NORTH SAILS BLOG

NORTH CLAIMS 1,2 AT J/70 WINTER SERIES #2 Jack Franco’s 3 Ball JT Wins by 21 Points 📸 Chris Howell / J/70 Class Association After two days of breezy conditions and six races, Jack Franco’s 3 Ball JT won the J/70 Winter Series event #2 by 21 points. How did he manage to get that far ahead? North expert Allan Terhune, who finished 5th overall, caught up with Jack to find out. What did your team focus on during the practice day? “We had a very concise plan for our practice day on Friday. Our team concentrated on boat handling (both up and downwind), then worked on transition items like when to go to the wing, and when to sail higher and plane. We would go for 30-45 minutes, then take a 10 minute break to discuss what could be done better. This helped keep everyone fresh and allowed us to make the most of the time we had to prepare. The North Sails practice races were invaluable to us, as I had several poor starts during the practice day Friday (including a pretty spectacular crash). Going through the motions for those six starts was extremely important and got me prepared for the racing, after not being in the boat for a bit.” You won all but one race, but you were in trouble from time to time. How did your team fight the traffic and work your way back up to the front? “Our tactician Bill Hardesty is a big believer in sailing our own race and having a game plan for each leg. We discussed the leg we are about to begin a minute or two before each mark rounding, with the main goal of working towards the best pressure on the course as quickly as possible. We also would choose to stay in marginal lanes and eat some bad air just so we could stick with our plan as much as possible. You often see teams abandon their plan without a fight due to a poor start or bad lane. The decision to abandon your plan often has dire consequences, and typically results in losing contact with the leaders and taking you out of position to fight your way forward.” 📸 Chris Howell / J/70 Class Association What do you enjoy about racing in Tampa, FL at DIYC, and the J/70 class? “The folks at Davis Island are great hosts and this is always a well-attended event. There are tons of things to do around Tampa when you are not sailing, too. The J/70 class is among the strongest in the US and as someone that has sailed in many classes, I particularly like the fact that all class leaders are willing to discuss their tricks of the trade so that everyone can improve their program. The North Sails debrief on Saturday night is a prime example of the ways that the pros really give back to the class. Surprisingly, it’s not all that common in other classes I’ve sailed.” You’ve been at this game a long time. For those looking to improve, what are two things you would focus on to make a significant improvement? Have a plan to improve “Then you can focus on things you are not so good at. Always use the time that you have on the water as efficiently as possible. We often see teams waste their limited preparation time before events fixing their boat, or not having everyone ready to sail. This really limits your ability to improve. Spend time talking to your friends after sailing, not before.” Have a routine for each day “On 3 Ball JT we have a pre-planned time that we leave the house, leave the dock, etc. Each person is responsible for items in the morning like diving the boat, making sure the batteries are charged and ready, preparing and packing our food, water, etc. This routine carries right to the race course. We leave the dock well ahead of the first race. We check the starting line and make a plan for the first beat. We check the wind at the same time before each start and try to be in about the same position on the starting line each race, before we decide what end to start on. If you base your decisions on a routine, then you have fewer unknowns which leads to a higher likelihood of success. Failure to prepare is preparing to fail…” North clients finished 1,2,5,6 and 1,2 in Corinthian Division. Interested in regatta-winning sails? Contact your North J/70 expert today. Winter Series #2 Full Results 1st place corinthian, Bob Willis’ Rip Rullah. 📸 Chris Howell / J/70 Class Association 📸 Chris Howell / J/70 Class Association READ MORE

SPINNAKERS, DOUBLE HEAD SAILS, AND OFF-WIND SAILING North Sails Presents: An Evening of Sailing with Expert Austin Powers Austin Powers from North Sails Annapolis joins the Broad Bay Sailing Association on March 23, 2020 to discuss spinnakers, double head sails and off wind sailing. Join sailors from 6-8pm at Bold Mariner Brewing Company for a seminar full of learning, fun and everything under the sun. Please arrive early to get a beverage and food, and to check-in and get settled before the seminar starts. Limited seating so register early to guarantee your seats! READ MORE

NEW NORTH SAILMAKER WINS BLOODY MARY Jack Lewis and Dylan McPherson Beat 288-Boat Fleet 📸 Sportography.tv Having worked for North Sails Gosport as a sailmaker for just two months, Jack Lewis has already made a reputable name for himself after winning the Bloody Mary Regatta against an immense 288-boat fleet on Queen Mary Reservoir near London. The regatta runs at the beginning of every year and is hosted by Queen Mary Sailing Club. Open to dinghy classes with a PY number equal to or lower than the International Topper and to selected keelboat classes, the race runs for 150 minutes and the leading boat when the time is up is crowned the winner. This year brought the full package; 288 entries, 59 classes, and winds topping out at 30 knots. It was 17-year-old Jack Lewis and 16-year-old helmsman Dylan McPherson who managed to gain a convincing lead in their 420 to secure the win after over two hours of racing. Jack is no stranger to a big fleet having sailed the 420 World Championship last year against 89 teams. 📸 Sportography.tv Growing up near Rugby, Jack began sailing RS Tera’s at Draycote Water when he was seven, followed by the RS Feva as well as some Miracle sailing with his Dad. Dylan and Jack earned themselves a place in the National Youth Squad last year and have since been training and competing almost every weekend at various international venues. What makes their Bloody Mary win even more astounding is that the pair have been sailing together for just five months. Jack used to helm the 420 in his previous partnership and explains that his time as a helm helps him be a better crew now: “It is really helpful being able to understand what the helm is doing. This is my fifth year in the 420 and Dylan is fairly new to the boat. I contribute my experience of how the fleet works so when it comes to tactics, we bounce ideas off of each other and talk them through. We also don’t have an issue telling each other if we think their idea is silly!’’ Jack and Dylan sail with the new-design M-11 Mainsail, J-12 Jib, and S-05 Spinnaker. “Since we started using North sails,’’ Jack explains, “we noticed a big difference in sail trim and an improved sail shape which becomes particularly noticeable in heavier winds. This allows us to gain a better boat setup overall, as well as increasing boat speed and point.’’ “The Bloody Mary was a lot of fun, but scary at points because there are so many boats very close together! It got more relaxed by the time we had worked our way to the front, but then the wind died so much we even struggled to fill the spinnaker. Considering at the start the wind was blowing 24 knots, we certainly had a wide range of conditions that day!’’ Jack and Dylan are looking forward to a jam-packed 2020 with both the Worlds in Crozon-Morgat, France, and Europeans in Warnemunde, Germany happening in July. Closer to home, the Youth Nationals in April is the next major event on their schedule. Congratulations on this success and we can’t wait to follow the progress of this young and enthusiastic team. 📸 Sportography.tv 📸 Sportography.tv READ MORE

HARDWARE TIL DIN BÅD North Sails vil fremadrettet gerne være din leverandør, ikke kun til sejl, men også til alt, hvad der er forbundet med sejl. Eksempelvis rulleforstag, spilerstager, kickstang, tovværk, etc, etc... Vi er alle sejlere med erfaringen og ekspertisen til at rådgive dig. Lad os høre hvad du mangler, så kan vi helt sikkert finde den rigtige løsning til dig. PS. Øsekar, bundmaling og lignende ligger uden for vores kompetenceområde. Det er udstyrsbutikken på havnen bedre til. READ MORE

EN AFTEN MED JAN B. HANSEN, SKIPPER PÅ "THE BEAST" Tirsdag d. 4. februar kl 18:00, vil vi gerne invitere dig til en aften i shorthanded sejladsens tegn. Jan Hansen's Figaro 2 "The Beast" Jan Hansen fra North Sails har gennem mange sæsoner sejlet de fleste af de større shorthanded sejladser i Danmark. Senest sæsonen 2019, i den nyindkøbte Figaro 2, "The Beast". I de tre store danske sejladser: Danmark Rundt Singlehand, Vegvisir og Silverrudder blev det til pæne placeringer (1,1,3) I løbet af aftenen kommer vi rundt om mange emner i forbindelse med single- og doublehand kapsejlads: Valg af bådtypen, Figaro 2 Sejlpakken fra North Sails Træning Søvn, mad og fysisk form Teknisk udstyr Sikkerhed Sejladserne i 2019 Planen for 2020 Varighed ca. 2-3 timer og foregår på North Sails sejlloftet, Lyskær 10 i Herlev. Der bliver serveret en let forfriskning undervejs. Du vil også kunne møde et par andre sejlere fra North Sails salgsteam. Aftenen er gratis, men tilmelding er påkrævet til jan.hansen@northsails.com Vi har plads til 40 deltagere og det er efter først til mølle tilmelding. Vi glæder os til at se dig. Jan Hansen på "The Beast" efter en lang sejlads READ MORE

Los próximos 17 y 18 de Enero, nuestros expertos en One Design Hugo Rocha y Nacho Braquehais, impartirán un clinic de J70 en el RCN de Vigo. READ MORE

10 TIPS FOR WINNING IN 2020 Accelerate Your Race Results This New Year Are you looking to improve your racing results this year? To help jumpstart your best sailing season yet, we’ve put together 10 favorite tips from our fast-growing collection of how-to articles. At North Sails, we are constantly pushing to learn and improve and #gobeyond. Let us know how we can help your racing program succeed and your performance improve in 2020! Interested in more local knowledge articles? Visit our How To page to find more. Have questions about tuning or sail trim? Contact your local expert today. READ MORE

#NSVICTORYLIST: ICHI BAN Winners of the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race 2019 📸 Carlo Borlenghi / Rolex North Sail experts Rob Greenhalgh and Dick Parker were onboard Matt Allen’s TP52 Ichi Ban, the 2019 Sydney Hobart overall winner. Here’s what they had to say about the importance of preparation and choosing the right sail inventory.“This year’s Sydney Hobart was all about being able to transition through the weather conditions as soon as possible,” explains trimmer Dick Parker. “We did it well the first night. Our navigator positioned us well, especially since we didn’t have much heads-up on what the weather was going to do. Fortunately we got through that transition period without stopping and it set us up perfectly for the next phase of the race, which was a reach to Tasman Island.” Another transition awaited at Tasman, and after a few anxious hours the thermal breeze arrived. “We ran up the Derwent River and straight to the finish in Hobart,” continues Rob Greenhalgh, the main trimmer for the race. “We made big gains due to our sail choices and being critical about trim. Matt drove the boat well too.” Ichi Ban carried only 11 sails for the 628nm marathon. “Main and two jibs were all RAW 870,” Dick says. “The genoa staysail was RAW 760, and we had a paneled spinnaker staysail. The kites were all built from various weights of Superkote.” 📸 Rolex / Carlo Borlenghi Together, the A1.5 and A4 covered the full range of VMG, Rob says. “Having those two great options allowed us to free up space for another sail. It was key to have every option we could ever need. We worked very hard to get our sail inventory exactly how we wanted.”Ichi Ban won the 2017 race just three months after launching, but owner and skipper Matt Allen knew that every program had stepped up their game. “Working closely with Matt helped to evolve new sail concepts,” Rob says. “We were always asking how we could get the program that much better than before.” The team also made several modifications to the boat. “We added a new offshore rudder,” Dick Parker says. “And our new inshore mast from Southern Spars was the perfect fit.” This excellent preparation made their victory possible, but Rob says it was far from easy. “We were always in sight of our closest competitors. All the TP52 teams brought their A-game to the race. There was no excuse to make a mistake. Being fast is key, so if you are a trimmer, you had better be happy to trim for hours on end!” Ichi Ban is off to a great start in 2020 with an overall IRC win at the Australian Yacht Championships. Up next is the Port Lincoln Yacht Race in February. READ MORE

CLUBSWAN 36 2020 OUTLOOK Bright Future for Sail Development with North Sails 📸 Stefano Gattini / The Nations Trophy 2019 2019 marked the worldwide debut of the new ClubSwan 36, and getting the first boat sailing was a big step. Our ClubSwan 36 experts all played a part in getting the boat up to speed: working closely with the yacht designers, understanding the rig configuration, and testing our sail designs. Even before the first boat hit the water, we were working on sail designs that would give clients the best performance. “Being in direct contact with the class and Swan helped us get ahead of the curve,” says North Sails class expert Arnd Howar. “We adopted our designs to the latest adjustments by working directly with the Swan team and designers.” Four boats competed in the Nations Trophy at the end of the summer, and North Sails couldn’t be more excited about the future of the class. With 15 boats in production, there will be a strong fleet by the end of 2020. “The ClubSwan 36 is the perfect size,” says Arnd. “No grinders are needed, no ‘super’ athletes or extra strong sailors are required. The boat is very manageable for anyone to race well. 3Di helps keep the sail weights down and there are enough jobs onboard to keep six sailors busy and enjoying sailing the boat.” 📸 Stefano Gattini / The Nations Trophy 2019 The 36 is fun to sail because it’s designed well, he adds. “It’s fast and maintains the lifestyle brand of Nautor Swan. There are many events in great sailing locations to meet new people, get some great racing in, and enjoy the social scene. Racing the ClubSwan 36 will give sailors the chance to race against a wide spectrum of talents.” To prepare for the 2020 season, North will continue to refine the sail designs to match new class rules. “Developments such as a higher ISP (higher spinnaker hoist), that was decided after hours of sail testing,” Arnd explains. “2019 was a test for everyone, and now we can spend more time fine-tuning the best products for clients,” he says. “Because of the open communication between North and boat owners, we can ensure the best possible result for clients at the very first event in Palma in 2020.” Class expert Stefano Orlandi is also looking forward to the second season. “Our design leader will be Giovanni Cassinari, one of the top designers here at North Sails. Combining our technology and knowledge with his—we couldn’t think of a better person for the job.” 📸Giulio Testa / The Nations Trophy 2019 Stefano is hoping to get more training events and clinics on the calendar, to work one on one with each team and each owner. “This year we will get even more involved with the class, as well as with the boat yard and designers.” Marko Marinovic, the North Sails expert in Split, Croatia, has been quite hands-on when it comes to the ClubSwan 36 push. His team spent much of September 2019 testing the class inventory (mainsail, light/medium jib, heavy air jib, A2 and A5), and getting ready for the Nations Cup. “Every day spent on the water is a good thing,” he says. “We are always finding ways to improve. The success at the Nations Trophy was a great way to end the racing season, and the team was chomping at the bit to make more progress in sail development. “There is no doubt 3Di RAW fits the bill for this boat,” Marko continues. “It will be crucial for boat speed.” Winter plans include evolving the class sail design, says Ivan Kljakovic-Gaspic, North Sails client and ClubSwan 36 fleet manager in Croatia. “We’ve got all we need here in Split, with three boats to maximize our time on the water. Working with Nautor Swan and North, we plan to finalize the tuning guide and compete in the winter league, which is Split’s winter sailing series.” North Sails Croatia plans to set up two clinics leading up to the first event of the season: one in March, and one in April. There will be five regattas this season, ending with the World Championship in October. “We are very excited to see the fleet progress,” says Marko. “In the last few weeks, Giovanni Cassinari and Michele Melandra have been working hard to make improvements in sail shape,” Stefano says. “Our goals this year are to get our clients at the top end of the podium. A new boat means a new challenge, and that’s what we enjoy here at North Sails.” 📸 Stefano Gattini / The Nations Trophy 2019 READ MORE

Kratka analiza ORC sezone 2019 Kalendarska godina koja se iza nas bila je jedna od sadržajnijih u dugoj tradiciji jedrenja po ovom sustavu razvrstanja u Hrvatskoj. Ako se izuzme svjetsko prvenstvo po ORC-u koje je u lipnju organizirao JK Val, onda je sadržajnosti najviše doprinio još jedan pokušaj umrežavanja i povezivanja određenih regata u cjelinu s nekim zajedničkim nazivnikom od strane Udruge ORC jedriličara Hrvatske. Već godinama oni povezuju do šest regata koje su oglašene po ORC International sustavu u kup natjecanje, a osim sustava razvrstanja ono što ih najviše povezuje je to što se te regate jedre u štap polju. Za one koji malo manje prate jedrenje u krstašima, u kalendaru hrvatskih regata najviše prevladavaju navigacijske regate, dok su aktivnosti na regatnim poljima definiranim bovama u znatno manjoj mjeri. Da ne bi bilo zabune, po ORC sustavu se može jedriti i na navigacijskim regatama, a razlika je jedino u tome što se za kalkulaciju rezultata koriste neke druge formule. Uz regate oko oznaka koje se boduju za Kup, koji se posljednjih nekoliko godina od kad je D-Marin sponzor naziva CRO ORC D-Marin Cup, spomenuto umrežavanje se odnosilo i na regate koje su navigacijske a oglašene su po ORC-u. To je započeto 2018. a pobjedu je tada odnijela jedrilica Stribor, Grand Soleil 40, koja je najviše bodova osvojila dobrim rezultatima na Regati 1000 otoka, a kako je sustav postavljen tako da se osim rezultata u formulu uzima i duljina rute tako su bodovi osvojeni na potezu između Rijeke i Tivta bili nedostižni drugoplasiranom Selcu koje je jedrilo na dosta kraćim regatama. Tako velika i praktički nedostižna razlika za jedrilice koje ne idu na toliko duge regate u 2019. se pokušala dovesti u red podjelom na duge i kratke navigacijske regate. Zato se dio regata s popisa pripremljenog za CRO ORC Offshore Cup prebacio na novi popis... CRO ORC Inshore Cup. Popis regata na klasičnoj, core business, listi je bio manje više standardan, osim što su u 2019. većinski bile u proljetnom dijelu sezone, a za jesen je ostavljeno samo Prvenstvo Hrvatske. Prvi dio godine je zamišljen kao pripremni za apsolutni vrhunac sezone u vidu Svjetskog prvenstva koje se u lipnju jedrilo u Šibeniku. Kako su se za sudjelovanje na regati u Šibeniku prijavile skoro sve jedrilice u Hrvatskoj koje su ikada malo ozbiljnije pristupile ORC-u, tako se očekivao i popriličan broj sudionika na sve tri regate koje su se organizirale u ožujku, travnju i svibnju. Međutim, broj sudionika je bio standardan, a čak ni na Uskrsnoj regati nije bio ništa veći nego što je to uobičajeno. Takav pristup se osjetio i u rezultatima na svjetskoj smotri, ali što je tu je... vratimo se glavnoj temi... Najviše jedrenja su dozvolili vremenski uvjeti u Zadru, na prvoj regati za Kup. Taj vikend se jedrilo i po slabom i po jakom vjetru i odjedrilo se maksimalno dozvoljenih pet jedrenja. S druge strane, na Hvaru, na Uskrsnoj regati odjedrila su se tri plova, a definitivno će se najviše pričati o navigacijskom plovu koji se jedrio po rubnim uvjetima. Na obje regate dominirao je X-Cite, tako da je ova ekipa preskočila sudjelovanje na posljednjoj regati pred SP, Pre Worldsu u Šibeniku na kojem su se odjedrila samo dva plova po umjerenom i laganom vjetru. Kako se na kraju nije odjedrilo Prvenstvo Hrvatske, bodovno stanje iz svibnja je postalo finalno, a raspored najboljih je identičan onom iz 2018. Najbolja jedrilica je bila X-Cite, drugoplasiran je bio Mareus II, a trećeplasiran Gringo 2, dok je najbolji kormilar u Kupu Luka Jerčić s jedrilice Mareus II. A zašto titula nije otišla na istu adresu u obje kategorije razlog ima u tome što je X-Citom na regati u Zadru kormilario Luka Šangulin, a na Uskrsnoj regati Tonko Rameša. Tako da su njihovi bodovi podijeljeni, a to je najviše išlo na ruku kormilaru Mareusa. Na novouspostavljenoj ljestvici za CRO ORC Inshore Kup našle su se regate koje se ipak nisu mogle nazvati offshoreom. Uglavnom su to višednevne regate podijeljene na više etapa, a već se dugo boduju po ORC-u, odnosno generalni pobjednik se proglašava po ovom sustavu razvrstanja. Popis se sastavio od ukupno sedma regata: Karnevalska, Gladuša, Zlarinska, Komiška, Južnodalmatinska, Lošinjska i Viška. Zajedničko im je to što su sve imale etape ne dulje od tridesetak nautičkih milja. Bodovanje im je osim generalnog plasmana uzimalo u obzir i broj sudionika u ORC skupini. Kako točno ta formula izgleda možete pročitati u Pravilniku koji se nalazi na web stranicama Udruge ORC jedriličara. Konačnu sumu bodova dale su četiri regate. Igrom slučaja tri odbacivanja su ionako definirana pravilnikom, pa se nije imalo puno izbora i prostora za kombinatoriku. A kad se na kraju podvuče crta, mora se priznati da je stvarno šteta što se na nekim regatama nije nitko prijavio u ORC razredu, a na nekima je organizator propustio u Oglas ubaciti ovu skupinu. Titula najbolje jedrilice otišla je jedinom hrvatskom Farru 40 - Toto Travelu. Njegova posada je bodove skupila na Komiškoj, Južnodalmatinskoj i Viškoj regati. Inače je ova sezona bila posljednja za ovu jedrilicu na splitskoj adresi i od iduće sezone nastupat će pod imenom Gringo 3... treba li dodati da ide pod zastavu JK Uskok? Tamo će nastaviti jedriti po ORC-u, a s obzirom na dosadašnje afinitete posade Gringa 2 morat ćemo ga tražiti na rezultatskim listama skupine ORC International. I za kraj je ostao CRO ORC Offshore Kup, ljestvica koja je u 2019. dobila svoje drugo izdanje. Na njenom popisu se našlo također sedam regata, a jedna od njih sa svoje dvije etape. Naravno, kao i lani, riječ je o Regati 1000 otoka jer se ona može jedriti odvojeno, ako se želi može se izabrati samo jedna od dvije ponuđene etape. Jednako kao i kod Inshore Kupa natjecatelji su mogli odbaciti četiri najlošija rezultata, a kako 13. Jadranska regata, prva s popisa, nije organizirana tako su se bodovi dijelili na osnovu tri najuspješnija plasmana. Još jedna sličnost između Kupa za kratke distance, a to je da se također na tri regate nitko nije prijavio po ORC-u. Suma sumarum, na kraju pobjeda odlazi austrijskoj posadi na jedrilici Vento Cadela. Ovaj portugalski prototip je skupio bodove na tri regate, a ogromnu prednost u odnosu na sve ostale je stekao pobjedama u obje etape Regate 1000 otoka. Na te tri regate ukupno je prejedrio više od 760 NM! Kad se napravi statistička analiza sudionika na regatama za Offshore i Inshore kupove lako se vidi da je je mnogo više natjecatelja u Offshore Kupu zahvaljujući regati Jabuka. Čak 46 jedrilica je svoju šansu tražilo i u ovom razredu na ovoj regati i može se reći da je sigurno u 90% slučajeva riječ o charter jedrilicama s posadama koje nisu iz Hrvatske. Razlozi zašto domaći jedriličari ne idu u ovom smjeru traže se već godinama... Uglavnom vlada mišljenje da ako netko želi nastupiti u ORC-u mora potrošiti hrpu novca na jedrilicu, opremu, izradu certifikata itd... ali vlasnici i posade koji imaju poprilične budžete mogu se pronaći i u Openu, pa nitko ne povlači takve usporedbe i u toj "neograničenoj" podjeli. Činjenica je da ORC nije toliko striktan kao što većina ljudi misli i dozvoljava da svaki vlasnik samostalno premjeri svoju jedrilicu za ORC Club certifikat. To je praksa koja se već godinama primjenjuje u Dubrovniku gdje se po ORC-u boduje Liga Orsan. S druge strane na skoro svim popularnijim regatama nastupaju posade iz unutrašnosti Hrvatske koje nemaju svoje jedrilice, već ih uzimaju u charteru, a skoro sve charter jedrilice iz monotip flota koje se iznajmljuju za vikend i charter regate imaju ORC certifikate. Čestitke svim slavodobitnicima, a u Udruzi ORC jedriličara za iduću sezonu pripremaju neke manje izmjene i nadajmo se da neke od njih uspiju privući još posada u Tour za 2020. Uskoro ćemo i o tome. READ MORE

FIVE REASONS TO FROSTBITE The Perks of Winter Sailing with North Sails Expert Austin Powers As the winter season is fully upon us (at least for those of us in the northern parts of the world), some of us are brave enough to venture out into the cold and continue to participate in the sport we love so dear. Frostbite racing happens at yacht clubs all over the country in various capacities. Some allow spinnakers, some do pursuit courses, and some even are brave enough to leave the dock in dinghies. Whether you leave the dock in a 40 footer or a boat less than ten feet, here are the top 5 reasons to love frostbite: A Late First Warning Almost universally, all frostbite events start either noon or later which means we get to skip the worst part of every normal regatta: Getting up early to make dock time Breaking Out The Foul Weather Gear A lot of us sailors spend quite a bit of money on gear for sailing in rough weather, even though when the weather turns bad we usually stay at the bar. Frostbiting gives us the excuse to break out the “foulies” from the closet and show off our sweet gear. More Relaxed Racing The winter racing is a great time for cross training if you are lucky enough to get your normal crew to come out sailing. Switch everyone’s positions on the boat for each race so that everyone gets an appreciation for the various roles on the boat. Not only does everyone respect each other's roles more, it improves coordination amongst team members because they see how the timing works from the other positions of the boat. It Makes You Tougher After a couple of hours out racing in sub 32 degree weather, 20 knots in the middle of the summer at night does not seem nearly as daunting. Food and Drink Let's face it… after a long day out sailing in the cold, nothing tastes better than warm food and a tasty beverage back at the club house (whatever your drink of choice may be). As part of the North Sails team of experts in Annapolis, Austin works with both one design classes and the local PHRF fleets. He is excited to work on growing North’s presence in Virginia and expanding the customer service offered to Southern Bay sailors. READ MORE

J/70 SOUTH AMERICAN UPDATE Fastest Growing One Design Class in South America 📸 Matias Capizzano Just after North Sails swept the podium at the J/70 Chilean Nationals at the end of 2019, we sat down with Torkel Borgstrom to talk about class growth across the continent. He says the J/70 is growing in a very similar way to how the J/24 grew, thirty-plus years ago. With boats built in Buenos Aires, “It is becoming one of the most important and competitive classes in South America. And most of the sailors here use North Sails, including the top ones, because they perceive that it’s an advantage in terms of performance.” The first South American country to build a fleet was Chile, about seven years ago. “Right now there are probably 30-35 boats, and the numbers are stable.” Uruguay has another 30-boat fleet, he continues. “And Brazil was one of the first countries that started with a J/70, but due to some restrictions on importation, they only have around ten boats. But every time they participate internationally, they do well.” Add in another 35 boats from Argentina, and it’s easy to see why Torkel says the J/70 “has become one of the strongest and most interesting one design classes. The regattas are very, very competitive, and normally there are a lot of boats participating.” In Brazil, a lot of professional sailors have moved into the J/70 because the competition is so good. In the rest of South America, Torkel explains, the approach is more like in the US; most sailors are either amateur or people work in the industry, but don’t specialize in J/70s. “It is becoming one of the most important and competitive classes in South America. Most of the sailors here use North Sails, including the top ones, because they perceive that it’s an advantage in terms of performance.” The J/70 South Americans in Punta del Este had great conditions but only 32 boats participated, which surprised Torkel—though he wasn’t surprised to see a Argentinian tie for first. “Most of the sailors are new, and so when you put together a good crew like the one Guillermo Parada has, they normally will win most of the events.” As for the disappointing turnout, he blames it on the current political instability, particularly in Chile but also in Argentina. “Every time we have elections here, things get a little bit unstable. So I believe this is the reason why we haven’t seen more boats.” Based on what he’s seen so far, Torkel is excited about the future of the class. “In January, we have the Rolex Atlantic Circuit regatta, which is one of the most important ones here. I expect to see more boats sailing in that event.” Longer term, “the good sailors ended up sailing in the J/24s, and the same thing is going to happen with the J/70s. So you will see more people from South America, Argentina especially, going into the international events and starting to do much better every year. We foresee that in the next five to eight years, we’ll continue growing slowly, and continue improving in terms of competitiveness.” 📸 Matias Capizzano READ MORE

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ROLEX SYDNEY HOBART YACHT RACE 2019 OVERALL WINNER Matt Allen and Crew Named Overall Winners, North Clients Crowd IRC Podiums 📸 Andrea Francolini Longtime North Sails customer Matt Allen is once again hoisting the Tattersall Cup, in celebration of Ichi Ban’s victory as Overall Winner of this year’s 628 mile race from Sydney to Hobart. Matt also won this prestigious trophy in 2017, and this is another fitting victory for a yacht named “number one” in Japanese. Ichi Ban’s sail inventory includes a full 3Di upwind package and NPC Downwind spinnakers. Matt works closely with the North team in Australia, and North experts Rob Greenhalgh and Dick Parker were both onboard for the 2019 win. The Ichi Ban team has been dialing in the TP52’s performance since first launching in the fall of 2017. But their competition has been doing the same, so Ichi Ban had to work hard to earn their 2019 title. “All the campaigns have really stepped up this year; people have tried to emulate what we have done,” Matt said. “There’s no doubt about the competition in this race—in the 44 to 55 footers alone, it is incredible. You wouldn’t find the competition we have in this race anywhere else in the world.” Many other North Sails clients bested their own tough competition as well. North sails were on board every super maxi competing in the 2019 race, and North inventories took the top spots in seven of nine IRC classes and swept four IRC podiums. A special congratulations to Corinthian team Katwinchar, the oldest boat to ever compete in the RSHYR, which won the Grand Veterans Division. READ MORE

CANVAS 101 North Sails Service Experts from Detroit Share their Canvas Tips Although our boats are put away for the season and there may or may not be snow on the ground right now, it’s actually the perfect time to think about how to get your boat looking sharp in the spring. Keeping the canvas clean, waterproofed, and fitting correctly not only makes your boat look nicer, it also functions better as its main purpose, protecting your sails. Over time, canvas will lose its waterproofing treatment and will start absorbing water eventually leaking onto your sail which can lead to mold. If you start noticing mold on your sails or a heavy wet cover, its probably a good time to get it washed and water proofed. Exposure to the UV will eventually dry rot your stitching, Velcro and zippers and should all be checked over yearly. The canvas shop at your North Sails Detroit loft is here to help. Not only do we repair, wash, and water proof your canvas, we also offer new boom covers, cradle covers, genoa socks, binnacle/wheel covers, tiller covers, and miscellaneous cockpit bags. With multiple color and fabric choices available, we can easily match to your current canvas or update them to something different. We can also customize any new or used canvas items such as adding sail numbers, boat name, or logo. Whether you’re a cruiser, racer cruiser, or serious racer, the canvas on your boat should be checked over annually to ensure any zippers, Velcro, twist locks, and stitching is all intact. Afterall, it is exposed to the UV and weather almost more than anything on your boat. Its never too late to stop by with your canvas and talk to one of our experts on the condition and what we can do to expand the life, purchase new, or modify old. READ MORE

EVENT SPOTLIGHT: ANNUAL LIGHTNING MEETING Meeting, Planning, and a look at Qualifying for the PanAm Games North Sails Detroit hosted the International Lightning Class’s Michigan District members for their annual meeting in the loft. Both Skip Dieball and Spencer Colpaert were on hand as hosts and over 20 members came to conduct their annual business. The loft in Warren, Michigan is perfect for gatherings and we have a number of associations signed up to have their get-togethers in our facility. In addition to helping the Michigan District have a place to meet, North Sails donated food and refreshments. North Sails has enjoyed years of loyalty from Lightning sailors and this is our way of thanking those in the Michigan District. After the business at hand was complete, Skip Dieball gave a presentation from his trip to Peru for the 2019 Pan American Games. From the qualifying event through the travel and meeting of others on the US Sailing Team, Skip shared the highs and lows of the high-stakes event. READ MORE

ALL EYES WERE ON SYDNEY HARBOUR FOR BOXING DAY START 157 Boats Set Off on the 628-Mile Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht 📸 ROLEX / Carlo Borlenghi The Rolex Sydney Hobart Race 2019 saw a fleet of 157 boats set off from Sydney and out to sea for the 628 nm trek to Hobart. It was picture perfect start conditions on Boxing Day as spectators lined the shores and watched online as the 2019 fleet made its way out of Sydney Harbour. Amongst the fleet are the big five supermaxis as well as Corinthian teams, made up of family and friends who may be checking an item off their bucket list. Considered one of the most difficult offshore races in the sport of sailing, simply crossing the finish line is an accomplishment; winning is the ultimate honor. We’ll be keeping an eye on the race tracker over the next few days, and waiting in anticipation to see who collects line honors and then the overall winner in the 75th edition of this historic race. 📸 ROLEX / Carlo Borlenghi 📸 ROLEX / Carlo Borlenghi View the race tracker to follow the 157 boat fleet as they make their journey from Sydney to Hobart. READ MORE

CORINTHIAN ENTRY KATWINCHAR IS RACE READY Oldest Yacht to Race Sydney-Hobart Prepares for the Unexpected For 75 years, the Rolex Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race has been a Boxing Day highlight for the sailing world. The race attracts a wide range of boats and sailors, from 30-footers sailed by family and friends to the 100’ Super Maxis with professional race crews. While the big boats tend to attract the most attention, we’ll also be cheering on Katwinchar, the oldest boat ever to compete in the race. Launched in 1904 at the Watney Brewery in England, the boat was a total wreck when Bill Barry-Cotter, a well-known Sydney boatbuilder, found her. Bill’s brother Kendall, who will skipper the yacht to Hobart, said the restoration took two years and over 10,000 man-hours to complete. “The intention was always to go to Hobart,” he adds. To help this historic boat be competitive against more modern boats, Peter Antill from North Sails Sydney worked with Kendall and Sailing Master Michael Spies to design an inventory that would suit this classic. “The configuration is quite a bit different,” Kendall says. “You couldn’t just use modern technology, it had to be a mixture to suit this particular boat.” The goal was “to try to get the best product we could for the boat at the time,” he continues. “So that was a combination of Peter and myself, going through and designing the sail plan and the types of sails that we wanted to use.” Michael Spies says that the back and forth between skipper and sailmaker was really valuable. “Rather than telling us what we’re going to get, it’s been an open discussion.” He’s also looking forward to racing under both IRC and ORC. “Katwinchar is quite clearly the oldest boat to have ever done this historic race. The parity created by the IRC rule and the ORC rule gives us the opportunity, hopefully, to be competitive against the more modern boats.” Katwinchar will join the estimated 150-strong fleet at the start in Sydney Harbor on December 26th sporting her updated sail configuration, which features 3Di sails and a furling Code Zero. “I hadn’t had the opportunity to sail with Code Zeros before,” Kendall says. “It’s been a great learning curve to find out how efficient they are; actually, they’re brilliant.” READ MORE

MARK RICHARDS ON WILD OATS XI AND NORTH SAILS Nine-Time Line Honours Winner Ready to Race in Sydney Wild Oats XI, under the leadership of skipper Mark Richards, is an undeniable success story. The program has collected Sydney to Hobart line honors on nine separate occasions and was the first boat to claim the “Treble” race record, line honors, and overall winner. First launched in 2005, this 100’ SuperMaxi will sail the 2019 Sydney to Hobart Race 1300 kilos lighter than a year ago. And North Sails is proud to be their sailmaker of choice. “The sail evolution over those 15 years has been phenomenal,” Richards says. “We’re a lot faster than we have been in the past with the reaching tight luff sails, so that’s all pretty exciting stuff. We’ve got a brand new mainsail, which is 40 kilos lighter than last year’s.” Richards credits the strong relationship with North Sails as a key factor in helping the team get to where they are today. “I’m really excited about this year’s race, because I think we’ve got the best sail inventory that we’ve ever had in the history of the boat.” 📸James Tomlinson / North Sails READ MORE

ONBOARD BLACKJACK FOR SYDNEY-HOBART RACE PREP Skipper Mark Bradford Talks 3Di While Test Sailing Super Maxi BlackJack skipper Mark Bradford spent the days leading up to the 2019 Sydney to Hobart running through a pre-race work list, which included putting the boat’s new North 3Di sails through their paces before heading offshore. The team allowed us to tag along for a training day, and naturally, we had to ask them questions about their sails. Here are the highlights of what we learned from a team that is always pushing boundaries. 3Di Carries Across the Range BlackJack’s mantra is to be fast in light air, and the new lightweight 3Di sails have improved the boat’s performance under 8 knots. BlackJack has recently added Helix, further increasing the versatility of its inventory. Durability Matters 3Di improves both strength and durability. “The miles and hours that we can put on the sails these days are just far superior to what we have seen in the past and what competing sailmakers can offer,” Bradford says. “North Sails engineering and manufacturing processes are second to none, and our confidence is extremely high that the failure rate will be next to nothing.” 📸James Tomlinson / North Sails READ MORE

JOSH JUNIOR CLAIMS FINN GOLD CUP North Clients Dominate Top 10 As the mercury hit 42 degrees Celsius in Melbourne Australia, the on-the-water action heated up as well at the 2019 Finn Gold Cup. The world championship of the Olympic heavyweight dinghy, seven different countries and three continents were represented in the top eight—and all of those sailors chose North Sails. Josh Junior put in a strong, consistent performance to take the top spot, the first Finn Gold Cup win ever for a Kiwi. Starting in the class six years ago and working with Andy Maloney and coach Andrew Murdoch, he won two races, had only three finishes out of the top five, and led the event from day two. With the 2020 Olympics only months away, many sailors were also competing for the chance to represent their country in Enoshima, Japan—another place where heat and humidity are likely to make the Finn’s physicality and free pumping a real challenge. The 2019 Gold Cup was a key regatta on the Royal Brighton Yacht Club schedule, and as host of the 1956 Olympic Games they put on an excellent championship. Congratulations to all. We’ll be following along in 2020! Results after medal race (medal race results in brackets) 1 NZL Josh Junior 44 (7) 2 NED Nicholas Heiner 52 (3) 3 HUN Zsombor Berecz 53 (2) 4 GBR Giles Scott 67 (8) 5 AUS Jake Lilley 72 (1) 6 NZL Andy Maloney 79 (9) 7 CRO Nenad Bugarin 92 (5) 8 CAN Tom Ramshaw 95 (10) 9 ESP2 Joan Cardona Éndez 98 (6) 10 TUR Alican Kaynar 100 (4) Browse the Finn inventory here Nicholas Heiner 📸Robert Deaves Nenad Bugarin 📸Robert Deaves Gilles Scott 📸Robert Deaves Andy Maloney 📸Robert Deaves READ MORE

2019 CICSA REGATTA SERIES Fleet Racing National Championship The weather in Kingston is a brisk 13 degrees Celsius and the water isn’t much warmer. Let's be honest, the thought of being in a wet dinghy during a Canadian fall isn’t how most would want to spend their weekend; but if it means racing, and competing in a championship event - it's the ideal two days for these sailors! Intercollegiate teams from across Canada descended on RMC campus on October 26th to wrap up the 2019 season in the Canadian Intercollegiate Sailing Association (CICSA) Fleet Racing National Championships. The Royal Military College of Canada Sailing Team were excellent hosts throughout this event. During the morning of the first day as teams registered, rigged their boats, and caught up with fellow competitors on their semesters. RMC’s team captain and president Ryan Wells was busy ensuring everyone had their questions answered and that day one was off to a smooth start. BR: RMC always goes above and beyond when hosting these races. What did you like about hosting the National Championship? RW: It was an honour for RMC to be able to host Fleet Racing Nationals again this year. We really enjoy being able to have such a large fleet of boats on the starting line, with crews from all over Canada. It’s been awesome to see CICSA grow over my time at RMC, and seeing more teams participating in nationals every year has been fantastic. Particularly, it’s incredible that UBC and Dalhousie were both able to make the trip this year. We think (although we may be slightly biased) that Kingston is the perfect venue for an event like this, with a strong sailing culture and dynamic wind conditions that always make for interesting sailing. This event was business as usual in that regard. BR: How did you think the racing went this weekend? The two days of racing couldn’t have been more different. Day one found the wind blowing no more than 6 knots at a time, and crews had to work hard to find the puffs filtering down the course, and use their weight and tactics to their advantage. Unfortunately the day had to end early due to the wind dying completely, with the plan to pick up the next day with where we left off. Day two was a completely different animal. Although the day started out with relatively light winds, allowing the group to get a couple of relatively benign races in, by noon the wind had picked up to 15 gusting 25 knots. The A fleet was able to get in a set of races after lunch, but by the time that B fleet had reached the course for their set, the wind had picked up to blowing around a steady 20 knots, with waves reaching almost 4 feet high in some places. They were able to get in their first race before the crews, and the boats, began to succumb to the challenging conditions. The races were called for the day, and eventually all the boats made it back safely to shore with only two bent masts and a couple of broken forestays to show for it. BR: Obviously, the new sight on the racing scene for Fleet Nationals this year is having North Sails as a supporting partner. What are your thoughts on having a sponsor at this event? RW: Having North Sails support this event was a huge step in showing how serious CICSA and all the teams in it are about building up the popularity and legitimacy of intercollegiate sailing in Canada. Of course, we aren’t as big as similar conferences in the United States, but we are growing. Having the support of a major player in the sailing industry helps show that progress. Every year there are eight races in the Canadian Regatta Series with many teams competing both in the regattas in Canada and in the U.S. under ICSA. It’s been a busy season with most of the larger teams like McGill sending their sailors to race and represent their school at up to 3 different races in one weekend. BR: McGill should be super proud of the fight they brought to the regattas in Canada and the US. What are your thoughts on the season as a whole? Ayden Watt: “It was a tight season of racing for McGill in CICSA, the team is proud to bring home the Fleet Race Nationals title for the fourth year in a row. Following an overall Canadian win in 2018, 2019 saw McGill bring in a strong new group of rookies, a new coach and a renewed drive to succeed. The whole team is especially thankful for our exceptional coaches, Stephen Waldie and Nicolas Tosi, and their guidance throughout the season. While this year didn't usher in the results the team was hoping for, McGill is proud of the work that got put in and is looking forward to strong Canadian competition in the coming season. This season definitely saw a lot of tight races, with fierce rivalry between McGill and Queen’s. Like McGill, the Gaels have a large team of seasoned racers competing both locally and across the border. The Queen’s Sailing Team has always been a dominant force on the water, consistently finishing regattas on the podium. Queen’s flexed their racing tact during this season to make a stellar come back. Queen’s Sail Team must ecstatic with the incredible pace they’ve had throughout the season. What are some notable points of the 2019 season? Scott Gittens: The past season for the Gaels was very successful. Most notably the team was able to bring back the CICSA League Championship making us the best ranked team in Canada. This championship included regaining the Team Racing National Championship. Despite a strong start to our season in the U.S, the Gaels unfortunately had to withdraw from one of the final qualifiers due to a larger team focus on winning the Canadian Championship. The Gaels had a strong finish to the season and will be looking to come back strong again next year to continue their dominant performance in Canada and improve upon their finish in the U.S League. The Gaels would like to extend thanks to their coaches Rachel Harris and Daniel Sheedy for their hard work and dedication in helping them achieve this year's accomplishments. While the majority of the teams that compete every year are based in the Central and Eastern region of Canada, the sailing team of University of British Columbia compete and practice ¾ of the year, and make the ~4600km journey from Vancouver, BC to Kingston, ON to compete at this race every year. BR: UBC’s commitment to racing out east is quite impressive. What is it like to travel this far to compete? It must mean something special to the team. Richard Minielly: From the moment we step on the plane each year, excitement is building. The long travel does tire us out, but also gives the four or five sailors, lucky enough to be selected, a day of travel in to clear their heads, study old regatta notes, and mentally prepare for the regatta. As Canadians, it is always a pleasure to compete against the best that our own country has to offer, and the energy for this event always contains more excitement than similar U.S. regattas. While the costs are high and the distance far, that chance to be champions of our own nation is what keeps UBC making the journey each year. The 2019 Fleet Racing Nationals closed a season that came with a lot of great racing and memorable startline drama. 2019 marked new highs for the CICSA Regatta Series as a record total of 19 University Teams now registered and competing across Canada, not to mention multiple teams competing in some of the most challenging regattas in the US. These intercollegiate teams travel hundreds if not thousands of kilometers to race their hearts out for their school while studying full time, finding time for training sessions, and racing when most people are pulling their boats out of the water for the winter. Tough? Crazy? Committed? I’d say they’re all of the above. With a burgeoning presence in the intercollegiate racing scene, these student athletes represent some of the best in Canadian Sailing. A big thank you to North Sails Toronto for supporting the Fleet Racing Nationals and donating a stunning basket full of NS Gear for our 2020 fundraising raffle (stay tuned for a sneak peak and more information on our Spring 2020 Raffle! All proceeds go to our Team Travel Bursary Program!). READ MORE

ACI Sail - globalni, a ne samo lokalni projekt FOTO: STUDIO BORLENGHI Još na proljeće se u jedriličarskim krugovima spominjao dolazak jedrilica klase Club Swan 36 u Hrvatsku. Prvo je u kombinaciji bila samo jedna jedrilica koja je trebala naslijediti već legendarni X-Cite, a ubrzo se počelo pričati i o cijeloj floti koja bi trebala jedriti pod zastavom ACI-ja. Konkretne informacije su se počele dobivati krajem lipnja i sad to više nisu bile glasine i kuloarske priče. Pojedinci odlaze u Italiju na testiranja jedrilica, a nakon ljeta svjedoci smo i prvom regatnom jedrenju jedne hrvatske posade. Od 8. do 12. listopada jedrio se The Nations Trophy - Swan One Design regata koju Nautor Swan organizira svake druge godine u suradnji s Real Club Nautico de Palma, a prvo izdanje je bilo 2017. Ove godine su u sklopu regate organizirana Svjetska prvenstva za Club Swan 50 i Club Swan 45, Club Swan 42 Europsko prvenstvo i promotivna regata za Club Swan 36. Hrvatska posada je jedrila na jedrilici klase Club Swan 36 s oznakom "ACI Sail", a o najzvučnijoj jedriličarskom novosti u Hrvatskoj nakon ovogodišnjeg ORC Svjetskog prvenstva odjedrenog u lipnju u Šibeniku popričali smo s predstavnikom nositelja projekta, ujedno i glavnim idejnim tvorcem novog poglavlja u hrvatskom jedrenju, Ivanom Kljakovićem Gašpićem: Nakon što je ACI bio vlasnik monotip flote JOD 36 s kojima su se jedrile match race regate, iznimno popularne devedesetih godina prošlog stoljeća, u ACI-ju se dugo nije ulagalo u sportski segment. Sad je stiglo vrijeme da se tvrtka ponovno okrene i u tom smjeru. Dok smo razmišljali u kojem to smjeru da se okrenemo uzimali smo u obzir sve postojeće popularne klase. TP52 je super brod, ali preskup, RC44 je stara klasa koja odumire, veliki MAXI-ji i super MAXI-ji su uglavnom "one off" a to i dalje nije strateška priča. Ono što je meni vrlo zanimljivo je foiling koncept. Osim što mislim da je to budućnost, u ACI-ju smo se odlučili orijentirati na neki trend koji je ujedno i brand u svijetu. Ako idemo gledati Melges, u jedriličarskim krugovima su to vrlo popularne jedrilice (modeli 20, 24, 32...), vrlo kvalitetne, ali široj populaciji su relativno nepoznate. Drugim riječima, rijetko tko što se ne bavi regatnim jedrenjem nije čuo ništa o Melgesu. Znači, to nije brand. S druge strane Melges 32 je stari brod i po meni se uopće ne isplati razmišljati o njemu na ovakav način. Melges 40, jedrilica koja je užasno skupa, komplicirana, nepraktična, također nije ono što nam treba. Tu negdje se pojavio Swan 36, za kojeg sam odmah kad je izašao pomislio da je to ono što nam treba. I to iz više razloga. Swan u svom Club razredu ima najveći broj članova, preko 7000 ljudi. Osim vlasnika, tu su i njihovi prijatelji... uglavnom poprilično zanimljiva skupina potencijalnih gostiju. O Swanu kao brandu mislim da je bespredmetno išta pričati, jer je riječ o jednom od najzvučnijih imena u svijetu jedrenja. Ne znam koga drugog bi mogao spomenuti u istom rangu s njim. I s druge strane jedrilice od 36 stopa se svojom veličinom mogu vezati u bilo koju ACI marinu i možemo za njih priuštiti sve što im treba. Omogućavaju nam vrlo veliku fleksibilnost kod organizacije bilo koje vrste regata, evenata itd. Jedna platforma koja po veličini i dimenzijama prihvatljiva ACI-ju i objedinjava sve one karakteristike koje sam spomenuo maloprije... foiling, moderan brod koji je također i vlasnička klasa. S druge strane Swan je u jednom velikom zamahu s klasom Swan Club 50, kojih je trenutno prodano trideset komada, što nije malen broj i evo sad na posljednjoj regati je jedrilo zajedno 18 tih jedrilica. Siguran sam da je taj brod i taj koncept nešto što će slijedećih desetak godina imati progresivan napredak. Tu se model od 36 stopa uklopio savršeno, jer se trenutno stvarno mnogo ljudi iz Melges-a, RC-a i drugih klasa gleda prebaciti u tridesetšesticu. Tako da možemo reći da je ACI s ovim napravio jedan vrlo velik korak naprijed i sudjeluje u postavljanju novih standarda na Jadranu, što je i jedan od glavnih ciljeva ACI-ja u dodatnom brandiranju Jadrana kao destinacije. S druge strane s ovim jedrilicama ćemo pružiti svim hrvatskim mladim jedriličarima mogućnost uključivanja u nove svjetske trendove. Meni osobno će biti vrlo drago da naša djeca koja prođu školu jedrenja, male klase i sve ono što sam i ja prolazio godinama, imati jednu novu stepenicu na koju će se moći popeti. Meni osobno kao jedriličaru to će biti i najveća satisfakcija, da znam da će te generacije djece, naravno ako se žele razvijati u ovom smjeru i imaju volje, imati platformu koja će ih gurnuti naprijed, a da nisu osuđeni na klasično skiperavanje. Mladi jedriličari imat će mogućnost uključivanja u cijelu priču kao instruktori u školi jedrenja na Swan-ovima 36, kad se budu organizirale raznorazne regate imat će mogućnost da se brinu o jedrilicama kao "boat captains", "shore captains". To su jedrilice koje su regatne "pile", kao mali TP, što se nauči na tom brodu s tim znanjem se može prebaciti na bilo koji Grand Prix brod i većeg i manjeg kalibra! Naučit će razmišljati na odgovarajući način i tehnički brinuti o njima. S druge strane moći će sudjelovati i u samom organiziranju regata i evanata, te naravno, kao skiperi i posade, jer će na svakom brodu trebat biti minimalno dva člana posade uz neiskusnu posadu koje ih uzmu u najam. Po svakoj regati će trebati minimalno desetak takvih mladih, nadobudnih jedriličara koji će se tu htjeti kaliti, dokazivati i s druge strane puno toga učiti. Mi smo trenutno također i u dogovorima sa Swan-om po pitanju regata koje će se u budućnosti organizirati u Hrvatskoj. Na njima će se sigurno trebat angažirati jedriličari za posade koje sigurno neće uvijek dolaziti kompletne, jer na ovakve regate često dolazi vlasnik ili sponzor s dva-tri svoja stalna jedriličara, a ostatak posade se kompletira s lokalnim jedriličarima. To su stvari na kojima trenutno radimo i vjerujem da ćemo za 2-3 godine imati na Jadranu Swan regate punog profila, znači ne samo za 36-ice, već za sve ostale Swan-ove. I tek tada projekt dolazi do svog punog izražaja, kad Hrvatska postane nova Swan destinacija. Ivan Kljaković Gašpić, ACI FOTO: STUDIO BORLENGHI ACI investira u dolazak ukupno 6 jedrilica. Jedan dio će doći do kraja ove godine, a flota će biti kompletirana do sezone 2020. Glavna baza će biti u marini ACI Split. Trenutno je tamo u izradi jedan novi montažni charter terminal u kojem će imati svoje urede i trening centar. Ali jedrilice neće biti u Splitu cijelu godinu. U planu je da ih se rotira po Jadranu, a po potrebi i po Mediteranu. Već je dosta zainteresiranih za najam za Swan regate po Mediteranu iduće godine... Copy del Ray, Rolex Swan Cup itd. Intencija je da Jadranske regate ne budu samo u Splitu, već da ih se organizira i u Dubrovniku, Rovinju, bilo kojoj drugoj lokaciji. Hrvatska premijera bila je na ovogodišnjoj Jabuci gdje su nastupile dvije ove jedrilice. Na jednoj je jedrio Ivan Kljaković Gašpić s ekipom iz Swana. S njim na palubi je bio Federico Michetti bivši CEO Melges Europe, a odnedavno sportski direktor Swan one design evenata. Dok je drugi Swan 36 iznajmljen jednoj češko - hrvatskoj posadi. READ MORE

INSIDE MOTH WORLDS WITH TOM SLINGSBY The North 3Di Decksweeper Delivered Winning Boatspeed North Sails introduced a line-up of four new high-performance 3Di Moth sails in June 2019, including the Vi-8DS Decksweeper 3Di Mainsail which Tom Slingsby chose in his bid to be crowned World Champion. Tom Slingsby used the North Decksweeper across the range, from 10-25 knots to help secure his newest title. The all-purpose 3Di mainsail delivered the boat speed Slingsby needed to win every race he sailed in this highly competitive one design class. Learn more about the new North designs for the International Moth on NorthSails.com.   READ MORE

North Sails New Zealand is helping to develop new foiling monohulls for the Youth America’s Cup, which begins in November 2020 and ends in March 2021, just ahead of the main event. READ MORE

PARTNERING TO PROMOTE DOUBLEHANDED RACING IN NORTH AMERICA Ken Read Onboard the Jeanneau SunFast 3300 for Ft. Lauderdale to Key West Race 📸 Jeanneau Jeanneau America announced today that world-renowned American yachtsman and North Sails President Ken Read will campaign the new Jeanneau SunFast 3300 in the double-handed division of the 2020 Fort Lauderdale to Key West race along with navigator Suzy Leech. The plan is to continue with a schedule that includes other events on the double-handed offshore sailing calendar in 2020, a discipline that is growing in popularity especially after the announcement of a mixed gender double-handed offshore class in the 2024 Olympics. From the drawing board of Daniel Andrieu and Guillaume Verdier, the SunFast 3300 is the all-new offshore race boat from Jeanneau. Designed for short-handed teams who are looking for a high performance platform, the boat is capable of long distance racing competitively under modern rating rules. “It’s an exciting move for us,” said Nick Harvey, president of Jeanneau America. “Short-handed sailing has been growing in interest globally, and Jeanneau is proud to develop a production boat that is capable of taking those sailors where they want to go.” North Sails has been an early partner in the development of the SunFast 3300 globally, and now in North America. “Jeanneau America approached us, and worked with our 3300 class leader Allan Terhune early in the process of bringing the boat to the North American market,” explained Read. “Double-handed racing is catching on worldwide, inspired by the passion and growth of short-handed sailing in countries like France and England. Developing a sail plan and shorthanded inventory with Jeanneau began with our North Sails team in France, and we are now taking it a step further with a larger sail plan on the boats imported to North America. The SunFast 3300 sail package is built to work in any handicap rule. It has been a fun project so far, but now comes the hard work on the water!” “The product we have put on the water is second to none,” continued Harvey. “Anyone in North America looking to grow in offshore racing should give the SunFast 3300 a serious look.” The first double-handed event for Read is the 2020 Fort Lauderdale to Key West Race. This event is a staple of the SORC circuit, and race organizers are embracing double-handed racing by adding this new class. The 120-mile race is historically a great challenge, heading south between the Florida Keys and the tricky Gulf Stream before finishing in sunny Key West, Florida. “Now that the Fort Lauderdale to Key West Race has decided to do a dedicated double-handed class, this is a shout out for boats and teams to come on down and have some fun. We can all learn together. As double-handed sailing begins to develop here in North America, we first and foremost have to make it fun. And this race is always a blast!,” said Read, “It’s brand new for Suzy and me and we can’t wait to get started.” READ MORE

NORTH SAILS IS OPEN IN LORIENT Our French Team Welcomes Friends to New Loft in Lorient La Base On Wednesday evening, Gautier Sergent, Director of North Sails France, and Phillip Touet, General Manager of North Sails France, joined the local North team in welcoming guests to our new facility in Lorient La Base. Nearly 150 people, including many well-known names from the French sailing community, celebrated the opening of this new sales and service site, right in the heart of offshore racing. Among the guests were team members from Charal, Gitana, PRB and Sodebo. Also present was Victor Tonnerre, mayor of Larmor-Plage and founder of Tonnerre Voilerie. The new North loft now occupies the same location where Tonnerre built his business. The loft features a new 500m² service floor purpose-built to meet the needs of sailing teams. It also has office space and a 50m² meeting room to house technical experts, sail designers, and industry-leading R&D specialists. Our long-standing Vannes loft will remain the French production site for North Sails, as well as continuing to provide regional customer service. Thibaut Agaugue will be in charge of service in both locations. Gautier Sergent, Director of North Sails France and Head of R&D We have been looking to have a base at La Base in Lorient for a few years now. We wanted to do it right and had a few boxes to tick. Our new loft is ideal and will be a fantastic tool to bring us closer to our customers and partners, and encourages even better collaboration. We had a great turnout at our opening. When standing in front of the guests to say a few welcome words, I realized how much talent and potential there was in the room; all very key people in the sailing scene far beyond this “Sailing Valley” known for its innovation. What a great relationship we have with all these people; our customers, our own team, our partners, local representatives, many who I call friends. Going beyond is a motto we stand by at North Sails, and this loft is yet another great tool at our fingertips. Franck Cammas, Skipper, Edmond de Rothschild “The arrival of North Sails France in Lorient La Base is significant for our team, especially quick access to the design office with whom we spend a lot of time exchanging ideas. Even if our mainsails cannot be modified here, we will still be able to use the local service for minor modifications and smaller sails.” Victor Tonnerre, Mayor of Larmor-Plage and Founder of the Sailmaker Tonnerre Voilerie “It’s an honour for us to welcome international sailmaker North Sails to Lorient. My friends, many of whom are present tonight, must be proud. I used to run my company in this same location. Tonnerre means thunder, and I know that today with North Sails, it is going to hit like thunder! Yann Penfornis, Managing Director, Multiplast “The North Sails presence in Lorient makes perfect sense. The loft location provides an opportunity for the North team to work more closely with its customers.” Carole Bourlon, Head of the Eurolarge Innovation program at Bretagne Développement Innovation “The choice of Lorient as a complement to Vannes was an obvious choice for North Sails.” READ MORE

North Sails a inauguré son nouveau loft à Lorient en présence de nombreux invités 📸Maxime Horlaville / polaRYSE Près de 150 personnes ont assisté mercredi 18 décembre à l’inauguration des nouveaux locaux de North Sails à Lorient La Base en présence de toute l’équipe de North Sails Vannes. Parmi les invités figuraient de nombreux acteurs du monde nautique tels que les membres de Charal, Gitana Team, PRB, Sodebo, Banque du Léman, des représentants de la Classe 40 et Mini 6.50 ainsi que de Multiplast, GSea Design, Tonnerre Gréement et Decosail pour n’en citer que quelques-uns. Étaient également présents des élus locaux dont Victor Tonnerre, maire de Larmor-Plage (56) et fondateur de la voilerie Tonnerre qu’occupe désormais North Sails. Cet événement était l’occasion pour les convives de découvrir le nouveau plancher de 500m2 dédié au service (réparations et modifications) et qui abrite également une équipe de six personnes, ingénieurs (bureau d'études) et technico-commerciaux. Le loft de Vannes restera le site de production pour North Sails France, et de service pour les clients de la région vannetaise. 📸Maxime Horlaville / polaRYSE 📸Maxime Horlaville / polaRYSE « Cela fait quelques années que nous souhaitions nous implanter à Lorient, a commenté Gautier Sergent, directeur général de North Sails France. Nous voulions le faire dans les meilleures conditions, selon des critères qui nous correspondent, et de manière pérenne. Cette inauguration nous a confortés dans notre choix. Nos clients et partenaires sont venus en grand nombre pour célébrer cet événement en notre compagnie. Nous sommes fiers de leur présence à nos côtés, des relations privilégiées que nous entretenons avec eux et de la palette de talents qu’ils représentent tous. Allez toujours plus loin est notre devise et nous avons désormais un support supplémentaire à notre disposition. » Ils ont dit : Franck Cammas, skipper, Edmond de Rothschild, Gitana Team « La venue de North Sails France à Lorient La Base nous concerne directement, notamment le bureau d’études avec qui nous échangeons beaucoup. Même si nos grands-voiles ne pourront être déroulées ici, nous pourrons toujours utiliser leur service de proximité pour les modifications et les voiles plus petites. Victor Tonnerre, maire de Larmor-Plage et fondateur de la voilerie Tonnerre « C’est un honneur que North Sails reprenne ce bâtiment. C’est une grande voilerie internationale compétente. Mes amis marins, ceux qui sont là et ceux qui tristement ne sont plus parmi nous, doivent être fiers. Avant ici, je tenais ma voilerie qui portait le nom de Tonnerre. Je sais qu’aujourd’hui avec North Sails, ce sera du Tonnerre. » Yann Penfornis, Directeur de Multiplast « C’est une bonne chose pour North Sails qui se donne aujourd’hui la possibilité de travailler plus étroitement avec ses clients. Cela devait déjà arriver avec le bâtiment des défis avant qu’il ne soit ravagé par un incendie. Leur présence est tout à fait logique. » Carole Bourlon, Responsable voile de compétition, Eurolarge, Bretagne Développement Innovation « Je pense que l’implantation de North Sails à Lorient en complément de Vannes s’imposait comme une évidence. » 📸Maxime Horlaville / polaRYSE 📸Maxime Horlaville / polaRYSE READ MORE

ROLEX SYDNEY TO HOBART YACHT RACE PREVIEW Gearing Up for the 75th Edition 📸 Carlo Borlenghi With more than 160 boats registered and more than 1,000 crew members ready to take on the iconic 628nm offshore sprint from Sydney to Hobart, excitement is now spilling onto the docks as we count down the last few days before the start of the race (December 26, 1:00 pm local time). This race is watched by sailors all over the world, because it’s a true test of ability and perseverance. See how you can follow the race below. Boats we’re following Line honours contestants Wild Oats and BlackJack will be going head to head with Scallywag. In the ORC fleet, Matt Allen’s TP52 Ichi Ban took 5th place last year and won overall in 2017, so she’s another contender for the overall regatta win. Expect a battle with Barry Cuneo’s Envy Scooters, which last year was put together in haste and this year will include several young guns in the crew aiming to be the Tattersall Cup winners. Christian Beck’s InfoTrack*, Noel Cornish’s St Jude, Paul Buchholz’s Extasea, and Frederic Puzin’s Daquet (previously Patrice) are all expected to do well in their respective fleets. Additional clients of interest include Keiran and Elizabeth Mulcahy’s King 40 Soozal. Soozal had a refit in November and will be joined by three additional family members for the race to Hobart. Mark Hipgrave’s short-handed experienced crew onboard Jeanneau SunFast 3600 Mister Lucky shows a lot of potential. Helmed by Deb Fish, her goal is to be the top female to cross the finish line. Katwinchar, built in 1904, will be the oldest boat ever to compete in the Rolex Sydney to Hobart. Over the last two years, owner Bill Barry-Cotter has rebuilt this 32-footer, and along with his team of Murray Spence, Michael Spie, and Kendal Barry-Cotter, he’s ready to race. We look forward to seeing this Corinthian team cross the finish line in Hobart. Weather predictions The last few races have rewarded boats that thrive off the wind. North expert and Sydney local Alby Pratt says, “we’re overdue for an upwind race, so anything can happen!” If the fleet does see tighter sheeting angles, Scallywag, BlackJack, and Quest will all have the chance to extend on the fleet thanks to their North Helix Code Sails. This year’s race forecasting has been complicated by Sydney’s ring of brush fires, which reduced visibility so much on Sydney Harbour that the Big Boat Challenge was cancelled. Fire alarms have been triggered in homes and buildings downtown, and ferries cancelled. Despite ongoing concerns, the Bureau of Meteorology indicates that conditions for the start should be clear, with a north-northeast wind that builds and shifts south. This will make the start a battle of crewwork—who can pull of the smoothest transitions. There is no way to predict what exactly will be the outcome, but some can hope that conditions may give the smaller yachts in the race a chance to shine. While once the ‘holy grail’ for racing from Sydney to Hobart was to complete the course in less than two days, this year the record to beat is one day, 9 hours, 15 minutes, and 24 seconds. Along with you, we’ll be tracking the fleet’s progress. Good luck to all! How to follow Be at the epicenter of the main event. Race villages are set up in Sydney and in Hobart to catch the beginning and the end of the race Australia’s Local Network 7 News will be broadcasting a 90 minute program starting at 12:30 AEST on Boxing Day. Tune in! If you are not in AEST, check for live news announcements at www.RolexSydneyHobart.com. Track the entire fleet, or just one boat. See how fast different teams are sailing and how far they have to go to the finish line using the fleet tracker app. If you’ve got a boat, get out on the water for a front row seat to all the action. Just remember to stay clear of the exclusion zone. Want to participate in the race, but from the comfort of your own home? Compete with Virtual Race! Sign up to compete here. READ MORE

OPTIMIST NOVOS MODELOS DISPONÍVEIS Os novos modelos das velas de Optimist (MNR) já estão disponíveis, em Portugal, para demonstração. Se tem curiosidade em conhecer os novos modelos e em experimentá-los marque connosco um Demo Session para o seu Clube. A equipa North Sails Portugal leva até ao seu Clube os novos modelos para que as suas equipas tenham a oportunidade de conhecerem as velas North Sails para Optimist, em conjunto com os seus treinadores. Para marcações contacte o Vicente Pinheiro através dos contactos vicente.pinheiro@northsails.com ou 916 857 896. Saiba mais sobre o novo modelo através dos links e do video em baixo. #SailFast #GoBeyond NORTH SAILS INTRODUCES THE NEW BI-RADIAL OPTIMIST MAINSAIL NEW MNR SERIES OPTIMIST BI-RADIAL MAINSAIL https://youtu.be/D3PCbl3yjCc READ MORE

SUMMER SEASON SHAPING UP WELL FOR YOUNG P-CLASS SAILOR Great results with new sail from North Sails Auckland's One Design loft All eyes will be on Tim and his close rival Rowan Kensington this summer. The summer season is shaping up well for young P Class sailor Tim. Fourteen-year-old Tim, who is in his third season in the class, has been using a new F1 sail from North Sails Auckland’s One Design loft, and has been seeing great results. Tim, who sails out of the Kohimarama Yacht Club, won the P Class North Island championships at Tauranga at Labour Weekend, and is warming up for next year’s Tanner and Tauranga Cups event, to be held at the same venue. He also finished second at the recent Auckland champs at Glendowie, The North Island championships were sailed in fresh conditions on both days of the regatta, allowing only five races to be completed. Young sailors had to cope with not only changeable wind strength, but big changes in direction and the strong tidal flows of the Tauranga Harbour. Tim sailed consistently to win two of the races, finished second in two others, and round out his scorecard with a fourth placing, in a large fleet of 35 boats. This season Tim has moved from sailing Mintie into Vengeance, in which clubmate Blake Hinsley won the Tanner Cup earlier this year. Blake was also using a North F1 sail, and Tim decided to get one made for this season. North Sails One Design manager Derek Scott says the F1 is has a radial clew and a cross-cut top, to spread the load out of the clew. "It also allows the top of the sail to twist off nicely," Scott says. Tim’s father Richard Howse says Tim is enjoying using the sail. "He’s one of the more senior and heavier sailors in the fleet now and his Achilles heel has been sailing downwind," Richard says. "We have found his downwind speed with this sail is really, really good. It’s a real weapon." All eyes will be on Tim and his close rival Rowan Kensington this summer, especially at the 2020 Tanner Cup (interprovincial) and Tauranga Cup (national) P Class regatta, which will be sailed from January 2–7. READ MORE

SARASOTA WINTER SERIES #1: 4 LESSONS Vipers And VXOnes Get The Winter Party Started Jackson Benvenutti, winner in the Viper 640 class. 📸SJTStudios Friday With thunderstorms looming offshore for the setup day, Vipers and VXOne teams focused on getting their boats set up and tuned. North experts Jackson Benvenutti and Austin Powers moved from boat to boat, helping all the teams dial in their base rig settings. The day ashore was actually quite valuable, because setup takes time. A reminder to be patient, don’t rush establishing your base setting! Saturday Teams were rewarded for their patience with champagne conditions on the first race day. A warm 10-15 knot breeze delivered four awesome races. After racing, debriefs were run for both the Viper and the VX fleets. Two Lessons From Saturday: Teams that were aggressive in tightening the headstay (by increasing shroud tension and adding blocks) found their boats more manageable in the puffy conditions. Vang usage/tension shows whether your rig is right. If you are maxed out on the vang more than ¾ of the time, tighten the rig. If you are not using any vang, loosen the rig to power up the sail plan. Hayden Bennett, 2nd place VX One class 📸SJTStudios Sunday Sunday delivered lighter breezes, from 5-10 knots (and sometimes less than 5 knots later in the day). The Race Committee managed to squeeze in another 4 races, Jackson Benvenutti, Jesse Fielding, and Nick Ward took the Viper win. “Jackson set us up for fast with the latest inventory from North Sails,” Jesse said. “It was my first time in the Viper, a fun boat. I can’t wait for the next race, because Sarasota always delivers!” Nick signed on only two days before the regatta, after the original third crew member had to back out, since he was already in Sarasota for a family event. As a past Viper owner, he was psyched to be part of what turned out to be the winning team! North boats also took 3 of the top 5 spots in the VXOne, along with a partial inventory for winner (and new class president) John Potter. Two Lessons from Sunday: Pressure was king, and there were big holes in the middle of the course. Teams coming from the edges had success. Maintaining a high average speed downwind was crucial. There was a big penalty for teams that soaked too low, because it took so long to get back up to speed. Travis Yates & Mike Meighan, 2nd place in the Viper 640 class 📸SJTStudios Shoreside Local Knowledge Some popular hangout spots after sailing were the Daiquiri Deck and the local Irish bar. We look forward to seeing everyone there during the next event in January! North Scoreboard: Viper 640: 1,2,3,4,5,6,8,9,10 – Congrats Jackson Benvenutti VXOne: 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 Kelly Ann Cole (Driver), Sarah Wilkinson and Katy Hannan 📸SJTStudios 📸SJTStudios READ MORE

2019 - A MEMORABLE YEAR FOR NORTH SAILS IRELAND Reflecting On Another Great Year Scottish Series, Tarbert 1st RC 35 Chimaera Andrew Craig 📸 Brendan Fogarty 2019 was a jam-packed and action-filled racing season for North Sails Ireland. Our team of Nigel Young, Shane Hughes, Richard Marshall and Maurice O'Connell (yours truly) were on the water around the country from the first day of the Spring Series in February to the last day of the Winter Series last weekend. Richard kept our customers going delivering our overnight service at the major events during the summer. We also competed internationally at numerous events abroad which helps us "stay current" with the trends and thinking with our North Sails colleagues from around the world. Maurice even managed to fit in some TV studio punditry at the Star Sailors League finals in Nassau in the Bahamas. Someone’s got to do it! Our customers have once again delivered an amazing set of results with numerous championship, regatta and series victories. Here is what they had to say: "This year has been an amazing year for us winning the Dun Laoghaire Dingle Race, ICRAs, Calves Week and now the ISORA series. Kieran Tarbett, our helmsman loves our new 3Di Code 1 and Code 2 jibs! Our original 2016 3DL offshore mainsail that we use for ISORA continues to perform really well and of course, our "Leinster" A3 reaching kite is such a great sail. Massive thanks to the North Sails Ireland team for helping us achieve such success" - Paul O'Higgins, JPK 1080 Rockabil VI - ICRA, ISORA and Calves Week Champions. "North Sails have been powering Joker II since 2007. They just keep getting better and better and I have no doubt their latest 3Di Raw headsails have been a big factor in our success this year in the ICRA's, Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta and now the J109 Nationals. A big Thank You to Prof and the North Sails team for your fantastic support." - John Maybury, J109 Joker II - ICRA, Volvo Dun Laoghaire Week and J109 National Champions "The new North sails contributed to the improvements that were required to deliver a very successful racing season. The 3Di Nordac sails and the new spinnaker were designed and optimised using an impressive computer based design system, they gave the boat the power required to perform well in all conditions. Hands on setup of the new sails and practical trimming advice enhanced the experience." - Denis Byrne, Trapper TS250 Cracker - RCYC Club Boat Of The Year. “I’ve regretted buying from others but never regretted buying a North sail.” - Joe Carton Dehler 34 Voyager, Howth Yacht Club Thank you to all our customers - you have all been fantastic and look at these results! Sail FAST, Merry Christmas and we look forward to seeing you all afloat in 2020. Horgans Quay October League Jump Juice at speed! Darragh McCormack Mermaid National Champion 2018 & 2019 Denis Byrne and Cracker flying her 3Di Nordac sails Paul O'Higgins' Rockabill Vl 📸 Afloat.ie Partial Inventory* READ MORE

FROHE FEIERTAGE Und einen guten Rutsch ins neue Jahr! Das North Sails Schweiz Team wünscht Ihnen ein fröhliches Weihnachtsfest. Wir hoffen, dass Sie schöne Feiertage mit viel Freude erleben werden und wünschen Ihnen einen gelungenen Start in ein gesundes und segelreiches neues Jahr. Bitte beachten Sie, dass unser Büro vom 24.12.19 bis und mit 09.01.19 geschlossen ist. Wir danken Ihnen für Ihr entgegengebrachtes Vertrauen im 2019! Unser Team freut sich schon jetzt auf Ihren Besuch im 2020 und die neue Segelsaion. READ MORE

NORTH SAILS CUSTOMERS EXPLORING THE PACIFIC ISLANDS Two lucky North Sails customers have had a winter of pleasure on the water Emmanuel Vannier is currently living aboard his Dufour 455 with his two teenage children at Nouméa, New Caledonia While the onset of summer has many sailors’ minds turning to cruising, two lucky North Sails customers have also had a winter of pleasure on the water, exploring the Pacific Islands. Mark Clough of Auckland headed for the islands in his 44-foot Jeanneau 439, spending three months in Tonga before reluctantly heading home. Clough mostly cruised with his wife Judith, but was joined at times by their children and a delivery crew, who helped on passages up and back to the islands. They started in Tongatapu, then sailed north to the Ha’apai group and onto Vava’u. "We spent most of our time up there — it was just gorgeous, really good cruising grounds, and lots of whales," Clough says. Clough bought the boat in Vanuatu two years ago and brought it down to New Zealand, but was dissatisfied by its initial performance. "When I sailed it down from Vanuatu the boat still had the original sails on it - the boat was built in 2015, so it was quite new, although it had already done about 15,000 nautical miles," Clough says. "I was quite disappointed in how it sailed and thought that maybe I had made the wrong decision." However, after talking with North Sails in Auckland, he ordered a new 3Di NORDAC moulded Dacron cruising mainsail and number one jib. "They’re now coming up to two years old and they look as good as they did when they were put on the boat, with no signs of significant wear. They get used every weekend and now have had this trip up to Tonga and back, and they are still in excellent condition and the shape is great." Clough says he had several envious cruisers come over to his boat to admire his sails and ask him where they came from. "The new sails completely converted the boat, and I can’t speak highly enough of them," he says. Another happy North Sails customer French cruiser Emmanuel Vannier, who is currently living aboard his Dufour 455 with his two teenage children at Nouméa, New Caledonia. Vannier got a new 3Di NORDAC main and furling jib from the Auckland North Sails loft in January this year, and has so far sailed about 15,000 nautical miles with them, in winds of up to 45 knots. Next on his cruising agenda is a 4000 km eastern Australian cruise from mid-December. "First about it is the very nice profile cut and shape of it. It’s highly efficient, and the stability makes it possible to carry a full jib and main up to 18 to 20 knots," he says. "With the jib partly furled and two reefs in the main, we can keep stability and good speed up to 35 knots." "To compare it to the classic Dacron sail, it works better in low wind but can also be used in higher wind conditions. It’s a real blue-water sailing gear with the high standard of performance - a piece of race equipment on my cruising boat." 3Di NORDAC combines North Sails’ unique composite moulded sail technology with polyester fabric, creating cruising sails with smoother and more permanent aerodynamic shape. NORDAC was developed with small to medium-sized cruising boats in mind, to deliver greater control, more comfort and better speed in an affordable and durable package. "It’s a real blue-water sailing gear with the high standard of performance - a piece of race equipment on my cruising boat." READ MORE

NORTH PROUD TO PRESENT THE VOLVO YACHTING EXCELLENCE AWARDS Not just to celebrate high performance on the water Emily Overend and Harry Edwards from the Queen Charlotte Yacht Club with Matt Steven from North Sails New Zealand. 📸 Yachting NZ North Sails was the sponsor of the new Sportsmanship Award, which sales and marketing manager Andrew Wills said was just as important as recognising those sailors who have had big wins this year. "We were proud to sponsor this new award, as it recognises a key value in competitive sailing," Wills says. "This special award goes beyond performance to acknowledge fairness and generosity in the sport, which is every bit important as achieving a good result on the water. As the great Paul Elvström said, ‘"You haven’t won the race, if in winning the race you have lost the respect of your competitors." The inaugural recipients of the sportsmanship award were young sailors Emily Overend (16) and 14-year-old Harry Edwards, from the Queen Charlotte Yacht Club. Sailing a Nacra 15 at the Oceanbridge regatta in Auckland in February, the crew gave up their own boat after the leading sailors, Jack Honey and Helena Sanderson from the Bay of Islands Yacht Club, were involved in a major collision. Overend and Edwards loaned their boat to Honey and Sanderson so they could complete the regatta, and sailed the damaged boat back to the beach. After the swap, the Bay of Islands duo won their final two races, to clinch the title and book themselves a place at the Youth Worlds. While some other competitors protested the move, they were unsuccessful, and the result stood. Other sailors using North Sails were also honoured at the awards, including Orbit World Travel Sailor of the Year Dan Slater and the Volvo Young Sailors of the Year, Seb Menzies and Blake McGlashan. Menzies and McGlashan won the boy’s 420 division at the 2019 youth sailing world championships and came second at the open 420 worlds. Former Olympian Slater started the year by winning the OK Dinghy world championships in Auckland, then was tactician for the team that won the 12 Metre world championships in England and came second at the 8 Metre world champs. READ MORE

Bahami Percyju i Ekstromu, Tonči i Tudor su mogli i bolje FOTO: GILLES MORELLE Od 2. do 7. prosinca na Bahamima se okupilo 46 jedriličara iz cijelog svijeta s ciljem osvajanja 4000 bodova za SSL rang ljestvicu, a također i za ne baš zanemarivih 200.000 USD! Domaćini su već tradicionalno bili iz Nassau Yacht Cluba, a organizatori fondacija Star Sailors League. Ove jeseni već smo imali jednu temu vezanu uz SSL, a bila je vezana uz idući korak koji je zamislio Michel Niklaus, idejni začetnik cijelog SSL projekta. Tada je naša izabrana vrsta trenirala u Švicarskoj za nastup na Nations Gold Cupu, a početak prosinca, odnosno kraj kalendarske godine je već nekoliko sezona rezerviran za finalno natjecanje sezone za najbolje od najboljih. Još jednom je naš predstavnik bio Tonči Stipanović, a ove godine je uz njega, kao flokista, jedrio Tudor Bilić. Konkurencija je bila standardno fenomenalno jaka, a red je i da ovdje prenesemo tu statistiku kojom se organizator s pravom voli pohvaliti. Kad se samo najpoznatiji naslovi ovih jedriličara stave na jedno mjesto dobiju se četiri zlatne, tri srebrene i šest brončanih medalja na olimpijadama, 23 svjetska naslova u klasi Zvijezda, dva svjetska naslova u olimpijskim klasama, po jedna pobjeda u Luis Vuitton Cupu i VOR-u, te osam naslova na nekoj regati organiziranoj od strane SSL-a. Inače nikad nije lako na jednom mjestu skupiti takvu količinu talenta, ali nagradni fond je iznimno velik, iskreno govoreći i jedini tako izdašan u jedriličarskom svijetu, pa je sigurno i on, uz zadovoljstvo jedrenja s najboljima, vječno jak mamac. Treba uzeti u obzir da je ova zima posljednja pred olimpijske igre koje će se organizirati iduće ljeto. Tako da je mnogim jedriličarima ovaj odlazak na Bahame vjerojatno dobro došao kao mali odmor od svakodnevnih treninga i smanjenje psihičkog pritiska priprema i eventualnih potjera za posljednjim mjestima u vlaku za Tokio. Što se tiče Tonča kojem je ovo bio četvrti nastup na Bahamima, on je među prvima ispunio normu u Laseru i na izlet na Karibe je otišao između dva seta priprema za Svjetsko prvenstvo koje će se jedriti u veljači u Australiji, a između treninga u Splitu pronašao je vremena i za treninge s novim flokistom koji je inače bivši Finnista, Tudorom Bilićem iz JK Trogir. Tudor je iskazuje želju za probat jedriti u Stelli sigurno posljednjih godinu dana. I sjećam se da i lani kad sam se za Bahame pripremao s Federico Melom dolazio je do Splita, do nas, da vidi kako izgledaju jedrilice i bili su planovi da izađe na more kao flokista Marka Marinovića. Međutim, ta ideja se nije realizirala, ali zato smo nas dvojica po ovom pitanju ostala u kontaktu. U međuvremenu sam kod nas jedrio s Mariom Lulićem, ali Mario je prelagan za u odnosu na idealnu masu s kojom svi nastupaju u Stelli. Zato sam morao napraviti tu promjenu, a Tudor je bio voljan dolaziti iz Trogira u Split na treninge, bio je pun želje i počeli smo trenirati. Također mi nije bilo ni važno da je flokista netko s iskustvom u Stelli na velikim natjecanjima i mislim da je na duge staze ovo dobar izbor. Žao mi je jedino što se nije uspio organizirati Croatel Cup koji je trebao biti u prvom dijelu jeseni, pa je Tudoru prva regata u Stelli bio SSL. Unatoč tome mislim da je dobro da je odmah nastupio u ovoj konkurenciji, premda s druge strane, moja su očekivanja bila mnogo veća i brzo sam shvatio da se moje želje neće ostvariti. Ali brzo sam se pomirio s tim i nisam bio nešto žalostan zbog rezultata. Sigurno bi volio da smo bili bolji, ali gledam dalekosežno i ovo je definitivno bilo vrlo dobro s obzirom na planove koje imamo nakon završetka ovog olimpijskog ciklusa. Inače što se izvedbe na ovoj regati tiče, imali smo velikih problema s jarbolom kad smo jedrili krmu. Na treninzima je bio lagan vjetar i tu smo išli OK, ali kad je došla regata i kad je malo jače zapuhalo taj jarbol nije stajao dobro, a nismo imali nikog tko nam je mogao reći što je krivo, pa smo sami nešto pokušavali ispraviti. Ali kad je vjetar kasnije slabio to je sve zajedno sve bolje izgledalo. Inače imam neke mjere kako treba namjestiti jarbol, koje sam koristio doma, ali sve se mijenja i po tom pitanju bi nam sigurno pomogla da je bila još neka regata u međuvremenu. Kad smo se doma pripremali u većini slučajeva nas dvojica smo sami izlazili na more, a samo povremeno bi s nama na more izašli Mladen i Lovre Perhat. Tako da sigurno moramo još dosta trenirati kako bi došli i do trima s kojim nas dvojica možemo biti ravnopravni na regatnom polju protiv najboljih. S obzirom na veliku pauzu koju zbog ostalih obaveza imam u Stelli, svaki put iz početka moram hvatati "mot", a također treba uzeti u obzir da ostale posade ako nisu imale kormilara koji je jedriličar u Stelli, onda su imale flokiste kojima je Stella matična klasa i oni su se bavili pripremama jedrilice. Tonči Stipanović, kormilar - JK Mornar FOTO: GILLES MORELLE Što se tiče jedrenja, ukupno je završeno 10 kvalifikacijskih plovova nakon kojih su se po knockout sistemu jedrili četvrtfinale i polufinale, da bi u konačnici dobili četiri posade u finalnom plovu. S obzirom na 23 posade koje su jedrile ove godine, 7. mjesto u otvaranju je bilo stvarno obećavajuće za Stipanovića i Bilića. Međutim, slijedi faza jačeg vjetra na regatnom polju i za njih kreće loš niz s plasmanima između 17. i 21. mjesta. Kad je vjetar oslabio situacija se popravlja ostvaruju tri mnogo bolja rezultata, ali i dva puta prestupaju na startnoj liniji. S obzirom da je na deset jedrenja bilo samo jedno odbacivanje ukupna suma ih je vratila na nisko 20. mjesto. Malo više detalja o situacijama na regatnom polju ispričao nam je Tudor Bilić: Imali smo raznolike uvjete tijekom tog tjedna. Kako smo jedrili u zaljevu val je svih dana bio manje više isti, dok je vjetar vrtio... kako koji dan. Prvi dan je bilo do 10-12 čvorova. Tada smo imali jedno dobro mjesto (7.), drugu smo ušli 17. iako smo dobro startali, ali malo smo se pogubili po polju. Pripisali smo to prvom danu i privikavanju na brod, jer nije isti kakvog imamo doma. I trim je bio drugačiji i vožnja i sve ostalo. U drugi dan smo krenuli s nadom da je to to. Vidjeli smo da možemo dobro startati iako nismo imali niti jednu regatu do sada da smo zajedno jedrili. Na kraju je ispalo da je start bio najmanji problem. Taj drugi dan najbolje smo startali drugi plov u čistoj situaciji, a i kasnije su nam svi koji su pratili regatu rekli da smo imali možda najbolje starteve. Ali ne znam točno opisati što se dešavalo. Polje je bilo kratko, a poznato je da Stelle imaju veliki kut i ako nisi u pravom refulu i pravom dricu samo te "isisa", ispadneš iz toga. A kad si ispao iz toga onda više ne voziš regatu, nego regata vozi tebe. I to nam se na žalost dogodilo možda desetak minuta nakon starta jedne regate, a drugu jednu smo čak i vodili nakon prve orce... išli smo s lijeve strane... nismo zatvorili kako je trebalo i eto... uglavnom nije ispalo kako smo htjeli i onda nastane nervoza po pitanju zašto ne idemo, pa tražiš razlog zašto se to dešava i jednostavno prođe dan. Moram priznati da smo lošije vozili u krmu. Naime ima više različitih tehnika vožnje, pogotovo kad je "free pumping". Inače je u regularnim regatama za Stelle to zabranjeno, ali u SSL-u je dozvoljeno. Jesmo to trenirali ali tehnike su različite, pa nekad više gledaš da li si ispravan ili ne, a regate su stvarno bile kratke... svaki plov je trajao oko 50 minuta do sat. Npr. kad je Svjetsko ili Europsko prvenstvo duljine su puno veće, ja još to nisam vozio, ali kažu da se ne vidi bova od orce, bude postavljena na oko 1.7NM. A ovo je zbijeno više radi kamera i prijenosa u živo. I stvarno je puno zanimljivo... kad okreneš 20. u principu si okrenuo odmah iza prvoga. Međutim, isto tako ako si okrenuo 7. ili 8., a iza tebe je grupa onda možeš vrlo lako završiti na 20. mjestu. Mislim da se na live prijenosu vidjelo koliko je to u stvari mala razlika. To je bilo ta prva dva dana, a trećeg smo isto imali dobre startevi i pokoji dobar ulaz, ali dva OCS-a su nas vratila natrag. Kad smo imali prvi OCS orcu smo okrenuli 8. Kako se zbog širine linije ne čuje tko je imao prijestup, pravilo je da na ploči na bovi od orce objave tko je prestupio, naravno, bude i zastava, ali stvarno se ne čuje poziv na liniji, pa nas zaustave na orci. A drugu regatu i dalje smatramo da nismo bili vani, ali nismo ništa mogli napraviti... tada smo na orci bili 7. Eto da smo to imali regularno na kraju bi vrlo vjerojatno bili oko 11. ili 12. mjesta, na korak do finalnih jedrenja. Ali sve u svemu nismo nezadovoljni, ipak nam je prva regata. Također je bilo malo posada u kojima su oba člana jedna nacija. Uglavnom, guramo ovo dalje. Trenutno su najvažnije Tončeve OI, tako da sad nećemo ništa forsirati, a ja ću nastojati odvoziti jedan kamp na Gardi na proljeće i malo raditi na brodu kojeg imamo doma... ne stajemo, idemo dalje! Još moram istaknuti da smo bili okruženi stvarno izvrsnim ljudima i jedriličarima... sami dođu i kažu to si dobro napravio, radiš to i to, nemoj ono... stvarno super atmosfera! Tudor Bilić, flokista - JK Trogir FOTO: MARC ROUILLER Ubrzo nakon povratka s Barbadosa krenule su sve uobičajene obaveze, a Tončijeva je povratak pripremama. Kako će se predstojeće Svjetsko prvenstvo jedriti na oceanu s uvjetima jačeg vjetra i definitivno većeg vala nego što ga se može pronaći na Jadranu, stručni stožer je izabrao odlazak na Maltu kao najbližu lokaciju s uvjetima koji mogu simulirati one koji se očekuju na južnoj polutci. READ MORE

SLINGSBY DOMINATES AT MOTH WORLDS The New World Champion Credits 3Di Decksweeper for his Winning Boat Speed When North Sails announced four new 3Di Moth sail designs six months ago, class leader Rob Greenhalgh said “I am confident Moth sailors will reap the rewards on the race course.” This week, Tom Slingsby proved him right by sitting out the final day of the 61-boat Gold Fleet at Moth Worlds, after clinching victory with bullets in all but one race. Greenhalgh himself finished seventh, and six other North boats finished in the top 10. “I’m really happy with the North Decksweeper,” Slingsby said, shortly after cementing the overall win. “It’s been performing all the way through the range for me, from about 10 knots all the way to 25-plus. It’s the only sail I’ve used all week, and in all conditions I’ve had a lot of boat speed.” He described his final race day as a beautiful afternoon; “15-25 knots of seabreeze here on the Swan River.” With such impressive boat speed, only a breakdown, getting tangled up with another competitor, or a starting penalty could lose him the championship. “The final race, I had a really good start. I was concerned I was OCS, but it was all clear.” Once he got out in front, he managed the traffic well and crossed the finish line first, again. To prepare for the Worlds, Slingsby trained with Greenhalgh and Scott Babbage, who finished fourth behind Tom Burton. “We’ve got a really good training group. We’re able to slowly make refinements and then check it against a stable platform. So every time we made a change, we’d see how it would go against the baseline. If it worked, we’d all move to that concept. If it didn’t work, we’d go onto the next thing. We just constantly made little steps, and it’s shown in the results—all of us are in the top group. It’s really satisfying that our little group’s done so well.” Tom thinks the Decksweeper could also win next year’s Worlds in Weymouth, UK. “It’s also a flat water, windy venue. There might be a couple of little refinements, but the concept is there. What North has done is a great product, and I think you could rock up to next year’s Worlds with the sail right now and be competitive.” 📸 James Tomlinson READ MORE

JOIN US AT THE 2020 SEATTLE BOAT SHOW Shop New Sails And See What's New READ MORE

JOIN US AT THE 2020 SAN DIEGO BOAT SHOW Shop New Sails And See What's New READ MORE

FULL PODIUM SWEEP FOR NORTH SAILS AT J/70 CHILEAN NATIONALS Designs Dominate in Algarrobo Pablo Herman’s New Wave, 2019 Chilean National Champions. 📸 Benja Sans 26 boats sailed the J/70 Chilean Nationals in Algarrobo, Chile, December 13-15. After nine tight races, the winners were on New Wave: two Herman brothers, Felipe Echeñique calling tactics, and Kake “priest” Montes on the bow. “They were very consistent in all conditions,” Matias Seguel, who skippered the second place team, says. “We sailed in really light up to 20 knots. New Wave used the XCS-2 mainsail, J-6 jib, and AP-2 spinnaker. That gave them great speed, and combined with great starts and going the right way they proved they were best.” Matias’ own VOLVO team finished second with the same sails they’ve used for the last two seasons (XCS-1 main and J-6 jib). Third was the talented family on Ducasse, a father with 4 of his 7 sons sailing together. “They’ve won many local championships using the XCS-2 and J-6,” Matias says. “It was awesome to have almost all the top Chilean sailors sailing together in Algarrobo for a great event that was very well organized. Our J/70 class is our highest level local class, and it’s great to have the chance to race at an international level here at home.” Matias Seguel, 2nd place. 📸 Benja Sans Team Ducasse, 3rd place. 📸 Benja Sans READ MORE

CONSEJO NORTH SAILS Las velas de composite son muy diferentes de las laminadas La diferencia principal radica en que en las de composite se combinan varios materiales para maximizar sus ventajas y minimizar sus desventajas. En el laminado se utiliza el mylar como elemento que aglutina los adhesivos y el resto de tejidos que componen la vela, mientras que las 3Di están fabricadas exclusivamente con filamentos esparcidos y resina termosellada, sin mylar, lo que nos permite ofrecer una garantía de por vida por deslaminación. Las velas 3Di son más robustas, ligeras y resistentes a los factores medioambientales que las velas laminadas. Para más información, contacta con tu agente North Sails o escríbenos a info@es.northsails.com READ MORE

CALENDARIO ENERO La actividad de North Sails España regresa en 2020 📸 Chris Howell Comenzaremos los días 17 y 18 de enero en Vigo, donde nuestros expertos en monotipos Nacho Braquehais y Hugo Rocha impartirán un clinic de clase J70. El día 21, Nacho también será el encargado de dirigir el Seminario de Moraira el 21 de enero en el Club Náutico de Moraira (Alicante). Pídenos información en info@es.northsails.com READ MORE

TODO A PUNTO PARA LA 75ª ROLEX SYDNEY HOBART El 26 de diciembre comienza en la bahía de Sídney (Australia) la 75ª edición de la Rolex Sydney Hobart, referencia de competición oceánica en el Hemisferio Sur desde 1945 📸 Kurt Arrigo / Rolex Más de 160 barcos han anunciado su presencia frente a la línea de salida, destacando cinco supermaxis de 100 pies de eslora como máximos favoritos a liderar la flota en el recorrido de 628 millas náuticas rumbo la isla de Tasmania. El pasado año, los tres primeros barcos en cruzar la meta incorporaron velas North Sails, incluyendo al vencedor en tiempo real: el todopoderoso Wild Oats XI, que regresa este año para buscar la que sería su décima victoria en 15 años. El Servicio Oficial North Sails estará esperando en Hobart a los barcos capaces de completar el recorrido. READ MORE

TRANSAT JACQUES VABRE Nacida en 1993 como una regata oceánica en solitario, hoy la Transat Jacques Vabre se disputa con tripulaciones a dos 📸 Mx Horlaville La edición 2019 contó con 60 participantes distribuidos en tres clases: Multi 50, Class 40 e IMOCA frente al exigente recorrido de 4.350 millas náuticas entre el puerto francés de Le Havre y el brasileño de San Salvador de Bahía. Ocho de los diez primeros clasificados de clase IMOCA incorporaron inventarios North Sails, incluido el ganador, el Apivia copatroneado por Charlie Dalin y Yann Eliès, después de 13 días, 12 horas y 8 minutos de regata. Les siguieron el PRB de Kevin Escorrier/Nicolas Lunven y el Charal de Jérémier Beyou/Christopher Pratt, también propulsados por velas North Sails. Enhorabuena a todos ellos, ¡y gracias por confiar en North Sails! READ MORE

BREST ATLANTIQUES Los cuatro colosos equiparon inventarios completos North Sails 📸 Yann Riou Cuatro trimaranes Ultim de 32 metros de eslora compitieron por la Brest Atlantiques, una regata de 14.000 millas náuticas con salida y llegada en el puerto francés de Brest. La victoria correspondió al Maxi Edmond de Rochtschild copatroneado por Franck Cammas y Charles Caudrelier tras 28 días volando a una impresionante media de 24,57 nudos. Los cuatro colosos equiparon inventarios completos North Sails. READ MORE

PREPARA TUS VELAS PARA EL INVERNAJE El final de la temporada es un momento clave para nuestras velas. El parón invernal supone una magnífica oportunidad para revisar nuestro inventario, valorar su salud y solucionar problemas. 📸 Ian Roman North Sails ofrece servicio de recogida, lavado profesional, programa de diez puntos de inspección con informe final, puesta a punto, almacenamiento y la garantía de que nuestras velas estarán en plena forma cuando volvamos a izarlas. Afrontar el invernaje de nuestra embarcación puede generar muchas dudas. Supone un buen momento para revisar todos sus componentes después de una intensa temporada, identificar problemas y anticipar futuras averías. Las velas son uno de esos elementos susceptibles de deterioro, y por ello requieren una atención especial. North Sails ofrece su Servicio Certificado de inspección y puesta a punto con todas las garantías del mayor fabricante de velas del mundo. Pero, ¿cómo es el proceso? ¿En qué consiste? ¿Qué me ofrecen? El primer paso es ponernos en contacto con nuestro agente North Sails más cercano; él nos indicará la oferta disponible para los servicios que necesitemos y aclarará todas nuestras dudas. Los principales que nos pueden interesar al final de la temporada son: recogida, limpieza, revisión, inspección, reparación y almacenamiento. Recogida North Sails ofrece servicio de recogida a domicilio en toda España. Basta una llamada de teléfono, y las velas serán transportadas a la velería especializada más conveniente. Limpieza Una limpieza a fondo es mucho más que endulzar las velas. Los expertos North Sails aplican productos especiales para eliminar cualquier elemento indeseado, como moho, restos de salitre o manchas persistentes, mejorando el aspecto y la longevidad del material. Tras un concienzudo proceso de secado, las velas están listas para su revisión. Inspección Un auténtico reconocimiento “médico” de las velas realizado por expertos North Sails. La marca ofrece su Inspección de Diez Puntos: Inspección de los accesorios del puño de driza, amura, escota y rizo. Inspección de cinchas y herrajes contra el daño causado por el roce y los rayos UV. Inspección de las puntadas a mano Inspección de las cintas y accesorios del grátil Búsqueda de roces en puntos de contacto con crucetas, obenques, candeleros, etc. Inspección de la relinga del grátil, pujamen y sistema de anclaje Búsqueda de daños causados por rayos UV y comprobación del correcto enrollado Inspección de tope de las fundas de sables y accesorios Inspección del cuerpo de la vela para verificar la condición del tejido, las costuras, los números de vela, las bandas de trimado y las ventanas. Reponer o añadir los catavientos. Inspección de accesorios: Cabo y aro del calcetín de spinnaker, sistema de rizos de mayor, sables verticales del foque, protección UV, etc. Inspección del correcto cierre del saco de la vela, cremalleras, tirantes y etiquetado. Informe de la vela: Diez puntos de verificación, comentarios. El informe final constituye todo un certificado del estado de las velas. En caso de que todo esté correcto, ya están listas para su almacenamiento; si se detecta algún problema, North Sails proporciona un presupuesto de puesta a punto profesional en la velería más adecuada para cada cliente. Puesta a punto North Sails dispone de la red de velerías más extensa y profesional del sector, con 110 puntos de servicio oficial distribuidos por todo el mundo en el que los procesos estandarizados, unidos a la profesionalidad del equipo humano, garantizan la máxima calidad. En España, cuenta con velerías en Valencia, Cuntis y en Mallorca (Palma y Lluchmajor). El equipo de North Sails España nos propondrá solución más adecuada a cada incidencia. Almacenamiento Tan importante como la revisión y puesta a punto de las velas es su almacenamiento en un entorno adecuado. Factores como la humedad, la exposición al sol, el contacto con materiales agresivos o el plegado incorrecto pueden afectar a su salud. Los expertos North Sails recomiendan que nos aseguremos bien de que las velas están totalmente secas antes de almacenarlas y que intentemos plegarlas evitando las líneas de pliegue habituales para evitar marcas. Si no disponemos de un lugar adecuado para el almacenamiento de nuestras velas, North Sails ofrece este servicio con la garantía de que estarán en el mejor entorno posible hasta el inicio de la próxima temporada. Para más información, contacta con tu agente North Sails, visita www.northsails.com o escríbenos a info@es.northsails.com READ MORE

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CLÍNICA DE NATAL 2019 OPTIMIST - Terceira Edição A North Sails, em Portugal, promove pela terceira vez uma clínica de Natal em Cascais. A Clínica de Natal para Optimist vai decorrer nos dias 27, 28 e 29 de Dezembro na Marina de Cascais. Os velejadores vão ser acompanhados pelos treinadores Bruno Luz e Pedro Bolina que em conjunto com o sails expert Vicente Pinheiro, irão implementar o programa previsto para os três dias. Nesta iniciativa, que é aberta a todos velejadores, treinadores, equipas / clubes, os participantes terão a oportunidade de conhecer e experimentar os novos modelos de velas North Sails para Optimist. Contactem-nos para receber todas as informações sobre a Clínica! E office.cascais@northsails.com | T 916 857 896 North Sails Velas Optimist clique aqui para mais info North Sails Novos Modelos Optimist veja o video https://youtu.be/D3PCbl3yjCc #Sail Fast #GoBeyond READ MORE

Jedan i jedini: Sv.Nikola za samce i dvojce FOTO: FACEsukošanBOOK REGATE Jedriličarski klub Mornar iz Splita je još jednom u suradnji s gradom Komiža organizirao jednu od najočekivanijih zimskih regata, a za koju se može reći da pomalo postaje zaštitnim znakom jedrenja u dvočlanim posadama. Ne treba posebno isticati da je riječ o Regati Sv.Nikole za samca i dvojce. Inače je regata do lani u svom nazivu ponosno isticala da je namijenjena isključivo solo jedriličarima, ali od 2015. su službeno i dvojcima otvorena vrata, a po odzivu koji se ostvaruje može se reći da je to dugo očekivano osvježenje koje su jedriličari iznimno dobro prihvatili. Da nije riječ o pukoj pohvali organizatoru i priznanje odvažnim sudionicima dovoljno je pogledati brojčano stanje na startevima lani i ove godine. Na premijernom izdanju je cijela flota brojila 18 jedrilica, dok je ove godine startalo njih 17! Složit ćete se svi da je to više nego na mnogim klasičnim regatama za kompletne posade. Normalno, lakše je organizirati manji broj članova posade, ali svejedno, potrebna je jedrilica koja je opremljena nužnom opremom, a i dozvoljava jedrenje s minimalnim brojem ruku na palubi. Također, dvojac koji u tom setupu izađe na more treba imati apsolutno povjerenje jedan u drugog da su oboje i fizički i mentalno spremni izdržati sva iskušenja i riješiti probleme koji se za vrijeme jedrenja mogu naći ispred njih. Ove godine je start regate bio u Komiži, 7. prosinca. Nakon starta se jedrilo direktno prema Palagruži, koja je u nekim drugim kombinacijama bila posljednja točka obaveznog obilaska. Iza Palagruže idealno je bilo ako se kurs mogao namjestiti na 60° za direktno jedrenje prema Glavatu, najistočnijoj točci parka prirode Lastovskog otočja. Nakon ove lanterne ostalo je još samo obići Maslinicu, odnosno Šoltu sa zapadne strane i ako to vjetar dopusti, sjuriti se u cilj u Splitu. A u cijeli ovaj izvještaj uvest će nas jedan od članova Organizacijskog odbora regate, Goran Martinović: Moram priču započeti s jednom simpatičnom anegdotom. Damir Mitrović (drugi dodirektor regate, op.a.) je prije starta imao interview na lokalnoj radio postaji gdje su mu spomenuli da su na startnom popisu vidjeli Darka Prižmića, pa su ga upitali za njegove izglede na regatnom polju i da li ponovno ima status favorita. Na to je Damir odgovorio "mislim da Darko Prižmić nije jedan od favorita regate, ali definitivno osoba s iznimnim iskustvom na ovoj regati..." i onda Darko digne regatu :) Uz ovu priču ide dodatak da Darko ima mobitel s kojim može samo razgovarati i razmjenjivati SMS poruke, dok mu je kolega u kokpitu, Tomislav Grubelić svoj pametni mobitel utopio ubrzo nakon starta.Tako da njih dvojica nisu imali nikakav doticaj s vanjskim svijetom.. trackeri, prognoze... ništa nisu imali. Tako da su kod Glavata otišli vani po svom osjećaju, jer su očekivali da će vjetar puniti iz vani... očekivali su da će imati samo jednu pojalabandu, dok će se ostali morati naviravati. Dok su jedrili oko Lastova imali su neki maestral pa su rekli idemo vani, napravit ćemo jednu viradu i vratit se natrag, na kraju je to isti put. Uopće nisu gledali gdjesu ostali i pogodili su... eto to je obilježilo ovu regatu. A generalno gledajući moram reći da je na startnoj listi bilo 17 jedrilica, a 16 ih je startalo jer jedna od jedrilica kad je shvatila da neće skupiti svu potrebnu opremu koju smo tražili da imaju, nije niti krenula prema Komiži. Što se tiče pregleda jedrilica, Mitre i ekipa su stvarno napravili odličan posao... sve se gledalo... kad ističu baklje, kad ističu splavi... tako da je dosta ekipa moralo povlačiti razne veze i vezice i dobavljati opremu što im nije bila u skladu s propisima ili što joj je istekao rok trajanja. Što se tiče vremena, bilo je ugodno. Po nekoj laganoj tramuntanici su se svi dovukli do Palagruže i onda im je pala bonaca. Zatim se tramuntana vratila i odvela ih je do Glavata. Tamo im je zapuhao maestral koji je trajao skoro cijeli dan... na moru im je bilo lijepo vedro vrijeme, dok smo u Splitu uz obalu imali stvarno gustu maglu. I u nedjelju navečer, nakon maestrala okrenulo je na jugo s kojim su došli do cilja. Prvi su u cilj stigli u nedjelju u noći, dok je posljednji dojedrio u ponedjeljak do podne. Kroz otprilike 13 sati su svi završili. Inače, svi su zadovoljni s rutom koju smo ove godine okrenuli, najviše zbog organizacijskih zahtjeva, a i da ne postane monotono. Nit vodilja nam je bila da se teži dio, ono pravo offshore jedrenje od Komiže do Palagruže i do Glavata, kad se nemaju gdje skloniti u slučaju nekih problema, odradi tijekom prvog dana i prve noći dok su svi još odmorni. A taj drugi dio regate kad se počinju osjećati posljedice umora, da se odradi u blizini kopna, pa da u slučaju potrebe bude lakše i intervenirati a i njima samima da se sklone. Tako da malo psihološki bude lakše. A pitanje starta, koji je bio ove godine 7. prosinca, je što regatu organiziramo zajedno s gradom Komiža, čiji patron je Sv.Nikola i imaju običaj koji ne podržava isplovljavanje na taj blagdan. To smo poštivali i zato je regata startala dan kasnije, a to je i jedna od bitnih razlika u odnosu na ranija izdanja regate, jer su termini starta uvijek bili tempirani tako da jedriličari svi završe do blagdana Sv.Nikole. Većina sudionika je u Komižu stigla 5. pa su onda morali proći provjeru opreme, a i sudjelovali su na tradicionalnom paljenju broda ispred crkvice Sv.Nikole. A što se tiče samaca, ove godine smo imali samo jednog, Ivicu Kostelića. To mi je najviše žao, ali bila je neminovnost da će se to dogoditi. Uz Ivicu je trebao solo jedriti i Fabijan Roić, ali je on otišao na RORC transatlansku regatu. Unatoč ovoj tendenciji da solista bude ovako malo, njih kao kategoriju nećemo ukidati, ali činjenica je da s ove strane Jadrana nema jedrilica koje su napravljene za samačko jedrenje i ljudi su skužili da se na takvo jedrenje nije dobro upuštati s klasičnim charter jedrilicama. A dvojce smo uveli više zbog povećanja sigurnosti i samaca i flote kao grupe, jer kad si sam i u problemu si ili ti ili kolega na drugoj jedrilici ne možeš puno napraviti da nekom pomogneš. S druge strane kad su dvojica na jedrilici to je veće nešto drugo. Goran Martinović, dodirektor regate Što se tiče pregleda opreme, koji je ove godine bio rigorozniji nego inače, treba spomenuti da su natjecatelji među ostalim morali dokazati da znaju i postaviti olujna jedra. Mora se reći dadugopolje je to aktivnost koju mnogi jedriličari nisu nikad imali potrebe upražnjavati, pa mnogi to nisu nikad niti probali. Prva regata u Hrvatskoj na kojoj su jedriličari to znanje morali dokazati, a i zadovoljiti sve sigurnosne parametre zadane raznim propisima, bila je 2. Thousand Islands Race, 2014. godine. Unatoč mnogim negodovanjima i problemima koji su se javili zbog nagle potražnje za olujnim jedrima, ispravnim raketama, kompletima prve pomoći, neodgovarajućim pojasevima za spašavanje, harnesima i ostalim, na kraju su svi sudionici te regate iskazali podršku toj rigoroznosti, jer im je za vrijeme prve etape te regate vrijeme bilo takvo da je bilo izgubljenih jarbola, ljudi u moru... a mnogi su rekli da bez nadopunjene sigurnosne opreme pitanje je da li bi stigli do cilja. Ali vratimo se Sv.Nikoli. Start regate je signaliziran u subotu 7. prosinca ujutro u 10:00, a vremena ulaska u cilj su se korigirala na dva načina. Jedan je već standardni Sušac Open sustav razvrstanja, a drugi je THC, koji je u Splitskom bazenu postao familijaran sa Splitskom trening ligom i nekim većim regatama. Korekcija Sušac Open je korištena za cijelu flotu, dok je još i THC izabralo deset jedrilica. Po Sušcu pobjedu na regati je odnijela jedrilica Silvana na kojoj su jedrili Darko Prižmić i Tomislav Grubelić. To je Duffy 29, maleni oldtimer kojeg je Darko čak pripremio za ovogodišnji Middlesea Race, ali zbog poslovnih obaveza nije došlo do realizacije ovog projekta. Zato je Silvana bila maksimalno pripremljena s kompletnom sigurnosnom opremom i skoro svim novim jedrima! Po strach sheetu za ovu regatu Silvana je morala završiti unutar 04:59:05 iza najbrže jedrilice, Class 40 - Crazy u slučaju da on završi prvi. S obzirom da to Crazyju nije pošlo za rukom, već je u realnom vremenu u cilj prvi ušao Club Swan 36 - Go Racing, to vrijeme je skraćeno za 47 minuta i 57 sekundi. Na kraju su Prižmić i Grubelić finiširali 03:59:54 iza Kljaković-Gašpića i Česića i to im je bilo dovoljno za korigirani trijumf od 11 minuta i 14 sekundi! Darko je Silvanu stvarno vrhunski pripremio, jer je bio plan s njom poći na Maltu. Većina toga je nova... drifter, code 0... jedino je Super Silva, najjače Silvanino oružje ostalo iz starog seta. Riječ je o spinakeru od ne znam točno koliko kvadrata :) A driifter je montiran na baštun koji je u stvari rezervni baštun Munjeka F. Njega smo montirali još lani, tako da je dosta dug s obzirom kolika je duljina Silvane. I onda drifter ne ide prema krmi, već dođe do štrajeva i onda kad se skine gornja ograda na provi, a drifter se spusti na donje hvatište, cijeli drifter može biti unutar ograde, pa bude kao neka light genova s kojom možeš na stvarno razne promjene vjetrova samo dobivati. I to nas spašava kad su uvjeti bonace koji su u stvari i bili tamo oko Glavata kad je vjetar padao. Ostali su tada produžili gore u Korčulanski kanal, a Darko je odmah rekao "najbolje nam je da se vratimo natrag i ostanemo u tom vjetru... bolje nego da stojimo". Ta je varijanta ispala najbolja jer je ostao vjetar koji nas je pratio od starta, pa preko Palagruže. Iza Lastova smo također najviše vozili s drifterom. Očekivalo se jugo, ali nama je došao više neki oštar. Poslije Vodnjaka opet smo dizali spinaker do neverica koje su bile u kraju. Kad smo već imali orcu put Splita, tad smo dignuli flok. Znači, od starta je bio code 0, pa spinaker, pa kad smo vidjeli da su ovi ispred nas stali na Palagruži dali smo se desno i tu smo vidjeli Munjeka da se ukopao, pa smo i njega zaobišli u malo većem luku i uhvatili pravac za Glavat. Onda je svanuo lijepi dan i krenulua je igra. Netko bi rekao igra živaca, ali kod nas je bilo "ajmo zapalit, pa ćemo onda vidjeti" :) A zanimljivo je bilo i kako sam izgubio mobitel s Navionicsom, prognozom i ostalim... i kako Darko ima običan mobitel imali smo samo instrumente na jarbolu, jedini instrument koji smo pogledali i to u drugom dijelu regate bio je Darkov ručni GPS i nešto smo krivo vidjeli ili nam je krivo pokazao... mi smo jedrili više put Rogoznice nego prema Maslenici. Tu nam se Munjek približavao, a prošli smo ga na Vodnjacima. On je vozio normalno na Maslenicu i tu smo se sreli drugi put. Onda je odjurio dalje prema Splitu. A onaj moj mobitel... kad smo se malo ustabilili u vožnji prema Palagruži, kad smo jedrili sa spinakerom... kako ja i Darko volim pjevati i lijepu muziku, izvadio sam bluetooth zvučnik, telefon stavio na ulaz u kabinu i krenuo u kabinu po spizu, brod se neznatno nagnuo i ovaj klizne preko 3-4 konopčića od barbera... nemam pojma kako se to uspjelo desiti. Moguće da bi u tom slučaju drugačije odvozili, vjerojatno bi to jugo pratili i čekali. Kako su bile neke popodnevne ure, a juga još nije bilo, prepotstavili smo da neće ni zapuhati. Cijeli dan je bio onaj dnevni vjetar koji je pratio sunce i jugo kao jugo se nije pojavilo, tako da je i kroz noć bila neka druga situacija.Što se tiče spavanja ja sam spavao dva puta po pola sata, a Darko jedan put pola sata. Kako nema autopiloa, Darko je bio na timunu cijelo vrijeme, a ja sam odrađivao sve ono naprijed i on bi mi pomagao u pojalabandama. Po pitanju hrane, na meniju su prevladavale polpete koje smo napravili dan ranije. Imali smo imalo slatkoga... suhe smokve spašavaju stvar! Otac mi je napunio kutiju suhih smokava i zajedno s raznim oraščićima dobije se prava stvar... po šaku toga se stavi u džep i to te drži. Tomislav Grubelić, suskiper Silvane Realno prvi, Go Racing je opravdao status favorita u realnom vremenu. Vrhunski proizvod tvrtke Nautor u kombinaciji s dva vrhunska jedriličara zadao je mnogo muke cijeloj konkurenciji, a posebno posadi Farra 40 - Toto Travel koji ih je u drugom dijelu regate pratio u stopu. Već je bilo riječi o tome kako je Swan stigao u Hrvatsku i o projektu u koji je ACI uložio poprilična sredstva, a u kratkoj povijesti ove jedrilice ovo je bila druga ozbiljna offshore regata, nakon što je odjedrila hrvatsku premijeru na nedavno održanoj Jabuci. FOTO: FACEBOOK REGATE I o ovoj regati smo popričali s voditeljem ACIjevog projekta, Ivanom Kljakovićem-Gašpićem: O regati mogu reći sve najbolje. Uz Jabuku je ovo jedna od najzanimljivijih i najintenzivnijih regata što Jadran može ponuditi. Ovo je bilo prvi put da jedrim u dvoje na Swanu i prezadovoljan sam kako smo Ante i ja kvalitetno odradili sve od početka do kraja. Priprema broda je bila dosta zahtjevna, jer je uz sve ostalo trebalo posebno pripremiti i sigurnosne sustave. Zajedno smo odradili trening - dva, tako da smo bili spremni. Start nam je bio dobar i na početku dok je puhalo dosta smo se odvojili i kasnije nas je dočekala bonaca i lagani vjetar na Palagruži, pa smo se tamo samo jedva vukli. I onda je stigla prva noć i kad je počelo puhati i kad smo već imali solidnu razliku, pomela nas je jedna nevera. Dosta ružno je izgledala. Logika i razum su prevladali, pa smo skratili jedro i stavili olujni flok. Izabrali smo ono što se kaže "na pomorački način", sigurno jedrenje i tu su nas Mario i Mario - Toto Travel, sustigli. Mi se tu nismo htjeli izlagati nepotrebnom riziku jer je ipak novi brod i dosta zahtjevni uvjeti na moru, pa smo se odlučili na safety varijantu. To prebacivanje na olujni flok smo napravili na vrijeme, dignuli smo ga desetak minuta prije nevere i kasnije spustili kad je nevera prošla. Mislim, nije to bilo ništa strašno, dvadesetak čvorova, ali bila je noć, vidjeli smo samo da dolazi ogromni crni oblak koji je izgledao stvarno ružno, puno munja ispred nas... nismo vidjeli što je tamo dalje ispred nas, pa smo odlučili ne riskirati ni tehnički problem a ni da netko od nas padne u more! Kako smo već ranije pripremili sve mjere i za olujni flok tako je i jedrenje s njim išlo bez problema. Brod je bio spreman u 5 minuta... a balans broda, prvi krat i taj mali flok su bili skroz u redu, a i kut stvarnog vjetra je bio oko 70°, laška orca. Nakon toga je uslijedilo praktički 24 sata match racea s Totom, a što je na kraju završilo dobro za nas. Po laganom vjetru smo imali dosta deficita... fali nam sprijeda nekakav drifter, ali nismo se dali i izdržali smo do kraja. A što se tiče foilova, oni se koriste po jačem vjetru u orcu i po jačem vjetru u mezzonavu i krmu. Tako da smo ih koristili minimalno, jer nije bilo dovoljno vjetra. A taj match race s Totom... stvarno nam je najveći handicap bio taj nedostatak driftera. Jedrili smo samo s flokom i genakerima, pa kad bi vjetar pao na 2-3 čvora onda smo malo gubili i Farr bi odlazio naprijed jer mi nismo imali pravog alata. Ali to je bilo očekivano i čim bi zapuhalo 5-6 čvorova mi smo imali za nijansu bolju brzinu, a sve iznad 10-12 smo letjeli u odnosu na njih. Tako da smo se konstantno lovili s njima... baš ono što jedrenje treba biti. Ivan Kljaković-Gašpić, suskiper Go Racing Druga strana ovog dvoboja za vrh je iskusnija na ovoj ruti. Prošle godine su Mario Hrvoj i Mario Škrlj odjedrili prvo zajedničko izdanje Sv.Nikole za dvoje i također igrali jednu od glavnih uloga. Jednaka sportska sreća ih je pratila oba puta, samo što im je lani glavni protivnik za prvo mjesto bio Dubrovnik. Istina, Dubrovnik im je pobjegao nešto više od Go Racinga, ali i uvjeti koji su lani vladali su bili nešto dugačiji. U principu, Dubrovnik je također jurilica koja voli više vjetra, slično kao Swan, pa kad se usporede analize od lani i ove godine vidi se da je, bar za realni ulazak u cilj, Toto Travel imao više šanse ove godine nego lani. FOTO: FACEBOOK REGATE Dokaz ovoj tvrdnji je i to što je i Toto jedan dio regate bio u vodstvu. Od Korčule, pa skoro do Šolte, Toto je imao respektabilnu prednost ispred Go Racinga. Čak im se u tom dijelu regate priključio i Crazy. Međutim, nakon obilaska Maslinice presuđuju nijanse i Go Racing stiže u Split osam minuta ranije. Meni je ovo već 8. ili 9. Sv.Nikola, a start iz Komiže je bio i 2002. godine kad sam i pobijedio na ovoj regati. Mislim da je ovaj smjer regate mnogo jednostavniji za voziti, jer se jedri direktno na Palagružu. Zatim je 40 NM do lastova i kasnije si cijelo vrijeme uz kraj, a prije se jedrilo na potezu Blitvenica - Palagruža... cijelo vrijeme na otvorenom. Meni je najdraže bilo to što je more bilo "flat" cijelo vrijeme - bez valova, nije uopće bilo ozbiljnog vala na cijeloj regati. Stvarno je bilo ugodno za voziti. Bilo je i toplo. Bio sam par puta na Sv.Nikoli kad su bile bure... sam na otvorenom... za smrznuti se! Vozili smo s genakerima do Palagruže i tu je Bambi napravio dva sata razlike ispred nas. Jednostavno je brži od sviju ostalih i kasnije smo zaključili da smo do 5 čvorova bili brži od njega, a sve poviše 5 u svim kutevima ga nismo mogli stići. Iako je napravio tako veliku razliku uspjeli smo ga uloviti do Lastova. To nam je bilo nevjerojatno i poslije smo čuli da su oni skidali flok zbog jedne jače nevere koja je bila ispred njih i trajala je oko sat vremena. A mi smo tada skinuli genaker, dignuli flok i s njim nastavili voziti po toj neveri. Na kraju to nije bilo prejako, dizalo je do možda 23-24 čvora. Tu smo mi jedrili pun gas prema njima, ali mi je i dalje nevjerojatno da smo ih tu uspjeli stići, ipak su bili dva sata ispred nas. Mi smo u toj neveri jedrili brzinama od oko 9-10 čvorova, bila je laška orca, skoro pa je puhalo u bok. Kasnije je vjetar pao na oko 5 čvorova i mi smo po tom jedrili s oko 2 čvora. Mi smo ih po tom u principu pomalo grizli jer smo sigurno u tim uvjetima bili brži. Glavat smo okrenuli zajedno i od njega kreće nadmudrivanje i biranje tko će na koju stranu. Stranu smo mi pogodili i napravili razliku od 2-3 milje. Kad je jugo napokon probilo dignuli smo genaker vozili smo do desetak čvorova, ali Swan je vozio po 2-3 čvora brže, tako da koliku god da smo mi napravili razliku po laganom vjetru on je u sat vremena vrati. A na Maslinicu smo stigli ono, brod na brod, praktički u 20 metara razlike. Oni su bili privjetrinski i pokrivali su nas cijelo vrijeme. Reagirali su na svaku našu viru i nikako nam nisu dali proći. S druge strane mislim da su oni tu izgubili regatu! Da nas nisu pokrivali, već da su jedrili direktno za Split sigurno ne bi izgubili po korekciji. Kako je vjetar oscilirao mi bi nadoknađivali razliku kad bi pao na oko 5 čvorova, ali čim bi dignuo na 7-8 oni bi otišli i tako sve dok jugo nije dignulo na 12 čvorova i tek tada su odjurili. Njih je bio strah da ih mi ne prođemo, a ostali su svi bili predaleko i nisu na njih obraćali pažnju, a na kraju su minute odlučivale. Toliku razliku smo napravili jer smo mi odjurili kad su oni svi ostali u bonaci kod Vela Luke. S druge strane je Prižma napravio šou kad je otišao s vanjske strane Lastova. Imao je manji brod, čisti vjetar, a davali smo mu 4-5 sati po korekciji. Što se tiče tehničke izvedbe tu smo prezadovoljni. Napravili smo 5-6 milja puta manje nego bilo tko od ostalih i nismo imali nikakvu štetu na brodu. Mislim da bi rasplet bio drugačiji da su bili teži uvjeti na moru, onda bi i Swanu bilo puno teže voziti nego sad, jer ovo je sad bilo nevjerojatno koliko je more bilo mirno na cijeloj ruti. Čak i ta nevera je bila u pola krme, tako da se val ni tada nije osjetio. Što se tiče spavanja, išli smo po bonacama naizmjenično po četrdesetak minuta, čisto da se odmore leđa, jer dok se samo vozio brod dosta je bio jedan da bude vani, ali kad je bila neka akcija morali smo obojica biti zaposleni. Mario Hrvoj, suskiper Toto Travel Među jedrilicama koje su posebno izdvojene u ovom članku izabran je i Satan 2 2Π/7. Riječ je o jednoj od najstariji jedrilica na regati s ujedno i najmlađom posadom koja je ove godine nastupila na ovoj regati. FOTO: FACEBOOK REGATE Gledajući u realnom vremenu, ovaj Stag 29 je uglavnom bio negdje na začelju flote, ali vrhunsko jedrenje je Maria Lulića i Filipa Miroića dovelo do 7. mjesta po Sušac Openu, a evo iz prve ruke priče o njihovom doživljaju ove regate: Za početak moram reći da je naša jedrilica je bila najsporija po handicapu. Što se tiče starta, nismo briljirali, bili smo osrednji. Bio je neki lagani vjetrić. Nakon što smo se odvojili od Komiže jedna grupa je vozila malo pojanije, livije od Palagruže, vjerojatno su kasnije u orcu očekivali veću brzinu, a mi smo išli nekom driturom prema dolje i na desetak milja od Palagruže počeli su slabiti ti vjetrovi a mi smo počeli sustizati brodove ispred nas. Može se reći da su to bili naši uvjeti. Okrenuli smo Palagružu, možda je pet brodova bilo iza nas. Baza je bila to da su na svakoj oznaci... Palagruža, Glavat, Šolta... bile totalne bonace! Bar kad bi mi došli. Ta prva bonaca, na Palagruži nas je uhvatila na nekih 6-7 milja od nje. Povremeno bi došao neki reful koji bi trajao tri minute i s njim bi se približili 50 metara. Dok nismo stigli do te bonace jedrili smo sa spinakerom, a tu kad smo upali u bonacu digli smo drifter. Kad smo okrenuli Palagružu, u stvari onaj mali škojić, Malu Palagružu, trenutno je okrenulo na neki levanat, uglavnom neki vitar za voziti prst laško. Tada je dobro puhalo, imali smo krat glavnog jedra i to nas je dovelo dosta blizu Glavata. To je trajalo cijelu noć, a nas dvojica smo odlučili da nećemo spavati ovaj prvi dio regate, možda da uspijemo napraviti neku razliku. Glavat smo okrenuli kao treći brod od iza. Svanulo i to je bio dan u kojem smo po našem planu trebali nešto i odspavati. Kad smo stigli do Glavata tu je u bonaci stajalo 6-7 jedrilica. Većina je stajala s desne strane Glavata, a Fangac je bio skroz lijepo, baš blizu Glavata. Onda smo pratili situaciju na trackeru i vidjeli da su ti gornji brodovi imali neki burin koji je kasnije okrenuo u provu, došao više s levanta. Tada smo morali donijeti odluku idemo li lijevo ili desno. Ako odemo desno u najboljem slučaju možemo doći do krme ovoj grupi i eventualno ako stigne jugo iz prognoze možda pobijedimo jedini brod koji je s lijeve strane. A ako odemo lijevo možemo eventualno pobijediti ovih 5. S druge strane niti jedna od prognoza nije baš točno pogodila što će puhati, pa smo odlučili otići lijevo i "tko pukovnik tko pokojnik"... Za početak nas je uhvatio neki privatni reful s kojim smo došli Fangacu doslovno na pet metara i tada smo uspjeli proći ovu desnu grupu. To je bilo važno jer je to bilo pola regate i kako smo jedrili na handicap i prošli smo brodove koji su brži od nas i favorizirani po handicapu i sad je njima zadatak da naprave duplu razliku do kraja da bi bili bolji. Nakon što smo okrenuli Glavat nastavljamo dalje jedriti s drifterom, ali je bolje od nas prošao First 40.7 koji je okrenuo s nama i jedrio s nekom dubljom genovom. S nekim refulićem se on odovojio od nas, a tada nekako i sunce počinje padati. I tako smo ostali stajati negdje na pola puta između Lastova i Korčule, a njega je ispalilo na 2-3 milje od nas. Srećom smo bili u nekom južnom kurentu pa nas nije vraćalo natrag i stalno smo išli naprijed s možda pola čvora. Tu nas je još držala euforija od prolaska te grupe, ali kako je počela padati noć trebalo je napokon i malo odspavati. Tada je Mario otišao u kabinu, a ja ću voziti dok je lagano jugo. Kad krene malo jače budim Marija. I on je odspavao dok ga nisam probudio kad sam vidio po trackeru da su se ovi iza počeli kretati... znači stiglo im je jugo. Spavao je možda 45 minuta, a ja sam onda uspio još nekih 15-20 minuta... sve ostalo spavanje prije toga je bilo petnaestak minuta dok sjediš sa škotom u ruci... To sve smo jedrili s drifterom, a kad smo prošli Korčulu prebacili smo se na genaker. Inače Satan ima jarbol, glavno jedro i taj genaker od minija i u principu smo testirali kako taj noviji koncept jedara radi u kombinaciji sa starim linijama trupa. To je dosta dobro prošlo. Vjetra je tu bilo oko 15-17 čvorova i do Maslinice smo uspjeli ostaviti iza nas sve osim Fangaca i Adio pameti. Tu smo hvatali dobre brzine. Bilo je marete i u lijevi i u desni kvartir, tako da smo jedan dobar dio dosta dobro surfali. Imali smo brzine čak i do 8 čvorova. Nakon bonace na Palagruži, cijelog dana provedenog u obilasku Glavata, ponovno nas je uhvatila bonaca i na Maslinici. Ova je najkraće trajala ali je bila najzeznutija, jer je ostalo dosta mrtvog mora od juga s kojim smo stigli do tu. Tako da i onih čvor ili dva što bi mogli uhvatiti od tih valova nismo mogli realizirati. Nakon nekih pola sata stajanja smo ponovno krenuli. Jedrili smo po burinu a imali smo dignuto puno glavno i flok... ono u Čiovo, pa okreni, Čiovo, pa okreni... Nas dvojica nismo baš najjači s tim akvatorijem, pa smo tek kasnije saznali da smo trebali ići put Šolte jer da je tamo manji kurenat po jugu. Ono što je prevladalo da mi odemo put Čiova je što smo na trackeru vidjeli da ovi što su bili uz Šoltu su doslovno stajali, a ovi što su jedrili uz Čiovo su imali brzine od bar 5 čvorova. Nekako u svitanje smo počeli vidjeti Split i mislili smo da je mukama kraj, ali je onda odjednom Split nestao u nekom crnilu, nestao je i Brač... kiša... Kako brod nije naš, stariji je, a i po handicapu smo stajali dosta dobro, tada smo skratili na treći krat i stavili smo olujni flok. Pustili smo onda da to stigne do nas, ali na kraju to nije bila neka posebna nevera, možda dvadesetak čvorova juga. Tako smo čekali petnaestak minuta da vidimo kako će se vrijeme razvijati, a za to su nas Gingolina i još neki su nas prošli. Kad smo vidjeli da od tog svega nema ništa dignuli smo sve natrag i zajedrili do cilja. Moram spomenuti, ne znam da li je još netko to pričao, ali kad smo jedrili par milja iza Palagruže more je alduravalo, ali s ogromnim balonima. To je bilo bajkovito za vidjeti. Nekoliko milja smo plovili kroz to. Ne znam da li su to bile najlonske kese ili meduze, ali stvarno nešto lijepo za vidjeti. Filip Miroić, suskiper Satan 2 2Π/7 Ove godine na regati je nastupio samo jedan solo jedriličar. Riječ je o Ivici Kosteliću, možemo slobodno reći jedinom hrvatskom jedriličaru koji u posljednje vrijeme aktivnu i ozbiljno prakticira ovaj stil jedrenja. FOTO: FACEBOOK REGATE Nastupio je na Miniju 650 imena Libera, za razliku od lani kad je jedrio sa svojim Class40 koji se trenutno nalazi u Francuskoj. Unatoč tome što je jedrio na najmanjoj jedrilici na regate nije bio zadnji. Istina, uglavnom je bio u posljednjem dijelu flote u blizini Satana 2 2Π/7 i sličan premjer, tako da su i nakon korekcija ove dvije jedrilice završile vrlo blizu. Libera je finiširala na 8. mjestu, a kako je to izgledalo na moru najbolje će vam dočarati video uradak njenog kormilara koji postaje sve bolji u izradi svojih jedriličarskih reportaža! A za kraj je ostala još i kratka priča Emila Tomaševića koji je lani pobijedio u kategoriji samaca i to sa Seascapeom 27. Ove godine je na regati odlučio nastupiti u društvu Igora Piacuna na Firsto 40.7. S obzirom da je riječ o jedrilici iz škole jedrenja, bez posebno pripremljenih regatnih jedara i ostale malo sportskije opreme, 5 sati i dvadesetak minuta zaostatka za Go Racingom je dosta dobar rezultat koji je osigurao čistu sredinu na korigiranoj ljestvici. Bilo je lijepo, nije bilo lošeg vremena, bilo je zanimljivog regatavanja i za malo laganije brodove jer je bio laganije vjetar. U prvoj noći je bila jedna nevera, dok je u drugoj bilo jugo s par neverina i to je to. Kako smo bili s težim brodom, ja i Piacun smo malo spavali. Pokušavali smo pratiti ove laganije i brže, a s druge strane smo i takvi likovi. Ja sam ukupno u dvije noći odspavao 2-3 sata, a toliko i Igor. Pokušavali smo maksimalno voziti brod. Uhvatila nas je jedna nevera od tramuntane u orcu ispred maslinice, a drugima je udarilo u krmu. Što se tiče opreme na brodu smo imali dva spinakera i flokove. Ona prva noćna nevera nas je uhvatila na izmaku, malo više je zakačila prve brodove, tako da smo mi vozili s jednom rukom krata i teškom genovom. A drugu noć smo imali neke neverine pod niskim oblacima, pa čak smo imali i jednu čudnu situaciju ispod jednog vrlo niskog oblaka. To je bilo u trenucima kad smo mi izgubili mogućnost da završimo regatu kao četvrti brod. Upali smo u neku rupu... par stotina metara okolo sve normalno puše, a kod nas ništa i tako dva puta. Neki teški oblak od polu kiše je bio praktički na vrhu jarbola i povlačio je vjetar prema gore... spinaker je stajao paralelno s jarbolom. To nisam baš do sad vidio... vjerojatno jer je bilo nestabilno vrijeme, dolje još toplo, a gore hladnije... stvarno čudno. Prvu noć nije bilo ni vlage, bilo je toplo, istina malo bolje obučeni. A i brod je dozvoljavao malo više komoda, pa sam i malo kuhao :) Emil Tomašević, suskiper Ultra Svibor FOTO: FACEBOOK REGATE Ako nekoga zanimaju rezultati deset jedrilica koje su se prijavile i po THC-u, možete ih pronaći na ovom linku. I za kraj je ostala jedna specifičnost svih regata koje traže od sudionika ulaganje iznimnih i fizičkih i psihičkih napora... Pričalo se o popriličnom broju halucinacija za vrijeme jedrenja drugog dijela regate. Neki su vidjeli neke ljude na provi koji su im slagali genove. Bilo je i ljudi koji su sjedili u košu i nisu dozvoljavali da se vide špije. Čak je prijavljen i jedan lijes na provi s čovjekom koji je ležao pored njega i gladio ga... Neki su mislili da im je glavno jedro palo po gindacu... Pa ako mislite da je ovakva regata i za vas i da sve ovo možete uspješno savladati imate godinu dana da se spremite i izbr READ MORE