović će tada biti maksimalno fokusiran na Olimpijadu u Tokiju, pa će Bilić najvjeroajtnije morat pronaći drugog kormilara za tu regatu. Možda će čitateljima biti zanimljiva još jedna uloga Argentinskog dizajnera Kouyoumdjiana u svijetu klase Zvijezda. On je ovog puta jedrio na trupu čiji je on bio dizajner. To je malo drugačiji brod od dosadašnjih. Jarbol ne ide u trup do dna kokpita, nego je "mast track", što je novost u klasi i niti jedna od ostalih na regati nije imala taj sistem. U svom dizajnu iskoristio je sve što nije striktno zabranjeno u pravilima, ali određen broj jedriličara počeo je protestirati protiv tih noviteta, pa će ove promjene vrlo vjerojatno završiti na službenom očitovanju vodstva klase. READ MORE

Sustav jedrenja bio je klasičan. Prvo su se jedrile kvalifikacije, nakon kojih su se trebala jedriti finalna jedrenja, a cijela flota bila je podijeljena u pet skupina. READ MORE

CRUISING ADVENTURES: WALLACE ISLAND Explore Your Own Backyard Avid sailor and office manager for the Vancouver loft of North Sails, Sarah Unwin shares one of her favourite cruising spots in British Columbia, Wallace Island. My husband and I race and cruise on a Spencer 34 named Coho. As we are all doing more exploring in our own backyards this year my Husband, James, and I have been exploring new anchorages. We added a day to the Canada Day long weekend and decided to go to Wallace Island which is located in Trincomali Channel and was originally a resort, some of which is still standing today. We sailed from Vancouver to Silva Bay on Gabriola for the night then caught the tide through Gabriola Pass and caught a great beam reach run down Trincomali Channel. Wallace Island offers excellent walking and camping that is accessible from the Saltspring Island Government dock by kayak, water taxi or private boat. We chose anchored in the smaller of the accessible coves that are deep enough for sailboats, Conover Cove, where the government dock is located. We spent the day exploring most of the island trails, all of the coves and swimming. Conover Cove is also home to an old cabin where visitors can leave placards with their boat names and where they are from, so bring along some driftwood and art supplies. When we came back from exploring there was beautiful acoustic guitar music playing in the cove, we thought someone had a great sound system, as it turns out we were treated to an amazing on water concert after dinner. Conover Cove is shallow and you need to navigate reefs at the entrance so what your tides and charts. We truly enjoyed our time on Wallace Island and will be back, I highly recommend packing walking shoes and visiting some of the coves for an afternoon picnic and swim. READ MORE

SALON NAUTIQUE VIRTUEL : 12 - 19 NOVEMBRE 2020 Votre équipe North Sails est heureuse de vous présenter sa nouvelle plateforme en ligne permettant de se connecter en direct par vidéoconférence avec l’un de nos conseillers : "en direct avec un expert" et se réjouit de vous rencontrer virtuellement, en toute sécurité, pour répondre à vos questions, programmer un essai, ou vous faire découvrir nos nouveautés. Rendez-vous virtuels Avec l'annulation du Salon Nautique du Léman, nous ne pourrons pas vous rencontrer en personne, mais nous nous réjouissons d'échanger en ligne sur nos dernières gammes de produits, notre technologie et notre service. Et, bonne nouvelle, les promotions flash "spéciales salon" sont d'actualité du 12 au 19 novembre 2020 ! Offres spéciales salon Du jeudi 12 au jeudi 19 novembre 2020, votre équipe North Sails vous fait profiter de remises exceptionnelles. Prenez un rendez-vous virtuel ! Comment prendre rendez-vous ? Comment prendre rendez-vous avec un expert via Zoom ? - Cliquez sur le lien ci-dessous - Choisissez la plage horaire qui vous convient le mieux - Réservez votre rendez-vous avec l'un de nos experts EN DIRECT AVEC UN EXPERT Voilerie fermée au public Sur décision du Conseil d'État de Genève, la voilerie est physiquement fermée au public jusqu'au 29 novembre, mais nous restons opérationnels pour vous servir au mieux. Nos collaborateurs sont à votre disposition par téléphone, WhatApp, email ou vidéoconférence, afin d'organiser votre hivernage ou de discuter de nos derniers produits. Nous espérons vous revoir en personne au plus vite, sur l'eau ou à la voilerie. D'ici là, prenez soin de vous et de vos proches ! Votre équipe North Sails Suisse READ MORE

CONSEJO NORTH SAILS ¿Sabías para qué son las líneas horizontales que van desde el grátil a la baluma en cualquier vela North Sails? Se llaman líneas o bandas de trimado, están dispuestas al 25, 50 y 75% del grátil, y su función principal es la de facilitar la visión de la forma de la vela en esas tres alturas. Los expertos las utilizan como referencia para escanear la forma de la vela y obtener datos analíticos que permitan sacar conclusiones sobre el trimado y las prestaciones del barco. Puedes descargarte la aplicación Sail Trim Simulator (disponible para móvil, PC y Mac) y optimizar tu navegación analizando la información que te facilitan las bandas de trimado. READ MORE

ÉXITO EN LA ROLEX MIDDLE SEA RACE La 41ª edición de la Rolex Middle Sea Race reunió a 40 barcos de 15 nacionalidades © Rolex / Kurt Arrigo La 41ª edición de la Rolex Middle Sea Race reunió a 40 barcos de 15 nacionalidades para enfrentarse al mítico circuito de 606 millas náuticas que desde Malta circunnavega Sicilia en sentido contra horario tomando como baliza de paso el volcán activo de Estrómboli. Ni la situación mundial provocada por la pandemia ni las condiciones de viento en el recorrido permitieron la consecución de ningún récord, pero la regata dejó hitos como el triunfo en tiempo real más ajustado de la historia, la del VO70 I Love Poland (el primer barco polaco que gana una regata oceánica) sobre su compatriota E1 por sólo tres minutos; o la segunda victoria absoluta consecutiva para el First 45 maltés Elusive 2 de la familia Podesta, una defensa del título que no se veía desde 1980. El Multi 70 Maserati se proclamó ganador en tiempo real en categoría multicascos. Tanto Elusive 2, como I Love Poland y Maserati equiparon velas North Sails. Desde North Sails España les felicitamos por sus resultados. READ MORE

VÍDEOS NORTH SAILS SOBRE LA VENDÉE GLOBE El próximo 8 de noviembre partirá de Les Sables-d’Olonne la novena edición de la Vendée Globe La regata de vuelta al mundo en solitario, sin asistencia y sin escalas. 33 regatistas competirán a bordo de barcos de clase IMOCA por la gloria de la prueba oceánica más extrema del mundo. North Sails ha creado una serie de seis vídeos en los que el legendario patrón francés Loïck Peyron ofrece una completa visión de la Vendée Globe desde dentro. Los vídeos están disponibles en el canal North Sails de Youtube. READ MORE

OFERTAS ESPECIALES, DIRECTAMENTE EN TU EMAIL La temporada de salones náuticos llega acompañada cada año de interesantes ofertas especiales del catálogo de velas North Sails Este año, en ausencia de tu salón náutico local te enviamos las ofertas directamente a tu email. Recuerda que nuestras ofertas especiales son válidas hasta el 8 de noviembre, fecha inicialmente programada para los salones náuticos de Valencia y Barcelona. READ MORE

ENCUÉNTRANOS EN EL VALENCIA VIRTUAL BOAT SHOW El Valencia Virtual Boat Show inaugura una nueva generación de salones náuticos North Sails apoyará la iniciativa con su participación. Visítanos en nuestro espectacular stand y déjate guiar por nuestro equipo para descubrir las últimas novedades de la marca, revisar el catálogo de velas, disfrutar de espectaculares presentaciones de producto o incluso contactar con nuestros expertos de North Sails España vía chat o por vídeo conferencia. El stand North Sails en el Valencia Virtual Boat Show está disponible a partir del 28 de octubre aquí. READ MORE

DOMINIO EN EL MUNDIAL DE SWAN Clientes North Sails dominan el Swan One Design Worlds © Nautor's Swan / Studio Borlenghi Las coronas mundiales de clase ClubSwan 50, Swan 45 y ClubSwan 36 se disputaron en aguas de Scarlino entre el 13 y el 17 de octubre. Clientes North Sails ocuparon siete de las nueve plazas de podio, incluyendo las victorias absolutas en clases ClubSwan 36 y Swan 45. Clientes North Sails ocuparon siete de las nueve plazas de podio, incluyendo las victorias absolutas en clases ClubSwan 36 y Swan 45. Desde North Sails España felicitamos al nuevo campeón del mundo de ClubSwan 36, el Cetilar-Vitamina del italiano Andrea Lacorte, al subcampeón Sease y al tercer clasificado, Goddess; al campeón del mundo de Swan 45, el Motions del holandés Lennard van Oeveren, y al subcampeón K-Force; al Niramo del alemán Sonke Meier, subcampeón del mundo de ClubSwan 50, y al Skorpidi, tercer clasificado. ¡Muchas gracias por elegir velas North Sails! READ MORE

SERVICIO CERTIFICADO NORTH SAILS Cirugía y estética para velas Un correcto mantenimiento de las velas es la mejor forma de prolongar su vida útil, optimizar sus prestaciones y amortizar el desembolso inicial. A través de su Servicio Certificado, North Sails convierte su red de velerías en auténticas clínicas de cirugía y estética en las que se miman velas de cualquier fabricante, con protocolos estandarizados que garantizan la máxima calidad de mantenimiento, cuidado, reparación, modificación y almacenamiento. Las velerías North Sails en Lluchmajor, Palma y Valencia son tres de las 110 instalaciones certificadas de la firma en el mundo. North Sails lleva más de seis décadas de diseño, producción y comercialización de velas. Fabrica y vende más de 33.000 velas cada año y cubre literalmente todos los segmentos, desde pequeñas embarcaciones de vela ligera hasta colosales superyates o trimaranes de competición oceánica. Pero diseñar, fabricar y vender velas es sólo parte de la habilidad de la firma fundada por Lowell North en 1957. Una red mundial formada por 110 velerías garantiza la satisfacción del cliente con el Servicio Certificado North Sails, un extraordinario servicio postventa de mantenimiento, cuidado, reparación, modificación y almacenamiento de velas. "Nuestro trabajo no termina con la entrega al cliente de las velas nuevas", explica Luis Martínez Doreste, director comercial de North Sails en España. "Diría que en ese momento comienza la labor de nuestras velerías. El servicio postventa es un elemento crucial para garantizar la satisfacción y fidelidad del cliente, y el Servicio Certificado North Sails es nuestra mejor herramienta para conseguirlo". Y es que las velas requieren un mantenimiento mínimo para su correcto funcionamiento. Varios son los factores que aceleran su deterioro, como la exposición solar, el contacto con el mástil, jarcia y backstay, la unión entre punteras de sables con la vela o la humedad. La buena noticia es que esos daños pueden revertirse: sólo se necesitan manos expertas. En España, tres velerías ofrecen el Servicio Certificado North Sails: Lluchmajor, Palma y Valencia. Las delegaciones de Málaga y Barcelona realizan labores de apoyo y gestión. "Los servicios más solicitados, además de la completa revisión de las velas, son el de cambio de bandas solares y el de lavado", explica Marc Patiño desde North Sails Palma. La aplicación de productos especiales para eliminar elementos indeseados como moho, restos de salitre o manchas persistentes, no sólo mejora el aspecto de las velas, sino que facilita la posterior inspección para detectar incidencias existentes o anticipar problemas. Tras la limpieza, los veleros inician el estricto protocolo de Inspección de Diez Puntos con el que se revisa cada elemento de la vela para garantizar que nada se pasa por alto. El Servicio Certificado North Sails está disponible para velas de todas las marcas, tamaños y materiales. "Un servicio muy valorado por nuestros clientes, especialmente por los de los veleros de mayor eslora, es el de desmontaje y transporte de las velas a nuestras instalaciones, donde las desplegamos y revisamos delante del responsable del barco. Vamos haciendo fotos con un iPad e intercambiando información con el cliente, sugerimos dónde recomendamos actuar, confeccionamos un reporte completo de las velas y se lo remitimos junto al presupuesto. Él decidirá qué se hace y qué no. Esta relación directa y en directo refuerza la confianza del cliente". Una veintena de expertos trabajan en North Sails Palma, la mayor velería del mundo especializada en superyates. "La situación tan extraordinaria que vivimos este año ha modificado los hábitos de nuestros clientes", explica Andrea Marengo desde North Sails Valencia. "La ausencia de regatas ha reducido el número de servicios para barcos de competición, pero, or otro lado, familias que llevaban años sin usar sus barcos han aprovechado para hacer una vacaciones más seguras al aire libre. Así que hemos hecho más trabajos como reparar velas y sustituir protecciones solares. Hemos visto un incremento en el servicio a velas usadas de barcos en el rango de 35 a 50 pies". Servicio a domicilio La logística asociada al transporte de velas puede resultar complicada, especialmente cuando hablamos de grandes esloras. North Sails ofrece una solución muy valorada por el cliente: "Estamos disponibles para descargar las velas del barco, recogerlas en la marina con nuestro camión grúa y volver a montarlas una vez completado el servicio", explica Andrea. La estandarización del Servicio Certificado North Sails garantiza la aplicación de los mismos protocolos y la misma calidad en todas las velerías. "Chequeamos las velas, hacemos el informe con fotos, lo enviamos al cliente, realizamos los trabajos acordados y organizamos el envío de regreso al barco o las almacenamos hasta que el cliente las necesite". El servicio de almacenamiento en las velerías North Sails ofrece un entorno perfecto para preservar la integridad de las velas, alejadas de factores que puedan degradarlas, como la humedad, el sol, productos agresivos o la presión de elementos pesados. La velería de Valencia tiene capacidad para almacenar cerca de 400 velas; la de Palma, más de 2.000. La vacuna Los expertos de North Sails recomiendan la prevención como mejor medicina para prolongar la vida de las velas, evitar su deterioro y anticipar posibles problemas. Mantenerlas secas y protegidas del sol, revisar las bandas solares, desenrollarlas con frecuencia cuando no se usan, endulzarlas generosamente al término de una jornada de navegación y chequearlas constantemente son los ingredientes básicos de la vacuna que evita la mayoría de las enfermedades de las velas. "Yo insisto mucho a los clientes que hagan fotos y vídeos para poder ayudarnos a entender los problemas y roturas", concluye Andrea Marengo. Más información sobre cómo preparar las velas para el invernaje, en este artículo. READ MORE

IN DEPTH LOOK AT YOUNG POWERHOUSE ALEX CURTISS His Top Tips & Tricks For Sailing A self-described “one design guy,” Alex Curtiss grew up in Chicago sailing Optis, 420s, and Lasers, as well as other one design and PHRF boats. In 2016, he graduated from St. Mary’s with an economics degree and two All-American awards, and moved to California to work as a sailmaker. He also sailed Etchells, J/70s, and TP52s; recent victories include the Etchells North Americans (as part of Scott Kaufman’s team) and the Prince of Wales U.S. Match Racing Championship. Asked to name his favorite boat, Alex laughs. “Honestly, if bathtubs were racing each other and they were all similar, I’d be happy to go race bathtubs. I wouldn’t say that I have one particular class that is better than the rest. I just love the game.” Although he helms when team racing dinghies, Alex really enjoys crewing. “I feel like I can help the team more if I’m organizing and coordinating the crew. It is a little bit more fun and a little bit more of a challenge, just because there’s more moving parts.” When not sailing, Alex loves to surf and play golf. Looking ahead, he’s excited to be part of North Sails. “There’s so much tradition, with great roots here in southern California. Building on everything that the team has already created, and being part of a winning and successful culture—that is what I’m most excited about. North has always been well known for its one design sails, and now I’m part of a rich history Tell us about Champions of Champions. How does it feel to take first place honors as a representative of the Lehman 12 class? The CofC’s this year were literally in my backyard which was something cool to be apart of. Our local Lehman 12 class is definitely on the map now. It had been quite a while since our class was nationally recognized. We are very proud of that. It was also very cool to share the experience and crew for my best bro Jake LaDow. He and I do a lot of sailing together in a wide variety of different classes and disciplines. It just felt like another weekend hanging out. What are your top 3 tips for someone just getting involved in the class? Get comfortable with starting in close quarters. This is applicable to Harbor 20’s especially. Traditional starting techniques can often lead to not so ideal starts. Understanding what your time and distance is will help you and your crew know when to set up, then knowing how long it takes to accelerate, and then starting at full speed at go. These three things are super important to getting a jump on the guys around you. Be scared of going slow. Never let your boat get to pinchy, I call it “keeping the rope on”, but try and be full speed all of the time. Understand what the longer breeze phase is. Especially in SoCal, its all about the phase of the breeze. Whether you are sailing sabots, J70’s, or TP 52’s. This is an important part of scoring well in every race. How did you get involved in sailing, especially One Design sailing? I got involved with One Design sailing at a very early age. I grew up sailing Optimist’, Club 420’s and lasers. I was lucky to have very supportive parents and siblings who pushed me to do as much racing as I possibly could. My dad had several Offshore OD boats growing up too. My first job was the backstay adjuster. I had to pump the backstay around leeward marks, and let it off at the weather mark. Often times my brother in law was the tactician, he taught me a lot about basic tactics and was very patient with me when I asked dumb questions. What keeps you coming back, even after a bad day on the water? I would say just the curiosity I have with sailing keeps me coming back. There are so many variables in any boat you get in on at a given time. Everytime that I think I am a little burnt out, I go for a harbor cruise here in Newport Beach, have a few beers with friends and it makes me realize just how much I love the sport of sailing, and why I do what I do. What stands out in your mind as the biggest learning curve in sailing? Just staying open minded. Especially working in the industry, it is easy to get complacent with what you are comfortable with. I really rely and question my mentors, recently Eric Doyle, to help just expand my general knowledge of the sport. I sail in so many different boats and in different disciplines, its just really important to keep pushing myself to learn more, ask questions, and then try and apply them to my sailing. Looking ahead, how does one prepare for offshore races, such as the Transpac? Preparation has so many different aspects to it. The first thing people need to do is to make sure their boats and sails are structurally sound. I would encourage anyone who is considering the Transpac to consult their local sailmaker and boat builder. Last go around, there were several people who had their rudder posts crack or break entirely. That would be where I would start. From there making sure you have the right crew. Remember you are spending anywhere from 7-12 days on a boat with these people. You need to trust them and probably get a long with these people. Finally, go spend some time offshore, and get some experience doing sail changes, watch systems, and make sure all of the sails look good and are ready for serious use. READ MORE

VINTERTIPS: MODIFIERA DINA SEGEL! Seglingssäsongen är slut och våren känns kanske oändligt avlägsen. Men det är nu du lägger grunden inför 2022. Börja med att lämna in dina segel på service, och fundera på om något av dem ska modifieras när vi ändå har dem hos oss. Vi har en rad spännande lösningar som till en rimlig kostnad kan ge ditt befintliga segel ett riktigt lyft. Shorthand-anpassa ditt försegel Att kappsegla ensam eller på två ställer delvis andra krav än på kappsegling med full besättning. Inte minst när det kommer till båthantering. Många seglar för enkelhetens skull med rullfock. Problemet är att formen på seglet blir riktigt dålig om man behöver rulla in några varv för att minska segelytan. En lösning som blir allt vanligare, framför allt på så kallade ”fockbåtar”, är istället att använda sig av ett revbart försegel. Och det fina är att du inte behöver köpa ett nytt segel. Det går lika bra att modifiera den fock du redan har. Det vi gör är att vi sätter in ett bindrev. På segel gjorda för förstagsprofil brukar vi också sy fast ”softhanks” längs förliket. Det gör att seglet inte åker i vattnet när det tas ner på däck. Enklare kan det knappast bli, och på köpet får du ett segel som är väldigt effektivt på öppna bogar. Ett stort problem med högsmala fockar är ju att de tappar formen så fort man faller av från bidevind. Men här fungerar revhornet som ett reachinghorn; genom att skota (det orevade) seglet i revhornet får du kontroll över twisten och seglet drar mycket bättre. Skillnaden är faktiskt påtaglig. Det här är en typ av segel som vi verkligen kan rekommendera för all typ av segling med liten besättning – oavsett om du kappseglar eller semesterseglar. Montera dragkedja i dina undanvindssegel Sättning av spinnakers eller gennakers är inte alltid enkelt. Det är mycket duk som ska upp och även mycket rutinerade besättningar får ibland problem med segel som fyller innan det är hissat i topp, som snor sig eller hamnar i vattnet. Det där löser vi genom att sy in ett blixtlås längs ena liket. När du drar ihop dragkedjan formas hela seglet till ett långt, korvliknande paket som kan hissas i lugn och ro. När det är i topp och du drar i skot och gajar öppnar sig blixtlåset och seglet fyller. På båtar över 50 fot är det här närmast ett måste, men vi tycker att det hör hemma på egentligen alla båtar där sättningarna känns utmanande. En ”zippad” spinnaker eller gennaker resulterar i både snabbare och säkrare sättningar, och det har man lika stor nytta av på bankappsegling i en 40-fotare som på semestern i en 33-fotare. Mät om seglen och sänk ditt mätetal Segel krymper. Ganska mycket till och med. En procent låter kanske inte så mycket men det innebär att ett par år gammalt storsegel till en 40-fotare kan vara en decimeter kortare i förliket än när det var nytt. Det är en naturlig process och egentligen inte mycket att oroa sig för. Att seglet de facto blir mindre är istället något du kan dra nytta av. Minskad segelyta innebär att handikapptalet kan sänkas, och ambitiösa kappseglare mäter därför rutinmässigt om sina segel inför varje säsong. Det är kanske att ta i. Men om du har ett individuellt mätbrev bör du överväga att göra det åtminstone någon gång ibland. Vi har befogenhet att mäta våra egna segel och om vi passar på att göra det när seglet är inne för service är det inte någon stor eller kostsam operation. READ MORE

HÖG TID ATT LÄMNA IN SEGLEN FÖR SERVICE Service av segel är lite som att gå till tandläkaren eller besiktiga bilen. Det är något man bör göra en gång varje år, även med segel som är i fint skick. Det gör att du slipper problem nästa säsong och förlänger livslängden på dina segel. När vi får in segel upptäcker vi ofta slitage och skador som ägarna har missat. Det kan handla om småsaker som knappt är synliga för ett otränat öga, men om de inte åtgärdas kan skadan snabbt förvärras. I värsta fall kan det leda till att seglet totalförstörs och att hela semestern måste avbrytas. Att fladder och nötning sliter hårt på segel inser de flesta. Men solens UV-strålar är faktiskt ännu värre. Detta gäller för alla typer av segel, men där vi ser mest skador är bland rullseglen, som ju ofta sitter uppe från tidig vår till sen höst. Med ett bra UV-skydd är det helt okej, men här slarvas det tyvärr en del, har vi märkt. Det händer att vi får in segel som är helt slut i akterliket, trots att de bara är ett par år gamla. Det finns flera olika typer av UV-skydd, men alla (även strumpor och kapell) har ett bäst-före-datum som inte bör passeras. Hellre byta lite för tidigt än lite för sent, är den enkla principen. Det kostar en slant. Men om du vill kunna använda dina segel i många år är det en investering som går att räkna hem många gånger om. Fukt är förresten ett annat problem som du bör ta tag i så fort som möjligt. Efter en säsong i båten är seglen fuktiga och risken är stor att de utsätts för mögelangrepp som det är nästan omöjligt att bli av med. Det finns visserligen medel som biter men de är så starka att de bryter ner segelduken, så det är inget vi rekommenderar i första taget. Den enkla lösningen är att helt enkelt hänga seglen på tork. Det är viktigt att seglen får hänga fritt från marken eller golvet, och att de får hänga tillräckligt länge. Förstärkningar, lattfickor, snörplinor, likband med mera suger åt sig mycket fukt och det kan ta lång tid innan seglen torkat ut ordentligt. Det är alltså inte svårt, men det tar sin tid och är ganska utrymmeskrävande. Om du inte har möjlighet att göra det själv gör vi det gärna åt dig! READ MORE

2020 FALL SAILING WRAP UP North Sails Expert Austin Powers Shares Highlights from AYC Fall Series + Double Handed Race © Will Keyworth / North Sails This year’s edition of the AYC double handed distance race brought lots of boats, lots of competition, and a serious challenge to complete the course in less than 7 knots of wind. With three fleets: ORC1, ORC2, and a one design fleet of J/105’s (mixed crew), there was a little something for everyone who was interested in this growing discipline of the sport. The competition this year included aspiring Olympians, former America's cup sailors, Volvo Ocean race veterans, professional sailors, Father-son teams, and newlywed couples alike. With the unique challenge of sailing in the Northern bay with lots of wind changes and changing current, the course provided a true test for teams to show their skill. All in all, even with sub 7 knots, the majority of the fleet made it across the finishing line. Results for North Sails clients included: ORC 1: 1*,2,3,4,5 ORC 2: 1,3,4,5 J105: 1,2,3,4,5 The 2020 AYC fall series is underway. J/22’s, J/30’s, J/70’s, J/80’s and Viper 640’s are all on the water ready to compete in this year’s Fall series racing right in Annapolis. The racing is on the following days for the month of October 3-4th (already occurred), and the 10, 17-18. We encourage anyone in these classes to get out sailing during one of the best times of the year in Annapolis. We will check in next month at the conclusion of the series to check in the winners. Mark your calendars for the upcoming events: ORC East Coast Championships: October 23-25 J/70 Fall Brawl + J/80 East Coasts: October 31 - November 1 J/24 + J/22 East Coast Championships: October 17-18 J/105 + J/111 East Coast Championship: October 31 - November 1 Photo Credit: Will Keyworth Photo Credit: Will Keyworth Photo Credit: Will Keyworth READ MORE

PÓDIO NORTH SAILS NA CLASSE 420 É com orgulho que anunciamos que no Campeonato de Portugal de Juniores e Absolutos da classe 420 o pódio foi North Sails. 📸 Luís Fráguas Ricardo Alves e Tiago Alves são os novos Campeões Nacionais da Classe 420 e estão de Parabéns pelo seu fantástico desempenho , durante a regata que se realizou no início do mês, acumulando também o primeiro lugar também em Masculino. Juntaram-se ao pódio da geral as equipas Manuel Fortunato/ Laura Pontes, que se classificaram em segundo lugar, seguidos da Mafalda Gonçalves/ Maria Pereira, que alcançaram o título de Campeãs Nacionais. 📸 Ingrid Fortunato 📸 Luís Fráguas De realçar, ainda, que os velejadores Mário Soares/ Vasco Soares obtiveram o primeiro lugar na categoria Juniores. Em resumo, velejadores que escolherem a North Sails, alcançaram os 1º, 2º e 3º lugares da Geral, 1º lugar Masculino, 1º lugar Feminino e 1º lugar Juniores. A todos os nossos Parabéns! Para mais informação sobre a gama de Velas North Sails para a Classe 420, contactem a vossa velaria nacional, através dos contactos que podem encontrar aqui. READ MORE

IN DEPTH WITH MELGES 24 CLASS LEADER JOHN BOWDEN The North Sails Expert Shares Tips + Tricks And Much More © IM4CA/©Bill Crawford, Harbor Pictures Company John Bowden started sailing very young and was a competitive youth sailor in Texas where he grew up. He started working for a sailmaker at 16 in Austin, TX. He went to college at the College of Charleston graduating in 2004. John won the sloop nationals and was awarded the Robert H. Hobbs Sportsman of the Year award. He has won National Championships in the Melges 20, Melges 32, Lightning, Melges 24, Coronado 15, and J-80 classes. He won the world series in the Melges 20 class. Since joining the North Sails team in Charleston, John has been awarded the George Lockwood Trophy as one of the top sailors and contributors to the sport as a member of the Charleston Yacht Club. He gives us an inside glimpse to the Melgse 24 class uniqueness, what keeps him coming back and his top three tips for newcomers ahead of the Melges 24 Charleston Open in October. Tell us about how you go involved in the Melges 24 class. We started a small fleet here in Charleston and I began racing with a few of the local teams as they began to branch outside of Charleston. We had about 8 boats that were active for a short period of time. As those boats moved on I got back into the fleet when Travis Weisleder sold his Melges 20 after a successful campaign and bought his 3rd Melges 24. We are now onto our 3rd boat since then and have been racing the Lucky Dog Racing Team very hard. What is it about the Melges 24 class that keeps you coming back? The Melges 24 is one of the best boats ever built. We have really seen a resurgence in the fleet from its peak. Small local fleets are popping up again and we are seeing a great group of amateur owners jump back into this super competitive fleet. What are your top 3 tips for someone just getting involved in the class? Practice, Practice, Practice. Time in the boat is just the best way to get your boat going. Ask questions. There are a ton of people out there in the fleet that are always willing to help. We are seeing boat owner, sailmakers, and pro sailors now being one of the best resources for new people in the fleet. A once secretive fleet of sailors that used to keep all of their tricks to themselves are now more than happy to share information. Don’t be shy!!! Get to the big events. Local racing is great, especially in these tough times, but the experience you can get from going to these big events can be priceless. The best of the best are out racing somewhere almost every month. Do what you can to make it to these events. The practice starting, the tips from the best sailors, and the comradery with other sailors is something you just can’t get anywhere else. What is the biggest thing you’ve learned during your time sailing Melges 24? Everyone is working with the same gear. The class is so well established and the tuning, the boats are all very close. It really comes down to how hard you work. Sailing has come a long way from when I started racing. The top teams are really leaving it all out there on the water. The harder you work the better you will do. How does it feel to be class leader? I think it is a great opportunity. This is such an amazing class and such an amazing group of people I am very lucky to get a chance to work with everyone. North Sails has done a great job for so many years it is great to see us still pushing the envelope. The development of 3Di sails has been a challenge, but the results are speaking for themselves. It is nice to be the person to go to if you have questions or problems. I am the go between for the sailors and our production and design team. It really gives me a chance to work on a product and see how it helps our teams. Looking ahead, what are your hopes for the Melges 24 class? I am excited for this class. We have had to postpone the Worlds this year and much of the racing, but we are starting it right back up here in Charleston with the first in a series of regattas leading up to the World's being sailing in Charleston, SC. The fleet and the organizers have done an amazing job of planning for people of all makeups to get to race at the top levels in the World. The upcoming events are fast and furious leading up to the worlds. October in Charleston, November in Mobile, AL, December, January and March in Miami, FL and the Charleston Race Week as the leadup to the Worlds in Charleston just after race week. To learn more about North Sails product offering for Melges 24, see here. READ MORE

EVENT SPOTLIGHT: WATER CATS FALL REGATTA 2020 Safe & Successful Event For Cat Sailors To many, 2020 has presented challenges unlike any in recent history. But the positive spirits and can-do attitude of cat sailors, sponsors and organizers at Water Rats Sailing Club contributed to another successful Regatta. Water Rats hosted the Water Cats Fall Regatta on September 26 & 27. Twenty-four (24) catamarans competed in light to medium air on the first day with strong breeze on the final day. The sun and the beautiful skyline of Toronto were shining along with all those who contributed to the event by supporting the sport. It revealed the remarkable passion, enthusiasm and love for sailing that is present in the sailing community in Toronto. It is hard to find words to thank the large team of volunteers who dedicated their time and efforts who made this Regatta successful, Fogh Marine and North Sails taking the lead. A special thank you goes to Morten Fogh, Geoffrey Moore and Louisa Bobyk. Huge thank you to Race Committee Maxim Newby, Jimmy Sabourin, Kevin Smith, Peter Eagar, Andrew Mahoney, Rahm De-Undergrad and David Chennels; Race Chairs Beata Sejane and Marvin Coulson; Communications Matthew Burpee and Ed Young; Results Dan Borg, Rahm De-Undergrad and Marty Vandenberg; Weekly race practice Jimmy Sabourin and Dan Borg; OHCC, JTown and Westwood Sailing Clubs for extra crash/pin boats; Jessica Lee, Michael Williamson, Kate McMurray, Dean Goodwin, Murray Kibler for awesome photos and videos; Benoit Friolet, Jessica Lee, Mike Doell and Ray Davies for terrific rescue/race support; Greg Brothers for purchasing and delivering 15 gallons of gas; and a very special shoutout to Robert Wessel for lending us his big cat to be used as a Committee Boat. Thanks to everyone from near and far who came out to make this event a success, from Burlington Beach Catamaran Club, Westwood Sailing Club, Outer Harbour Centerboard Club, St. James Town Sailing Club, Toronto Multihull Cruising Club, Etobicoke Yacht Club, and Mississauga Sailing Club. Congrats to all winners and a special shout out to first in their fleets, Andrew Woods of Burlington Beach Catamaran Club in his foiling super cool A Class cat (Low Portsmouth), along with Andy Warwick and Mike McKnight of Etobicoke Yacht Club in their supercharged Hobie 16 (High Portsmouth). READ MORE

FORT LAUDERDALE SAILING INDUSTRY GATHERS North Sails and Maz Ocean Sponsor Meet and Greet Key players in the Fort Lauderdale sailing industry gathered Thursday night for a fun meet-and-greet hosted by North Sails and Maz Ocean. Representatives from area brokerages, rigging companies, and yacht service companies joined at the newly-renovated Lauderdale Yacht Club to swap stories and learn about new developments affecting sailors. “It’s important to get the players together every once in a while,” noted North Sails’ Bob Meagher. “A good team serves sailors better and keeps them coming back to Fort Lauderdale.” Craig Allison, owner of Maz Ocean, echoed the sentiment. “The more we know each other, the easier it is to work together on any project.” Meagher opened the evening with a welcome and short explanation of North Sails 3Di performance cruising products, “ideal for premiere multihulls and monohulls in Florida and the Caribbean.” Then Maz Ocean’s Alex Hill briefly summarized his company’s focus on internet connectivity and off-grid power solutions for cruising owner-operators. Maz Ocean specializes in the fields of integrated marine charging systems and electrical, navigation electronics, satellite TV and mobile internet connectivity, systems monitoring and vessel security and marine systems for sail and power yachts. Offices are located at Harbour Towne Marina in Dania Beach, and the company services vessels in Broward, Miami-Dade, and Palm Beach counties. North Sails is the world’s largest and most advanced sailmaker, with 150 locations and 2,000 people worldwide serving cruising and racing sailors of all kinds. North Sails Ft. Lauderdale leverages this global expertise to serve cruising, racing, and superyacht customers up and down the east coast of Florida. The event marks the first in a series of industry meet and greets led by North Sails designed to foster greater cooperation among those serving sailors in South Florida. READ MORE

CONTRÔLE GRATUIT EN PRÉVOYANT VOTRE HIVERNAGE La fin de saison approche, il est temps de prendre contact avec nos experts ! Faire un bilan de votre inventaire de voiles, dresser la liste des travaux d’hiver à effectuer, planifier le stockage pour l'hiver et la mise à bord au printemps prochain : nous sommes là pour vous ! Nos services hivernaux à la carte sont à votre disposition pour prendre soin de vos voiles et augmenter leur longévité. Pour toutes les marques de voiles, nous vous proposons 2 options : 1) un contrôle complet "Certified Service" gratuit de vos voiles, quelle que soit la marque. Pour cela il suffit de les amener à la voilerie (en les déposant 24/24 dans notre SAS sécurisé à l’entrée de la voilerie), ou auprès d'un revendeur North Sails certifié. Liste disponible ici. 2) un forfait premium comprenant l'enlèvement, le contrôle complet "Certified Service", le stockage durant tout l'hiver, et la mise à bord au printemps : vous ne vous souciez de rien, on s'occupe de tout ! Qu'est-ce qu'un contrôle complet "Certified Service" ? Apprenez-en plus. Appelez-nous au 022 782 32 22 pour avoir plus d’infos ou prendre rendez-vous avec l'un de nos experts. READ MORE

EVENT SPOTLIGHT: FINAL LOSHRS RACES Short Handed Sailors Took To The Water For Races 5 & 6 North powered Upstart owned by Bert Barrett. Photo courtesy of LOOR Chair Monica Doedens Conditions were predicted to be less than ideal for the last races of the LOSHRS series on September 19th and 20th. That said, the wind gods prevailed and a lovely 10-12 knots came through on Saturday with fantastic sunshine to boot. While races 5 & 6 usually take racers to Port Dalhousie from PCYC with an epic party on the Saturday night, this year the Lake Ontario Offshore Racing (LOOR) committee broke it up into two days races. Saturday saw racers head to Oakville from PCYC while Sunday they headed east to Humber Bay from PCYC. The 49 boats that came out were able to enjoy two days of racing filled with Fall temps, sunshine and good times. North powered Messing About skippered by Andre Beese, a J27, from OYS took first in their division, beating out new to Lake Ontario Saffier 37 Isley from PCYC. Well done Andre and crew! Tonic from RCYC skippered by Chris Jones, powered by w, also took first in their division followed by fellow 36.7 racers Don French in 2nd with Arriba and Richard Reid in 3rd with Zingara. Ken Martin with Star Chaser, took first in his division as well for solo non flying sails on his Beneteau First 45, well done Ken! It’s great to see the support these sailors have shown to the sport and the committee that runs these races. A great deal of effort, coordination and safety precautions were taken to ensure these races were able to happen for our short-handed sailors. A tremendous round of applause for the Lake Ontario Offshore Racing committee, especially their RC, for adjusting to the times to get races off and encourage sailors to come out on the water. Photo courtesy of LOOR Chair Monica Doedens READ MORE

Enia i Mihaela, srebrene na Prvenstvu Italije za 49erFX FOTO: GIOVANNI MITOLO Od 17. do 20. rujna na zapadnoj Talijanskoj obali u mjestu Follonica, malo južnije od Toscane, jedrilo se Prvenstvo Italije za olimpijske klase. Na njemu je sudjelovala i naša najbolja ženska posada u klasi 49erFX, Enia Ninčević i Mihaela de Micheli Vitturi. Dok su im se kolege iz JK Sv.Krševan vraćale s regate u Kielu, ove dvije članice JK Uskok otišle su na ovu nešto bližu lokaciju i zajedrile s talijankama. Nakon dugog perioda bez regata u ovoj klasi i njima je ovo bio dugo očekivani povratak na regatna polja s ipak nešto brojnijom i ozbiljnijom konkurencijom nego što su je imale na treninzima tijekom ljeta. Ukupno je sudjelovalo 8 posada. Osim naših djevojaka sve ostalo su bile posade s ITA registracijama na jedrima. Među njima najviše se isticala posada Jana Germani i Giorgia Bertuzzi koje su prije ovog prvenstva sudjelovale i na regati u Kielu, tako da su stigle na start svog nacionalnog prvenstva već dobro zagrijane i u visokom natjecateljskom modu. Naše djevojke su unatoč izostanku s regate u Njemačkoj bile na visini i u skladu sa svojim statusom na međunarodnoj sceni, a više o tome saznat ćemo od Enie koju smo uhvatili za vrijeme opremanja jedrilice u Austriji u koju je naša posada otputovala direktno na Europsko prvenstvo: Za odlazak u Italiju smo se odlučili u posljednji tren. Jedrilo se na moru i uvjeti su bili stvarno izvrsni. Prva dva dana puhalo je iz otprilike 225°, nekakav njihov maestral... sea breeze od 16 do 20 čvorova. Imali smo po četiri plova svaki dan... prekrasni uvjeti! Šteta što nije tamo Europsko :) Tako da su ta prva dva dana bilo ono pravo "muška". Tih dana smo uglavnom završavale kao druge. Ispred nas je bila samo Jana Germani koja je u Kielu osvojila 6. mjesto. Tako da samo je tih dana uglavnom hvatali. Treći dan nismo jedrili, pokušali smo startati dva puta, ali je svaki put bilo prekinuto. A zadnji dan smo odjedrili dva plova po nekom južiniću. Na početku su bili srednji uvjeti, ali je kasnije vjetar pao. Nakon deset odjedrenih plovova, nakon dva odbacivanja koja su se kalkulirala nakon 9 plovova, Jana i Giorgia bile su ispred nas za dva boda, ali i s jednim odbacivanjem su bile bolje jer su imale više prvih mjesta. Tako da je bilo napeto od početka do kraja i stvarno se svaka greška naplaćivala. Enia Ninčević, JK Uskok FOTO: GIOVANNI MITOLO Što se tiče prvih mjesta koja je Enia spomenula, naše djevojke su četiri puta pobijedile, dok su talijanke to uspjele napraviti 5 puta, a u generalnu sumu nakon odbacivanja ušla su im još tri druga mjesta i jedno treće, a talijankama samo druga. Tako da se može reći da je u regati presudno bilo otvaranje po jakom vjetru, odnosno prvi dan jedrenja kad se domaća posada mnogo bolje snašla. Kompletne rezultate možete pronaći na ovom linku. Iz Follonice je naš kombi za Austriju otputovao preko Milana, gdje je u tvornici obavljeno popunjavanje opreme. U Austriju su stigle u ponedjeljak navečer i do srijede ujutro su morale vrijeme provesti zatvorene u apartmanu jer su čekale rezultate testa na Koronu koji su obavile u utorak ujutro. Rezultati su dobri i sad su u tijeku posljednje pripreme za predstojeće Europsko prvenstvo na kojem će još jedriti i braća Fantela, te posada Igor Marenić - Anđela de Micheli Vitturi u floti Nacri 17. READ MORE

LIFELONG WATER LOVE LEADS TO SAILING ADVENTURE New Life To 1976 Catalina 27 Tall Rig Krizia Marban and Doug Hampton share a glimpse into their sailing adventure aboard their 1976 Catalina 27 Tall Rig with their two pups in Vancouver. How Did You Get Into Sailing? Krizia was born and raised in the desert, but always knew that she loved the water! The very first time she got into a dinghy was a high school field trip to Jericho Sailing Club. A few years later she was invited to race on Thursday Nights with a rowdy crew on a Schock 35, named Fancy Free, skippered by the legendary Ian Lloyd. Doug grew up on Vancouver Island, and has always grown up by the water and boating. This year is his first year of sailboat ownership. Word around RVYC is there is a real nice-looking Catalina 27 getting a big refit on the West Walk, when did you purchase it? Doug and I purchased the boat August 1, 2019, so we are still reeling from that boat ownership high. The conversation of owning a boat only amounted to window shopping in January that year, until a friend made an offer we could not resist. When all documents were signed, we went down to celebrate on the boat, only to find that the lock on the hatch was seized! So, we literally had to break into “our” boat on day one. The hull and deck is a faded banana yellow hull, with green accessories, so the boat stands out a bit. Why did you choose the Catalina 27 design? The influence of purchasing a Catalina 27 was mainly due to the popularity of the boat and the 4KSB lifestyle. I’ve raced, shared, and leased a few Catalinas around the bay. They are the perfect starter cruiser, easy weeknight racer and have very comfortable accommodations. The supplier of parts and the online owner forums are also all very active. There is nothing like racing in a regatta with the BBQ on. Since the purchase of the boat what are some of the projects that you have completed? Even though the boat is 44 years old and has had 3 previous owners, it was well kept and dry inside. The first week of owning the boat though, we gave it a deep clean inside and out. We also wanted a boat survey completed to have a sense of expectations to what we really got ourselves into. The list of recommendations was expected, so it was a great base to prioritize which project we wanted to tackle first. There was some struggle with planning and organizing with the global pandemic shutting the city down in the spring, but we just patiently worked on some minor tasks, like bringing a few pieces of teak home to strip, sand and varnish. Some of the major tasks we have accomplished the last 7 months include a haul-out to power wash the buckets of mussels at GIBY; contracted Skookum Yacht Services to repaint the bottom, replace through-hulls, and keel bolts inspection; and rewiring of all electrical by A-Sea Marine Electrical Ltd. One major unplanned upgrade was the gutting of the galley. What is the next project on the list? Each project is a mushroom project, so there’s always something new. We replaced the halyards and sheets recently, so we are looking forward to purchasing/replacing deck hardware… to have her race ready, haha. We held off on replacing the interior upholstery, since we’ve always been fascinated with the grooviest decade! We are currently loving the original yellow retro wool in the cabin. We also scrubbed the mildew green Dacron jib and main sails, a true test to any relationship. The sails work okay for the cruising we do but purchasing new North Sails is on the horizon. Have you ran into any issues with the boat since having it? Since replacing the old, oversized halyards and not having a halyard restrainer, we had issues with the jib halyard wrapping around the forestay, which could potentially be a very serious problem out on the water. Luckily, we had Chris Walter from the Vancouver loft of North Sails as a boat neighbor at the yacht club most of the summer. He assessed our issue, added a strop at the tack to raise the sail, and get it dialed to furl, it worked wonderfully! Shout out to Chris! He knows there's always a beer or more for him on the Gidddy Up. I’ve noticed you go cruising with two smaller dogs. How do you accommodate them when on the water and what are their names ? Dude (white/fawn), he’s 8 and the swimmer, and Opie (white/black), he just turned 6, he’s the sinker. We may look into getting lifeline netting since Opie’s a bit of an explorer on the deck. They both wear lifejackets, and instantly go to nap mode under sail. At first, Opie wasn’t really into the motion of the ocean being down below in the cabin, but it sucks down there on a choppy day. “Boat” is a now trigger word, so it only means beach, boat rides, treats, sun, and good times! Your partner Doug is fairly new to sailing. How is he enjoying it? Doug is loving it! Doug went on his first cruising trip to Gambier Island; summer of 2017 and he loved every bit of it. We live downtown, so it always makes sense to wanting to be elsewhere on the weekends. We have spent almost all our weekends taking the boat out, tinkering and or having dinner out in the bay this past year. We do a lot of land camping, so cruising is just another way for us to go camping, this time on the water. Thinking back to our first test sail out in the bay, hoisting the mildew sails for the first time. I had him on the tiller, so he could watch what to do in the cockpit. There wasn’t much breeze at first, but we turned off and lifted the motor, I told him to ease his gorilla grip on the tiller, let the sails flop and fill and just feel the wind in his hair. Once he got the hang of it and we were heeled over and moving, he smiles and says, “Where do you wanna go?”, to which I responded, “Ahhh, we forgot to bring in the fenders!”…Phew, no one was around to see that! Doug’s a professional photographer, other than taking surreal pictures while cruising, what else does he enjoy about being on the water? Doug’s got a busy work schedule, so time spent on the water is always peaceful, but can also be stressful for him. He’s mastering taking the boat in and out of our slip and I’m very proud of how quickly he’s learning it all. At the same time he’s been burning through film with a few of his cameras, and so keeping with the retro theme, he’s managed to develop and process film by turning the cabin into a dark room! What type of cruising did you get up to this summer? To celebrate finishing some of the projects and our first anniversary owning the boat, we booked the last week of August for our first family cruise around Howe Sound. The plan was to stop over on Bowen, Gibsons, and Keats but with pandemic restrictions in mind, we decided to just spend 6 days on Alexandra Island (RVYC Outstation). Alexandra is a small but quaint island located in Centre Bay of Gambier Island. By the 6th day, all the ice had melted in our cooler, so we decided to sail home, it was a nice slow reach to Jericho. Do you have any plans to go cruising this fall? If so, where do you plan to explore? Fall is surprisingly our favourite season! Crisp sunny fall days, foggy mornings, rain, as some would detest! We’ve re-attached the windows on the dodger and patched up the vinyl with clear sail repair tape, so it’s ready for one more season. We are monitoring the pandemic restrictions this fall, and hoping to be able to do some weekend trips to Bowen, and to Wigwam Inn (another RVYC outstation) at the end of the Indian Arm. The previous owner installed an oversized Dickinson propane heater on the boat, so just firing that up to warm up the cabin and ready to dunk some cookies in some tea will be top notch. READ MORE

JOIN US FOR A SPECIAL EVENT An Evening with North Sails & Emirates Team New Zealand READ MORE

FRANCISCO UVA SAGRA-SE CAMPEÃO NACIONAL DE OPTIMIST Brilhante prestação do velejador Francisco Uva, o novo Campeão Nacional da Classe Optimist! Muitos Parabéns Francisco! Francisco Uva 📸 Luis Fráguas Terminou, ontem, o Campeonato Nacional de Optimist com o velejador Francisco Uva a alcançar o título de Campeão Nacional. Os velejadores Francisco Uva (Por 2735) e Júlia Cardoso (POR 2651) lutaram taco-a-taco pelo primeiro lugar, durante o decorrer do campeonato, ambos a utilizarem velas R-2. No Top 6 da Classificação Geral são quatro os velejadores NorthSails. Utilizaram a vela R-2 (Francisco Uva , Júlia Cardoso, Augusto Castelo-Branco) e a vela R-4 (Salvador Baptista-Fernandes). A todos, os nossos Parabéns pelo desempenho e resultados na regata! Apurados para o Campeonato Europeu estão o Francisco Uva (1ºgeral, 1ºmasculino), a Júlia Cardoso (3º geral, 2º feminino), o Augusto Castelo-Branco (4ºgeral, 2ºmasculino) e o Salvador Baptista-Fernandes (6ºgeral, 4º masculino). Parabéns a todos os velejadores que participaram no Campeonato, numa época tão particular como esta! Para qualquer dúvida ou informação sobre a gama de Velas North Sails contactem o Class Expert, Vicente Pinheiro . Júlia Cardoso 📸 Gonçalo Melo Augusto Castelo Branco 📸 cedida por Augusto Castelo Branco Salvador Baptista-Fernandes 📸 cedida por Laura Artiaga READ MORE

3Di POWER FOR THE COBH TO BLACKROCK RACE Winners of Each Class Set New Race Record Frank Caul's Prince of Tides, overall winner of White Sails class 📸 Robert Bateman North Sails clients demonstrated the power of 3Di last weekend in the Cobh to Blackrock Race taking a clean sweep across all the classes. The top two boats in each class used 3Di upwind sails, which drove the leaders to set a new race record. Congratulations to all the winners; we are very proud to be your sail suppliers: IRC Spinnaker 1 1st: Nieulargo - Denis & Annamarie Murphy 2nd: Miss Whiplash - Ronan Downing IRC Spinnaker 2 1st: Cracker - Denis Byrne 2nd: Luas - Sean Hanley White Sails 1st: Prince of Tides - Frank Caul 2nd: Magnet - Kieran O'Brien North Sails Ireland Loft Manager, Nigel Young, took part in the Blackrock Race this year for the first time, so we got his account of the race: "This year's race was a really quick one. It was my first ever Blackrock Race and I was lucky enough to be sailing with Frank Caul and John Molloy on Prince of Tides, the Grand Soleil 37 from the RCYC. Prince of Tides had the fastest elapsed time of all the classes at just 57 minutes and 18 seconds, although hard to compare with Spin 1 as we started 10 minutes after them, but even so, a great performance from the team. North Sails got involved with the Prince of Tides team in November 2019, helping them with a few key bits and pieces over the winter. Then in the spring of 2020, we added two 3Di Endurance 760 sails with a third one on the way. The old sails were very tired and it was really hard to keep the boat in the groove upwind - flat at the front and round in the back is not a great combination. The new sails mixed with the boat modifications over the winter have resulted in a complete change of performance from the boat. It is like sailing a different boat thanks to Mark Mills for his help and advice, as well as the new North sails. Back in Spinnaker 1 Class Nieulargo stuck to their winning ways and it was great to see the family sailing together and sharing the helm between sisters Molly and Mia. There is nothing better than family sailing and it's very nice to be a part of it. Congratulations to the Murphy family for another Trophy race win. Keep up the good work. Nieulargo also uses 3Di Endurance 760 sails for their upwind inventory and the race-winning sail for them this year was the Helix Xi Aramid Code Zero. Talking to Denis after the race, he said the new Zero had won the race for them. They flew the sail from the start of the Foaty Channel almost right up to the Blackrock Castle. It's one of those sails when the wind angle is right, they are unbeatable. I could not finish the report without a shout out for Denis Byrne and the mighty Trapper TS250 Cracker. Denis has been getting faster and faster in that little boat and although he could be a long way back on the water, you can never write him off from the podium! The Blackrock Race was no different this year and Denis won both Spinnaker Class 2 overall as well as the coveted Moonduster Trophy. Congratulations Denis; great work from you and your crew. For more information about North Sails unique 3Di product, please get in touch. See you on the race track!'' Denis & Annamarie Murphy's Nieulargo crossing the finish line, overall winners of IRC Spinnaker 1 class 📸 Robert Bateman Denis Byrne's Cracker, overall winners of IRC Spinnaker 2 class 📸 Robert Bateman READ MORE

#NSVICTORYLIST: NATIONAL 18's Clients Sweep The Podium at the 2020 Irish Nationals Nick Walsh, Rob Brownlow and Eddie Rice, 1st place Irish Nationals Whilst we were all heading up to Blackrock on Saturday the National 18 Class were holding the Irish Nationals from the RCYC. Reduced numbers this year due to our friend C-19 but no let up in the racing. Talking to some of the sailors after the event on Sunday this was one of the hardest fought Championships in many years. North Sails have been heavily involved in the class since 2004 and we had a very intense period again in 2015/16 with the development work on the new Morrison Ultra 18. That was great fun out in the freezing conditions with Colin Chapman and many of the other sailors trialing the new designs and working out the new class rules for the sails with my old friend David Chivers. Out at Roches Point the fleet enjoyed some lovely racing on Saturday under the leadership of the one and only John Crotty. Lots of compliments were coming his way after sailing inside the harbour on Sunday. Well done John for taking such good care of the fleet on the water. After the eight race series I was delighted to learn that North Sails clients had taken the top three spots overall in the 2020 Irish Nationals. Congratulations to all the winners: 1st Overall: Nick Walsh, Rob Brownlow and Eddie Rice on 13 points. 2nd Overall: Alex Barry, Andrew Woodward and Grattan Roberts on 19 points. 3rd Overall: Colin Chapman, Eric Lyons and Morgan O'Sullivan on 22 points. Colin Chapman, Eric Lyons and Morgan O'Sullivan finish 2nd Place Irish Nationals 2020 South Coast Champs Back at the end of August the class enjoyed their Southern areas and North Sails customers had another clean sweep of the podium. Congratulations to Alex Barry, Sandy Remington and Richard Leonard for taking the win. 2nd overall this time was Ewen Barry, Stanley Brown and Dion Barrett and third overall Nick Walsh, Rob Brownlow and Eddie Rice. Very close racing again which is one of the big draws for the National 18 class. Congratulations again to all the North clients performing so well with our sails. We are proud to be a part of your success. Our 2020 Autumn Savings Deal is currently running so now is a great time to buy your new One Design Sails ready for 2021. Ready to get the most of your National 18 sailing? Contact us today. We look forward to working with you. Sail Fast! Contact the Loft Colin Chapman, Eric Lyons and Morgan O'Sullivan 3rd Place Irish Nationals READ MORE

FRANCISCO UVA CROWNED OPTIMIST PORTUGUESE NATIONAL CHAMPION After A Fantastic Performance in Vilamoura Francisco Uva 📸 Luis Fráguas The Portuguese National Championships finished last weekend in Vilamoura. Francisco Uva (POR 2735) and Júlia Cardoso (POR 2651) fought very closely for first place, with Uva taking home the title. Alongside four of the top six finishers, both Uva and Cardoso were powered by North, using the R-2 (Francisco Uva , Júlia Cardoso, Augusto Castelo-Branco) or R-4 (Salvador Baptista-Fernandes) designs. Congratulations to all sailors who took part in the Championship! Talk to your local Optimist class expert for more information on the North Sails Optimist range. Júlia Cardoso 📸 Gonçalo Melo Augusto Castelo Branco 📸 cedida por Augusto Castelo Branco Salvador Baptista-Fernandes 📸 cedida por Laura Artiaga READ MORE

NORTH CLIENTS DOMINATE 2020 ELLIOTT 5.9 NATIONALS 3Di Sweeps the Top Three in New Zealand Rough & Reddy to windward, Smak in the middle, Slam Dunk to leeward. 📸 NZ Elliott 5.9 Class Association North Sails filled the top podium at the New Zealand Elliott 5.9 Nationals last weekend. All three teams used 3Di OCEAN 330 mainsails and jibs. This was one of the closest finishes the class has seen in many years. Congratulations to clients Crag Satterhwaite and team on Rough and Reddy, edging out Kevin Peet's Smak to win the regatta on count back. Only a few points behind in third was Stu Clarke's team Slam Dunk. Congratulations to all on great sailing! Have questions about upping your game at the next event? Contact your local Elliott 5.9 expert Derek Scott and make the most of your time on the water. READ MORE

CUSTOMER SPOTLIGHT: HAVOC Finding Balance Between Cruising and Racing Local North Sails expert Drew Mitchell catches up with Joey Drake, owner of Havoc, a C&C SR 33 out of Vancouver. Joey you have just upgraded sailing vessels. What was the decision maker on upgrading and purchasing Havoc ? I've always wanted a more serious race boat of my own, one that was large enough for a crew, and something I could spend the night on. I had been saving up and when I saw Havoc for sale, it checked all the boxes. She was well cared for, fast, and came with a ton of gear and a huge quiver of sails. Despite COVID starting up, it was actually good timing for me financially as well. When I met the previous owner, I could tell he was as passionate about sailing as I am and knew he had treated the boat right. You purchased this boat during a global pandemic. I know you bought it locally but did you have any issues with the purchase due to the state of pandemic ? I was curious to see if COVID would hinder or help the process at all, but it didn't seem to be a factor. I had some warnings that I might not be able to get a survey or that we wouldn't be able to have a proper sea trial, but it all worked out with pretty minimal headache. The only real bummer about buying a race boat in the middle of a pandemic has been all the regattas being canceled! Havoc is a pure racer but with many local races and regattas not happening this summer did you decide to take her cruising? If so where and what did you get up too ? The silver lining to having fewer regattas this summer has been all the exploring of BC's many cruising destinations. We have capitalized on all the free weekends and sailed to many beautiful spots that I have only talked about going to before. I owned the boat for less than a week and we were already setting a course to the Gulf Islands, our first cruising spot. We spent some time anchored in Galiano Island, then over to Wallace Island. Since then we've made our way up the Sunshine Coast, spending a long weekend in Smuggler Cove, meandered around Bowen Island, cruised up to Gambier Island for an SSYC event, and just returned from a long weekend in Gibsons. Along the way, we always take the opportunity to get to know the boat and practice maneuvers. With Havoc being a racer obviously cruising is a bit different. Tell us some ways/things you may have done to set up Havoc so you could get away cruising with her ? My girlfriend grew up in New Zealand cruising her family's yacht around. She loves her time relaxing in a cove somewhere, and I am convinced she would live her whole life at anchor (or sailing to the next anchorage) if possible. My passion however, is racing, so we figured it was easier to cruise a race boat than it would be to try and race a cruiser. I like to heel without hearing half my belongings tumbling around down below. She set to work "cruising" up the boat immediately. She starting planning the new cushions and cookware sets before I even purchased the boat. Although there isn't much space down below for lounging or cooking, there's a ton of deck space, so we have focused on making that area comfortable while cruising. We got a BBQ that can easily dismount when we want to feel less cruisey, a new stereo system, some outdoor pillows to make seating more reasonable, and figured out a way to stow multiple bicycles below. It still feels a bit like camping, but it's more than fine with us! This spring/summer you took charge and ran some competitive cruises around Vancouver through the online Sea Sloth Yacht Club. Can you tell us a little about how this all came about and what the Sea Sloth Yacht Club mission is? We Sea Sloths have always focused on inclusivity when it comes to sailing. Since most regattas and sailing events were being canceled this year, it ended up being a great way to get the word out about the group. We first came up with the idea for "Competitive Cruising" when the Martin Marine Round Bowen Race date came up. We wanted to sail, and we knew others did as well, so we just picked a couple marks on opposite shores as a start line and put the word out on Facebook. We wrote some very relaxed "sailing instructions", but with only four days' notice, we didn't know if anyone would show up. We ended up with 18 boats on the start line! People seemed to have a lot of fun, so we ran with it and put together some more events, but with more organization and planning. The whole idea has always been to get people on the water, and help erase some of the perceived barriers into the sport. It's low-stakes racing where everyone is invited, no matter what kind of boat or experience you have. The events are designed to give people space, and make the courses as user-friendly as possible to encourage sailors who might be new to racing. Do you have any Sea Sloth YC competitive cruises planned for the near future and how do people get involved ? Absolutely! We are currently planning another cruise with an overnight anchor, as well as something a tad more spicy for those round-the-can types. With some of the local clubs starting to host actual events again, we took a short break, but the Sea Sloths are here to stay! The goal of including new sailors and new boat-owners hasn't changed, so we will continue to find new ways to encourage folks to cast off the dock. You can find out more about the club on the website, seaslothyachtclub.com, or on the facebook group. There's also a club-wide WhatsApp group where everyone is free to share cruising ideas. Once sanctioned racing and regattas gets going again where and what events do you plan to race Havoc in? Everything! One of the reasons I wanted my own boat was so that I could really attack the schedule and get out there often. I want to improve my skills as a sailor and especially as a skipper. My girlfriend and I managed to compete double-handed in the Jack and Jill regatta recently, which is no small task with running backstays. We have another double-handed race coming up, the Ken & Barbie regatta, and I just entered the boat in the Howe Sound Regatta later on in the month. As soon as weeknight racing picks up again, you'll see Havoc ripping around the course. After a full summer with the new boat do you have any current projects or upgrades you plan to do with her ? Havoc is beautiful and in great shape, but she's still 25 years old, so that of course comes with some projects. First items on the list are some new paint on the bottom, some new runners and halyards, and a bit of a "re-branding." Havoc has a long history racing in the area, so we wanted to keep the name, but my girlfriend is a graphic designer and she designed a new graphic for the name to spruce things up a bit. We are both pretty excited about that. What was your favourite memory so far with Havoc? The first time I ever touched the helm after buying the boat was for a practice race in English Bay. Vancouver is generally a light-air venue, but this day it was blasting 28-30 kts with steep wind waves. The whole crew was a bit nervous, having never sailed the boat before and half were new to sailing altogether. People kept asking "Should we do this?" We stuck it out and had an absolutely amazing day. We were late to the start while we fiddled with reefing the 3Di main, but rejoined the fleet quickly. On the way upwind, we decided not to attempt the kite, but once we rounded the windward mark, we couldn't help ourselves. Up went the fractional asym, and we rocketed downhill at a steady 13kts while surfing waves. My face hurt from smiling so much. We were all soaked from water spraying up over the deck, and we were all happy as could be. I am sure there will be higher speeds and many more memories down the road on Havoc, but that moment will be one of my favorites for years, I imagine. READ MORE

CONSEJO NORTH SAILS Hoy hablamos de mayores La vela principal de cualquier velero, tanto de crucero como de competición, puede combinarse con diferentes diseños, materiales o sistemas de izado en función del uso, las características del barco o las preferencias de su armador. Mayor convencional Cuenta con uno o dos sables altos forzados y sables bajos de baluma. Mayor de cabeza cuadrada La vela de elección en regatas grand prix. Su área superior cuadrada permite un twist progresivo altamente eficiente, un arrastre inducido menor y una distribución optimizada del área de la vela. Mayor de sables forzados Los sables cubren desde la baluma hasta el grátil, mejorando el control de la forma y reduciendo el flameo, lo que redunda en una mayor durabilidad. Mayor de alto alunamiento Su perfil se encuentra entre el de una mayor convencional y una de cabeza cuadrada, y es la vela de elección para multicascos. Ofrece buenas prestaciones en brisas ligeras y navegación de través. Mayor enrollable en el mástil Requiere un diseño personalizado, con o sin sables verticales y un sistema de enrollado que garantice su perfecto ajuste dentro de la cavidad del mástil. Mayor enrollable en la botavara Requiere un diseño personalizado y un sistema de enrollado que garantice su perfecto ajuste dentro de la cavidad de la botavara. Las mayores North Sails están disponibles en diferentes materiales en función de su uso: NPL, NPC y 3Di. Contacta con nuestros expertos para que te asesoren sobre la mejor elección para tu barco. READ MORE

LAS VELAS DE LA FLOTA IMOCA El próximo 8 de noviembre partirá de Les Sables d’Olonne la BB edición de la Vendée Globe © Jeremie leCaudey North Sails es la velería elegida por tres cuartos de la flota IMOCA: 17 equipos equipan inventarios completos de la velería y otros siete cuentan con inventarios parciales. La regla de clase IMOCA limita a ocho el número de velas en competición, y cada equipo decide el diseño y particularidades de cada una de ellas en función del diseño y configuración del barco y su aparejo, las preferencias del patrón y su estrategia para afrontar la vuelta al mundo en solitario. North Sails diseña las velas a medida para cada equipo, fabrica su estructura 3Di en la velería de Minden (Nevada, Estados Unidos) y las finaliza en la velería de Vannes (Francia). READ MORE

NORTH SAILS COPA EL PODIO Barcos equipados con inventarios North Sails dominaron la regata Mar de Maeloc Rías Baixas, una prueba de cuatro etapas disputada entre el 12 y el 15 de agosto en la costa sur de Galicia. © María Muiña La clasificación combinada erigió campeón absoluto al First 44.7 Aceites Abril de Jorge y Luis Pérez Canal, por delante del Elan 37 Bosch Service Solutions patroneado por Ramón Ojea y el Grand Soleil 37 B Antílope de José Luis Alonso con Jorge Martínez Doreste de táctico, todos ellos equipados con velas North Sails. ¡Enhorabuena a todos y gracias por confiar en North Sails! READ MORE

DOMINIO EN MODO ULTIME El trimarán de 32 metros de eslora Maxi Edmond de Rothschild se impuso en la batalla de titanes en la Drheam Cup, regata de 750 millas náuticas entre las localidades francesas de Cherbourg-en-Cotentin y La Trinité-sur-Mer. © E. Stichelbaut / polaRYSE / Gitana El barco del equipo Gitana copatroneado por Franck Cammas y Charles Caudrelier fue el más rápido de los diseños Ultime, completando el recorrido en 21 horas, 30 minutos y 33 segundos, dos horas por delante de su inmediato perseguidor, el Sodebo. Tercero finalizó el Actual, completando un podio copado por inventarios North Sails. La Drheam Cup es la única regata programada por Gitana como preparación para su asalto al Jules Verne Trophy, la circunnavegación del planeta cuyo récord actual de 40 días, 23 horas y 30 segundos estableció en 2017 el IDEC de Francis Joyon con velas North Sails. READ MORE

VELAS NACIDAS PARA EL CRUCERO La navegación de crucero requiere velas específicas que aporten fiabilidad, durabilidad y facilidad de uso. El catálogo de la velería North Sails ofrece su gama específica Cruising con soluciones a medida para cada barco y las preferencias de cada armador, siempre con la garantía de una navegación rápida, con menor escora, menor carga de timón, menor abatimiento, gran facilidad de trimado y una prolongada vida útil. Seis décadas de experiencia en diseño, ingeniería y fabricación de velas permiten a North Sails contar con un extenso catálogo que abarca en eslora desde pequeñas embarcaciones de vela ligera hasta los más colosales superyates y en utilización desde embarcaciones de recreo hasta trimaranes voladores de competición oceánica. Dentro de este denso y extenso universo de referencias, la velería propone su gama Cruising específica para navegación de crucero, una familia de productos que combina diseños a medida con los mejores materiales de la factoría North Sails, desde el tradicional poliéster hasta el revolucionario 3Di. Literalmente, una respuesta a cada necesidad. La gama Cruising se caracteriza por su compromiso entre durabilidad, polivalencia y prestaciones. Un extenso dosier que cuenta con una amplia oferta de mayores (estándar, de sables forzados, con alto alunamiento, enrollable en el mástil y enrollable en la botavara), génovas/foques (preferiblemente enrollables para navegación de crucero) y velas de rumbos abiertos (especialmente Gennaker, un spinnaker asimétrico fijado a la proa o al botalón que no requiere tangón ni aparejos especiales), con la posibilidad añadida de adaptar el diseño de las velas a las preferencias de cada armador, una capacidad de personalización que garantiza la satisfacción del cliente. La importancia del material Para elegir la vela adecuada a nuestro barco, resulta clave identificar qué material responde mejor a nuestras necesidades. En navegación de crucero priman factores como durabilidad, fiabilidad, polivalencia y capacidad de adaptación a un amplio rango de condiciones de viento y mar con ajustes de trimado fáciles y menos frecuentes. La gama North Sails Cruising basa su oferta en tres materiales: NPC, NPL y 3Di. NPC es el acrónimo de North Panel Cloth, y agrupa a la familia de productos de tejido de poliéster North Sails. Las velas NPC se dividen en Cross-Cut (confeccionadas con tejido NorDac Fill de trama de poliéster de alta tenacidad), Radian (que ofrece menor estiramiento y mayor rendimiento que cualquier otro tejido de poliéster no laminado, exceptuando la 3Di Nordac) y Downwind (específica para portantes). NPL, o North Panel Laminate, engloba a las velas laminadas de crucero. En función de las necesidades del armador, la gama ofrece versiones TOUR (construcción en sándwich de aramida negra de corte radial con laminado Xi Cruise), TOUR ULTRA (construcción en sandwich de dyneema o de dyneema/carbono para barcos de mediana y gran eslora respectivamente) y Downwind (laminados de poliéster o de aramida, recomendados para velas portantes de rumbos cerrados tipo G-Zero). 3Di son las siglas mágicas que lucen las velas de los más avanzados barcos de competición, pero que también están disponibles en versión crucero bajo la denominación 3Di OCEAN. La 3Di OCEAN 330 es un producto revolucionario que reinventa la vela de dacron, combinando las propiedades únicas de las velas de composite 3Di con la conocida fibra de poliéster, resultando en una innovadora vela de crucero sin costuras, con una forma aerodinámica más suave y estable que ofrece una mejora en el control, la comodidad y la velocidad; un compromiso nunca antes visto entre coste, prestaciones y durabilidad. La 3Di OCEAN 370 es un híbrido de poliéster y Ultra PE, creada para satisfacer las necesidades únicas de los barcos de crucero en el rango de 35 a 60 pies, tanto para monocascos como para la creciente comunidad de cruceros multicascos. La 3Di OCEAN 700 utiliza la proporción más alta de Ultra PE de toda la gama 3Di (Ultra PE cuenta con mayor grado de elasticidad que el carbono o la aramida, ofreciendo un mayor margen de seguridad frente al flameo, los roces y el plegado), lo que le confiere una imbatible combinación entre facilidad de uso y manejo al reducir volumen, peso y rigidez, pero sin comprometer los altos niveles de robustez y fiabilidad característicos de las velas de composite moldeado 3Di. Como importante valor añadido, el equipo de expertos de North Sails España ofrece su asesoramiento a la hora de elegir el inventario idóneo para nuestro barco, aportando su experiencia en elección de materiales y diseños, y proponiéndonos la configuración más adecuada a nuestras necesidades para conseguir la mejor experiencia en navegación de crucero. Todos los detalles sobre la gama North Sails Cruising están disponibles en North Sails. READ MORE

Milan Vujasinović & NS na tronu Europe FOTO: ROBERT DEAVES Osim Milana, člana JK Val iz Šibenika, na regati su sudjelovala još dva Hrvatska jedriličara. Obojica su iz Splitskog JK Labud i obojica su ostvarila finalni plasman među najboljih deset Europskih jedriličara! Riječ je o Josipu Olujiću koji je regatu završio na 8. mjestu i o Nenadu Bugarinu koji je na kraju bio 9. Organizacije Prvenstva ove godine su se prihvatili Poljaci koji su ga smjestili u njihovoj vrlo aktivnoj jedriličarskoj lokaciji u gradu Gdynia. Uvjeti na moru su bili pravi sjevernjački... mnogo oblaka, kiše, niskih temperatura (u odnosu na naše ljetne uvjete). Ukupno je sudjelovalo 70 jedriličara, uglavnom Europljana. Jedini koji su bili s drugih kontinenata su po jedan jedriličar s Novog Zelanda, Meksika, Venezuele i Argentine. Od njih, najozbiljniji u svojim namjerama bio je Argentinac koji je na kraju završio na sedmom mjestu, dok su se ostali smjestili u donjem dijelu rezultatske ljestvice. Inače je uobičajeno da se na raznim EP otvorenog karaktera prijavljuju i jedriličari s drugih kontinenata u mnogo većem broju, pogotovo oni koji su u olimpijskim programima i ovakve regate im izvrsno dolaze za brušenje forme, međutim aktualna situacija s Koronom smanjila je broj "stranaca" na minimum. Najviše se osjetio izostanak jedriličara iz Australije i Novog Zelanda, pa je i to jedan od razloga zašto su ove godine zajedno na regati jedrili mladići u naponu snage, zajedno sa svim ostalim mlađim i starijim kategorijama. Tako je u kategoriji natjecatelja mlađih od 23 godine bilo osmero, mastera je bilo deset, grand mastera sedam i great grand mastera čak jedanaest. Naši predstavnici su u Poljsku otputovali tjedan dana ranije da bi se akomodirali na uvjete, a i da bi napravili što više treninga u većim skupinama, jer ako se zanemari nedavno odjedreno Prvenstvo Hrvatske za klasu Finn, nije bilo niti jednog pravog treninga ili regate u dosta dugom vremenskom periodu. Event je započeo službenim premjeravanjem u nedjelju 30. kolovoza i za te aktivnosti bila su predviđena tri dana. Prvi natjecateljski dan bio je srijeda 2. rujna i u ritmu od po dva plova dnevno jedrilo se do nedjelje 6. Program regate je ispunjen u maksimalnom obimu i rezultati su se dobili nakon deset jedrenja i sa samo jednim odbacivanjem. Naš jedriličar koji je Gdyniu napustio sa zlatnim odličjem u svojoj kategoriji je Milan Vujasinović. On je bio i dosta dobar u generalnom plasmanu u kojem je osvojio 13. mjesto. Da je još uvijek ozbiljan kandidat i za puno bolje rezultate pokazuje to da je od deset mogućih rezultata imao tri jednoznamenkasta finiša, od čega je najbolji rezultat bio 2. mjesto u osmom plovu. Ostali rezultati su bili nešto lošiji i najveći broj bodova koji su mu ušli u konačnu kalkulaciju bio je 28. Ovako velike oscilacije u rezultatima vjerojatno su nastale zbog dosta velikih oscilacija u smjeru vjetra koje su se javljale u drugom dijelu svakog dana jedrenja. U tim trenucima ako ste se nalazili na pogrešnoj strani regatnog polja našli bi se u stvarno nepovoljnoj poziciji iz koje više nije bilo moguće razmišljati o boljem plasmanu. Više o tim detaljima nismo saznali od Milana, koji je odmah nakon završetka regate otputovao u Kiel na Kieler Woche, ali zato su za razgovor bili na raspolaganju druga dva Hrvatska jedriličara. Gdynia, Baltik... onako, hladniji uvjeti nego ovdje od kuda smo otišli s 30+ stupnjeva. Gore je u prosjeku bilo dvadesetak stupnjeva, a često i niže. Bilo je dosta oblačno, puno kiše... najlakše je to opisati s "Englesko vrijeme". Išli smo desetak dana ranije, jer od ožujka nije bilo pravog treninga. Tako da smo dosta trenirali i imali nekih malih trening regata. Nekih šest dana prije regate stisnula su me leđa, pa sam morao i jedno vrijeme provesti u mirovanju i ići na masaže da se to opusti. To me je pustilo dan dva prije EP i tada sam izašao na more da vidim da li su leđa u redu. U jednoj viri to me je opet stisnulo, pa sam zadnji dan pred početak Prvenstva morao provesti na masažama. Tako da sam u regatu ušao malo ukočen, jer nisam bio siguran hoće li se opet u nekoj viri nešto dogoditi. Srećom sve dalje je prošlo u redu, ali na početku se ipak nisam mogao opustiti i to mi je bila mentalna kočnica tog prvog dana. Kad sam se uvjerio da tijelo sluša i da mogu bez straha čupati i u krmu i u orcu opustio sam se i nastavio normalno jedriti. Što se tiče vremena, imali smo tri različita uvjeta jedrenja. Samo prvog dana je puhalo s mora, a sve ostale dane s kraja. U svim uvjetima bila je zajednička karakteristika značajnih oscilacija u smjeru vjetra od po 20-30°. Tako da se puno toga događalo, mijenjalo... lako se moglo biti naprijed, lako se moglo biti nazad. Ali na kraju se opet pokazalo da su oni koji su imali pravu brzinu sigurno izbijali naprijed. Za sebe mogu reći da sam odjedrio jednu konstantnu regatu. Imao sam i svojih prilika, a i lako izgubljenih bodova tokom svih dana, ali vozio sam konstantno. Moram reći da mi je to i bio cilj, da održavam visok prosjek... da ne zabrazdim negdje u floti, a i da ne napravim samo povremeni bljesak. Spomenuti veliki dricevi su me sigurno koštali značajnih bodova u dva plova, npr. u zadnjoj regati gdje sam s petog mjesta pao na dvadeseto. Ali s druge strane ne bi sve ni pripisao tim promjenama, poštenije bi bilo reći da u tim trenucima nisam bio 100% u regati... da nisam bio koncentriran i da nisam pratio što se dešava po polju. Ali svejedno... u zadnju regatu predzadnjeg dana sam ušao kao petoplasirani i kao peti sam i okrenuo gate, u tom trenutku bio sam ispred svih direktnih konkurenata. Nažalost, tada sam se uspavao na minutu i nisam pratio što se događa pa sam odabrao krivu stranu, odnosno okrenuo lijevi gate, a vjetar je otišao u desno tridesetak stupnjeva. Posljedica je bila da sam na bovu od orce došao kao 25. pa sam morao u posljednjoj krmi spašavati što se spasiti može. Tada sam finiširao na osmom mjestu, što isto nije loše, ali... Josip Olujić, JK Labud Analizom Josipovih rezultata vidi se da je stvarno održavao dobar prosjek, a imao je čak i pobjedu u 7. plovu. Na kraju je razlika iza trećeplasiranog bila 22 boda. Da je bilo malo više koncentracije i sreće u dva spomenuta jedrenja možda bi bio i u konkurenciji za postolje... Ovako je s 83 boda završio na osmom mjestu, a da bi cijela priča bila neizvjesnija pobrinuo se drugi Labudaš, Nenad Bugarin, koji je Europsko prvenstvo završio samo jednom mjesto iza Josipa sa samo jednim bodom razlike! FOTO: ROBERT DEAVES Sve skupa je moglo i malo bolje završiti, a moglo je i lošije, ipak su uvjeti bili zahtjevni. Trebalo je držati konstantu, što nije bilo ni malo lako, pogotovo zadnjih dana kad smo imali vjetar s kopna koji je mijenjao smjer i po više od 30°. Tako da to nije bilo lako za predvidjeti i oni koji su uspjeli imati konstantne rezultate na kraju su osvojili medalje. Za razliku od Prvenstva Hrvatske ovog puta sam jedrio sa svojom opremom. Tada mi je bila još uvijek na Palmi gdje sam trenirao uoči Korone, ali za Europsko prvenstvo smo je uspjeli prebaciti do Poljske. Inače, na regati je sve manje više bilo uredno, brzina je bila korektna, ali moram ponoviti da su uvjeti bili toliko promjenljivi da ta brzina, iako je ona uvijek bitna, ipak nije toliko dolazila do izražaja. Tako da su stalno svi bili u konkurenciji za dobar plasman i samo su strategija i taktika donosile prevagu i osiguravale rezultat. A te promjene vjetra nisu išle po šabloni, inače bi se to moglo lako predvidjeti i postaviti se na moru na pravi način. Ono što se jedino moglo donekle reći da je šablona je to da su se te promjene dešavale u drugom dijelu dana. Krajem dana vjetar bi odlazio u desno, samo što nije bilo lako predvidjeti kad će se dogoditi taj trenutak. S druge strane dešavalo bi se da vjetar ode u desno, pa se vrati, a u nekim drugim slučajevima ode u desno i ne vrati se više... to se npr. desilo zadnju regatu. Nenad Bugarin, JK Labud Neno se jednako kao i Josip može pohvaliti jednom pobjedom, a u prvih 10 je imao još četiri finiša! Oni koji žele napraviti malo detaljniju analizu učinka naših jedriličara mogu to napraviti pomoću službenih rezultata koji se nalaze na ovom linku. Regatno polje na kojem se jedrilo EP bilo je u obliku štapa s ciljem postavljenim desno od posljednjeg gatea, a ciljano vrijeme jedrenja je bilo 75 minuta. Nakon ove regate pred Finnistima je duža pauza koja bi se trebala prekinuti na iduće proljeće, jer su trenutno sve ozbiljnije regate otkazane. Kulminacija sezone, ako se izuzmu Olimpijske igre koje su prebačene na iduće ljeto, trebala bi biti u Portugalu na svjetskom prvenstvu koje će se jedriti u Portu, jer će se tada podijeliti posljednja slobodna mjesta za Tokio, a naši predstavnici još nisu osigurali normu koja bi ih trebala jednog od njih tamo i odvesti. READ MORE

PH klase Optimist U12 JK Val iz Šibenika organizirao je trodnevnu regatu klase Optimist koja je bila ograničena samo na najmlađe jedriličare i imala je predznak Prvenstva Hrvatske. Jedrili su samo mlađi od 12 godina, a skupilo ih se 71 s cijelog Jadrana. Vremenski uvjeti u Šibeniku ih nisu baš mazili, jer se jedrilo samo u petak. Subota i nedjelja su protekli samo u kupanju i zabavljanju ispred kluba jer je puhalo vrlo jako, a na udare i olujno jugo. U petak je flote izašla na more oko 13 sati, a jedrilo se po laganom jugozapadnjaku. S obzirom da se jedrilo u Šibenskoj luci polje je bilo relativno kratko, ali s druge strane vjetar je bio lagan i trajanje jedrenja je bilo baš kako treba. Ukupno su se odjedrila dva plova, odnosno maksimalan broj predviđen za jedan dan u Oglasu regate. Malene nade hrvatskog jedrenja su bile poprilično disciplinirane na startu i samo četiri UFD-a su zapisana na ploči istaknutoj na brodu Regatnog odbora. Sve četiri kazne bile u u prvom plovu, a u drugom više toga nije bilo jer kako je prognoza nekoliko dana ranije najavljivala jako jugo za vikend, treneri su sigurno savjetovali svojim natjecateljima veću opreznost na startu drugog plova s obzirom da je s takvim razvojem vremenske situacije svaki bod osvojen u petak bio vrlo važan. Po pitanju bodova na prvom i drugom mjestu s jednakim brojem bodova, kraj dana su dočekali Ema Grabar i Bepo Duplančić. Bepo je bio konstantan i u oba plova je osvojio drugo mjesto, ali Emina pobjeda u prvom plovu osigurala joj je vodeću poziciju unatoč trećem mjestu u drugom plovu. U tom jedrenju najbrži je bio Emin klupski kolega Marko Puljiz, ali bolje od trećeg mjesta nije mogao, jer mu je 7. mjesto u prvom plovu donijelo dosta kaznenih bodova u odnosu na spomenuti dvojac. Subota je od samog početka bila u znaku vedrog juga koje je konstantno puhalo preko 20 čvorova, a za kategoriju U12 preporuka VZN-a je da ne jedre po vjetru preko 16 čvorova. U jednom trenu je na kratko vjetar oslabio na oko 15 čvorova, ali ubrzo se pokazalo da je u pitanju bio kratki smiraj jer je vjetar otišao malo u desno. Nakon tog prijelaza ponovno je pojačao na prethodne brzine pa je RO morao zaključiti druženje za taj dan. Da ne bi sve propalo pobrinuli su se domaćini koji su u dogovoru s Nacionalnim parkom Krka osigurali svim sudionicima besplatan ulazak u park i njegov obilazak. Mnogim mališanima je to bio prvi kontakt s krškom ljepoticom i sigurno će im ostati u lijepom sjećanju. Ali i onima koji su odlučili ostati u Šibeniku nije bilo dosadno jer su se klinci pobrinuli da im dan ipak prođe u smijehu i veselju. Nedjelja je za razliku od subote bila oblačna i dosta vjetrovitija. Jedino kratko zatišje bilo je ujutro oko 11 sati, ali jugo se ubrzo vraća u turbo mod i RO u 14 sati proglašava ovo Prvenstvo Hrvatske završenim. Rezultati po kojima su se podijelile nagrade su bili oni od petka, a na vrhu ljestvice bila su imena od kojih se i očekivalo da će biti glavni akteri raspleta. U generalnom poretku mjesto na postolju su osvojili: EMA GRABAR - JK ULJANIK, PULA BEPO DUPLANČIĆ - JK ZENTA, SPLIT MARKO PULJIZ - JK ULJANIK, PULA U konkurenciji djevojčica raspored je bio slijedeći: EMA GRABAR - JK ULJANIK, PULA MARTA LOLIĆ - JK SPLIT, SPLIT DORA SAMARŽIJA - JK SV.NIKOLA, ZAGREB A što se tiče dječaka zlato, srebro i broncu osvojili su: BEPO DUPLANČIĆ - JK ZENTA, SPLIT MARKO PULJIZ - JK ULJANIK, PULA TOMA SMIRČIĆ, JK SPLIT, SPLIT Treba spomenuti i da je u petak navečer u Šibeniku bilo otvaranje Festivala svjetla koji organizira član JK Val, Zoran Lučić. Svečanost je već tradicionalno održana na moru, gdje su izvođačima koji su bili na pontonu ispred rive, kulisu već tradicionalno radile prigodno osvijetljene jedrilice iz Šibenskog jedriličarskog kluba. READ MORE