NORTH SAILS BLOG

SAIL POWER: FULL POWER & MIX OF POWER By Bill Gladstone This article is derived from the North U Trim Seminar. North U offers seminars, clinics, books, media, online training, and coaching. Visit NorthU.com to Learn More In our first segment we defined the three sources of sail power: Angle of Attack, Depth, and Twist. Segment two focused on twist and the impact of twist on performance. In this segment we address how our three sources of power combine to create our total power, how we add and reduce power to match the conditions, and how we can change not just the total power, but the mix of power. Later segments will explore the relationship between the main and jib and also describe how each of our sail controls impacts shape and power. Optimum Performance Each sail gets its power from a combination of angle of attack, depth and twist. It is time to explore how these combine and how we can adjust both the total and the mix of power to optimize performance in different wind speeds and sea states. Total Power, Full Power, Mix of Power Our first goal is to get to full power – neither overpowered nor underpowered. Full power means the crew are fully hiked, the boat has its designed angle of heel, and the helm is well balanced and easy to steer. Fig. 301 Our total power is the sum of power from each source: Angle of Attack, Depth, and Twist.Once we are at full power we can fine tune to suit the conditions. Here are a few generalizations to help in finding the best mix of power. First, understand that we can trade one kind of power for another. We can add power from one source, reduce from another and have the same total but a different mix. For example: Adding depth adds power while adding twist spills power. By adding depth and increasing twist we can get the same total power, but a different mix. Fig. 302 On the left, trimmed flat with little twist. On the right, a deeper (more power), more twisted (less power) shape. Same total, different mix. Moderate Air Trim By moderate air we mean enough wind to get the boat to full power – as described above, this means, the crew fully hiked and the boat sailing at its designed angle of heel, and the helm balanced. On most boats we transition from light air to moderate in 6 to 7 knots of true wind speed. Some boats need more, some less. Once we are at full power we can fine-tune performance by changing the mix of power. Here’s what we mean: Waves or Chop In wavy conditions a deeper more twisted shape is preferred. The extra depth provides power to punch through the waves and better acceleration to build speed as each wave slows the boat, while the extra twist provides a wider steering groove and is less prone to stalling. The waves make a narrow course hard to hold, and each wave slows the boat, so we are constantly accelerating. The downside is a slight compromise in pointing ability compared to smooth water sailing. But remember: you’ll never point if you are slow. Speed First. Similarly, coming out of a tack our sails are initially trimmed with extra twist to ease flow at a wider angle of attack, and with extra depth for acceleration, with final trim coming only as the boat accelerates to full speed and is brought up to a narrower, high pointing angle of attack. Smooth Water In smooth water and that same full power wind speed we trim with less twist – adding power and pointing ability – while sailing with a flatter sail – reducing power and drag. We have the same total power, but a different mix. The downside to flat sails with little twist is a narrower steering groove and poor acceleration. In smooth water we can sail in a narrower groove, and once we are up to speed we won’t be slowed by waves. It only works if you can sail to it; you won’t point well if you use high pointing trim in unsuitable conditions. You’ll just stall and go slow. Fig. 303 As conditions vary across the spectrum of smooth to choppy we can fine tune our mix of depth and twist. Across the Spectrum We’re rarely in perfectly smooth or ferociously chopping conditions. Mostly we sail in something in between. For best performance we’ll adjust the mix of depth and twist to suit the prevailing conditions while maintaining full power. The differences are nuanced and often the performance advantage is small… but critical. The difference between good and great, between mid-fleet and winning is just a couple percent and is often comprised of several things each contributing fractions of a percent. Never relent. Every little increment matters. It adds up. Fig. 304. Across the spectrum, from flat with little twist to deep and twisted. We do most of our sailing in the middle, making incremental changes as wind and sea state fluctuate. Next Time… In our next segment we’ll look at the role of Angle of Attack in upwind performance and look at de-powering in heavy air and powering-up in light air. © copyright Bill Gladstone READ MORE

A-CLASS SPEED READING Training, Sail Design & “An Attitude Of Continued Learnings” © Gordon Upton / guppypix.com Glenn Ashby still remembers his first A Class catamaran sail like it was yesterday. “It was 1995 and it was only a 10-minute sail on a lake,” he says. “I couldn’t get over how smooth, efficient and fast the boat was. I’ve really enjoyed the boats ever since.” Not only has he enjoyed them, the 41-year-old sailor has been the most successful sailor in the class, bar none, upgrading his skillset as the singlehanded cats evolved into full-on foilers. In November 2018, at Hervey Bay, Australia, Glenn won his 10th A Class world championship title, adding to his collection of eight world titles in other classes plus an Olympic silver medal. There might’ve been more world titles by now, but the talented Australian got side-tracked a few years ago, joining the Team New Zealand America’s Cup effort and winning that little-known trophy in 2017 as skipper of the team’s foiling AC50 in Bermuda. Glenn has again signed on with TNZ as America’s Cup defender, but recently engaged in nearly a month of cross-training in the A Class, which he says is “the highest performance single-handed catamaran class in the world.” He brought along two of his TNZ teammates, Blair Tuke and Peter Burling, and they spent two weeks training on Port Phillip Bay at McCrae Yacht Club. “It was intense,” Glenn says. “Full-on. Long days on the water and a lot of boat work. We were also learning how to foil-jibe the boats—the kind of homework best done before the regatta. “Two days into the training, Pete and Blair were already going really well, and as they are very talented they were pushing hard immediately and we learned a lot of things very quickly working intensively as a group on and off the water.” © Gordon Upton / guppypix.com Despite winning six of the nine races sailed at the championship in November, the win didn’t seem easy. After three wins on the first day, Glenn was annoyed with his 5-1-3 the second day: “Normally I’m happy pushing the boat hard and not backing off,” he says, “and I probably was sailing a little too conservatively. When you start thinking, ‘I don’t want to capsize here or damage the boat,’ you don’t get the ultimate results. That was a great lesson for me. I gave myself an uppercut to the jaw and carried on.” Glenn finished out the regatta with a 3-1-1 and won with half as many points as second-place finisher, Mischa Heemskerk. Tuke and Burling finished third and fourth, respectively. (Results) “There’s a fine edge with A Class boats. Sometimes you find the other side of the line and have a wobble and have to use 110-percent of your skills and knowledge to keep the boat upright or stay on the boat! I feel at times it is somewhat like racing bikes or cars where you don’t want to really exceed your skill level and rely on luck to keep in control. You don’t want to be pushing yourself outside of your comfort zone for your skill level when on the ragged edge, but you have to be all-in when racing and know where that line is and be close to it. You have to get to that level to get best performance out of your machine or vessel. Good results generally come from doing your homework very well and pushing hard during training. Couple this with learning your settings and understanding your equipment means you are in good shape to complete the exam!” “Our training for sure gave us a step up,” Glenn continues. “The work with Pete and Blair and Ray Davies as coach and over seeing performance, set us up for one of us to have a chance of winning I feel. I was very happy and proud to have had this opportunity to work with the boys with the blessing of everyone at ETNZ. It was a great team effort again. ” Glenn has designed and produced sails under his own label for many years and says with “limited time” these days for sailmaking, the opportunity to develop a relationship with North Sails was timely. He says, “I do all the design work for the sails that are produced and North have been fantastic at producing them under their banner, and together we’ve had a strong relationship since day one. The partnership works well for us as I can’t put time into physically manufacturing sails these days. North has been able to continue to provide top level, high performance race sails and also added marketing, sales and customer service to my signature line range.” © Gordon Upton / guppypix.com Starting with his standard sail from a couple years ago, Glenn says, “I worked on a new direction and designed the DS2, which I felt was well-suited to a wide range of body weights, but specifically the 73- to 83-kilogram range. With adjustment to the spreaders, prebend in the rig and batten tensions, I could be as fast in the low end of that weight range as others near the top. “For this year, I developed the DS2-F design with reduced luff curve and slightly different mold shaping for lighter-weight sailors, which was very solid for upwind foiling. Everyone with North Sails who used those in this regatta had a good experience with their performance —if they got off the starting line well, they were right up at the front. “Our philosophy this year has been to target intensely the upwind foiling aspects of where the class is now. The challenge is to make a sail that also works really well in displacement mode (upwind under 10 knots). The goal is to accelerate quickly up to speed and then when foiling have a shape that’s quite clean at high apparent wind speeds as well as being able to morph into a nice aero package for downwind sailing. © Gordon Upton / guppypix.com “We made a lot of changes in the bottom half of the sail. I needed to make sure that part of the sail was driving hard and also really working well when doing high boatspeed numbers. Keep in mind that at 16 to 20 knots boat speed upwind in 14 to 18 knots of true wind, your apparent windspeed can be up to 30 to 35 knots across the deck. How important is Glenn’s use of the A-Class in cross-training, first with his Olympic Tornado campaigns and more recently with the America’s Cup? “It’s been really important,” he says. “The knowledge and practical learnings and lessons you get from sailing high-performance boats are key, especially because the class has had such rapid growth and is continually evolving. It’s great for the brain and forces you to think outside the squares. It’s taught me to be open-minded and willing to take on new ideas.” A good example of this occurred before these recent world championships.” We have an attitude of ‘continued learnings,’” Glenn says. “Not too many people were aware that we completely changed our rudders, daggerboards, and elevators between the Australian Nationals and the Worlds, which started two days later. Our experience gave us the ability to test the new equipment, decide it was better, measure it in, and not be scared to make the change. “The new foils gave us a step up in global performance. The new daggerboards I felt weren’t much different upwind but downwind they were a little better at times. The elevators were fractionally longer than standard, but we felt they were a gain, too—it’s all the half-percent gains added together that can give you the edge.” © Gordon Upton / guppypix.com READ MORE

FLYING SCOT MAINSAIL TRIM WITH ZEKE HOROWITZ Video With Tips and Advice on How to Trim the Mainsail on a Flying Scot We’ve all heard it one hundred times…. “Boat speed is King.” That’s all well and good but how are we supposed to know how to achieve it?? In this video with North Sails expert Zeke Horowitz, you’ll be able to see and learn how, when, and why to play the controls on your mainsail while sailing upwind. The key is to remember that sail trim needs to be dynamic – you need constant tweaks and adjustments to keep the boat moving as fast as possible for as long as possible. You’ll learn to develop a short checklist based on feel and visuals so that you’ll know what needs to be adjusted and when. The important elements to check on for proper mainsail trim are: Feel on the helm Heel of the boat Leech tension/twist “Speed wrinkles” in the lower 1/3rd of the sail. You want to generate the right mix of all of these elements with a dynamic trim approach so that you can sail with the boat as flat as possible, as steady as possible (constant heel angle), and at as high a pointing angle as possible without losing center board flow. Boat speed is King and it’s just that simple. 😉 We would like to thank Eric Bussell and the Flying Scot Class for the opportunity to be involved in making this video. READ MORE

TACKING ON A FLYING SCOT WITH ZEKE HOROWITZ Video With Tips and Advice on How to Tack on a Flying Scot Nailing a perfect tack is often the difference between getting that first cross off the starting line, sneaking it in at a weather mark layline, or being able to pinch off a boat just before the finish. Tacking your Flying Scot can have a lot of variables based on the specific conditions you’re sailing in or the exact scenario you’re in. Practice makes perfect, and as you continue to improve you’ll be able to dial in the subtle nuances of all of these variables. There are a couple of keys to focus on and practice so that when the time comes to execute the perfect tack, you are prepared and ready to nail it! Try to bring the main sheet in a bit as you start to turn up at the beginning of the tack. This helps the boat turn up without using as much rudder. Then, ease the main sheet as you go through the tack so that the main sail is slightly eased and in acceleration mode once you get onto the new tack. Keep your eyes forward on the jib tell tales so that you can hit the proper exit angle. Get comfortable with your hand switch so you don’t feel rushed. Finally, understand the feel of the boat in terms of heel/roll so that you can decide when and how quickly to cross sides to keep the boat as steady as possible. In this video, listen to North Sails expert Zeke Horowitz as he provides tips and advice on how to tack on a Flying Scot. We would like to thank Eric Bussell and the Flying Scot Class for the opportunity to be involved in making this video. READ MORE

ETCHELLS WORLDS SPEED READING New World Champion Martin Hill Shares Victory Insights © KJW / Etchells Worlds Brisbane 2018 Sailing in a 94-boat fleet that’s stacked with past world champions, Martin Hill didn’t have high expectations on his chances of winning the 2018 Etchells Worlds in Brisbane, Australia. But after a 6th-place finish at the 2017 Worlds and some strong results earlier in 2018, Martin and mainsheet trimmer Julian Plante were joined by Sean O’Rourke as a new bowman and Olympic 470 medalist Mat Belcher as new tactician and the combination began to click. The team’s speed, decision-making, and fleet management was excellent in the first two races; both times, their boat, Lisa Rose, rounded the first mark in the lead and earned second-place finishes. “In the opening race, when we rounded the weather mark,” Martin says, “I thought, ‘Game on!’” Yet a world championship spans six days and nine races, and the Lisa Rose team had to evolve to emerge at the top of the field on the last day. What were some of the keys? © KJW / Etchells Worlds Brisbane 2018 Making the most of individual abilities “We developed a nice chemistry, with each person respecting each others’ ability, ” Martin says, describing how each team member worked with him to shape their boat speed and tactics. “Julian, on the mainsail upwind, would manage our mode—high and slow or fast and low. Sean was on the kite sheet downwind, calling when to sail lower and higher. And in a tactical situation, Mat would say, ‘My boat’ for the short term, such as when calling for a lee-bow tack.” “I knew instinctively that Mat would be really good,” Martin adds. “I always admire people in the 470 class and how good they are in the chess game they play. I had previously sailed with Malcolm Page, so I’ve had a long history knowing them.” Sailing in sync with the waves “After the first two races, we were leading the event,” Martin says. “It was pretty exciting. But we were a little bit concerned about our running. In the first race, Ian Murray jibed and got by us downwind, and in the second, Lawrie Smith. In another race, on the third day, we were third to the top mark and dropped down to sixth. “We began looking at drone footage of the racing in our morning debriefs and watched how other people were sailing downwind. We saw a combination of things. We had been sailing pretty aggressively in the waves and realized others weren’t as aggressive—they were sailing more in sync with the waves. There was a time to push hard down the waves and a time to be more coordinated between me and Sean, the kite trimmer, plus use a bit of crew kinetics. “We also thought our VMG kite was underrated,” Martin says. “We found we could use that and sail deeper with the pole forward. Using the runner, you’d think you could sail deep, but we feel the VMG was the sail to work with in those conditions.” © Emily Scott Images Starting strategy modified The starting line was 1.2 kilometers long, so choosing the correct end could pay off big, as it did in the first race when Lisa Rose started towards the right-hand end and benefitted from a persistent right shift. But a 49th in the fifth race convinced the team to be more conservative. “Early in the regatta, we looked for leverage on the line,” Martin says, “but later we came back to what Olympians do to reduce risk by starting near the middle where fleet density wasn’t too great. That way we could play both sides, even in a big field.” For the final race, the strategy changed again. “We made sure we stayed with Mark Thornburrow’s Racer C,” Martin says. “With 94 boats, a lead could disappear in a heartbeat. They picked the favored starboard end and after a general recall, we both stayed there and got a great start to leeward of them. Mat is in a class of his own—we knew there was a persistent shift to the left and our plan was to sail slow and high. It wasn’t aggressive, it wasn’t match racing. We just knew we had to get across to the left and we did.” Lisa Rose finished sixth in the last race with Racer C in 10th. The final margin between first and second place was 17 points. More information on starting strategies can be found here. © Emily Scott Images Sail choice on the edge of development The Lisa Rose team had been involved with a Tom King-led North development program involving a radial main and radial jib designs. The team chose to sail the Worlds with two radial jibs, although the heavier sail stayed mostly in the bag. “We were very impressed with the lighter sail,” Martin says. “It’s more suitable in light-medium than lighter air, and it needs more development. But it was good for this regatta. It gave us awesome speed in medium-bumpy conditions.” “Julian Plante had been a long-time North sailmaker,” Martin says. “His job was speed and he knew we needed to be conservative with our sail choices. We went with standard spinnakers, but Julian agonized over which mainsail design to use. We ended up going with North’s PC+ mainsail because we expected a lighter regatta—and it was best when the breeze dropped a bit.” “We used what North had and it delivered,” concludes Martin. “Julian was conscious of working with what he was familiar with. You can’t get too far from North’s test bed over so many regattas. Their sails have been successful for a reason.” Final words “We had a great chemistry of openness and working together with a goal,” Martin says. “I have an incredible sense of relief and satisfaction. The other day Julian called me and said he had a dream we were world champions. And it’s true!” READ MORE

PUFF RESPONSE UPWIND By Bill Gladstone Proper response to a puff is critical to optimum performance. The best response is a change in trim to match the changing apparent wind angle. Here’s why: Apparent Wind We’ll start with our wind triangle before the puff hits. Figure 1 shows how apparent wind is the vector sum of Boat Wind and True Wind. Fig. 1: Apparent Wind is the sum of True Wind and Boat Wind. The Puff Hits When the True Wind increases (“Puff!”), it creates a stronger Apparent Wind and a wider Apparent Wind Angle. Trimming sails to match this change usually means lowering the traveler, which is the fastest way to maintain a balanced helm and consistent angle of heel. Fig. 2: A puff results in stronger Apparent Wind and a wider Apparent Wind Angle. Drop the traveler to match the new wind angle. Acceleration Once the boat’s helm is balanced again, the boat then accelerates to match the new wind speed. That moves the apparent wind forward, so then we need to re-trim the sails again. Fig. 3: As the boat accelerates with the new wind, the apparent wind moves forward and we need to trim in again. Wasted energy If we don’t change sail trim in response to the puff, its energy is wasted in heeling force and weather helm rather than being turned into acceleration. The boat may eventually accelerate – after making leeway – but by then all of the more responsive crews will have jumped ahead. Why change trim? Why not just feather the helm? Trim Response lets you accelerate more quickly. Feathering (heading up, to reduce heel angle) will give you a brief bit of height, but that is usually offset by more leeway. Changing sail trim gives you speed, and speed then gives you height. Why use the Traveler? Lowering the traveler reduces angle of attack, which is the preferred trim response on a moderate displacement keelboat. On higher performance boats or multihulls, especially those with square top mains and high aspect keels, it is more effective to ease the mainsheet to adjust twist. On some boats – for example, an Etchells – a big pull on the backstay is very effective. Some boats use “Vang Sheeting” (where the mainsheet controls angle of attack) and respond to puffs by playing the main. Which is Best? Snappy Answer: Whichever is fastest. Longer Answer: You’ll have to test to see what works best on your boat. As a general rule, Trim Response is preferred to just feathering/ steering through the puff. This article is from the North U Boat Speed Seminar curriculum. To find a North U Seminar near you visit https://northu.com/types/seminars/ READ MORE

TWIST EXPLAINED By Bill Gladstone In Upwind Sail Power, we defined the three sources of sail power: Angle of Attack, Depth, and Twist. Now we’ll focus on twist and how it impacts power and performance. Twist Twist describes the relative trim of the sail from high to low. A sail has lots of twist when the upper part of the leech is open, while a closed leech has little twist. Increasing twist reduces power because it opens the upper part of the sail. More Twist = Less Power. As with increasing angle of attack and depth, reducing twist adds power up to the point where the sail stalls and power drops. More on Twist Twist is necessary because due to less surface friction, the wind is stronger aloft than at the surface; this phenomenon is called wind gradient. True wind and boat speed combine to create apparent wind. The stronger true wind up high creates both a stronger apparent wind and a wider apparent wind angle aloft. The upper part of the sail must be twisted out relative to the lower part of the sail to match the more open apparent wind angle. The sailmaker designs twist into the sail to match the average wind gradient and then we trim to fine-tune it, in order to match wind and sea conditions as well as our performance goals. Fine tuning twist is one the most powerful trim adjustments we can make. The right twist for… Light Air Wind gradient is most pronounced in light air, so extra twist is needed. In addition, sails are prone to stalling in light air, and twist helps prevent that by easing flow. Likewise, a deep sail shape – used for extra power in light air – is prone to stalling, so trimming with plenty of twist is appropriate in light air. So, though it may be counter-intuitive – since adding twist reduces power – we trim with quite a bit of twist in light air to prevent stalling. Moderate Air In moderate winds, we can trim harder without stalling flow. This harder trim with less twist adds power and improves pointing. Heavy Air As the boat gets overpowered, we flatten sails and add twist to spill power. Thus, we sail with more twist in light air and heavy air and the least twist in moderate air. Twist and Performance Generally, less twist will help pointing while more twist is faster, with a wider steering groove. For example, coming out of a tack sails are initially trimmed with extra twist (to prevent stalling when slow), with final trim coming only as the boat accelerates to full speed. Likewise, in wavy conditions we trim for extra twist, to a more forgiving steering groove as the boat gyrates in waves. Reducing twist, on the other hand, maintains full power at a high pointing angle when sailing in smooth water. Depowering your sail plan Power can be reduced either by increasing twist or flattening the sail (or both). Which is best? In wavy conditions, it’s better to depower by adding twist, while in smooth water conditions flattening the sail is recommended. Often some combination of twist and flattening is best. One of the challenges of trimming is achieving the correct total power, and the correct mix of power by adjusting depth and twist to match the conditions. Boom vang and cunningham can help to achieve the balance. © Copyright Bill Gladstone READ MORE

North Sails experts Ruairidh “Rory” Scott and Theis Palm answer your Dragon speed and boathandling questions. Who sails a Dragon? Sailors in the International Dragon class are attracted to its classic looks and tweaky, idiosyncratic nature. They include a large group of amateur sailors who compete locally at clubs throughout Europe, especially in the UK, Germany, France, Italy, and Scandinavia. At the same time, there’s an extremely active international circuit that includes many pro sailors. The list of Corinthian-only crewed boats at most international events is usually as low as 20 percent of the entries. Some boats are professionally owned and driven, but most are owned and helmed by capable amateurs, supported by professional crew. The International Dragon class attracts big fleets to race in picturesque venues throughout Europe. It also has many local fleet sailors who rarely travel to major events. What’s involved in crewing? The weight limit for the crew is 285 kilograms (627 pounds), and it’s very important to sail at, or close to, the limit. Most boats sail with three people - a 95 kilo average. Some sail with four, and recently there is a small trend in that direction because it’s difficult to find large enough people with the right skills. Sailing with four brings other challenges, though, as the boats don’t have a huge amount of room for the crew. The boats are 8.9 metres long (29’ 2”) and weigh 1700 kilograms (3,700 pounds), and they are a physical challenge to sail. Upwind if you can hike harder for longer, you’ll go faster. There are no hiking lines or hiking aids but you can hang off ropes and anything else that’s already there for another purpose. When windy, the loads on these boats are substantial, and pumping the spinnaker or trimming the large genoa provides a workout. What are three top Dragon speed tips? Spend time with the same crew, learning how to sail the boat and adjust the mast controls for different conditions. Work with your sailmaker to learn which sails work best with your mast in different conditions. Straight-line boatspeed is vital. Beats are usually 2.5-miles; in the Gold Cup, races are 2.5 to 3 hours long. What should buyers know when choosing a Dragon? Strict rules in terms of hull measurement, stability and use of corrector weights if necessary help keep both new and used boats competitive. There are a massive number of good, used fiberglass boats available at roughly half the price of a new boat. Still, some two or three dozen new boats are built each year at Petticrows in the UK, or at PCT in Dubai (approximately £80,000-100,000). Cold-molded boats can also be very competitive and beautiful, but once you have refurbished them, they may cost you more than a new boat. How do you launch a Dragon? A Dragon weighs 1700 kg (about 3700 pounds) so a reasonably substantial tow vehicle is required. Launching is done with a single-point lifting crane. Launching from purpose-built trailers isn’t hard; you pull rig forward, clip on the crane, and launch. The mast can be stepped with a tripod stand. Three people can rig and launch a boat in an hour or so. Most boats travel with a single piece cover, and the spars ride along in separate bags. How many sails are required? There are no limits on the number of sails a competitor may purchase, but sailors are only allowed to register (“card”) eight sails per event. Most boats take four genoas, two mains, and two spinnakers. North offers a range of different Dragon sails, both crosscut and with radial clews and heads; the latter were developed once cloth manufacturers began building more balanced Dacron cloth. Genoa designs cover the following wind ranges: light, up to 10 knots; medium, 6 to 18 knots; and heavy, 14 to 30 knots. North also has different mainsail designs for different class-legal masts, as well as varying spinnaker designs. On a race day (when no coach boat contact or spare sails on the water are allowed), it’s common to carry one spare spinnaker aboard and often a second genoa. Dragon Tuning What are the keys to rig set-up? When tuning the Dragon, our focus is on getting the forestay length set correctly. (Details are provided in the North Dragon Tuning Guide) Then we adjust the tension on the uppers and lowers to Loos tension gauge numbers, depending on which builder’s mast is in the boat. After that, everything is relatively simple. Just under the deck, a mast ram powered by a lever system attaches to the aft face of the mast to move the mast fore and aft at the partners. Tuning a Dragon starts with measuring forestay length and includes other complexities such as running backstays and adjustable shrouds that can be tensioned underway.  What are the most important control systems you have to learn? Competitive boats have some remarkable control systems. For example, shroud tension can be adjusted below decks. And jumper tension has both coarse and fine-tune controls that can be adjusted individually, so you can achieve a certain tip fall-off or even move the mast tip to windward. Unlike many one designs, Dragons have running backstays. Typically, boats have a 2:1 coarse adjustment under the stern deck, plus a fine tune that leads farther forward. Dragons used to have winches or highfield levers for the running backstays, but we recommend setting up cascade or other purchase systems, which is the way all new boats are rigged. Another special system for genoa sheeting eliminates the need for a winch. The sheet is pulled through a barberhauler, turns below the side deck, and leads through a cleat mounted on a track. A fine-tune purchase pulls the cleat along the track to finish trimming the sail under full load. A recent refinement keeps the cleat open when the fine tune is off. As soon as you pull on the fine tune, the cleat grips the line, but when you release it to tack, it automatically releases the coarse-tune sheet as well. Dragon Upwind Sailing Upwind, where does the Dragon crew sit? When it’s light, the helmsman sits to leeward or to windward, depending on preference. The forward crew (the genoa trimmer) sits to leeward on a bench and handles the sheet controls as well as adjusting halyard, barberhauler, and sheet fine-tunes. As soon as the breeze comes up, the trimmer will be hiking. The Dragon has a sleek, low-profile hull and its genoa has large windows for safety.  For all conditions, the middle person sits to windward—in the boat or on the rail—so they can trim the mainsail. They control runner tension, mast ram, jumper position, traveler, mainsail tack, outhaul, and vang/kicker. How do you trim the Dragon main upwind? The main trimmer generally keeps the boom near centerline; as the mainsheet is trimmed, the traveler is eased slightly. The mainsheet helps bend the mast and flatten the main. Due to the size of the overlapping genoa, we do not vang-sheet. Once the waves get bigger, the boats take time to accelerate so you want a twistier setup with softer sheet tension and a more open leech. The boats have keel-hung rudders, which will wobble around when sailing in chop. The rudder blade is big, so if you swing it around too much you’ll slow down due to the extra drag. Getting the boat balanced is very important, especially when it’s choppy. How do you trim the Dragon genoa upwind? The challenge when it’s light is to keep the boat moving quickly while still pointing well. Any time the wind changes, you need to adjust the sail first, slowly make the helm adjustment, then match sail trim to the new course. When lifted, for example, ease the genoa first; the helmsman comes up slowly, and genoa comes in to match. If the helmsman simply follows the genoa telltales instead, he’ll always be behind the curve, swinging too much rudder and going slowly. When the breeze comes on, change your jib lead by using the barberhauler, which adjusts vertically at the aft end of cuddy. By easing the barberhauler up, you effectively move your lead aft and are able to sheet harder to flatten the sail. Over 20 knots, the second barberhauler pulls the lead a couple hundred mm farther outboard. What’s the key to shifting gears when sailing upwind? Runner tension is the most important control in shifting gears. In light winds, you sail with less tension on the runner to induce headstay sag and power up the genoa. As the breeze builds and you pull on more runner, tighten the mast ram to the maximum so the mast doesn’t overbend. If it does, you over-flatten the mainsail and lose some headstay tension at the same time. As it gets windier still, add lots of runner tension and ease the ram to bend the mast, but don’t overdo it or you will lose headstay tension when you really need it. In a breeze, the three crew hike out and the boat begins to throw some spray.  What do top Dragon crews say to each other upwind? The forward crew has the best view and will usually call puffs. The main trimmer will often ease a little mainsheet or lower the traveler a touch, which allows the driver to bear off slightly. The forward crew may ease the genoa sheet as well. Once you’ve accelerated, the helmsman or main trimmer will call for trimming the sheets back on. If a big gust is called, the middle crew pulls runner on or lets traveler down, and the helmsman may point up a little. Then main and genoa are both trimmed a little harder. It’s important for all three crew to work together at all times. The forward crew also must look through the genoa window, and the helm through the mainsail window; with the big genoa, the middle crew can’t see boats that are even with you on the other tack. This is different than on boats with smaller jibs and is extremely important to communicate about regularly. Dragon Downwind Sailing Downwind, where are Dragon crew located? In light to moderate wind, keeping the bow down and the stern up is pretty fast. It also stabilizes the boat directionally, making the boat as long as possible. Whoever is the tactician moves to the bow or by the mast downwind, watching the fleet, calling the wind, and holding the pole back at the shrouds. The spinnaker trimmer sits at the front of the cockpit on the windward side, and the helmsman sits aft on either side of the boat—typically to windward in 10-12 knots and above, and to leeward in light conditions for a flatter boat or leeward heel. When it’s breezy, we bring the forward person back to cockpit. What’s unique about the Dragon when sailing downwind? We ease the backstays and let the rig a long way forward; the more we can do that, the more directionally stable the boat will be. What’s really unique is what we call “flying the spinnaker”—the pole is too short, so as soon as the breeze gets up to 8 knots we ease the spinnaker up and away from it , squaring the pole to the shrouds and keeping the clews as level as possible, and flying the guy/brace as much as six feet away from the pole. This pushes the guy as far outboard as possible, but makes the sail less stable, so more skill is required to keep the sail under control. Body weight placement can help keep the sail full, for example, placing weight to windward to heel the boat when sailing a low course. What are your general rules for sail trim on the Dragon downwind? After setting the spinnaker, furl the genoa and let the mast ram go completely so the mast can shift forward. Ease the runners to move the rig forward at deck level as much as class rules allow. The tip will move a long way forward and separate the spinnaker from the main. Boats with an adjustable mainsail tack will ease off the tack. We always try to keep the spinnaker clews spread as wide as possible and, as mentioned, away from the boat. The mainsail is eased out in most conditions, but trimmed slightly in light air (when not sailing dead downwind) and in strong breeze (for stability). Keep the top batten parallel with the boom. If the boat is rolling around in bad seas, use the vang/kicker to tighten the leech; if you need to sail lower, loosen it. What do top Dragon crews say to each other downwind? The trimmer and the driver talk about pressure on the spinnaker and how low the boat can be sailed. The bowman/tactician comments on the puffs and boats behind that might block your breeze. When surfing, there should be constant dialogue between trimmer and driver. The helmsman should pump the main if possible; otherwise, bring the bowman back to do it. Dragon Boathandling What are your top tips to starting a Dragon well? Sail with the genoa furled and approach the line under main alone. When time and distance are right, unroll the genoa and accelerate. This takes practice but is far better than approaching the line with the big genoa luffing against the rig. In lighter winds, unroll the genoa sooner because it will take longer to get up to top speed. Focus on keeping some flow over the rudder so you have control of the boat. You can easily sail a lot higher under main alone, but when you pull out genoa make sure the boat is aimed low enough so the genoa doesn’t backwind and force you to tack. When it’s windy, it’s hard to sail the boat slowly. Sail as high as possible, until it’s time to put bow down and accelerate. Don’t over-ease the mainsheet or the bow will get blown to leeward. Top teams line up for the start, sailing as slowly as possible with genoas furled, until it’s time to accelerate in the final seconds of the countdown. What are the keys to tacking a Dragon well? The mistake that everybody makes in the Dragon is to release the genoa sheet too early. The sail has such a big overlap that the clew has to go a long way forward to get around the rig. The best technique is to ease the sheet a little but only release it once the sail backs against the rig. Then the wind will blow the sail around and out to leeward, and the trimmer will pull it back in on the new tack. In less than 6 knots, another option is to furl the genoa as you start to tack. One crew does both the release and the trim, and it takes coordination and strength. Bring in as much as possible with the coarse-tune genoa sheet before switching to the fine-tune. When it’s windy, there’s so much pressure on the genoa sheet cleat, it’s important to get the genoa trimmed and cleated quickly before switching to the fine tune. The helmsman should avoid coming out of the tack too low and making the trimmer’s job that much harder. When steering through a tack in flat water, you can steer more slowly at first to maximize VMG to windward. If you’re sailing in waves, you have to turn quickly so the boat doesn’t slow down too much. The trick that we find very useful is to center the tiller at the moment the boat straightens up and the mainsail begins to tack. It takes the boat a while to stop turning, and the momentum of the genoa, pushing against the rig, will carry the boat through to your new close-hauled course. It’s very easy to over-tack a Dragon, and yet it’s better to steer too far than not enough. If the genoa doesn’t blow outside of the leeward shroud, you’ll lose speed quickly. The middle crew has plenty to do on tacks as well—mainsheet, traveler, jumpers and runners—although some helms will assist. In a light-air tack, getting the traveler moved up to the new weather side is the top priority. Ease a bit of mainsheet. In heavy air, the runners are top priority. As wind and waves build, the Dragon displaces more and more water.  What are the keys to setting the spinnaker on the Dragon? Until recently, Dragons were rigged to set the chute from a small hatch up on the bow, which made sets simple (but made takedowns tricky). The basic drill was to pull the chute up as the sheet and guy came back, and furl the genoa quickly so the chute didn’t collapse. Now that we drop the spinnaker into the cockpit, it’s very important before the set to sneak the guy/brace out as far as possible. What are the keys to jibing a Dragon well? Poor timing is the worst mistake Dragon crews make in jibes. The boats like to rock and roll downwind, so you need to time the turn so the boom crosses easily. If you try to turn the boat down when it naturally wants to turn up, you’ll fight the helm, then oversteer while the boat rocks and rolls, and in the process the boat slows down. Always initiate your jibe when surfing down a wave or naturally turning to leeward and rolling to windward. The forward crew handles the spinnaker pole and the middle crew and helm manage the sheets and runners. When it’s windy, the spinnaker trimmer will sometimes cleat the spinnaker and help the helmsman pull the main over. With inline spreaders, the masts are bendy enough that they need the support of the runners. Trim the main in a little before the jibe; as you pull the main across, haul in the new runner and ease the old runner as soon as possible. The topmast backstay holds the rig for a fraction of second, but we don’t like to rely on it for long. Needless to say, sailing with four makes the jibes easier. In light-air jibes, the topmast backstay supports the rig just fine, so you can let both runners off. The key is to rotate the spinnaker around so it stays flying. In 7 or 8 knots, the guy/brace will be at the pole. In 8 to 10 knots and above, you’ll come out of the jibe with the tack of the spinnaker at the pole, then slowly ease it away from the boat again. What are the keys to a good spinnaker takedown? Taking the chute down into the cockpit is much safer. We always pull it down on the port side to be ready for the next set; let the starboard sheet go, pull the chute around the bow, let the halyard go, and pull the sail down quickly. Dousing the spinnaker through the front hatch with the retrieval-line system is fraught with danger if you still have that set-up; to avoid dropping the sail in the water, it’s necessary to spread the spinnaker down one side of the boat or the other before pulling the sail into the hatch. How easily does a Dragon broach? All Dragons have automatic, battery-powered bilge pumps; on a windy day, the boats are wet enough that the pumps are always working. We also carry manual bilge pumps and two buckets. If you rock and roll too hard downwind you can broach to windward and swamp the boat. If the water-tight hatches are in place, the boat will stay afloat; in theory, there is sufficient reserve buoyancy to stay afloat while you and the pumps get rid of the water. As a practical matter, with the Dragon’s low freeboard, that’s difficult when waves can bring water aboard at the same rate that you get it out. What’s the coolest thing about the Dragon class? Take your pick. You can sail Saturday at the club or compete for the Gold Cup in another country against the best sailors in the world. READ MORE

Winning the world championship still means a lot in this class, and it’s remarkable how people come out of the woodwork to try to do that.  READ MORE

Class leader Brian Janney answers your Melges 24 speed and boathandling questions. Who sails in the Melges 24 class? In the early 2000s, sailors in the Melges 24 class began to enlist coaches and include professional sailors in their crews, but that trend collapsed and participation dropped way off after 2009. Gradually, the class has been growing again and we are seeing an increasing number of Corinthian teams sailing at major events, using older boats. Local fleets are coming back in North America also, in places such as Vancouver, Western Michigan, and Atlanta. There are more regional regattas on the schedule, and they are by nature much more Corinthian. (Learn more at the International and North American class websites.) How physical is the Melges 24 to sail? The Melges 24 is a great boat if you like to be active when you sail. It requires athleticism, but not brute strength. The loads are not that high and there are no winches—ratchet blocks only. You have to hike hard, but since the class changed to shorter stanchions and tighter lifelines, hiking is less painful. Overall, it’s a good combination of keelboat and dinghy. In light air, it rewards roll tacking and jibing, but in heavy air it loads up like a keelboat and you have to think about the timing of your maneuvers. Athletic sailing is the norm for Melges 24 crews, shown here after a start at the 2018 Melges 24 World Championship. Piret Salmistu/IMCA photo What are the top 3 ingredients to compete successfully in the Melges 24? Practice mark roundings—good sets and douses are key. Practice light-air downspeed maneuvers—the pre-start under main alone is key. Build a consistent crew—top performance is all about teamwork. What is the ideal Melges 24 crew size? Top teams sail at the max weight limit of 825 pounds (375 kilograms). The majority sail with five in the crew. Larger people sail with four. Crews sail with four or five to meet the crew weight maximum of 825 pounds. What does each crewmember do on the Melges 24? The helm drives and handles mainsheet and backstay. The tactician trims the jib upwind and sometimes handles the mainsheet downwind. The spinnaker trimmer hikes upwind and hoists the chute if they are the biggest crewmember. On a boat sailing with five, the two forward crew furl the jib, douse the spinnaker, and handle the tack line and pole. On boats sailing with four crew, the forward crew handles the tack line, jib furl, and spinnaker hoist/retrieval. The tactician pulls the pole out and then grabs the spinnaker sheet, handing it off to the trimmer once the halyard is up. New or used Melges 24s— what are my options? A new Melges 24 costs in the $70,000 range and includes a trailer, covers, and an upgraded line package. The company periodically builds runs of four or five boats. As of 2018, hull numbers ran up to about #900. Used boats range from a 1990s boat for less than $20,000 to somewhat newer boats with covers and a trailer with dock boxes for about $30,000. Beyond the basics, what kind of prep is needed to make a used boat competitive? Older boats may need mast-step reinforcement or repair of stanchion bases. They may also need the new, shorter stanchions. The Melges 24 has a carbon-fiber rudder and keel. Look for a boat without dings in the foils, or be prepared to make repairs. We keep a close eye on the trailing edges of keel and rudder. When we trailer the boat, we pad the back of the keel with a pool noodle we’ve cut in half. Check for wear on normal gear as well, such as cam cleats. The jib halyard system is unique and needs attention on all boats. Instead of the usual separate forestay and jib halyard, the halyard connects to the wire in the luff of the jib, which then serves as the forestay. Where the wire goes over the halyard sheave, it can break strands on a windy day, so we recommend checking it after every windy day of sailing and replacing the wire frequently. How do you transport the Melges 24? Melges 24 trailers come from the builder with shaped supports. The boat rides about five feet off the road, at shoulder height. You put the boat in the water with the keel in the “up” position and then lower it with a “keel crane,” which fits into a molded socket right behind the keel. You can also ramp launch the boat if you wish. What's involved in rigging and derigging the Melges 24? To rig the Melges 24, first attach the shrouds, spreaders and backstay, then pull the halyards down from the top of mast. Because the mast is deck-stepped, two people can raise it. Rig the spinnaker halyard forward so it acts like a temporary forestay. A team that knows the process can be ready to launch within an hour. Once you’re in the water, put the keel down, fasten down the cover plate, and attach the rudder. There is a small gas outboard, so once that’s in position, you’re ready to go. What kind of inventory does North recommend? North offers the championship-winning 3Di mainsail and jib. There are two spinnaker designs, a reacher and a runner. You are allowed to carry two spinnakers, and most top teams will have one of each aboard. The reacher is used in planing conditions when you’ll spend more time sailing in a “bow up” mode. The runner was recently redesigned to be a bit twistier, allowing a larger crossover with the reacher. Melges 24 Tuning What are the most important ways to tune the Melges 24 rig? Tuning the rig is described in detail in the North Melges 24 Tuning Guide. The key parameters are rake and shroud tension. Because the spreaders are swept aft, as you add tension to shrouds, the mast bends and becomes raked more. Unlike some classes, you’re allowed to adjust the shrouds while sailing; knowing the number of turns for each setting, the forward crew can make the adjustments while hiking. From the base setting to 20 knots, it’s 20 turns. Top boats have shifted to open-body turnbuckles because they’re twice as fast to adjust and easy to pin using a piece of batten held in place with shock cord. This is the shockcord/batten for quick adjustment of turnbuckles. Photo courtesy APS What are the key steps to setting up the rig? The first step is to hoist the internal jib wire and set the rake at the turnbuckle above the Highfield lever. Rake is measured from the top of the mast to the intersection of the transom and the bottom of the hull. This measurement should be 36’6.5” (11.140m). Dial in the rake by adjusting the turnbuckle belowdecks. Photo courtesy APS Next, add shroud tension until it is 16 on the Loos gauge. You may have to adjust the turnbuckle above the Highfield lever to maintain the proper rake adjustment. It helps to have two people to do this. Are there other special considerations when setting up a Melges 24? It’s easy to scratch or damage the keel when hauling and launching. The North Tuning Guide includes what to watch for there, as well as several tricks to marking control lines and setting up your deck. Melges 24 Upwind Sailing Upwind, where does the Melges 24 crew sit? The normal or “base” crew position starts with the bow person a half-body width aft of the forward stanchion; all others sit close to the person in front of them. In light air, push the forward crew right up against the stanchion. As waves pick up, everyone moves aft until the aft crew is right against the aft stanchion. The tactician should be the first person to move off the rail in lighter air, so they can trim the jib and look around. Even in light winds, the Melges 24's powerful sailplan requires the crew to hike. What do you focus on when trimming main and jib? Always watch the top telltale on the jib leech when sailing upwind. You can see it through the mainsail spreader window. The jib sheets are on a 2:1 purchase and go through a ratchet block. Two cleats, one on each side of the cockpit, make it possible to “banjo” the sheet in from the weather rail. Usually we don’t play the jib much. Most upwind control is done with the main due to its large size. In the puffs, the helm pulls on backstay or drops the traveler. Few helmsman are strong enough to play mainsheet, although one class veteran, Brian Porter, can do it and is very fast. Tighten the backstay to keep the boat on its feet and ease when the puff rolls away. Have your forward crew count down to puffs; it really helps the person driving concentrate on boatspeed. Most boats have speedos now, and the helmsman can’t look around, although they do tell the tactician about traffic to leeward since they are facing inboard. In 12 knots, your jib telltale can be stalling slightly; as it gets windier, ease the jib out half an inch. The jibs are pretty high aspect, and this will create more twist in the head and allow the telltales to stream more. You can also foot a little more, which increases your lift and helps you point. Hiking as a team upwind in a breeze is vital in the lightweight Melges 24. Piret Salmistu/IMCA photo Going upwind, how should the top telltale look on the Melges 24 mainsail? The mains carry quite a bit of twist. In lighter air you’ll close the top of the main for power, but in 10 knots you’re close to overpowered so the top telltale should be streaming. Your helm should be light, nearly neutral, so if you make a change and it gets out of balance, you can tell right away. What other trim settings should you look for upwind on the Melges 24? Pay attention to shroud tension. My rule of thumb is to have 75 percent of the backstay on from 12 knots and up. The backstay purchase is at the feet of the helmsman and most people use a number scale on the deck behind that. If you are easing off a lot on the backstay, that means you need to ease shroud tension. If you are close to maximum backstay tension, try tightening the shrouds. We have our tactician watch for that, too. Who is in the typical dialogue loop and what's a typical conversation? Probably the most important upwind dialogue is a countdown to puffs—that’s key for the driver. If you don’t depower, the boat will tip over and do a little roundup. In a good breeze downwind, a top crew slides aft and extends arms and torso outboard to maximize leverage. Piret Salmistu/IMCA photo Melges 24 Downwind Sailing Where does each person sit when sailing the Melges 24 downwind? In lighter air, which we call “soak mode,” everybody pushes forward to get the transom out of the water. The tactician and one bow person are to leeward; everyone else sits to weather. As the breeze comes up, everyone moves to the high side and begins to slide aft. When the boat is on a full plane, everyone except the trimmer moves behind helmsman. In light air downwind, the crew consolidates their weight at the forward end of the cockpit, with one crew to leeward in front of the chainplates. What do you focus on when trimming the main and other sails? The Melges 24 starts planing at about 14 knots, flying all three sails. We call it “lazy planing mode.” Everyone is pushed back against the aft stanchion, hip to hip. As the breeze comes up, move one person behind the stanchion; then move others aft as needed.. In most conditions, trim with a slightly firmer spinnaker luff—not over-trimmed, but not a lot of curl. In light air, ease the sheet and begin to “test” the curl a bit more. As you start planing, you have to trim in as the wind goes forward. Your spinnaker trimmer is sitting down at this point, and your tactician moves aft to trim the mainsheet—at least that’s the norm among tacticians with dinghy backgrounds. In this Facebook video, the 2018 world champions demonstrate how to sail on a flat-out plane with three sails flying in a strong breeze on Lake Garda (on a day racing was canceled). What are the key gear shifts in a Melges 24 as wind and sea state change? The main question downwind is whether you can surf the waves or not. If you can readily plane, sail a couple degrees higher until the Melges 24 takes off. Some people try to force it too quickly and sail a lot of extra distance compared to those who sail lower and slower but cover much less distance. The boats have no wind instruments, so as the breeze builds, those who pick up on this transition first will make huge gains. You need to learn your transition point, which is right at about 14 knots of wind. Who is in the dialogue loop downwind and what's a typical conversation? Your spinnaker trimmer and helmsman should always talk about pressure in the spinnaker sheet—typically that means the spinnaker trimmer is talking, or the driver is asking the trimmer what they are feeling. Puff calling is the other key input to the conversation; that should be the same person who was calling the puffs when sailing upwind. Are there special situations or techniques downwind in the Melges 24? With the jib unfurled, it takes a little practice to get all three sails across in a jibe. It also requires coordination for the tactician to flip mainsheet over the helmsman’s head at the right time. On the way to the offset mark, a Melges 24 crew preps the spinnaker to go up (at right) while continuing to hike the boat flat (at left). Piret Salmistu/IMCA photo Melges 24 Boathandling What's a typical Melges 24 start like? Starts in the Melges 24 are more like dinghy starts than keelboat starts. Set up early, sail slowly, and jockey for position. Keep the jib furled and try to create a hole to leeward so you can unfurl, sheet in, and go. The boat accelerates quickly. What makes a big difference on the starting line? Set a minimum boatspeed, usually 2.5 knots. Any slower, and when you sheet in the boat will go sideways before it goes forward due to lack of flow over the keel. Velocitek speedos are allowed, so assign someone on to watch it and speak up if you’re slowing down too much. Assuming you have pinged the starting line, the Velocitek will also read the distance to the line. What mistake slows the Melges 24 down most in a tack? A key mistake is not coordinating how everyone gets off the rail. Hiking out, the crew is sitting hip to hip, so if the first person in doesn’t give others room it’s hard for everyone else to get off the rail. You can get pinned to the rail on a crash tack, which is a great reason to communicate when traffic is coming. What does each crewmember do in a tack? Normally, the helmsman handles the traveler and main, and the tactician tacks the jib. The rest of the crew scrambles to cross the boat in good form. The traveler usually stays fairly close to center, but in very light air it needs to move to windward. If the tactician can’t help, ask your smallest person to move behind the tactician and help. Key tips for good light or heavy-air tacks in a Melges 24? Making a smooth turn with the helm is important. It’s easy to over-rotate, and you don’t need to come out at a deep angle because the boats accelerate fast. The helm needs practice to learn exit angles. We put a mark on the jib sheet, draw a scale on the deck, and pull it in 90 percent of the way. After hitting the rail to hike out, the tactician leans in as soon as possible to banjo the jib sheet in the rest of the way What mistake slows the Melges 24 down most in a jibe? The key move on the jibe is properly rotating the spinnaker. In light air and up until the boat is lazy planing, make sure a forward person grabs the spinnaker sheet and pulls it around the headstay. Here is a great video of a “blow-through” jibe in strong winds. Note the forward crew, briefly pulling the spinnaker leech in against the jib. What does each crewmember do in a Melges 24 jibe? The helm steers, the tactician deals with the mainsheet, the spinnaker trimmer handles both spinnaker sheets, and the forward person or people help overhaul the new sheet. In light air, the keys are to have quick hands on the spinnaker sheet and to come out at a good exit angle, sometimes a little hotter (higher) than you think. In heavy air, hitting the right exit angle is big and you make a slower turn. As you bear away, the helm watches the clew of the chute and pauses until the clew gets around the headstay, then finishes the turn. If the helm turns too fast, the spinnaker may get a wrap. What is the key to a fast spinnaker set? Having a good mark on your tack line is critical to a good set on a Melges 24. Preset the tack line at that mark, and then hoist the halyard while the pole is going out. If your tactician sees a wrap starting to happen, they should give the sheet a quick pump and then quickly ease it back out. Who does what in the Melges 24 crew on a bearway set? The helm handles the main while the tactician eases the jib sheet and cleats it, and then picks up the spinnaker sheet. The trimmer hoists the spinnaker halyard before taking over the sheet. Of the two forward people, one is to leeward, helping to feed out the spinnaker. They also uncleat the jib sheet and furl the jib when the chute is up. The other person pulls the pole out and eases the vang so you can bear way. What is the key to a good spinnaker takedown? We always take down to port on the Melges 24. Also, we usually drop the chute behind the shrouds instead of between the shrouds and the mast. If it’s a weather strip, one bow person overhauls the spinnaker sheet, the same as they would in a jibe. The spinnaker trimmer hauls on the sheet as well. When the forward person has a hand on the cloth, the other forward person releases the pole, then the halyard, then the tackline. Typically the smallest person on the boat is uncleating everything. The trimmer throws the chute into the cockpit and then the smallest person stuffs it below. The two largest people get on the rail! On a leeward douse, more of a turn-down is required of the helmsman. As soon as we can grab some spinnaker cloth, we say, “Pole in, halyard down, then tack line.” Some people blow the tackline off so the forward part of the sail flags. Any special tricks to Melges 24 takedowns? Make sure to unfurl the jib before you start to take down the spinnaker to avoid fouling the spinnaker halyard in the roller-furling swivel aloft. Doing circles is slow; how do you minimize the pain when you have to spin? The Melges 24 has lots of mainsheet. The tactician takes the mainsheet from the helm, and the spinnaker trimmer handles the jib. Steer with your weight and backwind the jib if need be to turn the boat through the wind. How easily does the Melges 24 broach or capsize? It’s fairly easy to wipe out when you’re planing, especially if you stay too close to the high edge. Typically, if you broach coming out of a jibe, the helmsman turned too quickly, the trimmer had to overtrim the chute, and then when it popped open you were overpowered. To recover, backwind the jib and ease the vang, and the boat should turn back downwind. What are the most common boathandling mistakes made in the Melges 24? During the sets, pulling the pole out too quickly can sometimes allow the tack to drop into the water. That’s like setting a very big parking brake. The same thing can happen on the douse—keep the tack out of the water! Also, when jibing in light air, don’t forget that you may need to pop the top battens on the main. Do you have any suggestions for drills to improve boathandling? Go out and do loads of tacks and jibes—especially jibes. Practice sailing and maneuvering at low speeds alongside a buoy. See how long you can sit next to it and how much you’ll go sideways before going forward. Your starts will improve. READ MORE

J/111 WORLDS: SPEED READING North Experts Share Their Winning Speed Tips Martin Dent and team JElvis, 2018 J/111 World Champions! © WACON-images.com Twelve teams battled throughout the weeklong J/111 Worlds in Breskens, Netherlands, where big-breeze speed was the key to success. Martin Dent and his team on JElvis scored nine straight bullets and a second out of 12 races, an impressive scoreline! North Sails expert Ruairidh “Rory” Scott , main trimmer and crew captain onboard JElvis, says the team did a great job with boat handling. “Our crew made sure our hoists, spinnaker jibes and douses were on time and very tidy. This resulted in huge gains and the ability to overtake boats when the pressure was on.” They also matched headsail choice and mode to the conditions, Rory continues. “Most of the races were on the crossover between the J2 and J3. As the waves got bigger, we felt more comfortable on the J3 as a wider range of steering angles was possible. On Friday the waves were a little smaller and so we went back to the J2, which allowed us to sail a little higher at the same speed.” © Ineke Peltzer-Ista Downwind, it was important to sail the correct mode. “We were usually the first boat to sail a higher angle, which was faster downwind. The crossover was around 17 knots, and we also kept the jib up to maximize efficiency. As soon as the wind dropped below 16 for any length of time we would drop the jib and put the bow down.” North Sails expert Jeremy Smart helped Tony Mack’s McFly finish second overall and kept an eye on JElvis, noticing all the things they were doing right. “Their speed was unmatched as the breeze came up, when boat handling became crucial.” Second place went to Tony Mack’s McFly © Paul Wyeth “The biggest gains were made downwind,” Jeremy continued. “They were able to sail hotter angles to extend, leaving their jib up and maintaining control while planing. Surfing waves was really helpful, which they were very good at, making them unbelievably fast.” “3Di has a great edge in breeze because it holds its shape very well,” Jeremy added. “Since it doesn’t stretch, the power that is put into the sail is transferred straight into the performance of the boat. The speed is unparalleled.” JElvis used North Sails standard sail designs for the 2018 Worlds. For more information on our World Championship-winning sails, please contact a North J/111 class expert. J/111 World Championship 1 JElvis / Martin Dent 2 McFly / Tony Mack 3 Sweeny / Paul van Driel 4 Lällekönig / Jörg Sigg 5 Journeymaker II / Chris Jones 6 Djinn / Sebastien de Liedekerke/td> 8 Jagerbomb / Paul Griffiths 9 Top Job / Norbert Burkert Full Results Ruairidh Scott and Martin Dent , proud World Champs! © WACON-images.com READ MORE

UPWIND SAIL POWER by Bill Gladstone Understanding and controlling sail power is essential to optimizing upwind performance. The Three Sources of Sail Power 1. Angle of Attack 2. Sail Depth (Draft) 3. Sail Twist Total sail power is the sum of power from the three sources. Sail trimmers first try to get the boat to full power (neither underpowered or overpowered), and then adjust the mix of power from angle of attack, depth and twist to match the sailing conditions and optimize performance. When overpowered or underpowered, we work to decrease or increase power. Sailmakers design and build sails that are both fast and can be adjusted to perform well in a range of conditions. As sail trimmers, our goals parallel those of the sailmaker: First, achieve the designed shape and second, fine tune the shape to the conditions. We’ll look more at fine tuning sail shape after we define each of the three sources of sail power, as well as some other characteristics of sail shape. 1. Angle of Attack The first source of power is angle of attack. At zero angle of attack, the sail is luffing. Trim in to increase angle of attack and thus, to increase power. Ease the sails out, and power is reduced. Angle of attack is also controlled by the driver. Bear off to increase power, and head up to reduce power. Power increases as angle of attack increases, up to the point of a stall. When angle of attack is too great, flow stalls and power drops quickly. Trimming in, as shown (A-B), increases angle of attack and power. The driver can also increase angle of attack and power by bearing off (C-D). Ease sails or head up to reduce power. 2. Sail Depth (Draft) Sail depth, also called draft or camber, is the second source of sail power. Sail depth controls the power, acceleration, and drag of the sail. More depth creates more power and better acceleration; while a flatter sail has less power and less drag. As with angle of attack, power increases with depth up to the point where flow stalls. Maximum power is achieved just short of a stall. A deep or “full” shape is more powerful than a flat shape. Deep sails are best for power and acceleration. A flat sail is best when overpowered in heavy air. A flat shape is also fast in smooth water, as it creates less drag. A deep sail is best to punch through waves and chop, or to accelerate after tacking. A flatter sail reduces power and also drag. In overpowering conditions a flat sail is best. A flat sail also will be fast in smooth water. When overpowered reducing drag can improve performance. In underpowered conditions adding power is more important than reducing drag (see fig. 2). 3. Sail Twist Twist is the third source of sail power. Twist describes the relative trim of the sail high and low. A sail has lots of twist when the upper part of the sail is open. The opposite is a closed leech with little twist. Increasing twist reduces power; decreasing twist adds power. Increasing twist spills power from the upper part of the sail. Again: More Twist = Less Power. (fig. 3). As with angle of attack and depth, reducing twist adds power up to the point where the sail stalls and power drops. So, why twist, and how much? Wings and keels are not designed with twist, but sails (and propellers and windmill blades) are. Due to less surface friction, the wind is stronger aloft than at the surface; this is known as wind gradient. The true wind and boat speed together create the apparent wind. The stronger true wind up high creates a wider apparent wind angle (and stronger apparent wind) aloft. The upper part of the sail is twisted out relative to the lower part of the sail to match the more open apparent wind angle. The sailmaker designs twist into the sail to match the average wind gradient. Sail twist is then fine-tuned to match the sail shape to the prevailing wind gradient. We further fine tune twist to wind and sea conditions, and to match our performance goals. Fine tuning twist is one the most powerful trim adjustments we can make. Twist is the difference in trim of the sail high and low. Increasing twist reduces power by spilling open the top of the sail. Sails are designed with twist to match differences in apparent wind caused by wind gradient. READ MORE

Also available: IC37 Boathandling Manual  Mast Shims The IC37 was designed to have simple tuning adjustments in order to minimize boat-to-boat variation and highlight the sailors’ performance. Therefore, the only allowable rig tune adjustment is the shim height beneath the base of the mast, which affects the shroud tension. This system replaces the traditional process of independently adjusting turnbuckles at the base of each shroud. Each boat is supplied with one shim of each of the following sizes: 20mm, 10mm, 5mm, 3mm, and 2mm. The 20mm shim is removable for the sole purpose of stepping and un-stepping the rig; it should always be in place while sailing in any condition. Beyond that, you may add any individual shim or combination of shims you see fit. The table below shows our suggested shim height for each respective wind range. WIND SPEED (knots) SHIM HEIGHT (mm) 0-6 22 6-10 28 10-14 35 14+ 40 Rigging Tensions (On Full Shims) DESIGNATION LOOS RT11 GAUGE LOOS RT10 GAUGE V1 39 - D1 - 20 D2 - 15 Headstay 20 - Battens Before putting up your IC37 North Sails, it is important to properly tension all battens to get the desired sail shape. For the mainsail, we recommend tensioning the leech battens to only just remove the wrinkles from the batten pocket. The full battens should be slightly tighter, causing the batten pocket cloth to be completely smooth, but not creating wrinkles parallel to the pocket. The jib comes with two top batten options. This allows the trimmer to match the flying characteristics to varying breeze strengths. The light batten is flexible, which allows more shape in the head of the sail when the breeze is light. In comparison, the heavy batten is more rigid to reduce shape in the head and help induce twist in the sail. Crew Weight Crew positioning is very important on the IC 37. Moving weight fore and aft as the wind speed and angle change is crucial to performance. As the breeze picks up, weight should be shifted progressively further aft. This increases righting moment, as more of the crew weight reaches maximum beam. As a result, the sails can be trimmed harder and the boat can be sailed flatter and faster than it would with weight too far forward. As the breeze lightens, be sure that the crew is active with moving forward. When weight is too far aft, the transom will produce a gurgling sound as it displaces too much water. Jib Trim The IC37 is equipped with four main controls to manipulate the jib trim – halyard tension, athwartship lead position, vertical lead position, and sheet tension. Using these four controls together can produce the wide range of shape in the jib required to perform well in all wind conditions. Jib Halyard Tension Halyard tension controls the entry angle, as well as upper leech profile. A good base setting is just enough tension to remove any wrinkles coming off the luff hanks, with the goal of getting the sail to be smooth, but not tight. The amount of tension required to achieve this will change with the breeze. If over tightened, the luff will become flat and unresponsive, and may have vertical wrinkles running from tack to head. We suggest using a number scale with a mark on the deck for consistent tension when hoisting the jib around a turning mark. Athwartship Lead Position A track system oriented athwartship controls the jib’s angle of attack. A tighter angle of attack allows the boat to sail at a closer angle to the wind, but when the car too far inboard, the wind coming off the jib will be negatively interfering with the main shape. For the best relationship between the main and the jib, the area between the two sails, the ‘slot,’ should be as even as possible. The best way to tell if your slot is set up well, is to look at the angle of the leech telltales of the jib. The top telltale should be flying at an angle that matches the entry angle of the mainsail. Vertical Lead Position The jib lead can be raised or lowered to adjust the leech profile. This control replaces the traditional fore/aft lead adjustment. A lower jib lead will result in a tighter overall leech profile and a deeper foot, the equivalent of moving the traditional lead forward. Easing the lead up will flatten the foot and induce more twist in the leech. This is the key control to achieving a vertically even slot. Jib Hobble The jib hobble system is used when sailing downwind with both the spinnaker and jib up. The hobble is meant to caddy the jib from gybe to gybe with no adjustment required. A good base setting is to have the jib trimmed enough that the lowest luff telltales are flowing and the top of the jib not luffing. However, it is better to have the sail slightly under trimmed than over trimmed. If the jib is eased enough that it can wrap around the forestay, it will need to be trimmed just prior to the gybe, then released back to its original setting. The hobble is trimmed using a single line lead through a cleat in the center of the boat. Downwind Modes The IC 37 (as well as many other one design classes) races with only one asymmetric spinnaker, which limits the variability in VMG angles when sailing downwind. However, there are still many different modes of sailing downwind. In light air, we suggest dropping the jib to allow the spinnaker to maintain as much flow as possible. While keeping the jib fully onboard as it drops is always preferable, the luff hanks allow the jib to be dropped quickly without going overboard when the situation requires. While having the jib down does allow a lower mode to be sailed, the boat still does not like to sail directly downwind. When the breeze permits leaving the jib up, you must transition your mode to one with a tighter wind angle. This should only be done in planing conditions. Runner Load Trimming the running backstays, or ‘runners,’ is one of the most important controls for upwind speed. Grinding on more runner tension will make the headstay tighter, flatten the main by bending the mast, and open the main leech. This depowers the sail enough to let the boat stay under control at higher wind speeds. Reefing After all the mast shims have been put in, the next step to depowering the boat is to reef the sails. The first sail to reef is the jib, which usually happens around 18-20 knots of true wind speed. When reefing the jib, the best practice is to drop the sail onto the deck, roll the foot from the bottom up, close the zipper with all excess cloth fully enclosed, then re-hoist the sail. The main reef will be added once the average true wind speed is around 23-25 knots. Having the runners and mainsheet completely eased when putting the reef in the main is important and will avoid undue stress on the main halyard components. Note overbend wrinkles The crew member trimming the runner should be looking for these wrinkles to appear in the main to know when the maximum load is achieved and should not pull more runner on beyond that point. Polar Boat Speed UPWIND TWS VS TWA HEEL 6 6.06 44.6 11.5 8 6.44 38.9 16.0 10 6.71 36.9 18.6 12 6.91 35.9 20.4 14 7.05 35.5 21.3 16 7.14 35.4 23.0 18 7.21 35.6 24.4 20 7.30 36.3 25.0 DOWNWIND TWS VS TWA HEEL 6 6.08 143 -2.1 8 7.21 147 -1.5 10 8.30 146 0.4 12 9.54 144 4.2 14 11.21 141 11.5 16 12.79 143 14.4 18 14.11 145 13.3 20 15.10 147 11.3 READ MORE

Get The Most From Your J/70 Racing Experience The sailing season has already started. Is your team ready? Our tool kit will help you finish in front of the pack. Read our tips on boat speed, boat handling, crew techniques, and more. Created just for your by our team of experts. Winners Choose North There is no better performance test of a sail than the results it produces. In 2018 alone, North Sails J/70 inventories powered the winning teams at regattas all over the globe. Clients trust in our products to get the most out of their sailing experience. Tim Healy’s Winning Inventory No matter what the weather will bring, we’ve got options for any condition. Here is Tim Healy’s suggested inventory to help you get you started. Light Air Tips A week of intense training with the Japanese teams in Newport, RI taught Tim and his team a lot about light air tuning and trimming. Here are his tips, which include some important points to optimize your light air speed. Fine Tune With North Find your groove. Get your numbers. Be confident in all wind conditions. After countless hours sailing, testing, and competing in the J/70, our World Championship sails will get you up to race winning speed quickly. Reach your competitive goals with North. Downwind Tips Whether you are in displacement mode, wing-on-wing, or full plane, there are many ways to achieve better boat speed. Read more from Tim on how to enhance your performance downwind in all conditions. Get Up To Speed Pulling all the pieces together can be challenging. North Speed Guides will help you leverage our expertise to make the most of your one design sailing. Our Road To 2018 Worlds One design experts collaborated in a three-day clinic that combined the talent and intellect of the North team. Our commitment to excellence keeps us evolving designs within the J/70 product line. Client Performance An entertaining and educational interview with the 2018 Corinthian J/70 Midwinters Champions and 1st place Corinthian Marblehead NOOD team, Joint Custody. Our Experts Make It Happen Have questions? Contact your local J/70 expert today for more information on how choosing North can up your program. READ MORE

MY FIRST TIME ON A VX ONE How Mike Marshall sailed a VX for the first time and won 7 out 8 races After hopping in a VX One for the first time at the 2018 Newport Regatta, I wasn’t sure what to expect. Lucky for me, I had a great crew in Jeff Eiber, whose boat USA 175 we were sailing. He was able to get the initial tuning in place so that I could spend the regatta getting to know the boat and what makes it go fast. Because we had winds from 4 to 15 knots, I got to experience the VX One in a wide range of conditions. What transpired was a lot of falling down in the back of the boat, a lot of getting tangled up in lines, and a whole lot of learning coupled with a whole lot of fun. “The VX One rewards the fundamentals of sailing” -That’s my catchphrase for this boat. What does it mean? It means that the VX One rewards clear air, good boat handling, clean starts, great boat balance, hard work, and letting the boat talk to you about what it needs – in short, the basics of sailboat racing. VANG ON As expected, sailing this boat flat is the key upwind, but you also need to be able to put the bow down. There are two solutions to this problem: Add weight to the rail or pull the vang on and hike. Since the boat is very weight-sensitive and more weight hurts you downwind, the best solution is to use the vang, and a lot of it. On the windiest day, with 15 knots, I pulled the vang as hard as I could get it. This allowed me to ease the sheet to stop the boat from heeling while still maintaining the leech tension for point. Consequently, I was able to put the bow down and get the boat sailing flat while keeping the leech engaged and forcing the boat upwind. For a short-cord keelboat, the faster you go, the better the foil works, and therefore the boat slides to leeward less, but at the same time the boat also “releases.” By this I mean that it frees up and becomes easier to sail. Small rudder movements do more to change the boat’s direction instead of just creating drag. The mainsheet becomes easier to play because instead of having to dump and trim 6 feet of sheet, you have to play only 1 to 2 feet. The increase in speed powers the boat through waves instead of having the feeling that you’re hitting them and bouncing off. All this means that you can spend more time going fast and less time worrying about your speed relative to other boats. The key to the whole mix is the vang. Whenever I felt the boat bound up, I’d try pulling on a little more vang, and off we’d go again. This was true even in the lighter air. RIG TUNE Another piece of the puzzle was the rig tune. Thankfully, Jeff did most of the work here, but by the end of the event, I had asked enough questions that I was starting to understand what he was looking for. In any condition going upwind, he’d start from a base setting and observe the leeward upper. He was looking for it to be just going slack. Then I’d trim the main in harder than I normally would, and we’d look for over-bend wrinkles. Jeff wanted the large wrinkles from the spreader to be traveling about half way down to the clew of the sail. If they extended more than that, he’d tighten both lowers the same amount. If the wrinkles extended less than that, he’d ease off the lowers. This procedure kept the main looking flat enough in the breeze and full enough in light air. As for the base setting, Jeff would always set the boat up for the lightest wind that we were expecting during that particular race. STAY OUT OF THE BACK OF THE BOAT Next on my list of things learned was to stay out of the back of the boat. This lesson applied to doing anything, not just normal sailing. It was so easy to get too far back in the boat in a gybe, but that would simply stop us. The same was true for tacks, although they were a bit less critical. Staying out of the back rewarded us with good roll tacks and good roll gybes. And the reward didn’t just come from rolling hard or staying forward. It came from exiting the tack or the gybe at the correct angle so that the boat would power up right away. Upwind, if you’re too low, you’ll give up boat lengths, whereas if you’re too high, the boat will stop. The same concept holds when sailing downwind, but in the opposite direction whereby giving up boat lengths comes from being too high. FIND A CLEAR LANE In virtually all sailboat racing, you need to sail in a clear lane, but doing so was particularly important for our VX One. Because we were light on crew weight (350 lbs.), we needed to be very careful about having a heavy boat above us that could roll us or a light boat to leeward with insufficient vang on that was pinching. With a clear lane, we could fall into our bow-down mode, and within three boat lengths, we were the same point as the boats around us, by going faster than they were and in turn sliding sideways less. In closing, I want to give a plug to the VX One. It’s really fun to sail. Hike hard and try to be as fast as possible all the time, and the boat will reward you in spades. With luck, I’ll get back out on a VX One soon. I’m just hoping that the next time will be in 15+ knots with the spinnaker flying! Learn more about the North Sails fast VX sails. READ MORE

J/70 LIGHT AIR SPEED NOTES Tim Healy’s quick tips to optimize speed in light conditions After a week of intense training with the Japanese teams in Newport, RI culminating with the New Your Yacht Club One Design Regatta, a lot was learned about light air tuning and trimming. Here are Tim Healy’s notes reinforcing some important points indispensable for optimizing the J/70 speed in light air conditions. RIG TUNING Ease rig to get about 3/4 inch of middle side sag in the mast. This is done by going off two full turns on the uppers and off two turns on lowers. If you are not getting 3/4 inch side sag, keep easing lowers until you do In big chop, use a little backstay to control the rig from excess movement. Just enough to control the rig but not too much to take out all headstay sag SAIL TRIM In big chop and swell, keep speed up by twisting both sails thus making a large steering groove Never stall the upper jib leech telltales. Trim until you see them stall then ease until 100% flowing Jib leads 6-7 factory holes showing in front of jib car counting from behind front mounting bolt Weather sheet trimmed to get clew at cabin house in flat spots, and 1.5- 2 inches off in big chop and waves. Remember to move lead forward with less windward sheet and back with more windward sheet Ease jib halyard to show 8-10 inches of wrinkles in luff of jib in light and choppy conditions Main traveler up to get boom on center when boat is up to speed out of tacks. Traveler at 75% up out of tacks for bow down acceleration BOAT TRIM AND TURNS Weight forward both up and downwind. Bow person in hatch up and down, out of hatch to help with roll tacking and jibing Downwind: Tactician forward and to leeward and trimmer to weather. Both forward next to bulkhead Upwind: Tactician forward next to bulkhead and trimmer as far forward as possible. Also, trimmer is first to control heel angle Build speed first both up and down, then work on best VMG Don’t let speed crash! It takes too long in light air to get going again Make smooth turns and BIG rolls tacking and jibing Keep momentum in focus when starting and at mark roundings The three-day training camp coupled with the NYYC One Design Regatta, where teams had an opportunity to apply the new techniques and tips learned. We are extremely pleased with the each teams’ results. Here are the results within the top 10, powered by North Sails: NYYC ONE DESIGN REGATTA J/70 1 Team Vineyard Vines / John & Molly Baxter 2 USA 2 / Tim Healy 4 Rimette / John Brim 5 The Sled / Eiichiro Hamazaki 6 Natsuko / Yasutaka Funazawa 7 Sled / Takashi Okura 8 Polar / Doug Clark 9 It’s Sled / Hideyuki Miyagawa 10 Spring / Dave Franzel * Denotes Partial North Sails Inventory Full Results Hiroo Kodama and Team Black practicing downwind techniques Lots of learning in the three-day J/70 training camp with the Japanese teams Short races at the North Sails training camp in Newport, RI Tim Healy coordinates the Japanese J/70 Training Camp in Newport, RI READ MORE

NORTH SAILS SPEED GUIDES In Depth One Design Guides Written by Our Experts Ever wonder what it takes to be competitive in a one design class? North Sails Speed Guides provide you with essential information on tuning, finding the right crew, buying sails, and boat-specific proper technique. Pulling all the pieces together can be challenging, and the North Speed Guides help you leverage our expertise to make the best decisions for your racing program and make the most of your one design sailing. North Speed Guides provide you the knowledge and confidence to focus on the best part of sailing: having fun. READ MORE

North Sails expert Mike Marshall answers your J22 speed and boat handling questions.  Who sails the J22? The J22 class is simultaneously both international and “grassroots.” Make no mistake. The top J22 sailors are extremely talented, but at the same time, the class has a culture that’s quite approachable and down to earth. In addition to the United States and Canada, fleets are active in France, Germany, the Netherlands, South Africa, the Cayman Islands, and Jamaica. Sailing a J22 upwind in a good breeze, hiking hard and sailing flat is fast. J22 sailors are friendly and want to help each other sail better. On the water, people are definitely competitive, but if you ask someone on the dock what they were doing to perform so well in a certain situation, they’ll tell you. And quite a few of the people you may be asking, especially at North American regattas, have won world championships. What’s also special about the J22 is that getting to regattas and out on the racecourse can be easier compared with many other keelboats. You only need a couple buddies to sail with you; the boat is simple to trail; and the cost of getting into the class is relatively low. Your big decision each year is which one or two new sails to buy. Put all these things together and you have a class of very friendly and likeable people enjoying an affordable game with their friends, and that creates a special vibe. What kind of sailors do best in the J22 class? The boats are often called “a dinghy with a piece of lead hanging off the bottom.” You need to roll tack them, and boat handling is critical to sailing fast, so dinghy sailors naturally do well. The class encourages young dinghy sailor participation with a grant program that loans a boat each season to a youth team, and these teams always do well. Of course, you still have all the technical aspects of a keelboat, so teams also need to develop the skills required to tune the rig and make sure the sail shape is right. What is the ideal J22 crew size? You can sail with three people or four. The weight limit is 605 pounds, and it pays to be right on the limit. Ideally, you’ll sail with your biggest person in the middle. How physical is the crew work? While the crew work involved in taking a J22 through maneuvers is only moderately physical, racing this boat competitively is a workout. As my friend Jeff Eiber says, “I don’t like sailing boats unless I’m working hard to do it,” and the J22meets this criterion. Jeff is happy to be a middle crew on these boats where he’ll be hiking out like you would on an Etchells. The bow person is also hiking. And the harder you hike, the faster you go. What are your top J22 speed tips? Sail the boat like a dinghy. Focus on tuning and forestay length. Keep the boat as flat as possible. Upwind, sail as fast as nearby boats; don’t try to out-point them. What’s involved in crewing on a J22? When sailing with three, the helm drives and handles the mainsheet, backstay, and traveler. The middle person trims the jib and spinnaker, and also douses the chute. The bow person manages halyards, spinnaker pole, and sail controls at the mast. Sometimes the bow person is the tactician; sometimes the middle person is. When sailing with four, the bow person’s job gets split. On sets, the second person aft may feed the spinnaker out of the companionway or manage the controls for the bow person. What should you know when buying a J22? The first J22 was built in 1983, so many of them have been built over the years. New boats are not currently available in the U.S., but you can pick up a competitive boat for $8,000, add a couple new pieces of gear, and, with practice, compete at the top-20 level in a world championship. If you’re aiming for the top 10, you should buy a boat in the $15,000 range. Boats with numbers above 1460 were built by U.S. Watercraft as opposed to TPI, which built the earlier boats. The newer boats have no wood in the interior and therefore need less maintenance. However, older boats can certainly compete. Boat number 677 finished in the top five at the last two world championships in the United States. Most people who join the class buy a used boat, purchase a new jib, and get on the water for $10,000 or less. If you’re on a tight budget, you can do it for half that much. Beyond the basics, what kind of prep is needed to make a boat competitive? If you have aspirations to be in the top 10 at the worlds, you need to prep the bottom and make sure your chainplates, mast step, and jib tracks are in exactly the right place. If that’s not your initial goal, just prep the bottom and go sailing. Bottom paint is not a problem either, but make sure it’s sanded nice and smooth. If you bought a $5,000 boat, take a close look at all the blocks. You’ll probably want to replace a few of them. How do you transport the boat? Although this boat has a fixed keel, it draws slightly less than four feet, so it doesn’t stand too tall on its trailer. Combining a displacement of 1,790 pounds with the weight of sails, equipment, and trailer, gives a total weight of 4,000 pounds. This means that you can haul the boat with a minivan or light SUV. One of the Canadian teams tows long distances with a Honda Odyssey. I’ve also seen European teams tow the boat with a Volkswagen Passat, but this seems a bit small to me. What's involved in rigging and de-rigging a J22? What I love about the J22 is that everything needed for the boat always stays on the boat. No outboard engine is required. I usually leave the shrouds attached and tuck them in. So when I pull my J22 out in the spring, I just take off the tarp, put sails in the boat, remove a bin of cleaning supplies, and put the rudder in the van. The mast is still tied down from the last time I raced, so I simply tighten the straps and drive away. My routine at a regatta is equally straightforward. The deck-stepped mast can be put up or taken down with help from just one other person. Before launching, I usually wash the bottom and put some polish on it, and we’re ready to go. One or two of us can do all the prep work in well under two hours—or even in one hour if we’re in a rush. What kind of inventory does North recommend and how long do sails last? The J22 has three sails—a main, a jib and a spinnaker—and there are no restrictions on sail purchases. Jibs get tired every year from beating against the mast. Spinnakers can last two seasons if not abused. Mains might last a little longer. Most people buy a set of racing sails for major regattas, and for other racing they use their second set. When a new set is purchased, the previous new set becomes the practice set, and the cycle continues. Our results prove that the North Sails J/22 inventory is outstanding. We’ve tested many new shapes, but have confidence that our standard designs are best across a range of conditions. Two pins hold the J22’s mast in place. J22 Tuning What are the keys to setting up the rig? First, make sure your mast is straight and centered in the boat athwartships, and then, as described in the North Sails J22 Tuning Guide, set your forestay measurement at 4’11.75”. There are two sets of numbers in the Tuning Guide, depending on the age of your boat and the type of mast step, but this position is a good starting point from which you may make further adjustments after you go sailing and get a feel for how much helm the boat generates in light and medium winds. The J22 keel position can vary by as much as 30mm fore and aft. If the keel is farther aft, you’ll likely lengthen your headstay by up to three-quarters of an inch. If the keel is farther forward, you may shorten the headstay up to three-eighths of an inch. Be aware that you needn’t start tuning from scratch at each regatta. Once I know my mast is straight, I can leave the uppers and lowers tensioned when I unstep the mast; I just pull out the forward of the two mast pins and have someone pull out the forestay pin while I hold the mast. Because of the aft-swept spreaders, the tension on the uppers eases almost immediately. When I put the rig back up, the upper shrouds are already tuned, provided that they didn’t move when I trailed the boat to the regatta. Upwind, whether sailing with three or four crew everyone shifts forward; even the helmsman moves ahead of the traveler. J22 Upwind Sailing Where does each person sit when sailing a J22 upwind? Crew positions center around the jib trimmer, who is usually the biggest person and tends to sit just aft of the cabin house. The driver sits as far forward as possible. On our boat, I’m far enough forward so that I can touch the winch on the cabin top. In very light air, our bow person sits right up next to the aft side of the shrouds. In big breeze, our jib trimmer moves aft half a body width, and the bow person slides back close to the jib trimmer. Having the weight together on the rail is key. The backstay controls on our boat have been moved forward so they are between my legs in light air. When it’s windy, I’ll move back half a body width so I can play the mainsheet effectively. Our jib trimmer hikes with legs in and butt just over the rail, while the bow person hikes with legs out over the rail. The bow person hikes off the vang, so when hiking, that person pulls the vang on, and when coming back in, they let the vang off. This is in line with how you want the vang played in breeze. In lighter air, say 7 knots, the jib trimmer will be the first to move to leeward. We don’t move the bow person if we can help it, in order to keep the rig quiet. The jib trimmer can move more smoothly and is therefore more active What do you focus on when trimming the main and jib? Two key things we watch on the J22 are the upper leech telltales on the main and minimizing heel. Our jib trimmer also keeps an eye on jib halyard tension, lead-car position, and the jib’s upper leech telltale. At our lightest setting, we set jib halyard tension so we have only slight “crow’s feet” wrinkles at the headstay snaps. We position the lead car so that the foot of the jib intersects the toe rail 18 inches back from the bow. We want the foot inside the toe rail but pressed up against it. In most conditions, the jib’s top leech telltale should be flying, with just a quarter of an inch of trim needed to stall it. As the wind strength increases, these reference points remain the same, so we use more halyard to maintain little to no “crow’s feet” and move the car back because the jib is more eased. In the biggest breeze, the jib halyard is as tight as possible. In light air, the top main telltale should always be flying. In medium air, we trim the sheet until the top telltale stalls 50 percent of the time. With increased wind, the telltale will stall less and less as we increase tension on the backstay and open up the top of the sail. This crew is working hard to keep the boat flat even while ensuring the spinnaker is not twisted for the next set. What are the key gear shifts to make when wind and sea state change? The backstay and vang are hugely important controls. With a big velocity change, we’ll adjust the jib halyard. As the wind picks up, I’ll start putting more backstay on, then more mainsheet, then more backstay again, always taking slack out of the vang until I get to maximum backstay. If the wind continues to build, I’ll start to play the traveler a little, but if the traveler car ends up at the leeward seat, that’s my cue to center the traveler and start playing the mainsheet with full vang on. The bow person is already holding the vang tail because that person is hiking off the vang. The bow person tightens the vang in the puffs, and then in a lull, leans in and eases it, adding depth to the bottom of sail. Who is in the dialogue loop and what's a typical conversation? Our bow person calls the major waves, flat spots, puffs, and lulls. That allows me to decide whether to bear off around a wave or ride high over it, sailing with telltales up. It also allows me to be ready on the controls if I know a puff or lull is coming. Our middle person talks about relative boat speed and our positioning with other boats. Besides that, I’ll ask for more vang or cunningham, or I’ll say things like “We need to ease the jib sheet a little bit,” or “Big hike here.” Any special considerations upwind? As a standard rule, “Flat is fast.” Also, in big breeze, there’s a point when you can have the jib too tight. You’ll know this because, when you ease the main, you’ll see the sail start to luff due to the jib’s backwind. That’s when we’ll sometimes ease the jib sheet as much as 6 inches. In most conditions, the J22 will be sailed at deep angles with some weather heel. J22 Downwind Sailing Where does each person sit when sailing downwind? As the driver, I sit to leeward when sailing downwind, up against or in front of the traveler bar. I have four parts of the mainsheet in my hand to pump the sail. My trimmer stands to windward, weight centered over the guy block, with the leeward sheet in his leeward hand. The bow person when sailing downwind manages heel with weight movement, sitting behind the mast and generally to leeward and watching out for the boom when I pump the main. In lighter air, the trimmer will walk in from the windward rail to add heel when needed, and the bow person will likely stay to leeward. In big breeze, our trimmer steps in and the bow person moves back a little but stays on the cabin top to hold the guy for the trimmer, often with feet in the companionway sitting on the cabin top’s leeward side. It’s important in any breeze to keep the weight as much as possible to the edges of the boat. This helps to stabilize the rocking. What is your main focus downwind on a J22? The main focus downwind is to make sure you’re going fast all the time. Match your speed with others before you match angle. On the J22, it’s all about momentum. As soon as your momentum starts to fade, turn up and get the boat going again. Then the middle person can move to windward and press the rail to help you bear off. What are the keys to downwind trim for the main and spinnaker? In light air, I trim the mainsheet and also focus on how the vang is controlling upper leech twist. In trimming the chute, we try to get the pole back as far as possible but keep the foot of the spinnaker two feet away from the forestay. Also, when the pole is fully squared, we don’t ease the clew past the forestay. In surfing conditions, the helmsman pumps the main as the trimmer leans to windward, trimming the sheet and helping to turn the boat down the wave. How do you shift gears on a J22 when wind and sea state change? The boats will plane near the top of the wind range, but most of the time our mode is to drive low and, if possible, pump to surf the waves. Whether that’s possible depends on the wave state. I think of it in much the same way as I think of sailing a Laser. The more you can surf the waves, the faster you’ll go. Who is in the dialogue loop downwind and what's a typical conversation? My trimmer always pushes me to go lower when feeling pressure in the sheet. I also listen to the sound the boat makes going through the water, using this sound to help gauge our speed. Sometimes my trimmer says the sheet is light and we need to come up, but listening to the bow wave, I know that the boat is still moving, so I’ll hold it down for a couple more seconds. J22 Boathandling What's a typical start like in this class? At the start, all the boats are set up on the line with sails luffing. It’s like going back to college sailing. Good maneuvering skills are key. Heel the boat to leeward; then flatten the boat to get going. Your goal is to open up the hole on your leeward side. Before the start, a J22 fleet lines up with jibs luffing, each team attempting to keep way on and leave a hole to leeward for acceleration just before the gun. Top 3 tips to starting a J22 well? Set up far enough back from the line to avoid being early. When sailing up to the line, over-trim the main to keep flow over the keel so you don’t slide sideways when you trim in to go. Don’t pull the trigger too soon and sail down on top of boats to leeward of you. After the gun, some boats accelerate ahead of others. What tips can you offer for down speed boat handling? The J22 is very much like a dinghy. The mainsail turns the boats up, and the jib pulls the bow back down. Also practice heeling the boat to turn it up (heeling to leeward) and down (heeling to windward). What mistake slows this boat down most in a tack? What slows you down most is the wrong rate of turn—too fast or too slow—plus not roll tacking every time. What does each crew member do in a J22 tack? As the driver, I stand up holding the mainsheet, hopefully with the traveler cleated on both sides. As on most smaller boats, I swap the tiller from one hand to the other behind my back, sit down on the rail, and adjust the traveler (also easing the main about an inch). Roll tack the J22 like a dinghy, although the forward crew waits until after the tack to cross (through the slot and around the mast). Our jib trimmer waits until the jib backwinds halfway and then releases it off one winch while holding the lazy sheet in the other hand. As the jib blows through, the excess sheet is collected either directly from the block or on the winch, depending on wind strength. No pressure should be felt on the sheet if this job is done fast enough. When the sheet is within 2 inches of final trim, the trimmer hikes out and drops the winch handle in place, ready to trim when we’re at speed. About 60 percent of the top boats use 2:1 sheeting, with blocks on the jib’s clew. The advantage of using 2:1 is being able to sail without winch handles. The disadvantage is having a lot more sheet to get caught on things. The bow person’s job on the tack is to avoid stepping on the jib sheets while helping to roll the boat using the handrails with butt in the air. Then, when needed, the bow person crosses the boat, sliding between the leech of the jib and the mast. When sailing with four, the second person back can either follow the bow person around the mast or slide across the cabin top. Any special tips for good light- or heavy-air tacks? In light air, roll tack as hard as you possibly can. In heavy air, you need to decide when to turn fully onto a close-hauled course and when to hesitate at the end of your turn to regulate the amount of power the boat has when coming out of the tack. If you turn the boat too quickly, it will fall over. If you turn too slowly, you’ll hit a wave and slow down. Practice before the race to decide what’s best for the day’s conditions. What mistake slows down a J22 most in a jibe? As the driver, you have to learn the exit angle for the jibe, or your spinnaker trimmer may have difficulty flying the kite. It never hurts to practice your jibes. What does each crew member do on a J22 jibe? In light and heavy air, everyone rolls the boat in a jibe. As the driver, I stand up in the cockpit and grab all parts of the mainsheet along with the twing that will need to come on. Then, closing my hand tightly, I pull the twing on as I throw the boom over. In light air, I’ll roll the boat more, moving from my position on the old leeward side across to the new leeward side. On a jibe, our trimmer is standing to windward, with a hand on the guy. Then the trimmer kneels down and uses that hand to pop the twing out of the cleat near the guy block while at the same time ducking below the boom that’s coming over. Next, the trimmer stands up or stays kneeling until ready to move to the windward rail and help flatten the boat. Our bow person during a jibe moves across the boat to help roll it before the main comes across. Then, as the main is coming over, the bow person jibes the spinnaker pole. In big breeze, jibing the pole can be done simply standing by the mast. What is the key to a fast spinnaker set? When the kite goes up, make sure the clews are separated. Get the tack of the spinnaker out past the shrouds and make sure the leeward sheet is cleated, so when the tack goes forward, the clew stays aft. The pole can be "dangled" before the mark rounding; the forward crew won’t move to snap it on the mast ring until standing up to set the chute. Who does what in a J22 crew on a bear-away set? The bow person keeps hiking and raises the pole from the rail. The pole is inside the shrouds and clipped to the guy up forward, so the bow person raises the pole, eases the vang, and then stands up and clips the pole on, pulling up the spinnaker halyard as fast as possible. The middle person, who has pre-cleated the spinnaker sheet to a mark, eases the jib sheet a foot while feeding the spinnaker out. When the spinnaker is halfway out, this person pulls it around with the guy as rapidly as possible until it fills. Meantime, the bow person un-cleats the jib halyard, reaches around to leeward of the mast, and gives the jib leech one good yank down. The trimmer then picks the spinnaker sheet up out of the cleat as the sail fills. What is the key to a good J22 spinnaker takedown? The most important tip I can offer is “Don’t wait too long.” Raise the jib and take off the pole (this spinnaker is easy to free fly). As the pole comes off the mast, the bow person remains standing, un-cleats the topping lift, and drops the pole to the deck inside the shrouds on the starboard side. Then the bow person takes the halyard in both hands waiting for the trimmer to gather half of the foot of the spinnaker on the takedown side, at which point the bow person lets go of the halyard. Quite a few lines lead to the same area at the base of the mast, so it’s important for the bow person to make sure that all these lines are cleaned up in advance. How easily does a J22 broach? Downwind, a broach can happen pretty easily. It typically occurs when you come out of a jibe too high or too low. So if you broach, just make sure that everyone is OK, let the spinnaker halyard down, and get the chute out of the water really fast. The boat will soon be on its feet and going again. Any suggestions for drills to improve boat handling? Find a buoy and do 50 circles around it in each direction. Then do 30 tacks upwind and 30 jibes downwind. What is the coolest thing about the J22? The class itself is the coolest thing. People who sail J22s are all extremely friendly and helpful. Everyone wants to see others succeed. READ MORE

GET FAST AND STAY FAST Important factors that affect your Flying Scot boat speed © Art Petrosemolo We’ve all read it a million times from all of the sport’s top performers – “boat speed is king,” “the key to winning consistently is boat speed,” “you have to have top boat speed to win”…. There’s a lot of ways to say it… But how do we achieve it? THAT is the question. In the Flying Scot, one of the most important factors for boat speed both upwind and downwind is the center board engagement. When sailing upwind we need to accurately trim the sails, put the boat on the right heading, and get the body weight in the right spot so that the boat can get going fast enough to allow the centerboard to start working and achieving maximum lift. If any one of those three trims are off, the boat will experience some sort of stall which will decrease lift of the board and increase the distance between us and the fast guys! The generic tip is “speed before height”. This is a simple concept that most of us understand – but it’s the execution of this technique that can be difficult. It all starts with positioning. The boat has to be in a place where you are able to ease the sails a bit, put the bow down, and let it rumble. If you are sailing with someone to leeward, you aren’t able to make this move and instead you are stuck trying to live in high mode which can be very unforgiving. It’s crucial to make every effort to make tactical decisions that keep people away from your leeward hole. Make sure that you have a big hole to leeward of you right after the start. A couple keys to achieve that are: 1. Use a “high kill” in the last minute where you get the boat to coast at head to wind (without losing flow/steerage). If the boat to leeward of you isn’t matching, then that hole is getting bigger. 2. Accelerate the boat in the last 10-15 so that you can ultimately “pull the trigger” at 2 or 3 seconds which allows the boat to be already close-hauled at full speed at the gun. Of course this requires accurate knowledge of where the line is, but if you can already be full upwind with the center board working when the gun goes off, you are going to have plenty of room to leeward of you to let the boat rumble. Another opportunity to give yourself a bigger hole to leeward of you on the racecourse is in a situation where you know you are likely to get lee-bowed by a competitor. This can happen if you are out on the edge of the course near a layline most likely. If you know you are likely to get lee-bowed by a competitor coming across on the other tack, put your bow down at them. Make it clear from 5-10 boat lengths away that it is your intention to duck them by aiming your bow at their transom. This will force them to either take the cross – which you are fine with in this tactical situation – or tack early. As soon as you see them start their tack, you trim the sails back in and put the bow back up to your close hauled course which leaves them an extra boat length or two to leeward of you which should be enough for you to comfortably hold your lane. Plus, you will be coming at them with a click more boat speed since you are bow down, which should have you with an even better lane after their tack Developing the feel on the helm and in the hull so that you can sense when the center board is fully engaged is the hard part. It can only come from time on the tiller, and sailing in a straight line while experimenting with the edges of performance. But that’s where the fast guys really get away – they are constantly making very slight adjustments to heel angle, sail trim, and their course so that they can get the board to maximum lift and then try to take that lift as high as they can before the boat stalls. When they feel the boat is on the brink of a stall, they adjust again to re-engage the board and repeat the process. You can think of it like executing very gradual “S-Turns” all the way up the beat – bow down and sails eased with body weight pressing on the rail to get the boat rumbling, and then bow slightly up with sails trimmed hard to turn that speed into height. That’s the magic! Remember, a fully engaged center board will give you height without forcing you to actually point the boat higher. In fact, the boats gaining height might have their bows further from the true wind angle – but since the board is providing lift, they are still climbing to windward! Practice makes perfect, so get out on the water and sail upwind (maybe even with your eyes closed) and really try to hone in on this feel. Boat speed turns into good tactics, and the combination is what will put you at the top of the podium! Contact Zeke Horowitz for additional questions on making your Flying Scot sail faster. Learn more about North’s fast Flying Scot sails. READ MORE

FIVE DOWNWIND MODES Simplified To Optimize Your Downwind Performance © Mauro Melandri / Zerogradinord The J/70 is a relatively new class and the learning curve is still very steep for all involved. Here are a few basic tips that can help when trying to optimize performance downwind. PLANING Crew Weight Aft. Keeping the bow out of the water and rudder in the water. Backstay remains at 75% to 100% on. This will make keep the mast back, the luff of the spin tight and the draft of the spin forward. Traveler down all the way. This will make each pump more effective as the traveler will pull the boom both in and down each time you pump. Play Vang. When the boat is ripping and under control, try a bit more vang to power up the main; you will go the same speed at a lower angle. Remember to ease some off before next jibe! Consistent Heel. Keep the angle consistent – this will keep the helm loading consistent to help the helmsman find the fastest apparent wind angles. MARGINAL/LAZY PLANING Crew extremely active with fore and aft weight. Keep weight forward until boat starts to surf down waves and bow wants to crash into next wave, then move weight back quickly, turn bow up and move weight forward again to catch the next wave. Drive boat with side-to-side weight. Move weight in slightly to help the boat turn up and power up in order to maintain the plane. Full hike in puffs to turn down and flatten the boat and accelerate. Backstay 50%-75% on. This will keep the luff of spin tight enough for planing with apparent wind forward, but still keep a powerful shape for both main and spin. Vang on. For max power when pumping, keep the main leech firm and under control by tightening the vang. Consistent heel. Same as above. See also: Tim Healy’s tips for marginal planing conditions in flat water DISPLACEMENT SOAK-MODE Weight forward. Keep knuckle of bow in water and transom just in water. You want maximum water line with minimum drag. Drive boat with side to side weight. Use weight to steer the boat and use as little rudder (which creates drag) as possible. Backstay off. This allows the mast to move forward as much as possible, making the luff of the spinnaker rounder and deeper, which is better as the apparent wind moves aft. Play Vang. Ease vang to get good twist without inverting the compression battens. Tighten for jibes or if surfing conditions are present and pumping becomes legal. Tack-up soak mode. This only works in over 9 knots or when the apparent is max aft. Letting a few inches off the tack line allows the spin to get deeper and rotate to weather more to maintain a lower course heading. If spin gets unstable, pull tack down and head up slightly. DISPLACEMENT WING-ON-WING Weight forward. Same as above Maintain consistent weather heel need more as breeze gets lighter. Weather heel helps the spin stay full and stable. Play Vang. Vang on in jibes to pop battens. Vang on also helps to keep rocking to a minimum. Backstay off. Same as above Watch your masthead fly. The wind should be coming from dead astern or slightly from the weather stern quarter. Sailing by the lee only creates disturbed air for the spin interfering with the air coming off the main. Trimer and tactician should direct driver by saying “turn right” or “turn left” not “up” or “down” Vang on for maneuvers. To help pop the compression battens when it comes time to jibe. DISPLACEMENT VMG-MODE Weight forward. Same as above. Maintain slight leeward heel. This will help keep the spinnaker full and air flow attached. In puffs slightly flatten the boat and turn down. In lulls slightly more heel to turn up to keep spin full and speed up. Vang off. Let main leech twist- vang on slightly in chop to control flapping. Pull the vang on for jibes to help battens pop over. Backstay off. Only pull on to control rig from becoming unstable in chop. READ MORE

TIPS FROM THE BOATYARD Volvo Ocean Race Sailmakers on 3Di Maintenance © Jesus Renedo / Volvo Ocean Race Within the Volvo Ocean Race Boatyard sits a communal sail loft which provides service and repairs for all seven teams sailing in the 2017-18 edition of the race. The sail loft employs only five sailmakers who look after 56 sails in each stopover. If you’re thinking, “wow, these guys are slammed,” the answer is yes and no. “We could not have managed this race with only five sailmakers for seven teams ten years ago,” remarks Nathan Quirk, Boatyard sail loft manager. “We would not have even tried because it was impossible. That reflects how good the 3Di product is.” Since 2009, the Volvo Ocean Race fleet has evolved from open rule yachts and string sails to one design VO65’s with a 100% North 3Di inventory. With that, the teams have also changed from each having two to three sailmakers on staff to trusting the five-person shared loft for all their sail maintenance. The ability to manage the sail repairs is a testament to Nathan’s team and North 3Di. Introducing the one design rule has also driven the teams to test the limits of their equipment. With an equal playing field, the only edge teams have is who can push themselves and their equipment harder than the next boat; far more than anyone ever thought or expected when the VO65 was introduced in 2012. “Everyone has a lot of confidence in the boat and equipment. They are now racing hard through the Southern Ocean in 40-45 knots, where in the past you’d back off around 35 knots,” says Richard “Scoob” Kiff, Boatyard sailmaker. “The boats are strong, and the 3Di sails are on another level now. You can just keep pushing until something breaks.” Nathan, Scoob and the Boatyard sailmakers take care of the most abused 3Di sails in the world, and can provide expert insight in sail damage control. The guys stopped by the North Sails HQ in during the Newport (Rhode Island) stopover, and we sat down with them to grab some tips on preventive maintenance for 3Di sails. Teamwork (or lack of) Contributes to the Health of Your Sails Scoob: The format of the Volvo allows for teams to join late and with very little pre-race sailing. The teams with more sailing time tend to have better sail shape, kind of the opposite of what you’d expect. With experience comes better boat handling which also results in better sail handling. © Martin Keruzore / Volvo Ocean Race Back To Basics Nathan: 3Di sails last longer than anything we have seen before, but you still want to minimize flogging. A lot of the damage we see on these boats is just from flogging. Pre-start in a club race or a smaller regatta is the same thing. A lot of people put their sails up long before they need to, and sit their flogging or sailing around unnecessarily. Sails have a lifespan, with 3Di it is longer than you’d expect, but the better you look after them, the longer they’re going to last. Scoob: When the sails are set up, and in use, we rarely see a problem. It’s the flogging that causes problems. © Jesus Renedo / Volvo Ocean Race Thinking Ahead Saves Your Sails Nathan: Most of the repairs we see are because the teams did not have the right sails up in the right conditions. Maybe they couldn’t make the sail change or just getting the sail down was a struggle. And the competition is so tight in this edition of the race the guys are pushing everything until the last possible minute. Compared to an IMOCA, who are solo and more cautious, the Volvo teams are influenced by the boat next to them. © Jesus Renedo / Volvo Ocean Race Is ALL Your Gear In Good Condition? Nathan: Most sail breakages or damage occurs due to another area of the boat failing. Making sure the rest of the boat and especially the rig and rigging is well maintained, and functions correctly is a big thing for sail care. Work With Your Service Team Nathan: After every leg, the sail coordinator from each boat will come into the loft and have a chat with us and tell us what happened, what went wrong during the leg, what went right. They give us guidance for the repairs. The discussion provides us with the team’s priority and also helps to save time because we have a worklist. © Jesus Renedo / Volvo Ocean Race Prepare for 3Di to (pleasantly) Surprise You Nathan: By far the Southern Ocean Leg this edition is one of the hardest in recent races. And yet, there was no major damage. The leg was three weeks of sailing in 35-40 knots or more. Some of the teams saw 60+ at times during squalls. Historically, we have seen a lot more damage. With 3Di you see cuts and chafe, normal wear and tear, but the sails all stayed in one piece, which was amazing. Scoob: We see chafe here and there, but not major repairs. We used to see sails arriving into port in two pieces, but we have not see that this race. There was the issue with MAPFRE, but the sail damage was a symptom of something else. READ MORE

OPTIMIZED FOR MULTIHULL Sailing multihulls have unique attributes: higher speeds, higher stability, higher loads. It’s very important that multihull sails have the correct fit, form and function. While finished sails for multihulls may not look that different on the water, our understanding of multihull attributes and performance makes the difference in producing high quality sails. OPTIMIZED SAIL SHAPE Through decades of multihull experience, North sails has developed and maintains an extensive library of validated multihull “mold” shapes. Shapes are classified by performance requirements, wind range, aspect ratio, and other factors. Designers use this library as the basis for camber, draft, twist, and geometry before customizing to each individual sail’s specific requirements. Straight Masts Most multihulls do not have backstays. The mast is supported by the main shrouds, as well as diamonds or lower shrouds or both. Many multihulls have aerodynamically efficient, longer chord-length masts. As a result, multihull masts are generally very straight in the fore and aft direction – with only mainsheet and cunningham to control mast bend. Straight masts are more challenging for the sail designer, who must rely on sail material, structural engineering, and shape distribution for the perfect fit. Thanks to the power of the North Design Suite, North designers are able to optimize multihull sails for straight masts. Rotating Masts Some multihulls use rotating masts to improve aerodynamic efficiency and control sail shape. Mast rotation impacts luff curve and flattens the overall sail shape – but not too much. North designers account for the amount of rotation along with the size of mast (chord-length) to optimize the mainsail performance. Headstay Sag Headstay sag is an important design consideration for upwind headsails, and multihulls can often sail with more headstay sag than monohulls. Too much headstay sag usually reduces upwind performance. North Sails designers optimize for this extra headstay sag through specialized shape distribution, ensuring fast, easy to use sail shapes. Tight Wind Angles Multihulls have higher righting moments and less drag for faster sailing. Faster sailing means closer wind angles, which requires flatter, more specialized sail shapes. This is true for both upwind and downwind multihull sails. North Sails optimizes for the tight apparent wind angles of multihulls. OPTIMIZED SAIL SIZE Mainsail Roach profile is one area where multihulls stand out – the absence of a permanent backstay allows a variety of large roach designs. The shape of these roach profiles has evolved over time and the optimum profile depends upon a variety of factors: optimal sail area and distribution, aerodynamics, camber depth, twist profile, and ease of handling/stowage. Today, North Sails offers two distinct types of mainsail roach profiles. Square Top Mainsail This modern feature adds area on top, allows twist higher up the leech, and permits more tension on the mainsheet which translates to better performance upwind. The extra power on top also increases downwind speeds. When performance is a top priority, square top mainsail are the best choice. A key feature sail designers optimize is the head width as a percentage of the foot length. Some square tops include a head cut out and vertical batten to maximize sail area while minimizing drag at the top of the mast. High Roach Mainsail A more traditional approach to multihull mainsail design is a high roach mainsail which usually has a batten arrangement that allows easy stowage of the sail on the boom without disconnecting the head from the mast. High roach sails are well suited for woven polyester material, which cannot always support a square top design. High roach mainsails are optimized for cruising. Rig Geometry Cruising catamarans often feature mainsails and headsails with high clews. Sail designers might need to accommodate deck features such as hard tops, biminis, and the relative heights of a headsails clew and tack. Each of these can affect sail shape and engineering. Here is a photo of a mainsail and headsail that accommodate the unique deck geometry of a cruising catamaran. Offwind Sails The wide multihull shroud base allows a range of reaching and downwind sail types. A key factor when designing these sails is the desired apparent wind angle, which will determine if the sail sheets inside or outside the shrouds. Close reaching sails that sheet inside must respect the shroud geometry. Downwind spinnakers that sheet outside can be larger in size and deeper in shape. Please read the North Sails Multihull Downwind Sail Guide for a full explanation of the different North multihull offwind sail types. OPTIMIZED SAIL STRUCTURE A multihull’s higher righting moment means higher sail loads, which in turn require stronger, lower stretch materials. North Sails uses a sophisticated tool to determine the modulus requirement (stretch resistance) for a given sail. Boat performance, wind strength, sail size, aspect ratio and trimming characteristics will all factor into the optimum sail multihull structure. Once structural requirements are understood, North Sails has a variety of racing and cruising materials that will meet your performance, durability and budgets. North Sails offers a variety of sail material choices for multihulls, but 3Di composite molded sail technology is uniquely suited to producing the best multihull sails where high strength, low stretch and extreme durability are essential. Some key aspects of 3Di sails that are important for multihull sailors include: • 3D molded for optimized sail shape • Spread filament composite construction for high strength and low stretch • Ultra PE reinforced for ultimate durability • Variable fiber mass • Secondary and compressive load resistance • Specialized multihull structural tape layouts Sail Finishing Beyond optimized sail size, shape, and structure, North Sails optimizes the finishing details for multihulls. Some of the sail details optimized for multihulls include: • Mainsail reefing systems, tack and clew attachments • Mainsail luff hardware, battens and slide attachments • Mainsail head attachments and jacklines for square-top and high-roach sails • Vertical battens for specialized mainsail head cut outs • Mainsail Reefing pull down lines • Headsail furling systems for fixed, free flying and structural furlers READ MORE

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

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

MILDEW ON SAILS: WHAT TO DO Our DIY Sail Care information only applies to traditional fabrics and laminates. 3Di is composite technology, not a sail laminate. For info on 3Di sail care, read Sail Maintenance. Here is what you need to know about mildew on traditional fabrics. Sails mildew. There are lots of guesses about why some mildew more than others, but not much in the way of facts. Three things we do know: Mildew is not a structural problem. Mildew is ugly. Sail owners get a little uptight when their sails turn black and splotchy. We can state a few truths about observed patterns regarding sails that have and have not mildewed: Sails in hot humid areas are definite candidates. It appears to help if the boat owner makes an attempt to keep the sail dry. Take a short sail to air out a damp roller furled genoa, especially if you are leaving the boat for an extended period and your last sailing day involved a lot of rain and salt water spray. Salt water residue dries more slowly than fresh water, so salt water dampness is worse than fresh water dampness. Areas with higher levels of air pollution, or pollen, tend to have more mildew issues. Laminated sails are much more susceptible to mildew than woven Dacron sails. Mildew propagates quickly in the adhesive layers of any glued-on parts. Insignia fabric reinforcing and adhesives used to glue together seams are particularly susceptible to mildew growth, because they feature thick layers of glue. Cleaning Mildew Sailcloth manufacturers have developed chemical treatments to retard mildew growth when the fabric is produced. However, there is a delicate balance between killing the fungus and killing the humans. So the problem has not gone away. Surface mildew can be cleaned off the sail with a diluted bleach solution. But once the mildew creeps in between layers of fabric, the sails need to be sent out for industrial cleaning. Wash companies other than sailmakers should be considered suspect. You might get a nice white sail back, but it may also be crumpled up like a bed sheet. For more information, read Should You Wash Your Sails? In our experience, once a sail has had a mildew problem, it will probably always have a mildew problem. A good cleaner can reduce the black spots to dirty white spots, but if the boat stays in the same area where the mildew started, the spots will soon be gray, and then it’s only a matter of time before they are black again. How to avoid mildew Air out your sails regularly, especially after rain. Try to do this on a calm, dry day. Exposure to sunlight is helpful, but too much causes UV Damage. Do not put sails away damp or salty. The salt attracts and retains moisture. Store in a dry location. If your boat is inactive for more than a week or two, take the sail off the rig and store it dry, or arrange for somebody to air it out periodically. Do not install a foam luff on sails prone to mildewing. If mildew occurs Treat mildew at the earliest possible moment. Mildew stains are easier to treat when new, relatively small, and close to the surface. Isolate mildew-infected sails from clean sails. A sure way to spread mildew is to rub an existing growth against a receptive surface. The most popular mildew remover is household chlorine bleach (sodium hypo chlorite) sold in the U.S. in 5.25% solution. Manufacturers recommend diluting it further. Tilex® and other “mildew removers” are sodium hypo chlorite solutions of about 3%. DO NOT use BLEACH on KEVLAR or NYLON, EVER, UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES! We have seen people poke their fingers easily through spinnakers rinsed in chlorine-treated swimming pools. DO NOT EVER MIX BLEACH AND AMMONIA! The mixture forms phosgene gas which killed and disabled thousands in the First World War. For deep set stains, immerse the stain in a fungicide for 12 hours or more. A high concentration is not necessary. No amount of surface scrubbing will do what a good soak can. After using bleach, rinse thoroughly with plenty of fresh water! Bleach residue can cause long-term structural damage. If the mildew stain is not removed by above treatments, give up. Further treatments can cause other damage. Scotchguard® and related water repellents have not proven to kill or prevent mildew. Lysol® household disinfectant is an effective fungicide and inhibitor. Some health and environmental agencies prohibit the use of stronger fungicides. Anything you use to kill or remove mildew will wash or wear away in a relatively short time. North NorLam™ fabrics are treated with the most powerful commercial fungicide allowable. It is 100% effective in laboratory conditions, yet demonstrably less effective in the real world. Lastly, this is what Bill Bergantz, Vice President of North Cloth, has to say about mildew: It is a poorly kept secret that mildew will grow on sails. While we do not completely understand it and don’t have a lot of good answers for prevention and cure, here is what we do know and what you should know in dealing with the problem of mildew. Mildew is a fungus. Like mushrooms (another fungus), it grows best in damp conditions, and probably doesn’t like daylight. It can flourish in climates as diverse as Florida and the midwinter Pacific Northwest. Mildew lives on microscopic organisms that it takes from the air, water, or the surface of the sail. Mildew will form on modern synthetic sailcloth, including adhesives, finishes, films, etc., but does not cause structural damage. Mildew does not affect the performance of sailcloth, so our concern is with the cosmetic disfiguration it can cause. Mildew can grow on anchor rodes and mooring lines , sheets and sail covers, dodgers, cockpit cushions, mattresses, bulkheads, and so forth. Mildew spores are carried in the air, especially in rain water, and are easily transferred by contact. 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CHAFE NEVER SLEEPS Our DIY Sail Care information only applies to traditional fabrics and laminates. 3Di is composite technology, not a sail laminate. For info on 3Di sail care, read Sail Maintenance. Here is what you need to know about chafe on traditional fabrics. North Sails CEO Dan Neri shows us how to keep chafe from destroying your sails. Wherever soft, fabric parts of a sail rub against hard metal parts, the sail is going to eventually suffer chafe damage. It is difficult for a sailmaker to identify all potential chafe areas, so you must watch for chafe and add (or replace) chafe protection before a hole appears. Heavy dacron and webbing work best for chafing surfaces around rings. Webbing is easy to fold around corners and is made of thicker fibers, so it will wear better than Dacron. Dacron, on the other hand, is easier to sew due to its lower bulk. We are not particularly fond of leather for chafe protection, even though it looks nice when it is new. Leather stretches when it is wet, so it is more easily ripped than webbing chafe guards. This leather chafe guard is not helping the sail at all. When the leather gets wet, it tends to sluff apart where the reef line rubs against it. Someone has gone to the effort of sewing another layer of leather over the first chafe gear above the reef ring. This new leather will last forever because there is is no way the reefing line will be able to rub there. Anytime you see your sail rubbing on the rig, or see a lazy jack or running stay rubbing on the sail, circle the area of contact with a marking pen. Then, at your first opportunity, cover the area that you have marked with an appropriate material. How to make chafe patches The most common chafe material is “Stickyback.” Due to its lightweight it will conform to the surface of the sail, even if it is applied over areas that include staggered layers of reinforcing, or batten pockets. The surface is slippery, which allows the fabric to slide against other materials without grabbing or heating up from friction. However, because it is thin and made from lightweight fibers, this is really only a temporary solution. Heavier weight chafe patches can be made from woven polyester sailcloth and several strips of seamstick adhesive, or a thin layer of liquid adhesive. Whenever possible, chafe material should be applied with adhesive rather than sewing because it will need to be renewed at some point. Stitching will leave holes in the sail when the old chafe material is removed, and more holes when the replacement material is installed. Multiple layers of lighter weight material installed with adhesives are the best way to go. For multiple layer patches, the large layer should be 20-40% bigger than the small layer to taper the patch. Common chafe areas include: Spreaders Where spreader ends push hard into the surface of a sail, you need a sewed-on dacron patch on each side of the sail. If the sail leech scrapes across the spreader base during tacks, but does not come into contact with the spreader end, use a lighter, completely sacrificial patch. Mainsails on boats with swept back spreaders are prone to punctures from the spreader ends both when sailing downwind and while reefing. As mainsail loads change, the fabric is pressed hard against the spreader end. Eventually, the spreader end chafes a hole in the sail. Because the hole is on the leeward side, you may not see it.This can result in significant damage if not addressed right away. This hole was rubbed into and through the batten pocket from nearly continual rubbing against the boat’s standing rigging. Tips to minimize sail damage when reefing Slightly over trim the sail or keep tension on the boom vang. Monitor the chafe protection layers on the sail. Wrap the spreader end with black tape so the spreader will make a mark on the sail as an early warning sign. Stanchions If the foot of the headsail sometimes catches on a stanchion top, sew a dacron patch on each side of the sail. If the foot of the sail sometimes rubs on the shackle that attaches the upper lifeline to the bow pulpit, add a lighter, completely sacrificial patch. Full-length batten pockets A sacrificial layer of Spectra webbing sewn onto Dacron tape can easily be replaced with another if necessary. Full-length battens rub on standing rigging, running backstays, and lazy jacks. Standing rigging is the biggest concern because it is rigid. The batten is also rigid, so the pocket material is in between the proverbial rock and the hard place. Pockets should be covered with a rugged layer of fabric or webbing, preferably spectra because it does not heat up from friction like polyester. Nylon webbing has good chafe resistance, but it shrinks and will cause the batten pocket to pucker. How to make a batten pocket chafe guard Cut a piece of light sailcloth tape so it is the same length and width as the batten pocket. Stitch spectra webbing along its center. Glue the tape to the pocket with the spectra facing out. Stitch along the edges of the batten pocket, matching the existing machine stitching as much as possible. Excerpted from The Complete Guide to Sail Care and Repair, by Dan Neri READ MORE

THE FOUR F’S OF SAIL FATIGUE: FLEX, FIBER COMPRESSION, FLOGGING, AND FLUTTER Our DIY Sail Care information only applies to traditional fabrics and laminates. 3Di is composite technology, not a sail laminate. For info on 3Di sail care, read Sail Maintenance. Here is what you need to know about the Four F’s of Fatigue for traditional fabrics. No matter what it’s made of, sail laminates and traditional fabrics will eventually wear out. Fortunately, proper care and use can drastically increase the longevity of your inventory. North Sails CEO Dan Neri takes us through the various factors that typically lead to structural failures and shows us how to minimize damage. Flex Fatigue Just as UV exposure is an unavoidable bummer if you choose to sail in nice weather, flex fatiguing of your sails is a fact of life if you choose to sail in wind or waves. Any action of the sail membrane that causes it to cycle back and forth will eventually fatigue the materials. On very windy days this includes flogging during hoisting and lowering, rolling furling sails, and flogging while tacking or reefing. The edges of the sails flutter rapidly if leechlines are not tensioned correctly in moderate and strong winds. And in light winds on broad sailing angles, sailboats can roll violently enough to cause the sails to “slat,” which flexes the fabric and shock-loads the attachment hardware. To avoid flex fatigue: Eliminate or reduce flogging. Make sure leech and foot lines are adjusted to eliminate edge flutter. Change course in light-sloppy conditions to reduce slatting. You can save your sail from much of the punishment from reefing by flaking the fabric below the reef and pushing it to the side of the boom opposite the vertical leg of the reefing line. Fiber Compression When sailcloth is bent, one side of the fabric is being stretched and the other side, the inside of the bend, is being compressed. The compressed fibers are the ones damaged. Fiber types that show the most remarkable strength under strain, like Carbon or Kevlar, break down easily when they are compressed. Some fibers crumble and fall apart, turning into powder. Other fibers shatter and displace longitudinally in the same way that a live tree branch fractures when bent in half. Once a fiber shatters, there is more exposed surface area for UV penetration—and the more the fiber is degraded by the sun, the more easily it will crumble the next time it is flexed. Causes The most likely causes of fiber compression fatigue are folding the sail for storage and smashing the mainsail fabric under slab reefing lines. When you fold your sails loosely with the folds parallel to the foot, there is no damage to the sail. So a mainsail that is flaked over a boom in exactly the same way every time is fine, and a racing jib that is flaked into a full-length zipper bag is a happy sail. However, when you fold a sail parallel to the foot and then fold it again along the foot in order to get it into a conventional sail bag, the loose flakes are forced into compact 180 degree folds and the fibers on the inside of those folds will be crushed. Polyester and spectra fibers that are used in cruising sails will stand up to dozens of cycles, shattering just a little each time. When you bag your sails, it is better to fold in a different spot each time (and have hundreds of imperceptibly minor areas of fiber compression) than to fold in the same spot over and over and eventually end up with a hard horizontal line of shattered fibers. To avoid fiber compression problems: Fold sails in loose flakes whenever possible. Avoid creasing a sail in exactly the same place each time it is bagged. When reefing, push sail fabric to the opposite side of the boom from the vertical leg of the clew reef line. Flogging When a sail is allowed to flog, the leech of the sail will sustain more damage than the middle or luff. Think of a lion tamer snapping a big whip. Nothing is happening at the whip handle, but the farther away from the handle, the farther the whip travels and the more violently the whip snaps when it changes direction of travel. Sailmakers taper the transitions from the base layer of the sail into the heavier areas of the leech. The tapered reinforcements help to soften the effects of flogging and to distribute the fiber flex over a greater surface area. You can reduce flex fatigue by paying attention to the length of time the sail is allowed to flog and the force with which it flogs. Mainsails Mainsails are supported on two of three edges, and full-length battens soften the flogging action of the unsupported leech. In breeze under 25 knots, a well engineered cruising mainsail with full-length battens won’t flog at all. Rather, it will wave back and forth while it is being raised and lowered. A mainsail with short battens (usually referred to as “leech battens”) is more adjustable and lighter, but will quickly deteriorate if it is allowed to flog. Headsails Headsails are only supported on one of three edges, so an untended headsail can potentially flog itself apart. Accordingly, the sail handling members of a cruising crew need to be ready execute any maneuvers involving the headsail as efficiently as possible. At a minimum that means always having the headsail sheets flaked and clear before a tack, jibe, or furl. Beyond that basic procedure, it is worthwhile to emulate a racing crew even during casual daysailing to minimize the headsail flogging. (For more info, read Club Racing: How to Improve Your Tacks) Reduce flogging by: Keep sails trimmed whenever possible. Position headsail leads far enough forward to keep pressure on the upper leech. Use an outboard lead for the headsail sheet when reaching. Prepare for tacks before casting off old headsail sheet. Raise the main in the lee of the land on windy days. Run downwind when roller furling on windy days. Select a full batten option when purchasing a new main. Keep at least moderate tension on sheets when the boat must be stalled temporarily. Furling When it is time to roll up the headsail, both sheets need to be ready to run free and the person who will be hauling in the furling line must be in place and braced for the activity. If the furling is done with a winch, some drag should remain on the sheet to reduce the range of travel when the sail flogs. If the furling is done without a winch, the sheets need to be eased more aggressively so the whole operation takes less time. Whenever it is practical, turn the boat downwind before roller furling the sail. The strength of the apparent wind will be reduced by about 1.5 times the boat speed and the headsail can be partially blanketed behind the mainsail. Flutter Leech or foot flutter is flogging’s little sister. When just the edge of a sail flutters, there is significantly less sail area moving, but the number of cycles is significantly greater. Also, because a fluttering leech or foot edge does not shake the boat, it is easier to ignore. But when you ignore it, it doesn’t go away. Rather, the fluttering action steadily breaks down the fibers. Throw a little UV degradation into the mix and eventually the leech or foot tape will rip off the sail. This is what happens after many hours of leech fluttering. The fabric right at the edge of the leech tape has been subjected to thousands of cycles of bending back and forth, compressing the fibers at exactly the same spot each time. Throw a little UV degradation into the mix and the tape will zip right off the sail. Leech flutter is caused by unstable airflow over the trailing edge of the sail. If the air is flowing off the trailing edge fast enough, the force of the airflow will deflect the loose edge. That deflection will cause a vacuum that the fabric will snap back into and then the cycle repeats itself. The fluttering edge makes a noise like a playing card against the spokes of a bicycle. Treat this noise as a signal to get up and tighten the leech line. Racing sailors are taught to ease the leech cord as much as possible to minimize the amount that the leech hooks to windward. The same idea is valid for cruising sailors, but we might as well err on the too-tight side in anything except the lightest wind. Better to have a slight hook in the leech of the sail than a ripped leech. Tips to control leech flutter: Position jib leads or the main traveler car so the sheet angle lines up with the leech. Tension leech lines properly. Excerpted from The Complete Guide to Sail Care and Repair, by Dan Neri READ MORE

FLYING SCOT JIBING: STEP BY STEP How to do a proper jibe in the Flying Scot Whether you are racing a super yacht, a foiling catamaran, or a traditional small keel boat having top notch boat handling skills is one of the most important factors in having a successful performance while racing. Being able to whip off a perfect jibe in every condition will allow you to have confidence to execute your game plan without hesitation which can turn into many boat lengths in gains throughout a run. In this video, Zeke and Jay Horowitz focus on proper jibing technique in the Flying Scot. “Make sure you understand the subtle differences in technique for each condition and always communicate with your team. It is really good to come up with a repeatable dialogue between skipper and crew so that you do everything the same way every time. On our boat, we do a hand off of the sheet and guy at the beginning and the end of the maneuver and we are sure to say “my sheet, my guy” every time so that there is no mistake in the hand off. We also try to focus on doing each step smoothly without rushing. It is more important to keep the spinnaker full, and the boat steady through the maneuver than it is to rush through it all and risk a mistake. As you get better at executing each step, you’ll be able to do them faster but it’s important not to rush”. – Zeke Horowitz, 2018 Flying Scot Midwinter Champion Good luck and have fun! Learn more about North Sails Flying Scot products. READ MORE

HOW TO RIG THE MELGES E SCOW SPINNAKER How to Run the E Scow Douser System Properly The Melges E Scow’s asymmetrical douser system makes it easy to launch and retrieve your spinnaker at the high speeds and crowded race tracks that you see in the E Scow class. Making sure that your system is run properly will help you nail every rounding and lead to better results. Contact Eddie Cox for additional information. READ MORE

2018 LIGHTNING SOUTHERN CIRCUIT North-powered Teams Dominate Grassroots Circuit Events In Miami and St. Petersburg For many the annual pilgrimage south to the Lightning Southern Circuit is a tradition (to steal from a famous golf tournament) like no other! So, our team of Steve Kirkpatrick, Lightning legend Neal Fowler and myself decided that we needed to head to Florida and see what all the fuss was about. Since two of us were newbies to the boat, class and events we quickly found out what it was all about. It seems the Lightning Winter Championships and Midwinters, the two events that comprise the Southern Circuit, are all about great competition, tremendous comradery, and serious grassroots fun! Unique to this event, the ILCA sponsors a program called the “Mentor Program” which is run, on a volunteer basis, by Nick Turney of Nick Turney Sailing Services. Nick provided on-the-water assistance, coaching, clinics, and racing briefings each day and everyone who signed up for the program learned a lot from the group briefings and individual attention. Helping sailors get up to speed to contend with the experienced sailors seems to be the prevalent theme in the class and the support and openness of the top sailors, who were often guest panelists for the program, really seemed a positive way to create a fun, learning experience for everyone on the scoreboard. For us, the circuit allowed us to experience what a special class the ILCA is. Lightning sailors, to me, seem a special breed and the entire atmosphere of the events seems to be about some good old fashioned racing buddies working with each other to help the fleet grow. As I walked around the boat park it was easy enough to find sailors helping sailors, asking questions, sharing tricks, etc. This is what helps to grow the class! Our team benefitted from this spirit when, in Miami on the way out to the race course, our main halyard broke. We sailed in to find only 2 or 3 teams still on the dock but all of them quickly jumped in to help as we flipped the boat at the dock and several folks held our, now sideways, Lightning steady while Steve and Tom Allen (boat builder extraordinaire) tied the main to the top of the mast and pushed us off so we would not miss any races! Winter Championship – St. Petersburg Yacht Club- March 24-26 The Winter Championship, hosted by St. Petersburg Yacht Club, was a nice way to kick off the series as 52 teams descended upon Tampa Bay traveling from far and wide to race with friends and family. Light air greeted the fleet on Saturday, yet still provided racing conditions in the later afternoon to allow us to get in one race and get the series started. Day two was very much the same, with winds on the lighter side and shifty from the ESE, still allowing for great racing conditions as the day progressed. Monday arrived with fog which burned off as the day went on, bringing a little more wind than what was originally predicted. Once the sun came out and heated things up, the wind died off, but still gave the fleet two more solid races to conclude the event. Congratulations to clients from team Argentina, Javier Conte, Julio Alsogaray, and Paula Salerno for taking first overall. In second was Team PatStrong with David Starck, PJ Shaffer, and Kelly Barnash. In third, fleet newcomers, Church of the Great Outdoors, with Steve Kirkpatrick, Neal Fowler, and Hillary Noble. Congratulations also to Masters Division winner and “Lightning King of the South”, Ched Proctor with team Abigail Preston and Jeff Eiber on the swift Veggie Sub. Special thank you to Todd Fedeszyn and the St. Petersburg Yacht Club and Sailing Center volunteers for your outstanding job running races and setting the courses. In what certainly were trying race conditions, their race management experience and overall understanding of the area and weather patterns made it so everyone was dealt a good hand. North-powered teams finished 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10 this year at the St. Petersburg Winter Championship. Well done! Full Results Midwinter Championship – Coral Reef Yacht Club- Miami, FL- March 28-30 The Midwinters hosted by Coral Reef Yacht Club in Miami was also a not-to-miss event, with 29 boats competing in hopes finding idyllic Biscayne Bay conditions and looking to either improve their series standings or hold of the charge of their nearest competitors. Several new teams joined in with those who travelled across the state from the Winter Champs making for a fun and fresh new start to the 2018 Midwinter Championship. Breeze was quite “fresh” on Wednesday as teams enjoyed hiking hard through the puffy and wavy conditions. An easterly wind direction was the end result, as over the three days of racing the wind slowly clocked right, making for a beautiful southeasterly pressure that allowed for great racing conditions each day for sailors. With Nick Turney Sailing Services there at the scene, sailors could gain helpful insights and racing video replays to review each day. With added drone footage being shared each evening, the excitement of the mark roundings and crossing tacks was renewed over evening refreshments and comments such as “Boy that was close!” were shared amongst the gang. Having on the water support from Nick, top-notch fleet management, and spot-on race committee volunteers makes events like these a true success for all involved. Congratulations to David Starck’s Team PatStrong for winning the tie-breaker with previous World Champion Javier Conte and his team Argentina. Tito Gonzalez’s team came out hot with a win in the final race, giving them third overall. Tito sailed with his family on Ojo de Lince, with his daughter Trini and son Alberto Gonzalez Jr, making it a true family affair. Congratulations to our clients once again for your spectacular performances across the board. Clients finished 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10 at the Miami Midwinters. Congratulations to our clients for finishing at the top of the fleet, proving teamwork and speed are the keys to success. Full Results Congratulations to series winners on Argentina, with Javier Conte, Julio Alsogaray, and Paula Salerno for winning the series total out of 14 races and to Javier for winning the Humphrey New Comer Award. Jack Mueller Grand Master Award winner this time around was Grand Master Ched Proctor, and the Dr. Georges Peter Great Grand Master Award winner, Bill Mauk. Congrats to Mark Allen from Michigan for winning a new North Sails Jib! Three Takeaways 1. Starts are crucial. Not setting up too early, having a hole below you to accelerate, and starting as close to the favored end as possible are very important. Don’t be afraid of a port-tack approach- this can be helpful in finding the right hole on the line that will give you a nice gap to leeward to accelerate. 2. Boat speed. Boat speed. Boat speed. Get out there early and speed test with another boat. Make sure your rig is set up for the lulls. Adjust your leads for waves/chop/flatwater. Straight line speed, especially off the starting line is very important in larger fleets. Being able to hold your own lane with speed after the start is a winning move. 3. Be comfortable. Be ready. Practice maneuvers before you start the race. Give yourself time to adjust to given wind conditions. Be comfortable with your abilities, and be confident in your position. Executing quick-yet smooth maneuvers, (especially in light air or chop) is beneficial. Being able to throw in a last minute roll- jibe, or double tack on the starting line to gain height are valuable techniques you can’t plan ahead, but you have to be ready to execute in a snap. Being ready and being one step ahead of your competitors makes a huge difference, and will help you stay in front of the fleet. (l to r) Karen Park presenting the Colin and Karen Park Trophy to Kristine and Todd Wake-Top performing wife/husband at the Winter Championships Ched Proctor – Grand Master Circuit winner Circuit VP David Starck shows everyone how to be a class volunteer and still win regattas! 1st in Miami, 2nd in St. Pete and 2nd overall in the circuit! My team Church of the Great Outdoors, with Steve Kirkpatrick, Neal Fowler, and Hillary Noble Neal Fowler showing Steve and I how to “properly” tune the rig! Always learning! (l to r) Brian Hayes and Nick Turney give a tuning clinic during a postponement at the Winter Championship Mark Allen with Skip Dieball and Emily Simon on their way to 5th place at the Winter Championships Josh Goldman, with Jackson Benvenutti and Monica Morgan sailing Hard Asset to 8th place overall in the circuit (note: the “Gold Man” Sailing Team shirts!) The “King of the South” Ched Proctor, with Jeff Eiber and Abigail Preston chasing down the pack in St. Pete on their way to the Masters win. READ MORE

DON’T BE AFRAID TO CHARTER A BOAT Tips to make it a positive experience Will Welles won the 2018 Midwinters in a chartered J/24. With his organization skills and attention to details, we think Will has come up with a system that helps minimize surprises when chartering a boat for an event. Here are his top tips: We have all had good and bad experiences with chartering. Most people say it is luck of the draw, but I believe there are some things you can do to improve the odds. First thing is to do your homework! Make sure you find the best boat you can. Whether it is a particular builder, hull number, etc, make sure you dig until you find what you are looking for. I am pretty particular about the vintage of the boat, what mast it has, keel shape, rudder, etc… and if you can find a boat that already has good pedigree then that is a plus! What you are looking for is as close to turn-key; a boat that will need the minimum time to make it ready to sail. Where to start? First, start with the local regatta organizers and people you know and trust in the area who may know the local boats. It’s not what you know, it’s who you know at this stage. Once you find a couple of boats that fit the bill, ask the owner for the class measurement certificate, history of the boat, recent upgrades, and what extra parts and pieces would be included. Ask for detailed photos Photos are always worth a thousand words! Ask for photos of the keel, rudder, rudder hardware, tiller, bottom, deck, mast, boom, running rigging, standing rigging, etc. I like to see how the deck hardware is laid out. While most boats run the same set up, it is not worth risking any surprises. The deck pictures should allow you to zoom in on hardware to see its age and condition. After I have reviewed the photos, I ask the owner a few simple questions that can usually be answered with either yes or no, to speed up the reply. For the J/24, this is the list I use: Bottom, foils, rudder? Silky smooth? Headstay max class length? Protest flag? Yellow flag? Carbon spin pole? Good lifting strap? Tension gauge? Loos Gauge B? Optional equipment – weight, right at minimum all up? Five good life jackets? Compass – (I’d like to use yours if ok, just because I don’t think mine will fit on that older cradle) Velocitek – (I can bring mine) VHF – (I’ll bring my own) Boat tools? Windex masthead fly? Blocks, boomvang, etc., all good? Mast still straight? Mast butt adjuster? Dedicated rig tools? Once I have these answers for each boat on my list, it’s time to choose the best boat for the event. However, the work doesn’t stop here; this is where the journey with your new charter boat begins! Time is Precious! I think we all can agree that time is precious at the regatta, so anything we can do to save time will help maximize our on the water time, which is how we’ll get used to our new best friend. A big time-eater is trips to the marine store. Who even knows if there is a marine store near the regatta site, or how bad traffic will be? Even if the store is right around the block it still takes time away from going sailing. Put together a spares kit and either ship it to the regatta site or bring it with you. You don’t need to pack every spare part, just what you know you will need based on the information you have about the boat. I also take a few things that makes me feel comfortable right away: tiller extension, favorite mainsheet or windex, etc. Part of getting up to speed in a charter boat is having some familiar things around you. Here’s a list of stuff I bring with me: Running rigging (spin sheets, jib sheets, mainsheet) Karl’s Boat Shop tiller w/tiller extension Loos tension gauge Wetnotes with tuning matrix Calipers (depending on turnbuckles) Metric tape measure KG Fish scale (to weigh all up boat items) Spare blocks, clevis pins, ring dings, etc. Sail repair tape, sailmaker’s palm, needles, telltales Spare compass and bracket Velocitek and bracket Spinnaker launch bag Spectra lashing line Electrical tape Teflon tape Tools? Drill? Add to this any parts you know you will need for the boat, based on the pictures and information you got from the owner. Make sure you allow yourself plenty of time to get the boat sorted before going sailing. Hopefully you and/or someone else on your team likes and is good at boat work; ask other team members to figure out the lay of the land, so if you do need a part or a tool you can get it without too much fuss. In my experience, there are always nice locals who will loan you a missing item or help find one for you if you treat them well in return. I always try to help traveling sailors when they come to Newport, because it works both ways! Check the Mast Once the boat work is done and the mast is stepped I always measure to make sure the mast is in the center of the boat. There are a few ways to do this. I like to measure aft from the stem down each rail towards the mast and make a mark on either rail (starboard and port). Then I measure from the keel tip up to said mark on each side. Next, I get the mast straight at the base rig setting (20/15) and hang a bucket full of water over the rail. The goal is that the mark lines up on each side. If it doesn’t line up, I adjust the upper shrouds and use the lowers to make the mast straight at base dock tune. If the mast is already stepped, I suggest sending someone up in a bosun’s chair to tape and check over fittings, etc., once the boat is in the water. Time to Sail Time to splash the boat, hook on the sails and head out for a shakedown cruise to see how everything looks and trims. You may add a few more things to the work list; if so, allow time in the early morning so you can sail most of the next day. Ideally, we will line up with another fast boat to see how we are going. Fingers crossed, everything aligns! At the end, we always try and leave the boat better than we found it. 2018 J/24 Midwinter winners used a chartered boat Keel looks good on the photo Preparing the bottom Time to sail! Photo Chris Howell READ MORE

KEEPING IT SIMPLE Four basic rules to simplify your race days Hop into my DeLorean, buckle up, and let’s go “Back to the Future”! It’s September 2018. Imagine yourself at the dock at the start of day 2 of the 2018 Worlds in Annapolis. It’s currently blowing 18 knots with even bigger puffs because a front has just rolled through. There’s a 50% chance of this wind speed persisting all day and a 50% chance of the breeze dying to 8 knots in a few hours. What’s going through your mind? What should you set the rig to? Is the bay full of waves and steep chop? Should you think about changing your forestay? Where is the sweet spot for your jib halyard? Are the jib cars too far forward, too far aft, or just right? What about the top main batten? Should you stick with the standard or use the heavy-air batten? What is the competition going to do? Who do you have to watch out for? When should you leave the dock? Do you have enough food and water onboard? All these questions and more are swirling around in your head. How can you manage to answer them all correctly? Hopefully, many of these questions will be answered in your preparation leading up to the “Big Event” because, if you try to focus on all these questions simultaneously, it’s easy to get muddled and over-complicate things. That’s why, as the season gets rolling, now is a good time to put in place a plan for your team to “keep it simple” as an important foundation to successful sailboat racing. To simplify your race days, try following these four basic rules. First, have a plan and stick to it. You’ve raced before, so set a routine that works and stick with it. For instance, you can keep provisioning simple by bringing the same food every day. You know what’s been successful in the past, so why overcomplicate things? As for how much water to bring, it’s better to have too much than too little. You can always dump some over the side if it’s not getting used. Knowing when you need to get to the boat and when to leave the dock should also be part of your premade plan. Again, keep it simple. Start with when you want to get to the racecourse (not too late but also not so early that you wear yourself out) and work backwards from there. Your daily schedule should then fall into place and won’t be an added concern. Second, don’t leave things to the last minute. When you come in from racing, it’s rare that something doesn’t need to be fixed or tweaked. How tempting is it to say, “I’m tired. I’ll just do that in the morning. What I need right now is a beer!” But how many times do projects on boats take longer than expected? (Hint: Every time!) That’s why you shouldn’t wait until later to get a job done. Just bite the bullet and do it when you get back to the dock. Avoiding stressful, last-minute work is part of keeping things simple. Good boat preparation isn’t last-minute. Practice isn’t last-minute either, even though we’ve all heard people say, “I’d like to get out to the racecourse early to practice.” During a major regatta is not the time to try to improve your skills. That’s what practice before the event is for. The mornings of a major regatta are for getting out to the course and perfecting your setup for the day. So keep it simple and eliminate practice from your race-day plan. Third, don’t sweat the details you can’t change. As you head out to the racecourse, the question of whether your tuning is right always weighs on your mind, but don’t dwell on it now. Getting these details right is what the time before the first race and between subsequent races is for. When you get to the course, find a boat to tune upwind with, make some changes to go faster, and then get ready to race. Once the race has started, don’t obsess about the rig. It’s set; you can’t change it; so don’t think about it. Too many times I hear people say that they weren’t fast because their rig was too tight when the breeze dropped a knot or two during a race. But remember that everyone else is probably dealing with a tight rig too, so quit worrying about the rig and just make the boat go as fast as you can. If you’ve practiced and your team is ready, the tuning will be good enough to allow you to win the race. The point is not to focus on something you can’t change. Keep it simple and focus only on important decisions you’re able to make. Fourth, make sure you’re going fast. Speed is king in keeping things simple. Both upwind and downwind, speed makes everything easier because it allows you to concentrate on the race and your tactics. Whatever your problems may be on the racecourse, speed will help you overcome them. For instance, it you’re having trouble pointing, it’s probably because you’re not going fast enough to make the keel work, so you’re sliding sideways more than the boat next to you. The solution? Keep it simple. Put the bow down, go faster, then trim the main harder and let the boat do the work. You can also minimize risk by being conservative when you’re going fast, enabling you to tack in easy lanes. Keeping it simple with conservative tactics means that you’re apt to round the top mark with the leaders and move forward from there. So back to all those questions that were swirling around in your head before the second day of the Worlds. You already have answers to them, so don’t overcomplicate things. Filling your head with questions and raising self-doubts is never helpful. Instead, keep it simple and don’t overthink. Have a plan and stick with it, never leave things to the last minute, and avoid getting stressed over details that you can’t change. Above all, make sure to go fast so you can focus on the racing and your tactics. As some of you may have already heard me say: Sailboat racing is like NASCAR – just go fast and turn left! Mike Marshall crossing the finish line to win the 2016 J/22 World Championship READ MORE

North Sails expert Zeke Horowitz answers your Viper 640 speed and boathandling questions. Who sails a Viper 640? The Viper achieved status as a World Sailing international class, yet its sailors are mostly amateurs—pro sailors are welcome but by rule may not be paid. As a result, this class has a grassroots, sail-with-your friends feel to it. Many sailors in this sporty 21-foot keelboat have college or dinghy background, and in the Northeast part of the U.S., many come from the V-15 dinghy class. Strength helps, but sailors range in age and many women sail, including some husband-and-wife teams. Boats can sail with three or four aboard; the ideal target weight is between 500 and 600 pounds. The Viper 640 is a fast, sporty boat that rewards a crew that loves hiking out. What’s involved in crewing? Most boats have three people aboard, and the skipper trims the mainsheet and vang while steering. On some boats, the middle crew may trim the main or vang at times, but otherwise is mainly hiking, calling wind pressure, and tactics. The Viper is a relatively physical boat, with a shallow and wide cockpit that requires some athleticism to cross. The spinnaker halyard has high loads, and we always like to have the strongest person pulling it up! The chute emerges forward, from a tube, and comes down the same way, with a spinnaker-retrieval line. The middle person also trims the chute on most boats. Top three Viper speed tips? Hiking hard counts upwind. Know the tuning guide—the boat is sensitive to rig adjustments. Practice! Good tacks, jibes, chutes sets, and douses make a big difference. What should buyers know when choosing a boat? Rondar in the UK is the builder and is always building new boats. There are also plenty of used boats for sale, spanning four generations. Built in the ‘90s, the first generation boats had aluminum rigs and lighter keels. Since the carbon rig and keel weight were added in the second generation, the boats have become easier to bring up to current standards. Recent changes have provided big improvements in equipment durability, and a recent shift to a vertical rudder has enhanced the boat’s downwind capabilities in breeze. Adapter kits are available from Rondar. Overall, the class has worked hard to make it possible for older boats to remain competitive. The majority of used boats cost $15,000 to $27,000, and new boats are $38,000. How does a Viper get around on land? At 750 pounds and with low windage, a Viper can be towed on a trailer behind a small car. The carbon mast can be stepped and un-stepped by one or two people, and the boat can be rigged or de-rigged in an hour or less. The keel, which has a 220-pound bulb, is secured with a few bolts and is easily lifted via block and tackle in about 30 seconds. Some owners remove the keel completely from the boat when towing, putting it in their vehicle to reduce the chance of damage to the keel cassette. How many sails are required? The Viper 640 carries a main and a jib made of woven Dacron or Mylar laminate with polyester scrim, plus an asymmetric spinnaker made of nylon. North Sails offers a racing jib, mainsail, and spinnakers made from DK75, the slipperiest nylon sold, for easier hoisting and dousing in the spinnaker tube. For more general details, visit the Viper 640 class website. Viper 640 Tuning What are the keys to rig set-up? When tuning the Viper 640 rig to race, we pay the most attention to headstay tension, shroud tension, and mast rake. Of these three adjustments, maintaining ideal headstay tension is No. 1 when it comes to maximizing speed. It’s worth noting that without a permanent backstay, mainsheet tension on a Viper is a major factor in creating and easing headstay tension. In light air, sighting up the headstay, you want about 2.5 inches of sag to leeward to power up the jib. As soon as the crew has enough wind to hike out, your goal should be to make the headstay as straight as possible; if you hit a lull and ease the mainsheet, the headstay will sag again and power up the jib in the process. Putting mast blocks in front of the mast at the partners reduces prebend, making the mast stand taller and reducing headstay sag. Typically, top boats have 2.25 to 3.25 inches of mast blocks in front of the mast. Mast prebend is controlled by adding and subtracting mast blocks. The mast bends easily so it is sensitive to upper shroud tension. The leeward upper provides a good guide to know if your shroud tension is in the ballpark: when you’re fully trimmed in, it should just be starting to go slack. This requires a big range of adjustment – 8 or 9 full turns from light air to heavy. See the North Sails Viper 640 Tuning Guide for more detail. What else is important? Other speed controls like the mast butt position can be set in one place and then ignored. While the headstay length can be adjusted, it is generally kept at maximum length. Spreader brackets and tips are also adjustable, but need only be set once. (See North Sails Viper 640 Tuning Guide) Spreader angles need only be set once, per the North Sails Tuning Guide. The upper shrouds are adjusted frequently, but top sailors adjust the lower shrouds less frequently - using them as a fine tune to keep the mast in column. They maintain just enough tension to be sure there is no leeward sag in the middle of the mast. Viper 640 Upwind Sailing Which is better, sailing high or fast? On the Viper 640, we make a conscious choice at any given time between two modes of upwind sailing—faster and lower, or higher and slower. In light air, we find it’s usually better to sail low and fast due to the keel’s small surface area. With more wind, the choice often depends on the wave state. In smooth water, the boat can sail well in a high, heeled mode. When it’s choppy, we shift to more of a vang-sheeting faster and lower mode. Your crew weight and hiking ability makes a difference in your choice, and you can also use the modes in different tactical situations. For instance, it’s often beneficial to use the higher, more heeled-over mode coming off the starting line in a big fleet so that you work up to the pack on your hip and get clear to tack. Use the bow-down vang-sheeting mode when you want to get over to a puff on one side of the racecourse or roll over a pack to leeward. Our tactician keeps “moding” as a top priority and will relay the preferred mode to the driver, so that the set-up can be adjusted to get the boat as fast as possible in the new mode. Upwind, where does the crew sit? The rule of thumb in the Viper is to stay as forward as far you can while keeping the boat very flat. In light air, one crewmember is positioned in front of the shrouds. When everyone starts hiking, the forward crew stays there as long as they can tolerate it, then moves just aft of the shrouds. As it gets windier, everyone slides farther aft, because the boat is wider there. How do you trim the Viper 640 mainsail upwind? The mainsail trimmer’s primary focus is on leech tension: being sure to keep it tight enough to power the boat fully. Leech tension flattens the sail plan, tensions the headstay, and gives power to the boat. In normal conditions, we like to see the top telltale on the verge of stalling. When the breeze comes up, using the Viper’s GNAV compression vang helps maintain leech tension. Mainsheet trim requires a fair amount of strength. There are three different mainsheet set-ups, and it’s worth taking the time to study the rules on the Viper 640 class website and understand them all. If you’re in any doubt about what’s best for you, we advise that you choose the rig with the purchase aft so you can always generate the needed leech tension in a breeze. Three mainsheet set-ups are allowed. Our default recommendation places the purchase aft. How do you trim the Viper 640 jib upwind? We adjust the jib leads fairly often, through a range of up to 3 or 4 inches. With more waves and more breeze, we move the lead aft to flatten the sail and/or twist the leech. In strong wind, the key is getting the sail itself flat enough to depower it while still trimming it hard. Otherwise, jib trim is fairly standard: trim in as much as you can but keep the leech telltales streaming. In some conditions, we trim in a little windward sheet to in-haul the jib, but it’s not a major factor like it is in other classes. How do you shift gears upwind? Between races, we often adjust shroud tension. During a race, if the wind comes up, we may add mast blocks forward of the mast and move jib leads aft. There’s also a jib halyard fine-tune, which allows us to easily add tension when the wind builds. Who says what when sailing upwind? Driving well in the Viper requires focus—watching telltales and waves while maintaining top boatspeed. On our boat, we leave it to the tactician to execute the game plan and determine whether to tack or duck in crossing situations. Another crewmember typically counts down the puff and lulls and relays relative speed information for nearby boats. Keeping a constant angle of heel is fast when sailing in a breeze. Viper 640 Downwind Sailing How fast is the boat downwind? Sailing downhill is what the Viper 640 is all about. In light or heavy wind, you always feel you’re going very fast. And when it’s windier, you truly are sailing fast—17 to 18 knots in a 20-knot breeze. Where does your crew sit when sailing downwind? Like upwind, the Viper likes weight forward to keep the wide stern sections lifted. It’s also good because the sprit is bendy and when the asymmetric spinnaker is flying, it pulls the bow up out of water. In light air, the forward crew stands in front of mast and looks aft to call puffs. The trimmer is at the shrouds, and the skipper sits on the floor, leaning against the wall of the cockpit. As it gets windy, if you’re hiking, you’re sailing too high a course. For stability, load the weather rail with your crew, with the forward person sitting just behind the shrouds. Under spinnaker, how much heel should be carried? The key is finding balance in the helm. Usually it comes with 5 to 8 degrees of leeward heel. Our rule of thumb is this: If you have leeward helm, push the tiller until the helm goes away. If you have weather helm, pull the tiller until it goes away. Use main trim and crew weight, along with tiller movement, to keep the boat in this mode with a balanced helm. Unlike heavier boats, the Viper never sails rocked to windward in a deep mode. What are the keys to trimming when flying the chute? As with any spinnaker, focus your trim on easing the sheet to the point that the luff curls. It’s a fairly flat sail, so you don’t do a lot of easing and trimming. You do need to be ready for apparent wind shifts, which can be drastic due to speed changes in puffs and lulls. The jib remains set for extra sail area but should always stay slightly eased, with the top of the jib light to avoid interrupting airflow across the spinnaker. The main always stays trimmed in pretty tight for two reasons. First, without a backstay, when it’s windy the mast can invert if you turn downwind by mistake with the sheet eased—this is another reason to sail with the lowers eased. Keeping the boomvang fairly tight also supports the mast. The second reason to keep the main trimmed in is that with the apparent wind forward, trimming with the leech twisted open at the top is faster. How do you shift gears downwind? The main downwind gear change relates to positioning crew weight. Move weight forward when you can, and then, when planing, move bodies aft. In waves, use a more aggressive steering mode—you’re passing the waves downwind, so use mainsheet and crew weight to maintain heel angle. Finally, be mindful of the need to stay in control and avoid wipeouts. If you feel the boat starting to wipe out, move crew weight aggressively aft to make the rudder more effective. Viper 640 Boathandling What are your top tips to starting well in a Viper? The Viper 640 does not have a good “slow mode” prior to the start. You are either reaching fast or parked. You’ll need to practice steering with crew weight for those times when you’re ready for a big bearaway to get the boat going again. Like many boats, Vipers don’t go fast when sailing in a pack. Look for separation from others boats so you can go full speed after the start. What are the keys to tacking a Viper well? Light air tacks are the biggest challenge in the Viper; the most common mistake is not turning the boat far enough and not rolling it hard enough with your combined crew weight. It’s also important to backwind the jib. The turn takes time, and you need to wait before you roll, usually until the jib is fully backwinded. In light air, the forward person handles the jib sheets and the middle person rolls, aided by a hiking line—on our boat it’s a soft, fluffy, large-diameter line attached to lifting rings on the cockpit floor. The helmsman steers, trims the main through the tack, and aids in the roll of the boat. When it’s windy, the jobs don’t change, but you don’t usually need to roll the boat. Our crew crosses quickly and only backwinds the jib for a moment. In this condition, the helmsman needs to be sure not to oversteer the boat and give up distance to windward. What are the keys to jibing a Viper well? Jibing is one of the more fun, challenging aspects of sailing in this class. Big gains and losses are made on jibes. In most conditions over 6 knots, crews do a “blow-through” jibe as described below. (Remember that the jib remains set downwind.) As the boat turns, the forward crew lets the jib backwind so the chute can fill against it on the old leeward side. The trimmer tugs on the old kite sheet a couple times so the chute is slightly over-trimmed. The forward crew then gives the leech of the chute a tug until the trimmer yells to release it (when the sail is full and backwinding on the jib); the chute blows through and fills on the new jibe, and with three or four big tugs on the new sheet, it’s properly trimmed. Good footwork by the crew is key, and of course none of this works if the skipper turns too slowly or too fast. If you turn too slowly, the chute doesn’t blow through; if you turn too fast, you risk wiping out. In less than 6 knots of wind, the crew jibes the spinnaker conventionally, by simply pulling it around jib. The helmsman should turn the boat more slowly, so the trimmer can ease the chute until it’s in front of the headstay. When it’s really windy, say 18 to 22 knots, a blow-through jibe is still fastest. If you prefer something more conservative, try catching a wave, point dead downwind, and pull the spinnaker around in a more conventional jibe style. This eliminates the risk of wiping out in a blow-through turn, but it can also get tippy if you stay dead downwind so long that the boat comes off the wave. How do you make a fast spinnaker set? The key to a quick set is a strong middle crew and a well-lubed spinnaker and bag. The tack and and the pole-out line are the same, which means you raise the chute most of the way before setting the pole. On our boat, we make sure to mark the sheet and always have it cleated before the set. On a jibe-set, the middle person hoists (without pre-cleating the spinnaker sheet) and the pole goes out normally. As the sail is going up, the skipper turns the boat dead downwind or to a broad reach and waits for the chute to reach full hoist before making the jibe. The pole goes out as the chute goes up and the spinnaker-retrieval line comes free. What are the keys to a good spinnaker takedown on the Viper? Put your strongest person on the spinnaker-retrieval line, which is attached to the middle of the sail. They will use their whole body—legs, arms, and back. The helmsman should leave room to turn downwind briefly during the drop. As the helmsman turns the boat down, the trimmer releases the sheet and takes up on the retrieval line until it’s taut; then the forward crew pops the halyard and immediately lets go of the pole-out line. As the middle crew hauls in the chute, the forward crew watches out for tangles in the halyard or anything else. In light air, you can drop the spinnaker at the leeward mark; in a breeze, at 18 knots, it’s good to leave some extra time. Like other top teams, we dedicate a lot of practice to this maneuver! How do you recover from a broach or capsize? Although it’s not common, you can capsize and turtle the Viper 640. Recovery is like any other dinghy. It’s not difficult but it’s not fast either. On the other hand, it’s easy to recover from a broach. Make sure you move crew weight aft in the boat, release the vang, and backwind the jib. Often, that’s all it takes to make the boat bear off; if necessary, release the spinnaker halyard. Or, if you’re strong enough, you can try the “pro move” of pulling the chute around the headstay to backwind the chute as well as the jib. What are recommended boathandling drills? On the Viper 640, you can’t practice too many spinnaker sets, jibes and douses, including making layline calls in all wind speeds. You might bear off 15 degrees between 7 and 12 knots. Also, learn how to do hot drops when you’ve overstood and are approaching the mark at a fast angle. The coolest thing about the Viper 640 class? What’s great about this class is the culture of knowledge sharing among all the top sailors, sailmakers, and builders. People are easy to talk to and learn from if you’re struggling. Daily debriefs are the norm and people hang out together after racing; it’s common for sailors to eat from a pasta buffet and stand around the keg, listening in a big circle for nuggets of wisdom. READ MORE

J/105 DOWNWIND TIPS AND TRICKS How to sail as deep as possible while still keeping your speed up We often see teams get a little too relaxed when sailing downwind, even though this is where you will make the largest gains (and losses) when racing your J/105. You are trying to get to the bottom mark as fast as possible, so you need to sail as deep as possible while still keeping your speed up. Since the J/105 is primarily a displacement boat and doesn’t plane easily, the key is to coordinate several critical elements as you sail through velocity changes. Puffs and lulls Sailing with the wind, you will only see about half as many puffs as you did sailing upwind, so it is critical to designate one crew to call the breeze. A constant stream of verbal puff and lull communication will help keep your team in sync and anticipate the next change in velocity. Helming The goal for the helm is to minimize rudder movements while steering the boat downwind, using crew movement and sail trim to steer the boat. Make sure you are in a comfortable position with good visibility. We often see the helm trying to sit too far forward, which makes it difficult to steer accurately. As a driver, you are going to be working hard all race, so get comfortable! Kite Trimming The spinnaker trimmer and helm should maintain a continuous dialogue, discussing the pressure on the spinnaker and the correct angle to sail. “Up in the lulls and down in the puffs”…right? Yes, but make sure the angle changes are slow and smooth. As the breeze starts to drop, begin to “heat” up slowly—before the boat speed crashes—until you reach the angle that will keep your speed up in less breeze. When the puff returns, bear away and gradually build speed until you reach the new lower target angle. In non-planing boats like the J/105, the goal is to get the spinnaker to rotate to weather, which increases its projected area and gets the sail out of the disturbed air behind the mainsail. To accomplish this we use both heel angle and tack line ease. In all but very light wind, keep the boat flat (or even slightly heeled to weather). This will also help the boat sail deeper in the puffs with less helm movement. Generally speaking, you can ease the tack line of the spinnaker as long as it goes straight up or to weather; if it goes to leeward when eased, keep it tight. Weight placement The J/105 is very responsive to weight placement, and moving crew weight to help turn the boat will minimize the amount of rudder needed.To head up, the crew leans to leeward; to head down, the crew hikes/leans to windward. In light air, we like to keep only the helm and main trimmer behind the cabin top winches; put the rest of the crew at the shrouds. As the breeze picks up, we move weight back just enough to keep the bow from digging in. At least once a season, we like to completely empty the boat of EVERYTHING. This is a great way to see how much excess weight is on board, as well as an opportunity to pare back to the bare necessities. Stabilize the rig Keeping the rig from bouncing around in puffs and waves will mean the sails are pulling the boat forward and not just moving the mast. Apply enough backstay tension to make it “just snug”, and tension the jib sheets after furling to take the “slop” out of the headstay. Four Modes of Downwind Sailing Light air VMG In VMG mode, the apparent wind will be around 90 degrees. Make sure the trimmers are easing sails in the puffs so the driver can work lower. The crew will be sitting forward and to leeward in the light spots, moving to the centerline and even up to weather in the puffs to help steer the boat down. Constant communication between the trimmers and helm is critical! Moderate air running The crew sits just behind the shrouds, heeling the boat to weather to help rotate the spinnaker out from behind the main. Ease the tack line as much as possible while keeping the spinnaker stable; don’t let the tack fall to leeward. Heavy air running The crew slides aft to help grind in the spinnaker and to keep the bow from digging in. If you are having a hard time steering straight, there is too much weight forward. Wing on Wing Sailing wing and wing can be very beneficial, especially for tactical reasons. Our recommendation is to sail conventionally, unless the water is very flat or you need to dig low for tactical reasons. A winged-out spinnaker is not as stable, and recovering from a collapse is very slow. When all of these variables work in harmony, huge gains can be made by continuously sailing lower and faster and smoother than the boats around you. By working on these elements in practice and then applying what you learn on the race course, you can definitely “up your game.” 10 knots of wind. Crew forward and to weather to help the spinnaker rotate to weather. The tack line is eased to increase luff windward projection. Two people looking aft to ensure that we get into and stay in the puffs. Crew forward and to weather with good spinnaker rotation. Wing on wing in FLAT water. Crew forward and to weather with spinnaker trimmer holding sheet out to ensure that it is not affecting trim. Crew looking aft to help find puffs. READ MORE

JIBING YOUR VIPER 640: HERO OR ZERO Boat Handling Goes A Long Way Whether you are gybing your Viper in 5 knots, 15 knots or 25 knots, A LOT can be gained or lost. Having the confidence that your crew can nail a stellar jibe at just the right moment in any condition is a truly liberating feeling that can see your team leaving other boats in the dust. No matter how much wind there is, the keys to a successful jibe are: Steering with your body weight Rate of tiller movement Getting the spinnaker filled on the new jibe Hitting the exit angle CONVENTIONAL JIBE If the wind is very light (under about 6 knots or so) you should try doing a “conventional jibe”. This method guarantees that the spinnaker is going to make it around the headstay (as long as everyone keeps their feet off the sheets!) which takes away the risk of messing up the “blow thru” part of the blow thru-jibe. There is nothing worse than having to pull the spinnaker off the windward side of the jib after failing to execute a blow-thru in light air. You’re dead in the water! To execute the conventional jibe, the first thing to do is move body weight to weather to induce a down turn. The turn down can be slow so don’t move the tiller too much at first. The trimmer should slowly ease the sheet out as the boat turns down until they feel the pressure leave the sheet. This is usually right at about dead down wind with the clew of the kite eased to being nearly even with the head stay. At this point, the trimmer drops the existing sheet and starts whaling on the new sheet, pulling it around as the helmsman speeds up the rate of turn, ultimately hitting the right exit angle, which needs to be high enough on the new jibe that the spinnaker is able to fill. This depends a lot on how light it really is. Whatever the crew can do to generate a bit of roll throughout this process is really helpful to keeping the speed up in the jibe. Both the helmsman and the forward crew should stay on the old windward (or new leeward) side as long as it takes for the trimmer to fill the kite and get situated on the new board. There is always time to cross the boat! BLOW-THRU JIBE As soon as the wind is above 6 knots, we use the blow-thru method all the way up the wind range. To execute a good blow-thru, first be sure that both sheets are ready to run clean. Just like in light air, it is important to try to steer the boat with body weight, so have all the crew lean to weather to start the jibe. As the boat begins to turn down, the trimmer should give 1-3 good pumps of the existing sheet (depending on how long their arms are!) which flattens out the spinnaker and makes it easier for the breeze to now fill it on the new side. The jib trimmer can also trim the existing sheet in at this time. It’s very important that, after the initial down turn using body weight, the helmsman really tugs the tiller and turns sharply. The forward crew should have to hang on tight so they don’t get ejected! A good blow-thru means that the kite goes from full one side to full on the other side as quickly as possible. Doing a fast turn enables a quick transition for the kite so practice over-exaggerated turns and then start to slow yourself down if you are too quick (I bet you won’t be!). As we are passing dead down wind and the spinnaker has lost all its pressure (and while the helm is still hard over) we recommend having the forward crew reach up to the spinnaker clew and give it a nice yank down and back. This puts tension on the leech and flattens the sail, making it much easier to fill onto the backwinded jib. A critical part of the sail actually blowing around the headstay is that it actually fills from the leech first. This little yank makes this much for likely to happen. At about the same time the forward crew does the yank, the trimmer should now be over to the new sheet which should only require a few big pulls since the wind is now doing most of the work for you. This is the time when it is really important that the helmsman finds the right exit angle. As soon as they see that they’ve turned fast enough to execute the blow-thru, they can slow the turn down a bit and start to try to feel the boat based on its heel angle. If the boat is dead flat, you need to keep turning up to the appropriate exit angle. If you feel you’re starting to wipe out….. Time to ease the sheets, get to the high side and try to turn back down a bit! (scooting aft in the boat can help avoid a wipe out too) After the kite is all the way around the head stay and filling on the new side, the jib trimmer can go ahead and switch the jib as well. The method of this jibe really doesn’t change much in the different wind speeds – you just need to practice a lot in all conditions to hone in on the variables like rate of turn, exit angle, and how much sheet you need to go through. HEAVY AIR If you are starting to get towards “survival conditions” for your team, you can reintroduce the “conventional jibe” again. It may be a little less risky in terms of wiping out. The key here is to try to find a good wave to surf down as you begin the jibe so that the load on the sails decreases. As you are surfing down the wave, you can ease the kite out a few feet, get to dead down wind and then flick the main over and cross the boat. Once the main and the crew have switched sides, the boat becomes a lot more stable. Then the trimmer can pull (hard!) on the new sheet to start to pull it around as the helmsman conservatively turns up to find the angle where the kite will fill again. This method won’t be quite as fast as a perfectly nailed blow-thru jibe in 25 knots, but it is a heck of a lot faster than turning over from messing one up! READ MORE

J/70 JIB TRIMMING FOR SPEED Jib Lead and In-hauling Settings for the J-6 Jib Trimming the jib on the J/70 involves both technique and accuracy. Proper jib trim will help balance the boat and help in boat speed and pointing ability. While achieving the proper trim is the goal, being able to repeat the trim consistently will also make a big impact on your boat’s performance. The important factors in proper jib trim are the lead car position, jib sheet tension, in-hauler tension, jib halyard tension and reference marks to repeat all the settings. The final trim position for the J/70 jib is a balance between the sheet tension and in-hauler tension. When the jib is trimmed in, the leech of the jib should be lined up with the spreader stripes (between 18”-22” from the side of the mast). Within this range, your upper jib leech telltale should be flowing 90-100% of the time. Trim in until it just stalls then ease a hair until it starts flowing again. This is your max trim. Jib Car Position The first step in jib trim on the J/70 is jib lead car position. Setting this position is important as it affects all of the other settings. Combining the jib lead car position with the amount of sheet tension, in-hauler and halyard tension allows the trimmer to manipulate the sail to fit the conditions and style of the skipper. When discussing the position of the jib lead car, we reference the number of holes visible behind the first deck mounting screw in front of the car once in a position. Windward Sheet On the J/70, we use the windward, or lazy jib sheet as an ‘in-hauler’ to pull the clew of the jib to windward and more inboard. When setting the in-hauler tension, our reference point is the distance the clew of the jib is away from the side of the cabin house. J-6 Jib: For the J-6 some in-hauler is always required. In very choppy conditions, use less in-hauler with the clew at 2”-3” from the cabin house and the lead at 5-6 holes showing. In light to moderate chop the clew can be at or just inside the cabin house with the lead at 6 -7 holes showing. In very flat water the lead can go back more to 7-8 holes showing. J-2 Jib: Our go to setting for the J-2 is 2” from the cabin house. In Flat water we may go to 1” away and in moderate chop conditions 2.5-3.5”. In big waves and chop we may go with no in-hauler. Remember that the less in-haul is used, the farther forward the jib car needs to be. For the J-2 jib with no in hauler, the car should be around 3-4 holes showing and with a lot of in-hauler on and the jib clew is at 1” from the cabin house, there should be 5-6 holes showing in front. Jib Halyard The jib halyard on the J/70 is rigged with a fine tune purchase that can be adjusted while sailing. In lighter winds, the jib halyard should be set so that there are slight wrinkles appearing in the first panel along the luff of the sail (approx. 4-8” back from luff of sail). If wrinkles extend further back in the sail, or no wrinkles appear at all, the halyard should be adjusted to compensate. As the wind gets stronger, and the sails need to be de-powered, the jib halyard should be tightened just to the point where the wrinkles along the luff disappear. As the halyard is tightened and loosened, it is important to keep in mind that the halyard tension also affects the leech tension of the jib and the sheet and/ or in-hauler may need to be adjusted to compensate. Make Marks Make reference marks on jib sheets for both the sheet tension and in-hauler tension. Having reference marks will make it much easier to duplicate your trim settings quickly. Jib sheet and deck reference marks help accurately repeat trim settings It is a good idea to experiment with different settings for each control to get used to how each control affects the sail and how they interact with each other The basic effect of the three jib controls, lead car position, in-hauler and jib halyard is: Jib Lead Car Position Forward = Tighter leech, round foot Aft = Open leech, flat foot In-hauler More = Tighter leech, round foot Less = Open leech, flat foot Jib Halyard More = Flatter sail Less = Deeper sail ** Counting the number of open holes in front of the jib lead car and after the first bolt identifies jib lead position. *** The distance (in inches) from the clew of the jib to the side of the cabin identifies in-haul measurement. Use less In-Haul when lead is forward and more in-haul when lead is aft. After setting the sheeting position of the jib, the trimmer needs to constantly check to ensure the trim remains correct as the conditions change. Since the jib on the J/70 is high aspect (tall and thin) changes in the conditions have a significant impact on the trim of the sail. For this reason, there are telltales attached to the upper leech of the jib to help the trimmer know when the sail is going to stall. When the sail is trimmed properly for upwind, the leech telltales will be flowing and if the telltales begin to stall, the sail will need to be adjusted to regain the flow. Most often, only a small adjustment is needed to help return the proper trim and flow to the sail. The reference marks on your spreaders will also help with jib trim. You will find that in 10+knots in flat water you may be able to sheet so the jib leech is at the inside, 18” spreader mark and the leech telltale is still flowing. When it is light and lumpy you will find that the leech will need to be closer to the outside 22” spreader mark. Easing the jib sheet slightly is the first step in returning flow to the jib. Normally, this will only require an inch (or less) of sheet to be eased out. If the leech telltales continue to stall when the leech is sheeted in to the spreader stripes, other adjustments need to be made to properly trim the sail. Since the telltales indicate the stalling of the upper leech of the sail, adding twist is likely the solution. The two ways to best achieve more twist in the jib, is to move the lead car aft and use less sheet tension. As described earlier, both adjustment will add twist to the sail and help regain the twist and flow at the top of the sail. Other J/70 Speed Resources: J/70 Speed Guide J/70 Full Tuning Guide J/70 XCS-1/J-6 Quick Tuning Chart READ MORE

North Sails class leaders Zeke Horowitz and Juan Carlos Romero answer your International Optimist Dinghy speed and boathandling questions. Who sails an Optimist Dinghy? The pram-style Optimist is a great starter boat for learning to sail and later learning to race, and youth sailors can literally take their Optimist Dinghy to whatever level they want. Any motivated young Optimist sailor will develop both confidence and dinghy sailing skills, from boathandling techniques to big-fleet strategy and tactics; some will go on to race at the highest levels. The sailors who do best in the class are those who spend the most time sailing their boats, usually with a good coach, strong sailing program, and ample resources. The International Optimist Dinghy Association is the biggest one-design class in the world. Top young Optimist sailors line up on the starting line at a clinic held on Miami's Biscayne Bay. Who is the ideal Optimist sailor physically? Sailors should be fit and agile, able to move gracefully and hike out for extended periods. Those who do best are usually 12 to 14 years old and weigh up to 110 pounds. Regionally, top sailors can still compete at 115 or even 120 pounds. Girls sail equally with boys, and it’s common to see three or four girls in the top 10 at any regatta. What are three top Optimist speed tips? Find a good coach and team. Focus hard while you’re on the water. Do well in school so you can miss days while off sailing. What should buyers know when choosing an Optimist Dinghy? Any sailor’s first boat is typically a used boat, to allow for collisions due to inexperience with dock landings and being in close quarters with other boats. Competitive sailors will normally move up to new boats as they reach higher levels. Older boats can remain competitive, but heavy travel and racing schedules put a fair amount of wear and tear on the boats. As a result, used boats may need gelcoat dings and scratches repaired. A fully outfitted new boat may run $5,500, while a good used boat costs 30 to 40 percent less. Keep in mind that you can purchase different sizes of boom section with different stiffness, although most sailors stick with a mid-range version. As a sailor grows, a stiffer boom may be preferred. If your mast is extremely bendy, it may also help to replace it with a stiffer one as experience and size merit. How do you move an Optimist Dinghy around? An Optimist weighs only 35 kilograms (77 pounds), which makes it easy to put on top of a car. There are also many trailering options; some teams own trailers that carry up to 18 boats, plus a coach boat! How long does it take to rig an Optimist Dinghy? Rigging time depends on how focused the sailor is on the task, but it’s not hard to have a boat ready in 40 minutes. What’s most time-consuming is attaching the sail to the spars, which in the Optimist requires tying knots in a way that’s carefully prescribed by the rules (see the North Sails Optimist Tuning Guide). The goal is to match the luff curve with how much the mast will bend in a given condition, which varies depending on a sailor’s weight. How many sails are allowed? Top sailors will take two sails to a regatta, but just one sail is allowed for the duration of the event; the other is a backup in case of a breakdown. There is some nuance to selecting Optimist sails, but North presents a good choice of radial or crosscut sails of different size depending on the sailor’s weight. Read more about what North offers, from a crossover sail for beginners, to two crosscut and four radial-cut racing sails. International Optimist Dinghy Tuning What are the keys to rig set-up? Tuning the rig on a boat with an unstayed mast is different than on other boats. It starts before you attach the sail on the mast; first measure your mast rake—from the top of the mast to the edge of the coaming on the transom—and then move the adjustable mast step until you get the right rake measurement for your weight. This is your “base” setting. The process is detailed in the North Tuning Guide. The Tuning Guide also covers the critical process of tying the sail to the boom, mast, and sprit, and connecting the sprit correctly to the mast. Properly eased outhaul tension shows wrinkles at each sail tie giving ample power to the lower part of the sail. What control systems are unique to the Optimist? Having a sprit pole, and a line to change the tension on it, is not the norm on most one-design racing boats. Sprit tension controls leech tension, but if you have too much, a wrinkle will appear between the tack and the peak of the sail. A sail that’s set right for upwind sailing often develops the same wrinkle when you turn downwind, so you’ll often need to ease the sprit tension at that point to get rid of the wrinkle. Preventers are another unusual concept on the Optimist. They are needed because of the way the sail, boom, and sprit are connected with the mast. The top preventer keeps the sail from popping off the top of the mast, and in heavy air, it can be tightened to force the sail to set lower on the mast. The lower preventer, called the boom preventer, maintains boom position on the mast and helps you set the right luff tension for the conditions. There are strict rules about how high or low the sail can be on the mast—a mark on the sail must fall between two marks on the mast to be legal.These controls are described in the Tuning Guide as well. We recommend the Guide to every new sailor and Opti parent. A modest wrinkle from the top of the mast extending toward the end of the boom indicates correct sprit tension. Optimist Dinghy Upwind Sailing How do you trim the sail upwind in light air? Here’s a checklist to run through if you’re sailing upwind in light enough air to be sitting in the boat. Set your mast rake a bit aft of your base setting, since your mast is probably not going to bend under this wind condition (see Tuning Guide). Ease the outhaul until any horizontal crease in the foot disappears and some vertical creases show up above each sail tie; the creases should not pass above the first seam in the sail. Luff tension should be eased enough that as you sail into a puff, horizontal wrinkles appear at the sail ties along the mast. To be sure you’re not closing the leech too much, ease the sprit pole just to the point that a wrinkle appears from the top of the mast to the clew. Focus on where to trim the boom relative to the corner of the transom—a good general rule is no farther inboard than the corner, or leave it just outside. Shown sailing in a clinic (without sail numbers), these Optimist Dinghies show off the design’s distinct profile with sprit rig and squared off bow and stern. When sailing in medium winds, how should the sail be trimmed upwind? Move the mast rake back to your base setting when you move to the rail, and in choppy conditions, pull the outhaul tight enough so the vertical creases at the boom sail ties extend only up to the first seam. Smooth out the wrinkles in the luff by removing one twist in your boom preventer, so you achieve a round, deep nice shape for the entry. You want moderate luff tension, but you don’t want it tight. Trim the sprit so the sail is very smooth, and trim the mainsheet so the boom is right over the corner or just inside the corner of the transom. In hiking mode or heavy air upwind, how do you trim the sail? When hiking, rake the mast a bit forward from your base setting to compensate for how the mast will bend. Have your outhaul tight enough that a crease shows in the foot, until you fill the sail with wind. Take another twist off the boom preventer to get good tension on the luff. Sprit pole tension should still be tight and the sail, smooth. When trimming, ease the boom to the corner of the boat and sometimes just outside the corner. When the Optimist is sailing upwind, overpowered, how should the sail be trimmed? When you’re fully hiking and still overpowered, you want to have the mast raked aft (2 cm from base setting, as per the Tuning Guide). You should also have more tension on the outhaul—on shore you may have a crease in the sail, but when the sail fills it should be deeper than that from the foot to the first seam. The key depowering technique is to loosen the sprit tension, take another twist off the preventer, and push the boom down hard to pull on the vang—then, pull only some of the sprit tension back on, which leaves the sail with a wrinkle from the top of the mast to the clew. This indicates that the top of the sail is flat and the leech is open, which will help you keep the boat upright. Check that when you flick the luff of the sail with your fingers, it is super tight. Tighten the bridle safety line to the boom so it is also super tight; now your mainsheet tension will start bending the boom a bit, further flattening the bottom part of your sail. The other way to depower is to pull the daggerboard up a little, but use this as a last resort. Demonstrating good upwind sail trim, this Optimist sailor is flying her leech telltales and has the boom trimmed at or near the transom corner. What are the key gear changes in an Optimist when sailing upwind? The Optimist sailor’s focus when sailing upwind is primarily on body movement, mainsheet trim, and steering the boat. None of the sail controls are adjusted. When there are choppy conditions or a big wave, bear off and ease the sail to stay powered up. In a flat spot, trim harder to improve your pointing. Because the Optimist is a hard-chine boat, keeping the boat flat is critical—the boat makes leeway and the rudder works like a brake when you allow heel. What else is important upwind? One important technique to learn is “sailing and bailing.” Two buckets are attached to the boat with bungee cords, and the technique is to scoot aft and squeeze the bailer bucket between your front leg and the bulkhead, rocking the boat to windward to fill the bailer by feathering the boat up and hiking at the right time. Move your mainsheet and tiller extension to the same hand and use your free hand to toss the water in the bailer overboard. Don't forget that a full bailer of water weighs 8 pounds, which is quite a bit of weight working against you when it’s sloshing around the floor of your boat. Optimist Dinghy Downwind Sailing Where do you sit when sailing the Optimist downwind? Heading downwind, you always sit on the rail, heeling a little to windward to lift the leeward chine out of the water and to tilt the sail a little higher. In light air and until you’re surfing, stay forward, with your shins against the bulkhead. Effectively, you’re staying in the middle of the boat. In surf and big waves, move aft quite a bit to avoid submarining the bow under a wave and then move forward again. The amount of fore-and-aft body movement is greater in an Optimist than in some other singlehanders because the bow is blunt, so in waves you need to work hard to keep it above water. How do you trim downwind? As a general rule when heading straight downwind, let the sail out until it’s about 90 degrees from the boat’s centerline. In very light air, it’s good to sail by the lee, letting the main out past 90 degrees, because it helps the boom to stay out as you heel to windward. Otherwise, the most important adjustment is your sprit tension. In light to medium winds, ease the sprit slightly when you round the weather mark so that the sail looks smooth. You’ll also raise your daggerboard fully out of the water, unless you need to hike or you have surfing conditions; then we recommend having a third of the board in the water to maintain good steering control. This sailor’s downwind trim shows slight windward heel, mainsheet eased to 90 degrees, and daggerboard fully raised. How much pumping of the main is fast downwind? Pumping the main is fast any time there’s good wind and waves. Top sailors grab the sheet at the ratchet block and pump it by extending their hand up over their heads. You are allowed one pump per wave, and at major regattas there are on-water judges keeping count. How do you shift gears when sailing an Optimist downwind? Think about how far in or out you have the boom, and think about how much you should be moving fore and aft. In max light air, the daggerboard is up, the boom is out past 90 degrees, and you’re focused on keeping the boat as quiet and at as steady an angle of heel as possible. In 20 knots, it’s completely different—the board is only two-thirds of the way up, you are pumping on every wave, and you are moving all over the place. Optimist Dinghy Boathandling What are the keys to starting well in an Optimist? It’s important to get into the front row and hold your position on the line in advance of the start. It’s also key not to get flagged for sculling with your rudder. This takes practice, always keeping the boat moving but at the slowest speed possible. You want just enough flow across the leech of your main to hold your spot. The boats tack quickly, so we recommend that you learn to do a quick double-tack; sometimes when there’s space to windward, you can tack twice and gain valuable room on your lee side for acceleration. What are the keys to tacking an Optimist well? In light air, the key is rolling at the right time. Be patient, and wait until the boat is head to wind before you start the roll. Start from sitting inside the boat. As the boat passes head to wind, move to the old windward side to initiate the roll. Then hop across to the new windward side, trying to land inside the boat so as not to over flatten. Steering from behind your back, move what was your forward, mainsheet hand aft to hold the tiller extension as well, then bring your other hand around and take the mainsheet. In all conditions, over-trim the mainsheet when you start your tack until head to wind so you maintain flow on your sail, then ease it through rest of the process and finally trim the sheet afterwards, usually after the boat has been flattened. In medium air, you make the same move, but it happens faster and you’re moving from rail to rail. The main trim is the same. When it’s windy, you hardly roll the boat and simply move quickly across, grabbing the rail with one hand to get there. Ease the main during the tack once you pass head to wind and then trim when fully hiked. What are the worst mistakes in tacking an Optimist? Over-rolling the boat and filling it with water is easily the worst mistake. In light air, be sure not to use too much rudder. That’s slow, and so is not getting enough roll. We have one word to describe finding the right amount of roll for each condition—practice! What are the keys to jibing an Optimist well? In light air, keep it smooth. Have the boat rocked to weather already, then just lean in and grab the parts of the mainsheet, lean out, and pull the sail over. Stand up and walk across the boat to avoid a big splash, then transition to heel the boat again to windward. In medium winds, your roll jibe is the same but involves a quick hop across the boat (as you would in a tack). In heavy air, the jibe is different. Your main goal is “Don’t flip over.” Try to pull the boom across while surfing a big wave because your sail will be less loaded and you’ll be more in control; however, you’ll often find the boom still has enough load on it to require a strong pull. A common mistake is to get stuck—you’ve turned the boat part way, but the main is too loaded to come across. When you are ready to jibe, jibe with confidence by making a decisive turn at the same time that you pull the main over. As the sail comes over, cross the boat quickly to the rail and steer back to leeward on the new jibe. Make sure the main doesn’t get eased beyond 90 degrees as you jibe, or you’ll surely flip. Do you have any other suggestions for jibing in heavy air? The chicken jibe (also known as “tacking”) is popular when it’s blowing. If you’re a less-experienced heavy-air sailor and not sailing in the top 20, this is a great way to be sure you’ll stay in the race. Can you recover on your own from capsizing an Optimist? An Optimist sailor can “self-rescue” because the boat has three air bags. Make sure they are fully inflated so less water gets in the boat. If you flip, right the boat from the windward side and spend at least one minute standing in the boat and bailing hard with both bailers, which are attached to the boat with bungee cords. At that point you can start sailing and bail out the rest as you go. What boathandling drills do you recommend? Practice making 720-degree turns. Doing circles not only is good practice for when you may have to clear yourself from a foul in a race, but also teaches you to sail the boat well, using your body weight to trim and turn the boat. The Optimist has a huge rudder, which also makes 720s fast, but good movement and trim is the key. The board is down and the main is powered up for the turn at the leeward mark. A bit of leeward heel would reduce the amount of rudder required. What are the most common Optimist boathandling mistakes? Let’s start with not capsizing. It takes practice to learn where the edge is in heavy air. Other mistakes we see include using too much rudder instead of doing smooth roll tacks and roll jibes. This applies to sailing in a straight line, too. For example, avoid using too much rudder downwind. If you start heeling to weather too much, the boat wants to head down. Instead of pushing the tiller to compensate, shift your body weight to leeward and trim the main. What’s the coolest thing about the International Optimist Dinghy class? The Opti class is by far the largest and most dynamic one-design class, in part because it has the most variables on the planet. Parents, coaches, and thousand of young sailors, growing up through a super-sensitive time of their lives. The basic strategies and tactics the class requires are a great outlet and an excellent way to learn the values of discipline and conservative decision-making. Whether you travel and learn about getting through airports and how to make friends in other countries, or you simply learn to take care of your own boat and sail on your own, Optimist sailing is a chance for you to learn a whole lot about yourself in a supportive, fun, rewarding environment. The Optimist is sailed all over the world and has a half dozen continental championships. After sailors age out, some go on to contend for Laser Radial and 4.7 world titles, and many become leading competitors in doublehanded classes such as the 420 and 29er. A final testament to the class: the great majority of skippers at the 2016 Olympics got their start in the Optimist class. READ MORE

The boat appeals to these different groups because it’s fun to sail—it’s a mixture of dinghy and keelboat—and it’s not technically too difficult.  READ MORE

SPEED READING: HOW TO MAINTAIN FOCUS WHILE OFFSHORE Surviving Times of Isolation 📸Konrad Frost Day after day, mile after mile, distance racing reminds us of that never-ending feeling of being stuck in one place for extended periods of time. Hear more from Casey Smith(CS) how to cope with those long periods of isolation where you can only do so much. Casey is a two-time Volvo Ocean Race veteran and was a key member onboard during all of Comanche’s record runs and race wins. Casey knows a lot about being stuck out at sea, but still finds humor in the little things and gets his job done, which is most important. Here are Casey’s tips for maintaining focus while isolated at sea for days on end: What’s the longest race you’ve done? CS: For sure it’s the Volvo Ocean Race. Four hours-on, four hours-off, the whole way around the world. Waking up and coming on deck “Oh, hi. Fancy seeing all you guys here! And look, that other boat we are racing against is still right there, and it has been for the last week!” Do you have a sequence of things you think about that help you stay focused? CS: Sleep. Eat. Four hours on watch. Repeat (10, 20, 30+ days…). Do the days blend together or do you lose track of time? CS: For sure you lose track of the days of the week you never lose track of time because the whole boat revolves around time. The four hour watch rotation or the weather schedules and boat position schedules are all very closely followed and everyone wants as much time to rest as possible and also know how you are doing on the fleet. 📸Yann Riou What are some things you think about while you are sailing for extended periods of time? CS: You just need to concentrate on the competition aspect of the race; that’s why you are out there in the first place. Compete and try to win. It’s really important to put everything into sailing the boat 100%. How do you maintain your focus if the weather gets rough and you are on the same tack/jibe for hours on end? CS: Focus comes from wanting to win. Chances are if it’s windy and downwind are probably going fast. You want to make sure you are the fastest boat and keep the pedal down. If you’re sailing upwind, and conditions are windy and rough, that’s a bit tougher because it’s hard to sleep during the off-watch and your energy is a bit lower. Being on the same tack or jibe for long periods is great as it means you get a break from moving sails and equipment so everything has a silver lining! What advice can you give to someone who is sailing offshore for their first time in relation to staying focused and not feeling overwhelmed? CS: It’s all about making the boat go fast. Basically nothing else matters. You have a job to do, it might be helming, trimming, grinding, sail changing and everyone contributes to miles gained or lost. Do your job at 100% and keep the boat moving fast. Also, stay calm and level. There will be times when another boat (or boats) is doing better than you but stay calm and keep sailing your boat 100% as that’s all you can control. 📸James Blake When you are down below, if you are not sleeping, what do you do to still stay alert and ready for when it’s time for your shift to start? CS: Eat. Make coffee for the team. Tidy up the living space up. Dry water out of the bilge. Check the steering and other systems. Watch movies. What are your favorite foods to help stay awake and focused if you are the crew on shift? CS: We are usually limited on what foods we can have on board, so your mind does wander to what food you love and would love to be eating. The reality is you have never seen faces light up as much as when a fresh bag of jerky comes on deck. Coffee and warm drinks are huge as well, but chewing gum is needed after the jerky and coffee. Brushing your teeth is something that slips a little offshore. Is there anything you have vowed to do when you’ve been on a long leg? (Did you do it?) CS: Remember to load some more movies, music or books on the iPod. You can only watch the music video of Umbrella by Rihanna so many times. Staring at the horizon for so many hours on end, have you hallucinated offshore? CS: No hallucinations on deck but I’ve had some crazy dreams during the off watch. Also waking up and forgetting where you are and then slowly coming too. Then the realization of “crap, I’m on the boat and only one week into a six week leg from China to Rio.” READ MORE

STARTING STRATEGIES: LOW RISK, HIGH REWARD Tricks for a Better Race Start The first two minutes of a race is arguably the most important. Those first two minutes will define where you start on the line, and how much space is around you to accelerate. This makes starting one of the hardest skills to master in sailboat racing. Good news is there are a few tricks that can make starting much easier. These tricks focus on executing a start that is low-risk and has a high-reward. A low-risk start isn’t going to mean that you are leading at every windward mark, but it will keep your options open on the first beat so you can go where you want without being forced which will give you a better chance of rounding the top mark in the front of the pack. Once you are in the front, it is easier to hang in there. In the video below, our expert Mike Marshall talks us through a ten-boat start where one boat, in particular, had the opportunity to contain the fleet and have a low-risk start with just one small decision change. Instead, because they were too early, they had to sail down the line which then forced them into a high-risk starting situation that gave them no control of the race, or their competition. READ MORE

SPEED READING : OFFSHORE RACING North Sails Billy Sykes shares tips for racing offshore long distance © Rolex / Daniel Forster Billy Sykes joined Matt Allen for the 2017 Sydney-Hobart. Matt won this race 34 years ago, and just last year pulled off the overall corrected time win, where he was awarded the prestigious Tattersall Trophy. Over the course of the race, there were lessons learned but the overall experience was something the skipper and crew had well-prepared for. Billy shares his top five tips for doing a long distance offshore race based off his latest experience on the new TP52 Ichi Ban. Build your team with intent. Each crew member wears multiple hats. Going into a distance race, there will be times where the crew has to get some rest. Usually the crew will divide into shifts or groups to make this possible. While some of the crew is resting down below, the others are racing the boat to its full potential. During this time, you wouldn’t wake up your crew to come out on deck for a sail change, you’d simply execute it with the crew that was ondeck for that shift. Building your team with intent to let everyone take turns for each job is the reality of a long distance offshore race. There isn’t just one bowman. There isn’t just one kite trimmer. Having each crew member understand all positions, it makes the team stronger and contributes to the team’s overall success. © Rolex / Daniel Forster Make sure your crew is comfortable and confident at the helm. For an offshore race, it is crucial that all crew members can steer the boat with confidence. In our case during the Sydney-Hobart, Matt made sure all the trimmers were happy steering the boat so by the time we started the race, we all felt we knew the boat well. Over half the crew ended up helming over the course of the race so this preparation was critical. In big breeze downwind with the our biggest masthead spinnaker up, being able to change who was at the helm every hour was a fundamental piece of the success – everyone on our crew knew what to do so they were quick to make decisions and comfortable executing maneuvers. “Matt did a great job making sure all crew members could steer with confidence during the Sydney-Hobart. It was very challenging to steer the boat downwind in these conditions. The best for us was that we just kept pushing her hard, we never took the pedal off. Running at 24-30 knots with essentially our biggest masthead spinnaker up was so challenging, it was two stand-out helmsman in those conditions who took the tiller and did an exceptional job.” Choose your inventory wisely. During the Rolex Sydney-Hobart Race the sea-state was tremendous. Going into the race you have an idea of what to expect, and after do-diligence, you can be more assured you know what you need to get you to the finish line. Accounting for the wind directions, weather systems, and points of sail that you will likely be on helps determine what you want to have on hand. For most offshore racing, the navigators will try to get the boat into the best current that would lead you in the right direction of the mark. Sometimes however, that doesn’t help the sea-state factor you will experience, which can be bad and unavoidable in some cases making the sail choices, and range of each sail even more important. “Ichi Ban’s main took an absolute beating during the Sydney-Hobart last year. The sail was still perfectly fine, holding up to that type of wind pressure with no problems definitely shows what an exceptional product 3Di is.” © Rolex / Carlo Borlenghi Know your inventory and know how each sail works. Knowing what sails you have onboard, and when to use them is of most importance. Always keep in mind you may need one in a pinch. Choosing sails is like deciding tactics. Depending on what you have onboard that you can put up also dictates what sort of tactical maneuvers are possible with your given sail choice. Another part to this is that good sail management and some well-timed eases on the kite sheet prevented damage to our sails. “We all talked about the sail options we were going to bring a few nights before the start. We talked about combinations and racing style and what was going to work best. Essentially, I wouldn’t change anything that we took when we left Sydney Harbour.” Having an owner who sets expectations and is hands-on during the planning process. Having a confident owner is very important. Matt was very involved in choosing his sail inventory before the race. He knew what he wanted and that helped our team aid him in getting the right sails for the boat. Matt was there every step of the way to make sure we constructed the headsails and spinnakers out of the strongest materials possible so his inventory could handle a wider wind range. Our entire team here in Sydney worked hand-in-hand with Matt on this; the mainsail, headsail, and the spinnakers. We especially took some time to consider what DPI we were going to use for each upwind sail. Matt knew what he wanted, knew what he needed, and we were there to help him get exactly that. “The planning, thought, and research that Matt and the team did before the build even started made Ichi Ban the race winning boat it is today.” For the Sydney-Hobart race, Ichi Ban was equipped upwind with 3Di RAW 870 offshore mainsail, J2.5 3Di RAW 870, J4 3Di 870 ENDURANCE, 3Di RAW 760 FRO. Downwind she had the options of A2+. A3. A4, and A6. She also had a genoa staysail, made of 3Di RAW 870, and a spinnaker staysail. Ichi Ban‘s most frequently used sail was the A4 and genoa staysail. Her fastest speed recorded was 26 knots with an average speed of 16 knots. © Rolex / Carlo Borlenghi READ MORE

North Sails class leaders Will Keyworth and Seadon Wijsen answer your J105 speed and boathandling questions, including the coolest thing about the class. Who sails a J105? As the first keelboat with a retractable bowsprit, the J105 was a breakthrough when Rod Johnstone designed it for J/Boats in 1991, and nearly 700 boats were built. Because it has relatively small jibs and spinnakers and a displacement hull, the boat is easy to sail, yet it still delivers excitement in a breeze. Teams frequently include more women and youth sailors than other classes, and we find that it’s a great platform for a sailor with modest experience who wants to compete, but doesn’t have a super crew pool to start. If you climb aboard with three sails and an enthusiastic crew, you can quickly learn to jibe the chute. It takes a while to learn to get the most out of the boat when it’s underpowered, under 10 knots of wind, but that may be why the best sailors in this class tend to be the most persistent, gradually becoming more competitive. The class has restrictions on pros participating, which has combined with the boat’s simplicity, all-around performance, and large fleet to give it staying power as a class. The J105 combines simplicity with all-around performance and large fleets. What’s involved in crewing? Most teams sail with five or six sailors, and they include many husband-wife teams. There is no limitation on the number of sailors aboard; the total crew weight allowed is 474 kilograms or 1,045 pounds. In windy venues, such as San Francisco Bay, most teams sail at maximum weight, and those with less weight and less strength make up for it by adding the sixth person. We recommend recruiting a strong bow person to work the spinnaker around in jibes and pull it down at the leeward mark, and if they’re a little heavier than the typical bow person, it doesn’t seem to slow the boat down. On the other hand, the winches are adequately sized and the mainsail has enough purchase, so trimming isn’t overly physical, which means for those farther aft, quickness and the agility to move around is often more important than strength. Top three J105 speed tips? Spend time in the boat with a committed core crew. Learn appropriate sail trim and rig tune, especially when windy. Prep the hull and rig, clean the bottom, and save your best sails for big events. What should buyers know when choosing a J105? J/Boats isn’t building new boats currently due to low demand. Used boat prices range from $45,000-$90,000, and most are between $60,000 and $70,000. On older boats, you’ll commonly replace winches, the boom, and maybe the sprit. We see that top competitors in the class often seek an older boat built before production shifted to the SCRIMP (resin-infusion) method, because the boats are considered a little stiffer, with less weight in the hull and deck. By rule, the first 400 pounds of corrector weights on light boats can be added down low, although not in the keel sump. J/Boats points out that this “class wisdom” may be overstated because much of the SCRIMP boats’ weight is in a substantially heavier keel grid. They also point out that the hulls have more laminate stiffness and are less susceptible to water penetration in the core, particularly in the deck—a problem that needs to be addressed in many older boats. One of the other big decisions is whether to buy a boat with a wheel or tiller. Many like using tiller steering due to its lighter weight and feel, but in a heavy-air locale, almost everyone chooses wheel steering for better control. Both configurations win regattas, so our recommendation is that you choose whatever you are most comfortable using. Finally, it’s worth noting that J/Boats built a number of shoal-draft J105s over the years; you’ll want to buy one with a deep-draft keel to go racing. How do you move a J105 around to regattas? Double-axle J105 trailers are prolific in many regions as owners commonly trailer boats to events. If needed, you can often borrow a trailer. It’s not unusual for boats from both New England and California to meet at a regatta in the middle of the country. That doesn’t mean that rigging a boat is super quick. It takes most boat crews a day to get a boat ready to travel and another day to go back in the water. How many sails are required? The J105 class allows you to sail with two jibs, two spinnakers and one main, but the spinnakers are identical, so the second is typically an older kite kept as a spare. Sails can be changed between races, so a boat with a light and medium jib will switch sails as the breeze builds. In broad terms, a light-air jib is used in 0 to 10 knots, the medium covers 8 to 16, and the heavy can be used in 14 and above. If the water is relatively flat, the medium jib will provide good speed in most winds strong enough to start a race. Because boats often come with a large inventory of used sails, many new owners find they can buy a new main, spinnaker and medium jib and be competitive, with older sails used for low-key races or daysailing. The class sail-purchase limits are reasonably liberal. You can buy three sails in one year and then two sails, the next. The mains must be made of woven Dacron and may be made of heavier cloth for windy venues like San Francisco where they are subject to a fair amount of flogging. Laminated jibs are permitted, which includes recent approval for North’s more durable 3Di sails—both medium and light-air jibs. (See North’s J105 sail products) Leading the jib sheet to the windward winch keeps weight on the high side and allows the mainsheet trimmer to adjust the trim. J105 Tuning What are the keys to rig set-up? When tuning up the J105 to race, we pay the most attention to 1) mast-butt position, 2) headstay sag, and 3) shroud tension on the D1 (lower), D2 (intermediate), cap (upper). There is only one correct butt position, so you only need to set that once, as per the North Sails Tuning Guide. The guide also explains how to adjust each set of shrouds for different wind strengths. We stress learning about this because shroud tension affects headstay tension and how much the headstay sags under different loads. Getting headstay sag right is also a little finicky, because the mast sits at different heights from boat to boat, varying by as much as 25mm due to the way the interior pan goes into the hull. To determine your headstay sag, we recommend sighting up the headstay with the backstay off —no more than 4 inches when it’s breezy and closer to 6 inches in light air. If you’re flying a medium jib in light air, you may need more sag, yet not so much that the headstay begins to bounce around in chop. Having enough sag in light air gives power to your jib, but if you have too much and you control it by tensioning the backstay as the wind comes up, you’ll end up over-flattening your main. Shroud tension also affects mid-mast sag. In lighter airs, you want less tension on the D1 and D2 shrouds so you can see 25 mm of leeward sag in the middle of the mast. In 12 knots and up, you’ll want no sag at all. What other control systems are important on the J105? Setting up to cross-sheet the jib (and then practicing your tacks) is critical in windy conditions, as is having good leverage on the vang. You are not allowed to in-haul the jib with the windward sheet, so that simplifies things somewhat. Mainsheets have fine tunes and you’ll find some variation. For example, some are led outboard so the helmsman can play the fine tune. Our view is that this is an area of personal preference and probably not a high priority for you if you’re a new J105 helmsperson. Let the mainsail trimmer handle the job while you focus on steering. For more tuning tips, read the J105 Tuning Guide Headstay sag on the J105 is adjusted by means of shroud tension; the sag should be about 6 inches in light air and no more than 4 inches when breezy. J105 Upwind Sailing How much heel is fast on a J105? In general, you should sail the boats pretty flat. A skilled driver will keep it flatter, but most important is to maintain a constant heel angle and consistent speed. If you need more heel to maintain consistency, that’s OK. Where does the crew sit? The boats are a bit stern heavy, so we always work to keep people forward and out of the cockpit. This is especially true with wheel boats, which have extra weight aft. If sailing with six, locate one person forward of shrouds; everyone else should be forward of the back edge of the cabinhouse; if sailing with five, sit the forward-most three close together, just behind the shrouds, followed by the mainsheet trimmer when he or she is able to get on the rail. When the wind lightens, there’s no fore-and-aft position change, just lateral movement, with the jib trimmer moving to leeward first. When possible, we move everyone a half a body width farther forward, with the mainsail trimmer scooting to the front of the cockpit. In heavier air, bring the forward-most person behind the shrouds to keep weight at max beam. How do you trim the J105 jib? The key move we make with the jib is to keep halyard tension soft, especially with new jibs. Be sure to put trim stripes on the spreaders as per the North Tuning Guide. The jib likes to be kept twisted, with the leech opened up slightly even as the sheet is trimmed pretty hard. Above 10 knots, you will sheet hard enough that you may begin to get a wrinkle between the tack and the clew. Watching for that is a good way to judge sheet tension. Many people move the lead too far forward because the foot looks abnormally tight, but it’s fast this way. Keep in mind that both jib and main will need to be twisted. In breeze, the J105 jib is sheeted hard with the lead far enough aft to keep the leech open. How do you trim the J105 main? Again, we focus on halyard tension on the mainsail—it’s critical. Until it gets breezy, don’t over-tension the halyard; you should have diagonal wrinkles from the slides on the luff. Also, your outhaul should be tight. Many people think they should always be streaming their top mainsail telltale, but because the top batten is full length, in reality it’s hard to stall the top. The sails are designed with a lot of twist in them so you can sheet hard as it gets windier. We recommend even in 8 knots that the top telltale should be stalled 60 percent of the time. The extra leech tension has the added benefit of pulling the headstay tighter, too, minimizing headstay sag. The J105 doesn’t like much heel. From 11 knots up, our team is fully hiked, and at 15 knots, we’re pulling on the permanent backstay and tightening the cunningham. The backstay flattens the main well and begins to twist open the sail again, minimizing heel and weather helm. That’s the real trick on this boat. Set the rig tune so your trim and your backstay work for both sails at the same time. If the headstay gets too saggy and the main gets too flat, you probably don’t have enough cap and D2 tension. The vang becomes critical in a breeze. In 8 to 10 knots, pull the vang snug. As the boat begins to get overpowered, pull it on firm. When using a lot of twist, it’s time for a two-hand pull, with feet against the cabinhouse. For the sake of your boom and mainsail, remember to ease the vang at the weather mark and let the cunningham off. How do you shift gears upwind? Besides hiking when the wind increases, shifting gears begins with adjusting the jib leads—moving the lead aft increases twist in the leech, which makes a big difference. The factory tracks have wide spacing between holes, so drill extra holes, one per inch. You should quickly move to maximize outhaul on the mainsail, apply backstay as needed, and begin easing your traveler down in the puffs. Don’t hesitate to add a lot of vang tension so you can ease mainsheet instead of traveler; as a rule, the traveler car rarely moves lower or higher than the bench seats on either side of the cockpit. Who says what when sailing upwind? We like to have a crew on the rail calling the puffs consistently, so the main trimmer can be proactive in keeping the boat upright. Likewise, calling the waves allows for better steering and easing of sheets in lighter air. Dialogue between the helm and main trimmer is critical—and even more so when using a wheel because the driver is less likely to feel the pressure on the rudder. The conversation when it’s windy is usually about having more or less twist in the sails. Is there too much helm and we’re going too slow? Twist the leeches. Not enough height? Reduce twist. The best sailor on many J105s is often the main trimmer because she is dialed in to both sail trim and boatspeed. Keep weight forward and low when sailing a J105 downwind, with two crew forward of the shrouds in lighter conditions. J105 Downwind Sailing Where are J105 crew located? Keep weight forward, out of cockpit. People also tend to stand a lot, but it’s faster to get down, keeping weight lower. On most boats, the main trimmer is at the companionway and the chute trimmer is at or ahead of the forward edge of the cockpit. All others move forward: in 0-8 knots, put two crew forward of the shrouds; in 9-16 knots, they can move just aft of the mast. The boat likes to be sailed fairly flat and, ideally, the helm goes neutral. If it’s light enough that you’re sailing VMG angles, you’ll have some crew to leeward for a slight leeward heel. In running conditions of 10-plus knots, all crew will move to weather and sail the boat flat. Over 12, you sail with a little weather heel, and when control becomes an issue at 16-plus, the crew slides aft. In 20-plus, a couple guys are sitting in the cockpit. How do you trim the spinnaker? On a J105 downwind, the basic moves are to ease the chute as far as possible and rotate it in front of the boat as much as you can. The main should be all the way out and the vang kept soft. The all-purpose and heavy-air spinnakers are the same size—the latter has bigger corner patches and a slightly different design to maximize projection. On both, the class-legal maximum luff is two feet short of ideal, so we generally sail with the tack line eased. This helps rotate the chute to windward—a good guide is not to ease it more than the height of the pulpit. As the breeze builds, you may trim down the tack line to within a foot of the pole. The key to speed is the conversation and coordination between helm and trimmer. In light air, we look for an angle where the boat feels good, with slight heel to leeward. The mistake that people often make is to heat up the boat too much in lulls and soak it too low in puffs. You need to smooth that out. Yes, you do scallop your way down the course, but do it gently. The good guys gain a lot this way, and for everyone else, this is one of the best areas to practice and improve. How do you shift gears downwind? The key transition downwind is in 9 to 11 knots, learning when you can sail deep and when to keep the boat sailing higher and faster. The tack line on the spinnaker is a good focal point for this: If the tack moves to leeward of vertical, pull the tack line toward the pole; if to weather, ease it out, with a total range of two or three feet. Another way to think of this is that in light air, when sailing VMG angles, the tack line is pulled towards the sprit and the main is trimmed for the angle. In medium air, when sailing deeper, the tack line is eased the most. Then, when control is an issue, tighten the tack line, which keeps the chute from oscillating. Another downwind tip is to “fraculate”—taking slack out of the headstay by trimming in the sheets on the rolled-up jib. This firms up the backstay and transfers the energy in the sails more directly to the hull. Near a leeward mark or at a finish line, you can also sail wing and wing, with the spinnaker on the opposite side from the mainsail. This takes practice and should be reserved for tactical situations, say the last five or six boatlengths to the mark. You can sail lower and just as fast, but don’t try it for extended periods; you risk collapsing the chute and losing more distance overall. In 12 knots of breeze, most J105 crew stay out of the cockpit and at or just aft of the mast. To "fraculate" or keep the rig steady with backstay eased, tension the jib sheets to remove headstay slack. J105 Boathandling What are your top tips to starting well in a J105? The J105 has a big keel and rudder, so you can sail pretty slowly before the start and not slide sideways much when you accelerate. However, the boat takes time to get up to speed. Practice accelerating from half speed to full speed before each race to learn how long it will take. Never let the boat stop or get too far from the line. You’ll see many J105 teams wait to unfurl their jib in the last minute before starting, because visibility is better and, without a luffing jib, it’s easier to hold position on the line. When doing so, keep your bow at a fast angle to the wind so you can unroll the jib and accelerate quickly. The one time we never keep our jib rolled is when the wind is really light—if you get totally parked, the rest of the fleet may be long gone by the time you get moving. What are the keys to tacking a J105 well? Tacking the jib is pretty easy because it’s not a big sail, so you only need two trimmers in the cockpit. The other crew members go over the coach roof and keep their weight forward. This also gives the helmsperson more visibility. How the trimmers work depends on whether your jib sheet 1) leads to a footblock and a leeward winch, 2) to a footblock and a windward winch, or 3) directly to a cabintop winch. In light air, the cabin top winch set-up can be handled by the jib trimmer and the next person forward, and this has the advantage of keeping weight forward. However, those winches aren’t set up for breezy conditions. We prefer sheeting to the primaries and having the main trimmer handle the jib-sheet release. The jib trimmer is the next person off the rail and trims the new sheet. This is also where cross-sheeting really pays as the jib trimmer is immediately moving to windward, not grinding away down to leeward. The main trimmer can then help out by dropping in the winch handle and doing the final trim after the jib trimmer starts hiking. Most boats have self-tacking traveler cars. When tacking, the main trimmer can ease the mainsheet fine tune a little, release the jib, pull up the traveler, and then drop the handle in for the jib trimmer (if cross sheeting). So the boat can accelerate, don’t bring the jib in too hard right away. Put multiple marks on the jib sheets to line up with the base of windward winch (if cross-sheeting), and after trimming to the first mark, the jib trimmer can hit the rail and the final five inches of jib sheet can be ground in by the main trimmer. What are the keys to jibing a J105 well? A good J105 jibe is a dance between the rates at which the driver turns the boat and the trimmer eases the spinnaker. As the boat bears away and the sheet is eased, the driver needs to watch the clew of the chute; when it gets to the headstay, the boat can be turned more quickly as the new sheet is taken up quickly. If you turn too fast without easing the sheet enough, or if you turn too slow, the chute ends up on the windward side of the headstay when the turn is complete. On many boats, especially in lighter-wind areas, one trimmer will handle both spinnaker sheets. On other boats and in more breeze, it’s common to have two sheet trimmers for more consistency in ease and take-up. Either way, the foredeck person and sometimes others drag the new sheet around the headstay and aft. It’s important to pull the chute through the jibe this way to avoid a twist, then get to the high side quickly to help the boat accelerate. Keeping crew weight on the high side before the jibe will also help the boat turn. In light-air jibes, don’t turn the boat too fast or pull the main across too soon. Jibe the spinnaker first. Then the mainsail trimmer should grab all parts of mainsheet and “pop” the main through to keep the upper leech from hanging up on the backstay. In heavy air, on the other hand, don’t take too long to get main across. Get it across while the boat is at full speed. Otherwise you may have to turn the boat too far to get the main over, and then you may round up when you finish the jibe. One helpful trick is to ease the vang a little bit. How do you make a fast spinnaker set? There are two rules to remember on J105 spinnaker sets: First, the bow must be at the windward mark before the bow person pulls the pole out to extend the sprit. Second, to set the spinnaker successfully, keep it out of the water by not pulling the tack line out too soon. The bow person begins the set by freeing the chute from the forward hatch. Wait to start the hoist until the boat makes its turn. When it’s windy, as the mast person hoists, both the bow person and jib trimmer pull the tack line out to its mark. Next, the bow person can roll up the jib. If a jibe-set is needed, there are two approaches you can take: one is to re-rig the chute on the correct side of the boat and hoist as the boat jibes. The other option is for the bow person to walk the clew around the headstay during the hoist, or even before you hoist. Sailing wing and wing with the spinnaker can be a useful tactical move; keeping weight forward in light air is always faster. What are the keys to a good spinnaker takedown on the J105? Most people douse the spinnaker to windward. Leeward drops are harder, in part because the chutes are wide and easy to shrimp (drop in the water). Either way, if you make sure to have room to turn the boat downwind, any takedown will become easier. On a normal windward takedown, after the jib is unrolled, the helmsman bears off and the trimmer eases the spinnaker sheet. The bow person pulls (aka “tractors”) the clew around to the windward side of the jib as the halyard starts to come down. One crewmember stands below and pulls the chute through the forward hatch. If it’s windy, don’t blow the tack line too soon to keep the chute clear of the water—make sure the spinnaker is collapsing and that two crewmembers have a good grip on the material. On a leeward takedown: the bow person grabs the lazy sheet and with the crewmember below pulls the chute under the jib and down the hatch. On these drops, don’t release the tack line until the sail decompresses and you’re able to pull the spinnaker straight down. What are the most common takedown mistakes? The most frequent error we see is simple—the spinnaker sheet isn’t eased enough so the bow person can’t pull the chute around the jib. The other one is also simple—if you do shrimp your kite, you must completely stop the boat before you can pull it back aboard. How do you recover from a broach? Most broaches don’t last long; once you ease the spinnaker sheet, the boat will pop back up. Remember to ease the main and the boomvang as you start to broach, and your recovery may be immediate. What J105 best practices do you recommend? Set daily objectives. Evaluate after sailing so you can step forward next time. Identify crew responsibilities. Mark everything so you can duplicate settings, especially jib leads and sheets. Practice tacking and jibing; choreograph movements so you repeat them every time. Document rig tune and settings. What’s the coolest thing about the J105 class? The J105 class is very friendly and well-organized. You’ll find some really good technical sailors who know about rig tune and are willing to share knowledge. We recommend new people in the class find a more experienced buddy and ask if you can sail together at events. Watch, observe, ask questions, and you’ll improve steadily. READ MORE

THE POWER OF A PERFECT ROLL TACK Boat Handling Goes a Long Way The Viper 640 class has seen a lot of growth in the last couple of years largely in part to its grassroots feel, its fun-loving fleet members, and its dedicated class management. A nice list of destination venues like Bermuda and Florida doesn’t hurt either! But the true draw to this class is the boat itself. It is a proper sport boat with the feel of a planing dinghy with the stability of a small keelboat. There is no “low and slow” mode in the Viper 640. Even in under 10 knots of breeze, you always feel like you are flying downwind and, as it soon as it is over 10 knots, hang on to your hats! Like any other racing class, the teams that consistently find the top of the podium on a Viper 640 are the ones that demonstrate superior boat speed but also, like a high-performance dinghy, the boat handling skills are nearly just as important as the boat speed factor. A lot can be gained on the Viper race track from executing your boat handling at a high level. Don’t Underestimate the Power of a Perfect Light Air Roll Tack We’ve all been a victim to that the hotshot team coming at us on port tack on the first beat in lighter air conditions. We’re thinking, “no problem, we are on starboard, they are either going to have to duck us or do a slow tack to leeward and we’ll roll right over the top.” Only to end up seeing that smirk on the helmsman’s face as they look back at us after ultimately pinching us off and sending us back to the middle of the course. How did they do that?! The perfect roll tack… That’s how! Learning the skills of executing a perfect roll tack often times begins in our junior sailing days – be it Opti’s, Lasers, or some other dingy. Then it has to be translated into different boats and with different teams. But the fundamentals remain very similar: A perfect rate of turn A well-timed “bump” from the crew weight The perfect amount of back wind on the jib Hitting the exit angle Easing the sails Flattening the boat together and effectively without over flattening It’s that simple! Here is the breakdown of executing a perfect roll tack in light air in the Viper 640: Once we’ve communicated that the tack is coming, we try to be patient and find a nice flat spot to start the turn. We give the mainsheet a bit of trim to close the leech and help the boat start to turn up. We might lean our body weight to leeward just a tad, but we don’t aggressively heel the boat to leeward. The initial tiller movement is quite slow as we try to let the boat carry its momentum into the wind as long as possible. No one moves until we have turned all the way through head to wind and the jib starts to backwind. When the jib backwinds, the helmsman accelerates the turn (pushing it all the way into the bridle if using the aft mainsheet set-up) and the crew now, smoothly but deliberately, moves their weight hard to the rail (on the new leeward side). It’s critical to wait to do this “bump” until the jib has backwinded because now we are using the pressure from the wind to help us generate the roll. If we roll too early, it slows the turn down and we don’t get the leverage from the wind to help generate a powerful roll. When we think the boat has now reached its maximum heel, the jib trimmer will now switch the jib, the main trimmer will release the main, and the team will hop to the new weather side and use their shoulders as much as possible to pump the boat back to flat. It is crucial not to let the boat over-flatten. Depending on how much wind there is, you’ll have to decide how many crew members are needed to flatten. It is also crucial that both sheets stay eased as you bring the boat back to flat because the boat will experience an apparent wind shift aft as the mast comes back to vertical. You need to keep the leeches open to allow for maximum acceleration. Once the boat is flat and you’ve hit your exit angle, you can trim the sails back into the normal upwind look. Remember that the Viper really likes to sail low angles upwind when it is light, leaning on the jib for power. So we try to avoid coming out of the tack at a lower angle. If you come out of the tack to close to the wind, you will be underpowered and down speed. READ MORE

J/70 US WINTER SERIES OPENER Key Tuning and Trimming Points from Savasana’s Trimmer Tim Healy Event one of the J/70 Winter Series at Davis Island was a great success for North Sails clients. With an approaching frontal system, teams were psyched to sail in big breeze that was forecasted. Seven races were completed in the highly competitive 53-boat fleet. It was tight racing throughout of the fleet but Brian Keane’s Savasana deemed to be the fastest of them all, taking first place with a 22-point lead from the rest of the pack. Two bullets and only one race out of the top five was an impressive way to end the regatta. We caught up with Savasana’s trimmer, Tim Healy, to see what he had to say about tuning and trimming points that helped them win the regatta. Tim provided the team’s top three tips that kept their boat sailing fast. Congratulations to our clients on starting the series off with a bang, sailing very well with outstanding results in some unpredictable frontal conditions. The North XCS-1 main, J-6 jib and AP-1 spinnaker were the most popular sails in the top 10. Boats powered by North finished 1,3,5,6,7,8*,9,10 and won 6 out the 7 races. Tim’s Top Tips for sailing in big breeze: Get the rig tune tight enough. We ended up at 28 on the uppers and 30 on the lowers. This allowed us to use a lot of backstay before we would get inversion wrinkles in the main. A lot of backstay tension, with a tight rig, translates into a tight headstay. A tight headstay keeps the jib from getting too deep which can overpower easily and drag the bow down in the puffs making the boat hard to control. If the rig is not tight enough, the mast will bend too easily when the backstay is applied resulting in inversion wrinkles in the main too early and the headstay never getting tight enough. Move jib leads back 1-2 holes and play/ease weather sheet in puffs. Moving the leads aft make the bottom of the jib flatter and the top twist off easier. When the top of the jib can twist in the big puffs, it dumps some of the excess power and allows the boat to be sailed flatter. The weather sheet should also be eased in the big puffs to open the slot, flattening the bottom of the jib more and adding more twist to the upper leech. In these big puffs it proved to be very fast, as the skipper would feather slightly in the sharp increase of pressure. If the jib had too much weather sheet or if the lead was too far forward, the boat would heel over too much. The main would need to be eased/luffed and the bow would be dragged down because the balance of the boat is thrown off. When the puff is over, the weather sheet can be pulled back on adding upper leech tension as well as depth to the bottom of the sail. Playing the weather sheet can all be done from the crew hiking on the weather rail without much movement. A steady crew that is sitting still and hiking is important for the mainsheet trimmer and helmsman to get in sync to balance out the helm and trim. Downwind – Leave backstay on if in overpowering windy conditions. This will not only keep the main flatter, but it will pull the luff of the spinnaker tighter as well. A tighter luff will flatten the overall shape of the spinnaker by moving the draft forward, making the leech of the spinnaker twist. Easing the traveler down all the way will make pumping more effective, and give the main trimmer more control of the main leech. When the traveler is all the way to leeward and the trimmer pumps the main, the boom not only comes in to weather but it also is being trimmed more effectively down. This acts like pulling the mainsheet and vang on at the same time. When the big puff hits, a quick ease of the main will open up the leech allowing the boat to stay under control and ripping with very little vang tension. Need to step up your game? Contact your local North Sails expert today for the latest products to get you up to speed for the winter sailing circuit. J/70 2017-18 US Winter Series – Event 1 1 Savasana / Brian Keane 3 Stampede / Bruno Pasquinelli 5 NINE / Oivind Lorentzen 6 Tea Dance Snake / Todd Jenner 7 Scamp / Will Welles 8* Flojito 3 JT / Jack Franco 9 Rimmette / John Brim 10 Polar / Doug Clark * Denotes Partial North Sails Inventory Full Results READ MORE

Congratulations on the purchase of North Sails for your McConaghy 38 . The MC38 is a new and exciting class which North Sails are proud to be associated with. The following information will allow you to set up your rig to our recommended base settings and allow you to be competitive from the first time you hoist the sails.We recommended you keep an accurate log of all rig changes you do with notes about the conditions on the day. This is the best way to refer your setup to past sailing days and will ultimately allow you to develop your own settings that work with the way you and your team sail your boat and your local conditions.The McConaghy 38 is a new class and developments are happening quickly as more and more sailors experience the boat. Please check with your local North Sails rep representative about the latest tuning developments and tips. In order to complete this guide you will need the following tools; 30 meter tape measure Retractable metal tape Wet notes book Bosuns chair Rig adjustment tools Straight edge Marker pen 6-7 crew 1.  Confirm the “J” measure The mast chocks are factory fitted onto the mast cannot be altered in the mast gate at all however it is worth checking the position to ensure it is correct as this has a big influence on the masts pre bend. Measure from the front face of mast along the deck to the intersection of the forestay and sheer. Put a straight edge across the jib tack trough to get the sheer and measure to the center line of the forestay. This measure should = 4600mm 2. Confirm Mast butt position Using the retractable metal tape measure from the aft face of the mast below deck straight across to the forward most keel bolt. This measure should be = 450 mm 3. Confirm the rake Take a halyard and attach a heavy weight such as a bucket of water to it. Position the halyard so when it is lying against the mast the bucket of water is suspended off the deck. Mark the halyard at the top of the gooseneck band and then swing your halyard with bucket attached out to the forestay marking the forestay equal with your halyard mark. Take your metal tape and measure from this forestay mark down to the intersection of forestay and sheer . Use your straight edge across the jib tack trough to determine the sheer position. This measure should = 2240mm 4. Set the mast jack height Check that the mast is all the way down on the mast jack and resting on the collar at the base. With all shrouds eased off so that they are slack pump the mast jack up so that the mast chocks which are bonded to the mast are flush with the deck. You may have to remove the neoprene cover to see. This is now your max jack up position. Measure from the top of the collar on the ram to the mast base. This is how much travel you have in the ram. Note. Ensure there is wax/lubricant around the mast collar to reduce friction which may influence jack pressure 5. Step the V1 shrouds Ease the jack all the way down then wind the V1 shrouds on 5 turns. Pump the jack up to your max jack height and check the pressure. You are aiming for a measure of 2000 psi. Keep winding on the V1’s evenly until this is achieved. 6. Check the mast is in the center Take your 30m tape and attach it to the jib halyard. Hoist the halyard so it is in the lock and then measure down to the intersection of cap shroud and deck on both sides. If the mast is not in center adjust the X1’s accordingly. 7. Tension the D1 & D2 shrouds Ease the mast down and adjust the D1’s until the jack reads 2350 psi. Once this is achieved adjust the D2’s until the jack reads 2600si. this is your max jack pressure. Sight up the mast to ensure it is straight sideways. If not adjust D1/D2’s accordingly Note. All jack readings are based upon the Enerpac P392 jack   8. Jib leech trim marks Mark the spreaders port and starboard with white tape parallel to the centerline of the boat. From the center of the mast measure along the front edge of the spreader and mark with tape.Upper spreader =540mmLower spreader = 840mm 9. Go sailing Go sailing in about 10kts + . You need enough wind to have a full crew on the rail and hiking. To finish your tune ensure you are max jack pressure with the ram at max up position. Sight the rig looking up the aft face and check on each tack. The mast should be straight side to side. If not adjust D’s accordingly. 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

Thank you for choosing a North Sails P Class Sail. Your North Sails P Class sail has been designed to be easy to use and fast in a full range of conditions. If you look after your sail and set it up correctly, it will give you good boat speed for all conditions. We have done a lot of work to develop a full range of sails to suit all mast types and the size and weight of the skippers. Some of our base designs have the option of two luff curves depending on which type of spar you are using so if you are ordering a sail be sure to specify which type of mast you have. The difference between the curves is small so either luff curve will work well but for optimum performance it is best to have the correct luff curve for your spar. P Class Sail Care Your Sail is made from a fabric called Contender 2.6oz Polykote. This is a very high tech cloth in the way that it has been woven together. Do the best you can to make sure that the sail does not get unnecessarily creased. Creases are sail killers and are the primary reason for sails not lasting as long as they should. The worst time for getting creases is during hoisting and lowering your sail as the sail catches on sidestays and other fittings. – Always roll your sail and keep it in its bag when not in use. – Ideally remove the battens after use. If you don’t want to do this, then release the battens from the pocket elastic and roll the sail parallel to the pockets. If you are rolling onto a tube, tie the clew first and roll the sail a couple of turns before attaching the tack. This will allow you to roll the sail parallel to the batten pockets on the tube. – Wash the salt from the sail every 3-6 weeks depending on how often it gets wet. Do this on a light day by hosing the sail while rigged, and leaving to dry. Setting Up HOIST Make sure the sail is right up to the top black band when hoisted. TACK Sails are fitted with a tack strap and an eyelet so you can have a choice of how you wish to set the tack of your sail up. Remember you aren’t allowed to adjust this while racing. When you have your sail hoisted and fitted along the boom, adjust the strap or whatever method you are using to fix this area in place, so that the tack area is smooth. The idea of this area is that the strap around the mast takes the outhaul load and the cunningham takes any up / down load. You may wish to have a separate piece of rope (or shockcord) tied loosely around the gooseneck area just to prevent the tack riding up the mast when the cunningham is released. FOOT Check that the black band is in exactly the right position on the boom, as you will need every millimeter of outhaul in the breeze. For really heavy conditions when the tack setting up smoothly is less important as you will be using quite a bit of cunningham load, you may want to use the strap to pull the tack forward toward the mast and give you more outhaul travel. BATTENS Your sail will come with a 2 top battens and four shorter battens. The four lower battens are interchangeable and are numbered 1 to 4. 1 is the softest and 4 the stiffest. We suggest using (from bottom to top) 3, 2, 1 for light to moderate airs and 4,3,2 for heavier airs. Use the lighter top batten up to 15-18 knots and then begin using the stiffer one. While these options will give you a full range of performance, we don’t want to discourage you from trying other options. Experiment yourself. To test batten stiffness, use a set of kitchen scales and holding the batten vertically, push down. You will see that after a while the scale doesn’t change any more- even if you push harder. This is the ‘stiffness’ of the batten. You can write this on each batten along with it’s draft position as a reference if you are testing various options. E.g. one batten might have 0.75kg @ 45% on it and another 0.75kg @ 50% Once you are used to looking at the shape of your sail and the feel of it over a range of conditions, try experimenting with different batten options and see what happens. Remember….. The stiff end of the batten is the back. Bendy end forward!!! OUTHAUL Hopefully you will have an outhaul fitted to your boat. Make sure that this works. There is no point having all the fancy bits, if when you let off the outhaul, nothing moves!. We suggest 4:1 purchase inside the boom, so you can make small repeatable adjustments. Make sure you have a system of marks so you can repeat you fast settings from upwind to downwind- or when the breeze changes. Don’t ease the foot too much. If you are getting vertical wrinkles off the boom, then you have gone too far. As a basic rule, easing the outhaul will help you point higher- but may make you a little slower sometimes. Tightening the foot will help the boat go forward easier, but over- tightening may hurt you height or power. Use the other boats around you as a guide as to what you should try. While training, try a few variations so you get the feel for how the outhaul really affects your performance. RAKE The correct rake for your weight and the conditions is one of the primary factors in good performance. Because there is a variation in the hulls, there is no correct rake to suit all boats so we cannot provide a standard rake to work from in this guide. There is a correct rake for your individual boat and you should have a record of this and of the rakes you try. At the back of this tuning guide is a formula for working out the correct mast. Another way to find a starting rake is to level your hull alongside a top boat with a skipper of similar weight. Then sight the masts and set your mast up to the same angle. Measure this from a mark permanently etched on your mast to a mark on the stern. This is your rake. Generally as you get bigger and better you will be able to increase that measurement. ie. rake it further forward. Note: we now measure up the mast 2.8m, and then back to the center of the transom to aft deck join. Remember – you don’t learn if you don’t try so use the rakes suggested as a starting point, and try experimenting with different rakes. Keep a good record of what works and what doesn’t. You may find that you come up with something that works better than what we suggest. Use our suggested rake as a point to start from!!! SAIL SHAPE Your sail comes with 3 camber stripes. It is a good idea to glance up at your sail occasionally especially when you are going fast- (or really slow) to see what your rig looks like and therefore be able to eventually memorise these shapes and settings. The concept of the sail is that it is very easy to trim. To do this it is made with a very open leech. This means that you don’t have to be so careful not to over-sheet in the light, and should be able to sail with a more constant sheet tension through the range. Compared to other sails you have used, you may find you need to use a little more sheet tension with your North sail. RIG TENSION Tight v’s loose. I prefer a firm rig. The tension should be so that by pulling forward on the mast you can just do up a shackle on the forestay. Any tighter than this is unnecessary. My reasoning is purely practical. There are pro’s and con’s for the 2 extremes. If you have a loose rig, it will give you more optimal fore and aft rake upwind and downwind, whereas a tight rig can’t move. However a loose rig also means it falls away sideways which isn’t desirable. I think that this is why the 2 styles ultimately perform equally. Of course what the top skipper is using will always appear fastest!!- but look carefully at what else he/she is doing. My practical reasoning is simple. A loose rig is more susceptible to wear and therefore failure. The movement also makes it more prone to shackles etc working their way loose. If you are a methodical type of person and check your gear often, then by all means go for a loose rig if you believe it to be the way to go. Remember: The class rules say that you can’t change anything on the masts. Don’t drill any  holes, change any fittings or do any painting without contacting the manufacturer to make sure it is allowed. BOOMS A small amount of boom bend is desirable. This should be mostly in the back part of the boom and should be in unison with the mast. As a gust hits, the boom should help the lower leech flick open and flatten just the same way the top of the mast works. For heavier skippers, it may be impractical to find a boom section which is stiff and strong enough for everyday sailing and which also bends as desired. For skippers under 55kg, we recommend the triangular extruded section. For heavier skippers the StarlingF4 section is better. VANG Your vang is there to control leech tension once you run out of width on your traveler. If the breeze is light and you aren’t having to ease the main in gusts, then you don’t need any vang. In these conditions you should have it just eased, so that it isn’t taking any load. However, you don’t really want it too loose or else it will take too long to pull on should the breeze increase. In the lighter breezes you are quite often sheeting quite loosely, so make sure there is no tension on the vang. As soon as you find yourself easing the main in the gusts, you should have vang on. This should mean that as you ease the main in the gust, the boom moves outwards only- not upwards. This is a similar motion as in a keelboat, where the mainsheet is cleated and the traveller is moved in and out in the gusts. Remember vang bends the mast and flattens the sail a lot, so if you are hunting for power, make sure you don’t have too much vang on. Be sure your rig and fittings are strong enough, so that you aren’t afraid to use a lot of vang when the wind increases. Reaching is similar in trim to upwind. In the light you will have to be careful not to close the leech too much, however as the breeze increases, you will need to slowly increase the amount of vang to keep the leech under control and keep powered up. Again too much vang will bend the mast too much and lose power. Downwind you will need less tension than you have had upwind or on the reach. Ease vang as you go around the mark. If you can imagine looking along the boom, the ‘twist’ or amount the leech opens, should be nearly the same on all points of sail, in all conditions. For this reason it is a good idea to get used to looking up at how open the top batten is and try to adjust the vang to keep it looking the same as the wind changes. CUNNINGHAM Cunningham does two things. It moves the shape forward in the sail, and then as you use more, it bends the top of the mast and opens the leech in the head. Use very little cunningham until you are very overpowered. You may want to use up to 25mm or so to remove wrinkles. (the sail is cut about 25mm longer than the mast to add extra depth downwind) When you are over powered start using more and more. When it is really windy, pull on as much as you can. CENTREBOARD Your centerboard is another very important control to how the boat sails. The rake and positioning of the centerboard changes the balance of the boat and makes it easier or harder to sail. Test this in moderate conditions to learn for yourself how important it is. You should feel a big difference in how heavy the helm is if you test the extremes of board forward and then board aft in your case. Basically the further forward and further down the board is, the more power you will have. You may even try raking it forward a little in the light. As the breeze increases you will begin getting overpowered and the helm will start getting heavier. A heavy helm is slow, as you are holding the rudder against the water flow and creating drag just like a big brake. Therefore as it starts getting noticeably heavier, it is time to start moving the board back. Firstly do this by raking the board. Leave the top at the front of the case, and let the bottom move as far aft as possible. You will probably find it faster if you begin doing this a little earlier in choppy conditions. As it gets windier still, you can begin moving the whole board aft in the case, until you are hard up against the back of the case. If you are still overpowered, you can now start lifting the board. Don’t be afraid to sail around with 150mm of board up if it is windy. This will allow the boat to sail flatter, especially through the gusts, and to move faster through the water. Be aware to begin putting it down again if it lightens, or else you will find yourself not pointing. RUDDER The rudder is one of the more important items to get right in the P Class. This is because of the angle it is on and how heavy this makes the helm. A heavy helm is slow, so anything you can do to help this is good. Make sure your rudder is as vertical as possible within the rules. Ask the measurer to check it, and watch carefully to see if there is any way you can rake it further forward- even another 5mm is very important. P Class Mast Rake Formula and Mast Bend Measurement INSTRUCTIONS Mast Rakes We don’t give fixed mast rake numbers in our tuning guide. This is because hulls vary so much that the current way of measuring the rake is only accurate to around 30mm!! We have come up with the following method which will eliminate the hull variable, and hopefully create a standard metric rake system. 1) Measure up 2.8m from the deck and mark the back of the mast -(not the back of the track)- this is the new rake measuring point. 2) Measure up 100mm from the deck on the back face of the mast. Measure from this point to the stern and mark the stern point. The distance is ‘deck’ in the formula. 3) Calculate the correct rake for your hull using the Fctr that corresponds closest to your body weight. Use the table or graph below to get the correct factor (Fctr) for your weight. Use metres in the formula. Formula = The square root of (7.29 + deck + (Fctr x deck)) READ MORE

North Sails On the Water Tuning Guide. READ MORE

Streakers are relatively easy boats to set up. There are 3 dimensions which position the mast for the correct rake and give you a repeatable setting. See the below points to guide you through our Streaker Tuning Guide. 1. This set up is best done on a windless day. 2. Find the ‘Transom datum point’ on your Streaker as shown. 3. Set the boat level. 4. Initially put the mast in the boat, don’t bother attaching shrouds or forestay at this stage. The back of the mast should be touching the aft edge of the deck mast gate. 5. Measure the distance from back of mast at the heel along the hull centreline, over the top of the board- case and aft tank to the Transom datum point. Dimension ‘A’ should be 2885mm +/- 5mm. 6. Adjust the pins/stops on the mast step track as required to get dimension ‘A’. 7. You can now attach the forestay. Do not tension, just enough to take out the slack. The mast should still be touching the aft edge of the mast gate. 8. Hoist your tape measure on the main halyard to the top of the mast. Measure back down the mast to the top of the bottom black sail band. Adjust and cleat the halyard so Dimension ‘B’ is 5095mm and cleat the halyard. 9. With the halyard cleated still as in 8, swing the tape to the transom and measure Dimension ‘C’, top of mast to Transom datum point. 6130mm +/- 20mm. Be careful not to bend the mast when pulling the tape taught. 10. You may have to adjust Dimension ‘A’ to achieve the desired rake of 6130mm but within 40mm of this rake is acceptable. These setting should cover all Streakers, Butler and Beer/Rooster FRP boats and Wood/Composite boats. All Streaker’s will vary slightly with regard to the height of False Floor, height of deck and position of the mast gate. These variables will affect the given rake from one Streaker to another. So you may have to adjust to suit your type of Streaker. The type of mast for these settings, Selden Lambda / Superspar Rigel there is no difference. Streaker Shroud and Forestay Tension We recommend you use the multi-stay adjusters by Allen Bros. for both shrouds and forestay. Once you are happy with the mast rake you can then attach the shrouds. Streaker Superspar Rigel Take the slack out of the Shroud and put the shroud pin into the stay adjuster that you alone can get the pin in easily. (Don’t apply tension or push the mast sideways to get in a certain hole). Streaker Selden Lambda Same as the Rigel but then let the shroud even slacker (up) by one full hole. Assuming that your shrouds are the same length, you may find on some Streakers that the shrouds do not go in the same hole in the shroud adjusters. It is not the rig that is at fault but the hull, which may be as much as 10mm higher on one side to the other. The forestay is set in the same way, pull to take out the slack and put the pin into the hole that is easiest. These shroud and forestay settings are good for most conditions, except you may want to ease the forestay by half a hole in a blow. Check measure the rake Dimension ‘C’ once the shrouds and forestay have been connected. READ MORE

Introduction The purpose of this Platu 25 tuning guide is to give our clients in the Platu 25 class some guidelines on how to get the most out of their North Sails. Follow the guidelines, but always experiment and try finding your own trim. The weight of the crew, the balance of the boat, the stiffness of the mast together with specific local wind and sea conditions all have influence on the fastest and final trim. Rig set-up The North Sails TB-2 Main and LM-4 Jib are “state of the art” sails which did very well throughout the 1999 season. The main is quite powerful and needs some “prebend” (i.e. mastbend in non sailing conditions) in rig set-up. The pre-bend should be something like 50 mm. The best way to check this is tie the main halyard at the gooseneck, pull the halyard very tight and check the distance between the halyard and the back of the mast. This should be 50mm or close to that. The uppershrouds must be very tight and as tight as possible in hvy. air conditions in order to tension the headstay. In lighter air you should slacken the upper shrouds at least 3 360 degree turns in order to get some headstay sag to make the front of the LM-4 jib as full as possible. In heavy air you should use the GH-2 jib (which is a bit smaller and Flatter as the LM-4 and better in a breeze). The lowershrouds should be adjusted according to the pre-bend as described before. The mast should not bend more as 130-150 mm’s. Check the intermediates (shroud from the lower spreader to the upper spreader) in all settings (tight and less tight) so the mast is straight up untill the hounds (this is where the forestay comes into the mast). Some sideways mastbend must be accepted, because this cannot be influenced by any adjustment. Mainsail Trim Never pull the backstay. Sheeting the mainsheet does all you need to flatten the mainsail sufficiently. Adjust the foot of the sail (along the boom) enough the reduce the helm (pressure). Never pull the mainsail very flat on the boom, specially not when the waves are choppy and short. The boat needs enough “drive” to power through the waves, since it is very short and starts “hobby-horsing” i.e. bow up&down quite easy. Traveller should be played all the time in every gust, so the boat is feathered and not heeling, because that is really slow. If the traveller is not enough, ease the mainsheet a bit to keep the boat on its feet. The cunningham should be used with care, never pull too much, it moves the draft (deepest point of the main) too far forward. Pull enough to remove some wrinkles, BUT NOT ALL WRINKLES !!Try to accelerate, and NOT to heel!! The boats are very sensitive, and must be sailed with a lot of concentration and dedication, specially from the mainsail trimmer. Keep the crew on the rail ALL the time. Use 400 Kgs of crew weight which is allowed since 1999. Jib Trim First thing you have to do is make marks at the upper spreader. Make a mark every 5 cmtrs. from the outboard end going towards the mast. The last mark should be at 25 cmtrs. NEVER sheet the sail harder as to this last (most inboard) mark, so this mark should be a bit fatter or another colour, so it’s easy to see through the window in the main. The lead (trackposition of the jib) should be very close to the most forward end of this track. This makes the jib look a bit crazy, but believe me, that’s fast. The barberhauler MUST be pulled INBOARD all the time. In smooth water (no waves) up to 10 cmtrs. In waves no more as 5 cmtrs. Look at your boatspeed, and work the jib barberhauler, just as you must do with the mainsail traveller. More wind -> outboard, less wind ->inboard. The best way to do this is lead the barberhauler across the boat. This means the barberhauler from starboard is led to the port cleat, and vice versa. That way you can adjust the barberhauler without leaving the rail, remember, the crew must hike HARD! Length of Headstay In light air you should use the longest headstay possible in order to create more weather helm.Remember to adjust the shrouds as described above. In heavy air go 1 hole shorter on the adjuster, and again, adjust the shrouds. Tips & Tricks Put a device on the bow of the boat which prevents the spinnaker sheet from falling in the water. You will drive over the spinnaker sheet, and that’s slow, and difficult to get back on the boat as long as the boat moves forward.Put a sailbatten on the top of the mast to prevent the mainsail leech from hooking behind the backstay. This is nasty, especially gybing in light air, which must be done frequently. Crew weight & position Move forward with 3 crew in light air, at least around the mast. This must be done with less boatspeed as 3 knots. Above 3 knots move backwards, but not a lot. Above 6 knots the crew can be in “normal” position.Wind angles downwind (Spinnaker) The Platu 25 is very sensitive to apparent wind speed. Smaller wind angles make the boat go a lot faster. My experience is to keep the wind angles as small as 95 to 100 degrees in light air. Look at the boat speed, and check the win dspeed at all times. More wind, steer deeper (more downwind), less wind, steer higher (closer to the wind). Keep concentrated downwind, you can gain a lot of distance, but you can also loose a lot of distance. Check the truewind angle. If neccesary gybe as soon as the wind shifts in your favour i.e. the app. windangle is getting greater. Talk with the crew trimming the spinnaker, let him decide if there is “pressure” or “less pressure”. He feels most, having the sheet in his hands.Running in more breeze “work” the boat. Point the bow of the boat down the waves at all possible times and “rock” the boat, i.e. pull hard on the mainsheet and pull hard on both spinnakersheets. Your crew must be very tired after this leg. If not, they did not “work” enough! Good luck on the water! READ MORE