NORTH SAILS BLOG

DIE REGATTASAISON IN DER SCHWEIZ IST GESTARTET! Nach langem Warten ist die Schweiz am vergangenen Wochenende endlich in die Regattasaison gestartet. Über 1‘000 Segler haben zum Teil traumhafte Bedingungen genossen. Am Bodensee gewannen gleich an drei grossen Anlässen North Sails Segler! In Kreuzlingen fand das erste J70 Battle mit 37 Booten aus der Schweiz, Deutschland und Österreich statt. 85 % des Feldes vertraut dabei auf North Sails, unter anderem auch das komplette Podest und alle Laufsieger (ausser 1 anderen Vorwindsegel). Am Samstag konnten drei Leichtwindläufe, am Sonntag gar 4 Läufe bei etwas auffrischendem Wind gesegelt werden. Gewonnen hat das Battle das Nachwuchsteam aus Oberhofen mit Timo Zeltner am Steuer (SUI 1045), vor dem Team aus La Neuveuille mit Lorenz Kausche (SUI 1120) und Lorenz Müller mit seinem Team vom Bielersee (SUI 1142). Rangliste Vom Club 55 Bodensee spontan ins Leben gerufen wurde die ‚Rund um Corona 2020‘. Am vergangenen Samstag nahmen am Rennen rund um den Bodensee (diesmal aber tagsüber) sieben der schnellsten Katamarane am Bodensee, teil. Nach rund 10 Stunden, nach Flautenlöchern wie auch Topspeeds von über 20 Knoten, kamen Tom Rüegge mit Team Orang Utan gefolgt von Sammy Smits mit Green Horny als erste ins Ziel. Berechnet hat Green Horny gewonnen. Rangliste Am Untersee in Steckborn fand der Bernina Cup statt. Die Starsegler konnten am Samstag und Sonntag je 3 Läufe fahren. Es gewann das Team Seger/ Oesch (SUI) vor Ryffel/ Heinz (SUI) und Barth/ Rutz (GER). Rangliste Herzlichen Glückwunsch allen Siegern und danke für euer Vertrauen!! READ MORE

HOW TO MAKE YOUR OWN YOUTUBE PLAYLIST Collect and Save Your Favorite Videos for Yourself, or to Share. Our YouTube channel has over eighty webinars from North Sails Experts in lofts across the world, participating in many different fleets. North Sails is proud to bring our customers a wealth of tips to help you achieve the results you are looking for. Explore topics such as cruising Code Zeros, technique from top racers in the J/70 class, or hear an exclusive talk about the majestic J Class Yachts. There are webinars for any sailor out there! Follow along below to learn how you can create a playlist of your favorite North Sails Webinars for yourself or to share with your team. Find a video you want to add to your YouTube playlist. Under the video, click Save. Select Watch later, Faves, or a playlist you’ve already created, or click Create new playlist. ⁣ Use the drop-down box to select your playlist’s privacy setting. If it’s private, only you can view the playlist.⁣ Click Create. If you would like to talk one-on-one to any of our experts, click here! Step 1 Step 2 Step 3 Step 4+5 Step 6 READ MORE

Star Class Split Training Week Prošli tjedan se u JK Mornar okupilo šest posada u klasi zvijezda. Većinom su to bili domaći momci iz Splita, a pridružila im se po jedna posada iz Šibenika i Mađarske. U Mornara je i inače najaktivnije po pitanju klase Zvijezda posljednjih desetak godina od kada je Mate Arapov prestao s jedrenjem u Laseru i kad je jedan određeni period proveo u ovoj klasi. Nakon njega najozbiljnije su se ove klase uhvatili posada Mišura - Barač, a nekoliko posljednjih godina sve više za Zvijezdinim kormilom provodi Tonči Stipanović čiji aktualni flokist je Tudor Bilić. Nažalost, teško se dogovoriti sa svima jer dosta jedriličara je spriječeno poslovnim obavezama, tako da smo Tudor i ja, zajedno s braćom Perhat (Lovrom i Mladenom) najviše izlazili na more, a ostali su se priključivali kako su mogli. Međutim, kako je ponedjeljak bio praznik uspjeli smo napraviti trening s četiri broda i tijekom sedmice još jedan trening, jer i meni treba vremena da se vratim u taj brod. Nakon jednog dana jedrenja idući dan bude posvećen radu po brodu kad sređujemo detalje za koje smo primijetili da nam ne rade dobro. I to je u principu bio ritam kako se sve odvijalo... dan jedrenja, pa dan trimanja... znači na moru smo proveli ponedjeljak, srijedu i petak, a utorak i četvrtak su bili rezervirani za rad po brodu. Zatim smo u subotu i nedjelju imali regatu. Izvorni plan je bio da regatu organiziramo na Hvaru, ali kako nisu uspjeli doći svi koji su planirali (još dvije hrvatske posade) odlučili smo ipak ostati u Splitu. Inače što se mene i Tudora tiče mislim da nam je ovaj tjedan izvrsno došao. Još sam bio oslobođen treninga u Laseru, a dobio sam i doma slobodno (smijeh), tako da smo maksimalno iskoristili vrijeme kako za treninge tako i za pripremu broda. Testirali smo različita jedra, ispitivali različite centre i tražili što nam najviše odgovara po tim uvjetima. I uspjeli smo cijeli tjedan imati i veću brzinu i bolji kut od ostalih. Do sada po uvjetima koje smo imali prošli tjedan, imao sam značajnih problema u svakom pogledu, ali ovog puta dosta sam vremena proveo u istraživanju prilikom kojeg mi je dosta pomogao jedan francuski jedriličar koji je sudjelovao u razvoju ovih jedrilica. Koliko dobro je upućen u nijanse govori i to da na osnovu serijskog broja trupa može dati dosta korisnih smjernica jer su različite serije iz tvornice izlazile s nekim razlikama u karakteristikama. Tonči Stipanović, JK Mornar Što se same regate tiče, u subotu je puhalo 8 - 10 čvorova maestrala i napravljene su dvije regate. Jedrenja su trajala oko 55 minuta i ovog puta se ključnim pokazao ključ "tko prvi do Čiova - njegova je regata". Tako da je bilo najvažnije dobro se postaviti na startu i obraniti desnu stranu u prvoj orci. U nedjelju je bilo slično, osim što je prvi plov morao biti prekinut na kraju prve krme, jer je vjetar izdušio. Startalo se po ugodnih 7 - 8 čvorova maestrala koji su nakon dvadesetak minuta pali na jedva čvor ili dva. Srećom, vjetar se ubrzo vratio, samo što se regatno polje moralo pomaknuti još više prema Čiovu. Tada se jedrilo po više od 12 čvorova i stvarno je bio užitak vidjeti ove jedrilice u njihovoj punoj snazi! Ali takvi uvjeti uzeli su danak u nekim malo istrošenijim dijelovima opreme i u kondiciji posada koje nisu toliko kondicijski spremne poput posade našeg sugovornika. Ove aktivnosti dovele su do toga da se razmišlja i o organiziranju Prvenstva Hrvatske za ovu klasu, a koje bi se moglo održati za vrijeme PH za klase 470, Finn i RS:X, a od inozemnih nastupa trenutno se najavljuje nastup posade Stipanović - Bilić na Europskom prvenstvu klase na Gardi. Termin bi trebao biti mjesec listopad, a za očekivati je i da će na Gardu otputovati i posada Mišura - Barač. Na istoj toj lokaciji za desetak dana trebalo bi se održati Prvenstvo Italije i ako epidemiološka situacija ne bude promijenjena na put bi trebao otići Tudor Bilić i zajedriti s Flaviom Favinijem kormilarom tima Mascalzone Latino na Luis Vuiton Cupu 2007. godine. Na fotografijama u fotogaleriji može se primijetiti da je glavno jedro na Zvijezdi posade Stipanović - Bilić oznaka klase bila zlatna zvijezda. Uobičajeno je da je riječ o crvenoj petokraci, ali kako su imali jedro koje su dobili od Roberta Scheidta ono je imalo tu posebnu oznaku. Naime, po pravilima klase, kormilar koji je bar jednom postao svjetski prvak klase ima doživotno pravo na svom glavnom jedru imati zlatnu zvijezdu. READ MORE

North Sails Has An Option For Every Type Of Cruiser A few months ago, North Materials Expert Tom Davis wrote an article titled “What are the Best Sails for Club Racing?” It only seems logical to have a companion piece that focuses on cruising, so you can better understand about the differences between club racing sails and cruising sails and all the options you have. Are club racing sails and cruising sails the same? No. Club racing is narrow in scope compared to the wide world of sailboat cruising. So, unlike the club race article (where sail size and shape were discussed), here we will cover all of North’s cruising sail materials. Once you know your own cruising goals, you can narrow down what will be best. If you have any questions about a particular material, remember your nearest North expert is just a click away and ready to help you make the best selection. Which sail cloth should I choose for cruising? For upwind paneled sails on cruising boats, we offer fill-oriented NPC CROSS-CUT, NPC RADIAN, NPL SPORT, and NPL TOUR. We also have 3Di cruising sails to consider. Our 3Di OCEAN product line consists of three types of 3Di materials, made for different sized boats: OCEAN 330, OCEAN 370, and OCEAN 700. The 3Di ENDURANCE line represents a “crossover” zone, with sails well suited to both cruising and racing. For downwind, there are woven nylons, Code laminates, and 3Di Downwind options to choose from. You’ll also need to decide between an asymmetric or symmetric spinnaker. A 22-foot pocket cruiser and a 22-meter ocean going yacht can each be successfully matched to the ideal material because there are many options for either. The trick is to work with your sailmaker to quickly narrow-down the choices of sail material to perhaps two sensible options based on your requirements. Then relax and enjoy the whole process of deciding exactly what is best for you in material, LP%/roach profile, batten configuration, number of reefs, color, and so on. This can and should be fun. Things you should consider when narrowing down your options: Your budget Your expectation for how long a sail should last Your expectation for how “perfect” a sail’s flying shape needs to be as the sail ages Your desire to have the sail weigh as little as possible while meeting the above criteria   NPC CROSS-CUT NPC RADIAN NPL TOUR + TOUR ULTRA NPL SPORT 3Di OCEAN North Paneled Cloth Sticking with upwind sail materials for now, and beginning with paneled sails (i.e. where sailcloth panels are cut from rolls of material) the starting point is woven polyester, often called “Dacron”. Polyester yarn is a good all-round performer on small to mid-size boats. It resists damage from environmental exposure. It is reasonably strong, and not excessively stretchy. And the price of a Dacron sail is at the low end of the range. Let’s summarize in bullet point form: NPC CROSS-CUT – A Fill Oriented Cross-Cut Dacron Sail Budget: when price has to be as low as possible, a NPC Cross-Cut sail is the right choice. Durability: these sails stay in one piece, even after many seasons of hard use. Sailshape Perfection: Decent when new, but flying shape will change a lot with age. Weight: Not light. Less of a problem on smaller boats, but very noticeable as LOA goes up. NPC RADIAN – Radian Warp-Oriented Dacron Sail NPC RADIAN is an enhanced version of the paneled dacron sail. Panels can be radially oriented in these sails which confers a measurable improvement in sail shape-holding. Budget: Still relatively low in price, Radian prices just a bit higher than fill-oriented NorDac. Durability: These sails stay in one piece, even after many seasons of hard use. Sailshape Perfection: Quite good when new, but expect some shape change with age. Weight: Not light – but lighter than a crosscut Dacron sail. Not available for longer LOAs. North Paneled Laminates Staying with upwind sail materials and paneled sails, the next tier of materials is laminated cloth (in Northspeak, NorLam). Laminates present the opportunity to reduce sail weight, improve shape holding, and incorporate high modulus (low stretch) and high tenacity (strong) fibers, along with polyester in both yarn and film form. When designed and manufactured correctly, laminated sailcloth is very durable, while helping keep sail weight reasonable, and resulting in very good sailshape performance. NPL TOUR & TOUR ULTRA Xi Cruise styles are aimed at mid-size cruising boats looking for both moderate price and enhanced sailing performance. Xi Cruise styles feature polyester woven outer plies surrounding polyester film and Ultra PE (high modulus) fiber on the inside. The outer layers protect the Ultra PE yarn, while the Ultra PE high modulus content reduces bulk and stretch. Budget: Medium price level. Durability: Not quite as long lifespan as woven dacron, but ages gracefully. Sailshape Perfection: Very good when new, with moderate change over time. Weight: Medium – On bigger boats, the weight savings are very welcome compared to dacron. NPL TOUR ULTRA – NorLam Ultra X Ultra X styles are available for mid-size through super-size cruising boats. The key difference between Xi Cruise described above and Ultra X is the use of UltraPE fiber in Ultra X. UltraPE offers near ideal fiber performance, with very high modulus and tenacity, along with remarkable toughness and environmental resilience. In laminated cloth, we weave the UltraPE, and we pack a lot of this fiber into the cloth. That’s not a low-cost approach, but it does result in enhanced performance and extended sail life. Budget: Higher price level. Durability: Excellent. Sailshape Perfection: Very good, because there is a lot of UltraPE in the material. Weight: Medium. NPL SPORT – NorLam Ultra XC Take everything noted above about Ultra X, and add carbon fiber. I’m going to assume everyone knows about carbon fiber these days given its ubiquity in race cars, bicycles that seem to weigh almost nothing, 80-foot boats that seem to weigh almost nothing, and pretty much every cool high-performance product that seems to weigh almost nothing. North Sails has been laminating UltraPE and carbon fiber together in cruising sailcloth for bigger boats for more than twenty-five years; and the results are still remarkable. Budget: High price level. Durability: Excellent. Sailshape Perfection: Very good, approaching excellent. Weight: Medium (Lighter than Ultra X, but you still need to pack-in a lot of fiber for the long haul). And Now… in 3D! We recently codified a full line of 3Di products made expressly for cruising boats under the OCEAN group name. A key piece of identifying this line was the introduction of a new 3Di “material” type – 3Di OCEAN 370. Let’s dig a little deeper into what makes 3Di OCEAN ideally suited to cruising, in a similar materials based context to the paneled sail information above. First though, if you’re not clear on the differences between 3Di and paneled sails (or 3Di and “string membrane” products), please take a look at our material page for more information on the difference in sail material types. 3Di represents a technology step-change in sailmaking. It is a more complex, and therefore more costly way to advance sailmaking. For cruisers, this complexity has straightforward benefits: better shape-holding in lighter weight sails with no decline in durability. Should every cruising sailor, therefore, forget about paneled sails as an option, given the engineered superiority of 3Di? No. Paneled sails remain a viable choice for all the reasons noted above; and depending on your priorities and budget remain a good option for many sailors. 3Di OCEAN 330 Retain the benefits of NORDAC polyester as described above, and enhance them with the technology of 3Di – that’s OCEAN 330. Originally called 3Di NORDAC, OCEAN 330 makes the most of polyester fiber in upwind sails. Budget: Medium price level by “dacron” sail standards, low by 3Di standards. Durability: Excellent. Sailshape Perfection: Good (very good, if not excellent, by woven polyester sail standards). Weight: Medium (not light, a lot of fiber in filament form is packed into these sails). 3Di OCEAN 370 OCEAN 370 brings UltraPE into the mix along with polyester, significantly boosting strength, while improving stretch performance. There’s a size/load point with 100% polyester sails where the sails become just too bulky, and weight aloft really starts hurting boat performance. The sails are difficult to handle and store. OCEAN 370 steps up where OCEAN 330 is not viable – doing so cost effectively, while nicely balancing the attributes of sailing performance and extended lifespan. Budget: Medium. Durability: Excellent. Sailshape Perfection: Very Good compared to directly competing cruising sail options. Weight: Medium. 3Di OCEAN 700 OCEAN 700 is an ideal performance cruising solution for bigger boats with higher load sails. UltraPE is the primary filament/fiber type, with aramid judiciously introduced in maximum load zones of the sail. Tough, low in stretch, and engineered to provide many years of service, OCEAN 700 is the cruising reference standard for mid-size to superyacht scale boats. Budget: Medium. Durability: Excellent. Sailshape Perfection: Very Good. Weight: Medium. That describes our full lineup of upwind cruising sail choices. North Sails representatives have the expertise to guide you to the exact right sail from within this broad range. If your plans include a share of racing along with cruising, 3Di ENDURANCE series sails cross over into the sail shape/sail weight performance envelope that racers require. And our hardcore race product line, 3Di RAW, delivers speed like no other sail type can. Stay tuned for an update on best material choices for downwind/reaching sails, whether cruising or racing.   CONTACT YOUR EXPERT REQUEST A QUOTE READ MORE

XP 44 BOMBSHELL GOES WITH HELIX A Match Made In Heaven North Sails expert Austin Powers out of our Annapolis loft gives us a glimpse into Bombshell's test sail with her new 3Di sails featuring Helix technology. John Congdon, an XP44 (Bombshell) owner sailing out of the Rappahannock gave North Sails’s new Helix load sharing technology a go on his new 3Di 600 downwind Code 0, 75% mid girth. On this particular boat, John was doing a lot of cruising with a mix of some distance racing on the horizon. When setting up the sails and inventory this winter there was an emphasis on trying to have sails with a lot of crossover so as to not have to store piles and piles of sails down below. With the Helix sail we are able to get reduced luff sag, less tack load on the sprit, and the ability to manipulate the sail shape to get to broader sailing angles than we were previously able to achieve with a cabled sail. In our first test sail, between the code 0 and the A1 we were able to cover the majority of tight reaching and broad reaching angles that we will see in our races. This is a game changer for boats who do not want to have to carry 4 to 5 reaching sails, and instead can cover broader ranges with 2 or 3 sails. That means less sail weight, less sail changes, and faster sailing. Bombshell cruises towards the Rappahannock river bridge with the tack slightly eased as the wind moved aft. On a traditional cabled sail, the entry of the sail makes this more difficult when trying to sail broader angles. If you are looking for more out of your next code sail, whether it be sailing angles or versatility, give Helix Load Sharing a try. Get in touch with us today to learn more. READ MORE

North Sails expert Charlie Cumbley provides a detailed run-through on how to get the most out of your OK Dinghy sail. This guide will help to get your mast set up correctly for a North sail, looking at mast rake and mast position at deck level. For each of the settings, there will be a suggested range to suit different conditions, sailing fitness levels, and styles. Please use this as a guide; it’s not gospel as everyone will have a slightly different idea on how the boat should feel. By measuring these positions and getting within these ranges, you will be able to be competitive and also accurately reproduce your settings. As we learn more about the OK Dinghy or any other One Design class, new information regarding setup, tuning, and trimming techniques will be updated on the class page.  MAST POSITION AT DECK The position of the mast at deck level will have a major bearing on how much rudder angle or weather helm your setup will produce. For any given mast rake, you can move the mast forward or aft in the boat by moving both the mast heel and deck adjusters the same amount. By moving the mast forward, you move the center of effort of the sail plan forward which will reduce the amount of rudder angle and feel. Likewise, moving it back will increase that rudder angle and feel. This position will vary depending on the boat type, foil shapes, sail shape, and conditions you are sailing in. As a rule of thumb, if you generally sail on flat water and/or light airs, you will want to move the sail plan back in the boat as this increases helm and will help you achieve a ‘high mode’ when sailing upwind. Conversely, if you are sailing in choppy/rough conditions and/or stronger winds, then you will prefer to reduce the amount of helm and rudder angle to allow for a faster lower mode upwind. As a result of this, the deck position often varies from boat to boat and depends on a sailor's preferred way of sailing. For an Ovington with a North Sail, Charlie's all-purpose measurement is 3270mm. Move the rig back 15mm to 3255mm for a flat water/light airs venue. We recommend you measure this deck position as shown in the pictures below; measured from the aft edge of the deck ring to the aft edge of the transom. MAST RAKE The most traditional way to set up mast rake is to simply hoist a tape measure up on the main halyard to the top band. To make sure you are as accurate as possible each time, once hoisted, measure down the mast to the top edge of the bottom band by the gooseneck. The tape should read 5400mm. Use the tape to measure to the top of the transom - the most popular range varies from 6100mm to 6200mm. This range depends on wind conditions, sea state, and mast stiffness. In theory, you would be looking for a more upright mast in ‘max power’ conditions and flatter water, but this will depend on your own body weight and hiking fitness. In the lighter airs, you would generally opt for a more raked aft setting to reduce leech tension and increase weather helm. We would advise a setting in the middle of these for the windy setting. Once you get overpowered from your max power setting, dropping the mast rake back a little will help the sail twist open and depower as well as allow for a faster, lower upwind mode which will be needed in these windier/rougher conditions. The downside with measuring the mast rake in this manner is it does not allow for the variation in mast bend, in particular the fore/aft tip deflection. For example, if you have a mast with an f/a tip deflection of 480mm (measured in the normal manner with 10kg) and you set up the mast rake with a measurement of 6150mm, for any given upwind sheeting position (i.e with the boom end ‘1 booms depth’ from the deck), you will have more leech tension than if you were using a mast with an f/a tip deflection of 540mm. It's this leech tension that is a critical factor for your upwind performance, so we recommend an alternative method for measuring mast rake which is used extensively in the Finn class. This method is shown below. HOW TO MEASURE LEECH TENSION Rather than measuring your mast in a straight line ‘tip of mast to transom’ as described earlier in the guide, this system measures what tension would be put through the leech of the sail. This allows you to get more accurate settings and go afloat with a good idea of how open your leech will fly (leech twist). It will also allow you to interchange different masts and set the leech profile to the same setting no matter how different your masts may be. You can use any of the different spring/digital gauges currently on the market; Persola Spring Balance, Devoti digital strain gauge both work perfectly well. We have used the Persola spring balance in this guide. 1 - Attach tension gauge and long tape measure to mainsail halyard. Hoist halyard until the tape measures 5400mm when pulled taught down the mast to the top edge of the bottom mast band. Pull some tension onto the gauge at this point and remeasure this hoist once the halyard has bed in. 2 - Attach tension gauge onto the outhaul. 3 - Tie the traveler out to the side deck, the furthest it can be from the centreline (so the boom is positioned on the edge of the gunwale when pulled to the deck in stage 4). 4 - With the mainsheet, sheet the boom to the deck (NOTE: Always use the same side of the boat for measuring tensions. Always measure with boom end on side of the boat). 5 - Take measuring tape and measure to the inner edge of the boom black band. Adjust the outhaul so that the tape reads 5425mm when held taught. 6 - Read the numbers on the gauge to see what the mast is set up at - this is your leech tension. Quick Tuning Table Helm Weight <6 knots - Superlight 5-10 knots - Light/Medium All Purpose >18 knots - Strong >95kg 75lbs/34kg 79lbs/35.8kg 84lbs/38kg 82lbs/37.2kg 85-95kg 72lb/32.6kg 76lbs/34.5kg 82lbs/37.2kg 80lbs/36.3kg 75-85kg 72lb/32.6kg 75lbs/34kg 80lbs/36.3kg 77lbs/34.9kg To adjust the tension, you can either move the chocks at deck level or move the foot of the mast (approximately 1mm chock at deck is equal to 1lb/0.5kg leech tension). Always re-check the tension after changes. This system also helps when trialing mast position fore/aft in the boat to maintain consistent leech tension. This guide will help maximize the performance of your North sail. If you have any queries, visit the OK Dinghy class page to contact any of the class experts. Check out the videos below for a detailed tuning run-through with Charlie. Happy sailing! READ MORE

NEW NORTH SAILS SERVICE LOFT: WICKLOW, IRELAND Open Now For All Your Sail Care Needs We are delighted to announce the opening of our new Certified Service location in County Wicklow, Ireland. Only 30km from Dun Laoghaire, this new operation will be run by Shane Hughes who has been a long-standing part of North Sails since 1999 and part of the team in Ireland since the start of 2017. Having previously managed the service floor for North Sails UK in Gosport, Hughes is no stranger to the world of sail service. He was born in Dublin and began his racing career at the age of nine at Howth Yacht Club. He went on to compete nationally and internationally in Mirrors and 420's and began racing keelboats at the age of 15. As a very experienced sailor, racer, and fully-trained sailmaker, you can rest assured your sails are in very safe hands at North Sails Wicklow. “Shane is a highly respected and well liked sailor who brings an unrivaled level of expertise as a racer.” From the 1st of July, the loft is open for business, and with a selection of sails already waiting to be serviced, the new loft will be busy from the start. We are ready to look after every sailor as we return to racing over the next few weeks. As exciting as this new venture is, we must recognise the great service work carried out by Richard Marshall and his team at Marshall Marine Textiles for the past 17 years. Richard is now diversifying his business and as of the 1st July 2020, he will no longer repair sails. His cover and marine upholstery business is still operating at full speed, but he is officially hanging up his sailmaking scissors! North Sails Ireland founder, Nigel Young, comments on how they came to work together for 17 years: "I met Richard back in the winter of 2003 on the steps of his workshop in Cobh. After a 20-minute conversation, we agreed on how we might work together, with Richard looking after the sail service and me helping him adapt to the North Sails blue book standard of working. I don't think either of us ever imagined that that conversation would be the foundations of a 17-year working relationship. We have some great memories of late-night service work together in all corners of Ireland!'' Richard comments: "I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the customers that used our sail repair services over the years. A special thanks to Nigel and the guys from North Sails Ireland for a great 17 years! I would like to wish Shane the very best of luck with his new venture; I know him well and he's the perfect man to pick up the baton and run with it. Good luck with the next 17!'' For all of your sail service needs from anywhere in Ireland, please contact Shane directly on 0838103539 or shane.hughes@northsails.com and he will take care of you. READ MORE

ALLT DU VILL VETA OM NYA 3Di OCEAN Ta reda på mer om nya 3Di Ocean-serien med hjälp av vår Q&A Q: Vad är 3Di Ocean? A: 3Di OCEAN är den senaste produktlinjen av 3Di-segel från North Sails, designade och byggda specifikt för cruisingsegling. Q: Passar 3Di OCEAN min båt och min typ av segling? A: 3Di OCEAN är helt rätt för dig om du är ute efter cruisingsegel av högsta kvalitet, med fantastisk styrka och hållbarhet – och med alla 3Di-teknologins fördelar. Q: Vad är fördelarna med 3Di-segel? A: 3Di är en segelteknologi som bara North Sails har tillgång till, och som resulterar i formgjutna kompositsegel helt utan film. Strukturen skapas genom att tejper bestående av tunna fibertrådar impregnerade med ett särskilt härdlim läggs ut i olika riktningar och i olika densiteter på en 3D-form. Strukturen härdar med hjälp av värme och slutresultatet blir ett extremt starkt och slätt segel med exakt den form som designern specificerat. https://youtu.be/OCFEYvqXDus Q: Vad är skillnaden mellan 3Di OCEAN och de andra 3Di-produkterna? A: 3Di OCEAN är optimerade för cruising och har huvudfokus på hållbarhet och livlängd, medan 3Di RAW-segel är utvecklade för maximal stumhet och minimal vikt. 3Di ENDURANCE-segel är lämpliga för både cruising och racing – med en bra balans mellan prestanda och hållbarhet Q: Vilket 3Di OCEAN-segel är det rätta för mig? A: 3Di OCEAN finns i tre olika varianter: OCEAN 330 är baserad på 100 % NORDAC Polyester-fibrer och passar cruisingbåtar mellan cirka 25 och 45 fot. OCEAN 370 bygger på en blandning av Ultra PE- och 3Di NORDAC-fibrer och är utvecklad för båtar över 45 fot. Den är särskilt lämplig för exempelvis cruisingkatamaraner som ställer extra höga krav på styrka och formstabilitet. OCEAN 700 är till för båtar över cirka 60 fot och byggs i en mix av UltraPE och aramid. Q: Hur länge har North Sails gjort 3Di-segel för cruising? A: 3Di-teknologin har funnits på marknaden i mer än ett decennium och har använts av tusentals båtar som har tillryggalagt totalt miljontals sjömil. Så 3Di är en minst sagt beprövad teknologi. Q: Vilka är de specifika fördelarna med 3Di OCEAN-segel? A: En stor fördel är deras enastående hållbarhet. 3Di NORDAC Polyester- och UltraPE-fibrer har bättre motståndskraft mot UV-ljus, fladder och nötning än andra typer av fibrer som används i kryssegel. Den speciella kompositkonstruktionen innehåller ingen mylar, vilket gör att ett 3Di-segel inte kan delaminera, något som annars är vanligt på laminat- och membransegel. 3Di OCEAN har även ett yttre fiberlager som skyddar mot skav och nötning, vilket gör det särskilt lämpligt för exempelvis rullstorsegel. Q: Är 3Di Ocean-segel bra för kappsegling? A: Inte lika bra som ett ENDURANCE- eller RAW-segel! OCEAN är ju inte utvecklat för racing. Visst, för kappsegling på lokal nivå kommer det oftast fungera jättebra, men om du är ute efter ett segel för både cruising och seriös kappsegling bör du ta en titt på ENDURANCE. Eller RAW, förstås, som ju är utvecklat specifikt för kappsegling på högsta nivå. Q: Hur är det med andra material? Tillverkar North Sails fortfarande crosscut-segel för cruising? A: Absolut. Om du är intresserad av panelsegel har vi flera alternativ. Våra NPC Cross-Cut-segel är tillverkade av traditionell vävd polyester, och NPL Tour är baserade på våra egna högkvalitativa laminatdukar. Och det här innebär att vi kan ge dig precis det cruisingsegel som passar dig bäst – oavsett hur dina behov ser ut. Explore Materials Find a Loft Request a Quote READ MORE

THE NEVER-ENDING QUEST TO DESIGN THE BEST SAILS Sail Testing & Sea Trials Onboard ClubSwan 36 Sease 📸 Stefano Gattini / The Nations Trophy 2019 / Sease / Loro Piana Family The ClubSwan 36, which made its debut in May 2019, is seeing significant signs of growth. Despite a delay in sailing in 2020, the North Sails team has spent the first half of this year working on optimizing sail design and rig configurations for this innovative, high-performance one design class. The Loro Piana family recently launched their new ClubSwan 36, Sease, and a team of North experts, made up of sail designers Giovanni Cassinari and Michele Malandra, ClubSwan 36 class expert Stefano Orlandi and North one design specialist, and Sease mainsail trimmer Giulio Desiderato, were on hand in Portofino, Italy to put the boat through two days of sea trials. “Being part of this project to see it progress has been exciting,” explains Desiderato. “The Loro Pianas are one of the most passionate sailing families in Italy. Our sea trials with Sease brought different conditions, allowing us to record valuable results, and having the family host and join us on the water was the cherry on top.” 📸 North Sails / Sea Trials June 2020 / Sease When it all started North Sails began collaboration on the ClubSwan 36 when the class was still a concept. Using data-driven design to build the initial sail inventory, the North designers began the process of tweaking sail designs and fine-tuning sail shape to create the best experience for clients in the ClubSwan 36 class as soon as the first hulls hit the water. “The ClubSwan 36 is an innovative one design that’s great for mixed class racing,” explains Desiderato. “The original sail design was a good starting point for us,” comments Desiderato. “Since the first boat was built and the first suit of sails were made, our North Sails team has focused entirely on evolving the sail inventory for maximum performance. “The ClubSwan project and collaboration between Nautor Swan and North Sails have come a long way. For us, this relationship has made it possible to provide the best products for the class and all competitors.” 📸 North Sails / Sea Trials June 2020 / Sease A Winter of design work As the 2019 season came to a close, lead class sail designer Cassinari, along with Malandra, went back into the design office with a baseline of understanding from the first season of sailing. The team loaded their data into the North Design Suite, and specifically the Membrain program to run the ClubSwan 36 simulations and refine the sail design. By the (now-delayed) start of season two, North Sails had a sail inventory that included a main with a larger sail plan and a new lineup of downwind kites. As explained by Malandra, “using North Design Suite to test the entire sail package, including variables from sail testing, and the flying shapes, the simulations have shown validity, and our team is delighted with this result.” 📸 North Sails / Sea Trials June 2020 / Sease Feedback from the water From the design office to onboard, did the inventory updates deliver? “The new 3Di RAW sails are different from the first rendition, and the design has come a long way for the better over the last year, explains Desiderato who was onboard as main trimmer during sea trials. “With this new sail design and configuration, we are now ready to get on the water and procure the race results we’ve been striving for.” What’s next? With a bit less sailing time than originally planned, all eyes are on the Swan Cup, which will host the growing fleet in Porto Cervo in September. If all goes as planned, this event will be the first official ClubSwan 36 event of 2020, and the North Sails ClubSwan 36 experts and sail designers are excited to see all their hard work put to the test for what could be the biggest event of the year for the class. “It’s important for us to keep working and making improvements,” explains North class leader Orlandi. “Between myself, Giovanni, Michele, Giulio, this project is in good hands. We are excited to be on the starting line at the next Swan Cup, where we’ll be greeted by ten additional boats, which is very exciting!” 📸 North Sails / Sea Trials June 2020 / Sease READ MORE

SAILING IS BACK IN ANNAPOLIS Getting Back Into The Groove J111 Ramrod sailing downwind towards the finish CC: Will Keyworth Weeknight sailing is back in swing in the Annapolis area with customer’s all boats taking to the water to safely enjoy sailing. With, SSA on Tuesday nights, AYC on Wednesday nights, J world on Thursday nights and EYC on Friday nights, there are options for any night of the week for the avid racer in Annapolis. Seeing customers on the water with their new sails is one of our favorite times of the year for us here at North Sails. This year it happened a bit later than usual, but the wait made it even sweeter. Below are some amazing shots from Will Keyworth of some of the action: Penn Alexander’s J80 crossing the finish line CC: Will Keyworth North’s own Allan Terhune sailing with his wife Cate on their J70 CC: Will Keyworth READ MORE

CELEBRATING 30 YEARS A Look At Hugh Beaton's Career With North Sails Where to begin with a guy like Hugh. He’s a lifer in this industry, beginning his time like most during the summers at a local sail loft in Barrie. He learned the basics while on the service floor and consistently worked on the craft. Hugh learned to sail in Barrie ON, where he worked with Lasers, 470s, Int 14’s and small keelboats. While attending University, Hugh learned to design and build spinnakers. He developed a passion for racing IOR throughout North America. Graduating from the University of Toronto, he soon joined a local sailmaker in Barrie, which sent him boat shows in Montreal and Toronto throughout the 80s. The stories are legendary and reveal the impact the industry can have on individuals even to this day. Hugh joined North Sails 1990, and was privileged to work with some great people in the Toronto office including; Hans Fogh, Steve Calder, Bruno Dubois, and Larry MacDonald. Early in his career he was introduced to the International 8 Metre Class, which quickly became his class of choice. Hugh quickly found himself working with 40 teams from 12 different countries. The boats are beautiful to sail, and highly technical making them an ideal platform for North Sails’ range of design services and 3D manufacturing. Hugh has attended 21 World Championships, winning nine titles along the way. He shares, “It has been very rewarding to work with so many great sailors , and to develop products and tuning guides for the class.” Aside from the 8 metres, Hugh enjoys distance racing on the Great Lakes, and cruising with his family in the North Channel area of Lake Huron. He is also a big outdoor enthusiast who loves the snow, cross-country skiing and downhill skiing. When he’s not skiing, you can find him snowshoeing or working on his log cabin. His annual winter beard always signals the change of season for us in the loft. His knowledge is vast and one can’t help but learn from him. If he doesn’t know the answer then he’ll do his best to find out for you. More importantly though, he’ll show you how he got the answer to help give you the tools to do it yourself, and thus help sailors/customers in the future. A trait that is hard to come by these days. His philosophy of empowering youth, encouraging them to get involved in the industry and sport as a whole is admirable. He tries his best to create opportunities for youth and females in sailing, empowering them with knowledge and support, and most importantly encouraging them to get out on the water. His patience in teaching and mentoring new additions to the team is not only notable but also refreshing. It is something that is not seen a lot these days however it is something that is needed. It goes to show that if you invest in the individual, they will invest in you and the company. Fellow coworker and friend Bill Pearson echo's this sentiment saying, "While I have known Hugh at some level for over 20 years, it is only in the last 20 months that we have worked closely together, and it has been a pleasure for me. Besides being a great salesman and mentor in Toronto for a good while now, he has also clearly proven himself to be an excellent manager, with a good collaborative style of leading." He is committed to helping the sport locally not because he works in the industry but because it’s the right thing to do; paying it forward to the next generation. A big supporter of weeknight racing and grassroots sailing, Hugh is always working behind the scenes to help drive more participants, encouraging more people to leave the dock. The bigger picture and North Sails role are always at the forefront of Hugh’s mind. Always finding a way to ensure we’re doing the best we can to support local sailing, not just racing. It is similar to how he approaches a new sail order or service repair. What role does this sail play in the wider inventory of the customer? Is this the best option based on their needs? What is the goal in 5 years? All these questions asked for a customer looking at a new sail or repair, are similarly pondered when deciding how to support sailing locally. A common phrase you’ll hear from Hugh is, “it’s the right thing to do.” A phrase that guides the loft in our actions on a day to day basis. Here’s the thing about Hugh. He is a good example of what happens when you take the time to invest in individuals that are new to the company and sport. Taking the time to show them how to measure boats/sails, giving them the tools + knowledge to talk to customers confidently and helping nurture their individuals strengths goes much further than most people realize. These individuals become invested in the industry, the craft and the company they work for; and they grow. The growth and skill development pays dividends, as we've seen many times at the Toronto loft. Beyond this, these individuals that Hugh helps mentor and guide are able to transfer those skills to other areas of their lives and businesses. Harmony, past team member at North Sails Toronto, shares her memories of working with Hugh and the impact he had on her. "I had the pleasure of working with Hugh for roughly 5 years during a very important transitional time in my life. I wasn't sure which direction I was heading in my professional career, and logically took a breather to sail and work with some great people. Little did I realize at the time, however the experiences and friendships gained at North Sails have stayed near and dear to my heart for the past 10 years. I am extremely grateful that Hugh trusted in me, while giving me the opportunity to learn the intricate details of running a multifaceted business. What I was able to learn under the influence and direction of Hugh, has served me very well in my own expanding business. And much to my current employee's annoyance, I have carried many of these lessons with me and even a few of the North Sails SOPs! When it was time for me to leave as I had my first baby, Hugh and the North Sails team were like an extended family to me. Hugh made sure I left with a memorable departure package including my little piece of Canadian history, a beautiful Hudson's Bay blanket. I have remained in touch with Hugh for 10 years. And I know we will remain friends for another 10! Congratulations Hugh! You deserve an exceptional celebration!" Another fellow team member Doug Folsetter shares his own memory of Hugh when he was beginning his career. Doug recalls, "He probably doesn’t remember but I first met Hugh around 1990 or 1991 when he came down to measure sails for a new International 14 build that I was part of. Although it was a small project, I recall Hugh spending a lot of time to get the details right. He spoke knowledgeably about Asymmetrical sails which were quite new to us. It’s likely that he hadn’t sold many by that time but he knew more than we did (or at least told us he did) and the sails were a big leap forward compared to the previous generation. Fast forward to a few years ago when I was foisted upon North and Hugh as part of a merger. Since I joined North Hugh has been nothing but accommodating. As a natural teacher, he has no hesitation to spend time (especially if you catch him in the car when he’s stuck in traffic on the way home to Barrie) passing down his vast knowledge for the purpose of building a better sail for the customer. Since getting to know Hugh, both my taste in scotch and knowledge of chainsaws has increased dramatically. North is lucky to have him and I’m lucky to work with him. Congratulations on 30 years!" Needless to say, we all have our own "Hugh" story that reflects his patience, knowledge and passion for sailing. From all of us at North Sails, Thank You! READ MORE

SOUTHERN SPARS JOINS FORCES WITH MAGMA STRUCTURES ON DYNARIG The World’s Leading Spar Maker to Manufacture Alternative Solution for Superyachts 📸 North Sails / North Design Suite / Membrain Southern Spars, a North Technology Group company, is proud to announce they have joined forces with Magma Structures to deliver a new generation of DynaRigs. The DynaRig concept has proven itself as an effective alternative to conventional rigs for superyacht owners who are looking to reduce crew numbers and optimize sailing time. This is a new chapter for the innovative rig solution and aims at making the efficient, safe, and high-performance rig more accessible. To date, the DynaRig system has been installed on two superyachts, the Maltese Falcon and Black Pearl, with the team at Magma also behind the largest freestanding rig in the world on the Sailing Yacht A. “Magma’s experience in designing, delivering, and maintaining DynaRigs combined with the NTG analysis, engineering, and manufacturing capabilities will enable Southern Spars to drive the continuous improvement of the concept.” Damon Roberts Director Magma Structures comments; “We know the DynaRig concept is excellent for sailing superyachts, as proven by the first rig built for Tom Perkin’s Maltese Falcon. Magma Structures is delighted to have Southern Spars on board to further the technical and commercial development of the product. The recent success of Black Pearl has energized interest in the market and I am confident, Southern Spars, whose core business is mast-making will develop the next generation of DynaRigs.” Sam Watson CEO of Southern Spars comments; “We are delighted to join forces with Magma Structures. Their unique experience in designing, delivering, and maintaining DynaRigs combined with the NTG analysis, engineering, and manufacturing capabilities will enable Southern Spars to drive the continuous improvement of the DynaRig concept. None of this would have been possible without the innovative spirit of Magma Structures, led by Damon, and naval architect Gerry Dykstra. The entire Southern Spars group is honored to be working with the Magma team to offer an additional solution to meet the unique needs of the largest yachts in the world.” As the industry leader, Southern Spars has an unrivaled reputation and track record for delivering conventional stayed rigs to the superyacht and Grand Prix markets. Harnessing simulation data from the powerful North Design Suite, Southern Spars is uniquely able to assess overall sailing performance for best-informed engineering decisions. The North Design Suite has now been expanded to include DynaRig yachts to the same level of detail and accuracy as all NTG projects. With enhanced design capability, the experience of Magma Structures, and the composite manufacturing expertise of Southern Spars, DynaRig by Southern Spars will now allow owners and yacht designers a new level of creative freedom for the next generation of sailing Superyachts. Please visit southernspars.com for more information on Southern Spars. 📸 North Sails / North Design Suite / Virtual Wind Tunnel About Southern Spars: Southern Spars is a division of the North Technology Group, the world leader in sail-making technology. Southern Spars specializes in the design and construction of carbon fiber spars and components, rigging, and rig servicing. As the industry pioneer, Southern Spars built its first carbon spar in 1990. Since then the company has pursued a passion for delivering world-class superyacht and racing spars, carbon rigging, and service. About Magma Structures: Magma Structures is a global leader in composite technology, providing world-class structural engineering expertise and flexible manufacturing resources and processes to deliver high-performance solutions for unique and challenging requirements. About DynaRig: DynaRig is a safe, high-performance sailing system, delivering ease of handling, reliability, and efficiency, even when sailing at 18 knots. The DynaRig addresses key challenges from escalated loads and unprecedented scale, making it especially suitable for two and three-masted performance cruising yachts from 60m to 110m in length. READ MORE

THE SUMMER OF SHIELDS For the Toppa family, Coronavirus has a silver lining. Story by Holley Toppa It’s strange to think that the summer sailing of 2020 in Newport was kicked off with Wednesday night Shields racing. After the start on the first upwind leg, my dad, Mike Toppa is at the helm. Wednesday night Shields sailing happens every summer, but this first race felt like coming out of hibernation. I remember saying out loud, “wow, it’s the first race of the summer”. My dad Mike Toppa>, usually on the water as a North Sails Superyacht Expert, turned and looked at me with his big smile and replied, “isn’t it cool!” It’s not quite the summer we imagined. With COVID-19 rewriting everyone’s schedules along with new rules and regulations, it was hard to imagine how sailing was going to operate. Normally, my dad would be going on another consecutive summer of commuting around the country and the world for anything superyacht related. As we know, many of the happenings around the world have either been canceled or pushed back to a later date. Amid all the unknowns, my dad still made sure to dedicate time to rigging and tuning the Shields, Bomba Charger, getting her race-ready for the summer despite not knowing if there would even be a race. The author smiling on the bow of Bomba Charger between races in Newport Harbor Luckily he, along with the other stir-crazy sailors stuck in quarantine, were able to work out a way for Wednesday night sailing to commence under the new guidelines; requiring masks on board, limiting the crew to 3, and calling for all to wear PFD’s as an added cherry on top. You could have told my dad that he would have to single-hand the Shields in a hazmat suit and a helmet and he still would have been out there for the first race. That first Wednesday night was a bit surreal. It was unusual to not only see the harbor so empty after Memorial day but to have the bay completely to ourselves, not including the unusually high number of spectators for a small Shields race complete of just nine boats. The Shields fleet is one of the few fleets on the water in Newport so far and as a result, has definitely sparked some extra competition between the teams. Everyone was eager to not only break up to the stay-at-home monotony but to once again get back out on the water and show that they’ve still got it. My dad made up his three-man team with myself and my boyfriend, Jeremy Wilmot. It is quite a special opportunity to be able to have the time of two working sailors for Wednesday night racing and watch them shake off the rust and get back to doing what they love. I had my place in the boat, doing mostly what they told me to do, but watching and listening to them talk about the nuances of the racecourse was such a great learning experience for me. This time to spend sailing with my dad has been such an unexpected gift despite this pandemic. I would have been in Charleston working, not sure when I would be able to come up and visit. Now, I’m able to join my dad and share doing what he loves. This coming Wednesday, we are able to add two more to the team, my sisters, Alie and Liza will be joining us, adding to the richness of this time my family has together, while also resembling a slow return to normalcy. READ MORE

THE SUMMER OF SHIELDS For the Toppa family, Coronavirus Has a Silver Lining Story by Holley Toppa It’s strange to think that the summer sailing of 2020 in Newport was kicked off with Wednesday night Shields racing. After the start on the first upwind leg, my dad, Mike Toppa is at the helm. Wednesday night Shields sailing happens every summer, but this first race felt like coming out of hibernation. I remember saying out loud, “wow, it’s the first race of the summer”. My dad Mike Toppa>, usually on the water as a North Sails Superyacht Expert, turned and looked at me with his big smile and replied, “isn’t it cool!” It’s not quite the summer we imagined. With COVID-19 rewriting everyone’s schedules along with new rules and regulations, it was hard to imagine how sailing was going to operate. Normally, my dad would be going on another consecutive summer of commuting around the country and the world for anything superyacht related. As we know, many of the happenings around the world have either been canceled or pushed back to a later date. Amid all the unknowns, my dad still made sure to dedicate time to rigging and tuning the Shields, Bomba Charger, getting her race-ready for the summer despite not knowing if there would even be a race. The author smiling on the bow of Bomba Charger between races in Newport Harbor Luckily he, along with the other stir-crazy sailors stuck in quarantine, were able to work out a way for Wednesday night sailing to commence under the new guidelines; requiring masks on board, limiting the crew to 3, and calling for all to wear PFD’s as an added cherry on top. You could have told my dad that he would have to single-hand the Shields in a hazmat suit and a helmet and he still would have been out there for the first race. That first Wednesday night was a bit surreal. It was unusual to not only see the harbor so empty after Memorial day but to have the bay completely to ourselves, not including the unusually high number of spectators for a small Shields race complete of just nine boats. The Shields fleet is one of the few fleets on the water in Newport so far and as a result, has definitely sparked some extra competition between the teams. Everyone was eager to not only break up to the stay-at-home monotony but to once again get back out on the water and show that they’ve still got it. My dad made up his three-man team with myself and my boyfriend, Jeremy Wilmot. It is quite a special opportunity to be able to have the time of two working sailors for Wednesday night racing and watch them shake off the rust and get back to doing what they love. I had my place in the boat, doing mostly what they told me to do, but watching and listening to them talk about the nuances of the racecourse was such a great learning experience for me. This time to spend sailing with my dad has been such an unexpected gift despite this pandemic. I would have been in Charleston working, not sure when I would be able to come up and visit. Now, I’m able to join my dad and share doing what he loves. This coming Wednesday, we are able to add two more to the team, my sisters, Alie and Liza will be joining us, adding to the richness of this time my family has together, while also resembling a slow return to normalcy. READ MORE

Fini les vieilles voiles. Démarrez l'été avec une voile neuve. Contactez-nous pour économiser Il n'y a jamais eu de meilleur moment pour renouveler votre inventaire. Que vous fassiez de la régate, de la croisière ou un peu des deux, North Sails a les produits les mieux adaptés à vos besoins. Cette promotion permet d'obtenir jusqu'à 20 % de réduction sur une voile North Sails neuve, achetée au cours du mois de juillet 2020. Nous encourageons le recyclage de toutes les anciennes voiles utilisées. Lorsque vous commandez votre voile, il vous suffit de rendre votre ancienne voile à votre voilerie, ou de la donner à une institution de voile à but non lucratif. *La promotion "Trade In Trade Up" 2020 s'applique aux voiles de près de moins de 22 mètres de guindant, et aux voiles de portant de moins de 27 mètres de guindant. La promotion exclut les voiles de la classe One Design International et Offshore One Design. La promotion expire à 23h59 le 31 juillet 2020. Toutes les voiles doivent être livrées avant le 20 décembre 2020. Demandez un devis Passez à l'action Remplissez le formulaire ci-dessous et vous recevrez une réponse d'un expert de votre région. Tous les détails supplémentaires que vous pouvez nous fournir nous permettront de vous trouver la bonne voile, plus rapidement. Développez s'il vous plait les sections ci-dessous. READ MORE

Weg met het oude, Ga voor een nieuw North zeil Neem contact met ons op om te besparen Er is nooit een beter moment geweest om uw zeilgarderobe te vervangen dan nu. Of u nu wedstrijdzeilt, cruist, of een beetje van beiden, North Sails heeft de beste producten voor uw toepassing. Deze promotie biedt tot 20% korting op een North zeil dat aangeschaft wordt in de maanden juni en juli 2020. We moedigen aan dat alle oude zeilen gedoneerd of gerecycled worden. U kunt afspraken maken met uw lokale North Sails vestiging bij bestelling van uw nieuwe zeil over het doneren van uw oude zeil. Uw lokale North vestiging heeft een lijst van lokale organisaties die gebruikte zeilen hergebruiken. *de 2020 Trade In Trade Up promotie is van toepassing voor aan de windse zeilen met een voorlijk tot 22 meter en voor de windse zeilen met een voorlijk tot 27 meter. De promotie is niet toepasbaar voor eenheidsklasse zeilen. De promotie eindigt op 31 juli 2020. Alle zeilen moeten geleverd worden voor 20 december 2020. Vraag een offerte aan Start uw Trade in Vul onderstaand formulier in en een North zeil expert zal contact met u opnemen. Wanneer u extra informatie opgeeft over u specifieke toepassing, kunnen we u sneller helpen om het juiste zeil te vinden. Klik op onderstaande velden om deze informatie op te geven zodat u snel met de nieuwe zeilen het water op kunt. READ MORE

L’OCCITANE EN PROVENCE: AN IMOCA THAT STANDS OUT FROM THE FLEET Innovation Proves Vital For the IMOCA Class 📸 Pierre Bouras – L’Occitane en Provence L’Occitane en Provence, the first of its kind in many ways, proves innovation is vital for the IMOCA fleet. Skipper Armel Tripon and boat designer Sam Manuard give us their impressions on their new IMOCA L’Occitane en Provence from conception to the first sea trials. Table of Contents: Effective and Distinctive Design Downwind Performance Sail Design From The Drawing to the First Sea Trials Mastering the Boat Armel Tripon’s L’Occitane en Provence is one of the most recent boats in the latest generation IMOCA class. After two years of design and build, the yacht was launched last January in Nantes, France, the skipper’s hometown, but also the location of the Black Pepper Yachts shipyard where the foiling monohull, designed by the architect Sam Manuard, was built and equipped with a North Sails wardrobe. “For me, it’s an incredible opportunity in my life as a sailor to be at the helm of this new boat,” says the 44-year-old skipper, Tripon. And what a boat! An IMOCA for a completely crazy race: the Vendée Globe.” This will be the first solo around-the-world race for Armel Tripon, who won the Route du Rhum in 2018 in the Multi50 class. But it is also Sam Manuard’s first IMOCA Open 60 presented in the Vendée Globe and the first monohull in this class built by Black Pepper Yachts. “This boat, which we wanted to be unique, has a genuine philosophy,” continues Armel Tripon. “It is a project that strongly reflects our aspirations. From the outset, our goal was to put together a new design team different in its way of thinking, which brings fresh ideas and is not afraid to think outside the box. This includes all the other partners: the shipyard and the sponsor who gave us the green light, convinced by the philosophy of our project.” “This also represents a pivotal moment when the IMOCA class has opened up to the foil,” says the skipper. “We have entered a new era. It is magical to have taken part in this development, been an actor in these new IMOCA class rules, put the energy into designing this boat, and succeeded in getting everyone moving. It is a great success.” 📸 Pierre Bouras – L’Occitane en Provence Efficient and Distinctive Design This state-of-the-art yacht with a scow hull design stands out from the rest of the IMOCA fleet as it is the only one designed with this round and wide bow shape. Why such a choice? Sam Manuard, a naval architect but also a professional sailor — a double role that allows him to better understand the boat’s reactions — explains that the idea was to limit detrimental stressors to the performance of both the boat and the skipper. Scow hulls are more tolerant,” he explains. “It has been noticed that with this shape, when the yacht moves with the sea, i.e., downwind, the bow buries less. When the boat fills with water, it is a source of stress for the sailor and, therefore, a barrier to human performance. We’ve tried to target a virtuous spiral where all the small factors go in the same direction to reduce both mechanical stress and that of the skipper.” Downwind Performance The concept of L’Occitane en Provence was based on two primary principles: first, to build a boat that the skipper can use, i.e., efficient in terms of performance, and second, to get a boat which can be pushed hard downwind and broad-reaching, particularly in heavy seas. Sam Manuard develops: “According to these two key parameters, we have oriented our technical choices, and this is reflected in the scow hull, a particular mass balance, the distribution of ballasts, the foils which exit well above the waterline, good protection which includes, among other things, a cockpit very far aft and a roof enabling forward vision, etc. All these elements that are put together meet our initial postulates.” In this design phase, specifies the architect, “we had many open discussions about all the key points of the construction with Armel and all the players involved in this project, Michel de Franssu, the founder of the Black Pepper shipyard, the various design (boat and sails), structural and technical teams. We had a free approach to proposing ideas, so everyone gave their opinion openly. As far as the sails are concerned, the North Sails design team led by Gautier Sergent has been in the loop from the first meetings. Gautier Sergent is extremely knowledgable of sail configuration and gave us valuable input on the chainplate position and deck plan, among other things.” “He’s a talented designer who always queries the sailor for feedback and input, adds Armel Tripon. “He is very open-minded and not shy to think outside the box. I appreciated working with North and being able to rely on a competent team with great knowledge. With North Sails designer, Julien Pilate, they were involved in the entire project, both in the structure of the boat and the sails. “The aim was to create a fast, balanced, reliable boat, high performance but could also be handled by a single skipper for 70 days,” says Gautier Sergent, North Sails Head of R&D Department. “We freely imagined an ideal concept based on collective expertise. It was refined and adjusted, leaving aside any preconceived ideas over the months of the design period. And Armel trusted us.” After this first phase of brainstorming, another fundamental aspect of this project was the computing power: the aerodynamic efficiency of the sails and hydrodynamic simulation, which fed into the VPP. “In this study, a lot of calculations and simulations were carried out for which North Sails managed all the aerodynamics,” says Sam Manuard. This includes the overall aerodynamic drag and the interaction between the platform and the sails. “It’s a key parameter on foilers which are going faster and faster, and it has a big impact on the boat’s stability,” explains Gautier Sergent. 📸 Pierre Bouras – L’Occitane en Provence Sail design between stability and performance However, IMOCA rules are restrictive. The challenge for the North Sails design team was to integrate specific constraints such as chainplate positions and rake while maintaining the balance of the boat by finding forgiving sail trims and configurations, etc. As IMOCA boats do not have elevators on the rudders, the aim is to achieve the ideal ratio between the longitudinal position of the foil, the pitching moment of the sails, the shape of the hull, the boat state and other complex parameters. “We’ve modeled various critical navigational cases which aim to define the maximum efforts that the sail plan will generate,” explains Julien Pilate. “This critical load information is then exchanged with the structural engineers, which enables them to correctly size not only the chainplates structure but also the structural elements of the hull. The use of the VPP is an essential tool for the sail designers, and in the development of a foil IMOCA, it allows us to determine the most efficient combination of sails in certain conditions, their surface area, and volume and therefore an ideal set of sails.” “We’ll certainly be making some changes to some of the sails, but with minor modifications,” adds Sam Manuard. Downwind VMG sails have to be carefully considered. Should we choose a spinnaker or a gennaker, for example? The feedback from our training on the water will help us make up our minds. The selection limited to eight sails for the Vendée Globe will not necessarily be dictated by pure performance, but by a balanced set of compromises, depending on the number of maneuvers, for example. We must make decisions and then responsibility for them. The aim is for the boat to go fast without too much effort.” From the Drawing to the First Sea Trials From drawing plans and simulations to the first sessions on the water, Armel Tripon and his team are delighted. “The first sailings have been positive,” comments Sam Manuard. As soon as the boat reaches its speed of stability, it sails exceptionally. The foils are working well; the sailboat in aerial mode is fast enough. It is almost thrilling. I was already lucky enough to sail on Jean-Pierre Dick’s IMOCA St Michell-Virbac where the sensations were superb, but with L’Occitane en Provence, you take it up a notch, the boat is airier, it’s another dimension.” “I’ve spent hundreds of hours on the drawing board, thinking about many solutions for this yacht,” he continues. What interested me the most was to anticipate the boat’s dynamic reactions as well as possible. It is one thing to think and conceptualize and another to navigate. All in all, this is what we anticipated. The boat gets up; the movements are much smoother on the waves, we have gained in fluidity. It’s a great privilege and a chance to be able to design such a boat and be able to put our thoughts into practice on the water. » Armel Tripon, who is very familiar with trimarans, observes that the sensations are similar to those of a multihull from 20 knots of speed, a real flying machine. Below this speed, the displacement takes over, and the boat’s behavior is like that of a typical keel monohull. However, maneuvers remain more physical on an IMOCA than on a multihull. As for the deck and sail plans on L’Occitane en Provence, Armel observes that the ergonomics are well designed and fluidly executed. “The work was very rigorous on the sail adjustment, he says. It seems insignificant, but sometimes there can be small gaps. Here, the design twists naturally. It has met our expectations even beyond what I can see. We’re still in the detail phase, and it’s still too early to draw any real conclusions, but generally speaking, the sails’ design is very successful, even from the outside where we could see the sails from the zodiac boat and drone images as well. 📸 Pierre Bouras – L’Occitane en Provence Next Objectives: Mastering the Boat and Qualifying for the Vendée Globe The next few weeks will be intense and will be devoted to making the boat more reliable. Besides, Armel will aim at passing his qualification for the Vendée Globe during the Arctic-Vendée race, which will start on 4th July in Les Sables-d’Olonne in France. “My next steps will be to learn how to control my boat in the best possible way, acquire as much data and knowledge as possible and then qualify for the Vendée Globe,” says Armel. Sam will stay by his side through this training phase. “My role from now on will be to accompany Armel in his preparation for the Vendée Globe, and I will often be on board to check the boat’s settings. I’ll connect with him, share my thoughts.” “Sailing a lot will allow us to test the reliability and stability of the boat, the maneuvers, the performance of the sails, etc. The big challenge remains the analysis of performance (with a lot of data to be recorded) and reliability,” summarizes Sam. “It will be a question of finding the right balance between navigation and reliability of the boat, knowledge, and performance,” adds Armel. At each training session, we’ll have a specific goal. For example, if we focus on the use of sail, we will target more specifically its shape and think about how we can further refine it.” Sea trials will be scheduled over several days off the coast of Brittany. With the start of the Vendée Globe on 8th November approaching, Armel feels ready. “I had an excellent preparation when the boat was under construction. Now we are getting to the heart of the matter, it’s good timing!”   READ MORE

CELEBRATING OVER 35 YEARS A Thank You To Our Service Managers Both joining in 1985 as young ambitious gents, Domiciano (or Kid as he’s more well known) and Dennis have grown into their service managers roles with invaluable depths of skill and knowledge. Both have become staples in their local lofts and the go-to caregivers for sails; Kid runs the Toronto loft and Dennis heads up the Vancouver loft on the West coast. For 35 years now these two individuals have been providing expert repairs, maintenance and advice to cruisers and racers alike. Their dedication to North Sails and more importantly, their clients, is something we all at North Sails would like to say Thank You for, as we know we couldn’t do it without them. Kid joined North Sails when he was well, a kid. He began at North Sails Toronto in January 1985 in manufacturing. During his 35 years here, Kid has gone to Sri Lanka and all over the United States to teach people about sailmaking, manufacturing and repair techniques. He is the first one in the door in the morning and often the last to leave, never liking to leave a project unfinished. He is always committed to getting the job done, meeting customer deadlines and doing a good job. Larry MacDonald recalls, "I remember clearly Domiciano arriving for his first day at North Sails, and being introduced to him by the production manager. Then like now, he looked less than his years, was small and knew very little English. What he lacked in experience or ability to communicate, he more than made up with his attitude and work effort. He was a fast learner, and within a few years, saw his career take off becoming assistant floor manager and never looking back. His youthful appearance earned him his nickname “Kid” which he has proudly accepted for now 35 years." One of his favourite parts about sailmaking is that “Everyday is a new opportunity to learn something new. I know how sailmaking allows me to connect with customers in terms of their needs, whether it’s cruising or racing.” His skill and craftsmanship speaks for itself. We are proud and quite lucky to have him a part of our team. He is the engine that keeps our service team chugging along in Toronto. Dennis is another gem that has bled blue for over 35 years now, joining the sailmaking world just after high school. Local sales expert Ross MacDonald shares "Dennis Lefeaux is one of North Sails most hard working, joke cracking, ever-creative employees - he's also may have the most 'experience', having started sail making just after high school back in 1979!" Then and now, Dennis was known as one of the best sailors in the area. A reputation he earned through constant wins on the race course onboard his father's boat and all the assistance and tips he provided to all the other sailors. Ross continues, "After beginning work at North in Dave Miller's loft in Vancouver, Den quickly picked up the skills for all sail repairs and in short order was able to build sails on his own. As one can imagine he's also very handy at canvas work and creating bags or custom pieces that look like they came from Milan! Some of the notable bits he's pulled off include Canada's largest flag, giant architectural canvas work used in BC Place stadium and working with the sail making team with Canada II during the 1987 America's Cup in Perth, Australia. Today Dennis looks the same! And he's faster and more productive than ever. We are fortunate to have his knowledge, skills, wit, and try to follow his work ethic. Leading by example, he continues to inspire many of us.” Vancouver loft manager Drew Mitchell is also a big fan of Dennis. He details how Dennis is the ultimate co-worker. "Since the first day I met him I have looked up to his knowledge and work ethic. He is the first into work everyday and during the busy season the last to leave. He is very humble. I remember the first day he was showing me the "fast route" from the loft to RVYC and he just casually mentioned he was a sailmaker with the Canada 87' Americas Cup Team. As any young sailor would, I then started to bombard him with questions about the team and regatta." Drew tries to soak up as much as he can from Dennis as he is one of the best sailmakers he knows. Drew states, "he has probably gets tired answering 20 questions a day from me but I always want his advice when I am not sure about something. Dennis is known in the sailing community not only as "the best" sailmaker but as one of the best sailors in the PNW. I have been lucky enough to race on the same boat with him, and just like in the loft, I try to listen to what he has to say and figure out why he does certain things." "After a very deep finish in a distance race I was speaking to a competitor who did very well and I asked him how we knew where to go. His response was "It was easy, I just asked Dennis on the dock before racing which way to go!" I now make sure to check in with Dennis before any race to get his opinion on what might work that day. I think the last time his response was "lead off the start and don't let anyone pass you." I have never heard someone say a bad thing about Dennis, I consider myself and the entire North Sails Team very lucky to have someone who has worked for North Sails as long as he has. I look forward to the many years we have left working together. READ MORE

MIRPURI FOUNDATION SAILING TROPHY INITIATES A SAFE AND SUSTAINABLE RACING PLATFORM Promoting Public Safety, Environmental Awareness, and Great Racing North Sails is excited to announce they are the official sail partner of the inaugural Mirpuri Foundation Sailing Trophy. The event will take place June 27-28, 2020 between Cascais and Sesimbra, Portugal. This new event will feature a cash prize pool of over €30,000, which includes a €16,000 prize for First Place. The overall winner will also be awarded the first-ever official Mirpuri Foundation Sailing Trophy. “North Sails is honored to partner with Mirpuri Sailing Foundation and be named Official Sailmaker to their first Mirpuri Foundation Sailing Trophy,” commented North Sails President Ken Read. “A huge congratulations and thank you to the foundation who have found a way to help sailors go racing this summer. With the added bonus of all race registrations being donated to supporting ocean conservation, the Mirpuri Foundation Sailing Trophy is a great way to kick-off the sailing season. Good luck to all competitors, and we look forward to supporting you on the ground with overnight sail service and sharing your experience with North Sails followers around the globe.” Mirpuri Foundation Sailing Trophy is a plastic-free sustainable regatta, and a charitable event, with team registration fees in this first edition to be donated to Marine Conservation programs. The Mirpuri Foundation maintains innovation by promoting the first health controlled race in the world, with a dedicated medical team ensuring all staff and sailors are in good health and free of Covid-19. Ana Agostinho, Head of Public Relation commented on behalf of Mirpuri Foundation: “The Mirpuri Foundation, as a well-established organization fighting for sustainability and for the future of our planet, choses its partners wisely, as they must share the same vision and the same goals. We are pleased to have North Sails joining the Mirpuri Foundation Sailing Trophy, the first international regatta after the start of the pandemic, the first world’s health-controlled race and one that will try to put the environment back on the global agenda. We sincerely hope, and look forward to counting on thsupport of North Sails many more editions.” For those who are unfamiliar, The Mirpuri Foundation has a legacy in competitive sailing as a global platform to share important messages of marine conservation and encourage positive change to better impact the planet. “The Mirpuri Foundation Sailing Trophy aims to be one of the main sailing events in the world”, says Paulo Mirpuri, President of the Mirpuri Foundation, “Marine conservation is a key cornerstone of our activities at the Foundation and provides the inspiration for The Mirpuri Foundation Sailing Trophy. We believe in the power of sport to bring people together and raise awareness of the challenges our planet is facing. Sailing provides us with a direct link to the beautiful but fragile oceans that we all rely on so heavily.” North Sails Cascais will onsite to provide overnight repair services, including pickup and delivery service for all sailors during the regatta. From departure is from Cascais (where the North Sails Cascais Loft is based) to Sesimbra (where teams will spend the night from Saturday to Sunday). Please contact the loft directly at +351 916 830 166 speak with our service team using the email address below or phone Vincente Pinheiro at: +351 916 857 896. Email The Loft Have questions about getting involved? Please send all inquiries to Mirpuri Foundation Sailing Trophy. Register For Event Here About the Mirpuri Foundation The Mirpuri Foundation is a non-profit organization based in Portugal and founded by entrepreneur Paulo Mirpuri with the aim of contributing to a better world for future generations. With its belief that leading by example is the best way to change mindsets, the Mirpuri Foundation fosters cooperation between legislators, corporations, communities, and individuals.The Mirpuri Foundation acts in six distinct areas: Marine Conservation, Wildlife Conservation, the Performing Arts, Social Responsibility, Medical Education and Research, and Aeronautical Education and Research. The foundation’s commitment to sustainability is transversal and is reflected in all its activities. The Mirpuri Foundation is synonymous with technology, research, information, and innovation. Allied to these characteristics are the values of integrity, perseverance, and altruism in order to better impact the planet. READ MORE

3Di OCEAN IS GEMAAKT VOOR UW VOLGENDE AVONTUUR Een complete 3D productlijn voor boten van ieder formaat Na uitvoerig testen en ontwikkelen is North Sails zeer enthousiast met de lancering van 3Di Ocean 370, ons nieuwste innovatieve zeil, waarmee onze cruise productlijn van 3D gemalde zeilen compleet is. Dit nieuwe product bouwt voort op het succes van ons revolutionaire 3Di Nordac polyester voor kleinere boten en Ocean 700, het ultieme superjacht cruise zeil. 3Di Ocean 370 valt precies tussen deze twee categorieën om tegemoet te komen aan de unieke karakteristieken van boten tussen 35 en 60 voet. Norths 3Di zeilen worden vervaardigd met onze gepatenteerde technologie, waarbij zeilen geproduceerd worden op een driedimensionale mal. Van origine was deze technologie bedoeld voor wedstrijdzeilers, maar met 3Di Ocean is de technologie nu ook voor cruise zeilers. Als marktleider is North Sails op zijn best wanneer onze energie en kennis gericht wordt op het compleet innoveren van een product segment. In 2017 heeft North Sails een revolutie teweeg gebracht met de her-uitvinding van het traditioneel geweven Dacron cruise zeil. Door robuuste Dacron 3Di tapes te verwerken op een driedimensionale mal introduceerde North de eerste echte innovatie voor cruise zeilers sinds Dacron in de jaren 50 katoen verving. Het prijswinnende 3Di Nordac werd al snel de benchmark voor cruise performance, met behoud van de traditionele Dacron look. In 2018 bracht North Sails het 3Di cruise concept naar de superjachten met 3Di Ocean 700. De toevoeging van 3Di Ocean 370 in 2020 is een bevestiging van de investering van het merk om cruise zeilers te ondersteunen met het leveren van de meest geavanceerde zeil technologie. ““Onze bedrijfscultuur wordt gedreven door een constant verlangen om zeil technologieën te ontwikkelen die de zeilervaring verbeteren van iedere zeilers”, aldus North Sails President Ken Read. ““Cruisen biedt een uitweg van het leven aan land, en de toewijding van North Sails aan dit segment is groter dan ooit. We hebben veel tijd gestoken in de ontwikkeling van een nieuw cruise product en zijn trots dit een jaar eerder te lanceren dan origineel gepland was. We kijken er erg naar uit om meer zeilers te laten genieten van een nieuw niveau in duurzaamheid en performance van cruise zeilen, door toepassing van 3Di. ” Het gebruik van Norths innovatieve en gepatenteerde 3Di technologie en productie levert sterkere en gebruiksvriendelijkere zeilen. Deze technologie maakt het mogelijk de cruise performance te verbeteren door zeilen te produceren die minder helling geven bij meer wind en juist extra vermogen geven bij licht weer. 3Di Ocean zeilen zijn naadloos, ongeëvenaard sterk, mooi en zeer duurzaam. Dit geeft meer vertrouwen wanneer u gaat zeilen, alleen, met vrienden of met uw familie. Simpel gezegd, Deze zeilen verbeteren uw zeilervaring. 3Di Ocean zijn nu beschikbaar. Neem contact op met uw lokale North Sails team om meer te leren over deze producten en levering deze zomer. Lees verder Vind een verkooppunt offerteaanvraag READ MORE

NORTH SAILS BY APPOINTMENT Book a Complimentary Coaching Session Calling all sailors on the Solent! Book a one-on-one, real-time coaching session with the North Sails experts who will join you by RIB and provide tips to help kick off your season. Let us know below when you will be sailing and we will schedule a time to meet you on the water to offer instant coaching and feedback. Whether you are a racer, cruiser, or One Design sailor, any boat should take advantage of North’s summer coaching. Sign up to improve your game with us. READ MORE

WEARING IS CARING Custom Face Masks For Local Transit In Vancouver North Sails was contacted by Troy McNamara aka “Creative Troy” about 2 weeks ago with a different project that he thought we could help out with. Troy’s company Creative Others was commissioned by Translink to design an oversized novelty mask for the front of one of their buses to help market their new initiatives titled “Wearing is caring”. Translink has planned to give away 15,000 Translink branded masks to Vancouverites and wanted one of their buses to wear a similar looking mask. Dennis and Chris, the two service team members in Vancouver put their heads together with Troy and came up with a plan to make a mask that would fit on the front of the bus. They needed to make a mask that would resemble the masks that Translink has produced and stand up to the harsh Vancouver weather. Dennis and Chris get "neat" and "fun" projects like this a few times a year so they said that they were excited and willing to help. They had a pretty tight deadline of about 11 days. They proposed using the same method for creating bimini tops and inserting battens to create the bulging nose. First, they sourced the material in the correct colour as well as made a rough template that Troy could take to the bus depot and size up with the Translink team. Once the template was reviewed it was returned to the loft to start the production of the new mask. Within the deadline the North Sails team got the job done in time, Translink loved the end product and most importantly the process was an enjoyable one. Troy, why did you contact North Sails and how was working with NS Vancouver during this custom project with such a tight deadline? Being an avid sailor all my life I knew that North Sails would be the perfect team to fabricate this. I’ve met Dennis and Chris out on the water from time to time and when you get on so well with guys like that on the racecourse I was confident they’d be fun to work with too. This timeline was intense as with a company like Translink there’s always feedback and requests for alterations. I was confident that the guys would be able to produce the goods and I was right. One of the most important things for me out of this whole experience was how clear in communication the guys were, the ease in how they collaborate, and their willingness to get the job done. I will certainly be looking to partner with North Sails again for future projects. Creative Others www.creativeothers.co​- @CreativeOther.Co​- shout@creativeothers.co​- +1 778 228 1672 Creative Others 404-1133 Beach Ave Vancouver BC, Canada V6E 1V1 We Are Brand Designers & Storytellers, Creating Experiences Both Physically & Digitally While Marketing Them With Measurable Results. Bringing Talented People Together Who Are Passionate Leaders In Their Fields To Exceed Clients' Expectations Is What We Do. READ MORE

LOCAL SPOTLIGHT: NIRVANA GETS A NEW NORTH SAILS WARDROBE New Zealand Team Upgrades to 3Di for Winter Series Wind-Up While most of us are sweating it out during the summer months, local sailors in New Zealand are gearing up for coastal racing later this season with the RNZYS Winter Series. Nigel Hendy and his super crew on Dufour 45e Nirvana kicked off their sailing season with the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron Winter Series, where they just finished the third weekend of racing with their brand new 3Di RAW sails. Launched in 2012, this racer/cruiser team has been sporting North Sails for eight years now and decided this year they would upgrade their 3DL wardrobe to 3Di to help them reach their performance goals this 2020 season. The Sails Before upgrading to 3Di, Nirvana carried the now-retired North 3DL string laminate, which was used to its full extent, hoisted over 200 times before officially retiring from the program. “I upgraded because I realized I’d have a better shape over a longer period, which would extend the life of my sails. Our new sails are just great.” Says Nigel, “They are customized to fit my mast and boat, which has made all the difference. We went with a larger overlapping genoa this time around, which has also increased our power upwind, which was exactly what we needed. The shape of 3Di is fantastic–it’s just perfect.” “It’s lighter air this season, so it was a true test for the sails over the last few weeks to show us how much power we had been missing out on. After three weekends getting familiar with our new set up, we’ve now got the sails locked in, traveler mid-ship, using a bit more vang when we need to. We can control the main a lot better, as before we were only using about 50% to keep us on our feet. The new 3Di sails allow us better control and much easier trimming.” “The boat has everything it needs, including downwind. It’s options galore. We’ve got three asymmetrical sails, and three symmetricals. The genoa we keep on the furler, which helps when there are new crew members on board. The new sails are much lighter in general, he remarked. “They are the perfect fit. I am a happy customer.” 📸 Robert Delves North Sails Service & Support Nigel has been working with Andrew Wills, sail expert in Auckland, New Zealand for many years. The relationship-building aspect was something he didn’t know he would be guaranteed after purchasing sails. “I didn’t just buy a sail,” he said. “I bought a whole package of support, sailing, friends, and crew. It’s a lot of fun going to the loft. It’s like going to a toy shop. To me, the North Sails customer experience has been just fantastic.” Every part of the service and support aspect was covered thoroughly by the team in New Zealand, and Nigel can’t thank his sailmaker enough for providing top-notch support all around. “The advice on the rig set up and tuning, it just keeps going. You invest in a sail, but you really get so much more than you would think. You become part of the North Sails family. The way they make you feel like you are part of a team, part of a network; the way they care has made it a positive experience.” The Crew “I bought a racer/cruiser because my wife enjoys the cruising aspect mostly in the summer. We’ve got the dining room table set up, all the cruising amenities; she’s a great boat for that. But once the real racing season picks back up, we take out the dining table and fill Nirvana with all the sail inventory options one could ever need to race and be competitive. Nigel picks up additional crew here and there that come from small boat dinghy racing clubs. In many ways, Nirvana is a vessel to get more sailors out on the water. “Nirvana is fully capable of any type of racing. She’s got everything she needs to go for it. We are 100% Corinthian crew, all amateurs on board, and the nucleus of my crew I’ve known for years through our children growing up together. We are quite competitive and we’ve shared many victories together.” Nigel usually sails with 12 crew and since New Zealand has officially been cleared of Covid-19, Nigel is looking forward to having his full crew back and having the right weight on the rail. 📸 Robert Delves Results “We recently sailed a 50nm race and did very well. We finished second across the line. Every series we’ve entered, we’ve won at some point, in some corrected time fashion. We’ve been Club Champs, Commodore’s Cup Champs; We don’t always win on the line, because we race with a handicap–but we still obtain excellent results when we show up to compete.” “Traditionally, it’s not very windy in New Zealand in the winter months, which is June through August. In the spring and summer, the breeze turns on. We could get 25-35 knots every day easily during that part of the season. I prefer the longer races, and there’s a lot of those on our calendar. It’s easier to find crew for those too, rather than weeknight one-off sailing. It takes a big commitment for the team, and myself so we do what we can.” What’s next? The next big gig for Nirvana is the Yates Cup, which is a 230nm race that goes up the coast of New Zealand in July. After that, the team plans to sail the Coastal Classic, a 110nm race from Auckland to Bay of Islands. “We are looking forward to seeing how our new 3Di sails will maximize our sail power this season, said Nigel. “We can’t wait to see how she goes.” 🎥 Video courtesy of crew on Nirvana during a White Island Race edition, hosted by Royal Akarana Yacht Club.   READ MORE

En komplet 3Di produktlinje til cruising 3Di OCEAN kan bestilles nu Efter et gennemgribende arbejde og udviklingsprogram, er North Sails stolte af at kunne lancere 3Di OCEAN 370, vores seneste innovative sejl som fuldender vores serie af 3D-støbte sejl til cruising og langturssejlads. 3Di OCEAN 370 er bygget på North Sails succes med det revolutionerende 3Di NORDAC samt 3Di OCEAN 700, som er det ultimative cruising sejl til store superyachts. 3Di 370 OCEAN er båndet mellem disse to produkter og imødeser 35-60 fod cruising bådes unikke behov samt det voksende antal cruising katamaraner. North Sails 3Di sejl er skabt med den patenterede teknologi, som oprindeligt blev udviklet til kapsejlads men som nu revolutionerer markedet med 3Di OCEAN. Hos North Sails bruger vi konstant vores energi og ressourcer på udvikling af nye produktsegmenter. I 2017 revolutionerede vi cruising markedet ved at genopfinde det traditionelle Dacron sejl i polyester, som havde sin oprindelse i 1950'erne. Det prisbelønnede 3Di NORDAC blev hurtigt det nye benchmark for cruising og tursejl til både op til 40 fod. I 2018 tog North Sails 3Di cruisingsejl-konceptet videre til Superyachts med 3Di OCEAN 700 produktet. Tilføjelsen af OCEAN 370 i 2020 er endnu et vidnesbyrd om vores mission om at levere cruising-sejl med den seneste og mest avancerede teknologi til markedet. “Vores virksomhedskultur er drevet af et stort ønske om til stadighed at udvikle sejlteknologi, der giver sejlere en endnu bedre oplevelse”, siger North Sails direktør Ken Read. “Cruising giver mulighed for at slippe livet på land og North Sails engagement i cruisingmarkedet er større end nogensinde. Vi foranledigede vores cruising-produktudvikling og næsten et år efter fremfører vi udvidelsen af vores produktlinje. Vi ser frem til at flere sejlere vil opleve det nye niveau af holdbarhed og ydeevne for cruising-sejl med 3Di OCEAN-serien”. Med brugen af ​​North Sails innovative 3Di-teknologi og byggeprocesser, producerer vi i dag sejl, der både er stærkere og lettere at håndtere. Denne teknologi muliggør sejl, som giver en forbedret sejloplevelse, hvor man enkelt kan reducere krængning i hård vind og nemt få mere fart i let luft. 3Di OCEAN er uden syninger og 3D-støbt på en form i ét stykke, hvilket gør sejlet uovertruffen stærkt, flot at se på og med lang holdbarhed. Det betyder i alt sin enkelthed en forbedret og sjovere sejleroplevelse for dig, dine venner og din familie. 3Di OCEAN-sejl kan bestilles nu. Kontakt os idag og få mere information om vores nye produkt og en eventuel sommerlevering. Læs mere Find dit loft Få et tilbud READ MORE

WORLD OCEANS DAY The Ocean is Our Passion, Our Playground, Our Responsibility. For World Oceans Day this year, North Sails and North Kiteboarding came together to celebrate our love for the ocean. Collectively, ambassadors and athletes shared their thoughts on how we can better care for our best resource, our racecourse, our playground. Whether you are racing in a world championship, cruising for the weekend, or discovering a new place to go out and ride, we can all do small things to make a big impact on the health of our oceans. Charlie Enright, 11th Hour Racing “This year’s World Oceans Day has me yearning for the ocean like never before! I can’t wait to get back out there and reconnect with everything that I’ve been missing during these tumultuous times. The health of our oceans is important to all of us and it’s going to take every single one of us to get things back on track. Let’s use this inflection point as a way to combat ocean obstacles with a new level of vigor and motivation.” Jalou Langeree, North Kiteboarding Team Rider “Nature is the inspiration for so much of what we do…when we kite we feel so in tune with nature, so connected. We must work harder to protect it.” Dee Caffari, Turn the Tide on Plastic “I consider it a privilege to call the ocean my office and my playground. I have seen first hand the pollution in the world’s oceans and now with my recent work with Turn the Tide on Plastic, we have the scientific proof to support the microplastic problem we have to tackle. Our oceans act as a barometer for the health of our planet and we all can act now with a small action so collectively we can make a big difference.” Giulio Desiderato, North Sails One-Design Expert “All my best memories are linked to the sea. Sailing is more than just a hobby, sport, or work for me, it’s a lifestyle. If you are able to understand the values that the sea teaches you, and you are able to bring these values into your routine you will become a better and stronger person, on and off the water.” Marc Jacobs, North Kiteboarding Team Rider “Without the ocean, I wouldn’t be able to do what I do every day. As professional kiteboarders, we have the ability to spread awareness and have a voice for the ocean. It’s time to take action and protect our playground.” Warwick Kerr, North Sails Expert and Cruiser “Living on our sailboat, Wakaki is already a green life. We make an effort to always sail, and not use the engine. We conserve our freshwater and buy local and use natural/biodegradable products. We have solar power onboard, so we don’t have to use the engine to charge our batteries or turn on the lights. We don’t waste, we recycle and reuse.” READ MORE

3Di OCEAN: YOUR QUESTIONS, ANSWERED Learn More About the New 3Di OCEAN Line-Up with Our Q+A Q: What is 3Di OCEAN? A: 3Di OCEAN is the newest line of 3Di sails from North Sails, designed and engineered exclusively for cruising. Q: Is 3Di OCEAN right for my type of boat and sailing? A: 3Di OCEAN is for you if you are looking for a premium cruising product, providing high strength and durability with all of the advantages of 3Di sailmaking. Q: What is different and better about 3Di sailmaking? A: 3Di is a unique-to-North molded composite sailmaking process. With 3Di, individual filament tapes are printed in precise tape vectors (length/direction) and densities. This membrane is then consolidated using heat and thermoset resin on a full size, sail-shaped mold. 3Di results in strong, smooth, and precisely shaped sails. Q: How does 3Di OCEAN differ from your other 3Di products? A: 3Di OCEAN sails are optimized for cruising strength and durability, while 3Di RAW sails are engineered for low stretch and lightweight racing performance. 3Di ENDURANCE sails are suitable for both cruising and racing – with a balance between low stretch shape-holding and added durability. Q: Which 3Di OCEAN sail is right for me? A: 3Di OCEAN comes in three distinct styles, for an increasing range of boat sizes: OCEAN 330 is 100% NORDAC Polyester and suited for 25’-45’ cruising boats OCEAN 370 is for boats larger than 45’ including many cruising multihulls which require the lower stretch and greater strength of Ultra PE blended with 3Di NORDAC polyester OCEAN 700 serves boats larger than 60’ with a high modulus blend of UltraPE and aramid Q: How long has North been building 3Di cruising sails? A: 3Di technology has been around for over a decade, and 3Di sails are in use on thousands of boats that have sailed millions of miles. Q: What are some specific benefits of 3Di OCEAN sails? A: 3Di OCEAN is beneficial because it is durable. 3Di NORDAC Polyester and UltraPE fibers are more UV and flex-fatigue resistant than other fibers used in upwind sail materials. The product composite construction with thermoset resin means no mylar, eliminating the problem of delamination associated with laminates and string sails. 3Di OCEAN has a specialized outer surface tape, that provides chafe and abrasion protection–which is great for in-mast or in-boom furling. Q: Are 3Di Ocean sails good for racing? A: Not as good as an ENDURANCE or RAW sail! OCEAN is not engineered specifically for racing. Sure, if you want to join an occasional race or rally, 3Di OCEAN sails will be fine. If you are looking for dual-purpose “crossover” sails – that can be found with 3Di ENDURANCE. And of course, 3Di RAW is racing. Q: What about other materials? Does North still make cross-cut cruising sails? A: Yes, North has other paneled cruising sail options available. NPC Cross-Cut sails feature traditional woven polyester. NPL Tour sails are made of proprietary laminated sailcloth to match a variety of applications and price points. Depending upon your needs and expectations, North has a cruising sail that is right for you.   Explore Materials Find a Loft Request a Quote READ MORE

THE NEW NORMAL First Sail Of The 2020 Season Getting out on the water earlier this week felt like a dream. During a normal season, we’d be well into the thick of sailing by now with lots of regattas under our belts and cruising trips taken. We’d be sunburnt with racoon eyes, beat up by the boat and cycling through sailing gear faster than we could wash it. With the threat of not being able to even launch boats at the end of March and mid April, the majority of sailors were questioning what the 2020 season would look like. Fast forward a couple weeks and most of us are in the water, following government regulations and yacht club rules. A lot of back and forth about what would happen for racing is still being discussed, it begs the question - why are we so focused on racing? Our boats are in the water (for those of us that can be) so why not go sailing? For the most part, any organized racing is not allowed, as per Sail Canada’s outline. While disappointing, it's OK. Racing is an aspect of our sport, yes, but it is not the only thing. Sailing is so much more than racing. The simple fact is yes we can go sailing. The love for the sport has not been cancelled, sailing has not been cancelled. It’s gone back to the most basic form that is sailing with family, cruising, double handed or even solo sailing. I can honestly say that yes it’s refreshing to not have the weekend grind of regatta after regatta after regatta. Do my family and I miss racing? Yes, more my husband than me but yes racing is missed. Does it mean that sailing, as a sport, is cancelled? No. Try taking this time to fix things on the boat that you’ve been putting off, trying some solo sailing or just enjoy being on your boat. More importantly though, go enjoy sailing for the sake of sailing. Talking with a friend recently about the sailing situation in particular the number of people upset about no racing, they commented saying they are disappointed but it doesn’t mean sailing is cancelled. The more interesting comment, which has stuck with me since our conversation, was “maybe it’s just me but I just enjoy sailing for the sake of sailing. A lot of people seem to be missing that with the uproar of no racing.” What this afternoon on the water really did was reaffirm my love for the sport, the activity and being out on the water. I can’t remember the last time I was this giddy when it came to going sailing. A somewhat laughable thought given I work in the industry yet maybe something that was needed to revive the love for sailing. Being able to go sailing with no pressure about getting photos, delivery sails, getting repairs done or trying to get a certain spot in a regatta was refreshing. Coming back to the docks post afternoon sail, we ran into a fellow member, us in the boat and them on the dock. They also commented how this year was different and they are adapting but it felt good to get back out on the water. He mentioned he "took the racing jib sheets off and put a furler on" to go cruising. An attitude that is going in the right direction for enjoying the 2020 season. It means we have to adjust our own perspective and how we approach this summer on the water. In layman's terms: be appreciative if you can get your boat in the water and go sailing, according to your local government and sailing authority guidelines. Go cruising with your family, go for an afternoon solo sail or better yet, enjoy being on your boat. Sailing is not cancelled. Learn more about North Sails lineup of cruising products here. READ MORE

WHO WE ARE: SARAH UNWIN Get To Know Your Local Team Member Sarah Unwin joined North Sails a year and a half ago as the office manager of North Sails Vancouver. She is born and raised in Vancouver at 38 years old. She first learned to sail in an Opti at RVYC summer sailing program. Sarah was 16 when she competed in her first race, Silva Bay Layover on a Dragon with her now Husband, James. What is your favourite local regatta/race and why? Round Bowen, it is such a fun race and has a great party! Where is your favourite spot to go cruising and why? Desolation Sound, I have been cruising in Desolation Sound since childhood and you can't beat the beaches, scenery and wildlife. What is it about sailing that you enjoy the most? You are always learning and the freedom of cruising to places most people have never visited. B.C. has some of the best cruising grounds in the world and we feel very fortunate to be able to explore the B.C. coast. What activities do you enjoy outside of sailing? My husband, James, and I are avid skiers. How have you been keeping busy since all racing has been cancelled? We have been doing boat work and going for day sails. We look forward to racing and cruising again. READ MORE

ONESTAR CHALLENGE 2020 Med Jan B. Hansen fra North Sails På vej mod Farø med A2 Onestar Challenge er en singlehand sejlads med start fra Køge, rundt Møn via Bøgestrømmen. 103 sømil. Det er 4. gang sejladsen sejles, men jeg har ikke sejlet den tidligere, da den altid har ligget på samme tid som en af de store Fyn Rundt sejladser. Nu er det andre tider og årets eneste Fyn Rundt bliver formentlig Silverrudder til september. Der var tilmeldt 33 både, som startede i passende Corona-afstand. Der sejles ikke efter respit, udelukkende i klasser efter overaltlængde. Min klasse var alt over 32 fod. Første start kl 9:00, min start kl 10:30. En fin start med Code 0 mod Stevns, derefter en åben bidevind mod Møn. Vindstyrken omkring 10-15 knob og høj sol. Humøret var lige så højt som solen, da de samtidigt startende både forsvandt lige så hurtigt agterud, som de foran startende blev indhentet. Næstsidste båd blev hentet mellem Møn og Hestehoved (Indsejlingen til Grønsund). Tilbage foran var en tysk T 24, sidste første båd i mål. En rigtig lille skrapsag, hurtig båd og dygtig sejler. Gennem Grønsund og mod Farø, var det plant læns. Det udløste en del bomninger med den blå A2, men ingen større udfordringer. De blev taget på rutinen. Udfordringerne kom lidt senere da vinden fra Farø op mod Peters værft var lige ret i trynen med 10-15 knob, toppet op med 1 knobs modgående strøm. Inden jeg kom til Farø, måtte jeg tage en lidt længere sørejse end de forfølgende både, da min dybgang på 2,10 satte en naturlig begrænsning for vovemodet. De betød desværre at, det meste af mit forspring til de nærmeste forfølgere blev sat overstyr. Men det er en del af spillets ved den slags semiautonome sejladser. Her er stort ingen mærker der skal respekteres og ingen målerregler. Alle kan tages deres chancer og spiller man sine kort rigtigt er muligheden for en sejr altid til stede, uanset hvor svage ens odds er fra starten. Tilbage til krydset mod Peders Værft: Her kom en velsejlet Drabant 38 forbi mig med en 100 meter. Vendinger i The Beast er som sådan ikke svære, men igen sætter dybgangen en grænse for længden på krydsbenene og båden, med sin meget smalle køl, driver en del sidelæns, indtil den kommer op i fart. Flot sejlet af Drabanten. Nå, men efter Kalvehave (kl 21:30) kom der lidt slæk på og vinden øgede op til 20-25 knob. Drabanten blev hurtigt nedkæmpet. Næste levende billede var T 24’n, som flaksede noget forvirret rundt ved renden til Nyord. Så snart han fik øje på mig, faldt han direkte ned i mit kølvand og forsvandt hurtigt agterud. En efterfølgende molesnak med skipperen, opklarede at han både havde miste sin kortplotter og sin autopilot. Hatten af for han overhovedet fik den sprælske båd hele vejen til mållinjen. Som mørket lukkede sig omkring os, friskede vinden yderligere op til 30-35 knob ved udsejlingen omkring de Nordre Sæløer. På det tidspunkt havde jeg alt for meget sejl på, den største fok og fuldt storsejl. Men der var ikke plads nok til hverken et forsejlsskifte eller til at rebe storsejlet. Så det var fuld vandballast og fuld knald på hækstag, udhal, cunningham og lidt slæk på fokken skødepunkt, så den blev lidt mere åben i agterliget. Det er meget betryggende med nogle 3Di Raw sejl, som jeg ved kan tåle mishandlingen. Alm. stringsejl var blevet 3 år ældre på de 30 minutter. Et par meget spændene slag op mod selve renden. Det sidste hvor jeg vendte til stb for at kunne holde renden op kiksede. Fokkeskødet kom i bekneb omkring spillet og fik 10-15 tørn i en meget flot benlås. Renden kunne med lidt pineri, lige præcis holdes op. Lidt heldigt, da en vending med det låste skøde, havde givet sine udfordringer. Efter renden var det med 5 cm slæk i fokkeskødet afsted mod Stevns for sidste gang. Præcis som der skulle justeres på kursen ved nordøst rundingen af Stevns, kom der et markant vindskift fra NØ til SØ, toppet op med lidt ekstra tryk på vinden. En kvik bomning i 35 knobs vind og vi fløj afsted med op til 14 knobs fart mod Køge downtown. Som jeg sidder der i nattemørket og kun kan se det hvide flade vand agterude i lanternes skær, funderede jeg lidt over hvordan passagen af mållinjen kunne ske. 10-14 knobs bs, vindvinkel på 120 twa og knap 100 meter fra linjen til land, kunne det nok blive presset. Men vinden aftog den sidste halve times tid. Det samme gjorde dramatikken, så målgangen foregik kontrolleret kl 02:42 som første båd i mål. Flere både stoppede klogelig op i Kalvehave og Nyord for ikke at komme ud i den friske vind mod Stevns. Respekt for at skipperene kender deres egne og bådens begrænsninger. Det er godt sømandskab. Tak til arrangørene, Køge Sejlklub, for kunne afholde sejladsen med tidens prøvelser og tak til konkurrenterne for at møde op. Og ikke mindst tak til min elskede shorecrew, Helle Jespersen, som stod ved både Hårbølle og Nyord og heppede. Jan B. Hansen The Beast himself Til dem med skarpe øjne: Konkurrenterne agterude. READ MORE

I nakon Covid 19 pauze North Sails klijenti nastavljaju s pobjedama FOTO: DRAGAN DRŽANIĆ Rekordno izdanje najdugovječnije regate za dvočlane posade s hrvatske strane Jadrana uspješno je završila s 85 postotnim učinkom... od 54 jedrilice na startu završilo ih je 46! Zbog vremenskih neprilika i vrlo jakog juga start regate je prebačen s petka na subotu, a zbog najave vrlo slabih vjetrova na regatnom polju organizatori su subotnji start zakazali za 10:00. Tako su jedriličari dobili dodatna dva sata za jedrenje i s tim bonusom čak 14 jedrilica je dobilo priliku da u regularnom vremenu završi regatu. Vrijeme na startu bilo je u skladu s prognozom, jedva primjetni povjetarac iz smjera zapad - jugozapad, po kojem je flota u slow motionu jedrila prema bovi od orce postavljenoj ispred Sustipana. Nakon nje jedrilo se prema bovi koja je uz Galebove predstavljala startnu liniju i potom je jedina obaveza jedriličarima bila ostaviti Sušac desnim bokom. Pokazalo se da je najbolje odabrala skupina jedrilica postavljena malo desnije od sredine startne linije, a do bove od orce najbrže je dojedrila Fatamorgana koja je startala iz trećeg reda. FOTO: REGATE.COM.HR Fatamorgana je maksimalno iskoristila svoje mogućnosti i u ovom dijelu regate pratnju ostavila iza sebe stotinjak metara. Nesmetano je nastavila jedrenje bliže Sustipanu i održavala prednost sve do Splitskih vrata. Prvi nakon nje su bili budući pobjednici regate, dvojac iz JK Orsan na jedrilici Dubrovnik. Oni su na bovi od orce predvodili ostale pretedente na dobar plasman, a među njima svakako treba spomenuti čak četiri jedrilice Club Swan 36, maleni Otto e Mezzo, Magnum X3, IMX 45... U ovom početnom dijelu regate među njih se umiješala i Strilica, Melges 24 koji se orci prišuljao od Sustipana. S obzirom na uvjete u ovom dijelu regate to se još moglo i razumijeti, ali dvojac Jurišić-Perhat je svoje opasne namjere i vrhunsko jedrenje održavao do kraja regate, pa su čak i do pred sam finiš bili izraziti favoriti za pobjedu u korigiranom vremenu po Sušac Openu. Ovaj prvi dio regate, brojnoj publici na lukobranu i Sustipanu, definitivno je bio najzanimljiviji. S obzirom na malene brzine jedrilica mnogi kormilari su se odlučili na rizik i ubacivanje u gužvu, pa nije nedostajalo poziva s isticanjem prednosti prolaska i srećom sve je prošlo bez kontakta i štete. Nakon prolaska ovog filtera i obilaska druge oznake krenulo je rastezanje flote i izdvajanje najbržih na čelu. U principu su se svi držali najkraćeg puta prema Vratima, bez ekstremnih otklona, osim u finalnom dijelu ove etape kad se vodeća Fatamorgana izdvojila prema Šolti, a ostali su vjetar tražili na punti Brača. Odluka dvojca Arapov-Mrduljaš na kraju nije donijela očekivanu prevagu, jer ih u samim vratima Dubrovnik prestiže, a ostatak potjere opasno sustiže. Sve jedrilice su u Splitskim vratima naišle na probleme i svaka je na svoj način tražila izlaz. Muka po Vratima trajala je do 16 sati, otprilike kada je i Bob 'n' Rock kao posljednji izašao na relativno otvoreno more. U tim trenucima vodeća petorka (tri Swana, Dubrovnik i Fatamorgana) je na desetak milja od Sušca. Njihov pritisak jednih na druge za zauzimanje vodeće pozicije priča je za sebe, pa je najbolje da je čujete iz prve ruke. Detaljno kako je regata izgledala ispričali su članovi posade Dubrovnika, pobjednika regate i u realnom i korigiranom vremenu: Na startu smo nešto zapeli, napravili smo jednu pojalabandu nekih 4-5 minuta prije starta i nismo se maknuli s tog mjesta sve do signala starta. Tako da smo startali s mjesta gdje nismo planirali. Tek kad se malo raščistila prva linija i stiglo malo vjetra uspjeli smo krenuti prema Sustipanu. Tamo je bilo dobro, lijepo je vuklo i do prve bove smo stigli kao drugi, odmah iza Mate. Na kraju je dobro ispalo iako nije bilo dobro u samoj proceduri. Na početku smo jedrili s genakerom jer sam planirao da jedrimo malo više prema Braču. To smo i napravili nakon obilaska pina, koji je bio druga obavezna bova. Kad smo već bili u blizini Brača učinilo mi se da smo previše nisko pa smo se prebacili na drifter. Lijepo smo krenuli, jedrili smo odlično i došli smo u situaciju da smo trebali prebaciti jedra koja nismo dignuli na novo mjesto na palubi, malo više prema krmi. I sve je bilo dobro dok nisam uhvatio vreću s olujnim jedrima koju dok sam prebacivao uspjevam baciti u more! Onda brzo akcija rolanja driftera, pojalabanda i natrag po jedra da ih spasimo prije nego potonu. Uspjeli smo ih uhvatiti taman prije nego je vreće potonula, ponovo pojalabanda, odrolaj drifter i idemo dalje. Dalje je sve bilo kako sam i mislio da će biti. Splitskim vratima smo prilazili od Bobovišća i Milne od kuda su nam dolazili neki refuli i vrlo dobro smo se izvukli. Iz Vrata smo izašli prije Mate. Prije samog izlaska vidjeli smo da vani pjeni, pa smo se odmah pripremili za flok i skidanje driftera što smo i napravili odmah čim smo izašli vani. Od tuda je bilo jedrenje pun gas. Prvi plan je bio da idemo oko Vodnjaka od kuda bi se samo spustili prema Sušcu, ali dolje, malo prije Pelegrina pali smo prenisko i odlučili smo da ne idemo forsirati, pa smo se spustili prema Ždrilcu. Iz te pozicije smo vidjeli da ni drugi brodovi nisu bili u boljoj poziciji, već su i oni bili nisko i da su i oni morali za nama. Kad smo došli do Pelegrina ponovno smo se prebacili na genaker s kojim smo jedrili do Ždrilca. Kako ranije nisam nikad prolazio na jedra kroz Ždrilac, već samo motorom, nisam znao kako tu puše. Mislio sam da prebacuje preko, pa smo se tu vratili na flok. Međutim, nije trebalo ništa dirati... tu smo vidjeli Bambija da je on tako samo doletio s 12 milja i prošao bez problema. Mi smo se onda na izlazu vratili na genaker i onda smo i mi nastavili pun gas prema dolje. U toj zoni nas je Bambi prošao. On je vozio dosta oštrije i većom brzinom, a mi to nismo mogli pratiti. Onda smo rekli... OK, idemo jedriti našu regatu, bez pariranja i izvuči maksimum iz Dubrovnika. Tako da smo mi vozili malo više prema Vela Luci... kako je vjetar slabio dizali se, kad je jačao spuštali se i to je dosta dobro ispalo. Nismo puno zaostali za Bambijem, a do punte Sušca stižemo s druga dva Swana (Rameša - Šangulin, Hrvoj - Škrlj). Bambi nas je tu čekao u bonaci, ali uhvatio je jedan reful prije nas s kojim se izvukao iz zavjetrine, a nas troje se tu vrtilo još nekoliko minuta... ono, reful lijevo, reful desno... pa s kraja, pa krma, pa orca... Kad smo se napokon izvukli u čisti vjetar plan je bio da se držimo više na zapadu i malo bliže Visu jer je izgledalo da je s te strane malo jači vjetar. Tako da smo prvo napravili malo duži repiket prije nego smo okrenuli prema Paklenjacima. Kad smo napravili taj manevar i krenuli uzbrdo vidio sam da sustižemo Bambija. Negdje na pola puta do Paklenjaka vjetar je naglo skrenuo prema levantu. Udarilo nam je u provu i morali smo pojati i jedriti prema Vela Luci. Tu smo virali i jedrili opet prema Visu. Tu je i vjetar malo pao, pa smo se prebacili na drifter i nastavili odlično voziti... imali smo odličan i kut i brzinu. U tom smjeru smo jedrili dok vjetar ponovno nije dao od poje, pa smo onda virali i smjer je bio takav da smo se nadali s njim dojedriti do Paklenjaka. Kako smo jedrili vjetar je ponovno malo okretao i na kraju smo završili na Pokonjem Dolu. Ovog puta nisam htio da idemo kroz Ždrilac jer je već bila noć, a par sati ranije mi je bilo prvi put da sam uopće projedrio kroz njega, tako da odluka nije bila teška... Kako smo prvi ušli u Hvarski kanal onda su se ostali mogli ravnati po nama i vidjeli su kako nam puše i onda su vjerojatno zaključili da im je bolje okušati sreću kroz Ždrilac. Ali tu smo se opet škapulali, nakon par vira uhvatili smo neki vjetar s kraja zbog kojeg smo se držali bliže otoku i onda smo s tim refulićima orcavali kroz cijeli kanal. Izgleda da je ovaj potez bio stvarno važan, jer od ostalih samo je Bambi uspio proći kroz Ždrilac, a ostali su se morali okrenuti i jedriti oko Paklenjaka. I dok je Bambi došao do punte Pelegrina mi smo bili skoro pa pred Splitskim Vratima. Inače, kad smo okrenuli Pelegrin očekivao sam da će nas dočekati neki levanat, ali bilo je stvarno slabo i više smo išli na kurenat nego na vjetar, ali kad je vjetar stigao stvarno brzo smo prešli preko kanala. Onda kad smo stigli pred Vrata opet je bilo pitanje što ćemo i kuda ćemo. Zbog kurenta smo izabrali da u sama Vrata uđemo od Šolte i stvarno su nas iz Livke dočekali dobri refuli s kojima smo dosta dobrom brzinom prošli unutra i uspjeli se prebaciti ispod Mrduje. Tu smo oko sat vremena čekali vjetar. Prvi refuli su krenuli iz Milne... puhali bi pa stali, pa opet tako i iz Bobovišća... i tako smo se nekako u zoru dokopali punte Brača. U kanalu, iza Brača, u to vrijeme počela se formirati crta za koju sam pretpostavljao da je od levanta, ali kad smo stigli do nje ispostavilo se da se formirao vjetar s krme... nešto sa zapada. Tu smo se vrtjeli dosta dugo, nismo se uspjeli maknuti, a za to vrijeme su se počeli Bambi i Mate približavati. Znao sam će Mate opet ići pod Šoltu, ali sam očekivao da će ići zapadnije i da će u cilj dolaziti uz Čiovo, ali srećom nije bilo tako, a i do nas je stigao neki mali refulić s kojim smo parirali ekipi iza nas i držali se ispred njih. Najnapetije je bilo pred samim ciljem jer je vjetar dolazio sa svih strana. Bambi je uhvatio neki crni raz koji kao da je bio od tramuntane i s Code 0 je jedrio ravno prema cilju, a Mate i mi smo bili više prema sredini kanala. Tu smo onda i mi opet vratili se prema sredini da pokušamo i mi uhvatiti tu tramuntanu, ali ipak je nadjačao ovaj vjetar s istoka, tako da smo s tim jednim refulom uletjeli ravno u cilj dovoljno brzo i za realno i za hendikep. Stvarno je bila zanimljiva regata, nije bilo ni jednog trenutka kad smo se mogli opustiti. Denis Vukas, jedrilica Dubrovnik FOTO: DUJE PETRIĆ Drugi koskiper na jedrilici Dubrovnik bio je Ivo Kvestić: Regata je bila toliko napeta i zahtijevala je puno rada, tako da nije bilo nikakvog spavanja, jednostavno se nije stiglo, a nije nam niti palo napamet. Stalno je ili netko nas ugrožavao ili smo mi nekog napadali. Ali nije bilo nikakvih problema po pitanju sna. Što se tiče hrane, svaki je pojeo po tri sendviča, svakih 5-6 sati, pa neke čokoladice... Adrenalin je stvarno bio jak i nisu se javljale potrebe ni za hranom ni za snom. Stalno je bilo samo naprijed, naprijed... odlučili smo pobijediti regatu ili "poginuti" pokušavajući. Vrebali smo svaku grešku protivnika i stvarno smo dobro iskorištavali sve prilike koje bi nam se ponudile. Istina, tih prilika nije bilo puno... svi što su bili u vrhu su stvarno vrhunski jedriličari i svi su imali cilj jednak kao i mi. Inače na brodu je sve odlično funkcioniralo, nije bilo nikakvih tehničkih problema, a puno smo radili s rasporedom mase. Jedra koja nisu bila podignuta smo po potrebi prebacivali po palubi, a jedini peh je bio kad je vreća s olujnim jedrima upala u more. Tad smo se morali okrenuti i vratiti po njih i bilo je već u posljednjim trenucima. Vreću sam zgrabio kad je krenula tonuti, a kako smo vozili stvarno ju je bilo teško izvaditi. Na kraju smo je morali udvoje izvlačiti i tu sam izgleda istegnu neki mišić i par sati nisam bio u svom najboljem izdanju. Procijenili smo da smo u toj situaciji izgubili sigurno jednu milju... zezali smo se kasnije da smo imali "man overboard" situaciju. Ali u svakom slučaju drago nam je što smo se vrlo dobro nosili protiv tehnološki superiornijih brodova, pogotovo u dijelu od Ždrilca do Sušca gdje su Swanovi s krilima i sa po dva kormila mogli skroz drugačije jedriti od nas, ali dočekali smo inkrmaniju situaciju zbog koje smo im se priključiili na Sušcu. Najvažnije je da ćemo ovu regatu pamtiti po dobrome! Ivo Kvestić, jedrilica Dubrovnik Što se tiče ostalih sudionika ovogodišnjeg Sušca ni većini njih nije bilo dosadno. Dapače, s ovolikim odazivom svatko je mogao pronaći sebi ravnog protivnika, a na moru je atmosfera bila slična onoj na regati Jabuka, kad je veliki broj jedrilica na istom mjestu i već sama takva koncentracija ne dozvoljava popuštanje, jer ako neki vaš propust neće iskoristiti prvi susjed, možda hoće onaj iza njega. Ogromna većina sudionika je na putu prema jugu izabrala prolazak kroz Ždrilac, poput vodeće nekolicine. Samo pet jedrilica je izabralo kompletni obilazak Paklenjaka. To je najviše iskoristio jedini Class 40 - Crazy, koji je s obzirom na svoje tehničke karakteristike imao značajne probleme po slabom vjetru nakon starta, ali na Sušac zato stiže drugi nakon vodeće skupine. Ispred njega je bila jedino Strilica - Melges 24 koji je odlične pozicije nakon starta izvrsno iskoristio sve do Sušca i pri tome bio najozbiljniji kandidat za pobjedu po "premjeru". Strilica Sušac uspijeva obići prva ispred ove skupine, ali zato je Crazy zapeo, a njegovo mjesto je zauzeo Magnum X3 uz kojeg su vrlo blizu bili Munjek F koji se u vodeću skupinu ubacio praktički iz drugog plana, te Otto e Mezzo. Uz neočekivano velik broj sudionika regata je posebna i po tome što su se mješovite posade počele javljati u nezanemarivom broju. Bilo ih je pet! Najbolje plasiran je bio par na Crazyju, a iza njih su ostale mix kombinacije na Ramoni, Runawayu, Liberi i First Loveu. Inače, na Liberi, miniju 650, jedrili su Ivica Kostelić i Petra Kliba, a ova regata im je bila prvi službeni nastup u sklopu priprema za kvalifikacije u miješanim dvojcima za olimpijadu u Parizu. Istina, izostao je rezultat, ali ovo nisu bili uvjeti za njihovu jedrilicu, koja bi se pokazala mnogo boljom da je start bio u petak, po jugu zbog kojeg je regata bila i odgođena jedan dan. Od ostalih sudionika svakako treba istaknuti i nastup vjerojatno najmlađe posade na ovogodišnjem Sušcu, Opatijaca Marka Vuksanovića i Luke Skokana na jedrilici Bokeljka koji su u cilj ušli kao vrlo dobri 16. Raspored ulazaka u cilj s pripadajućim vremenima možete pronaći na ovom linku, dok se ovdje nalazi raspored nakon obavljene korekcije po Sušac Openu, kao i po THC-u, a bogatu fotogaleriju sa starta možete pronaći na ovom linku. Posebno poglavlje priče o Sušcu iskusni veterani na Barki veloj - Dejan Velimirović i Marko Švent kojima je ovo 23. nastup na Sušcu, kao i Miljenko Nikolić koji je ove godine ovu regatu odjedrio po 20. put! READ MORE

Get To Know Your Local Sales Expert Ross in the Canadian flag bearing hat on the right. Ross MacDonald has been with North Sails for 14 years; 4 years with One Design and 10 years with the team at the Vancouver loft. He is 55 years old and was born in Vancouver. The first boat he ever sail on was his family's boat in 1969, an Alberg 30. What is your favourite local regatta/race and why? Round The County is my favourite race. It's great to meet up with old friends from all over British Columbia and Washington State. Where is your favourite spot to go cruising and why? My favourite spot to go cruising is Manson's landing off Cortes Island; sunsets and great swimming! What is your favourite design of boat and why? The Star class. It's a timeless design that has its attributes such as bulb keep as well as chined, high righting moment hull shapes that are finally seen on cruising boats today - 100+ years later. What is it about sailing that you enjoy the most? Getting the most out of the rig and sails. Being out on the water as well with friends and family is a big plus. What activities you enjoy outside of sailing? I enjoy skiing and bike riding. Tell us something interesting about yourself that most people would not know. I use to have red hair! How have you been keeping busy since all racing has been cancelled? I've been working on our boat, an X-41, and tidying the house. There's also quite a bit of planning going on for when we are allowed to travel and compete again, which I'm looking forward to. READ MORE

SHORTHAND SAILORS TAKE OVER THE SOLENT SORC Kicks Off with the Covid Shakedown Regatta Peter and Duncan Bacon’s Sunfast 3300 Sea Bear 📸 Rick Tomlinson Single and doublehanded sailors took to the water for the first time in months last weekend for the Solent Shakedown Race organized by the Solo Offshore Racing Club. 36 participants took to the Solent, welcomed by warm weather and a building sea breeze. Every sailor was happy to finally get out on the water to enjoy the sport they love. With North clients claiming the top seven places in Class 1 Solo IRC, it was Richard Palmer’s JPK 1010 Jangada who took the overall win, made even sweeter as it was the boat’s first outing since returning from the Caribbean at the end of May. We spoke with Palmer to find out how it felt to return to racing on home waters: “With winds building from 8 to 14 knots throughout the day, the conditions were ideal for checking the rig set-up. Starting with the J1.5 and staying in the tide off Gurnard, I had slightly over-stood the first layline, which actually put me in a position to control the fleet. I used the S2 to the next mark, soaking low to avoid having to jibe. I then took the call to hold onto the J1.5 in the building breeze, twisting the leech open slightly to help me depower. Despite many thousands of miles, my North sails are holding up well and I am still competitive. I am very pleased with the results.’’ North expert Ronan Grealish with Nick Lee’s Projection 920 Wee Bear North expert Ronan Grealish was on the water in the North Sails RIB, offering coaching, sail trim tips, and support to all. Based on our experience last weekend, we’ve come up with three key tips for shorthanded sailing: Sail Trim: Optimize your sail controls so you can control the mainsail and headsail from the same position. Cross sheeting the headsails is a good option to allow both sails to be trimmed from the windward side. It is important to have your sheets marked for average upwind trim so you can quickly pull them to the mark before fine-tuning once settled on your new tack. Planning Ahead: Thinking two steps ahead will mean you are always ready and anticipating the next manoeuver, reducing the likelihood of sailing past a turning mark. Sailing the shortest distance will pay more than keeping the sail up until the last moment. Having an Autopilot: A good autopilot is crucial, allowing you to concentrate on sail trim which powers the boat and gives you the best speed. Keeping your head out of the boat to look for changing conditions and tactical decisions will pay dividends when paired with effective sail trimming. Did you miss our doublehanded webinar with renowned offshore sailor Armel Le Cléac’h and phenom Clarisse sur l’Atlantique? The duo joined North Sails President Ken Read for an inside look into the trials of doublehanded sailing and the grit it takes to race shorthanded. Watch here. Winner of Class 1 Solo IRC, Richard Palmer’s JPK 1010 Jangada 📸 Rick Tomlinson Ole Bettum’s Grand Soleil 34 Almara IV sailing against an impressive backdrop 📸 Rick Tomlinson The fleet of single and doublehanders on the downwind leg 📸 Rick Tomlinson James and Charlie Owen’s J/99 Jet 📸 Rick Tomlinson Sam Cooper sailing the J/88 Tigris 📸 Rick Tomlinson Sign Up for North Sails News READ MORE

SAIL1DESIGN + NORTH SAILS 420 CLINIC Sailors Joined S1D and North Experts in Maryland 📸 North Sails Organized soon after the State of Maryland lifted boating/sailing restrictions and careful to mind all social distancing policies and procedures, the 29-31 May North Sails “C&I” 420 Clinic found some very eager participants, who could not wait to get out on the water and get back to sailing. Limited to six top local teams, chosen by experience and resume, the clinic featured Coach Lior Lavie, an Olympic-level sailor and a highly experienced and successful coach, and North Sails rep Tom Sitzmann. The Clinic was held at Sail1Design, a private venue on the Magothy River, just north of Annapolis, MD. 📸 North Sails As many know the 420 class sailboat has, in fact, two separate organizing classes, the International 420, and the Club 420. Coming soon will be a detailed article on these two classes, compared, so stay tuned. For now, and very briefly, here is a quick look: International 420 Class • Truly an international class, with fleets around the world • Tapered spar, high performance foil and sailmaker options. The class maintains strict rules but does allow sailors to buy their own favorite brand of foils and sails. • Rig tuning includes allowing spreader adjustment • Minimum hull weight is 176.4 lbs. • Boat will plane upwind and downwind in moderate wind conditions • Class organization is very strong; USA class participation is good, attracting many of the most talented youth sailors in the country • The choice for the US Youth double-handed championship Club 420 Class • USA only • Non-tapered spar, can use only class foils and class sails (North Sails is the sailmaker for the C420 class). Hull must have rail bumper. Rules are designed to promote durability. • Minimum hull weight is 230lbs. • Boat will plane downwind, not nearly as much or as often upwind when compared to the i420 • Class organization is very strong, class participation is excellent, often with 60+ boats attending major National-level events. 📸 North Sails One of the goals of this clinic was to expose sailors, first-hand, to the distinctions between the i420 and the C420. North Sails expert Tom Sitzmann, who is currently working on an all-new NS i420 tuning guide, shared some of the tips and tricks that make the North Sails i420 sails set up as they should be (for more information on North Sails i420 options, contact Tom) While both classes offer incredible opportunities for youth sailors, their tuning, trim, and focus points are distinct, and successful teams know these differences. Ultimately, the difference in each boat’s performance characteristics requires teams to dial in to the boat’s capabilities, and recognize tactics must change with boats that go different speeds. On the first day, 2 i420’s rigged up along with three C420’s, and teams interested in trying out the i420 were able to do so. Coach Lior had both C and i420’s do the same drills, and it was really neat to see the boats out training together. One sailor commented “The i420 was planing upwind for us, almost right out of a tack; I was amazed at how that boat accelerated and seemed to lift up right away.” Graeme Woodworth, whose son Luke participated in the clinic and was himself a top youth i420 and All-American collegiate sailor, noted that these two classes, back in the 1990’s, did have some overlap, and that the c420 National champion used to be given a spot at the i420 World Championship. For the rest of the weekend the group all sailed C420’s to make things even, and Coach Lior had the group work relentlessly on boat-handling, and spinnaker sets, jibes, and take-downs. It’s quite likely that the teams did more spinnaker work in these three days than at any other time in their lives, and the improvements were noticeable and impressive. In the end, the group had three days of near perfect weather conditions, and all learned a great deal. For more information on 420 sailing and i420 sails, contact North Sails today! 420 Tuning Guide Contact Tom 📸 North Sails READ MORE

2020 NORTH A-CLASS INVENTORY Optimized Designs for Boat Types, Masts and Sailor Weight The North A-Class Catamaran inventory is customized to complement your gear. Find below our sail selection charts which shows the sail that best suits your weight, mast and sailing conditions. Foiling Boats SAILOR WEIGHT All 14 & 15 Untapered Fibrefoam DNA Tapered Fibrefoam 6.3 to 6.5 Hounds Height Saarberg Mast Above 78 kg Decksweeper 2F Decksweeper 2 Decksweeper 2 Below 78 kg Decksweeper 2F Decksweeper 2F Decksweeper 2F Classic Boats SAILOR WEIGHT All 14 & 15 Untapered Fibrefoam DNA Tapered Fibrefoam 6.3 to 6.5 Hounds Height Saarberg Mast Above 78 kg Classic Decksweeper 1F Classic Decksweeper 1 Classic Decksweeper 1 Below 78 kg Classic Decksweeper 1F Classic Decksweeper 1F Classic Decksweeper 1F SAIL MODEL BOAT TYPE Classic Decksweeper 1 Classic Classic Decksweeper 1F Classic Classic Decksweeper 2 Foiling Classic Decksweeper 2F Foiling SHOP SAILS READ MORE

After an exhaustive research and development program, North Sails is thrilled to launch 3Di OCEAN 370, our latest innovative sail product that completes a line-up of 3D molded sails dedicated to cruising. READ MORE

Beneteau First 18 SE & Seascape 18 Quick Tuning Guide. QUICK TUNING NOTES TWS 0-4 4-8 8-12 12-16 18+ Mast Rake 8,64m Shrouds Tension Loos Tension Gauge 91 Model A 34 36 Base Setting 38-40 42-44 45-46 Shroud Turnbuckles (Full Turns) -1 0 +1 to +2 +3 to +4 +5 to +6 JIB Cunningham Light Light/Medium Medium Medium/Tight Tight Clew (Older option) Upper Upper Upper Upper Upper Traveler (New option) Middle Middle Middle Middle Middle Twist Medium Minimum Minimum/Medium Medium Medium Cross Sheeting No No No No No MAINSAIL A-Frame (distance - blocks) 5-10 cm 1-3 cm 1-3 cm 3 cm Play in puffs Outhaul (mid-foot from boom) 8-10 cm 8-10 cm 5-8 cm Tight Tight Vang (Kicker) Snug Snug Medium Hard Hard Cunningham No Light Light/Medium Medium/Max Max Twist Medium Minimum Minimum Minimum/Medium Lots Keel Position 88° - 85° 85° 85° 85° 85° Downwind (App. Wind Angle) 85° - 100° Speed 90° - 130° Speed & Soaking 110° - 140° Speed & Soaking 120° - 150° Speed & Soaking 100° - 130° Speed & Soaking Seascape 18 Speed Guide UPWIND TWS BS VMG HEEL AWA AWS TWA TACK 6 3.9 2.9 9° 25° 9.3 42 90 8 4.7 3.5 10° 25° 12 40 86 10 5.1 4.0 12° 25° 14.4 38 84 12 5.2 4.2 15° 25° 16.5 36 80 14 5.3 4.3 16° 26° 18.5 36 75 16 5.3 4.3 16° 27° 20.6 35 75 20 5.4 4.4 18° 28° 24.6 35 75 DOWNWIND TWS BS VMG HEEL AWA AWS TWA JIBE 6 3.9 3.2 5° 109° 3.5 147 85 8 4.8 4.1 5° 115° 4.7 148 80 10 5.4 4.7 6° 122° 6 150 70 12 5.8 5.0 6° 128° 7.5 150 65 14 6.2 5.4 6° 130° 9.1 150 65 16 7.6 6.1 7° 118° 11 143 75 20 12.1 8.8 10° 100° 14 137 80 READ MORE

WHO WE ARE: CHRIS WALTER Get To Know Your Local Service Expert Chris Walter is part of the service team at the Vancouver loft and has been with North Sails for seven years. He is 34 years old from Vancouver and the first boat he sailed on was a Cooper 353. What is your favourite local regatta/race and why? Too many to choose from, I love them all. The top would be the Columbia Gorge One Design Regatta (CGOD). Who doesn't love 20 knts, temp in the mid 30s and bathtub warm water? All in a spectacular Venue. The Vanisle 360 is also a favourite. The scenery is amazing and it's a real challenge both physically and mentally. Where is your favourite spot to go cruising and why? Anywhere I can get to. The whole coast of B.C. is beautiful. What is your favourite design of boat and why? The IMOCA 60 is my favourite design because of the forefront of design in ocean racing; plus the crazy people who sail them! What is it about sailing that you enjoy the most? I enjoy being outside and enjoying nature in addition to the power of the elements. What activities you enjoy outside of sailing? I enjoy skiing. I've been skiing since I was a kid at various resorts. Now a days, I ski with my brother at Sun Peaks. Tell us something interesting about yourself that most people would not know. I have never lived on land. I was born and have lived on a sailboat my entire life. First we lived on a Cooper 353 them a Brandlmayr 48. We had a dog growing up who lived on the boat with us, a schipperke, as well as a couple of hamsters. How have you been keeping busy since all racing has been cancelled? I've been fixing up my old boat, a C&C 32, mostly replacing all the things that slowly break on a nearly 40 year old boat. I added lazyjacks and sail bag, similar to what boats in ocean races use. I still have a regular sail cover for when I'm not sailing but this new one will contain the sail better while I'm out sailing. I've never raced the boat however was planning to do the Round Bowen race this year and perhaps a single handed race; we'll see what happens. READ MORE

NEW SAILS FOR SUMMER ON A SWAN 80 Sail Expert Brad Favelle Shares His First Impressions Brad Favelle, North sail expert based in Palma de Mallorca runs us through the delivery of some new sails which is always a refreshing experience. We met with Brad after installing a set of Swan 80 sails ready for summer cruising. He provides us with an on-the-ground view and shares his first impressions. Explain the sail installation process. Once the client picked the sails, what was the first step to getting them on the boat once production concluded? The sails are quite large on an 80-footer, so there was a fair amount of planning to get the sails to the boat and loaded on board. With the help of a forklift and the North Sails crane we lowered the sails onto the deck as the boat hit the water. Once the sails were safely on deck we started with the preparations of un-rolling in the correct position, then we used shackles and lashings to ensure the attachment points were set up correctly. Afterwards we loaded battens and applied the correct tension along with halyards to ensure all were hoisted ready for furling and boom reefing systems.This time is well spent along with the fine-tuning, which allowed us to create the best loading profiles for the sail and usability for the rig and deck systems onboard. We can assess the results of the product and sail setup by conducting sea trials, which are beneficial to us as sail designers and experts, and to the crew. We enjoy sharing our expertise with the crew so they can help make their owner’s experience even more enjoyable whilst onboard. What was it like seeing the new sails hoisted for the first time? To see the sails hoisted for the first time was not only rewarding but highly pleasing from a sail design and production point. Making sure the design was optimal and that the sails fit perfectly was one of my main goals when taking on this project. What were the client’s first remarks once they saw the sail up? As any sailor knows, the best way to judge the result is through the enjoyment of a balanced helm and smiles as we powered through the perfect sea conditions. As we trimmed in the sails, we quickly picked up speed and the level of enjoyment set in for all on board. We were all delighted to be out on the water again. What kind of conditions did you have for the first sail? For our first sail, we had roughly 14-16 knots with a slight sea state. We had two crew: two North Sails Experts and an additional Industry professional. We couldn’t have asked for better conditions, which helped to make the entire experience productive and fun for the captain and crew. Why is 3Di OCEAN 700 best for this type of yacht? Explain the features and benefits. 3Di OCEAN 700 is optimized for this size yacht as it delivers an exceptional level of modern cloth engineering. The blend of the internal tapes uses custom layouts and the chafe resistant surfaces provides the balance between durability and performance. I feel that OCEAN 700 is a great package for the client because of its user-friendly handling and trim characteristics. Also, its color looks particularly great against the white hull. 3Di OCEAN 700 is the right choice for blue-water superyachts, with aramid and UltraPE filament tapes, making her highly durable and strong. Everything about 3Di OCEAN 700 is for cruising performance perfection. What was the total production time once the order was placed to when they arrived on the scene? SY Swan 80’s sails were ordered in mid-December of 2019. Once the new year arrived, North sail designers Flavia Tomaselli, Heine Sorensen and myself went through the details with the boat captain Kelsey, allowing us to configure the sail design and specification in January of 2020. In May, the sails were delivered to the boat.We’ve built a positive relationship with the boat captain, through our after-sales care and service team approach which helped confirm the order. How long did it take to install the new sails once delivered? Once the sails were delivered 3 North Sails Representatives help make short work of this process. The headsail did not contain battens, so that was straightforward. We attached a hoisting halyard and adjusted the halyard while attaching the sheets. The mainsail required the battens and cars to be fitted, and then we got the foot lashed on. The cars are then attached to the rig one at a time, then the reef lines which completes the loading onto the boom. All in all, the entire process took roughly five hours. Our external team delivers the onboard support to ensure this is a fluid process for the crew and captain. Describe your first sail. What were the three main things you noticed? Our first sail went great, 3Di will look good on any Swan. The finishing points on the sail were perfected with utmost detail and care. The flying shape of the new sails works in hand with the balance, feel and characteristics of the boat. How long have you been working with the Swan 80 client? I’ve been working with the boat captain for eight years. Kelsey and I have worked together on multiple projects for different boats, so it was a natural fit for him to continue his relationship working with North Sails here in Palma. Through the industry-leading local port facilities and superyacht sail service hub, we are positioned perfectly to support all of the client needs for many years to come after the sails are delivered. Meeting the local demands, along with the high expectations of every client we see passing through the island, is our primary goal. We have a passionate team that works hard to achieve these types of results. Delivering new sails is always a great way to spend a day in Mallorca! As sailmakers, we are ever-evolving the ways we provide the best for our clients. READ MORE

BATTENS 101 How To Install Three Common Batten Types North Sails expert Tom Pease of North Sails in Milwaukee shows us how to use the three most common types of batten closures: velcro stuff, lace in and wing tip. To learn more about tensioning and installing battens for cruisers, see here. READ MORE

WHO WE ARE: DENNIS LEFEAUX Get To Know Your Local Service Expert Dennis Lefeaux has been a staple at North Sails Vancouver for years. He has worked for North Sails for over 40 years and is currently the service manager for Vancouver. He was born in Vancouver and is 59 years old with the first boat he sailed on being a T-Bird. What is your favourite local regatta/race and why? English bay scramble as it's fun and hard to figure out. Another favourite is Whidbey Island because it's tough racing but also has a fun social aspect once we're off the water. Where is your favourite spot to go cruising and why? Gulf Islands, the sailing is great and it's such a relaxing place. What is your favourite design of boat and why? Davidson 40 Teddy Bear, it's just a long time love affair. I also like the Martin 242 because it's simple, inexpensive, easy and fun. What is it about sailing that you enjoy the most? I would say it's a combination of being outside, the people, and the always changing playing field. What activities you enjoy outside of sailing? I enjoy hiking and fishing. Tell us something interesting about yourself that most people would not know. I was on the 1987 Canadian Americas cup team and coached soccer for 10 years. How have you been keeping busy since all racing has been cancelled? I’ve been keeping the loft running and getting service done for our customers while also working in the yards at home. READ MORE

WHO WE ARE: DREW MITCHELL Getting To Know Your Local Sales Expert Drew Mitchell was born in Halifax, Nova Scotia and has worked at North Sails for nine years as a sales rep and loft manager for the Vancouver loft. He is 32 years old and the first boat he sailed on was a Bluenose Sloop. What is your favourite local regatta/race and why? Van Isle 360. I enjoy this race as it is a pretty neat mix of sprint and distance racing with such amazing scenery. The stopovers are always fun as you get to mingle with other racers and chat about successes and failures on the race course. Also as an east coast kid it's a pretty neat way to some neat spots on Vancouver Island. Where is your favourite spot to go cruising and why? I've only ever cruised once in my life so I would have to say Alexandra Island RVYC outstation. It was on a 242 my buddy owned so it was more like camping on the water. What is your favourite design of boat and why? Bluenose Sloop. It is a classic Nova Scotian design that has been modified with fibreglass for racing. Currently it is the most competitive one design fleet in Nova Scotia with 25 + boats showing up for Chester Race Week. I am lucky enough to race on borrowed boats in the fleet with my brother. I hope to own one with him in the future. What is it about sailing that you enjoy the most? I enjoy all the uncontrolled variables that sailing has to offer and trying to manage them better than the competitors, it is like no other sport. I also enjoy the team aspect of sailing especially when I get to sail with my brother and close friends. My favourite type of sailing is large one design fleet racing. What activities do you enjoy outside of sailing? I enjoy hockey, surfing, snowboarding, powerboating and now golf. What is something interesting about yourself that most people would not know? Before moving to BC I played on both the Nova Scotian Box and Field lacrosse teams. I played in two founders cups (Jr b box national championship) and 1 Art Ross Victory Cup (Senior field national championship). I also played for STFX University team for 5 years, winning back to back MUFLL (league) championships and received league awards such as Rookie of the year, couple 1st team all stars and also won the league scoring title. How have you been keeping busy since all racing has been cancelled? I picked up golf, I am currently not very good but am really enjoying learning a new sport that I find is very difficult. Looking to shoot under 100 before sailboat racing ramps back up! READ MORE

YOUNG CRUISERS: TAKING CHANCES CREATES OPPORTUNITY A Story About Living Each Day to the Fullest By Caroline Gentry Rowell Imagine, if you will, it is the late summer of 2010. I am 21 years old, just graduated university, have taken a respectable office job and just moved into my new, cute and cozy two-bedroom apartment– as my parents threatened to never help me lug all of my stuff in a U-Haul again. Well, now picture three months later, when I come blazing into my parents’ suburban home, telling them that I have met someone- more specifically have “fallen for” my college sailing instructor and… I am quitting my job, breaking my lease that they reluctantly cosigned, hopping on a plane to St. Maarten, and planning to sail the Caribbean and Pacific…with him. Honestly, I am still wondering how my dad didn’t have a heart attack on the spot?! “I eagerly wanted to trade stability for adventure. So here I went…” Had we only been dating for a couple of months? Yes. Did I know how to sail? No, I was too busy being wooed to grasp more than the basics of rigging a 420 and had never sailed before college. Was I scared of the unknowns? Duh– but I knew that I had to do this or I would always look back with regrets (and we need none of those in our lives). I can still feel the butterflies, a mixture of excitement and nerves, and remember the tears as I told my family and friends goodbye before I boarded the plane. But I knew that this was me living my dreams– I eagerly wanted to trade stability for adventure. So here I went… It’s been ten years. That aforementioned “sailing club president” is my husband, we have a beautiful almost 2-year-old who is growing up spending his time between the mountains of North Carolina and cruising the Bahamas, and we hope to inspire others to live out their dreams and trust the unknowns (especially if they involve sailing/ cruising). In the past 10 years, we have collected enough memories to last us a lifetime. Our travels have taken us all over the globe where we have had the highest of highs and the absolute lowest of lows (as many cruisers will also tell you). We have met our best friends bought a business, made new towns feel like our hometown, retrofitted boats, grew a baby in paradise, but we have also lost mentors, been away from family for holidays, and been struck by lightning, all on this cruising journey. “Change is uncomfortable, the path less paved is bumpier, but life is so much sweeter when you live each day to its fullest.” READ MORE

What distinguishes a great cruising sail from average? You know when it feels right. It’s that moment when you could almost let go of the wheel and the boat would steer itself. A boat in perfect balance. READ MORE

Phantom sailing can be made as simple or as technical as you want to make it, this is one of the main reasons for its success as a class. Onshore Setup Due to the adjustments available in a modern Phantom the onshore setup is really only a base on which to develop your own tuning notes. SPREADER LENGTH This is measured from the outer tip to the side wall of the mast = 420mm. If you are under 85kg you can shorten the spreaders to 412mm, likewise if you are heavier than 99kg then you can lengthen them to 425mm. This adds more support to the middle of the mast, essentially stiffening the mast section. SPREADER ANGLE This is measured with a batten or straight edge across the aft side of the shrouds, the distance from this batten to the back of the mast is the spreader angle, this should be 145mm. MAST FOOT POSITION The mast foot is measured from the aft edge of transom bar to the aft edge of the mast = 3280mm. RIG TENSION Rig tension is actually one of the least important settings due to the fact that the Phantom is such a powerful boat that you are easing forestay to depower in relatively low wind speeds so the rig tension is actually only used for light conditions of under 6kts (dependent on helm weight). One of the main reasons for measuring rig tension is to have a constant measurement for setting up the mast rake. Therefore I set the rig up with 300lbs of rig tension using a rig tension gauge on the shrouds. The rake should then be as follows: Helm Weight < 91kgs – Rake 21’7Helm Weight 92 – 100kgs – Rake 21’10Helm Weight > 100kgs – Rake 22′ Sailing Set-up (Adjustable Lowers)I have added the lowers to sailing setup because they are key factors to setting up the sail shape once afloat. In the light airs (sub hiking) they should be slack, this allows the lower mast to bend with normal mainsheet and kicker tension, in turn this takes out a little of the excess shape from the luff of the sail. This is required because the wind doesn’t have enough energy to flow around deep sail shapes so it’s best to limit it’s effort and flatten the lower part of the sail. As the wind increases and kicker tension is added the lowers are then tightened, this is so it acts as a brace against TOO much lower mast bend due to the kicker. Less lowers tension is needed on flat water where a flatter luff entry helps, than in rough sea conditions where a fuller luff helps to make the boat more forgiving and easier to steer fast. FORESTAY The forestay is the first control to ease once the breeze increases into a ‘hiking’ breeze, this helps to bend the rig and flatten the sail, although you may lose a little pointing ability, however the speed you gain from raking the rig will outweigh this, don’t be afraid to see the leeward shroud swinging wildly in the wind! This is very much an individual preference so find settings you like and use a calibration strip on the deck or the forestay adjusters to make easy reference marks ( IMPORTANT: remember when you are max rake in windy conditions to pull on the forestay downwind and prior to tacks so you can get under the boom!) OUTHAUL The outhaul should be used in conjunction with the lowers, so in very light airs flatten the foot so there is just 50-60mm gap between the sail and the boom at max. depth. Gradually ease this as the wind increases to a maximum of 150mm gap when looking for max. power, and then pull on the outhaul until you have a crease running along the foot when you are looking for max. depower mode. KICKER The key control for most singlehanders it is doubly important in the Phantom due to it’s large roach mainsail, don’t be afraid to keep pulling it on as long as the top tell tail is flying 50% of the time. Sub hiking conditions you should mainly be using mainsheet to control the leech tension with the kicker adjusted to hold this tension whenever you ease the mainsheet, then as the breeze increases the kicker should be tensioned to keep a firm leech and aid pointing. Continue to pull on more and more as the wind builds as its much quicker to sail with the mainsheet eased (boom out beyond the quarter) and a lot of kicker than the reverse of boom near the centreline with an open leech. CENTREBOARD In sub hiking conditions under 5 knots you can have the board right down, but as you rake the mast you will need to raise the centreboard to maintain the balance, as soon as you feel you have too much weather helm raise the board some more, you will be surprised at how little board you need to maintain height once you are flat out hiking especially when needing to steer a lot in choppy conditions. DOWNWIND When reaching pull on the forestay so the leeward shroud is under some tension, this helps to power up the rig, ease the outhaul too , raise the board two-thirds, and as soon as you are close to planing move your weight back and go for it! The same applies on the run where sailing by the lee can be very quick as long as you ease enough kicker to twist the head of the sail, beware this is very twitchy in anything above a moderate breeze! The Phantom rewards hard work downwind so keeping the boat flat and constantly trimming and steering for any waves will pay dividends. Good Sailing! READ MORE

North Sails stands behind our products. When you buy a North Cruising Sail, you can expect quality. READ MORE

NORTH SAILS PARTNERS WITH WORLD CRUISING CLUB Supporting Bluewater Around the World Adventures with Expert Support and Global Service North Sails announces an exciting new partnership with leading sailing rally organizers World Cruising Club. The aim of the partnership is to inspire sailors around the world to embark on a cruising adventure, using North Sails experts and resources to guide the way. World Cruising Club are organizers of Atlantic Rally for Cruisers (ARC) and World ARC circumnavigation adventure, helping thousands of sailors annually cross oceans safely. North Sails is excited to provide the bluewater cruising community with access to its 110 sail and service lofts around the world and support to help advise them at every step of their journey. With over six decades of experience, North Sails is the industry leader in sailmaking and service. Reliable equipment is paramount for cruising safely. North Sails can provide that comfort to cruising customers, who know their experts are never more than a satellite call, cell phone call, or email away. "Welcoming North Sails as our preferred sailmaking partner for World Cruising Club rallies will benefit cruising sailors on their journeys across the Atlantic and around the world." This partnership comes at an exciting time, as North Sails has fast-tracked its development for an expansion of key cruising products. These are strictly for sailors who want to look at and trim beautiful, modern, and incredibly durable cruising sails. In a typical year over 1.5 million ocean miles will be sailed by boats in World Cruising Club’s rallies, so having the right sails is vital for successful ocean voyages. “North Sails is extremely proud of their cruising products, and we make more cruising sails than anyone in the world.” Said North Sails President, Ken Read, “We have always been a part of the cruising community and we are committed to serving our cruising customers in the same capacity we support racers. I, personally, am looking forward to local racing, yacht club cruises, and day sailing this summer.” World Cruising Club Managing Director, Andrew Bishop says “Welcoming North Sails as our preferred sailmaking partner for World Cruising Club rallies will benefit cruising sailors on their journeys across the Atlantic and around the world. Our partnership means the experienced North Sails team will be on hand to provide reliable advice about the selection, care and maintenance of sails for long-distance cruising at our forums and seminars supporting our participants, as well as delivering a long-lasting, quality product to help our participants achieve their sailing dreams with our rallies.” Cruising boats are a unique sanctuary in which to escape from day-to-day pressures on land. The pure fun of time spent away from shore with family and friends is of greater benefit than ever before. A partnership with World Cruising Club is just one of the ways that North Sails is supporting its customers in new and innovative ways. Keep an eye on your inboxes as North Sails has an exciting product announcement on the horizon. Join the waitlist today. 📸 Amory Ross / North Sails READ MORE

NORTH SAILS IS OPEN FOR BUSINESS But the fact is, we never closed It’s still a complicated time in many places around the world, and a huge thank you to our entire North Sails team, clients, and friends who have pulled together in a way that is quite frankly remarkable. Our summer calendar may not be filled with the normal regatta schedule, and local guidelines are certainly making us look at all aspects of our lives, but sailing remains a unique way to escape from day-to-day pressures on land. Many new and creative events are popping up around the world: single-handed, double-handed, social distance crewing. Our calendars are filling up with a unique style of racing, alongside day-sailing and cruising of course. Simply, “getting out there” is our new normal. So what’s been going on at North Sails? North Sails have 110 sales and service sites, and seven manufacturing facilities globally. We did have limited production for a time but are now running at full capacity at our manufacturing sites, and have been since mid-May. Some of our delivery times were pushed out a bit because of government restrictions at specific locations. Still, our manufacturing team has kept safety at the forefront while getting back on schedule. The great news is, we have already caught up to the point of taking new orders for delivery as early as July. As always, your local North Sails sales and service team are on hand to help and to answer questions as we help get you back on the water. Pre-season service, measurement, new sails, tuning, sail checks, we are simply a phone call away. Our Certified Service facilities are open globally, with many facilities offering curbside pickup and drop off. Use our loft finder below to access contact details and get in touch with your closest North Sails. We spend every minute of every day, making beautiful sails that improve your sailing experience. Take advantage of the North Sails expertise, and find out how much more fun you can have on your boat. FIND YOUR LOFT TALK TO AN EXPERT REQUEST A QUOTE READ MORE

NORTH SAILS PARTNERS WITH WORLD CRUISING CLUB Supporting Bluewater Around the World Adventures with Expert Support and Global Service North Sails announces an exciting new partnership with leading sailing rally organizers World Cruising Club. The aim of the partnership is to inspire sailors around the world to embark on a cruising adventure, using North Sails experts and resources to guide the way. World Cruising Club are organizers of Atlantic Rally for Cruisers (ARC) and World ARC circumnavigation adventure, helping thousands of sailors annually cross oceans safely. North Sails is excited to provide the bluewater cruising community with access to its 110 sail and service lofts around the world and support to help advise them at every step of their journey. With over six decades of experience, North Sails is the industry leader in sailmaking and service. Reliable equipment is paramount for cruising safely. North Sails can provide that comfort to cruising customers, who know their experts are never more than a satellite call, cell phone call, or email away. “Welcoming North Sails as our preferred sailmaking partner for World Cruising Club rallies will benefit cruising sailors on their journeys across the Atlantic and around the world.” This partnership comes at an exciting time, as North Sails has fast-tracked its development for an expansion of key cruising products. These are strictly for sailors who want to look at and trim beautiful, modern, and incredibly durable cruising sails. In a typical year over 1.5 million ocean miles will be sailed by boats in World Cruising Club’s rallies, so having the right sails is vital for successful ocean voyages. “North Sails is extremely proud of their cruising products, and we make more cruising sails than anyone in the world.” Said North Sails President, Ken Read, “We have always been a part of the cruising community and we are committed to serving our cruising customers in the same capacity we support racers. I, personally, am looking forward to local racing, yacht club cruises, and day sailing this summer.” World Cruising Club Managing Director, Andrew Bishop says “Welcoming North Sails as our preferred sailmaking partner for World Cruising Club rallies will benefit cruising sailors on their journeys across the Atlantic and around the world. Our partnership means the experienced North Sails team will be on hand to provide reliable advice about the selection, care and maintenance of sails for long-distance cruising at our forums and seminars supporting our participants, as well as delivering a long-lasting, quality product to help our participants achieve their sailing dreams with our rallies.” Cruising boats are a unique sanctuary in which to escape from day-to-day pressures on land. The pure fun of time spent away from shore with family and friends is of greater benefit than ever before. A partnership with World Cruising Club is just one of the ways that North Sails is supporting its customers in new and innovative ways. Keep an eye on your inboxes as North Sails has an exciting product announcement on the horizon. Join the waitlist today. 📸 Amory Ross / North Sails READ MORE

NORTH SAILS IS OPEN FOR BUSINESS But the fact is, we never closed It’s still a complicated time in many places around the world, and a huge thank you to our entire North Sails team, clients, and friends who have pulled together in a way that is quite frankly remarkable. Our summer calendar may not be filled with the normal regatta schedule, and local guidelines are certainly making us look at all aspects of our lives, but sailing remains a unique way to escape from day-to-day pressures on land. Many new and creative events are popping up around the world: single-handed, double-handed, social distance crewing. Our calendars are filling up with a unique style of racing, alongside day-sailing and cruising of course. Simply, “getting out there” is our new normal. So what’s been going on at North Sails? North Sails have 110 sales and service sites, and seven manufacturing facilities globally. We did have limited production for a time but are now running at full capacity at our manufacturing sites, and have been since mid-May. Some of our delivery times were pushed out a bit because of government restrictions at specific locations. Still, our manufacturing team has kept safety at the forefront while getting back on schedule. The great news is, we have already caught up to the point of taking new orders for delivery as early as July. As always, your local North Sails sales and service team are on hand to help and to answer questions as we help get you back on the water. Pre-season service, measurement, new sails, tuning, sail checks, we are simply a phone call away. Our Certified Service facilities are open globally, with many facilities offering curbside pickup and drop off. Use our loft finder below to access contact details and get in touch with your closest North Sails. We spend every minute of every day, making beautiful sails that improve your sailing experience. Take advantage of the North Sails expertise, and find out how much more fun you can have on your boat. FIND YOUR LOFT TALK TO AN EXPERT REQUEST A QUOTE READ MORE

North Sails expert Derek Scott answers your Elliott 5.9 speed and boat handling questions. Your new North sails are designed with an “all around” philosophy in mind. As we learn more about the Elliott 5.9, or any other One Design Class, new information regarding setup, tuning and trimming techniques will be updated on the class page. Sign up online for our North Sails e-mail updates and receive all Elliott 5.9 news and updates directly by e-mail. PRE-RACE PREPARATION TRAILER & BOAT Make sure when transporting the boat that the keel bulb always sits perfectly in the keel platform of the trailer. If the boat is sitting where she belongs on the trailer, the bulb should rest perfectly in the keel bed and the keel fin should sit free in the keel case. Packing pre-cut foam between the keel edges/sides and the keel box will help prevent any movement of the keel when trailing. Tying the fin forward and back is a good idea to restrict movement and it is also important to ensure that the boat stays forward against the bow guide when trailering. HULL, KEEL & RUDDER For travelling to regattas to ensure good general care of your boat, the investment of a trailer skirt is well worth the protection it affords.Make sure your hull, keel, bulb and rudder are clean and free of major dings and scratchers. Your rudder should be kept in a padded bag for protection. MAST SETUP & TUNING Before stepping the mast, check all ropes and halyards for general wear and tear and replace if any halyards are damaged. Check the wire stays for any fried strands or any nasty kinks. Pull the main, jib and spinnaker halyards down and tie off to pole ring. It is always good to have a windex at the top of the mast and now is a good time to attach it before the mast gets lifted. INITIAL RIG SETUP Most of the time, it is just the forestay which needs to be wound on as most boats will not need to adjust the side stays and lowers to drop the mast. To measure mast rake, tie the end of the tape measure onto the main halyard. Pull it right to the top of the mast. Measure to the middle where the deck meets the transom – a good starting mast rake is 9.580m. From here you can see how the boat feels and performs and adjust the mast rake accordingly. EXAMPLE: If the rudder feels heavy and the boat is trying to round up into the wind (excessive weather helm), you may need to move the mast forward. On the other hand, if the rudder feels very light or the boat is trying to bear off (excessive lee helm), you might need to rake the mast back.  In the Elliott 5.9, it is important to have a small amount of weather helm as this helps with your height and pointing in the light winds – just be careful it is not too much in the windy conditions. BASE MAST TUNE SETUP To set the base rig tune, use a PT-1 Loos Tension Gauge to check tensions on the side stays and lowers. Firstly, adjust the side stays to 40 on the tension gauge and then set the lower shrouds to 25 (be sure to go back and double check the uppers and then the intermediates in the process because they will both change when you tension or de-tension one of them). TUNING CHART (New Loos Gauge Pro Model PT-2): Step Windspeed (kts) Uppers (PT-2) Forestay (PT-2 Forestay turns from Base Lowers (PT-2) Lowers – turns from base -1 0-5 38 38 -6 25 +6 0 5-10 40 40 0 25 0 1 10-15 38 38 3 22 -3 2 15-20 36 36 6 20 -6 3 20+ 34 34 9 20 -9 SAIL TRIM MAINSAIL AND TRAVELLER In light airs keep the traveler about 200-300mm above the centre line and make sure the mainsheet is eased enough so the telltale on the top batten is flying nearly all the time. This will ensure your boom will stay on the centre line and give the boat good height. Once your crew is sitting on the side, the traveler should be in the middle and you will be able to sheet the mainsheet a bit harder whilst keeping an eye on the top telltale – it should now be flying 50% of the time. In the windy conditions when the crew is hiking hard, the aim is to keep the boat as flat as possible – remember, flat is fast! Use the traveler when the boat heels over and in the big gusts you might have to ease the mainsheet. If the mainsail starts to back, put the traveler higher, and ease the mainsheet. Twist is your friend – when in doubt, ease it out to get the boat going through the water. Keeping the mainsail trim soft and very twisted to keep the boat sailing flat is often fast. It is important to experiment with different heel angles and mainsheet tension in different conditions to see what works best for your boat and crew. OUTHAUL In light to medium winds, the Elliott 5.9 likes to have some power in the lower section of the mainsail, so the outhaul should be eased 20-30mm in from the black band. In heavy airs, aim to flatten the sail by pulling the outhaul out to the black band, especially in flat water. In rougher seas, it can be fast to keep the outhaul a bit looser to make the main fuller in the lower section. CUNNINGHAM The cunningham on the Elliott 5.9 acts as a depowering tool and is thus not used until approximately 12 knots. In this wind, it is used until wrinkles in luff are just removed. Above 15 knots, the cunningham can come on 75%. VANG The vang is used upwind as soon as the boat is overpowered. At the early stages of being overpowered, simply snug the vang to help induce mast bend and flatten the mainsail. As the boat becomes increasingly overpowered, pull the vang harder to flatten the mainsail. When sailing downwind, adjust the vang so the top batten telltale is always flowing; twist is generally good. When sailing upwind in light airs (0-8 knots), keep the vang loose. In 8-15 knots, pull on to remove all slack (just snug). Above 15 knots, pull on firmly. REMEMBER to let half of the vang off when you get to the top mark in windy conditions or the boat will struggle to bear away. JIB TRIM The jib on the Elliott 5.9 is a high aspect sail (tall and skinny), making it very sensitive to small adjustments in jib sheet tension. Tightening or easing the jib sheet by just 15mm can have a big effect on boat speed and pointing. Generally, in light to medium breeze, set the jib lead so that when you are luffing slowly into the wind the luff breaks evenly. As the wind builds, move the jib lead up or jib car aft to flatten the foot and twist the head of the jib to depower. In the windy conditions, if the mainsail is backwinding and flapping, this could be because: 1. The jib sheet is too tight or the jib lead is too low, meaning the jib leech is too closed and thus back winding the main. 2. The main traveler is too low, closing the slot between the main and the jib. We have placed a telltale on the upper leech (near the spreaders) of the jib to help you judge how tight or loose the sheet should be. The general rule of thumb is to trim the sheet hard enough so that the upper leech telltale is just on the edge of stalling, but never stalled. Just as with the mainsail, it will be easy to stall the telltale in light air and very hard to stall in heavy air even with the sheet trimmed. SPINNAKER TRIM Always sail your North spinnaker with a 10cm – 20cm curl in the luff making careful concentration necessary! Use short, smooth, in and out motions on the sheet to keep the spinnaker trimmed correctly, trying to not jerk the sheet if the spinnaker begins to collapse. Set the pole so it is nearly perpendicular to the wind. A telltale on the topping lift a foot up from the pole works great as a reference. Keep the clews even at all times through adjustments to your topping lift (pole). If the top of the spinnaker breaks high first, lower the pole. If the bottom luff breaks first raise the pole slightly. In light, puffy conditions, the pole height will be adjusted nearly as much as the sheet and guy. IN CONCLUSION We hope all of the tips we mentioned are helpful to your Elliott 5.9 sailing program. Please get in touch with the North Sails Elliott 5.9 Class Expert, Derek Scott, for further details and help. KEY POINTS Always sail the boat as flat as possible, except in very light air where a slight louward heel is advantageous Do not be afraid to change settings if you are slow Set up a tuning chart and use it Have open and positive communication on board Sail fast and have fun! READ MORE