NORTH SAILS BLOG

LA VOLVO OCEAN RACE SE DECIDIRÁ EN EUROPA El final de la Etapa 9 ha dejado totalmente abierta la lucha por la victoria final en la Volvo Ocean Race 2017-18. © Ugo Fonolla / Volvo Ocean Race La victoria de Team Brunel, unida a la tercera posición de DongFeng Race Team y la quinta de MAPFRE aprieta la clasificación a falta de dos únicos asaltos, que llevarán a la flota desde Cardiff (Gales) hasta Gotemburgo (Suecia) y finalmente hasta La Haya (Holanda). El equipo chino lidera la provisional con un punto de ventaja sobre el español y tres sobre el holandés, por lo que el nombre del campeón de la VOR se decidirá en Europa. North Sails es la velería oficial de la Volvo Ocean Race. READ MORE

VELA FLEXIBLE, EL REVOLUCIONARIO CONCEPTO PARA LA AMERICA’S CUP Burns Fallow y Michael Richelsen lideran el equipo de trabajo de North Sails, Emirates Team New Zealand y Luna Rossa para desarrollar el concepto de vela flexible con el que se competirá por la 36 America’s Cup. © Emirates Team New Zealand North Technology Group cuenta con una larga y productiva historia en la America’s Cup. Tanto la velería North Sails como la firma de aparejos Southern Spars han sido fundamentales en el desarrollo de barcos de Copa durante años, más recientemente con la introducción de la revolucionaria tecnología 3Di y los innovadores catamaranes foileadores de ala rígida. El anuncio del nuevo concepto de barco con el que se competirá por la 36 America’s Cup debe mucho del trabajo, los recursos, la experiencia y la creatividad al corazón del Grupo North. North Sails y sus herramientas de diseño han vuelto a ser parte clave para el desarrollo de los monocascos que volarán en Nueva Zelanda en 2021. El Defender Emirates Team New Zealand y el Challenge of Record Luna Rossa tenían claro que querían crear algo nuevo, emocionante y diferente cuando sugirieron las primeras pinceladas de cómo sería la defensa en Auckland. Para ello, no dudaron en recurrir a North Sails, el indiscutible líder mundial de diseño y fabricación de velas. Desde el inicio de la colaboración, en septiembre de 2017, los expertos de North Sails Burns Fallow y Michael Richelsen fueron conscientes de que debían implicar el North Design Suite, la serie de programas informáticos utilizados por arquitectos navales, diseñadores y regatistas de todo el mundo. Entre los componentes del Suite, iba a ser determinante para el desarrollo del nuevo concepto el software Membrain©, que equilibra presión de viento, forma de la vela y fuerzas del aparejo. Según Fallow: “Iniciamos este proyecto en septiembre y no tuvimos mucho tiempo para valorar si esta idea iba a ser viable o no, así que había muchas preguntas esenciales que requerían respuesta. Preguntas como cuál será la diferencia de cargas entre la superficie de barlovento y de sotavento de la vela, cómo trabajará la interacción entre sables y mástil, o cuál será el beneficio aerodinámico de todo esto. Informé a Michael (Richelsen) sobre lo que tratábamos de lograr, y apenas dos meses más tarde logramos una versión del Membrain que nos ayudó a responder esas preguntas. Desde entonces, hemos añadido más y más funciones para lograr modelos más perfeccionados. Es uno de los proyectos más emocionantes y progresivos en los que he estado involucrado en mis 30 años con North Sails”. Membrain se utiliza en paralelo con Flow©, que inicialmente aplica presión de viento al conjunto de velas y aparejo, y devuelve un mapa de presiones, fuerzas y momentos generados sobre los mismos. Membrain utiliza estos resultados de Flow para calcular la deformación virtual de la combinación aparejo/vela como estructura unificada. Este proceso se repite hasta que se consigue un equilibrio estable. Rígida, flexible o convencional El sistema de doble elemento de vela rígida utilizado en las ediciones 34 y 35 de la America’s Cup (2013 y 2017) dio lugar a un nivel inédito de trimado. Un ala dividida en segmentos puede ser configurada con una profundidad mayor que una vela convencional, logrando así una fuerza de sustentación mayor cuando se necesite. En segundo lugar, los brazos de control rígidos pueden forzar la inversión de las secciones superiores, lo que crea un momento de adrizamiento, requerido en condiciones de exceso de potencia, al invertir la fuerza de sustentación. Pero un ala rígida es complicada, cara y poco práctica para la navegación en general. La vela flexible es un híbrido entre una vela convencional y una rígida. Los pares de sables (uno en cada sección) controlan activamente el twist en el área superior. El control de estos sables puede cambiar la forma de la vela y consecuentemente las prestaciones. Aunque la inversión de sección de una vela flexible no puede ser tan dramática como lo sería en un ala rígida, si es mucho mayor que la de una mayor convencional. A diferencia de una mayor convencional, un ala rígida no se desventa. La vela flexible conserva esta característica gracias a los pares de sables, por lo que puede liberar potencia mejor que una vela convencional, algo muy beneficioso y aprovechable. Por su parte, la superficie 3Di actúa como esencial receptor de cargas, colaborando con los pares de sables para lograr una vela flexible efectiva. JB Braun, jefe de diseño e ingeniería en North Sails, explica que las consecuencias de esta investigación trascenderá el nicho de la America’s Cup: “Como ya comprobamos desde el nacimiento de la tecnología 3Di con Alinghi, que hoy es utilizada tanto en competición como en crucero, los beneficios de este trabajo para el deporte de la vela son enormes”. Para más información sobre el Servicio Certificado North Sails, visita www.northsails.com o contacta con nosotros en info@es.northsails.com READ MORE

Success All Round for the May Bank Holiday Weekend A busy and successful weekend for North Sails clients racing on the south coast The three day weekend is always a busy one for sailing in and around the Solent and this year’s May Bank holiday was no different. On the South coast alone there were four major events, spreading from Poole to Cowes, with everything from Etchells for their UK Nationals, to the second event in the Fast 40+ Series as part of the Poole regatta. The J Cup, also happening in Cowes, had a spectacular entrance of 66 boats, covering all types of J boats including the popular J/70 fleet and a strong IRC fleet With a bad weather forecast looming at the beginning of the week for the South coast, everyone was pleasantly surprised to have the sunshine turn up for the whole weekend. Despite the lack of wind on Friday, Saturday gave near perfect conditions and the rest of the weekend followed in that path. The North Sails UK team were spread amongst these events, offering regatta support at Poole regatta with our travelling Certified Service team and North U debrief’s in Cowes for the annual J Cup. The J/24’s had their National Championship as part of the Poole regatta. This fleet has been making a come back in the UK over the past years, and for the weekend they saw twenty-one boats entered. Sam Richmond, UK Sales Manager “Weekend’s like this make us really proud of what we have achieved working with teams in the Solent, with wins in everything from Etchells through Quarter Tonners and on to Fast 40+’s. It was great to see our team out sailing with their clients and helping them make the most of their sails" Do not hesitate to get in touch with the team for feedback from the weekend, we are here to help! Congratulations to all of our clients out on the water, here is a list of our clients wins. J Cup 2018, Cowes J/111 1 Sweeny / Paul van Driel & Hans Zwijnenburg J/92 1 Upstart / Robin Stevenson J/97 1 Jaywalker / Bob & Jon Baker J/88 1 J-Dream / David & Kirsty Apthorpe IRC 1 Davanti Tyres / Chaz Ilvill Fast 40+, Poole 1 RAN / Niklas Zennstrom J/24 UK Nationals, Poole 1 Chaotic / Nick Phillips Etchells UK Nationals, Cowes 1 Alfie / Lawrie Smith Etchells UK National Champions ©Sportography.tv J/97's at the annual J Cup Fast 40+ RAN © Ian Roman READ MORE

THE CUTTING EDGE OF OFFSHORE Production Profile: Vannes, Brittany, FRA. The French offshore market was as fervent as ever when the North Sails loft in Vannes opened its doors in 2004; the Vendée Globe was in full swing, Jean-Luc Van Den Heede soon set the record for “the wrong way around” on Adrien, and Dame Ellen MacArthur soon broke the eastabout, singlehanded circumnavigation record on B&Q. Extensive sailing know-how combined with an innovative marine trade, makes France unlike any other in the sailing world. True to form, the North Sails team in Vannes specializes in offshore sailmaking, especially those jobs fit for breaking records. The Vannes loft is led by Eric Gallais-Hamonno, who found his way there through a love of sailing. “Our dedication to the product, especially in offshore sailing, makes us unique,” said Eric. “As long as there is a market in France, we will be here.” Perhaps this dedication is what keeps sailing heroes like Armel Le Cleach, Francois Gabart, and Jean Le Cam returning to North Sails, whether it’s to alter a used inventory or to conceptualize sails for their next ocean racing craft. “It’s easier to love your job when your product is used to do incredible things,” Eric continued. “We work in a community that pushes the boundaries; our team is always talking with skippers about how to make the sails lighter, faster, more sexy, and we are proud to see our clients make headlines for performance.” A signed poster of BT, Sebastien Josse’s 2008 Vendée Globe entry, hangs in the loft. A typical day in Vannes will see new sails for professional programs (Multi 50, Ultime, or Figaro) finished alongside service jobs for cruising clients or local racers. The loft boasts diverse experience within a staff of 10, the majority with 10 – 15 years in the game. “Our sales team has a powerful casein the experience of our sailmakers and designers,” Eric said. “The team is tight-knight, positive and hard working.” A wealth of expertise and proximity to sailing’s most demanding projects, makes Vannes a source of knowledge for North Sails and the loft’s experience grows with each new project. North Sails recently formed a global Research and Development team in Vannes. The group is headed up by lead designer, Gautier Sergent, who’s experience spans multiple record breaking campaigns; most recently Francois Gabart’s MACIF Ultime, Thomas Coville’s Sodebo Ultime, and Francis Joyon’s Trimaran IDEC Sport. It’s hard to overstate the importance of a skipper’s relationship with their sailmaker for these projects. The North team in France works hard to support the sailors in their pursuit of extreme challenges, and repeatedly earn their trust with each new venture. The North Sails team in Vannes is one of the most experienced; most workers have 10-15 years in the business, with a few approaching 25 years. The French offshore sailing market is as competitive off the water as it is on the ocean. Eric says the biggest difference in winning orders came with the introduction of North Sails 3Di. “There are many reputable sailmakers in France – six or seven making IMOCA sails, which are one of our specialties. We have a strong position with North Sails 3Di. Since the product was introduced our market share in the IMOCA has risen from 35% to 60%, with five of the first six Vendée Globe finishers carrying North Sails in 2016.” Also, all of the Ultime Trimarans are racing with North Sails 3Di, and the product has an unprecedented track record when it comes to powering offshore records. Vannes is one of seven production facilities worldwide wholly owned by North Sails. Minden and Sri Lanka are the only lofts with 3D sail technology and are a vital component to Eric’s operation. These lofts are responsible for production of all 3Di sail membranes. These membranes, or “blanks” are they’re call by the North lofts are finished by Eric’s team who add extra reinforcements, leech/luff tape, and hardware – before delivering them to the client. With the offshore market paramount, Eric’s team also taps Minden and Sri Lanka for help with cruising orders. Since we are a global company now, we work with a central scheduler to liaise with all the lofts and distribute jobs, keeping the workflow steady for everyone. Sri Lanka especially is very good, and the North Sails Blue Book has implemented standards across all sites, to the point where we don’t need to manage the orders as closely.” Today in Vannes, a single sailmaker can work independently on a new IMOCA 60 sail. Ten years ago the same job required two or three staff to maneuver the material smoothly through a sewing machine. North Sails 3Di also requires less finishing work. Finishing an IMOCA 3Di mainsail used to take 95 working hours; now it takes 85. (A traditional paneled main required 120 hours.) “The 3Di manufacturing process takes care of many parts and pieces simultaneously, by building things like batten pockets directly into the sail,” Eric said. “The result is a more durable, seamless construction that requires less manual labor. “ “My priority is to have happy customers – which means you deliver the sails on time, with all the requests completed fully. I have to say I am the most proud of my team. I wish I could spend more time with them on the floor! The people are really motivated. They are flexible and hard working – smiling through extra hours and having to share space with many projects happening simultaneously.” When he does find the time to work alongside his team, Eric understands the roles reverse. “When I join them on the floor I begin by saying – Okay, what do you need me to do?” READ MORE

MELGES 20 WORLD LEAGUE, SCARLINO Pacific Yankee Takes the European Fleet by storm The second event in the Melges 20 European Circuit took place in Scarlino, Italy. With light to medium winds across the weekend the thirty-one boat fleet completed seven races. For this event, American sailor Drew Freides and his team onboard Pacific Yankee came over to Europe, using the event as a test event before the World Championship later in the year in Cagliari, Italy. With a 14-point clearance in the race series, Pacific Yankee took the win. In second place was Polish team Mag Tiny skippered by Krzysztof Krempec, whose consistency on the first day of racing secured their position at the top end of the fleet. Both top finishers were using full North Sails inventories. “With the fleet getting stronger and stronger every regatta it’s great to see the fleet improving along with the series. We are pleased to see more of our North 3Di sails amongst the fleet with each regatta, 3Di is the sail of the future!” – Giulio Desiderado, North Sails One Design Expert The next event is in Lerici at the end of June, watch this space to see how this exciting fleet gets on! Learn more about North Melges 20 products. Full results READ MORE

A Chance To Qualify Bayview Yacht Club Spring Match Race Invitational Chair of the BYC Spring Match Race Invitational, Lance Smotherman, shares his advice for racers and the opportunity that lays in the qualifying event. Lance is also the chair of the Detroit Cup and the Richardson Cup (Great Lakes Match Race Championship). Tell us about the BYC Spring Match Race Invitational. The best way to describe it is we have a couple of major match race events and this is a qualifier where the local people can get an invitation to one of the bigger events that they might normally not get to be in. How about if I start with the, we'll start with the Detroit Cup, which is our second event. Now the Detroit Cup is one of four match races in a series around the country. International people come to participate in. For our race, it's going to take place in August. We're about halfway subscribed so far, maybe two thirds of the way subscribed. The countries represented in this event for match racing is two teams from New Zealand, one from Australia, one from Poland, one from Japan, two from the U.S. There's a pretty wide assortment there of skill from all over the world. Right. So, those are the caliber of teams that are coming in for that event and then the Spring Invitational is an opportunity where more local people, if they win this event, can then participate in the next stage, which is quite a bit bigger. Would you say that a lot of locals are participating and trying to get to that qualifying stage? Yes, we're trying to get as many locals as we can. We're trying to get eight teams. And in that light, the Spring Invitational qualifies you for four different events, actually five. So, one of the events, it gets them to race in the international match race, the Detroit Cup, which is what I just described. The second thing that they get is they also qualify to be in the Thompson Cup, which is Seawanhaka Corinthia Yacht Club in New York, which is also part of that four race series. So if they win the Spring Invitational they can go participate in two of the four events that are taking place in the Grand Slam series. They also get to participate in the Great Lakes Match Race Championship; which is the Richardson Cup and Bayview Yacht Club is the sponsor for this year. Then the last thing is that it also qualifies them to get into the Match Race, U.S. Match Race Championship, being held at Chicago Yacht Club. What are conditions historically like at this event? Detroit, we race right in front of the club. We have ultimate 20s that we race in. And we race right in front of the club, so it's grandstand seating to watch them. The Detroit river, although it's very tricky to race in because of the current, typically fairly light winds. So it really creates a complete different match racing dynamic than in a lot of the other venues where they're in open areas so it gets really tricky. How do racers typically prepare for something like that if it's, it sounds like it's very tactically different than what they're going to be used to. They have to come in and practice. There is a home field advantage for the people who are familiar with racing in Detroit. Very similar to if you race in Charleston, South Carolina. They race a lot in the rivers there which is kind of the same thing. It's very tricky and the people who are familiar with racing in those waters have a slight advantage. Although, for the last several years it's been the international teams that have won those big events. Harry Price from Australia, his won the Detroit Cup two years in a row now. So although there's a home field advantage, the best match racers in the world are still smart enough to figure it out. What's your best advice for racers attending these events? We are having a practice day the day before the event and they should take full advantage of the practice day so they can re-familiarize themselves with those currents and waters. And we're one of the few match race venues that use sport boats. You know, with sprints and asymmetrical. But most of the match racing is done in boats like Sonars and Catalina 37s and boats of that nature and we use a 20 foot sport boat with a extendable pole and asymmetrical spinnakers. So a lot of the times we have match racers, believe it or not, who aren't that familiar with sprint boats. North Sails Detroit is a proud sponsor of all three match racing events held at Bayview Yacht Club. READ MORE

SUCCESSFUL SEASON FOR PAPER TIGER FLEET The North Sails clients in the Paper Tiger fleet have had an extremely successful season, dominating most podium positions, lead by Hayden Percy The North Sails S-4 Stealth Paper Tiger Mainsail has dominated almost every event in the Paper Tiger Grand Prix Regattas in the 2017/2018 season in New Zealand. The wins also branched out to the recent Internationals in Melbourne, Australia, when the New Zealand team filled the podium, taking 1,2,3,4 using North Sails products Hayden Percy is a name to follow in this class. He has won every regatta he has entered since moving to the North S-4 mainsail. Out of 48 starts, he has won 35 of those races, a fantastic scoreboard for any sailor. Here is what Hayden had to say about his North Mainsail “North’s sails are amazing. Their laminate sails are easy to use, its just like sailing with a Dacron again. It’s my 4th generation laminate and the easiest by far. If you buy a North you know what you’re getting, the same shape as everyone else and a sail that fits perfect first time. Used with the carbon battens is a winner.” Over the 2017/18 season the S-4 has increased in popularity due to its winning results. Going from 18% of the fleet in the 2017 Nationals, to 33% in the 2018 Nationals, and this is still continuing to grow. The S-4 mainsail was developed with the help of Mark Orams back in 2015. Mark was one of the instigators for stiffeners in the rigs. This is what North have used to match their sails to. The S-4 has been designed to be an easy sail to trim. Most laminate sails are quite firm and “locked in” which with most boats is fast, but with the Paper Tiger and its soft bendy mast you need a sail that works with that. The S-4 is built from a cross cut mylar that allows the sail to mould more easily to the mast shape but also have the ability to be powerful when needed. North Sails Australia now have the S-4 Stealth Mainsail in stock, get in contact with the Australian team, Andrew Gavenlock, Ian Johnson & Vaughan Prentice. For more details and information on the Paper Tiger sails, get in touch with class expert Derek Scott. READ MORE

NORTH-POWERED TEAMS DOMINATE 470 EUROPEANS Six Teams On The Podium, One Sailmaker Teams from Slovenia and Sweden secured the 470 European gold medals in Bougas, Bulgaria this past week. In the Men’s division, Anton Dahlberg and Fredrik Bergstrom dominated the event only having to complete the medal race to guarantee the gold medal. In the women’s division, Slovenia’s Tina Mrak and Veronika Macarol prevailed over the German team, Loew and Markfort. “We are very proud of our teams and their performances. The 470 being a Olympic class, is one of the most competitive one-design racing classes in the world. Getting our designs tested by all six teams on the podium (Open Europeans) is a true testimonial of our efforts to make the best and fastest one-design sails.” said Kei Takakuwa from North Sails Japan. 2018 470 EUROPEANS MEN’S DIVISION 1 SWE – DAHLBERG / BERGSTRÖM 2 USA – MCNAY / HUGHES 3 GRE – MANTIS / KAGIALIS 5 FRA – MACHETTI / DANTES 6 RUS – SOZYKIN / GRIBANOV* 7 ESP – XAMMAR / RODRIGUEZ 9 ISR – HASSON / HARARI Women’s Division 1 SLO – MRAK / MACAROL 2 GER – LOEWE / MARKFORT 3 GER – BOEHM / GOLIASS 4 ITA – BERTA / CARUSO 5 IRR – COHEN / LASRY 6 SUI – FAHRNI / SIEGENTHALER 7 ESP – MAS DEPARES / CANTERO REINA 8 GRE – BOZI / KLONARIDOU 9 GBR – SEABRIGHT / CARPENTER* 10 GER – OSTER / WINKEL * Denotes Partial North Sails Inventory Complete information on the winning North 470 sails. Race Day 6 at 470 Open European Championship 2018 Race track action from #470Euros podium deciding medal race with gold medals going to Dahlberg/Bergström and Tina Mrak-Veronika Macarol Sailing Team. Follow at http://2018europeans.470.org #470Class #470Sailing #470Life #470in2024 Bianca Caruso Elena Berta Tina Mrak Veronika Macarol Anton Dahlberg Fredrik Bergström MantisKagialis mcnay/hughes GER 24- Nadi & Ann-Christin Frederike Loewe Anna Markfort Malte Winkel Matti Cipra Posted by 470 Olympic Sailing on Thursday, May 24, 2018 READ MORE

Ainda está a tempo de usufruir do Certified Service da North Sails!Se durante o Inverno não teve oportunidade de fazer a inspecção às suas velas, aproveite agora para o fazer. O Certified Service oferece-lhe o melhor cuidado na manutenção das suas velas. Para Cruzeiro ou Regata este é o serviço mais qualificado para estender o tempo de vida do seu inventário e manter a sua performance. Os nossos especialistas vão ajudá-lo a manter as suas velas nas melhores condições para que tire delas o maior rendimento. Com a dedicação da nossa equipa pode garantir que as suas velas se encontram em boas mãos. Os sailmakers da North Sails estão qualificados para fazer manutenção, reparações e recuts. Os nossos 10 Pontos de Inspecção permitem assegurar que a sua vela está em forma. Para realizar uma inspecção gratuita pode trazer as suas velas à North Sails Cascais ou deixá-las num dos nossos pontos de recolha. Faça já a sua marcação e garanta que nada o fará parar este Verão! Pontos de Entrega/ Recolha: North Sails Cascais Marina de Cascais, Loja 27B | T: 214 827 561/ TLM: 916 830 166 (08h00-12h00 | 13h00-17h00) Francisco Ramada Doca de Belém, Lisboa | T: 213 641 587 / TLM: 916 168 134 (09h00-12h30 | 14h00-18h00) Afonso Domingos Local a combinar | T: 962 565 322 (Horário a combinar) Facebook Twitter Marina de Cascais, Loja 27B, 2750-800 Cascais, Portugal Unsubscribe | View this email in your browser READ MORE

DESIGNER SPOTLIGHT: MICKEY ICKERT In Search Of The Holy Grail Of Sail Design © Nico Martinez Mickey Ickert has been involved with 3Di for over a decade. “I think it must have been 2007 when I first saw a 3Di sail. We’d been fighting for years to reduce the dead weight in sails; mylar doesn’t do anything but keep the yarns in place. We always thought that if we can take that out and put more carbon in, we would have a lighter, higher modulus sail.” What Mickey didn’t anticipate about 3Di was the adjustment designers would have to make to existing patterns. “The string sails would stretch, so we’d counter that by putting extra curvature in the sails.” With 3Di sails, he explains, “The mold is closer to the flying shape so they are much more true to the design.” As a result, the first 3Di sails were almost too stable. Trimmers (and designers) were used to sails distorting every time a puff hit. “The mainsails in the beginning were beautiful,” Mickey says, “and everybody liked them, but the sail wouldn’t twist naturally. So we re-evaluated the structure and what makes the sail fly downwind, and ultimately the 3Di sails got lighter and lighter. Also the layouts changed to promote a little bit more active response.” © Nico Martinez 3Di technology provides both repeatability and customization. The power of the North Design Suite allows designers to create shapes that will exactly match the finished sail. “Our tools are very, very accurate in terms of the shape we’re predicting and the shape we have on the water,” Mickey says. That gives designers the confidence to pursue a sail with a wider range of application. “One jib and one mainsail that deform themselves into the optimum as you go along. That’s the holy grail, not the reality, but you can push the envelope to it.” To move toward this holy grail of sail design, Mickey becomes the conduit between sailors and the North Design Suite. Using Flow and Membrain, he can see the predicted flying shape. Then he climbs onboard and talks to the trimmers. “Say for example the feedback has been that the sail is a little bit weak up the range. You use your experience, the VPP, and feedback from the boat to figure out it’s a little bit full, a little bit round in the back. Then you design a sail to take care of these performance shifts.” He uses the computer to answer questions that come up on the water. “Would the boat be going faster if the jib was flatter? How might we expand the range of the sail? The tools can help in making these decisions. The higher end flow predictions give an idea of what direction the combined system of the boat, the hydro, the aero, and the sailing team want to go.” Mickey came to the North design team straight from the loft floor, not from an engineering background. “I’m a sailmaker by trade,” he says. But when he first joined North Germany in the early 1980s, Michael Richelsen was “inventing all the tools” so Mickey was able to “jump on the first wave of sail design.” “It’s good to have different perspectives. Over the years, you get enough experience and you work with good people and you absorb a lot. It’s about working together and the innovation you can underpin with the tools and designs that pushes the envelope.” Based in Auckland, Mickey is currently active in the TP52 class, while keeping a very close eye on America’s Cup design developments. From November to April, he can generally be found tweaking designs from the previous season in order to improve them for the next. “You design the sail, you use Spiral to put the 3Di layouts over it, and you have a certain set of flow conversions to check. Then you pressurize the sail: ‘Okay, that is a flying shape.’ And you can rotate the sail around; ‘Okay, that’s roughly the look I’m after, I can visual the whole thing.’ And then you drill down, into the details.” © Nico Martinez From April to October, Mickey is on the TP52 circuit, talking to trimmers and also taking a lot of photos from off the boat, “because that is one view the trimmers don’t have.” Only by seeing the sails “in the wild” can he figure out how best to help teams get faster. There’s also a lot of information coming off the boat every day that needs processing ahead of the next morning’s briefing. “Performance data, sail shape data… it’s quite an involved process.” Mickey says that, ironically, class sail limitations make updates and redesigns even more important. “If you have endless amount of sails, you wouldn’t need the analysis tools; you would just build more sails. But that’s an expensive way to go, so we use our tools to analyze performance and speed differences.” Auckland is on the other side of the world from most Med-centric TP52 events, but Mickey says having a design team spread across time zones has its advantages. “If you wanna solve a problem quickly and you’ve got collaboration between JB , Juan Messeguer , and me in New Zealand, you’re spinning the wheel 24/7 without anybody actually working 24/7. In addition to the huge experience, you also have this real quick turnaround. So that’s very powerful.” Worldwide design team collaboration has become even more of a priority under JB’s leadership. “We had a meeting in November and created work groups to focus on certain boundaries we want to push. There’s nothing quite like a difficult project and you say, ‘This is what I’ve been working on.’ If four or five think that’s a good way to proceed, that’s a pretty strong endorsement.” Asked about his own sailing, Mickey says he sold his Farr 38 but still enjoys windsurfing. “We have to keep that connection going. You start to tell trimmers what to do without any sailing background, and that’s a tricky scenario that can very well go wrong for you.” As for another holy grail, predicting the America’s Cup future, Mickey says the current TP52 fleet is a good place to start. “The sailors need to keep on using their skills before the new boats come online. Everybody needs to keep on the forefront of what is important. Design sails and make them faster with the communication available. Make them faster with the technology available. Optimize for whatever their target is. Those skills will be needed for the new boat. The top end optimization will step up as we go towards the next America’s Cup.” From a designer’s point of view, he’s sure there will be plenty of challenges—like the double surface soft wing. “But at the end of the day it’s two surfaces and we model them as we’ve always done and find a solution on making better and faster sails. Some of the parts will be different, but the whole concept of what we’re trying to achieve will be very similar.” Meanwhile, he says “it’s important to stay in top end pro racing . You could argue that the boats are so different but the technology, the drive, the communication, will all be the same.” © Nico Martinez READ MORE

JACK OF ALL TRADES Production Profile: Milford, CT, USA The North Sails loft in Milford, CT is one of two major production sites in the United States. Milford has deep roots in the company’s history and covers a diverse range of skills, often taking on niche projects that require increased attention and extra working hours. Milford’s early success can be attributed to their support of sailors competing at the highest level. Like Vannes supports skippers in the Vendée Globe, and Auckland every Kiwi Cup challenge, production in Milford began in the 1980s in support of American-based Cup teams. When North Sails moved its headquarters from San Diego to Milford in 2001, the sail loft expanded to a multi-faceted hub, encompassing everything from sail production and service to large-scale production of North Cloth (North’s in-house sailcloth division). It also included a parts warehouse, worldwide shipping department and corporate office complex. North Sails is now a global organization with seven manufacturing hubs spread around the world. While many of these lofts have a specialty, Milford’s wide range of capabilities is what sets it apart. “We are one of the few North Sails lofts that still do a little bit of everything,” said Steve Gruver, who manages the floor, as well as service and one design distribution for North America. “We do not have 3D molding capabilities, but pretty much can take on anything else; finishing molded sails of all sizes, as well as producing a fair amount from scratch.” Steve’s production team is versatile. Manufacturing one design sails requires error-free repetition, careful attention to detail, and keen organization skills. On the main floor, the team is often presented with large, complex jobs that require flexibility, problem solving, and a well-rehearsed bank of skills (including physical strength). Milford is always up for the challenge of an oddball request, which often turns into a success story. “We are most proud of the special projects,” Steve explained. “The bigger jobs require a lot of planning and deliberate work, like right now we have a mainsail in progress for a Hoek 52 meter sloop that has a 54.5m luff and 21m foot. I’m up to my eyes in Spectra Carbon!” In 2016, the team surpassed all expectations when they constructed a 17,222 square meter spinnaker in 4.5 days for superyacht Seahawk. Today, a framed thank-you portrait of the sail hangs proudly in the loft. Steve makes note: “It’s important to celebrate the team’s hard work and their positivity when faced with challenging projects and timelines. “ Veteran sailmakers are supported by a few apprentices. The core group emigrated to America 20 years ago and, due to their work ethic and dedication to the company, they have become expert sailmakers as well as friends. “Regina, Margaret and Basha are part of the Polish community in Milford and came to us as young mothers ready to re-enter the workforce,” said Steve. “Regina was the first to start as a sewing machine operator and soon the word spread. Today she does all of our pre-fabrication work. Basha does impeccable finishing, assembly, and seaming work. Margaret runs a lot of the big projects on the main floor.” When the 3D facility in Minden built a finishing floor, the company asked Margaret to relocate for a few years to work alongside the new staff. She was both a source of knowledge to the young sailmakers and a representative of the Milford loft’s experience. Looking ahead, Steve acknowledges that the industry is changing. “Clearly we are moving more and more toward 3D sail production, but I think there will always be a place for traditional paneled sails. I predict the bigger sails will keep getting bigger as long as technology allows it.” His management priorities remain the same. “First and foremost is quality, and of course we have to deliver on time. I also remember to respect the staff and appreciate that they have lives outside of work, and we cannot achieve the quality we need without an excellent staff.” READ MORE

ROLEX CAPRI SAILING WEEK Yacht Club Capri Host Prestigious Yachts At Sailing Week, North-powered Clients Lead In Four Class Divisions Rolex Capri Sailing Week is one of the most historic sailing events in Europe. Some would say it is the most important race ever in this area of the World. This years’ edition had roughly 80 boats registered. Clients competed in the Maxi, Mylius, and ORC divisions, having outstanding results across the board. Each year the wind holds up to its promise providing beautiful racing conditions for sailors and allowing the race committee to complete their scheduled races without a hitch. Two windward-leeward races and coastal races made for much excitement as teams sailed around the Bay of Naples, keeping tacticians on their toes as the finishes were close. North-powered clients sailed to win four divisions, sweeping the podium in Maxi R and Maxi RC. In the Mylius Cup Division, clients finished 1st and 2nd, and in ORC-A clients took home the win with a first overall. The famous offshore race, Regatta dei Tre Golfi was won by Maxi 72 Caol Ila R. Congratulations to our clients for your hard work and great camaraderie this year at Sailing Week. 2018 Rolex Capri Sailing Week Mylius Cup 1. ITA17001 Ars Una Biscarini-Rocchi 2. ITA17230 Oscar 3 Aldo Parisotto Maxi RC 1. ITA77773 Supernikka Roberto LaCorte 2. FRA1895 Lorina 1895* Jean Pierre Barjon 3. GBR60X Spectre Peter Dubens Maxi R 1. ITA42200 Pepe Canonball Dario Ferrari 2. GBR8728R Caol Ila R Alex Schaerer ORC A 1. ITA29141 Freccia Rossa Vadim Yakimenko IRC Overall/ Regata Dei Tre Golfi 1. GBR8728R Caol Ila R Alex Schaerer Alex Schaerer’s Caol Ila R at the 64th Regata dei Tre Golfi, after racing for 18 hrs, 49 min, and 24 seconds, took line honors. Caol Ila R is an English Maxi 72 who blew her competition away in 10 knots of breeze, showing true speed and perfection in crew work, finishing 2nd in the Maxi Division. © Fabio Taccola Coming down to the final moments before the gun, with Pepe Canonball (bow #3) and Supernikka (bow #10) within one boat length of the line, ready for the gun. In the Maxi Division, Pepe Canonball excelled with flying colors, improving each day being able to steal first position in the Maxi division, giving second place finishers Caol Ila R and third place Jethou and run for their money. “Our owner wants this – ultimately the class is very strong and will come back strongly in the future, like the TP52 did,” says Vascotto, tactician for Pepe Cannonball. Client Supernikka also had a great week, taking first overall in the Maxi RC division. Special congrats to Peter Dubens’ Spectre, taking 3rd in Maxi RC Division. “Starting is all-important and today we had a nice gap and managed that well and we were off – that created all of the opportunities up the first beat,” commented Spectre’s navigator, Wouter Verbraak. © Fabio Taccola Roberto Lacorte, owner and helmsman of SuperNikka had a well prepared crew, taking first in Maxi RC Division. “We had strong competitors this year, like Peter Dubens Spectre, Nick Rogers calling Tactics and the Swan 601, Lorina* from France. Supernikka’s winning factor was essentially the result of sheer boat speed, our boat handling, and crew work. We had two new gennakers for this race, and we noticed immediately a huge improvement in speed and our sailing angles which was one of the main contributions to our first place finish,” commented Alessio Razeto, headsail trimmer and team manager of SuperNikka. ©Fabio Taccola READ MORE

FROM SMALL TOWN SALES EXPERT TO VOLVO OCEAN RACE TEAM DIRECTOR Bruno Dubois Shares His Transition From Sailing To Team Director For Dongfeng Race Team A humble man whose passion for sailing is clear the moment you start talking with him. With an impressive list of sailing titles to his name, Bruno Dubois is one of Canada’s great sailing legends. Currently he is Team Director for Dongfeng Race Team in the 2017/2018 Edition of the Volvo Ocean Race, a title he’s held since the 2014/2015 edition with the team. That wasn’t his first rumble with the race though, he was Skipper of Rucanor Sport in the 1989/1990 edition of the Whitbread Round the World Race. He is also a two times Transat Jacques Vabre participant and Farr 45 European and World Champion – not that he would tell you, as he is most humble about his accomplishments. Previously to Team Director for Dongfeng, he was team director for Groupama Team France in the 2015-2017 America’s Cup and 14 years before that as Manager of North Sails Europe/France. Prior to heading North Sails Europe, Bruno was a familiar face at North Sails Toronto, previously North Sails Fogh Ltd. when Hans Fogh was involved, and Larry MacDonald was sales manager. His roots with the Toronto sailing circuit, as well as Quebec, run deep and highlight how the sailing world can take you just about anywhere. A cold, windy afternoon in the Race Village at Fort Adams State Park, Bruno took some time to speak with me about his sailing path, from North Sails Toronto, that has led him to where he is currently, team director for Dongfeng Race Team in the Volvo Ocean Race. https://youtu.be/CONKZWWrF0A READ MORE

NORTH TECHNOLOGY GROUP PARTNERS WITH 52 SUPER SERIES North Sails And Southern Spars Cement Their Position At The Pinnacle Of Grand Prix Monohull Racing © Martinez Studio 2018 marks the seventh season of the hugely successful 52 SUPER SERIES which is shaping up to be the biggest and best yet. As the world leader in grand prix racing technology for the ‘engine above deck’, North Technology Group has today partnered with the exciting multi-regatta tournament. As Official Partners, the 2018 series will be supported by the world leaders in sailmaking technology (North Sails), bespoke carbon masts and booms (Southern Spars), and composite rigging (Future Fibres). With the TP52 Class attracting the attention of teams with aspirations to win the America’s Cup in 2021, the 52 SUPER SERIES will see 12 boats from nine countries line up to compete across five week-long regattas this summer. With the entire fleet using Southern Spars and Future Fibres, and ten boats selecting North Sails 3Di, it was a natural progression for North Technology Group to offer its world class technologies, knowledge and services across the events as the only company in the world capable of designing and delivering all elements of the engine above deck. Commenting on the partnership, Paul Westlake, Executive Vice President and Grand Prix Expert at North Sails concluded, “North Sails has built its reputation amongst the TP52 Class over a number of years now to the point where we are recognized not only for designing and producing the best sails for their high performance needs, but for also offering our wider expertise and services through our global network of lofts and in-house Grand Prix sail designers. As the America’s Cup returns to monohull racing, the 52 SUPER SERIES continues to attract some of the best sailors in the world, and we are proud to be part of such a prestigious international circuit that will continue to grow the sport and deliver exciting racing on the water.” Commenting on the partnership, Mark Hauser, founder and Sales Director of Southern Spars said, “As a long time supplier to the 52 SUPER SERIES fleet, Southern Spars is proud to once again work with not only such a respected and innovative class but also one of the most challenging. We have a long and positive relationship with the series, delivering the finest and most innovative rigs to suit these exciting high speed grand prix monohulls. With all of the fleet sporting Southern Spars rigs, and nine with the latest generation of mast, it made perfect sense for us to become a Technical Partner. We are excited to be able to offer our world-class technology, expertise and service beyond our rigs across all of the events.” The races in the 52 SUPER SERIES are scored simply on the order of finishing the real time racing with no post-race time compensation. Each of the five regattas consists of a schedule of ten races, with a mixture of windward-leeward and coastal courses depending on the venue. Over the course of the season all results stand – there are no discards – and typically that means around 45 to 50 races in the season before the overall Champion is crowned at the end of the year. The current Champions Azzurra, racing with a North Sails 3Di inventory, have won the Championship three times (2012, 2015 and 2017), and are the only team alongside Quantum Racing to have taken the top spot. The TP52 has become the de-facto top monohull inshore race class in the world, appealing to the very top level professional sailors, discerning owners and teams. The all carbon fibre boats with powerful sail areas and deep slender keels remain very close in performance. 2018 has seen the launch of eight new TP52 hulls, many developed in partnership with North Sails Design Services and all using Southern Spars and Future Fibres for their rigging above deck. The 52 SUPER SERIES covers five trophies in Europe from May to September: 52 SUPER SERIES Sibenik Sailing Week: May 23rd – 27th, Sibenik, Croatia 52 SUPER SERIES Zadar Royal Cup: June 20th – 24th, Zadar, Croatia ROLEX TP52 World Championship 2018, July 17th – 21st, Cascais, Portugal 52 SUPER SERIES Sailing Week Puerto Portals, August 21st – 25th, Mallorca, Spain 52 SUPER SERIES Valencia Sailing Week: September 18th – 22nd, Valencia, Spain READ MORE

CHAMPAGNE SAILING AT THE VICE ADMIRAL'S CUP Catch up with the North Sails experts who were in and amongst the action © Rick Tomlinson The three day event took place in the Solent over the weekend with eight close races in glamour sailing conditions. Although the forecast was light for the whole weekend, the trusty Solent sea breeze filled in each day meaning all the one design fleets completed their racing series. North Sails experts Nick Bonner, Pete Redmond and Jonty Cook were out racing amongst the fleet. Here’s what they had to say about the sailing Pete Redmond sailing on Nifty & Sunrise, part of the newly formed Performance 40 fleet. “The Performance 40 fleet is super cool racing and quite a fun fleet to be in. There were seven boats in the fleet and everyone’s close at top marks because the boats are all a similar speed. One of the races all boats finished within 40 seconds of each other after IRC correction.” “Because it’s so tight, there's a big emphasis on crew work, so you can’t have a shocker and get away with it, which the coastal race proved. Anyone who couldn’t peel or who had the wrong sail up didn’t do very well.” Jonty Cook was sailing onboard J/111 Jitterbug “There were seven boats in the J/111 class, we normally race as part of the Performance 40 fleet. The weekend was pretty decent one design racing. It’s a similar situation to the Performance 40’s, everyone goes pretty much the same speed so it all comes down to crew manoeuvres. Jelvis, the winners, were particularly rapid. “Being able to pull manoeuvres such as goose winging all the way downwind in the light airs gives an extra edge to everyone else in the fleet which is what you need in One Design racing.” Nick Bonner was out on the water watching the racing, he was particularly interested in the Quarter Tonner fleet “Aguila had a full set of 3Di sails and they used them all weekend and were looking really good. Although they had a bad friday, they really turned it on for the rest of the regatta and won their class. The sails looked really smooth and shape-wise looked really nice with the sail shape holding in the correctly. “The feedback from the guys in the fleet was also really positive, especially those moving from 3DL to 3Di sails. Relative to the 3DL sail shapes, the 3Di is looking pretty accurate. We have a strong market share within the fleet which is great for us in such a great development class!” “Rumbleflurg in the Performance 40 fleet have a lot of potential. They have a new boat and a new crew, and I think they will just get better and better across the season. With a few tweaks to their boat and some more on the water practise, they will be up their at the front of the fleet.” “It was also great to see Toucan and Pandemonium looking strong in the HP30 class. Pandemonium has recently changed to North Sails, so we look forward to working with them and getting them up to the front.” In the J/111 fleet, Martin Dent’s Jelvis put in the performance of the weekend scoring 1-1-1-1-2-1-1-3 putting them clear in the lead with their Dutch rivals Sweeny. The J/109 fleet also had a strong turnout ahead of the championship next week, Simon Perry’s Jiraffe put in an equally stunning performance to win the regatta also scoring 6 bullets in the eight race series. The largest fleet in the regatta was the Quarter Tonner fleet. The final result saw all three podium finishers tied on points! Sam Laidlaw’s Aguila took the regatta, plugging 3 bullets across the series. Once again it was the battle of the King 40’s at the front end of the Performance 40 fleet. The two boats fought it out to the very last race, with Roger Bowden’s Nifty coming out on top by 2.5 points ahead of Michael Blair’s Cobra. In third place was the new boat to the fleet, Thomas Kneen’s JPK 1180, Sunrise. All the boats mentioned above are fitted out with North Sails inventories. If you are interested in updating your sails, get in touch with our local team to find out what we can do for you! Full results © Rick Tomlinson © Rick Tomlinson READ MORE

NORTH SAILS SUCCESS IN ISORA AND RC35'S IN SCOTLAND Maurice "Prof" O'Connell from North Sails Ireland reports that North-powered race boats had a "stunning" weekend's success on both sides of the Irish Sea at the Kip Regatta and ISORA race. Speaking this morning, Prof said "We are delighted to see our wonderful clients achieve such great results and are thrilled to be a small part of that." Kip Regatta Firstly, in Kip Regatta in Scotland, the competitive 12 boat RC 35 division, Pat Kelly's J109 literally STORMed the event scoring 2,2,1,1 over the four race series sailed in very light airs. With input from Nigel Young from North Sails Ireland, "Storm II" is IRC-optimised with both symmetric and asymmetric spinnakers. For Kip Regatta, she was flying a newly designed 3Di mainsail and Code 2 jib plus a very special new A3 reaching kite made from a high tenacity polyester woven fabric. Speaking after the event, "Storm II" helmsman Marty O'Leary said "She was going like a rocketship, the new main is noticeably quicker than the old one and the new A3 is mint - nearly a Code Zero. Once we had the lads on the rail, we were gone!" 1st RC35 Division (IRC) and Boat Of The Regatta J109 "Storm II" Pat Kelly Rush Sailing Club ISORA Secondly, In the 50 mile ISORA race on Saturday North-powered boats won all three IRC classes and the overall race. Prof was aboard Chris and Patanne Power-Smith's Aurelia, which took both the overall and IRC-0 win flying their new 155sqm composite A2 asymmetric. 1st Overall - J122 Aurelia - Chris & Patanne Power-Smith 1st IRC 0 - J122 Aurelia - Chris Power-Smith 1st IRC 1 - J109 Mojito - Peter Dunlop & Vicky Cox 1st IRC 2 - J97 Windjammer - Denis Power & Lindsay Casey READ MORE

2018 VIPER 640 ATLANTIC COASTS Congratulations Peter Beardsley, Rachel Beardsley and Simon Karstoft Jensen North Sails Viper expert Zeke Horowitz caught up with Peter, Rachel and Simon for a quick interview to learn what worked for them including their trick of switching drives when going downwind. It was our first time on the Vipers in the Cheasapeake Bay. We had a lot of confidence on our boat speed, we setup the boat to the North Tuning Guide and were really aggressive on sail trim…” – Peter Beardsley 2018 Viper 640 Atlantic Coast Championship 1. Peter Beardsley 2. Zeke Horowitz 3. Geoff and Mary Ewenson 5. Carl Smit 9. Thomas Loutrel 10. Joe Healy/Bob McHugh * Denotes Partial North Sails Inventory Learn more about North fast Viper 640 sails. READ MORE

La nouvelle crew collection est arrivée! Depuis quelques mois, North Sails a lancé une ligne de vêtements techniques et performants afin d’équiper les navigants aussi bien à terre que sur l’eau. Toutes les pièces peuvent être personnalisées avec logo, nom et numéro de voile, afin que vous puissiez porter haut les couleurs de votre équipage ! Pour avoir plus d’informations, voir la marchandise ou obtenir un devis personnalisé, prenez contact avec Margaux Jorand . READ MORE

OFFICIAL SUPPLIERS FOR YOUTH SAILING WORLDS North Sails & Nautivela Join Forces for 420 Youth World Championship North Sails and Nautivela are joining forces for the 420 Youth Sailing World Championship in Corpus Christi, Texas this summer. Over 50 nations will be represented at the regatta. “Youth sailing is a priority for North Sails and we are proud to work with Nautivela for the Youth World Championship” – Matteo Sangiorgi, North Sails Italy. The North supplied inventory is the M-11 mainsail, J-13 jib and S-O5 spinnaker. Sails are today to train with the regatta models and gain that competitive edge before the Championship. Click here to find out more information about rigging and tuning of your North Sails. Nautivela will supply boats and North Sails will provide sails for the competitors, which will be available for purchase after the regatta. Contact 420 expert Matteo Sangiorgi for more details. READ MORE

2018 52 SUPER SERIES PREVIEW The World’s Best Grand Prix Monohull Racing Circuit Starts Its Seventh Season On May 23rd © Martinez Studio “It’s going to be exciting,” predicts Paul “Flipper” Westlake, VP of North Sails Group and a SUPER SERIES veteran. Twelve boats, nine of them new for the 2018 season, a handful with aspirations to win the America’s Cup in 2021, will sail the series opener in the brand new venue of Sibenik, Croatia. After ten races, it could be anyone’s regatta. And with four more events through the summer and no throw-outs, every single result will count toward the overall prize. Flipper will be onsite, along with North Sails Grand Prix designers Mickey Ickert and Juan Meseguer, to support the nine boats using new 3Di RAW 880 inventories. “We’ve got two kinds of clients here,” Flipper explains. “The ultimate client of North Sails is the owner of the team. But I also consider every single one of the sailors on board as clients as well, as they are hands-on with our product and deserve all the support North Sails can provide to maximize performance.” Each team can declare up to 18 sails for the season. Flipper expects most teams to declare around 10 sails for this first event, in order to cover the entire wind range. “All the upwind sails are 3Di RAW 880, our new high-carbon content Grand Prix product that we developed specifically for the TP52 class in 2017. Downwind, they are all nylon and polyester asymmetrics.” Some owners elect to steer their own boats, while others hire a pro driver. Either way, they are all competing for the same prize. “They do have an owner/driver award, but I can assure you that every one of the owner/drivers is equally passionate and focused on trying to win the whole circuit.” Returning Super Series Champions, Azzurra © Martinez Studio The forecast for Sibenik is for light air and flat water, which will level the playing field so much that Flipper refuses to pick a favorite—other than predicting that “a North Sails boat will win the first event.” Since that includes two-thirds of the fleet, it seems like a safe bet. “Azzurra just won Palma Vela, with all the latest 3Di RAW 880 sails,” beating all but two of the other new boats. But Flipper cautions that the well-prepared older boats can’t be counted out either, because teams sailing new boats will need to switch from the ‘boat-building’ mode of trying to optimize a new toy to “racing the thing like it was your old pair of runners.” Experience helps, of course. “Obviously the established teams that have been doing this for a number of cycles will always be the benchmark. But I really think it’s a very open event, because it’s a new venue, and you’ve got nine new boats. It’s going to be interesting, it’s going to be exciting.” Here’s a list of North Sails clients, all contenders for the 2018 Super Series. Alegre Azzurra Gladiator Luna Rossa Paprec Recyclage Phoenix Provezza Sled Xio Hurakan © Martinez Studio © Martinez Studio READ MORE

Encomenda já as tuas North Sails para 420! Como sabes o Campeonato Ibérico e o Europeu de Juniores 420 acontecem, este ano, em Sesimbra em semanas consecutivas. A Equipa North Sails Portugal vai estar presente nas regatas para sail advice e com o serviço de reparações de emergência em funcionamento, para ambos os eventos. Faz já a tua encomenda para garantires a entrega das tuas novas velas. Já só faltam 6 semanas para estes campeonatos! Buy 420 Sails Local 420 News North Sails com Hugo Rocha no Estágio de Natal de 420, em Cascais A convite do CNCascais, a North Sails marcou presença com o Hugo Rocha Read More → Primeira Clínica de 2018, com Hugo Rocha, contou Onze Equipas de 420 2018 arranca com a realização da nossa Primeira Clínica do ano para a Classe de 420. Read More → Share Tweet Forward Marina de Cascais, Loja 27B, 2750-800 Cascais, Portugal Unsubscribe | View this email in your browser READ MORE

KEN READ’S LEG 9 PREVIEW Don’t Underestimate the Homestretch of the Volvo Ocean Race If you think the hard miles are behind the Volvo Ocean Race, you’re dreadfully mistaken. This race is not over, and the final legs of this race can be brutal. My first long Volvo leg was transatlantic with Ericsson in the 2005-06 edition. During that race, we saw Movistar sink and then be rescued by ABN AMRO who were dealing with a loss of life onboard. The fleet was up against three vicious storms which stacked up one after the other. I am not trying to spook the herd, but do not underestimate the Atlantic Ocean this time of year. President of North Sails & Volvo Ocean Race veteran Ken Read, skipper of PUMA Ocean Racing in the 2011-12 edition © Amory Ross All the teams are acutely aware that this is not the Caribbean and this leg is notoriously cold, nasty and less than ideal sailing conditions. There are several shorter legs once they touch down in Europe and plenty of opportunity for movement on the leaderboard. I believe 30% of the points are still at play in the three remaining legs. Race leaders Mapfre with skipper Xabi Fernandez know they have a race on and are anything but confident at this point; this is what makes it fun for all us spectators at home. I was sailing with second place Dongfeng on Wednesday, and they are chomping at the bit to get offshore. And the same is true for third place Brunel who keep improving and are within range to keep this race interesting. The final few weeks of the Volvo Ocean Race are a fascinating finale to this fantastic race. And the 2017-2018 edition has been filled with its fair share of excitement as well as tragedy. I wouldn’t say the sailors are refreshed after their North American stopover, but they are for sure excited to get back out there. MAPFRE © Volvo Ocean Race Brunel © Volvo Ocean Race Dongfeng Race Team © Volvo Ocean Race READ MORE

While finished sails for multihulls may not look that different on the water, our understanding of multihull attributes and performance makes the difference in producing high quality sails.  READ MORE

NORTH SAILS IRELAND SPONSOR J/109 CHAMPIONSHIPS North Sails Ireland have announced a sponsorship package for the two Irish J/109 class events in 2018. The package will cover the J/109 East Coast Championships at the Royal Irish Yacht Club on May 19th & 20th and the National Championships on October 6th and 7th at Howth Yacht Club. The package will include North U on the water support, with video analysis and de-briefing after racing and prizes and goodies for competitors. Speaking at the announcement, Irish J/109 Class Captain Andrew Craig said, "The Irish J/109 class are delighted to continue our partnership with North Sails. Last year's "post-match" de-brief by Prof and Nigel was both informative and entertaining and the North goodies were very much appreciated by all competitors." Maurice "Prof" O'Connell from North Sails Ireland said, "North Sails have worked closely with J-Boats, going all the way back to the launch of the J/24 in 1975. Our 3Di upwind sails and "V-Series" downwind sails are proving to be a fantastic investment for J/109 sailors and are more durable and faster than ever. We look forward to supporting the class at this year's Nationals and East Coasts". READ MORE

Class leader Brian Janney answers your speed and boat handling questions. Who sails a Melges 20? The boats are just plain fun to sail. They are keelboats, but you sail them more like a dinghy. Naturally, people come out of dinghy classes but also down from bigger boats, attracted by the acceleration a boat like the Melges 20 delivers. The boats have a wet, fast downwind ride that really gets going in 12 knots of breeze with a “lazy plane” mode. The boats are also physical, so the three-person teams need to be in good shape. Some teams with a small person on the helm will sail with four—there’s no weight limit. Downwind in lighter air, the crew sits forward and close together. While soaking low is a goal, boats in a fleet typically match angles and speed. Owner/drivers must be amateurs, but the Melges 20 Class Association puts no restrictions on professionals as crew. That was an advantage when the class got started in 2009, but the gap between teams with pros and the rest is narrowing, and Corinthian teams are now winning races, too. We usually have a debrief after racing, pulling some top people from the crowd to do a Q&A. People also get together for dinner. What you can count on, if there’s been any wind, is that everyone hangs out on the dock together, and everybody is smiling. What kind of sailors do best in this class? Sailors need to be in good shape. You sail with legs inboard and no hiking is allowed, but that means you lean back against the padded lifeline and need to support your body while you’re constantly playing the controls. Core strength is at a premium. What are the top 3 things needed to compete successfully in the Melges 20? Crew practice allows you to make big gains on downwind boathandling. The class uses sail buttons: invest in new sails and pull them out when it counts. Be sure the jib furler and shroud cars are in good operating condition. Who does what on the boat? The owner/helmsperson drives upwind and down. Because the boats have no backstay or traveler, the middle crew always plays mainsheet. The forward person trims the jib sheet, plays the vang, and adjusts the shrouds, which are on track-mounted cars. What is the ideal crew size? With no crew-weight limit, teams are anywhere from 550 to 620 pounds—sometimes more. Typically, most sailors are male. When women or teenagers sail, it’s common to carry four in the crew. How physical is the crew work? The forward position is the most physical—you play all the controls while hiking and giving feedback on the racecourse. The middle crew vang-sheets the square-top main. The keel isn’t very heavy, so the mainsail has to be played like a Laser or 420 or you’ll heel over—it never gets cleated going upwind. The helm position may be the least physical but it isn’t an easy position; you have nothing to hang onto except the tiller. You must lean out to hike, using your core to keep yourself balanced. Melges 20 teams sail with three or four crew, total weight ranging from 550 to 620 pounds. Upwind, crew lean out against a strap along the rail and in light air, one will move forward of the shrouds. New boats or used, what are the options? Several hundred boats have been built in the short time the Melges 20 has been sailing, and the hulls last a long time. In North America, there are quite a few good boats for sale in the range of $22,000-$37,000. Besides the amount of wear and tear based on usage and care, price differences are often due to the quality of the electronics, with some boats having newer B&G equipment. Some older boats had a retrofit on the mast-step bulkhead to tab it in better, which is important. A lot of boats have a foam deck in the cockpit, as well, which will raise the price. A new boat with all covers and sails costs between $60,000 and $65,000. Beyond the basics, what kind of prep is needed to make a Melges 20 competitive? If you buy a used Melges 20, inspect the top swivel of the jib on headstay and plan to replace the ball bearings—they wear out quickly. Some teams buy a second swivel and replace it every regatta. That really helps with the furl in heavy air. You’ll also likely replace the ball bearings in the shroud cars. How does a Melges 20 move around on land? Boats typically come with “keel-up” trailers that have one or two dock boxes on the tongue. The boat itself weighs 1,146 lbs. (520 kgs.) so it doesn’t take a big vehicle to tow the boat. There are a couple of tricks for launching and retrieving, depending on whether you are using an electric hoist or a launch ramp. The North Sails Tuning Guide covers these in detail. What's involved in rigging/derigging? One person can step the mast, but it’s safer with two people. The mast hooks into a deck-step fitting, and you just push it up from the stern. At regattas, one crewmember can rig the boat in one to two hours. What kind of inventory does North recommend? The Melges 20 class has sail purchase limits. To make Melges 20 sails last longer North Sails shifted to 3Di, which has no Mylar in the laminate. It had previously been used only on boats above 30 feet, but after testing a number of different fiber combinations, 3Di sails won a third of the races at the 2017 Worlds. North products for the Melges 20 continue to evolve. The spinnakers take some abuse due to the takedown system, so most people replace them fast. The style of spinnakers has changed over the years. When the boat was first launched, everyone used a Runner as on the Melges 24. As we sailed the boats more we noticed that the 20 can plane sooner than the Melges 24, so the fleet started to sail more "bow up" in a lower wind range and the Reacher spinnaker became more popular. North offers both styles. Some teams carry two Reachers, but most carry one of each. Sailing upwind in waves, the shrouds on these Melges 20s have been tightened to increase prebend and flatten the sails. The crews shift aft as needed to keep the bow up. Melges 20 Tuning What are the most important ways to tune this boat to good all-around base settings? Setting mast rake is a fundamental starting point, measuring from the tip of the mast to the transom. But unlike many other one-designs, the boat not only has upper and lower shrouds, but also diamond shrouds, which help support the mast and change its mast-bend characteristics. You first set the tension of the diamonds before you raise the mast, and then once the mast is up, as you add upper shroud tension, your diamonds become softer and you need to firm them up. Eventually, you find a good balance point. You don’t need to do this every time you sail, only when stepping and tuning the mast in a new location. For detailed instructions, read the North Sails Tuning Guide. In light air upwind, the main leech is sheeted relatively tight and the crew sits far forward to keep the stern up. Melges 20 Upwind Sailing Upwind, where does the Melges 20 crew sit? In all conditions, the crew sits right next to each other. In light air, the forward or bow person can be forward of the stanchion and the other two push as far forward as possible. In medium air (8 to 15 knots) and flat water, the forward person moves 10 to 12 inches aft of the stanchion, and all three crew sit shoulder to shoulder. If it gets any windier, move everyone one half to a full body width aft. What are the key changes in different conditions? The Melges 20 hull has a little chine aft, and in light air we like to get it out of the water to reduce drag. However, the bow is very fine, and it will start to dig in as the breeze comes up. Sometimes you’ll hit a wave and the bow will go right down, until the deck is nearly under. That’s a good indication it’s time to move crew weight aft. What do you focus on when trimming main? There’s no traveler, and most people set the bridle in “max up” position. In light air, trim will typically be not quite two-blocked—3 to 4 inches between blocks on the mainsheet bridle. We sail with almost no vang or cunningham. The head of the main is the most closed in light air, as we’re trying to generate power, but we watch that the top two telltales don’t completely stall out. We’re be constantly easing and trimming the main, and the leech telltales are stalled about 90 percent of the time. The jib is relatively small, so we’re always trying to generate power off the main. In medium air (8 knots and up), we’re quick to go to the vang because that’s all that holds the boom down when we ease the main. As the breeze increases, keep squeezing on more vang—the mainsail has a square top, so it twists open easily and the telltales are always flying now. It’s fast to let the sail twist some, but not too much. We recommend putting a number strip or number marks on the vang track and learn what works best. Above 12 knots, we’ll be eased at least 4 to 8 inches on the mainsheet—and even more as the breeze builds. Over 15 knots, we max out the vang and start tightening the cunningham. The cunningham not only pulls the draft in the mainsail forward; it also flattens the square-top and increases twist. First we take the wrinkles out of the luff, and then when the breeze builds to 18, even more cunningham is needed. A distinct vertical wrinkle appears along the luff, and the head really flattens out as the square-top section starts to ”float” a little bit. That’s a fast mode. The top battens are lightly inverting but not flogging. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OwoEAZNC6uk What do you focus on when trimming the Melges 20 jib? Under 8 knots of wind, we keep the jib’s top leech telltale streaming 100 percent of the time, which might mean a lot of ease. This helps keep flow going across the small keel and rudder. At 8 knots, we begin to trim the jib tighter. The jib lead is all the way forward, and that’s when we start inhauling the weather sheet, gradually moving the clew to windward, up to 25mm. With a 2:1 sheet, we’re moving the windward sheet a total of 50mm. The jib is so small, there is not a lot of sail area to drive off; inhauling creates extra power aft in the sail. At about 12 knots, we might need to move the jib lead back one hole to begin to depower, flattening the foot and creating a little leech twist to match the main. The jib is high aspect, so we don’t have to move the lead much to open the leech. As it gets windier, the trim stays similar, although we might trim the leeward sheet a bit tighter and inhaul less because we don’t need the power in the lower part of the sail. When the jib starts backwinding the main, that’s a good indication to ease. The Melges 20 sailplan is more like a skiff than any other kind of boat, with a similar trimming circle to a 49er or a 470. Who is in the typical dialogue loop and what's a typical conversation? A good helm will give feedback about how much pressure they feel on the tiller, especially in 8 to 15 knots, when fully powered. The bow is either “floating” or “not floating.” That feedback helps the rest of the team make adjustments to reduce or increase helm. A good question to ask the helm is, “Can you put the bow down when you need to?” If there’s too much pressure, it feels like the boat will tip over when the bow goes down; too little pressure means it’s hard to bring the bow up to point. Because the boat is so short, the helm can easily feel when the jib is not trimmed right. Another important communication is when the main trimmer needs to ease and says, “We need to start going ‘Vang on.’” The forward person is usually looking forward and may need to be told to tighten the vang. They will also be ready to move the shrouds aft to tighten the headstay and depower the sailplan. Melges 20 Downwind Sailing Where does each person sit when sailing downwind? In less than 8 knots, the jib will be furled and everybody in the crew will push forward. The spinnaker trimmer will be up next to the shrouds. The mainsheet/tactician will be sitting to leeward by the shrouds. The helm will sit as far forward as they are comfortable steering with the tiller extension. The goal is to get the chine near the transom out of water. This is VMG running, what we call “soak” mode. We don’t heel the boat to weather; in fact, a couple of degrees of leeward heel is usually fastest. In light air, the spinnaker trimmer presses up to the shrouds with the helmsman as close by as is comfortable. In medium air (8 to 15 knots), all three crew are typically to windward and still well forward. As the forward person trims the spinnaker, the tactician moves around the most to adjust the trim of the boat. At 12 to 13 knots, the boat is sometimes planing. To shift from “soak” mode for the puffs,, we move to weather and slide aft a little if the bow starts digging. This is “lazy planing” mode, and everyone is still relatively forward. Oncewe’re in full planing mode, the tactician moves behind the driver, who also moves aft. The spinnaker trimmer then slides back just in front of the helm. The trimmer and helm are now leaning outboard as best they can. The tactician’s job is to just stay aft and not fall off the boat! What do you focus on when trimming main and spinnaker in lighter air? In lighter air and soak mode, ease out the main. Then simply pull it in when it starts to bubble. We typically sail in light to moderate air with no vang on. The spinnaker is eased and rotating to weather as we try to turn the bow downwind further. Most boats have speedos, and we’ll set a target, no faster than 7 knots. If we have more speed than that, we bear off more. The target is never fixed; it’s always fleet dependent. In soak mode, it’s important to stay in a similar mode to the other boats. Once we are lazy planing, we start trimming the chute in as the apparent wind moves forward; we’ll have the jib unrolled and might need trim that, too, and then the main will need to come in a bit as well. In “lazy planing” mode, the crew still sits in the middle of the boat and pumps spinnaker and main to promote surfing. What is your sail trim focus on the Melges 20 when “lazy planing?” In medium air, in puffy conditions, we often furl and unfurl the jib regularly, depending on the puff. Once the breeze hits 10 to 12 knots, the jib acts like a staysail and and gives extra speed, but in less wind it is slower. We furl the jib whenever we are sailing a steady course and the jib sheet goes limp. If it’s tensioned, it’s working. In general, we recommend keeping the jib trim slightly eased, on verge of luffing. We are aggressive with spinnaker trim: there are no pumping rules for the spinnaker in the Melges 20, so if we’re in waves and the trimmer is strong enough, we can pump the chute and gain an advantage. The mainsail is restricted to one pump per wave; we keep it trimmed in a little bit, then let it back out when the apparent wind goes aft. Boats with strong, fit trimmers can be incredibly fast downwind in moderate conditions. What is your sail-trim focus on the Melges 20 when fast planing? When fast planing, there’s less spinnaker trimming. We keep the sheet eased as much as possible without collapsing the sail, which takes pressure off the bow and allows the helm to drive where they want. If the spinnaker is over-trimmed, it loads up the helm. We think of mainsail trim almost like a trim tab when fast planing. We trim to heel the boat a couple degrees, keeping the boat loaded on its leeward chine. A consistent angle of heel reduces rig movement and maintains smoother airflow. Imagine that there’s a box drawn around the masthead; at a perfect angle of heel, the mast stays right in the center of the box. In this condition, the mainsail leech will be pretty twisty, with the vang eased. The main boom will be over the leeward corner of the boat, which helps provide a little leech tension and a bit of tip support for the mast. What are the key changes in different conditions? On a big wave, in marginal planing conditions, we stay in a bow-up mode if we’re in any doubt. Some Melges 20 sailors have a tendency to bear off too soon, hit the next wave, and slow down. If the waves are right for a lazy plane, but not big enough to surf consistently, it’s better to sail bow-up at a consistent speed, even if we sail a bit more distance. Who is in the typical dialogue loop downwind and what's a typical conversation? In lighter conditions, most of the dialogue is between spinnaker trimmer and helm, with the trimmer talking about the load on the sheet. On our boat, the tactician will chime in with information on the boat’s speed or angle compared to the fleet, which helps the trimmer know if we’re at a good target boatspeed. We have the same dialogue on sheet load when in planing mode. Often, the trimmer is coaching the helm to sail up or down. In this condition, it’s also important for the tactician to call the puffs. In 15 knots and more, the boat will want to nosedive at times and there’s a fine line between when to come up and when to keep driving down; easing the spinnaker and heading up keeps the bow from diving. The masthead spinnaker is as big as a Melges 24 chute, and sometimes the trimmer will have to ease and halfway collapse the chute to take pressure off the bow—then quickly trim back in. This is also a good idea because it reduces the risk of breaking the mast. With the breeze up, whether sailing with three or four crew, weight must be moved aft to promote planing. With the apparent wind forward, the main is trimmed close to the aft quarter, supporting the top of the mast. Melges 20 Boathandling What's a typical start like in the Melges 20 class? At the start, if the wind is above 8 knots, jibs remain furled until the last 20 seconds. The main is big enough to set up on the line and slowly creep forward. The boat accelerates really quickly and can be at full speed in 10 to 15 seconds. Below 8 knots, the jibs come out sooner. What are three top tips for starting the boat well? Create a good hole to leeward. The blades are high aspect and the boat will slide sideways when the jib is unfurled. Communicate! The tactician often calls trim and coaches the helm through the start. The jib trimmer watches for “snipers” coming in to leeward. Practice downspeed maneuvering and holding a spot. Some of the unique features of the Melges 20 include inhauling or weather sheeting the jib, a spinnaker storage bag on the port side of the cockpit floor, and a compass/speedo on the mast that's useful for tracking when a boat is slowing too much in the prestart. What tips can you offer for downspeed boathandling? Get used to the boat’s acceleration in a given wind speed, and set a bottom target speed for the forward person to watch—usually 2 to 2.5 knots on our boat. Below that, when we trim in, we drastically slide sideways before going forward. What mistake slows down the Melges 20 most in a tack? Don’t over-steer. The boat pivots quickly, and it’s easy when starting out to come out too deep and too heeled over; that makes the boatgo sideways. It’s better (although not by much) to have a slightly thin tack and come out going a little too slowly. What does each crewmember do in a tack? In light air, the crew will do a slight roll tack, delaying the move across the boat, but as soon as you have 8 knots of wind, all will switch sides immediately. The boat has plenty of power. Other than that, the helm steers through tack, and the middle person eases and trims the mainsheet. The forward person handles both jib sheets, backwinding the jib in light air for only a moment. The trimmer will cross the boat and lean out on the lifeline, trimming the jibsheet on the way across the boat. We mark the jib sheet between the lead and the ratchet block. Coming out of the tack, we leave the sail eased one inch but then quickly go to max trim and squeeze on the weather sheet (inhauler). The boats tack so fast they may only lose half a knot of boatspeed. What are the keys to a good Melges 20 tack? In light air, don’t let the boat heel over too much coming out of the tack—the main trimmer should ease the sheet quite a bit to prevent that. In heavy air, it’s as simple as getting to the other side quickly and hiking. What are the keys to a good jibe in lighter air? When sailing in “soak” mode, start to rotate the spinnaker before the main comes across. The helm will slow the turn slightly when dead downwind, so the clew should come around the headstay before the boom jibes across the boat. The middle person’s primary job is to pull the mainsail across and roll the boat. The forward person handles both sheets and rotates the kite. What are the keys to a good jibe when it’s windier? When full planing, the goal is to do what is called a “blow-through jibe,” but first things first: the tactician is behind the helm and the forward person is just forward of the helm. Usually the tactician jibes the main from the back purchase of the mainsheet, and the key move is to get the purchase over the helmsman’s head. The trimmer has a lot going on. Both the jib and spinnaker are flying, so the first thing to do is to take the slack out of the windward spinnaker sheet and cleat it. Next, reach to leeward and trim on the jib sheet on that side. As the jibe starts, the trimmer will pull in an arm-length of spinnaker sheet, which provides both leech and foot tension. The helm turns the boat quite quickly compared to a soaking jibe. This causes the spinnaker to invert and get plastered against the rig, which acts like a ramp for the spinnaker to slide around the headstay. The trimmer then grabs the lazy (windward) spinnaker sheet, drops the active sheet, and trims the new one as fast as possible. The spinnaker comes around and fills right away. The advantage of the blow-through jibe is that you don’t have to over-trim the kite to get it to fill on the new side and risk rounding up in the process; it’s already eased and full and the helm has a lot of control. If executed well, you stay on a plane through the jibe, which gives the tactician options. This takes a lot of practice—when our team learned it, we spent a whole day doing nothing else. It’s quite different for the helmsman and trimmer. For the trimmer, the mechanics take some time to get right, and for the helm, it takes getting used to a fairly quick, deliberate turn from one downwind angle to the opposite angle. Come out too high and you’ll wipe out; too low and the kite doesn’t blow through to new jibe. What is your No. 1 tip for jibing practice on the Melges 20? Use an old spinnaker. What is the key to a fast spinnaker set? The Melges 20 is low to the water. We put a mark on the spinnaker sheet and cleat it before the set. The forward person hoists the spinnaker, and the tactician must wait for half the kite to be hoisted before the pole goes out. Otherwise the kite wants to dump straight into the water. The sail lives in a spinnaker sock on the port side of the mast, and the pole and tack line are one line. Before arriving at the mark, we discuss whether the jib will be furled or not on this downwind leg. Except in super light air, there’s no rush to furl it. What is the key to a clean spinnaker takedown? Because the Melges 20 has a takedown line, douses are relatively easy. The tactician moves to the middle of the boat where the takedown line is located. We recommend pre-loading that and counting down “3, 2, 1” to when the halyard is popped and spin sheet released. Count off two or three more seconds and then release the line for the tack and pole. Waiting the extra couple seconds allow the tactician to pull the whole sail in. If in soak mode, unfurl the jib first. If the jib is already unfurled, trim it in a little so it doesn’t get caught in takedown line. Windward takedowns are easier and cleaner than leeward takedowns, because the line through the takedown patches turns the spinnaker into a flag. It comes right around the headstay and into the boat. On a leeward takedown, if you forget to remove all of the slack from the takedown line, you risk dropping the sail in the water. Keeping weight well forward in lighter air, a crew approaches the leeward mark, retrieves the spinnaker, and retracts the pole before turning upwind. How easily does the Melges 20 broach or capsize? Pretty easily. Downwind it’s easy to wipe out on the blow-through jibe if you come out too hot. If that happens, the boat usually comes back up quickly—backwind the jib and the bow comes back down to course. Sometimes you’ll need to drop the spinnaker to re-right the boat. What are the most common boathandling mistakes made in this class? During the set, if you send the pole and tack out too quickly, the spinnaker will go in the water. What is the coolest thing about the Melges 20 class? That’s easy to answer. It’s such a fun boat to sail, which is why people are so happy when they come into the dock. As soon as you have 10 knots of wind, you’re close to planing. READ MORE

J/70 ITALIAN CUP – EVENT 2, Porto Ercole Enfant Terrible Holds The Lead In A Super Tight Finish With winds from 6 to 18 knots in Porto Ercole, the weekend was a true test for fifty European J/70 teams, with nine nations being represented, at the second event of the 2018 J/70 Italian Cup. North clients Alberto Rossi’s Enfant Terrible and Noe Gianfranco’s Calvi Network once again fought for the first place finishing with only two points difference. Congratulations to team Enfant Terrible, their consistency lead them to win the regatta. “It was a great fight between the top three boats and the victory was decided in the last meters of the last downwind leg!” said North expert and tactician on Calvi Network, Giulio Desiderato In the Corinthian division, Peppu Marinelli’s Uji Uji took the lead finishing in an exceptional sixth place overall, followed closely behind by Alessandro Zampori’s Noberasco Das, who finished in seventh place. Rounding off the podium in ninth place was Paolo Tomsic’s La Femme Terrible. All top three Corinthian teams were powered by North Sails, proving again that there is no faster and more forgiving sails for the J/70 class. Learn more about North’s fast J/70 sails. J/70 Italian Ranking 2018 1 Enfant Terrible / Alberto Rossi 2 Calvi Network / Noe Gianfranco 4 L’Elagain / Franco Solerio 5 Notaro Team / Luca Domenici 6 Uji Uji / Alessio Marinelli 7 EWA / Krzysztof Krempec 8 Arttube / Valera Kovalenko 9 Viva / Alessandro Molla 10 Societa Nautica Grignano / Paolo Tomsic * Denotes Partial North Sails Inventory Full results READ MORE

NORTH SAILS PROTAGONISTA A PALMA DI MAIORCA Apertura di stagione in grande stile per North Sails che a Palma di Maiorca, in occasione di Sail Racing PalmaVela, ha centrato affermazioni in quasi tutte le classi, comprese quelle riservate a TP52, Melges 40 e Wally, considerate tra le più competitive. Tra i TP52, dopo sette regate caratterizzate da condizioni medio-leggere, l'ha spuntata Azzurra, il cui progetto vele è seguito dal team North composto da Juan Garay, Giovanni Cassinari e Marchino Capitani. Nei Melges 40, protagonisti di nove prove, si è imposta Inga From Sweden di Richard Goransson, seguita anch'essa da Marchino Capitani e con a bordo il North Sails Specialist Cameron Appleton. Tra i cinque Wally in regata, invece, ad avere la meglio è stato il Wally 95 Magic Blue di Toni Cacace che a bordo ha impegnato tra gli altri Stefano Orlandi del team North Sails e che si è avvalso dell'esperienza del sail designer Michele Malandra. Per le classifiche READ MORE

NORTH SAILS POWERS GRAND PRIX CLIENTS ACROSS THE GLOBE An Impressive Start To The Racing Season From Palma, Spain to San Diego, California, and down to the island of Antigua, North Sails Grand Prix clients were faster than ever claiming victories across the globe. Starting in Palma, clients won across six divisions, ranging from the Wally to the Swan 45 Classes. Teams were tested with little to no margin of error, and most division wins came down to the last day of racing. Congratulations to Wally Magic Blue, TP52 Azzurra, Melges 40 Inga From Sweden, ClubSwan 50 Earlybird, and Swan 45 Elena Nova for your first place overall finish. In San Diego, CA, close competition at the Yachting Cup challenged sailors in the Pac52 fleet, with Invisible Hand placing on top of the podium. The Yachting Cup was the first event of the year for the Pac52 class. The fleet will meet again in Long Beach, CA at the end of June. Beautiful sea breeze and perfect waves for surfing at Antigua Sailing Week gave sailors great racing and ideal conditions, and North powered clients winning across six classes. A special congratulations to 3Di-powered Grand Prix clients for their podium sweep in CSA 1; Warrior claiming first overall, Black Pearl for her second place finish, and Riff Raff, placing third. Warrior also claimed the new race record in the famous Peters & May Round The Island Race. North-power dominated first and second place in CSA 2, with Farr 115 Sojana* and VO60 Ambersail. CSA 3 also saw competitive sailing, with Farr 65 Spirit of Juno taking the win. Lord Nelson Trophy winner Sojana* was also the best performing yacht in Antigua. CSA 4 second place finisher was RP 37 TAZ, powered by 3Di. Check out our favorite photos from around the world. PALMA VELA- In the Wally division, Magic Blue with Toni Cacace out-performed her competition placing 1st overall, just one point ahead of J One, with owner Piers Richardson. © Mauro Melandri / ZGN PALMA VELA- ClubSwan 50, Earlybird with skipper Hendrik Brandis and team swept her fleet winning the title, and Morten Kielland’s Mathilde placed 2nd overall, shown here battling with OneGroup’s Stefan Heidenreich who finished third. © Maria Muina/Sail Racing Palma Vela PALMA VELA- Swan 45 class was dominated by Elena Nova with skipper Christian Plump. © Maria Muina/Sail Racing Palma Vela PALMA VELA-TP52’s first place finisher, Alberto Roemmers and team on Azzurra came out ahead in this highly competitive fleet. Santi Lange, tactician of Azzurra, champion of class TP52: “I’m very happy, obviously. I had a lot of pressure, there is always pressure, but this is good because I know that the team has worked very hard during the winter. They have done an incredible job to put the boat in the water . Others will move forward and we’ll have to keep doing it better; it’s about continuing to learn.” © Nico Martinez/Sail Racing Palma Vela 2018 PALMA VELA- Placing first in the Melges 40 Class, Inga from Sweden skippered by Richard Goransson excelled with flying colors. Cameron Appleton, tactician of Inga, champion of class Melges 40: “It was a long and complicated race. Very long days to complete nine of the ten regattas in difficult conditions. Sailing among other fleets has been complicated at times, but the competition has been really equal, and during the last race we became third. We were first all week, but it was hard. We have a good group of people aboard. We are improving little by little and we’re all learning.” © Melges / ZGN SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA, USA – Pac52 winner of the Yachting Cup, Frank Slootman’s Invisible Hand shown here battling out of the leeward mark with Tom Holthus’ BadPak. © Bronny Daniels / Joysailing ANTIGUA SAILING WEEK-Stephen Murray Jr.’s Warrior broke the Peters & May Round the Island race record at Sailing Week, also placing first overall in CSA 1. ANTIGUA SAILING WEEK- Stefan Jentsch’s Carkeek 47 Black Pearl 2nd Place CSA 1. ANTIGUA SAILING WEEK – Loz Marriott’s Sojana*, Farr 115 wins the Lord Nelson Trophy for best performing yacht, also placing 1st in CSA 2. ANTIGUA SAILING WEEK- Bernard Evan-Wong’s RP37 TAZ, 2nd Place CSA 4 ANTIGUA SAILING WEEK- Brian McMaster’s Riff Raff, Cookson 50 placed 3rd in CSA 1 READ MORE

NORTH CLIENTS ALL OVER THE ANNAPOLIS NOOD PODIUM Exceptional Service Delivered by the North Team John Brim, overall winner of the 2018 Annapolis NOOD. His J/70 Rimette is fully powered by North Sails. The 2018 edition of the Helly Hansen NOOD Regatta in Annapolis was dominated by North sails clients on the water and the North team also did an amazing job sailing with clients, servicing sails that needed overnight repair, holding debriefs, docktalks, and much more. As we congratulate all our clients for their great performances (North-powered boats dominated the podiums, see scoreboard below), we also want to congratulate our Annapolis team for the job well done: Chris Larson did an awesome job with the weather. He sailed on the winning Farr 30 Ramrod and helped giving the North Sails awards at the parties. Allan Terhune sailed on the winning J/111 with Pete Colby on Velocity and held the J/ 111 dock talk. Allan also gave the Pursuit Race trophy out on Saturday. Steve Pickel sailed with Cuyler Morris in the Etchells competing against our one design sail designer Ched Proctor. Steve was at the North tent each night talking with clients. Zeke Horowitz won the J/22 class and ran two docktalks. Zeke also gave the North Boat of the Day award out to the AYC Youth Team, Helly Hansen Sponsored, in the J/80 class. Will Keyworth drove North Sails coach Chuck Allen around in the power boat. Having Wilbur take Chuck around was like having a local knowledge guru. Not only did Wilbur know what the breeze was doing or going to do, he also knew many of the boats in all classes. Chuck, by the way, did a great job taking photos and debriefing sailors. A huge shout out to Ridgely McKenzie and Bill Birmingham, the Annapolis North Sails Service team. Bill was there each day at the truck and got sails back together for the next morning. Always smiling and engaging the clients. The key to any event is the local presence of the North Team. We have a great group in Annapolis and everyone stepped their game up. A huge thank you to Lorraine McKenna from the North Sails Marketing team for helping putting all together. North Sails’ commitment to the NOOD Regattas continue stronger than ever. Next stop, see you at the NOOD Marblehead in June. Martin Roesch’s team Velocity, J/111 Class winners powered by North 3Di, sailing with North expert Allan Terhune.   Annapolis YC Juniors, winners of the North Sails Boat of the Day with North expert Zeke Horowitz.   2018 HELLY HANSEN ANNAPOLIS NOOD J/70 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 / Jonh Brim – Regatta Overall Winner! J/70 Corinthian 1,2 / Jennifer & Ray Wulff J/22 1, 2, 3, 4*, 5, 6, 7, 10 / Zeke Horowitz VIPER 640 1*, 2, 3, 4, 8, 9 / Mary Ewenson ETCHELLS 1*, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7 / Matt Lalumiere J/111 1,2 / Martin Roesch FARR 30 1, 2 / Rodrick Jabin J/105 1, 2, 3, 4 / Cedric Lewis/ Fredrik Salvesen J/30 1, 2, 3 / Bob Rutsch * Denotes Partial North Sails Inventory   J/30 winners – Bob Rutsch’s Team Bepop powered by North 3Di.   Great times at the North tent!   USA 53408 Auntie Jean – James Sagerholm & Jerry Christofel, winners on the J/35 class   Jon Opert, winner of the North Rally Race on his Hanse 372 “Orion”   J22 “Uncle Fluffy” skippered by Zeke Horowitz wins the J22 Class. Read Zeke’s Takeawys on the J/22   READ MORE

Annapolis NOOD: Road to the J/22 Worlds Zeke Horowitz on overcoming the challenges of Chesapeake Bay J22 “Uncle Fluffy” skippered by Zeke Horowitz wins the J22 Class This year’s edition of the Helly Hansen Annapolis NOOD brought almost 200 boats to the Chesapeake Bay for one of the biggest one design festival events of the year. Among the 14 one design classes, the J/22 class was the largest with 32 boats competing. There is lots of excitement amongst the J/22 class as we approach the 2018 World Championship in Annapolis this September. While, as usual, the J/22 fleet was focused on having fun and visiting with old friends, there was definitely a sense of urgency as every team wanted to give it their all and get some solid practice in at the Worlds venue. Day 1 brought a beautiful southerly to the mouth of the Severn River where our course was set and run by the Race Committee from the Severn Sailing Association. With a dismal forecast for days 2 and 3, the RC was determined to get as much racing in as possible. Every start went off with an I over Z penalty which led to lots of letters on the score-card after the 5 race day. While the breeze was certainly the best of the 3-day regatta, it was anything but steady on our course. The holes on the course were absolutely tragic and it wasn’t uncommon to see a competitor five boat lengths away from you going twice your speed. Combined with the typical Chesapeake Bay chop, this made for some pretty frustrating moments. Patience was key and the left side paid almost every time. It was imperative that the helmsman stay 100% focused on sail trim and tell tales so that the boat was always moving as fast as possible while the tactician kept their head out of the boat to find the pressure and avoid the holes. With upwind current most of the day, it made starting at the pin relatively easy because you could set up lower in the starting box and let the current help carry you up to the line. Since the left side of the course was so favored, it really came down to execution. If you could nail a pin end start and get left, you would usually be in the top group at the weather mark. Of course, as soon as we figured this was a 100% game plan, the final race saw another wind reset and the boats that came out of the right won the first beat! Welcome to Annapolis! Days 2 and 3 saw a very similar forecast with light winds out of the North and some rain showers throughout the day. Pre-race homework including watching the fleets in front of us was key to deciding on our game plan. It seemed like often times the fleet would start in a left shift, but the pressure would wind them right shortly after the start -ultimately leading to more pressure at the top left. We saw this repeatedly with the fleets in front of us so our general game plan was to start middle-boat so we could take advantage of the initial right pressure and get us to the left at the top. Of course our game plan didn’t always work out due to some bad starts and some pretty whacky conditions with several total glass-offs and fleet inversions. Nonetheless it was a great lesson in pre-race home work and how important it is to develop a solid game plan based on what you’ve learned. Our team managed to squeak out a victory over the immensely competitive group that raced at this regatta. But much like the rest of the group here, the primary focus was on coming away with some good lessons that can be applied to the rest of the season as we prepare for the Worlds. Here are a few takeaways from our team that we look forward to improving upon on the road to the Worlds: Don’t underestimate the impact a large fleet has on wind speed and direction. Especially in light air, the group of boats all gathered on the starting line drastically decreases the wind speed and makes your angle of attack to the starting line greater. Keep this in mind to avoid being late and in the second (or third) row at the start. Take the time to perfect your rig-tune before each race and always error on the softer side. The J/22 has a pretty sensitive “groove” as it pertains to rig tune so it’s crucial to do numerous checks before each race to make sure you have the right amount of “dangle” in your leeward shroud and side sag (or poke) in the middle of the mast. It’s better to be caught too loose than too tight! Define the roles on your team. Boat speed is king and that should be the helmsman’s primary focus. There are big gains to be made from minor tweaks in sail trim set up and accurate driving. Don’t let the driver look around too much! It’s the responsibility of the tactician and other crew(s) to make sure the boat is in the right places on the course. Be conservative and avoid big mistakes! Often times at the end of a regatta it’s the team that made the fewest big mistakes that comes away with the hardware. Keep this mind in the starting area and at marks especially. If you are fast, you can get away with conservative starting and tactics and that is always the recipe for success! Feel free to contact Zeke, our local Annapolis J/22 expert if you need assistance getting ready to the Worlds. Learn more about North’s fast J/22 sails. Helly Hansen Annapolis NOOD J/22 Class – Powered By North Sails 1 Uncle Fluffy / Zeke Horowitz 2 Hot Toddy / Jeff Todd 3 Dusty / Pete Levesque 4 Scooby / JR Maxwell* 5 Rythmic Pumping / Aden King 6 Mo’ Money / Victor Snyder 7 The Jug 4 1 / Chris Doyle 10 Capstan Consulting / Brad Julian * Denotes Partial North Sails Inventory READ MORE

ANTIGUA SAILING WEEK 2018 North-powered Clients Celebrate Antigua Style, Dominating Six Division Class Wins, Honorable Awards, And A New Race Record 116 Teams from all over the world arrived in Antigua for the 51st edition of Sailing Week. Not only a great showing for the visiting sailors, but the local racing fleet showed their true colors in representation- making for a fantastic week of competitive island racing. Each day the racing was amazing, with breezes ranging from 16-25 knots with 12-foot swells, giving sailors a real taste of Antigua. With 54 courses to choose from, race committee volunteers kept the sailors on their toes each day with long, exciting, and very different races that allowed for some of the most breathtaking views. Seven races were completed by the end of the week, giving teams a forgiving discard, which made the scoresheet very competitive in each class. Round the island with Warrior- New race record! Starting the week off in a fast way- client Stephen Murray, Jr.’s modified VO 70 Warrior came out hot in the Peters & May Round the Island Race, a 53-mile course, in a record time of 3 hours 55 minutes and 38 seconds, blowing away the previous race record held by Peter Harrison’s British superyacht Sojana* by over 42 minutes! With breeze reaching 25 knots, no one could hang with the Warrior or Anthony McVeigh’s GF51 trimaran 2 2 Tango, who swept line honors in the multihull division. Congratulations to both teams for your stedfast performances, kicking off Antigua Sailing Week 2018. Starting with CSA 1, clients Stefan Jentzsch’s Carkeek 47 Black Pearl came in 2nd, followed by Brian McMaster’s Cookson 50 Riff Raff in second and Eduardo Plass’ Camiranga, a Soto 65, in third. In CSA 2, client Sojana* claimed the fame, taking 1st overall as well as the Lord Nelson Trophy for best racing class yacht. Ambersail, with owner Simonas Stepnavicius, was close behind in 2nd. CSA 3 class win was awarded to Arran Chapman’s Spirit of Juno*, a Farr 65, followed by Oyster Starry Night of the Caribbean. IN CSA 4 RP37 TAZ claimed a podium position, placing 2nd in class after an unexpected rig failure in the last race on Friday, giving Dingo a chance to move in for the kill. Swan 48 Sleeper X, Winner of CSA 5 powered by 3Di In CSA 5 Jonty and Vicky Layfield’s 3Di-powered Swan 48 Sleeper X haunted our dreams with an impressive first place streak, followed by Scarlett Island Girl, a Dufour 45e, with owners Ross Applebey and Ossie Stewart who sailed a great regatta. In third was Rob Butler’s modified Reflex 38 Touch 2 Play Racing* from Collingwood, Ontario. Touch 2 Play* also claimed the CSA Travellers Trophy, for best overall results across the board in the Caribbean circuit this year. CSA 7 was dominated by locals on NSA Spirit, with owner Jules Mitchell with a solid lead over 2nd place finishers Maella, X-yacht 34 with Raphael Magras, followed by David Cullen’s Pocket Rocket, a J/109. In CSA 8 Biwi Magic with Robbie Ferron, a modified 6-meter and local topped the fleet with 10 points after one discard. Our multihull clients had their fair share of fun too, with Robert Szustkowksi’s R-Six taking first place followed by Thirst, a Gunboat 55 with owner Seamus Hourihan. Congratulations to our clients for your outstanding performances across the board. Another fun sailing week with new friends, spot-on teamwork, and beautiful racing- that’s a wrap! *indicates partial inventories Heading upwind with CSA 5 Sojana* , winner of the Lord Nelson Trophy Scarlet Island Girl, 2nd in CSA 5 Perfect racing conditions- with the best views! READ MORE

NORTH SAILS ARE HERE FOR YOU From choosing the correct sail material to making the most of your sails, the North Sails team of experts based in Gosport are here to help North Sails are committed to designing, producing and delivering the best sails in the world. We are also equally committed to working as a team with our customers. North Sails UK relocated to the new, larger loft in Gosport in 2015 in order to fulfil the increasing demand for sails in Europe and around the world. As technology develops, boats are getting bigger and so are the sails! The Gosport loft fulfills the requirements, with three dedicated work benches; the largest covers 3500m², which is big enough to lay out a J Class yacht mainsail. On this finishing bench, panel sails are stitched together and the finishing touches are added to the 3Di blanks received from Minden and Sri Lanka. Our other work benches are dedicated to Service and One Design. The Certified Service bench was recently increased to ensure we meet the needs and requirements of all our customers. We offer a one year guarantee for all new sails, and our experts also provide support at many events around the world. This year in the UK, we will offer certified service at the J-Cup, Cowes Week, and several other events. Our day-to-day servicing covers everything from laundry and storage to re-cuts and repairs. The One Design team have a bench specifically for outputting One Design sails. They are able to make anything from Optimist sails to asymmetric spinnakers for sports boats, using a variety of North panel cloths. The team of highly skilled sail makers work hard and with a great attention to detail, in order to make every sail comply to the company’s high standards in sailmaking, as well as making sure they are championship-winning sails! We also have a team of class experts in hand to help you choose the right sail for your One Design sailing. This team is lead by World Champion and One Design superstar Charlie Cumbley. We are located just outside of Portsmouth, next door to the Solent—the heart of sailing in the United Kingdom. We offer pick-up and drop-off of sails from several locations along the Solent. Our team is available for you at every stage of your sailing; from measuring your boat, to fitting the sails, to making sure you get the most out of your inventory on the water. Our service manager, Rob Dyer will be able to help with all of your servicing needs, from quoting to advising. The North Sails European design team, led by David Lenz, operates out of the Gosport loft. David has been working for the company since 2000 and offers a wealth of experience, both in designing sails and in using the sails he designs. We have eight in-house designers, each using North Design Suite to study sails in their actual flying shape. We can measure how they behave when sheets are eased and the sail begins to twist, using the same controls that a real boat has. That means our designs have exactly the sail shape you need. “At North Sails our experts are on hand to advise you on each step of sail buying, including product selection, sail care, rating optimisation, measuring your boat, and of course fitting your new sails." Sam Richmond, UK Sales Manager. If you are interested in any of our North products or want to chat to our service team and see what we can do with your sails, then do not hesitate to get in touch. READ MORE

FRECCIA DEL CHIENTI CONQUISTA I LINE HONUORS A LA DUECENTO Esordio in grande stile per il Farr 400 Freccia del Chienti che, a poche settimane dal varo e dalla consegna di un full set North Sails 3Di, si è imposto ne La Duecento, conquistando i line honours del raggruppamento x Tutti. Lo scafo di Piero Paniccia ha tagliato il traguardo sabato 5 maggio alle 23.38, anticipando di circa mezz'ora Margherita di Piero Burello, Victor-X di Vittorio Margherita, Talitha di Maurizio Merenda e Luna per te dello Sporting Club Duevele Paniccia, che durante la regata ha avuto al suo fianco tra gli altri il North Sails Specialist Andrea Casale e Nigel Owen King, si è detto emozionato per essere tornato a Caorle dopo dieci anni da vincitore: “E’ stata una regata molto impegnativa: ci sono stati molti salti di vento e dopo Parenzo la flotta si è compattata, tanto che ci siamo ritrovati circondati. Alla fine dell’Istria il vento ha girato a est e siamo riusciti a girare bene Sansego, poi fino all’arrivo abbiamo dovuto lottare per mantenere la testa della flotta”. “E’ stata una regata molto tecnica - ha fatto eco Chicco Capecci, anch'esso a bordo di Freccia del Chienti - Il Mare Adriatico riserva sempre molte sorprese e fino all’ultimo miglio abbiamo dovuto fare moltissimi cambi vele”. READ MORE

BAYVIEW ONE DESIGN REGATTA The Perfect Arena For Premium Racing The Bayview One Design Regatta began in 2012 with our own Karl Kuspa as Vice-Chairman with then Governor of Bayview Yacht Club Hanson Bratton. Fast forward six years and the regatta is still going, growing in popularity each year and providing a quality weekend of One Design racing. The regatta is hosted by Bayview Yacht Club in Detroit, sitting right on the Detroit river, connecting out to Lake St. Clair. A perfect arena for premium racing and post-racing events. As one of the co chairs of the first Bayview One Design Regatta, this event will always be a special one for me. The event is a great kick off to the sailing season here in the Lakes. For the sailors, it is great competition but also a lot of fun on shore. Karl Kuspa North Sails Regatta Services Our Detroit team will be providing overnight regatta repair. Contact Skip Dieball (419-392-4411) or Karl Kuspa (586-530-2602) during the event to arrange pick up. Cal 25 - Friday post racing Roundtable: Karl Kuspa |Bayview Yacht Club J/70 - Friday post racing Dock Talk | Paul Abdullah | Grosse Pointe Yacht Club Lightning - Saturday post racing Dock Talk: Skip Dieball | Crescent Sail Yacht Club Weather Forecast - Sign up below to receive a complimentary weather forecast, powered by North Sails and provided by Sailing Weather Service READ MORE

MIKE INGHAM WINS 2018 J/24 NORTH AMERICANS Tough conditions, three bullets to secure the title in a tight ending The 2018 J/24 North American Championship were hosted by Charleston Yacht Club. For those that have not sailed there before there is a LOT of current, it is shifty and there are obstacles such as land, towers, and barges that all come into plan. It is a place where you need to sail heads up and have a sense of humor. You are going to make mistakes – lots of them, there is no avoiding them! But with all that, boat speed matters. We had good speed and with that, we often won our side. Even if we were wrong, we could get out alive to claw back. Another advantage of speed in that crazy stuff is that we could break free from our pack and were able to then take advantage of a shift or other opportunity. Conditions were flat water and all genny (no blade), but within that, we had a wide range of velocity form almost drifter through top end of the genny. Since it was flat water, we set the genoa leads to “touch –touch”, meaning when we over-trimmed the genoa, it touched the spreader and the chain plate at the same time. Then we sheeted hard on both main and genoa because we were now looking for power, and when we can get away with it in flat water, the J24 likes to sail high. But with all those shifts and the wind up and down a lot, shifting gears was the key to consistent speed. Here are the priorities we came up with: Shifting Gears in Underpowered Conditions (0-about 8kts) Body weight first. We tried to move crew weight to keep a constant heel of 5 degrees or maybe even a little less. I would say we sailed almost uncomfortably flat. My helm was neutral or even a had to push a little. I had the team move to keep that heel and they would make their best stab at it and I would fine tune it with “2 in” (meaning 2 crew would lean in), “3 out” (meaning all 3 were fully hiked) We trimmed the genoa tight, maybe 3” off the spreader, but would ease both main and genoa a little for some waves or to help through any transition. With any puffs, we would trim a little tighter to keep the leaches tight, in lulls we would ease to keep the leaches from getting too tight. Shifting Gears in Overpowered Conditions (8kts +) “Full hike” would let the team know that I need them all to hike as hard as they could and that would also be a reminder to myself that my mode has changed from underpowered to overpowered. If I am looking to depower my first move is the backstay. With the backstay on, I would trim the main a little more because while the backstay flattens the sail, it also opens the leach too much. Conversely I had to remember to ease the mainsheet when easing the backstay so the leach would not be too hooked. If that was not enough to depower, pinching a little in that flat water seemed ok. The cunningham and genoa halyard went on too to help depower. My last resort was easing the sheets. We rarely had to do so this weekend, and I only do this if I have exhausted all the other depower options. We talked about this at our dock talk after racing Saturday. See video below. Learn more about North’s fast J/24 sails. 2018 J/24 North Americans 1. Mike Ingham 2. Will Welles 3. John Mollicone 4. Carter White * 5. Nicolas Cubria * 6. Andrew Carey 7. Robby Brown 8. Steve Kirkpatrick 10. Kenneth Porter * Denotes Partial North Sails Inventory READ MORE

HAVE YOU SIGNED UP FOR THE SUMMER SERIES? Join our crew for the 2018 C.O.R.A Summer Series. READ MORE

ASZIMMETRIKUS VERSENY SPINNAKEREK KÖNNYED, GYORS ÉS STABIL North Sails V-szériás aszimmetrikus spinnakerei egyenesági leszármazottjai az America’s Cup és a Volvo Ocean Race vitorláknak. Fejlesztésüket az aucklandi egyetem szélcsatornájában, és a NORTH SAILS Virtual Wind Tunnel bőszeles áramlást szimuláló softwarrel végezték. Az eredmény stabil aszimmetrikus spinnaker, ami nagyobb teljesítmény mellett, kisebb légellenállással és szélesebb szélspektrumban használható, ami kiemelten fontos a modern, könnyebb, jobban gyorsuló hajók számára. NORTH V széria hétféle széltartományra optimalizált típusa, és a legnagyobb teljesítményű bőszeles anyagok közül választhatunk. ELÉRHETŐ VÁLTOZATOK A1 Light-Air Reacher A3 Masthead Reacher A5 Fractional Reacher A1.5 Light-Air Runner A2 Medium-Air Runner A4 Heavy-Air Runner JELLEMZŐK • szabadalmaztatott számítógépes tervezés • TrueRadial szerkezet, minden illesztésnél formázott • széles színválaszték • rozsdamentes sarokveretek, hevederes erősítéssel • állítható Dyneema élkötelek • vitorlaszám, országjelzés • hitelesített felmérés • spinnaker zsák OPCIONÁLIS • többféle anyagvastagság vitorlán belül • külső haulzolást segítő Gybulator • antitorziós kötél betekerőkhöz • egyedi grafika • SailKote Plus bevonat • lehúzószemek READ MORE

SZIMMETRIKUS VERSENY SPINNAKEREK BIZONYÍTOTT, ERŐS TELJESÍTMÉNY North Sails V-szériás szimmetrikus spinnakerei egyenesági leszármazottjai az America’s Cup és a Volvo Ocean Race vitorláknak. Fejlesztésüket az aucklandi egyetem szélcsatornájában, és a NORTH SAILS Virtual Wind Tunnel bőszeles áramlást szimuláló softwarrel végezték. Az eredmény stabil szimmetrikus spinnaker, ami nagyobb teljesítmény mellett, kisebb légellenállással és szélesebb szélspektrumban használható, ami kiemelten fontos a modern, könnyebb, jobban gyorsuló hajók számára. NORTH V széria hatféle szél tartományra optimalizált típusa, és a legnagyobb teljesítményű bőszeles anyagok közül választhatunk. ELÉRHETŐ VÁLTOZATOK S1 Light-Air Reacher S1.5 Light-Air Runner S2 Medium-Air Runner S3 Medium-Air Reacher S4 Heavy-Air Runner S5 Fractional Reacher JELLEMZŐK • szabadalmaztatott számítógépes tervezés • TrueRadial szerkezet, minden illesztésnél formázott • széles színválaszték • rozsdamentes sarokveretek, hevederes erősítéssel • állítható Dyneema élkötelek • vitorlaszám, országjelzés • hitelesített felmérés • spinnaker zsák OPCIONÁLIS • egyedi grafika • SailKote Plus bevonat • lehúzószemek READ MORE

WHO WE ARE: KARL KUSPA Get to know your local sales expert What do you sail? I grew up sailing Flying Scot's but currently am sailing keelboats, specifically Beneteau 36.7s, J35, J120 and Great Lake 70's. What got you into the marine industry? What’s your favourite aspect of working in the industry? I started working with International 50's in college, which jump started my sailing career. From there, I began running racing programs with onboard coaching, which I have done for the last 30 years. My favourite aspect of working in the industry has to be the onboard coaching aspect with teams. The instant gratification of seeing the team improve and their skills develop is very rewarding. As well, the mechanics of the boat itself with the team and coordinate the team to work together with the boat is highly satisfying. What is your earliest sailing memory? I've been sailing my whole life, I started sailing at a month old with my family. From there, I began racing Fling Scot's at age six with my Father. How long have you been working in the industry? What keeps you coming back for more? For the past 30 years I have been working in the industry and the idea of something new happening everyday is what keeps me coming back for more. If you could have any boat in the world, what would it be? One Design keelboat for sure. READ MORE

WHO WE ARE: SKIP DIEBALL Get to know your local sales expert What do you sail? How long have you been sailing? I have been sailing for almost 40 years now; I've been sailing since I was a kid. Right now, I primarily sail One Design, such as Etchells, Lightning, J70, Melges 24 and Big Keelboats. What got you into the marine industry? What’s your favourite aspect of working in the industry? I worked for an IT firm right out of college and then had an epiphany that sitting in a cubical wasn't for me. I had sailed all my life so the transition into sailing/the marine industry made sense. It's not so much what rather than who that got me started in the marine industry; I started working in the industry through Larry MacDonald. What is your earliest sailing memory? My earliest sailing memory would be sailing with my family as a young one. I started by standing on a milk crate skippering the family boat because I couldn’t see over the top of the wheel. What keeps you coming back for more? The competition. Whether it's with customers or for himself, the race course competition is my favourite and keeps me coming back for more. If you could have any boat in the world, what would it be? It definitely would be a One Design boat. Any boat that is fun to sail & can sail with my kids, such as a J70 or Lightning, would be my preference. READ MORE

TEST DRIVING THE IC37 BY MELGES Ken Read’s First Impressions on the New Melges IC37 Class Last week us “industry pros” got to test-drive the IC37 by Melges, and the boat blew us away. Hats off to Lynn Bowser and the Westerly Marine builders, and designer Mark Mills. My first impression is the entire project team has gone beyond expectations and delivered a boat of which the New York Yacht Club is going to be exceptionally proud. Speaking on behalf of our entire company, North Sails is honored to have been selected by the NYYC as a partner in this project, along with our sister company Southern Spars. We took the assignment very seriously and knew that we had to deliver a perfect product. I am proud to say our company has met the challenge and then some. Talk is cheap, but creating a one design concept with perfectly matched products isn’t easy. The final product arrived, and we were able to go sailing without any surprises. I’m incredibly impressed with the talent of Mike Marshall and Dale Morris, the two young designers from North Sails and Southern Spars assigned to this project. These are milestone moments for a company when the new generation of designers and engineers are jumping out of the nest fast and taking on new projects. Mike and Dale have spent six months matching a sail plan to a rig tune to make one mainsail, one jib, and one asymmetric work for the IC37. And they nailed it. For a sailmaker, there are no other words to describe a perfect fit on the first try. On day two boat designer Mark Mills joined us for a full day of sailing in Newport. Mark gets it; the balance of the boat and weight placement is exactly as described seven or eight months ago. Both North Sails and Mills are using super advanced tools to aid their design vision. This is scientific sailmaking at its best. The beauty of designing modern race boats, when done correctly and with the right amount of time given, the guesswork is removed. Gone are the days of the dreaded, “Oh my god, I hope this fits,” or “I hope this works.” We’re not designing on a napkin anymore. You can say it till you’re blue in the face…we have the tools to create perfection, but you’ve got to bring that to life with smart people. And we did, as a company. And I’m very, very proud of the result. Huge hats off to the planning committee for allowing the industry team to have the first sail and put the IC37 through its paces. The committee gave us the chance to get it right, and I think it’s going to pay dividends once all the club members get on the boat. So what’s next? Turn this boat over to the NYYC and its members for this boat’s intended use, a fun, one design platform for Corinthian sailors, and for Melges Performance Sailboats to grow this class beyond the club and create a Corinthian class with global reach. Learn more about the IC37 products from North Sails. READ MORE

NORTH BOATS DOMINATE ANNAPOLIS ONE-DESIGN SEASON OPENER Fast Sails, Happy Clients On Sunday April 29th, Annapolis Yacht Club held their Annual Spring One Design Regatta at the mouth of the Severn River. Always a popular event, this year’s edition brought about 50 boats out of the wood work to shake off the winter cob webs. Though it still felt like winter out there as competitors were greeted with brisk temperatures in the high 40’s accompanied by a North West wind that approached 20 knots at times. Racing was challenging as the RC did a masterful job combining five different starts onto one course. The fleets included J/22s, J/70s, J/30s, J/105s and Etchells. On top of a very shifty and puffy breeze, competitors also had to navigate a very strong current that was moving right to left across the race course for the 3 race series. The keys to success were staying up current on the starting line, keeping the boat in the pressure, and avoiding the heavy traffic whenever possible. North Sails clients dominated the event and they look forward to keeping the momentum rolling into the Annapolis NOOD. Comments from Etchells Champ, Jeff Borland: Race one started a bit tough, got fouled, then hit the mark right after the gun went off. Did our turn, the had to duck three or four J/105s who had just come through the gate. We gathered our wits, and got the boat moving and headed out right as the rest of the fleet went left. Our boat speed was super, and a bit of luck with a slight right shift at the top of the beat, and we rounded in second. A little difficulty getting the kite up with a new bow person, and Jose Fuentes snuck by us into second. Turned into a horse race from there, and we couldn’t get by Jose to get the 2nd back. Race 2 saw a better start, and we went back to the right again as the fleet went left. The right paid again at the top, and with our great speed, we rounded in first, and never looked back. Race 3 saw just two of us on the start line, two boats missed the short AP that the RC put in so that we wouldn’t end up starting with the J/105s coming through the gate – good call by the RC! It was a match race around the course between ourselves and Caramba!, but Jose just never gave us a break to get by him. However, the second was enough to tie us up with Ca$$h Money, and since we both had equal finishes of 1, 2, and 3 – we won the tie break by beating them in the last race. Learn more about our Etchells designs. Comments by the J/70 Champs, Ray and Jenn Wullf: Sunday offered a great tune-up for our J/70 team in preparation for the Annapolis NOOD & 2018 training for the Worlds. While it was far from the Sunny, 80+ degree temps of Saturday, the breezy, shifty conditions & chop gave our team an excellent opportunity to practice our set up, communications & knock off some rust after some months off the water. “Thank you to Zeke Horowitz for braving the less-than-ideal conditions to sail with us. We really appreciated his expert advice & help in optimizing our North set up. His insights were valuable in improving our upwind & downwind sailing as we start our 2018 season.” Learn more about our J/70 designs. Annapolis Annual Spring One Design Regatta Etchells 1,2,3,4 / Jeff Borland J/22 1,3,4,5 / Peter McChesney J/30 1,2,3,4,5,6 / Jeff & Amy Stryker J/70 1,2,3,4,5 / Ray & Jenn Wulff J/105 2,3,4,5 * Denotes Partial North Sails Inventory READ MORE

2018 SOLO SPRING CUP Lawrence Creaser Shares Some Tips on Making the Solo Go Faster When not working on the production floor in Gosport, or selling sails to customers, Lawrence Creaser enjoys sailing a number of One Design boats including the Solo Class. Thirty-eight boats from a variety of nations ventured to Medemblik for the weekends racing. Although the rain didn’t hold off, the wind showed up with light to medium conditions across the weekend. The race committee managed to fit in seven races allowing one discard on the scoreboard. Lawrence completed the regatta with 5-2-1-1-(9)-2-6 giving him a two point lead ahead of second placed Pete Mitchell. Lawrence uses the North P-2 Solo sail. We spoke to Lawrence about the regatta and his Solo sailing. If you are interested in any North Solo products, get in touch with Lawrence today! READ MORE

NORTH SAILS ANSÆTTER JAN HANSEN FRA QUANTUM SAILS Det er med stor glæde at vi kan annoncere at Jan Hansen pr. 1. maj bliver en del af North Sails salgsteam. ”Vi er glade for, at vi har fået en aftale i hus med Jan, der vil styrke vores position i markedet”, siger Jesper Feldt, leder af North Sails Danmark. North Sails ser nu frem imod at kunne give en endnu bedre service til vores kunder i Danmark. Jan Hansen bringer mere end 30 års erfaring med til salgsteamet og er opsat på at fortsætte med at sælge og servicere nye som gamle kunder. ”Jeg har besluttet at stoppe min franchiseaftale med Quantum Int efter 16 års fint samarbejde. Den nuværende bygning skal rives ned og en flytning af sejlloftet til andre lokaliteter ligger ikke i kortene. Det der imponerer mig ved North Sails er deres store udvalg og brede spændvidde af produkter, samt at de konstant er innovative og investerer i de bedste teknologier. Quantum har nogle gode resultater bag sig men jeg kan se at pilen nu peger i en anden retning. Jeg skiftede fra mit gamle brand Dan Sails i 2001 i en erkendelse af, at jeg ikke længere kunne tilbyde mine kunder det bedste. Tiden er nu kommet til et nyt skifte af samme årsag” siger Jan Hansen. Jan Hansen kan fra i dag træffes hos North Sails Danmark, som ligger i Herlev og har 15 ansatte. Her er samlet verdensklasse maste- og sejldesignere, dygtige sejlmagere til service og reparationer samt kompetente sælgere. Alt det der kræves, for at du kan få de bedste sejl, som passer til dine behov. READ MORE

CONSEJO NORTH SAILS La exposición al sol es uno de los motivos que atentan contra la integridad de nuestras velas. © Michael Egan Los mismos rayos UV que dañan nuestra piel ejercen una acción similar sobre el tejido, las costuras e incluso la cabuyería. Una forma sencilla de reducir esa degradación y por tanto prolongar la vida de nuestras velas es cubrirlas cuando no las utilizamos. Unos tejidos cuentan con mayor resistencia UV que otros. Para dos fibras del mismo tipo, las de menor diámetro se degradarán más rápidamente con el sol. Para conocer el grado de degradación de nuestras velas podemos rascar ligeramente su superficie con un metal sin filo, como una cuchara o la trasera de un cuchillo; si el tejido está en buenas condiciones, la superficie se volverá más brillante y suave; si el daño por UV es severo, la superficie se descamará o incluso rasgará. Será el momento de sustituir la vela. READ MORE

VOR: RUMBO A NEWPORT Terminada la etapa reina por el Océano Sur, que será recordada por la dramática pérdida del tripulante de Sun Hung Kai Scallywag, John Fisher, la flota partió desde Itajaí (Brasil) rumbo a Newport (Estados Unidos) el pasado domingo para disputar la Etapa 8, de 5.700 millas náuticas. © Ugo Fonolla - Volvo Ocean Race Tras la rotura de su vela mayor en la aproximación a Cabo de Hornos, MAPFRE equipa la vela que estrenó en la Etapa 6, entre Hong Kong y Auckland. La Regla Volvo Ocean Race limita el número total de velas que puede adquirir cada equipo a un máximo de dos unidades de cada modelo, incluyendo dos mayores, más seis velas para el período de entrenamiento previo a la competición. El inventario a bordo de cada VO65 está compuesto por ocho velas North Sails 3Di más un tormentín. READ MORE

COMIENZA LA TEMPORADA La temporada de regatas ya está en marcha, y desde North Sails la seguiremos muy de cerca como parte del compromiso con nuestros clientes. © 42N En las próximas semanas, nuestros expertos participarán activamente en la 15ª Sail Racing PalmaVela (Palma, 2 a 6 de mayo) y el 45º Trofeo Conde de Godó (Barcelona, 24 a 27 de mayo). READ MORE

SERVICIO CERTIFICADO NORTH SAILS El calendario de regatas comienza a alcanzar velocidad de crucero, y una buena revisión de las velas de nuestro barco resulta clave para garantizar las mejores prestaciones y evitar disgustos. El Servicio Certificado North Sails garantiza la puesta a punto más exhaustiva realizada por los mejores profesionales. © Ben Zucker Un inventario de velas supone una importante inversión. Los agentes North Sails nos ayudarán a elegir las que mejor se adaptan a las características de nuestro barco y al uso que les vayamos a dar, pero la relación con el cliente no finaliza con su adquisición: North Sails se compromete a ayudarle a maximizar el rendimiento y la vida útil de sus velas. Hay muchos factores que afectan a la integridad de las velas y que conviene vigilar. El uso y la exposición solar provocan una deformación que desplaza su profundidad máxima (camber) hacia popa, por lo que se pierde eficiencia; mástil, jarcia y backstay provocan un deterioro local por el uso (viradas, trasluchadas, flameo); y la unión entre punteras de sables con la vela también puede generar deformaciones locales. En velas portantes, sobre todo códigos cero que descansan largos períodos de invierno enrolladas dentro de su saco, es conveniente un chequeo exhaustivo antes de las regatas para localizar posibles agujeros o cortes, revisión de cinchas en puños y así evitar males mayores. Una inspección anual del inventario ayudará a prolongar la vida útil y el rendimiento óptimo de las velas. Y estas semanas previas al inicio de la temporada suponen el momento idóneo para asegurar que nuestras velas están a punto cuando las necesitemos. En su condición de líder indiscutible en diseño y fabricación de velas, North Sails dispone de la mayor red mundial de velerías, colaboradores y agentes unidos por los mismos parámetros de calidad y servicio. Cualquier vela revisada por nuestros expertos se somete a una minuciosa inspección ideada para anticipar posibles problemas y aportar soluciones. El Servicio Certificado North Sails ofrece diez puntos básicos: Inspección de los accesorios del puño de driza, amura, escota y rizo. Inspección de cinchas y herrajes contra el daño causado por el roce y los rayos UV. Inspección de las puntadas a mano. Inspección de las cintas y accesorios del grátil. Búsqueda de roces en puntos de contacto con crucetas, obenques, candeleros, etc. Inspección de la relinga del grátil y pujamen. Búsqueda de daños causados por rayos UV y comprobación del correcto enrollado (en su caso). Inspección de tope de las fundas de sables, accesorios y ajuste (en su caso). Inspección del cuerpo de la vela para verificar la condición del tejido, las costuras, los números de vela, las bandas de trimado y las ventanas. Reponer o añadir los catavientos. Inspección de accesorios: Cabo y aro del calcetín de spinnaker, sistema externo de plegado de mayor, sables verticales del foque, protección UV, etc. Inspección del correcto cierre del saco de la vela, cremalleras, tirantes y etiquetado. Informe de la vela, 10 puntos de verificación, comentarios. Para más información sobre el Servicio Certificado North Sails, visita www.northsails.com o contacta con nosotros en info@es.northsails.com READ MORE

ONBOARD COMMUNICATION The Chain of Command © Jeff Brown By Reed Baldrige On board communication for racing yachts is a key factor for performance, no matter what type of sailing. However, when the number of crew increases, it becomes more and more important. Offshore one-design boats typically have 6-12 people which requires a lot of communication and coordination. Below are some suggestions to keep your boat moving through the water and around the corners more efficiently and effectively with better communication. Here are the positions onboard following proper chain of command: The Tactician Starting from the top, there is the tactician, or head of the afterguard, is the one who gives the overall plan, talking to the whole crew and communicates directly with the helmsman in close quarter situations, such as the start and mark roundings. Ultimately the tactician is responsible for where the boat sails through the water, and how it sails, telling trimmer what type of mode is best for the boat. © Onne Van der Wal The Trimmers Next, the primary trimmers, who are the voices in control when sailing in a straight line. When sailing upwind, the main trimmer, who is usually the only other crewmember besides the skipper facing towards the middle of boat and sitting next to the helmsman, is constantly talking with helmsman about how the boat feels to each other. When sailing off the breeze it is the spinnaker trimmer who takes over keeping the boat in the grove. © Chris Howell The Boss Now you may be asking yourself, what about the boss? The skipper? This is the most important part. It is crucial that the skipper communicates to his or her trimmers about how the boat feels, how much the tiller or wheel is pulling or pushing. Knowing these characteristics of how the boat feels can help the trimmers do their job more effectively, as they can adjust accordingly to get the boat to feel good and in the groove. Many times it is hard for helmsman to speak up because there is a lot of conversing going on between trimmer, tactician and the bow, while also trying to focus hard on driving straight, knowing that if they were to veer off course a quick course change command is coming from their trimmers. But nevertheless it is crucial to tell your trimmers how the boat feels. Good trimmers should be asking frequently about how it feels to make sure the boat is maintaining a good course through the water. ©Jeremie Lecaudey/Volvo Ocean Race The Middle Moving forward in the boat, is what I like to call the middle. This includes headsail trimmers, grinders when you have them and the pit, which can be multiple people. Communication from this part of the boat is non stop and travels both ways. Communication can be difficult on larger boats and/or in windy conditions. The crewmembers on the bow need to know what the next maneuver is going to be so that they can prepare or get the proper hardware ready. The Bow The bow, typically made up of the crew who operate at or in front of the mast who deals with the hoisting and lowering of all headsails. Communication coming front to back is also crucial, such as an obstruction that is behind the jib or an issue onboard your own boat needing attention before the next maneuver can be executed. Many times, in challenging conditions, hand signals can be used to express the readiness or state of the bow prior to a maneuver. © Carlo Borlenghi Overall, the golden rule is that too much communication is always better than not enough, and yelling or scolding your crew only slows down the process of any maneuver. Most importantly: keep the boat fun, keep the boat fast! READ MORE

MILDEW ON SAILS: WHAT TO DO Our DIY Sail Care information only applies to traditional fabrics and laminates. 3Di is composite technology, not a sail laminate. For info on 3Di sail care, read Sail Maintenance. Here is what you need to know about mildew on traditional fabrics. Sails mildew. There are lots of guesses about why some mildew more than others, but not much in the way of facts. Three things we do know: Mildew is not a structural problem. Mildew is ugly. Sail owners get a little uptight when their sails turn black and splotchy. We can state a few truths about observed patterns regarding sails that have and have not mildewed: Sails in hot humid areas are definite candidates. It appears to help if the boat owner makes an attempt to keep the sail dry. Take a short sail to air out a damp roller furled genoa, especially if you are leaving the boat for an extended period and your last sailing day involved a lot of rain and salt water spray. Salt water residue dries more slowly than fresh water, so salt water dampness is worse than fresh water dampness. Areas with higher levels of air pollution, or pollen, tend to have more mildew issues. Laminated sails are much more susceptible to mildew than woven Dacron sails. Mildew propagates quickly in the adhesive layers of any glued-on parts. Insignia fabric reinforcing and adhesives used to glue together seams are particularly susceptible to mildew growth, because they feature thick layers of glue. Cleaning Mildew Sailcloth manufacturers have developed chemical treatments to retard mildew growth when the fabric is produced. However, there is a delicate balance between killing the fungus and killing the humans. So the problem has not gone away. Surface mildew can be cleaned off the sail with a diluted bleach solution. But once the mildew creeps in between layers of fabric, the sails need to be sent out for industrial cleaning. Wash companies other than sailmakers should be considered suspect. You might get a nice white sail back, but it may also be crumpled up like a bed sheet. For more information, read Should You Wash Your Sails? In our experience, once a sail has had a mildew problem, it will probably always have a mildew problem. A good cleaner can reduce the black spots to dirty white spots, but if the boat stays in the same area where the mildew started, the spots will soon be gray, and then it’s only a matter of time before they are black again. How to avoid mildew Air out your sails regularly, especially after rain. Try to do this on a calm, dry day. Exposure to sunlight is helpful, but too much causes UV Damage. Do not put sails away damp or salty. The salt attracts and retains moisture. Store in a dry location. If your boat is inactive for more than a week or two, take the sail off the rig and store it dry, or arrange for somebody to air it out periodically. Do not install a foam luff on sails prone to mildewing. If mildew occurs Treat mildew at the earliest possible moment. Mildew stains are easier to treat when new, relatively small, and close to the surface. Isolate mildew-infected sails from clean sails. A sure way to spread mildew is to rub an existing growth against a receptive surface. The most popular mildew remover is household chlorine bleach (sodium hypo chlorite) sold in the U.S. in 5.25% solution. Manufacturers recommend diluting it further. Tilex® and other “mildew removers” are sodium hypo chlorite solutions of about 3%. DO NOT use BLEACH on KEVLAR or NYLON, EVER, UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES! We have seen people poke their fingers easily through spinnakers rinsed in chlorine-treated swimming pools. DO NOT EVER MIX BLEACH AND AMMONIA! The mixture forms phosgene gas which killed and disabled thousands in the First World War. For deep set stains, immerse the stain in a fungicide for 12 hours or more. A high concentration is not necessary. No amount of surface scrubbing will do what a good soak can. After using bleach, rinse thoroughly with plenty of fresh water! Bleach residue can cause long-term structural damage. If the mildew stain is not removed by above treatments, give up. Further treatments can cause other damage. Scotchguard® and related water repellents have not proven to kill or prevent mildew. Lysol® household disinfectant is an effective fungicide and inhibitor. Some health and environmental agencies prohibit the use of stronger fungicides. Anything you use to kill or remove mildew will wash or wear away in a relatively short time. North NorLam™ fabrics are treated with the most powerful commercial fungicide allowable. It is 100% effective in laboratory conditions, yet demonstrably less effective in the real world. Lastly, this is what Bill Bergantz, Vice President of North Cloth, has to say about mildew: It is a poorly kept secret that mildew will grow on sails. While we do not completely understand it and don’t have a lot of good answers for prevention and cure, here is what we do know and what you should know in dealing with the problem of mildew. Mildew is a fungus. Like mushrooms (another fungus), it grows best in damp conditions, and probably doesn’t like daylight. It can flourish in climates as diverse as Florida and the midwinter Pacific Northwest. Mildew lives on microscopic organisms that it takes from the air, water, or the surface of the sail. Mildew will form on modern synthetic sailcloth, including adhesives, finishes, films, etc., but does not cause structural damage. Mildew does not affect the performance of sailcloth, so our concern is with the cosmetic disfiguration it can cause. Mildew can grow on anchor rodes and mooring lines , sheets and sail covers, dodgers, cockpit cushions, mattresses, bulkheads, and so forth. Mildew spores are carried in the air, especially in rain water, and are easily transferred by contact. 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