NORTH SAILS BLOG

NORTH SAILS AUSTRALIA NEEDS EXPERIENCED SALES AND SERVICE STAFF Create your path in yachting with North Sails Australia. North Sails Australia has positions available for both sales and service staff. Join the world’s largest Sailmaking company With over 29 lofts and manufacturing facilities worldwide that build sails from One Design Optimist’s to 85 Metre Superyachts there are endless opportunities. North Sails is the official Sailmaker of the 35th Americas Cup and 2017-2018 Volvo Ocean Race. Contact: For more information, please call Michael Coxon on 02 9998 8500. READ MORE

NORTH SAILS DESIGN AND 3D TECHNOLOGY SHINE AT MELGES 20 WORLDS North clients win World and Corinthian title in Newport, RI Drew Freides (USA) and his Pacific Yankee crew have been crowned Melges 20 World Champions after eight races in conditions ranging from 6-20 knots in Newport, Rhode Island. Friedes has put his time in with the Melges 20 over the last three years, and his first world championship is a sweet reward. Special congratulations to Justin Quigg (CAN) who is the 2017 Melges 20 Corinthian Champion. Justin and his CHARACTER 2.0 crew commanded the World all-amateur division and finished 19th in the regatta overall. With North 3D technology and design expertise as the common denominator, clients secured six of the top 10 World Championship places with North Sails inventories. Freides relied on the tried and true 3DL to power this win, while Quigg put all his trust in the new 3Di Melges 20 inventory. “Not all sails are created equal. Most sails are fast out of the bag, but where 3Di shines is its longevity over a series,” said Tim Healy, North Sails One Design President. “The Melges 20 Worlds has proven 3Di as an all-purpose inventory that is versatile and holds its shape over a wide wind range. North’s development and design team have been able to adapt this Grand Prix sail technology to fit small keelboats with limited season buttons. We hoped that the Melges 20 fleet would embrace 3Di and we now have the results to support this.” Shop the winning North Sails Melges 20 inventory or get in touch with a One Design expert. Full Results READ MORE

HENRY BOSSETT RETIRES AFTER 42 YEARS OF SAILMAKING Owner Henry Bossett retires from North Sails, leaving New Jersey region in the very capable hands of long-time partner, Ron LaNeve On the eve of owner Henry Bossett’s retirement, the North Sails team in New Jersey embraces changing times after 42 years in business. While the loft location is closing its doors, Ron LaNeve will become our traveling sails-man, providing expert sail advice and North’s signature Certified Service to our New Jersey customers. North Sails would like to thank Henry for over two decades of fantastic service. After opening his doors in 1975 (then operating out of his garage as Bossett Sailmakers), Henry established the loft in New Jersey in 1982 as Shore Sails and converted to North in 1995. Sailors throughout the country sought service and guidance from Henry and the small New Jersey team, for activities ranging from offshore sailing to speed races on ice. “Henry is very methodical in everything he does. He checked and double checked to make sure everything was right before cutting for a new sail. He’d measure not twice but three times. I was lucky enough to learn from him and adopt these practices,” said Ron, who began working with Henry out of the New Jersey loft in 1987. It didn’t take long for their network to grow far past Henry’s haven on the Jersey Shore. By specializing in one design sail production - from design to finishing touches - Henry was able to leverage his experience in the field while building sails on the loft floor. From small boat one-design classes like the E Scow, M16 Scow and the International 210, to the Prindle, A-Class Catamaran, and Tornado multihulls, Henry’s customer base spread across the U.S. and abroad to parts of Europe. In the Tornado, Henry qualified for the 1980 Olympic Games in Moscow with crew Jeff Kent - unfortunately, the same event President Carter boycotted due to Russia’s occupation of Afghanistan. Nonetheless, the pair continued racing the Tornado and were consistently ranked top five in the world. Of course, his passion for sailing bridged onto hard water where Henry became known as a top ice boat sailor and sailmaker, namely in the DN and Skeeter classes. He earned his reputation on the race course by winning three World Championships in the DN (1977, 1981, 1983) and four North American Championships (1982, 1983, 1990, and 1993). Some time ago... Henry leading the pack with fellow DN sailor, Meade Gougeon, just behind Henry’s customers appreciated his keen eye for design and strict attention to detail. As Deb Whitehorse wrote for iceboat.org, “I’ll never forget the day Skeeter skipper Tom Hyslop talked about getting a “new Henry” which was the way that Skeeter and Renegade sailors referred to any sail from Henry Bossett.” Ron continued, “We thought jobs through from beginning to end. Henry is bright; he forced me to think ahead and think creatively for the best result. In 31 years - I can track the mistakes we made on one hand. Being thorough and detail oriented kept us on track and paid off. It was an honor and a pleasure working with Henry.” So what’s next for Henry? Still plenty of sailing, but now he’ll be carrying his camera instead of a measuring tape. “I'm looking forward to spending more time exploring the beauty and history of the East coast with my wife, who has supported me from the beginning, and with my children and grandchildren who have been there for me every step of this journey also,” he said. “Sailing is something that's in my blood, my passion doesn't disappear just because I put away my sewing machine. Now I'll have my camera along with me instead of my measuring tape.” “I'd just love to thank all of my friends, supporters, and customers throughout the years. It's been one heck of a ride, and I've loved every minute of it. Lastly, the reality of this change is as our wedding invitations said all those years ago, in a quote by Gwen Frostic - “In a continuous living cycle each end becomes a beginning and life is becoming, always becoming…“ To honor Henry’s retirement, we’ll offer this 1986 advertisement from Chapstick, in which he proves looking good is still possible while sailing over ice at 40 knots! Thanks again to Henry for a fantastic tenure with North Sails. https://youtu.be/lh9CxTCacS8 Henry at the helm, sailing the Tornado with crew Mike O'Brien READ MORE

Hulp bij het bestellen van de juiste zeilen Tips en advies van onze experts 1. Nieuwe zeilen bestellen, de meest voordelige tijd is het najaar Denk in het najaar alvast na over nieuwe zeilen of advies over eventuele aanpassingen in uw huidige garderobe. Zo geeft u uzelf de tijd om goed na te denken over wat u wilt, zijn de zeilen op tijd klaar voor het nieuwe zeilseizoen en kunt u wellicht gebruik maken van onze winteraanbiedingen. Onze experts spreken graag samen met u de verschillende opties door en sturen u op basis daarvan een eerste offerte voor uw nieuwe zeilen. Voor aanschaf van nieuwe zeilen profiteert u op dit moment ook nog van onze najaarskorting. 2. Raadpleeg onze experts (op locatie) Laat u voordat u nieuwe zeilen goed informeren door één van onze experts over alle mogelijkheden en opties, het zijn er vaak zoveel meer dan u zelf kunt bedenken. Ook de mogelijkheden in de zeilwereld veranderen snel, prijsverschillen worden kleiner en materialen steeds duurzamer. Ook in de weekenden zijn we bereikbaar en beschikbaar voor service en advies op diverse evenementenlocaties. Via onze website en social media proberen we u op de hoogte te houden van waar de North Sails experts te vinden zijn. Niet alleen wanneer u graag informatie en advies ontvangt over nieuwe zeilen, maar ook als u tijdens een evenement schade vaart aan één van uw zeilen, kunt u bij ons terecht voor hulp. 3. Mooi of duurzaam? Met de komst van 3Di NORDAC hebben we een prachtig high perfomance product in huis voor toerzeilers; een duurzaam en betaalbaar zeil. 3Di NORDAC is een specifiek uniek cruising product voor de toerzeiler en heel goed betaalbaar wanneer u op zoek bent naar een beter zeil om de performance van uw boot te verbeteren , voor uw volgende vakantie naar Engeland bijvoorbeeld. Uiteraard leveren wij ook nog steeds onze radiaal zeilen. We merken dat sommige zeilers radiaal zeilen toch nog mooier vinden dan een compleet wit 3Di NORDAC zeil. Maar met een miniem prijsverschil van slechts 2 tot 3 % zou het zonde zijn als NORDAC niet de voorkeur krijgt. 3Di NORDAC zeilen zijn een stuk duurzamer en blijven er prachtig op staan. Heeft u vragen? Neem contact op met één van de experts van North Sails Benelux voor meer informatie. READ MORE

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SALIDA DE LA VOLVO OCEAN RACE La Volvo Ocean Race 2017-18 comienza el próximo mes en Alicante. © Ainhoa Sanchez/Volvo Ocean Race El Race Village del puerto de salida abrirá al público del 11 al 22 de octubre, con acceso libre y un montón de actividades para todas las edades en horario ininterrumpido de 10 a 22 horas. El 14 de octubre acogerá la regata In-Port y el 22 de octubre despedirá a la flota, que partirá a las 13:00h rumbo a Lisboa para disputar la primera de las 11 etapas en las que se divide el recorrido de esta edición. Como velería oficial de la Volvo Ocean Race 2017-18, desde North Sails os invitamos a que os acerquéis a Alicante para vivir en primera persona la regata oceánica por excelencia. Más información sobre la presencia de North Sails en la Volvo Ocean Race, aquí READ MORE

SALÓN NÁUTICO DE BARCELONA Entre los próximos 11 y 15 de octubre participaremos en el Salón Náutico de Barcelona con un stand espectacular en el que desplegaremos toda nuestra gama de productos. © 42n.es No faltará la última incorporación al catálogo North Sails, la 3Di NORDAC, la vela de tecnología 3Di para barcos de crucero de pequeña y mediana eslora que acaba de ser elegida “Mejor Producto Nuevo” en el Newport International Boat Show. Te esperamos en el stand B101. Más información sobre North Sails en el Salón Náutico de Barcelona, aquí READ MORE

REFORZAMOS EL ARSENAL DE LA VOLVO OCEAN RACE En su condición de velería oficial de la Volvo Ocean Race 2017-18, North Sails dotará a los VO65 de un inventario de velas íntegramente fabricado con su tecnología 3Di que incluirá el nuevo J0, una polivalente vela desarrollada a partir de los testimonios de los equipos de la anterior edición. © Jen Edney North Sails se convirtió en proveedor oficial de velas de Volvo Ocean Race en la edición 2014-15, pero su relación con la vuelta al mundo se remonta a la década de 1980. De cara a la edición 2017-18, la velería líder mundial ha revisado y mejorado el arsenal de velas de los monotipos VO65 en base a la información recopilada durante la pasada VOR y los testimonios de sus participantes. “La conclusión más valiosa que recibimos tras la pasada edición fue que existía un agujero entre el J1 y el Código Cero”, explica Gautier Sergent, experto oceánico de North Sails. “Entre 10 y 15 nudos de viento, las tripulaciones tenían que hacer constantes cambios de vela para encontrar la mejor configuración. Nos fijamos el objetivo de cubrir ese hueco e introdujimos un nuevo J0 que encaja perfectamente entre ambos”. El J0 tiene una superficie de 171 metros cuadrados, a medio camino entre el J1 (132 m2) y el Código Cero (305 m2). “En los Volvo 70 teníamos el J1 solapado detrás del obenque, mucho más grande que el actual, ya que nuestro J1 es ahora al 100%, no tiene solape con la mayor y es relativamente pequeño”, explica Xabi Fernández, patrón del MAPFRE. Una más a bordo La regla VO65 en la edición 2014-15 limitaba el inventario a bordo a siete velas (más tormentín). La incorporación del J0 supone aumentar a ocho velas (más tormentín) el menú entre el que las tripulaciones pueden elegir para obtener el máximo rendimiento de sus barcos. Según Gautier Sergent, supondrá una reducción en el número de cambios de vela de proa: “Encaja muy bien en la nueva configuración del recorrido, que ahora discurre más millas por el Pacífico Sur. Los equipos no tendrán que virar o trasluchar cada día, así que realizarán menos cambios de vela”. La nueva incorporación está recibiendo buenas críticas de los participantes, cuya mayor preocupación es ahora saber cuál es su rango de utilización. Inicialmente diseñada para condiciones de ceñida en brisas ligeras entre ocho y 15 nudos, el J0 está demostrando ser mucho más polivalente. Tras semanas de entrenamientos, Xabi opina que “es una vela tirando a rápida, que nos ayuda en vientos ligeros de ceñida, y a medida que vas abriendo rumbo, con más viento. Facilita que el barco no tenga que ir sobrepasado con el Código Cero, como nos pasaba antes”. Pascal Bidegorru, tripulante del chino Dongfeng, explica que “la vela tiene un rango enorme desde ceñida con brisa ligera, pasando por rumbo de través, y hasta una dura empopada”. Su compañero Daryl Wislang, campeón de la pasada edición con Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing, apunta: “North Sails ha realizado un magnífico trabajo; han escuchado nuestros comentarios y han desarrollado la vela que necesitamos. Vamos a usarla mucho”. Más novedades El J0 es la mayor novedad del arsenal de velas a bordo de los VO65, pero no la única. De acuerdo con Xabi Fernández, todo el inventario ha sido mejorado. “En general, han ajustado todas las velas: El Código Cero es un poco más pequeño y más plano que el anterior (pudimos verlo en la Leg 0, en la que algunos barcos usaron el antiguo), el fraccional es un poco más pequeño y la mayor se ha optimizado en la curva de grátil. El A3 es ahora de 3Di en vez de Cuben Fiber, un poco más plano, y vemos que es la vela que más ha mejorado”. Este cambio supone que todas las velas a bordo de los VO65 serán por primera vez de 3Di, exactamente en su gama RAW específica para máximas prestaciones, con la que se logra la mejor relación peso-rigidez sin añadir las cintas exteriores. Sólo el tormentín seguirá siendo de Spectra. “3Di es otra historia” Desde su aparición, la tecnología 3Di se ha demostrado como el arma definitiva para circunnavegar el planeta, y desde 2010 ha propulsado a todos los barcos de cada podio de la VOR. Tras debutar en la edición 2005-06, Xabi Fernández ha vivido de primera mano la revolución que supuso la llegada del 3Di, la tecnología exclusiva de North Sails que domina los océanos. “El 3DL ya fue un avance importante en aquellos años. Tuvimos unas velas de 3Di en el IMOCA en 2010, y una vez que se incorporó a la VOR en 2011, pensamos: esto es otro mundo; esto sí que es lo que toca”. La llegada del 3Di supuso eliminar una preocupación de las mentes de las tripulaciones: Literalmente, no se rompen. “Con el 3Dise ha ganado mucho no sólo en fiabilidad, sino también en prestaciones, porque no se deforman. Grandísima parte del entrenamiento del MAPFRE lo estamos haciendo con las velas de la edición anterior, como la mayor, que dio toda la vuelta al mundo y sigue en muy buen estado. Apenas se deforman y no se rompen, pero si tienes cualquier pequeña rotura se arreglan con un poquito de sikaflex y tejido de 3Di. Es otra historia”. Inventario de velas a bordo del VO65 Mayor: North Sails 3Di RAW de 161,8 m2 J0: North Sails 3Di RAW de 171,3 m2 J1: North Sails 3Di RAW de 132 m2 J2: North Sails 3Di RAW de 86,6 m2 J3: North Sails 3Di RAW de 44,5 m2 A3 (gennaker): North Sails 3Di RAW de 375 m2 Código Cero: North Sails 3Di RAW de 305 m2 Código Cero Fraccional: North Sails 3Di RAW de 235 m2 Tormentín: North Sails Spectra de 29,7 m2 READ MORE

2017 ETCHELLS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP San Francisco Yacht Club hosts top Etchells sailors in the country, North Sails clients place top five overall and 1st place Corinthian Stella Blue, 2017 World Champions! On Tuesday September 26th, 51 of the world’s top Etchells teams gathered at SFYC for the opening day of the 2017 Etchells World Championship. The day began with a postponement on the water until the breeze filled in, but the fleet was able to sail two good races in challenging conditions. Winning the sides paid off, and those who got stuck in the middle felt the wrath of sailing amidst the competitive fleet. Sailing was tough in this fleet – some would say tough is an understatement. Tuning, rigging, and sail set up made the difference between the front of the pack and the back of the fleet. North Sails Expert, Skip Dieball was on board Warcanoe and said there was always a constant flow of information about boat set up, since that was one of few things each team could actually control: “Because the fleet is so tight and the sailors are top of the line, it never really felt great with our lanes being so thin and everyone’s speed is very much equal in comparison.” Day two of the event was very much like day one; light air early on, building to wet and wild conditions. The RC postponed competitors onshore until proper racing conditions filled in for the afternoon. With a little extra prep time with their boats, sailors gained a sense of relaxation and the opportunity to get their heads in the game. When it came time to race, the wind gods provided great sailing conditions and two very competitive races were added to the scoresheet. Thursday’s breeze filled in much earlier, allowing the fleet to launch on time. Race five provided winds between 10-12 knots, with the right side of the first leg being favored. Because this fleet is so tight competitively, sailors were forced to balance course tactics with fleet management. The windward mark roundings were a test for all, whether you worked the favored side of the course or not. Throughout the first race of the day the wind was increasing and built to a solid 15-18 knots by the start of race six. Conditions downwind were perfect for the Etchells. Surfing and being able to connect the wave pattern gave a ton of power and speed. Carving down waves was vital, as Etchells rely on their edges in bigger breeze. Senet Bischoff and his team on KGB extended his lead in race six after taking a bullet. The top of each fleet was tight in scores, with still plenty of chances for big gains to be made with just a few points. Friday was wet and wild one. Steve Benjamin’s North-powered Stella Blue moved up to first overall, with Magpie close behind in second place. KGB still held on to first in the Corinthian division, and was in third overall going into the day. Saturday the scoreboard was solidified for good. Congratulations to 2017 Etchells World Champs, Stella Blue, with Steve Benjamin at the helm and David Hughes, Ian Liberty, and Michael Menninger rounding out the crew. Stella Blue also took first in the Masters and Senior divisions. Congrats to Dirk Kneulman and team on Tiburon for being the top boat in the grand masters division and Senet Bischoff’s KGB for winning the corinthian division. Learn more about Worlds-winning Etchells products from North by clicking here, or contact your local expert. READ MORE

Liebe Kundinnen und Kunden, am Montag, den 02. Oktober sowie am Dienstag, 03. Oktober (Tag der Deutschen Einheit ) bleibt unser Büro in Hamburg geschlossen. Am Mittwoch sind wir wieder ab 09:00 Uhr für Sie erreichbar. Unsere Kollegen am Bodensee in Langenargen sind am Montag mit einer kleinen Besatzung im Einsatz. Gerne können Sie uns eine E-Mail schreiben, und wir rufen Sie dann am Mittwoch zurück. Ihr North Sails Team READ MORE

North Sails service en advies op locatie Waar zijn de North Sails Benelux experts te vinden in november? Photo Credits: Jasper van Staveren North Sails service en advies op locatie in oktober en november De experts van North Sails Benelux werken vanuit de vestigingen in Almere, Rotterdam en Stabroek. Bent u in het weekend een evenement aan het varen dan is de kans groot dat één van onze vijf North Sails experts in de Benelux ook meezeilt. Heeft u tijdens het evenement vragen over uw North Sails zeilen of zijn er reparaties nodig? De experts van North Sails Benelux staan zeven dagen per week voor u klaar met service en advies. In oktober en november kunt u onze North Sails experts vinden op de volgende evenementen: 29 oktober IJspegel Trophy Scheveningen Zondag 29 oktober varen Wouter Kollmann en Nic Bol beiden mee met de IJspegel Trophy op Scheveningen. Wouter vaart op de A31 van Willem Schopman en Nic vaart op de Griel van Robert Jockin. 9-12 november Cannes Dragon Winter series Joost Houweling vaart in november de Cannes Dragon Winter series 14 t/m 16 november: METSTRADE Show, RAI Amsterdam Van 14 t/m 16 november zijn de experts van North Sails Benelux te vinden op de METSTRADE Show, standnummer North Sails 07.155. Meer informatie op https://www.metstrade.com 12 en 26 november: IJspegel Trophy Scheveningen Jacco Huijgen zeilt 12 en 26 november de IJspegel Trophy wedstrijden mee op de Flying Dolphin van Willem Ellemeeet. READ MORE

NORTH SAILS 3Di RAW POWERS TP52 SUPER SERIES SUCCESS Azzurra was crowned 52 Super Series champions when they bested the fleet in the final series act in Menorca last week. Alberto Roemmers’ Azzurra, helmed by Guillermo Parada and tactician Vasco Vascotto, is the only team to win two series regattas in 2017, placing them seven points ahead of Platoon and eleven points ahead of 2016 series champs Quantum Racing. The 2017 52 fleet may be the most competitive since the Super Series inaugural year in 2012. North Sails is proud to share in our clients’ success, with North-powered teams winning four of the six regattas – Azzurra finished 1st place in Miami and Menorca, Rán Racing topped the fleet in Porto Cervo with owner/driver Niklas Zennström and tactician Adrian Stead, and Ergin Imre’s Provezza claimed victory in Puerto Portals with helmsman Peter Holmberg and tactician Tony Rey. North-powered teams sailed well through the season, winning the last three events and the series overall; a testament to improved crew work and evolution of the 3Di RAW product within the fleet. Much of the North-powered results are attributed to the development of 3Di RAW 880, a Grand Prix 3Di product with limited distribution. “3Di RAW 880 received proof of concept this season, coming on strong in the final three events of the Super Series,” commented Paul Westlake, North Sails Grand Prix sales leader and mainsail trimmer on Bronenosec Gazprom. “The product development of RAW 880 has led to a refinement of flying shape, and directly contributes to aggressive mode sailing abilities on the race course. The product has shown its strength and durability as the season progressed, as the class limits the number of sails that can be “carded” in a given year which allows 3Di’s performance to shine as the racing hours build up.” “3Di RAW 880 is North Sails most current and ever evolving answer to perfect aerodynamic foils for inshore Grand Prix teams looking for the ultimate edge,” said Gautier Sergent, head of North Sails R&D. “Our 3Di RAW composite structure gives the sailors and designers the ability to push the limits of strength to weight ratio and stability. The performance and shape holding of these composite structures are exceeding our expectations based on our analysis and customers’ feedback. We had two very clear mandates and we were pretty spot on.” With proof of concept complete, the North Sails 3Di RAW 880 development path will focus on fine-tuning the structure to maximize the range for each specific sail, resulting in more performance control for the trimmers and a wider groove for the helmsmen. With nine new boats expected on the start line in 2018, 2017 may quickly become the second most competitive year in the Super Series history. Countdown to the 2018 season is on. READ MORE

BRIAN KEANE, J/70 WORLDS RUNNER UP Sail development, team consistency and practice-practice-practice – The keys to Team Savasana’s success Brian, congratulations from all of us here at North Sails One Design on your second place finish at the just completed J/70 Worlds in Sardinia! You have been sailing the boat pretty much when it started. What is the appeal of the J/70 to you? Brian – Many thanks for the kind words. We worked hard for this event and we are pleased with our performance and result. Porto Cervo is a beautiful place to sail, and we enjoyed conditions ranging from raging mistral to relatively moderate breezes. As for the J/70, I have been in the class from the beginning. In fact, I have been a long-time J Boat owner having previously raced both a J/105 and a J/80. I love the J/70 and believe it may be the most exciting and competitive keelboat class anywhere in the world. Throughout the year, it is possible to attend numerous events with 30, 50 or even 70 boats competing. The biggest events, like the Worlds, can have more than 160 boats representing 24 countries. And the depth of the class is incredible, with dozens and dozens of boats having teams comprised of world champions, Olympians, and America’s Cup competitors. “If you love one-design sailing and you like to compete against the best in big fleets, then the J/70 class is the place to be.” Second overall in a 160+ boat fleet, the biggest one design championship we have had in decades, maybe ever, is not small feat. Can you tell us what you did to prepare for this big event? Brian – Preparing for an event like this takes time and careful planning. After last year’s Worlds in San Francisco where we placed 8th, we got together as a team and discussed our goals for 2017. Obviously those goals were primarily focused on the World Championships in Porto Cervo, Italy. , As the year progressed, we knew that we were making advancements on multiple fronts. It sounds trite, but one of the most important things we did was make sure that we participate in enough events and had enough practice days as a team so we could build on our knowledge base week to week. “Another important area of progress was in sail development, particularly as the class started moving towards more aggressive use of weather sheeting. We were pleased to work with North Sails and shared our thoughts about improvement opportunities.” Sailing with North Sails, can you tell us what models you used and give us some insights on how you set your boat up? Watching the regatta it appeared to be a pretty windy week. Brian – In terms of sails, we went with the latest and greatest from North. This includes the XCS-1 main, which we believe is very versatile across a variety of conditions. In the breezy conditions, we had the ability to make the main very flat, and when necessary in lighter conditions, we had the ability to add depth and power to adapt to the conditions. “For the jib, we went with the new North J-6, which we really like a lot. It has a high clew which makes it very easy and efficient to weather sheet into the cabin top when the conditions are right. This allows us to maintain equal speed with competition while often providing us a height advantage. This is especially important in getting off the line and maintaining a lane in big fleets.” For the spinnaker, we used the same North AP-1 spinnaker design that we have loved for the past few years. Starting with that many top boats is a real challenge. Any pointers for the rest of us on how to get consistently good starts in such and large and competitive fleet. Brian – The race committee at the Worlds did a terrific job in some challenging conditions. Generally, the lines were square and the first windward leg was pretty long, generally 1.4 or 1.5 miles. The race committee also located the course far enough away from geographic factors so it wasn’t a race to the left side of the course. The combination of these factors, plus our confidence in our speed, meant that we didn’t need to win any start. Instead, our focus was to start in lower density areas and try to hold our lane for at least 3-4 minutes. If we could do that, we figured we would already be in the top 25 percent of the fleet. And racing near the top of the fleet is way easier than being buried. We also recognize that in big fleets random bad stuff can happen to anybody at the start. When this inevitably happens, it is important to be timely, yet smart about when to clear out so you can find a new lane. Hanging on too long will most certainly increase the difficulty and time required to find a lane. Bailing out too soon may result in excessive ducks and bad positioning. Can you tell us a little bit about your crew and what roles each one plays on the team? Brian – I am amazingly fortunate to have sailed with the core Savasana team for the past few years. Team consistency is currency for performance. Stu McNay, who is originally from my home club in Marion, Massachusetts, is our tactician. Stu is incredibly thoughtful and analytical and helps the program continue to move forward with continuous innovations and excellent use of data. Stu has also represented the United States for the last three Olympiads skippering a 470. Thomas Barrows is the trimmer on the team and he has such an amazing feel for the boat, which he translates into subtle tweaks in upwind sail trim. Downwind he is a natural talent and is magical in orchestrating sail and weight trim to take maximum advantage of the sea state. Thomas is also a valuable sounding board for Stu in discussing tactics. Thomas represented the United States in the Rio Games skippering the 49er. Ron Weed, from Annapolis, is our bow, but that doesn’t nearly capture what he really does for the team. He keeps us from getting into trouble. Sets, jibe, takedowns, and mark roundings are where most trouble happens in big fleets, especially in windy conditions. Ron is the guy who makes all of that a non-issue, even when we give him no notice. Ron is also “owner of the rig”, which means he knows where we are at any given time and he even knows how much the rig will stretch from day to day based on temperature. And finally, Ron is our conscience. He periodically throws out thoughts or observations about trim, backstay, traveler, or any other adjustment. These continuous contributions help our performance and help ensure that everyone’s head is fully into the game all the time. Thanks so much Brian and congrats again. What’s next for team Savasana? Brian – We will be participating in the North American Championships at American Yacht Club in a couple weeks. Unfortunately, we won’t hove our full core team, but we look forward to the event. Then we will head south for the winter circuit. READ MORE

NORTH U LEADING EDGE OPTIMIST CLINIC PRESENTED BY NORTH SAILS Advanced Opti clinic with top North Sails Optimist Coaches and Experts in Miami, FL North U is hosting the Leading Edge Optimist Clinic on November 2nd and 3rd in conjunction with the Southeast Champs, Nov. 4-5th. Hosted by Key Biscayne Yacht Club in Miami Florida, the clinic will include on the water sail testing sessions with the North Sails Optimist product line test sails, where sailors will be equipped with GPS tracking. Sail set-up and advanced tuning techniques will be discussed, paired with seminars on ‘How Sails Work’ led by Optimist Experts Zeke Horowitz and Mike Marshall. Awards will be handed out on Friday to the top performing sailors at the clinic. Charter boats are provided by McLaughlin Boatworks. Join us in Miami on Nov. 2-3rd for an interactive sailing experience with one of the best Optimist coaches in the nation. “I am really excited about our first ‘Leading Edge’ High Performance Clinic presented by North Sails. At this clinic we would provide all the sailors with top information on how to improve their techniques and have a better understanding on how sails work!” -Juan Carlos Romero Looking for a boat to charter? Registration is OPEN. Click here to sign up today! Clinic Schedule: THURSDAY, NOV. 2nd 8:30 am – Check-In / Breakfast Buffet & Make Your Lunch 9:00 am – All sailors rigged & ready 9:00-10:00 am – Sail Set-Up & Rigging Tips 11:30 – 4:00 pm – On-the-Water Training & Sail Testing 4:00 – 4:45 pm – Debrief / GPS Tracking Analysis 5:00 – 6:00 pm – ‘How Sails Work’ Seminar with North Sails Experts Mike & Zeke FRIDAY, NOV. 3rd 8:30 am- Breakfast Buffet & Make Your Lunch 9:00 am -All sailors rigged & ready 9:00 – 10:00 am – ‘How Sails Work’ Seminar with North Sails Experts Mike & Zeke 10:30 – 4:00 pm – On-the-Water Training & Sail Testing 4:00 – 5:00 pm – Debrief/ GPS Tracking Analysis Coaches: Who are they? Juan Carlos Romero is one of the most accomplished and experienced coaches in the Optimist class with nearly 25 years coaching experience. Born in Ecuador, Juan has coached at many top programs such as the Annapolis Yacht Club, St. Petersburg Yacht Club, Lauderdale Yacht Club, Coral Reef Yacht Club and is currently the Sailing Director at the Key Biscayne Yacht Club in Florida. Juan has also coached the Ecuadorian and United States National Teams in international events such as South Americans, North Americans and Worlds. Zeke Horowitz grew up in Sarasota, Fla. where he quickly took to sailing and began racing in the Optimist Class at the age of nine. His Optimist racing took him all over the world and inspired his passion for sailing and the camaraderie that comes with the sport. He continued on to race in other dinghies and small keel boats throughout high school, garnering multiple state and national championships along the way. Zeke attended The College of Charleston in South Carolina where he was selected as an Honorable Mention All-American twice, as well as an Academic All-Conference All-American. Zeke was team captain his senior year, and led the Cougars to their first ever ICSA Team Racing National Championship. Mike Marshall grew up in Rhode Island racing Optimists, 420s, and Lasers. He graduated with a degree in Geophysics from Connecticut College, where he was co-captain of the sailing team for two years. He is currently focusing on designing sails for one-design boats and one-design custom projects, including designs for the US Olympic 470 teams and many other world-championship-level programs. For additional information, contact: North Sails Head Coach Juan Carlos Romero at 410-212-5303, juancarlos.romero@northsails.com READ MORE

UN GRAND BRAVO AUX TANDEMS QUI ONT PARTICIPÉ À LA DOUBLE! Samedi dernier, une centaine de courageux équipages se sont placés sur la ligne de départ de La Double, régate qui, comme son nom l’indique, se court par équipe de deux. Père-fils, monsieur-madame, frère-sœur, amis, l’ambiance était belle et l’esprit de convivialité se faisait clairement ressentir au Club Nautique de Versoix ! Prévenus du petit temps (très, très petit par moments…) grâce au bulletin météo que notre équipe a distribué le matin même, les équipages n’ont pas été découragés en voyant le parcours raccourci pendant la course, et presque tous ont réussi à finir dans les temps ! Félicitations toutes particulières aux duos montés sur le podium en temps compensé, tous équipés par nos voiles au logo bleu et blanc : Thierry Paridant et Pierre Buholzer, amis de longue date, sur Météorite (Modulo 105), Jacques Emery et son fils Loik sur Makani (Melges 32), et Yves Tournier et Loic Savuin sur Triumvat (Luthi F10). North Sails est fier d’être partenaire de ce club et de cette régate depuis longtemps, et toute l’équipe espère pouvoir y participer encore de nombreuses années ! READ MORE

2017 J/24 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP North Sails clients conquer extreme light air conditions in Toronto, topping the podium Sixty-three teams from nine nations traveled to Toronto, Ontario for the 2017 J/24 World Championship. With support from our experts, North Sails clients raised the speed bar in the extreme light air conditions to step onto the podium. The week began with a practice race and a debrief hosted by Tim Healy and Will Welles, who have a history of memorable finishes in the J/24. Every team took something away that would be critical in aiding their light air performance. Rig setup questions included: Mast butt placement to flatten the main and tighten the headstay, fine-tune adjustments for lowers (half a turn depending on turnbuckle style). Other questions focused on starting in light air and big fleets, since getting off the starting line was one of the most difficult parts of each race. Here are some of the answers: 1. The key to getting a hole in the front row was to set up early, around 1:30 seconds, and get the boat going at full speed by 45 seconds. 2. Identify the boats coming from behind to steal your hole in time to shut them out. 3. A slightly lighter crew weight was desirable for predicted conditions. Some teams were closer to the maximum weight (880 pounds) than others. 4. Boat should be at minimum builder’s weight, with no extra stuff onboard. Carry tools and spares, no extra optional equipment that can’t really help you in the long run. 5. Adverse current is very unusual on Lake Ontario, but it truly existed and was a huge factor during the week, especially at the start and windward mark roundings which wasn’t very noticeable unless you were at the top of the course. “What made it tricky is that you couldn’t see the current on the water. Maybe because the wind was so light and there was pollen in the water, which made it slick so you couldn’t see it on the water. I saw adverse current coming into the top of the leg. It was noticeably there.” -Tim Healy Once racing started, teams battled the highs and lows of light air racing through trial and error. Starting each race with a clear mind made it possible to accomplish what sometimes seemed to be the impossible. The Race Committee did their best to get off as many fair races as possible, keeping in mind the World Championship level of competition that makes this type of event so challenging. “Don’t let yourselves get down on a bad race. Keep your chin up and never give up till it’s over. That’s the key.” -Will Welles Thursday there was no wind until the late afternoon. “J/24 fleet, welcome to Thursday night racing,” joked the Race Committee chair over the VHF, before starting the final race of the day at 5:00 pm. With only eight races, teams close on points were forced to take big risks in order to move up the results sheet. Sometimes starting away from everyone paid off, though the boats starting at the favored end would come out ahead. Straight line speed off the line was also a major component of success, allowing teams to break free and stay in clear air. Going into the last day, Tony Parker and his team Bangor Packet and Rossi Milev’s Clear Air were close on points, which put some serious pressure on the two teams. Race eight started in just barely enough pressure to sail. The last leg was shortened, and a 25 degree left shift rewarded the boats that stuck it out to the port layline. Rossi finished second, moving his team into first overall. When race nine was blown off with the entire fleet in a giant clump at the bottom of the course, Clear Air shut Bangor Packet out of the championship. Amongst the many cheers and whistles when the RC posted AP over A, there was relief and celebration for those who held their own, and for some, there was no chance of recovery or redemption. A fantastic week in Toronto sailing against the best J/24 teams in the world made for a great event and many lessons in patience, the power of positivity, and teamwork. Thanks to the race committee and all the volunteers who made this event a success and did their best to get in the most races possible. Thank you to Port Credit Yacht Club and Chris and Julie Howell for your support in the J/24 Class. Congratulations to all of our clients, and special congrats to Rossi Milev’s team on Clear Air; hard work and not giving up after double-digit finishes really makes a difference and doesn’t mean you can’t win a regatta. We also congratulate the Women’s Sea Bags Sailing Team for being the top all-female finishers, winning the Jaeger Women’s Trophy. Full Results For more information on World Championship winning J/24 sails, contact your local North Sails Expert. 5th Place, Carter & Molly White, team YouRegatta Team Clear Air, 2017 J/24 World Champions! 2nd Place, Bangor Packet 3rd Place, LULL Women’s Sea Bags Sailing Team, first all female team overall. Winners of the Jaeger Women’s Trophy. READ MORE

LUKE GOWER WINS OK DINGHY UK NATIONALS North design powers 1,3,5,6 teams in Herne Bay Luke Gower – OK UK National Champion The OK UK National Championship hosted at Herne Bay in Kent gave the competitors a mixture of conditions, from blustery 25+ knots on the first day, letting the heavy weight teams in the class have an advantage, followed by a canceled day due to lack of wind! For the final day a consistent light breeze from the southeast allowed for three races. Luke Gower sailed an extremely consistent final day with 3 bullets to take the Championship title. All the North-powered sailors in the top 10 used the M-19 mainsail. The dedication that the North team has devoted to the OK Dinghy class in the UK was shown with more than half of the fleet using North Sails. We spoke to North Sails one design expert and sailmaker, Tom Lonsdale who finished in 6th place using his M-19. “The full radial panel layout of the M-19 enables the head of the sail to be completely depowered so it is dead flat in the windier conditions, this was key to going fast upwind in the stronger conditions as shown by Richard Burton on day one where we had 20+ knots with him dominating with two wins.” “The other advantage of this sail is in the lighter conditions, using less cunningham and mainsheet tension, you can put the power back into the sail whilst keeping the top ⅓ of the sail open and avoiding the ‘hooky’ leach you get on some OK sails. It gives good height and speed without the sail stalling out and enough power in the bottom half to get through any chop, plus giving great downwind pace. We saw it on day 3 when we had sub 10 knots all day and Luke Gower won all three races, with a total of six out of the seven races won by the North M-19.” If you are interested in any of our OK Dinghy products, get in touch with one of our One Design Experts. READ MORE

North Sails powered boats take all the podium positions in this years 2017 National Championships, with 12 out of the top 15 spots also occupied by North Sails customers. READ MORE

WHIDDEN HONORED WITH NATIONAL SAILING HALL OF FAME AWARD North Technology Group President Tom Whidden joins eight selected individuals in U.S. National Sailing Hall of Fame’s “Class of 2017” North Sails would like to congratulate North Technology Group President, Tom Whidden, on his induction to the U.S. National Sailing Hall of Fame. Among many accomplishments throughout a lifelong career in the sport, Tom has remained a lover of sailing since purchasing his first boat, a Blue Jay, at age ten. Tom is among eight individuals selected this year by the National Sailing Hall of Fame, to join a total of 57 honorees inducted since 2011. The “Class of 2017” was congratulated yesterday in an induction ceremony at New York Yacht Club’s Harbor Court, following a weekend of celebratory events. “I loved the ability to go out and make decisions on your own. I loved the forces around you: the water, the air, the wind and the currents.” Tom’s reflection of early days on the water indicate leadership qualities, a passion that would see him through eight America’s Cup campaigns including that memorable race in 1983, when Australia II edged victory over the Americans to win the Cup for Australia. Of course Tom, alongside Dennis Conner and the Stars and Stripes crew, bounced back with a vengeance in 1987 to reclaim the America’s Cup in one of the most notable events of Cup history. To introduce Tom in yesterday’s induction ceremony, Malin Burnham spoke of this memorable time. “Tom was much more than a tactician. First of all he was unofficially, but officially in my mind, the crew chief and crew boss for Dennis. He kept things calm and cool under great pressure… In my mind Tom was Dennis’ equal partner in the 1987 Cup, and many other victories.” A good friend of Tom’s, Malin was involved in the Stars and Stripes ’87 campaign and also boasts two World Championship wins in the Star, one alongside North Sails founder, Lowell North. In business off the water, Tom joined North Sails in 1986 and ten years later was named President and CEO of North Technology Group. In his 30 years with North Sails, Tom led the company through complex developments and investment in manufacturing technology, with the introduction of North Sails 3DLTM and 3DiTM, and the structure of the organization, shifting from a multifaceted family of locally run companies to a wholly-owned global brand and market leader. Tom credited his sailing experience for success found in the boardroom, in his acceptance speech yesterday. “A friend of mine once said, ‘We all believe that what we see on the water will help us with what we see on land,’ which is something that has really come true in my life. As I’ve said many times, the parallels between successful business and successful sailing are striking and something I really trade on, quite frankly.” Tom thanked his family, friends and partners for their support and collaboration by addressing the room and requesting their help increasing access to the sport. “Each and every one of us needs to take someone sailing.” Tom Whidden joins company leaders in recalling North Sails’ long history with the America’s Cup and its influence on the wider sport of sailing. Dive into the rich history of North Sails with our series 60 Years of Sailmaking. READ MORE

NEW VERSATILE SAIL COMPLETES NORTH SAILS VOR INVENTORY North Sails has unveiled a game-changing addition to the sail wardrobes of the Volvo Ocean Race fleet – the J0. North Sails has been the exclusive official supplier to the Volvo Ocean Race since the debut of the VO65 one design fleet in the 2014-15 edition. Now, after analyzing extensive race data,further modeling and listening to feedback from Volvo Ocean Race sailors, North has created a new 171m² sail to fill an apparent gap between the masthead code 0 (MH0) and the J1 jib, boosting the performance of the VO65s in the process. In the most recent edition of the historic race, sailors reported having to constantly switch between the MH0 and the J1, two of the biggest sails carried onboard, in search of the configuration that gave them the best speed. Crucially the introduction of the J0 will eradicate the need to change headsails so frequently – welcome news for the sailors, who expend thousands of calories a day manually hoisting the massive sails. “The most important feedback we got from the last race was that there was a gap between the J1 and the masthead zero,” said North Sails designer Gautier Sergent, a Volvo Ocean Race expert. “Between ten and 15 knots of wind the crews were forever changing sails as they looked for the best configuration. We wanted to provide a solution for this gap, so we introduced a new J0 that fits perfectly between the J1 and the masthead 0. “The teams will still have to stack the J0 but they don’t need to tack or gybe every day when they are sailing offshore, so overall it is a net gain with fewer sail changes. “ North Sails has spent a lot of time comparing recent race data with historic weather routings, using software developed with Great Circle, to guarantee the J0 strikes the perfect balance among the VO65 fleet’s sail inventory. Targeted for conditions between eight and 15 knots upwind and up range reaching, the bowsprit-set J0 is already proving a useful tool in a much wide range of conditions. Not only will the Volvo Ocean Race crews now have a new sail to play with but they will also get better use of their existing arsenal. The masthead code 0 will be much more effective while the fractional code 0, which had a very narrow range in upwind conditions in the 2014-15 race, becomes a dedicated downwind sail. “The addition of the J0 is better suited to the new race course, which has more of a Southern Ocean routing,” Sergent added. “It also allows the fractional and masthead code zeros to become more efficient and the fractional zero to become more downwind-oriented.” The current crop of Volvo Ocean Race sailors got their chance to put the new sail through its paces during Leg Zero, the four-stage qualifying series that included the iconic Fastnet offshore race. Early feedback from the teams has been overwhelmingly positive. “North Sails have done a really good job – they listened to the feedback and developed the J0 for this edition, which is what we need,” said Dongfeng Race Team crewman Daryl Wislang. “Upwind it’s a very versatile sail but it can be used at the wider angles as well. It’s going to get a lot of use.” Dee Caffari, skipper of Turn the Tide on Plastic, added: “It’s the first time we’ve even seen a J0, and I think it’s my new favorite sail. It’s a really interesting space that it fits into so we’ll have a look at that in more detail. It’s a big change for the sail wardrobe for this edition of the race.” Pablo Arrarte, watch captain on MAPFRE, said each team must decide how best to use the J0. “It is a critical sail, new for everyone, and we have to test it intensely,” he said. “Each team will make their own conclusions while training about how to use it to their best advantage.” Just like the rest of North Sails’ Volvo Ocean Race inventory, the cutting-edge J0 is made from its unique 3Di technology that pushes the boundaries of sail design. The patented technology, developed for the Volvo Ocean Race, uses tiny pre-impregnated filament tapes to mirror the load-bearing and shape-holding qualities of a rigid aerofoil wing while remaining lightweight and durable. The Volvo Ocean Race begins in Alicante, Spain, on October 14, with the opening round of the In-Port Race Series before the fleet departs for Lisbon, Portugal, on the first of 11 offshore legs on October 22. READ MORE

UNE VICTOIRE POUR LES VOILES NORTH LORS DE CHAQUE EPREUVE DU D35 TROPHY! Une jolie performance pour North Sails sur le circuit des D35 cette année. Une première place sur chaque épreuve, ainsi que la première et deuxième place du classement général ! © Loris Von Siebenthal Les catamarans lémaniques ne s’essoufflent pas et continuent à attirer beaucoup de passionnés de voile à travers toute l’Europe. Des champions de la Volvo Ocean Race, des participants au Vendée Globe, à l’America’s Cup ou des médaillés olympiques : la lutte a été intense lors des 8 épreuves qui ont composé la saison de mai à septembre. Tout au long de la saison, les professionnels ont validé le combo gagnant : Grand-voile 3Di 870 Raw, Drifter 3Di 870 Raw, Foc 3Di 870 Endurance, et Gennaker 3DL hybrid carbon/aramid. Nous adressons nos félicitations et un clin d’œil tout particulier aux membres de l’équipe North Sails Suisse qui naviguent à bord de ces bateaux : Jonas Schagen (Okalys), Julien Monnier (Swisscom), Coraline Jonet, Arnaud Psarofaghis et Pierre-Yves Jorand (les trois sur Alinghi). Rendez-vous en 2018 pour une nouvelle saison qui, nous l’espérons, sera tout aussi passionnante ! READ MORE

You would not think there was much in common with a foiling America’s Cup yacht and a cruising boat but you could be surprised. The technology used to help power these amazing craft to 40 plus knots is now used in cruising sails. I can’t see the latest “cruising” production yacht up on foils just yet, though the level of construction and design has been advancing rapidly. These boats are super cool and no slow coaches either. So how are cruising sail designs and construction keeping up, and how does this align itself with a foiling catamaran? 3Di Nordac tape laying head assembly The North Sails range of 3Di range of sails has traditionally been used for race boats. High modulus aramid and carbon fibres molded on a full sized mold. The America’s Cup jibs were made exactly this way by North Sails as are all the sails in the upcoming Volvo Ocean Race. This same technology is now used with dacron sails. Dacron has proved itself over many years to be a reliable, tough and affordable material, so making molded sails from Dacron seemed a logical step. The introduction of 3Di Nordac this year to the North Sails product range has shifted the goalposts. These sails are 100% polyester fibres, molded and engineered for maximum durability and strength, making them excellent cruising sails. It’s all quite technical using a robotically-controlled gantry laying pre impregnated fibers with thermoset resin to your sails specific design and layed up over a full size male mould. Sounds pretty cool for a cruising boat! But the reality is dacron sails are so reliable it seemed a natural progression for this technology to move forward into the broader sailing fraternity. The development of 3Di Nordac dacron molded sails has been tested over the last year on demanding ocean cruising boats and charter fleets. The results have been impressive. The technology, advancements in longevity, design and construction will make the tradition of white dacron sails for cruising boats stay with us well into the future. 3Di Nordac in action If considering a more traditional sail construction the trend towards radial cut sails is now the new standard. The advantage of radial cut sails versus the original cross cut sail is superior shape holding. The radial design means North designers can place the panel strength along the load path of the sails. They also look pretty cool as well! North Sails Radian cloth is a dacron specifically designed for radial cut sails and combined with our Tour laminated range for larger boats ensures those sailors which still like their sails sewn with thread are well catered for. Both products are North Sails in house manufactured cloths specifically designed for our radial cut traditional panelled sails. Radian furling headsail At the pinnacle of cruising sails is the Endurance range. These sails are direct America’s Cup and Volvo Ocean Race trickle down technology. These sails have been hurtled around the globe on the Volvo Ocean Race, Vendee Globe and the Jules Verne. The trickle down from the Grand Prix events doesn't start and finish with sails however. The Vendee Globe and similar events has driven big advances in sail handling technology all of which are very applicable for the cruising sailor. If you are old enough to remember some of the first furling system for sails they were probably better off being used for a clothes line. Little plastic things with stretchy ropes. If the sail did furl it was a miracle and when it was re deployed the sail looked more like corrugated iron with the expected rust stains. Furling large sails is now seen as the norm with Super Maxis, Vendee Globe competitors and Volvo Ocean racers all using various furling systems to enable them to go faster and safer with less effort. Furling sails not just for cruising The advances in rope technology have allowed for furling sails to have super strong soft rope forestays in the luff of the sails. For instance a sail on an inner forestay like a Number #4 type jib can be hoisted on soft rope inner forestays with a furler. If it gets too windy simply hoist the Number #4 jib, furl up the Genoa and deploy the new jib. If sailing cracked sheets it may be possible to fly both the Genoa and Jib at the same time getting to your destination quicker. Want to get there even quicker and add an even larger furling sail. Reaching and Running sails are now designed with furling systems. The larger the sails become, the more we rely on the new sail construction technology for strength, weight and design to enable ease of handling. G series Gennaker Cruising sailors can now enjoy a level of sail design, construction and handling systems normally only available to the grand prix racer. What to take from all this? The current selection of sails and products to suit your next adventure is huge. Whether it be a coastal cruise or a global expeditions. All cruising sailors aim to make the journey safe, reliable and enjoyable. There has never been a better time to be cruising. For more information on all North cruising products, please visit our website at https://northsails.com/sailing/en/cruising Ian “Biggles” Johnson READ MORE

CRITERIUM PSAROS 33 A PORQUEROLLES Le weekend passé, cinq Psaros33 avaient pris la direction de Porquerolles, dans le sud de la France, pour disputer 4 régates dans de belles conditions de mistral ! Malgré un vent trop soutenu (monté jusqu’à 25 nœuds) qui a forcé les organisateurs à annuler le dernier jour de régate, les équipages se sont régalés. Un grand bravo à Luc Munier et son équipe Vincent, Adrien, Jean-Marie et Mathieu, qui a remporté les 4 manches à bord de « PBS », équipé d’un foc 3Di Race ! Luc Munier, à la barre de « Banque Pâris Bertrand Sturdza » « Nous avons passé un excellent weekend à Porquerolles. Les conditions étaient musclées… Nous avons eu de la chance de pouvoir naviguer ! Les conditions nous ont permis de sortir notre nouveau foc 3Di Race, plus lourd que notre drifter. C’est une très belle voile, qui nous a fait gagner en vitesse. Combiné à l’expérience de Patrick Huguenin – qui nous a rejoint pour le weekend – et à nos choix stratégiques, c’est ce qui nous a permis de remporter ce Criterium. » Retour en vidéo à bord de PBS (© Mathieu Meyer) Félicitations à tous les équipages présents : 2ème FUJIN de Jean Psarofaghis 3ème PETREL de Thierry Fauchier Magnan 4ème BIG'S de Claude Felhmann 5ème JOKER de Jean Olivier Kerrc READ MORE

PODIUM 100% NORTH POUR LE CHAMPIONNAT DES GRAND SURPRISE DE FOUNEX Encore une belle performance pour les voiles North Sails ! Lors du championnat des Grand Suprise les 16 et 17 septembre, elles font un sans-faute à Founex ! Après 9 régates disputées, c’est finalement Bernard Borter à bord de Little Nemo qui s’impose, devant Christian Haegi (Mea Huna) et Constantin Pournaras / Patrick Mazuay (Zephyros). Bernard Borter, skipper de Little Nemo : « Tout s’est très bien passé pour nous ! Nous sommes arrivés confiants, car on navigue depuis longtemps ensemble et on va plutôt bien. Samedi, les conditions étaient parfaites, juste « appuyé » comme il fallait, on a passé une journée incroyable ! Le dimanche était un peu moins facile. Il y avait plus de vent, tous les équipages ont sorti le foc. Il n’y avait presque aucune différence de vitesse entre les bateaux. Tout s’est joué au placement et sur le positionnement des bateaux entre eux. Pour la dernière manche, on a ressorti le solent que nous avions lors du Bol d’Or (et qui avait très bien marché, surtout sur le retour !), et nous en sommes plutôt satisfaits pour l’instant. On a navigué de manière assez conservatrice, sans prendre trop de risques : ça a payé, étant donné que pour les 9 manches lancées, on a fini soit 1er soit 2e ! » READ MORE

DES SUISSES VAINQUEURS DANS LA CATÉGORIE 'CLASSIQUE' DU CHAMPIONNAT DU MONDE DE 5.5 Du 4 au 8 septembre se sont déroulés les championnats du monde de 5.5 dans le Finistère, à Bénodet. Le Yacht Club de l’Odet a organisé de main de maître les régates rassemblant 26 participants venus des quatre coins du monde ! C’est un équipage suisse, composé de Bruno Engel, Bruno Allamand et Antonin Bocherens qui, à bord de Belphegor, a ravi la tête du classement de la catégorie « Classique ». Photo © Association Française des 5.5 JI Bruno Engel : « Il y avait une très bonne ambiance ! Et les 6 bateaux engagés dans la catégorie classique étaient vraiment magnifiques. Nous avons eu le bonheur d’avoir d’excellentes conditions sur toute la semaine du championnat. Le vent était constant, et soufflait en moyenne à 20-25 nœuds, c’était parfait. Nous avons été ravis des voiles dans ces conditions de vent ! Lors de notre premier championnat, nous avions fini en 2e position, et on voulait faire mieux cette année. « Nirvana » a été notre plus gros adversaire tout au long des régates, William (Borel) nous a donné du fil à retordre ! Nous étions d’autant plus contents de notre victoire. » READ MORE

COMMUNIQUE DE PRESSE North Sails prêt à relever le défi de la Volvo Race 2017/2018 © Amory Ross / North Sails A retenir dans ce communiqué : North Sails fournisseur exclusif de voiles de la course depuis 2014 100% du jeu de voile désormais réalisé en 3Di Une équipe impliquée sur le plancher… et sur l’eau A l’instar de l’America’s Cup et des Jeux Olympiques, la Volvo Ocean Race est un événement nautique international majeur. « C’est sans aucun doute la course la plus exigeante pour le matériel, qui est sollicité à 100% tout autour de la planète, détaille Greg Evrard, PDG de North Sails France. Il est donc logique que North Sails, leader mondial, soit depuis toujours impliqué dans cette course. Les meilleures équipes cherchant à s’équiper des meilleures voiles possibles ont ainsi choisi North Sails depuis des décennies. Aussi, comme sur l’America’s Cup, des dessinateurs et maîtres voiliers des équipes North Sails ont pendant des années été détachés au sein des équipes participant à la Volvo Ocean Race. Finalement, c’est assez naturellement que North Sails a été choisi depuis 2014 pour être le fournisseur de voiles exclusif de la course, les voiles étant devenues monotypes. » Pour North Sails, c’est la reconnaissance de la qualité et de la fiabilité de ses voiles en 3Di, mais également un sacré défi : celui d’entretenir les voiles et de garantir une monotypie stricte. C’est Gautier Sergent, Directeur de North Sails 3D Manufacturing et surtout dessinateur reconnu et expert es 3Di qui a conçu le set de voiles des VOR 65 en tenant compte des retours des équipes à la fin de la dernière édition courue. Toutes les voiles sont moulées aux USA et finies en France ou aux USA. Une expérience unique qui permet de concevoir des voiles de très haute qualité, désormais destinées à un public plus large. « Les qualités de la technologie 3Di - disparition du risque de délamination, voile composite beaucoup moins sensible aux UV, profil plus stable à matériau équivalent, forme initiale de la voile conservée plus longtemps - étaient idéales pour répondre aux exigences de la Volvo Ocean Race, explique Gautier. Aussi, il nous a semblé évident de l’intérêt de la rendre accessible au plus grand nombre, sous différentes formes, la plus récemment lancée étant le 3DiNordac, destiné aux bateaux de croisière : le même process de fabrication - voile composite filamentaire moulée - est donc adopté pour des voiles de croisière en utilisant le polyester à la place du dyneema, du kevlar ou du carbone. Les voiles en 3Di sont beaucoup plus durables par rapport à des voiles à membrane ou panneaux : elles sont en effet fabriquées à partir de filaments de composite, sans couture ni collage de panneaux et sans film plastique. Ceci explique aussi pourquoi elles sont plus légères, plus solides et plus stables. Ces caractéristiques conviennent parfaitement aux navigants qui se confrontent sur l’une des courses les plus exigeantes au monde. Le 3Di a d’ailleurs été lancé dès l’édition 2011/2012 de la Volvo Ocean Race. Depuis, le 3Di ne cesse d’évoluer, de s’adapter à différents usages (voiles de portant par exemple), ce qui fait que pour l’édition à venir, 100% des voiles seront en 3Di. Pour cette prochaine Volvo Ocean Race, les équipes naviguent encore sur des monotypes et c’est encore une fois North Sails qui a été choisi comme fournisseur officiel des voiles... Plusieurs éléments ont changé en 2017-2018 et plus particulièrement le parcours : il y a en effet plus d’étapes dans le Grand Sud. Pour simplifier la logistique et la jauge, les équipes auront le droit d’utiliser deux jeux de voiles composés de huit unités pour un total de seize voiles. » Différents types de 3Di sont utilisés dans un jeu de voiles : toutes les voiles dites “plates” sont en 3Di RAW tandis que leA3 et le FR0 qui sont les voiles de portant, sont en 3Di FORCE. A partir des retours de la dernière Volvo, une voile spécifique, le J0, a été développée. Il s’agit d’une voile gréée en tête de mât, amurée sur le bout dehors et sans recouvrement, se voulant être la plus polyvalente possible. Les premiers essais ont donné satisfaction aux équipes. L’autre évolution a été réalisée sur leA3, le gennaker de tête. Autrefois fabriqué en en cuben fiber, il est désormais réalisé en 3Di FORCE, plus stable, ce qui permet d’accroître la plage d’utilisation de la voile et la capacité d’accélération du bateau sans compromettre la fiabilité de la voile. L’engagement de North Sails dans la Volvo, c’est aussi une histoire d’hommes : « les hommes de North Sails ne font pas seulement du design et de la vente de voiles, assure Bruno Dubois, Project Manager du Dongfeng Race Team : ils passent beaucoup de temps sur l’eau avec les clients. Cela fait une grosse différence et c’est aussi l’une des raisons pour lesquelles North Sails est aussi populaire. S’il n’y avait pas ce type de relation basée sur le suivi constant, la continuité et la fidélité, cela ne fonctionnerait pas aussi bien. Les teams managers et les responsables techniques des équipes ont une relation particulière avec les membres de North Sails, qui les suivent de près à terre et en mer. Ce n’est donc pas juste une histoire de produit mais aussi d’hommes et de femmes. » © Ainhoa Sanchez / Volvo Ocean READ MORE

RETOUR D'EXPERIENCE: COACHING PERSONNALISE ET CPL Depuis le début de l’année, North Sails Suisse accompagne un équipage tiré au sort lors des épreuves du Championnat du Petit-Lac. Cette fois-ci, c’est Isis, un Grand Surprise, qui a bénéficié du coaching personnalisé de Julien Monnier et de sa présence à bord lors des entraînements pour la Belle Etoile. Jennifer Schlup, à bord de Isis : « Julien (Monnier) est venu à bord pour les entraînements. C’était une très bonne expérience ! Avec l’équipage, on a participé à toutes les régates du CDPL, on navigue tous les mardis… Mais c’est la première fois que nous avons bénéficié d’un coaching de ce type. On a tous bien pu profiter de ses conseils. Il nous a beaucoup observés, pour nous faire faire des modifications par la suite. On a fait énormément de manœuvres pour qu’il nous explique comment nous améliorer sur des points assez précis. C’était un plaisir de partager ce moment ! » Pour mémo – Le concept de coaching personnalisé avec North Sails Suisse Un équipage sera tiré au sort pour un accompagnement de type coaching personnalisé durant une semaine, sur les épreuves du Championnat 2017 (hors Bol d’Or). Un équipage gagnant ne pourra pas être sélectionné une deuxième fois. Dans une atmosphère conviviale et avec pour objectif de partager notre passion commune, ce coaching personnalisé comprend les actions suivantes : J-5 avant l’épreuve : Briefing par téléphone ou à la voilerie avec le skipper et/ou l’équipage (tendance météo pour l’épreuve, passage en revue de la check list performance (carène, voiles à bord, électronique, etc.), point sur la liste d’équipage) J-4 : Entraînement du mardi soir à bord, avec si possible l’équipage au complet (à la SNG ou à Nyon) : briefing, réglages du mât et des voiles, point tactique, session de manœuvres. Puis débriefing au retour à terre et établissement d’une « to do list » d’ici à la course J-1: Briefing météo, réglage du gréement affiné selon les conditions météo, lecture des instructions de course, préparation finale du bateau H-3 : Dernier point sur la météo, stratégie générale, check list des priorités H : Selon votre configuration d’équipage, navigation à bord ou suivi de la régate par un membre de North Sails Suisse, photos techniques, vidéos et prise de notes en vue du débriefing J+3 : Synthèse avec l’ensemble de l’équipage à la voilerie, analyse et transmission des photos et vidéos, établissement de la liste des pistes d’amélioration pour les prochaines navigations. Avec nous, les pros, c’est vous ! Nous partagerons les trucs & astuces pour booster les performances de votre speedo, améliorer vos manœuvres en toute sécurité, affiner vos réglages et tactiques sur des bases simples mais efficaces. READ MORE

OFFICIAL SAILMAKER FOR AUSTRALIAN YACHTING CHAMPIONSHIPS The Partnership Is Confirmed For The Next Two Years North Sails is pleased to announce that we are the official sailmaker partner for the Australian Yachting Championships for the next two years. The 2018 regatta will be hosted by Sandringham Yacht Club in Melbourne from January 19 to 21, 2018 with the 2019 regatta to be held on the Derwent river in Tasmania in January 2019. North Sails will have a strong presence at the event with our Melbourne loft being located close by in Sandringham for regatta service in addition to many of our team competing at the regatta to support our clients. With both Monohull and Multihull divisions, there is sure to be some great racing with many boats scheduling in the weekend on the way home from the Sydney-Hobart race. For more information please visit the event website at the Australian Yachting Championships If you would like help in putting a team together for the regatta contact Alby Pratt at the Sydney loft. READ MORE

North Sails 3Di NORDAC Recognized as Game Changing Cruising Sail Technology   *Editors note: North Sails updated the name of 3Di NORDAC to 3Di OCEAN in 2020. It's the same great product, but not with an expanded range. Click here to learn more about 3Di OCEAN. North Sails 3Di NORDAC was named Best New Product at the Newport International Boat Show awards on September 15th. Introduced in Spring of 2017, 3Di NORDAC transforms polyester fiber into seamless, one-piece sails that are uniquely strong, beautiful, and long-lasting. Presented in partnership with Cruising World, Sailing World, and Yachting magazines, the Newport for New Products panel described 3Di NORDAC as a game-changer for cruising sailors. “We think this is going to give any cruising or recreational sailboat owner a much better sailing experience, regardless of how they are using the boat.” Sally Helme, Group Publisher for Cruising World and Sailing World, presented the award on behalf of Newport for New Products. “Transforming polyester fiber into seamless, one piece-sails that are stronger and lighter weight than the woven sails that have been the standard for over 60 years, this new technology gives cruisers a higher performance sail with a better shape and greater shape longevity.” “It’s an honor to receive this recognition for a product that our development team worked very hard to create. 3Di NORDAC represents a new breed of Dacron cruising sails that provide a better sailing experience for North Sails clients.” said North Sails CEO, Dan Neri. Designed for the small to medium size cruising boat, 3Di NORDAC addresses an inherent problem of woven polyester sailcloth – it fails to provide true value to cruising sailors because the sails lose their shape long before structural integrity is compromised. By marrying patented 3Di shape holding technology with the toughness and affordability of traditional white polyester, 3Di NORDAC offers cruising sailors a superior sail at an achievable price. “The sails are more responsive and hold their shape better than traditional panel sails, which allows more control of your sail power and increases your ability to balance the boat,” said Bill Fortenberry, North Sails Cruising Segment Manager. “Moving fast and efficiently through the water is the hallmark of the North Sails cruising experience.” To learn more about 3Di NORDAC, visit the North Sails booth at the Newport Boat Show on facedock (next to J/Boats), browse product features and benefits on northsails.com, or contact your local North Sails Expert. READ MORE

J/24 TIPS FROM THE EXPERTS Upwind & Downwind Techniques to Get Your Team Up to Speed Take some notes with Tim Healy, Will Welles, and John Mollicone on the fastest techniques for upwind and downwind sailing in the J/24. Crew weight placement, trimming techniques, and catching the perfect wave are the keys to success. READ MORE

THE NEW R5 OPTIMIST MAINSAIL North Sails is Proud to Introduce a New Member of the Optimist Radial Series Designed by the North Sails dinghy experts in Japan, the R5 is the perfect addition to North’s “R Series” Radial Optimist sails. The R Series was designed to deliver unparalleled pointing and acceleration capabilities throughout a wide range of conditions. A radial sail is more “rigid” than a conventional cross-cut sail. The sail holds its shape and responds more sensitively to trimming and tuning changes. This is the perfect Optimist sail for racers looking to get the absolute most speed and versatility on the race course. Shop R Series | Contact Opti Expert READ MORE

NORTH SAILS NEW ZEALAND NEEDS EXPERIENCED SAILMAKERS AND APPRENTICES Create your path in yachting with North Sails New Zealand. Now is a great time to start your Apprenticeship and Sailmaking career. The Volvo Ocean Race yachts are due in Auckland Late Feb until 18th March 2018. With the 36th Edition of the Americas Cup likely to be sailed on local waters who knows where you could end up. Join the world's largest Sailmaking company With over 29 lofts and manufacturing facilities worldwide that build sails from One Design Optimist's to 85 Metre Superyachts there are endless opportunities. North Sails is the official Sailmaker of the 35th Americas Cup and 2017-2018 Volvo Ocean Race. Contact: Derek Scott: derek.scott@northsails.com Guy Hewson: guy.hewson@northsails.com READ MORE

NORTH SAILS 3Di POWERS ISORA OVERALL WINNERS TO NEW VICTORIES © Andy Green / greensea.zenfolio.com We caught up with J/109 clients Vicky and Peter who recently bought 3Di from North Sails UK. Here is what they had to say about their experience with their new sails with the help of their local expert, Frank Gerber. When the shiny new Pentex taffeta sails arrived to replace our old Dacron cruising sails Peter was very pleased, especially when we came 2nd overall in our very first ISORA race using them. Our 2nd place finish was swiftly followed by 3rd overall/1st in class on our second ISORA race. The new North Sails were delivered and North Sails UK representative, Frank Gerber, checked the sails and gave advice on tuning and rigging. He asked us to round up our crew for weight on the rail to simulate racing conditions. I'm sure Frank must have had a shock when he met us and our cruising setup, especially when we had to explain to him that there was no crew and it was simply just the two of us. "With Frank's patience and sound advice over the years we have gradually moved into racing mode and this year won ISORA. The spec of our sails has changed, as has the boat and number of loyal crew but we still use North Sails as we know we'll get good service." © Andy Green / greensea.zenfolio.com "We currently use North 3Di sails on our J/109 and find them very good value, as they seem to be able to stand up to the tough conditions we put them through in offshore racing. Our jibs we used at ISORA won this year have been used for the last three years now. In that time we have done two Rolex Fastnet races, one Volvo Round Ireland race and three full ISORA seasons, and are still competitive sails." -Vicky and Peter, J/109 "Mojito" © Andy Green / greensea.zenfolio.com North Powered ISORA winners Overall: 1st Mojito 2nd Sgrech Class Zero: 1st Aurelia 2nd Rockabill VI Class One: 1st Mojito 2nd Sgrech Class Two: 1st Elandra READ MORE

MAXI YACHT ROLEX CUP North-powered boats win six of seven classes at the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup, sweep the podium in Super Maxi, Maxi, Mini Maxi RC1 and Wally divisions © Carlo Borlenghi The 28th Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup and Maxi 72 Worlds regatta welcomed 46 yachts to the docks of Porto Cervo, Italy. Clients of North Sails sailed extremely well, winning six of seven classes and claiming 16 of 21 podium positions. The week’s racing offered a spectacular platform for the breathtaking fleets, boasting beauty in both lines and engineering on Costa Smeralda’s blue waters. Open to yachts 60’ and over, the regatta sorts entries into divisions determined by technical characteristics. The Yacht Club Costa Smeralda teamed up with the International Maxi Association and lead sponsor, Rolex, to organize the annual event and, yet again, have done an excellent job; the 28th edition went off without a hitch, and North-powered teams sailed fast and furious on the race course. Competing in a variety of inshore and coastal races, the regatta spanned six days of sailing in conditions ranging from calm to fresh. In the Mini Maxi R class, Sir Peter Ogden’s Jethou had a stronghold on the fleet with six bullets in six races, finishing seven points ahead of the Frers-designed Spectre. Jethou and Spectre are active UK programs with a number of North Sails experts among the crew. Both boats raced with complete North 3Di inventories. “With a few new faces onboard, the crew pulled out all the stops and we had some of the best coastal racing we’ve ever had in Porto Cervo, a great week. We’ve worked really hard on our off-the-wind setup on this boat, in particular on our reaching sails. Our 3Di FORCE Masthead Zero, Fractional Zero, and A3 ensure that, at whatever angle, we are always fast,” said North Sails expert Sam Richmond, trimmer on Jethou. North Sails clients filled the podium of Mini Maxi RC 1 – 1st, 2nd and 3rd place – with Roberto Lacorte’s Supernikka winning the division. Like the majority of her competitors, Supernikka races with a North Sails 3Di sail inventory, managed by North expert Alessio Razeto. “During the Maxi races in Sardinia we had to fight on corrected time, with boats behind us by 16 minutes, which meant there was nothing we could do if our boat speed was not 100%. This week the mistral pushed hard and we carried our brand new 3Di Code Zero in tighter angles, taking bigger risks. We felt our sail inventory, specifically the 3Di A0 did a fantastic job contributing to our success at the event.” We asked Alessio how North Sails 3Di was making a difference on the water. He replied: “We built a new 3Di RAW main, medium jib and code zero. It was impressive the improvement in performance it brought our team. We could easily sail over our target range, and saw differences when sailing upwind against our usual competition, which was historically much faster than us. Our crew has been impressed to have no failures this week, even during the strong winds we experienced from the mistral. Our maneuvers were executed perfectly, and I think this could not be achievable without our 3Di sails.” © Zerogradinord At the regatta, the largest fleet was in the Wally division with 11 yachts competing in over six races. In the 100% North-powered fleet, ultimately David M. Leuschen’s Galateia claimed the trophy after racing concluded yesterday, with the leaderboard showing a five point lead over Nahita. “It is surprising to us!” said Leuschen of Galateia‘s 1st place win. “The boat is new. We raced half the season last year when the crew was new. We have improved because the crew coordination is better. We did a lot of work on the boat over the winter and we bought a new suit of North Sails, which we like a lot more.” An impressive week in the Super Maxi’s was won by Ribelle, a Mckeon design which scored six points in five races while using North 3Di sails. And in the Maxi division, North-powered Highland Fling prevailed with owner Irvine Laidlaw at the helm and North Sails expert Mike Toppa onboard. Congratulations to all North Sails clients competing at the 2017 Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup. © Carlo Borlenghi © Zerogradinord © Zerogradinord © Fabio Taccola/ Aerial view of the Supernikka’s 3Di FORCE masthead code zero. © Carlo Borlenghi © Carlo Borlenghi © Carlo Borlenghi © Carlo Borlenghi © Carlo Borlenghi © Carlo Borlenghi READ MORE

Peter Galloway Wins 2017 Sonar Worlds Lunenburg, pristine location and great atmosphere! Peter Galloway and his team of Ched Proctor, Garin Pace and Judy Lugar had to overcome multiple hurdles, both on and off the race course, to win the 2017 Sonar World Championships hosted by by the Lunenburg Yacht Club. Trailing 2 teams going into the final day Galloway and team posted a final day score line of 1,2,2 to complete an impressive, come from behind win. The sailors in Lunenburg are somewhat spoiled by a pristine location that has escaped much of the hubbub of modern civilization. The small clubhouse, a bar, wooden porch overlooking the mooring area and comfortable, rustic gathering great room offered a great atmosphere for the 25 teams competing for the title. The Sonar Worlds is the one major Sonar title that had eluded Galloway and just getting to the event proved a daunting task. Paul Steinborn, long time Fast Forward co-owner and crew, had a last minute injury that threw the entire program into scramble mode, including finding a replacement crew, housing and a tow vehicle just to get USA 701 to the starting line. The weather was unusual for early September. The regatta started with heavy winds of 18-20 knots for practice day. The scheduled start of racing brought a rainy day with 30 knots on the race course which made the race committee decision to abandon for the day well received by the competitors. Given a “bonus day” to tour the area many teams visited the Fisheries Museum of the Atlantic and enjoyed a waterfront stroll around town dodging rain squalls. Seven races were sailed to a very tight last race where three boats had the chance to win. Congratulations to Peter Galloway’s Fast Forward team, winners of the 2017 World title. Full results READ MORE

EXCERPTS FROM HAMILTON ISLAND The North Sails team in Australia rallied for a successful week at Hamilton Island Race Week - both on the water and in the service loft! We polled the crew on their experience at this years' race week in paradise, and this is what they had to say. © Andrea Francolini Billy Sykes (Swish, Ker 44, Winner of IRC Racing Div. & Passage Div. 1) Steven Proud put together a fairly young team for the event. Leading up to the regatta we put on a larger mainsail to optimize the yacht for light air, as well as a new headsail and A1.5 spinnaker. "Surprisingly the larger mainsail was also very fast in moderate to fresh conditions both upwind and downwind." After winning the regatta with a day to spare, the team decided to go for a fun cruise around Lindeman Island, though we were careful to stay out of the way of competitors who were still racing!" © Andrea Francolini Michael Coxon (R/P 100, Wild Oats XI, Winner of Line Honors) "It was a pleasure to race on Wild Oats and observe two famous Maxi Yacht rivals, Wild Oats XI and Black Jack, come head to head again at Hamilton Island Race Week. The two yachts last raced each other in the 2009 Sydney to Hobart when the now named Black Jack was Neville Crichton's Alfa Romeo, which I was racing on, with Alfa gaining the upper hand. Wild Oats has remained in the Oatley family and last week the tables turned in her favor; however she did not have it all her way with Black Jack taking two impressive line honors with her new owner, Peter Harburg. Both maxis commissioned new 3Di RAW 3-reef mains for the regatta in preparation for the 2017 Sydney to Hobart Race, when they will battle super-maxi Comanche for line honors. The weather will likely play a big part in that fight, as each of the three maxis have been optimized for, and impressed in, different conditions: Black Jack in the light, Wild Oats medium, and Comanche fresh. © Andrea Francolini Mark Bradford & Vaughan Prentice (R/P 100 Black Jack) The Black Jack team was on a very steep learning curve at Hamilton Island Race Week, with their relaunched boat going head to head with semi-sistership Wild Oats XI. Despite limited practice time, the enthusiastic crew of 20 were certainly up for the challenge of this new addition to the Black Jack family. "As expected, our recent changes to the RP 100 and new 3Di sail inventory saw us very competitive in the light winds with line honors victories, and an IRC 2nd and 3rd in races 2 and 3 of the regatta." This leaves the team with the challenge of finding a click of speed in the moderate to heavy air conditions, before their next major match up with Wild Oats XI in the 2017 Sydney to Hobart. Paul Westlake, (R/P 66 NANOQ, winners of IRC Race Division) "I had the pleasure of sailing onboard the immaculately prepared Nanoq - the name HRH Prince Frederik of Denmark uses for all his yachting activities. Nanoq is the Greenlander’s word for polar bear. "HRH Prince Fredrik steered Nanoq throughout the regatta under the tactical guidance of Iain Murray, and a fantastic blend of Danes and Aussies in the crew. With a large range of wind conditions and sea states (less than five knots and flat water right through to 20 knots and wind against the tide), it was a challenge to hit the right rig tune to match with sail combinations. We were able to keep Nanoq sailing to its IRC rating against tough competition from the sister ship Alive, and also keep an eye on the TP 52 and the two 100 footers." "The 3Di RAW jib inventory and 3Di Endurance mainsail enabled us to make gains upwind, and aggressive driving put big smiles on Frederik's face as he learned the Aussie slang terms of ‘low hooks’ and ‘big sails win big races’.” © Andrea Francolini Nick Beaudoin, North Sails Australia Certified Service Manager Nick had a very busy week with sail repairs! Not only did he coordinate the service loft on the island to handle all the torn spinnakers and keep everyone on the water throughout the week; he also sailed with four North Sails clients: Day 1 (CNB 76 Charlotte, 2nd place Cruising Division 1) Nick began the week onboard Ervin Vidor’s gorgeous CNB 76 Charlotte. The race started downwind with 25 knots of breeze through Dent passage, followed by the spinnaker run of the week across Whitsunday Passage and then a beat back to the finish in a dying breeze. "The yacht’s 3-year-old 3Di Endurance Main and Furling jib were set up perfectly." Day 2 (Azuree 46, Kayimai) Nick joined Rob Aldis and his team for the second day of racing. With a lighter forecast, the crew was ready for the tour around the Whitsundays. "The strong tide pushed us along downwind to the first turning mark before a series of reaches back and forth in Whitsunday Passage. The new Code Zero excelled in these tricky conditions. The race ended on a shortened course as the breeze faded later in the day." © Andrea Francolini Day 5 (Dehler 38 Rocksalt, skipper Anthony Bishop. 1st Place Cruising Division 4) "Today we saw more classic HIRW conditions as the breeze picked up and funneled down Dent Passage for the second to last day of racing. It was another windy downwind start for all the fleets as we ran North to the first island turning mark. "With her new 3Di RAW sails, Rocksalt excelled in the upwind transition as we worked our way through the many islands and against a strong incoming tide." For more information, contact your local North Sails Expert for the latest in 3Di products. North Sails would like to thank our clients for the opportunity to contribute and participate in such a variety of programs, it's a pleasure to accommodate service needs while witnessing on-the-water performance. We already look forward to next year's HIRW! © Andrea Francolini © Andrea Francolini © Andrea Francolini © Andrea Francolini READ MORE

ONE DESIGN WINTER NEWS Seb Menzies and George Lee Rush competed in the Optimist Worlds in Thailand. Finishing with flying colors, we caught up with them to get their full story on their experience. © Matias Capizzano Seb Menzies and George Lee Rush competed in the Optimist Worlds held in Thailand and performed with some Outstanding results and great experience it was for them. Joshua Hyde competed in the European Optimist Championships held in Bulgaria and also had an amazing regatta including winning race 5. Yamaha win 18ft European Champs in lake Garda Salesman Matt Steven and team David Mcdiarmid with Brad Collins dominated the regatta with winning every race apart from one with gear failure. The team is now focussing ahead of the JJ Giltinan World Champs held on Sydney harbour in March which will see them with some new 3di Sails. Rough n Ready Dominate Elliot 5.9's at Marsden Cove Recently Matt Kelway - North Sails Salesman Teamed up with Craig Satterwaite and Richard Bearda in the Travelers series, although they won six out of the ten races they were pushed hard by Sam Edwards (also using North Sails) on Brizo. Sisters win 470 World U- 20 World Championships in Japan The 17-year-old twins Courtney and Brianna Reynolds-Smith who sail out of the Murrays Bay Sailing Club recently won the U-20 World championships. They have made the transition from the 420 very well! Watch out for these girls in the future! OK Dinghy World Championships Barbados Luke O’Connell continued his season form finishing third at this years OK dinghy worlds. NZ Sailors are performing very well in the class and are excited to host the Worlds champs in 2019 held at Wakatere. READ MORE

WELCOME TO THE TEAM We're proud to welcome new team members in Auckland. Welcome to North Sails! Matt Kelway, Salesman and Richard Bicknell, General Manager The Westhaven sales office will definitely be a quieter place with the departure of Josh Tucker, who has taken a leave of absence to sail around the world with his family. Josh remains a part of the North team, however, and will still be available by email for advice and updates. Joining the sales team is Matt “G” Kelway, who originally came to North nearly 10 years ago. He originally joined the company after finishing his business degree in 2007, working on scheduling and logistics, then spent several years overseas sailing on the RC44 circuit and with Gavin Brady’s Beau Geste programme. Kelway grew up sailing at Bucklands Beach, where he was coached by North Sales and Marketing Manager Andrew Wills — with whom he now sails on an Etchells. Kelway has been working with North on a new enterprise resource planning (ERP) system for its lofts worldwide, but has decided to join the Auckland-based team in a sales role. “It will be good to be more front-of-house, dealing with clients. I’m looking forward to getting out there and dealing with the local sailors, getting around the country to some of the smaller clubs and letting them know that we’re here to help,” says Kelway. “With the America’s Cup coming back here, it’s really important to get people excited about sailing again.” Supporting and managing the Auckland team will be Richard “Bicky” Bicknell, who has taken on the role of General Manager. He will also continue handling sales to superyacht clients. Bicknell recently competed at the Loro Piana superyacht regatta in Porto Cervo, Italy, aboard Farfalla, before sailing the J Class America’s Cup regatta in Bermuda, then returning to Palma in the Mediterranean for another superyacht event. Next he will be off to the J Class world champs in Newport, Rhode Island, then to the Monaco Boat Show and superyacht regatta in Saint Tropez, before finishing the year doing the Sydney-Hobart race aboard Rantan. “My role to supply cohesion to the loft and keep all the parts working together, and with the other lofts around the world,” says Bicknell. “There’s been a bit of change, but it’s all starting to come together. The team we’ve got now is very exciting.” Joining the team at the North Shore loft are two other well-known faces: Ben Costello, who has nearly 20 years’ experience as a sailmaker and on big boats, and Casey Bellingham. Costello, who has been freelancing for the past few years, has come to the North team full-time to take on the role of Service Manager. He will be dealing with sails coming in for service or recuts, organising parts, and taking care of the neds of visiting superyachts. “We’ve got a great set-up here, with a Hiab and forklifts and plenty of storage, and this summer we already know of seven or eight superyachts that will be here and need assistance,” says Costello. Bellingham, also an experienced sailmaker who originally hails from the Bay of Islands, has come to the loft as Master Sailmaker, overseeing the production quality of upwind sails, in tandem with Ben de Fluiter, who looks after downwind sails. He will also oversee the training of new apprentices. “Even though sailmaking has changed a lot, it’s really important that they have the skills and understand the principles of how the fabric behaves and can be used.” Ben Costello has come to the North team full-time to take on the role of Service Manager. READ MORE

LAND ROVER SYDNEY GOLD COAST YACHT RACE Worldwide coordination and attention to detail matched with on-point crew work gave super yacht Black Jack a chance to raise the bar. © Andrea Francolini The refurbished 30-metre racer, originally launched as Alfa Romeo in 2005, finished just three minutes behind its near-identical rival, Wild Oats XI, despite only going back in the water a week before the race, and hoisting her new sails just hours before the starting gun. Black Jack 100 had recently returned to Australia after being laid up for more than a year in Europe, and been reconfigured for its new owner, Brisbane yachtsman Peter Harburg. Mark Bradford of North Sails Brisbane, the yacht’s sailing master, says a new set of sails was required, designed and manufactured by North in the United States, and shaped and finished by the North Sails Auckland loft. “The geometry had been changed, with the forestay moved forward. The boat also has a new rig and boom from Southern Spars, so we couldn’t just press ‘plot’ and make the same sails as it had before,” says Mark. “There was a real synergy between North and Southern to get the sails to fit exactly right.” So exactly right that when the 370 square metre mainsail was first hoisted — just two hours before the race start — it fitted perfectly. “Usually we would have two or three days to fit such a big sail, but when we went out the day before it was too windy to check it out. We hoisted the mainsail with two hours to go and found no adjustments needed to be made, which is a real credit to everyone involved.” The next challenge was upwind sails: the brand-new number two was hoisted on the way out to the start, and the new number-one jib went up for the first time about two hours into the race. “Both Black Jack and Wild Oats changed jibs on the same tack, and once again, that sail which had never been up before fitted first time,” says Mark. And so what had been intended largely as a delivery trip — to get the boat up to Queensland for Hamilton Island Race Week — turned into a real race, as the two maxis duelled their way up the coast, exchanging a narrow lead several times. “We were still trying to feel our way through the boat and work out systems, but it turned into a real battle,” says Mark. “Wild Oats were within eyesight the whole way and we were pretty stoked to be in the same patch of water, considering how new the set-up was.” Black Jack was also carrying a new J5 and J6, and a new A3, which didn’t get out of the bag in the upwind conditions. The boat’s next big outing — and battle with Wild Oats — will come at Hamilton Island, where America’s Cup and Olympic sailor Tom Slingsby will be part of the crew. “We’re really going to ramp it up there,” says Mark. “Our expectations have changed a bit now — we’ve gone from getting the boat back on the water and seeing how it goes to being seriously competitive.” READ MORE

AMERICA'S CUP America’s Cup action up close in personal with front row seats report from Hayden Whitburn. Michael Douglas and Hayden Whitburn, who took a month’s leave from his role at the Westhaven office, was in Bermuda at the invitation of Sir Russell Coutts, working with the young sailors of Sir Russell’s America’s Cup Endeavour programme — and watching the racing from a VIP boat right on the course. Hayden has been involved with Sir Russell, running his kids’ sailing programme at Manly Sailing Club, north of Auckland. Hayden has known the America’s Cup legend since his days growing up in Dunedin, and has stayed in touch with his role model. ‘I’ve been working with Russell on his junior sailing programme for the past year, which is going really well, and he invited me to come up to Bermuda and help out with the guest chaser programme, too’, Hayden says. Being a Commentator on a VIP chase boat around the course carrying sponsors and celebrities like actor Michael Douglas and the King of Spain, has meant Hayden has had a close-up view of the spectacular and heart-stopping racing. ‘We were allowed to be right on the course next to the umpires and right next to the media boat. It’s pretty awesome seeing the boats up close, much like the Formula one racing!’ Sir Russell has been running the America’s Cup Endeavour community sailing programme in Bermuda during the build-up to the Cup. More than 1550 students aged 9 to 12 years old, from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds across Bermuda, have been introduced to the sport of sailing through a special education programme which features a science, technology, engineering, arts and maths curriculum, dubbed ‘STEAM through Sailing’. It's amazing what Russell is doing for our sport. So many sailors burn out at a young age but he is all about getting kids into the sport and keeping them in and most importantly having fun! Between the Louis Vuitton and America’s Cup series, a team of young Kiwi sailors also competed in the Endeavour Junior Regattas in Bermuda. ‘They got to race right in front of the grandstand, reaching back and forth, so that’s a great opportunity for them’, says Hayden. It was also spectacular to see the J-Class yachts racing with all our sails on display. READ MORE

Thorens (en réel) et Vandenberghe (en compensé) remportent la SYZ Translémanique en Solitaire Ce week-end a eu lieu la SYZ Translémanique en Solitaire, l’une des grandes classiques lémaniques et la régate en solitaire la plus exigeante du Léman. Ouverte aux voiliers monocoques de régate et de course-croisière, cent régatiers en solitaire se retrouvent pour faire le tour complet du lac ! Pour un coup d’essai, c’est un coup de maître pour François Thorens qui participait à sa toute première translémanique ! Il remporte le classement en temps réel sur son Psaros 40 après 12h13 de course. « C’était une bonne "balade" ! J’y ai pris beaucoup de plaisir, ce qui est pour moi le plus important dans la voile, avant même les résultats. Même si ça fait toujours plaisir de gagner ☺ Je navigue depuis tout jeune, souvent seul, mais c’était ma première Translémanique en solitaire. La régate a été délicate aux alentours de Rolle : j’étais à l’arrêt complet, et j’ai pu regarder passer mes concurrents à même pas 100m. Avoir l’habitude de naviguer dans le haut lac m’a permis de prendre les bonnes décisions à partir de Lausanne, ce qui m’a permis de remonter ! A l’aller comme au retour, j’ai été content des performances de ma grand-voile et de mon génois North. Même dans les grains, elles ont bien résisté dans les risées. Je serais évidemment au rendez-vous en 2018 pour passer à nouveau un super moment ! » Le podium en temps réel est complété par Nicolas Groux (l’un des collaborateurs de North Sails Suisse) et Alain Gautier (oui, oui, l’ex skipper de Foncia). Nous tenons bien évidemment à féliciter également Frédéric Vandenberghe, vainqueur de l’épreuve en temps compensé sur son VXOne habillé par North Sails ! Tous les résultats disponibles ici READ MORE

NORTH-POWERED CLIENTS SWEEP BJ MARINE'S TASTE OF GREYSTONES REGATTA Clients solidify wins across the board in all divisions Congratulations to North Sails clients who dominated the BJ Marine Taste of Greystones Regatta last weekend! North Sails powered the winners and the runners up in Cruising Class 1, Class 2 and Class 3 under the Adjusted Echo Scoring System (ESS). Our clients used a combination of 3DL and 3Di products to power their way around the race track. Congratulations to the Kelly Family with guest helm Marty O'Leary and team on Storm for taking the class one overall win. in the other classes, a job well done to Dave Cullen and Ross Keating and team on Checkmate who took the win in class two, followed by Barry Cunningham and his team on Quest for winning class three. It was a close competition and some fun racing! For more information on North Sails products please go to our webpage or contact us here at North Sails Ireland. Full Results © Alan Leddy © Alan Leddy © Alan Leddy © Alan Leddy © Alan Leddy READ MORE

DRAGON SOUTH COAST CHAMPIONSHIP North Sails Clients take the top slots at South Coast Championship in Kinsale Congratulations to Cameron Good, Henry Kingston and Simon Furney for taking 1st Place at the Dragon South Coast Championships at Kinsale YC this past weekend. Powered by North Sails, Little Fella and her crew claimed the overall victory in a small but highly talented fleet. Only a cigarette paper separated the top two boats and the runners up. When it came down to the final score update, David Williams and Peter Bowring on Phantom, also powered by North Sails, scored a 3,1,2,2 and were tied in points with Little Fella. Unfortunately Phantom fell short, allowing Little Fella to come out ahead with two bullets in their score line up, winning the tie-breaker. That was a close one! Congratulations to Little Fella and Phantom for your performance this year at the SC Champs. Thank you to Kinsale Yacht Club for hosting the Dragon fleet. Great sailing and a lot of fun was had by all competitors. For more information on North Sails Dragon products, or to speak with a Dragon Class Expert, please contact North Sails Ireland. Full Results ©Shane Goggin Photography ©Shane Goggin Photography ©Shane Goggin Photography READ MORE

This was the 4th ever J111 worlds and the 3rd I have done with Rod Warren's team 'Joust racing'. We had a pretty interesting journey to get here this year, as there were no charter boats in the Bay Area and shipping Joust out from Australia was not an option we had. Gerard Sheridan Lucky for us, fellow SYC yacht club member and great NS client Phil Simpfendorfer decided to add to the growing J111 fleet at SYC and purchased 'Aeolus' from the San Francisco fleet and allowed us to use the boat in the regatta, before packing her up for freighting home to Melbourne We really gave it a good shot this year and employed a coach and allowed for 4 practice days to familiarize with with the local bay sea breeze and the tides that sailing on the bay is famous for. This definitely came in very handy in the passage race that led us outside the Golden Gate Bridge and around Alcatraz island. We took our own new 3Di RAW mainsail, A2 Gennaker and used the boats 3Di jibs from Seadon at NS San Francisco due to some small differences in the USA fleet having a higher furling drum height, meaning our RAW jibs would not sheet perfectly. Again thanks to Phil! Gerard Sheridan We definitely had legs around the track in the weeks 'breeze on' conditions but just a few slight mistakes in a very close fleet meant that just 2 points would separate 1st 2nd and us in 3rd place! We won 4 of 9 races just to show the tightness of the fleet and how consistency always pays! Congratulations to Peter Wagner's Skeleton Key for sailing very consistently and being this years J111 world champion! Thanks again to Rod and the crew for giving it all we had and getting the best result to date for Joust racing! READ MORE

2017 PROVES NEW DEVELOPMENTS IN THE MELGES 32 North-powered clients reap benefits of 3Di sail development at Melges 32 season finale in Cala Galera The Melges 32 Worlds welcomed 17 boats from seven nations to Cala Galera, Italy. Ten races in steady wind and sunshine rounded out the class’s 2017 season, showing teams with North 3Di sails in the front of the pack. Introduced to the Melges 32 in 2016, North Sails 3Di is making it’s way through the fleet as sailors upgrade to achieve the utmost in sail performance. “The Worlds was a great event with 10 races and we are happy to say that the second and third boats were North-powered teams, ” said North Sails expert Giulio Desiderato, who works to advance North’s product development efforts in the class. In the Melges 32, a growing number of teams are making the switch to 3Di. One example is 2017 European Champions Torpyone, who finished second overall in the Melges 32 World League. Torpyone opted for a 3Di RAW mainsail and headsail, which they’ve used consistently throughout the season. North Sails 3Di is a proprietary sail technology that reduces stretch and sail weight, while increasing the structural and performance life. 3Di sails are composed of ultra-thin unidirectional spread filament tapes, which are pre-impregnated with thermoset adhesive and arranged in a complex multiple-axis array. The process allows designers precise control over the placement and orientation of material within each sail, and results in resistance to stretch in all directions. First tested and proven in larger inshore and offshore racing boats, North Sails 3Di is now making its way into popular one design classes like the Melges 32, Melges 24, Melges 20 and Melges 40 Grand Prix. In an interview following the event in Cala Galera, Giulio stresses the investment from North in competitive one design racing. “The Melges 32 is a competitive class that has been active for a long time. North Sails is invested in the development of the sails, and at every regatta we are here to collect feedback from the competitors. We work with our specialists to develop the best product we can for the teams.” READ MORE

3Di FOR RACING | C&C38 RENAISSANCE Peter Kirkwood upgrades to North 3Di, brings new life to his 40-year-old boat We caught up with Peter Kirkwood, on his C&C 38 MK 1 Renaissance, from London, Ontario. Peter just recently purchased a 3Di main and genoa and has been using them this summer at his home club. When his old 3DL sails were coming to down to their last leg, Peter knew Renaissance, now 40 years old, was ready for something new and different. “When I bought this boat I bought 3DL #1 jibs. They were great performance sails, but they didn’t last very long,” he recalled. After speaking with his local expert, Hugh Beaton, Peter was convinced he should try 3Di.“Tremendous durability was the thing that got me,” said Peter. “Considering a performance sail for my type of boat and the racing I do, it turned out to be a neat way to get back in the game. 3Di is great for those of us with older boats”. He paired his new genoa with a matching mainsail, and now he couldn’t be happier. “I think the new #1 and the new main at the same time made the biggest difference. Because I got two new sails at the same time, I got the best of both worlds. The boat has never gone faster upwind and pointed higher at the same time. I was so excited about it. It was like a whole different world. I think that has been the biggest thing I’ve noticed- It has brought life back in my old boat.” Renaissance sails a couple nights per week and, after the time changes in Autumn, the team will sail in weekend club races. They frequently match up against a J/133, X35, and Beneteau 40.7, and have noticed a big improvement with the new sails. “I’ve had a couple nemesis boats that I’ve had a hard time catching over the last few years. Now we are beating them – we are right there, boat for boat, pointing higher, going faster.” What’s more, Peter explained a few added bonuses he wasn’t expecting. “I’ll be 62 years old next month and I can pick up this genoa by myself. For a 155%, it’s featherlight! That was a big deal for me when choosing to buy new sails. The sails were the talk of the party, too. Lots of wows from all at the club. They look really cool. They look good.” We wish Peter and the Renaissance team the best of luck this fall! READ MORE

Uitbreiding North Sails Benelux met Nic Bol, Jacco Huijgen en Mark Meeuwisse North Sails Benelux breidt per 1 september 2017 uit met drie experts Het team van Wouter Kollmann en Anton Brinkhof wordt versterkt met de ervaren Rotterdamse zeilmakers Nic Bol en Jacco Huijgen. Mark Meeuwisse is het derde nieuwe gezicht en start als sales medewerker bij de North Sails loft in Almere. Met deze uitbreiding kan North Sails Benelux in de groeiende behoefte van de Nederlandse en Belgische markt voorzien. Nic Bol wordt Sales Manager North Sails Benelux Nic Bol, de nieuwe Sales Manager van North Sails Benelux, brengt ruim 25 jaar ervaring in het zeilmakersvak met zich mee. Hij zal in zijn nieuwe functie tevens leiding gaan geven aan de North Sails loft in Stabroek. Als fanatieke wedstrijdzeiler heeft Nic van jongs af aan in verschillende klassen op hoog niveau gevaren en internationaal diverse mooie prestaties neergezet: “Ze noemen mij wel eens de Joop Zoetemelk van het zeilen, immer tweede. Maar gelukkig heb ik ook een paar bijzondere overwinningen op mijn naam kunnen schrijven waaronder het WK J22 in Scheveningen afgelopen jaar.” Nic is zeer content met zijn nieuwe uitdaging als Sales Manager bij North Sails Benelux: “Met dit team hebben we als marktleider alle mogelijkheden tot onze beschikking om zeilend Nederland en België optimaal te bedienen. Met de toevoeging van North Sails 3Di NORDAC, de nieuwste toepassing voor de toerzeilmarkt, kunnen we daarnaast alle typen zeilers en van alle niveaus helpen aan de juiste zeilen.” Ervaren zeilmaker Jacco Huijgen Jacco Huijgen zit inmiddels al 14 jaar in het zeilmakersvak. Hij heeft via bijbaantjes bij verschillende zeilmakers de fijne kneepjes van het vak geleerd en is na het afronden van zijn HBO opleiding aan de slag gegaan als verkoper bij Nic. De laatste twee jaar heeft hij samen met Nic de zeilmakerij in Rotterdam opgezet. Ook Jacco is een ervaren wedstrijdzeiler, ooit begonnen in de Contender. Inmiddels is Jacco al een aantal jaren bij vele wedstrijden te vinden, van Melges 24 tot en met Swan 45. Van alle nationale titels die hij behaalde is hij zelf het meest trots op die van Benelux Kampioen in de J80. Mark Meeuwisse sales medewerker Almere In Almere krijgen Wouter Kollmann en Anton Brinkman per 1 september ondersteuning van sales medewerker Mark Meeuwisse. Mark is een ervaren rot in de watersportindustrie, een zeer ervaren zeiler en specialist in toerzeilen. In het verleden zeilde hij onder andere X99 en X35, maar is van alle markten thuis, van scherpe jachten tot aan platbodems. Wouter Kollmann, als sales medewerker werkzaam vanuit de North Sails loft in Almere is blij met de uitbreiding: “Met de expertise van Nic en Jacco in huis en daarnaast de extra hulp van Mark bij ons op de loft in Almere kunnen we onze groeiende klantenkring nog beter bedienen.” READ MORE

Los ganadores de nueve de las diez clases participantes eligieron velas North Sails para competir en la prueba reina del calendario del Mediterráneo, que durante seis días de competición reunió en la bahía de Palma a una flota récord de 138 barcos de 24 nacionalidades. READ MORE

COPA DEL REY MAPFRE: SERVICIO… Un año más, North Sails ofreció durante la Copa del Rey MAPFRE su servicio de recogida y reparación de velas para todos los participantes de la regata. Al término de cada jornada de competición, personal North Sails recogió en los pantalanes del Real Club Náutico de Palma las velas que necesitaban mantenimiento o reparación, que fueron trasladadas a la velería de Lluchmajor para ponerlas a punto por la noche y devolverlas antes del comienzo de la competición del día siguiente. El viento suave que predominó en esta 36 edición de la clásica mallorquina redujo el número de incidencias en las velas de la flota, pero cada cliente que lo necesitó pudo contar con nuestro servicio de reparación nocturna y disfrutar de sus velas al día siguiente. READ MORE

KOHLER CUP 2018 North Sails and J-Class Association announce details for 2018 Kohler Cup Following the success of the first ever J-Class overall season championship, the inaugural 2017 Kohler Cup, the J-Class Association and North Sails are proud to announce the 2018 Kohler Cup schedule. The 2018 Cup will be comprised of a total of four events as opposed to just three in 2017. The other notable difference is for the upcoming year events will be weighted equally, with boats that take part in all four events able to discard their worst result. The Kohler Cup is a perpetual trophy named in memory of Terry Kohler, the former owner of North Sails, who was also an entrepreneur and philanthropist. The inaugural Kohler Cup was presented to Lionheart during prize giving for the J Class Worlds in Newport, Rhode Island. The trophy has certainly played a part in developing the J Class fleet, with at least six boats at key events. Louise Morton, J Class Association Secretary, commented: “With six yachts on the start line last week, there is no doubt that the J Class fleet is enjoying an unprecedented resurgence. It is a testament to the owners of these yachts, the competitiveness of the fleet, and the professionalism of the crew, that going into this event the top three boats were only separated by one point. However, with the J Class Worlds worth double points, everything was at play in Newport.” The Kohler Cup is the first ever season-long points championship for the fleet, aimed at promoting and enhancing the racing for the celebrated world-class fleet of J Class yachts. The 2018 season will consist of the following events: St Barth’s Bucket, Caribbean Superyacht Cup, Palma Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup, Porto Cervo Les Voiles de St Tropez, France Ken Read, President of North Sails and Skipper of Hanuman commented: “The Kohler Cup is here to stay, as it is clear that the J Class owners want to stick together from event to event which provides amazing racing. The World Championship was the perfect end to the year. I am delighted that we as North Sails, have also been able to play a part in keeping these boats together over the season through the trophy. I feel this year was unique in that regard and I can’t wait to start it all again next year with even more events and hopefully even greater racing.” The Kohler Cup Scoring System: The Kohler Cup presented by North Sails is awarded at the end of the J Class racing season using the high point scoring system Each boat will receive point(s) equal to the number of boats she beat, plus one point. The end season score will be the sum of all the points of the individual races The J Class yacht with the highest number of cumulative points wins the Kohler Cup Each event has the same coefficient Points will be calculated on the final scores at the end of each event J Class yachts not entering an event or a race will be scored with zero (0) points Only J Class yachts participating at least in three (3) events will be eligible to compete for the seasonal Kohler Cup Yachts competing in all four (4) events drop their worst score prior to final tally In case of a tie, the better position in the final event will determine who breaks the tie on top READ MORE