NORTH SAILS BLOG

J-CLASS OFFICIAL SAILMAKING PARTNER Combining unprecedented experience and heritage in the class, North Sails is the leading sailmaker of the J-Class fleet. Reinforcing the relationship further, this year North Sails also becomes the Official Sailmaking Partner of the J-Class Association. J-Class Association and North Sails are proud to announce the inaugural Kohler Cup, a trophy named in memory of Terry Kohler, former owner of North Sails, entrepreneur and philanthropist. The Kohler Cup is a season-long points championship awarded to a J-Class yacht. Over the course of the season, each yacht will accumulate points based on their results, with events bearing more significance as the season progresses. The trophy will be presented at the J-Class World Championship in Newport, RI, August 2017. High Scoring Point Breakdown for the 2017 Season: St Barth’s Bucket = Total Fleet x 1 point America’s Cup J-Class Regatta = Total Fleet x 1.5 points J-Class World Championship = Total Fleet x 2 points “North Sails looks forward to a historical year of J-Class Racing,” said Ken Read, President of North Sails. “The Kohler Cup, like Terry himself, embodies excellence, perseverance and sportsmanship. This award is exactly what Terry Kohler was all about.” READ MORE

BACARDI SAILING WEEK RECAP Bacardi Sailing Week is a wrap in Miami, Florida! Onsite support from North Sails Regatta Services included pre-event practice days and post-racing debriefs for select fleets. The event kicked off early for J70 and Melges 24 sailors who joined in practice starts and races run by North Sails for all competitors. This was a great way for sailors to warm up before sailing the event, especially those that were new to the fleet. Competitors that had the opportunity prior to the start of the regatta to practice had the upper hand when it came time to race. North Sails Regatta Services team was on the water to take photos, give pointers, and provide constructive feedback for sailors. Fleets had post-racing debriefs that allowed competitors to view photos and have an open discussion with onsite class experts. Zeke Horowitz (Viper 640), Tim Healy (J70), Ched Proctor (VX ONE) and Brian Hayes (Flying Tiger) all gave great feedback and provided insights. Talking about the racing after spending the day on the water is a great way to wind down and recognize things that can be improved within each team. The debriefings were quite informative and motivational, which was not only helpful but also was received well amongst the fleet. Congratulations to our clients for sailing well over the course of the event, hanging in there when conditions got light and tricky, and motivating each other to keep working hard to improve their overall results! READ MORE

SEBASTIEN DESTREMAU FINISHES VENDEE GLOBE The final skipper reaches Nouch Sud with 100% re-fit North Sails inventory Following an intense career in inshore racing, Sébastien Destremau decided four years ago to go for the big one – the Vendée Globe. A singlehanded circumnavigation is a different game, and Sébastien’s determination pushed him past a number of obstacles including one of the tightest budgets in the fleet. Nonetheless, Sébastien sailed his IMOCA Technofirst – faceOcean across the finish line Friday night, March 10th, and entered the channel of Port Olona Saturday morning when the tide was high and the fans loud. S ailing on his IMOCA built in 1998, which has already been around twice in this iconic race, Sébastien had one of the more challenging races among the fleet. Dismasting two months before the start, enduring the loss of his start engine two weeks into the race, and capsizing in the Indian Ocean start to paint a picture of the hurdles this tough sailor surpassed. Add to it two broken ribs, having to stop a few days in Tasmania for repairs and maintenance, and losing his sea generators after Cape Horn, and you’re left thinking this guy may never brave the ocean again. However, the crowds that welcomed him into Les Sables on Saturday can vouch – his smile was as broad as the winner, and every finisher in between. Four months of sailing, even rationing his food for the last three weeks, it is water under the bridge of this heroic finish. Stepping ashore, Sébastien thanked North Sails and especially his twin brother, Hugues, who helped patch a seaworthy inventory together from existing stock, recutting and reusing sails that had many stories already to their name. “When I decided to go for North, I knew my brother was going to look after me. What I didn’t expect was that so many staff members (such as Thibault and others) put so much effort into my program, and worked tirelessly into completing our sail inventory. North Sails France looked after this very small project probably the same way as they looked after the biggest Vendée Globe campaigns. There are no small or big customers with you guys. There is just a customer … and that’s a testament to your firm. So thank you very much for this.” Sébastien’s inventory was made of used sails including a North Sails NPC TOUR mainsail, years old, North Sails 3DL jib, and a pair of re-fit North gennakers. Not one single sail was built for this boat, so the North team in France worked to modify stock sails, making adjustments so the sails would fit for the circumnavigation. By crossing the line today, Sébastien wraps up a tremendous Vendée Globe for North Sails. Twelve boats carried full North Sails inventories including the record-breaking winner, Armel Le Cleach on Banque Populaire. In total, six of the top seven boats were powered by North Sails, and 22 out of the 29 Vendée skippers had North Sails onboard. The Vendée Globe is above all a voyage to the ends of the sea and deep down into the sailor’s soul. Since its introduction in 1968, 167 sailors have lined up at the start of the Vendée Globe, while only 89 have managed to cross the finish line. This figure alone expresses the huge difficulty of this global event, where brave sailors set off alone to face testing seas immediately in the Bay of Biscay, hit record-breaking speeds through the Indian Ocean, leaden skies and crushing temps in the Southern Ocean, and the patience-testing highs and lows of the Atlantic. Starting alone is victorious. “I made a key to close the door behind me in the Pacific and now I have another one to close the harbour entrance, as I’m the last one here in Les Sables d’Olonne.” – Sébastian Destremau closes the 8th Vendée Globe finish line on Saturday, March 11th, 50 days after the winner. Congratulations to the skippers of the 8th Vendée Globe – that’s a wrap!! READ MORE

NEW MELGES 24 WORLD RANKINGS North Powered Teams Dominate Latest Melges 24 World Rankings The World Rankings are determined by performance and participation at official class series events. Overall results are taken from high point scoring systems and are determined by four key events sailed for each team, with the highest scores accumulated. Ambitions of the IMCA World Ranking System set the tone within the class globally, giving sailors the aspiration to travel and attend the key events that will determine their overall ranking. There are 4 Ranking categories: European, North American, Australasian, and World. Latest Melges 24 World Ranked Teams: European Ranking Champion: Andrea Racchelli on ITA735 Altea North American Ranking Champion: Conor Clarke/Stu McNay on IRL829 Embarr Australasian Ranking Champion: David Young on AUS746/655 The Kraken Overall World Ranking Champion: Andrea Pozzi/ Giulio Desiderato on ITA841 Bombarda Team Bombarda, #1 World Ranked Melges 24 Team ©Carlo Borlenghi The Melges 24 is fast, fun and provides sailors with the thrill of high-performance racing amidst top-level competition. Truth be told, over 800 boats are racing all over the world today, and for a good reason! Designed by Reichel Pugh and Buddy Melges, the Melges 24 has grown in popularity since its introduction in 1997. That same year, the class held its first World Championship with 98 boats participating. There are established fleets across the globe in North America, Europe, and Australia, and more developing in parts of South America and Asia. “Embarr” 2016 Melges 24 World Champions, #1 Ranked in the US ©Pierrick Contin We caught up with Giulio Desiderato, tactician on ITA841 Bombarda and asked him about his teams’ accomplishment as the top boat in the Melges 24 Class World Rankings. How long have you been sailing with Bombarda? “I met Andrea Pozzi two years ago during a Melges 20 regatta. The first time that I worked with him, I was coaching his Melges 20 team during an event in Riva del Garda, Italy. From the beginning, we’ve started something good after some key events racing together. He called me, and I started sailing with him on the Melges 24, calling tactics. Ciampalini (“Ciampa”) was already with the Bombarda team while myself, Carlo Zermini and Nicolas Dal Ferro started after the World Championships in Denmark. It has been a perfect combination from the beginning.” What was a highlight onboard from the Kieler Woche Regatta? “Kieler Woche was the first victory for the Bombarda team. We were coming from a productive winter preparation and getting up to speed, faster and faster. We started the regatta focused on doing our best, and not on the end results. Sincerely, we did not think we would win the regatta. We ended up with an incredible score, winning the last two races of the regatta.” Bombarda and Altea sailing upwind. ©Mauro Melandri What’s your next event as a team? “We have stopped our journey for now. Andrea will be really busy this year, and for the moment he is focused on improving his skills in the International Moth. We want to come back next year, determined as usual to do our best on this fantastic boat and competitive fleet.” Do you sail together on any other boats? “Actually, no. For our team, we are all good friends and we are constantly in contact with each other. We see each other all the time in different sailing circuits, but at the moment we shall remain good enemies on the race course .” “I’m speaking with the Pozzi family about another project, and will most likely have the pleasure again to sail with his team, calling tactics as usual, but this time in a bigger boat.” How does it feel to be at the top of the Melges 24 World Rankings? “Looking back, it’s incredible. As I told you before it has been a perfect journey. Our goal was to improve and grow up through every regatta, and now at the end of the season we can read the name Bombarda at the top of the world ranking. Andrea is one of the most passionate people I know, and I have to thank him for making this possible.” Andrea Pozzi and his team Bombarda ©Carlo Borlenghi Any advice for your competitors? “Be focused on the journey and not the single race or regatta. Consider the team a group of friends and be determined to achieve the goal together. The strong point of Bombarda was that we didn’t give up. After a bad start or a wrong maneuver, or a bad tactical call we never got upset, but we were always determined to do our best and come back as a team. Racing with them I understand why these guys are such successful sailors.” Congrats to all teams taking the top spots in the Melges 24 World Rankings for this year, and we wish you all the best in your future endeavors! Team Altea, Ranked #1 in Europe ©Mauro Melandri North Sails One Design | Melges 24 Melges 24 Class Association | Ranking Results READ MORE

North Sails caught up with Todd Jenner and Peter Bowe from “Tea Dance Snake”, winners of J/70 class at the 2017 NOOD Regatta in St. Pete. READ MORE

The 2017 JJ Giltinan 18ft Skiff Championship did not disappoint! With seven official races over ten days, 26 teams participated in action packed racing on Sydney Harbor amidst spectators cheering from harbor ferries. Team Thurlow Fisher Lawyers of Michael Coxon, Dave O’Connor, and Trent Barnabas were declared champions with a race to spare. However, racing was tight among the rest of the fleet with only seconds between competitors at each mark. Ultimately the top-ten were determined in the series final, with only five points separating 2nd-6th place. Congratulations to North-powered teams who finished 1, 2*, 3, 4, 5, 6 & 7th with most using North Sails 3DL and some using a combination of North Sails 3Di RACE and 3DL. The winning team of Thurlow Fisher Lawyers had 3Di RACE for their larger mainsail and jib, both new this season. 3Di RACE is a new product targeted to smaller racing boats, which benefit from the product’s wide wind ranges and increased “readability.” The 18ft Skiff is no doubt the smallest application we have seen for the 3Di product, so we asked Dave O’Connor, trimmer on Thurlow Fisher Lawyers, to report on how the sails have handled: READ MORE 2017 JJ Giltinan 18ft Skiff Champions, Thurlow Fisher Lawyers Defending champion Smeg and Asko Appliances in close racing duel. Charge from the first windward mark. Appliances Online skipper David Witt competes in his last 18ft Skiff race! READ MORE

INTERVIEW WITH THE TOP CORINTHIAN AT THE J70 MIDWINTERS Andrew & Melissa Fisher, owners of J70 Button Fly Andrew and Melissa Fisher are no new faces to the J70 Class. What’s inspiring about Andrew’s team is the dynamic they impose on their competition. The Button Fly program predated Andrew’s Paralympic campaign, where he competed for a spot to represent the US in the Rio Olympics. Andrew has since chosen the J70 Class because there are a lot of boats that compete and he finds it to be sporty and manageable for him and his wife, Melissa. Andrew truly has the best of both worlds sailing with his corinthian team Button Fly, and having fun with the ones he cares about most. This is truly what it’s all about. Without corinthians, the sport of sailing wouldn’t be what it is today. We caught up with Andrew and Melissa after their big win to share their excitement and passion for sailing and find out what it means to them. Team Button Fly Melissa and Andy, congratulations on your 1st Corinthian Division win at the 2017 J70 Midwinters. It was a tricky regatta featuring nearly every condition. What were some of the keys to helping you to the to victory lane? “Thanks. J70 is a very competitive fleet. Due to the crazy conditions during some races, luck played its part more than usual. That said, our team has sailed the J70 together for over 2 years and has put in quite a bit of time training and learning what makes this boat go fast.” The ButtonFly program started a few years back when Andy was on the US Paralympic Team competing for a spot to represent the USA in Rio. Why did you guys decide to get into the J70 at that point in your sailing career and do a “defacto” 2 boat campaign? “The Button Fly program predated my Paralympic campaign, going back to bigger boat racing. The J70 is a downsize for us. Melissa and I love racing together. We looked at other classes of boats but decided on the J70 due to its popularity and a good balance of sportiness without being overly athletic. Managing a 4-person team is far easier, and the fleet is big enough that there are usually plenty of boats at the regattas for great competition. I had the luxury of having enough time to spend time doing both.” Melissa, you have been the one constant on your program as a key crew member. What makes J70 sailing so much fun for you and how has it helped your sailing? “I sail the boat with my husband. evolving to the smaller, 4 person program has been a great learning experience in that everyone plays a bigger role in getting the boat around the race course. in addition to loving the racing, the social aspects of the class make going to regattas special.” It seems every team has a style and adjusts their program to maximize their strengths so when you are working on tuning and trimming style how much do you deviate from the “standard” tuning guide settings and performance articles you read? Are there any things you have found that work with your team that stands- out as a performance “game changer”? “Our program is somewhat unusual, in that I have disabilities that we need to work around. We spend a bit of time figuring what we need to do to minimize my weaknesses, and practicing the weakest ones. Our boat tuning is very close to standard; however, we’re very conscious of thinking forward to our set up for expected conditions. For example, before one race at Midwinters, we noticed that the wind vs tide current made it appear that there was more breeze up the course than there was, so we adjusted our rig accordingly. In the end, the biggest “game changer” is quality practice.” A few years back you guys dedicated yourselves to sailing Corinthian and have really locked into a great team with the Burke brothers on board. Tell us how that came together and what Steve and Shawn have brought to the ButtonFly team. “Steve and Shawn have sailed with us for over 10 years. They both have been racing their whole lives, and, while their careers don’t involve sailing, they view racing as their primary pastime. Melissa and I are lucky to have them want to sail with us. In addition to being good sailors, the consistent time we’ve put in sailing the J70 together has really allowed us to develop our race course dance and improve.” Obviously, our team here at North is very excited for you guys as many of us have worked with the ButtonFly program in some capacity. Since Andy has an unquenchable thirst for knowledge and never seems to stop asking questions and learning to be a better J70 sailor, how has the experience working with the North J70 team helped your program? “We have been North customers for many years, so when we moved to the J70 it seemed natural for us to continue our relationship. To our mind, the support surrounding the purchase, teaching and sharing technique, the on-water coaching, all are essential to picking the right sailmaker. North has been there for us. They’ve spent time with us when we first bought the boat, have provided training opportunities, have raced with us on occasion, and are always available and open to discussing the latest thoughts on go- fast techniques. From a sailmakers perspective, it helps when your sails win. We’re trying to do our part.” If you could share any advice for other Corinthian teams to move up in the standings what would you tell them? “It’s far tougher to field a good Corinthian team than one with pros. By definition, they have more to juggle to be able to make the events, so once you find your guys, treat them well. Consistency is key.” USA 501 has become a staple at many of the J70 circuit events. What is on your calendar for the rest of 2017 and what are the long term plans? “We’re off to Miami for the Bacardi cup, then Charleston on our way back to the Northeast. Our goal is to peak for the North Americans this fall at our home club in Rye, New York.” Andrew and Melissa have a competitive road ahead of them. We wish Andrew and his team the best of luck in the upcoming events and can’t wait to see them shine. Sail fast and keep having fun! READ MORE

THE 2017 ROLEX SWAN CUP CARIBBEAN IS A WRAP! The 2017 Rolex Swan Cup Caribbean came to a close yesterday at the Yacht Club Costa Smerelda clubhouse in Virgin Gorda. This biennial event brings together the unique Nautor Swan family of yachts from 36 – 115 footers, and this year will feature the new one-design Club Swan 50, a self-professed “small revolution” in performance and sailing pleasure. Two entries of this newly competitive design joined 20 boats split between the Maxi and Grand-Prix/Mini Maxi divisions for three days of racing amidst the breathtaking scenery of the British Virgin Islands. The final race of the event delivered 15-20 knots from the Northeast on a course that sent both fleets around “The Dogs”, a pair of islands on the Northwest side of Virgin Gorda. Don Macpherson’s Swan 90 Freya sailed extremely well over the four days of racing, scoring three wins out of four races. Freya entered the final day of racing with a comfortable lead, despite a pair of penalty points off the starting line, and secured the overall trophy in the Maxi division. This week’s title makes her a winner on both sides of the Atlantic, having won the 2016 Swan Cup in Porto Cervo. She sails with an inventory of North Sails 3Di ENDURANCE and NPC DOWNWIND, including a four-year-old mainsail (shown below). North Sails Kimo Worthington was among the crew as tactician. Vicente Garcia Torres’ Swan 80 Plis Play earned second place in a tight fleet, followed by Stuart Robinson’s Stay Calm in fourth place. Freya’s 3Di ENDURANCE mainsail, delivered 2013 With two Club Swan 50s in the Mini Maxi/ Grand Prix fleet, it became nearly a ritual for Leonardo Ferragamo’s Cuordileone and Hendrik Brandis’ Early Bird to find themselves in “match race” circumstances at least once per day! Ultimately Cuordileone claimed the class win with three bullets in four races. North Sails President, Ken Read, called tactics with Ferragamo at the helm, and both Cuordileone and Early Bird raced with an inventory of North Sails 3Di RAW and NPC DOWNWIND sails. As the owner and driver of the winning boat as well as Chairman of Nautor’s Swan, Ferragamo was doubly satisfied with the week’s events: “We had a fabulous week. The racing was phenomenally good, I think this place is pretty close to paradise and the sailing and racing conditions were just perfect. The racing was fun and competitive among all the various participants. I got to drive the ClubSwan 50 and it was great to see very tight racing and the two boats just seconds apart on the finish line and of course I’m extra happy about Cuordileone’s win.” North Sails joined Nautor’s Swan and Juan Yacht Design to collaborate on the Club Swan 50 design, advising on solutions for a rig and sail plan that drew optimum performance from the boat and synchronized well with the hull and deck systems. Read more about the design process and the resulting sail inventory HERE. Club Swan 50 Cuordileone Club Swan 50 Early Bird READ MORE

Speed and Elegance: The new Club Swan 50 Nautor’s Swan and Juan Yacht Design collaborate with North Sails and Southern Spars to create optimal performance out-of-the-box. Nautor’s Swan, along with naval architect Juan Kouyoumdjian, have conceived a new 50ft yacht. The Club Swan 50 places great focus on performance while staying true to the company’s world-renowned craftsmanship and attention to detail. For customers that are looking for a racing class with something special, this boat will satisfy their expectations and more. When a well-known builder like Swan debuts a performance yacht it creates a high level of expectation throughout all levels of the industry. New performance boats like the Club Swan 50 must be fast out of the box with little or no lead time available for testing and sail refinement. This is where North Sails and sister company Southern Spars become instrumental in presenting the boat with a cohesive package that exceeds the high expectations of a new owner. North Sails was approached by Nautor Swan and JYD to collaborate throughout the hull, rig, deck, and sail design. Participating in the early stages of design ensures accuracy not only in sail geometry details but in anticipating important aspects of performance that ultimately would affect the sails, such as deck layouts that support efficiency, and the overall balance with hydro foils matching the airfoils (or sails) above the deck. With the results of this collaboration in hand, North designers then identify how the major variables (such as spars, sails, and appendages) integrate to produce expected levels of performance throughout the wind range. The North Design Suite of computational tools have been used successfully in this process for the past 20 years, and repeatedly refined through projects on a wide variety of boats, ranging from small keelboats, America’s Cup, to maxis. The process is a large contributor to the success of North Sails in all major classes. Of course, there is design and there is the reality. An important part of the design process is incorporating a group of on the-water experts – people who handle the products frequently and know how boats of similar spec behave in rough to light conditions and on different angles of sail.For the Club Swan 50, a big part of this discussion was driven by the durability of the sails and their ability to retain their shape through an acceptable lifespan for the class. That is why all agreed on North Sails 3Di RAW as the optimal material for the upwind sails. The same attention to shape holding and durability is given to the downwind sails, resulting in a combination of Superlite and Superkote nylon styles from Contender and North’s own Xi-09 NPL DOWNWIND for the A-0. Hitting the water with an accurate VPP gives tangible results, especially to a new fleet. Generating a basic tuning guide that is ready to use on your first sail is encouraging for all new owners, who want to come out of the box with fast results and remain fast as the class grows and develops. Expect the Club Swan 50 to be a very special yacht, both in performance and comfort! The team at North Sails is extremely grateful for the opportunity to offer a well-developed sail inventory and performance package, and to have collaborated with so many innovative and dedicated professionals in the process. We are excited to see the Club Swan 50 results on the water and the progress of the class over time. About the Club Swan 50 Nautor’s Swan keeps high standards of performance and design to best complement their classic models throughout the racing and cruising range, making them great boats for the “all around” sailor. They have pushed the limits of this concept a bit further with their newest model design, the Club Swan 50. By enlisting the competitive edge of JYD, the 50 would be decidedly fast, elegant, and within one design parameters. In the end, the specifications are innovative, providing ample opportunity for competitive sailing while still having the optionality to transform the boat to comfort, even cruising mode. The hull reflects modern Swan models with a beam-y transom, reverse bow, clear-cut chines, aft sections, and shortened freeboards. A steel blade keel, lead torpedo, and dual rudders give a more balanced configuration, and a forward center of gravity gives the Club Swan 50 significant advances in overall speed while sailing downwind and when reaching. Learn more about the boat at clubswan50.com Technical Specifications: Length overall: 15.24 m or 50 ft Length of waterline: 14.00 m, 45.93 ft Length overall with bowsprit: 16.74 m, 54.92 ft Beam max: 4.20 m, 13.77 ft Draught: 3.50 m, 10.49 ft Ballast: 3,400 kg, 7,495 lbs Displacement (light): 8,500 kg, 18,739 lb Sail upwind (TBD): 142 m², 1528 ft² Sail downwind (TBD): 296 m², 18739 ft² Designer: Juan Kouyoumdjian Construction: OY Nautor AB, Finland Full carbon: Hull, deck, mast, boom, rudders, bowsprit READ MORE

RON JACOBS REPORT FROM PORT LINCOLN FOR THE LUCKY FEW I was fortunate enough to be invited aboard Kym Clarke's North Sails powered Sydney 47 CR "Fresh" which together with 47 Boats faced the starters gun for the 2017 Teakle Classic Adelaide to Port Lincoln Race, a 150 miler in what is typically a short beat to windward followed by a reach to Stanley followed by a 70 mile run to the finish. This year however was an uncharacteristic 15/20 knot work to Cape Stanley, then a jib top reach with the south westerly gusting to 35 knots which favoured the lighter displacement yachts that planed their way into Lincoln. The "lucky few" that stayed for the well formatted 4 day regatta sailed within the confines of a not so large bay which made for some very enjoyable flat water racing, where treated to 4 windward leeward races sailed in 6 -12 knots together with 2 passage races, the 1st sailed in 15-20 and the second in 25- 35 knots. All in all, a variety of racing where every yacht competing had their chance to shine under the various handicap categories, be it IRC, AMS or Performance handicap. On board Fresh we finished the regatta with a very creditable 3rd on IRC to the 2 Tp 52's Secret Men's Business and Celestial, 4th on AMS and winning the PHS Div 1 prize. However, the main attraction of the Teakle Port Lincoln Race Week, in what could best be described as a lifestyle event showcased all that this destination has to offer. The social side was reminiscent of Hamilton Island race week in days of past with the competing yachties all gravitating to the Marina Hotel for pre-race and post-race banter, where the daily presentations including random prizes of fresh lobsters where held. Other Functions included the presentation of the 150 miler with beachside live entertainment playing all afternoon, a cocktail party that showcased what Port Lincoln is famous for "unbelievable seafood". Meggas Beachside bbq following race 4 is an institution! The locals go out of their way to help make your stay memorable, I will be back to race but also to spend a longer time in this very enjoyable part of Australia. Sponsor Peter Teakle has committed to backing the event for the next 4 years and I am sure he has some very impressive ideas to improve the regatta even further. Stay tuned! READ MORE

“If I started a sailmaking company, would you buy a sail from me?” That’s what Lowell North asked his friend John Shoemaker, one afternoon in 1957, while seated at the bar of San Diego Yacht Club. John replied, “Yes, I would,” which surprised Lowell. Sure, they were friends, but neither man could predict that Lowell’s new company would eventually grow into the largest sailmaking business in the world. Or that along the way, Lowell would become a world champion sailor and two-time Olympic medalist. During a recent interview at his house in Point Loma, Lowell told us John’s answer “gave me the encouragement to start North Sails.” He admitted that before starting the company, he hadn’t built many sails. He said it took him years to figure out how to make a fast shape, but Lowell quickly became known for his unique approach in an industry where he had little experience. And 60 years later, a scientific approach to material and product testing, as well as analytics-based sail design and performance development, continues to be the backbone of North Sails. “The realization that I didn’t know anything about sail shape was really a big help,” Lowell explained. “I was then able to test a great variety of shapes, some of which tested faster. This objectivity helped us to make a lot of progress in sail shape.” After that drink with John Shoemaker, Lowell dove in. It all started in a rented 20 x 80 foot space at the B Street Pier in downtown San Diego. He quit his job as an aerospace engineer at Narmco, and went to work on the floor building Snipe and Star sails. The early days were shaped by a tight group building a modest business. Lowell’s first wife Kay did the bookkeeping. Their first hire was a seamstress, Daisy. Next was Paul Merrill, who had worked for Herb Sinnhoffer sailmakers; he bridged the delicate gap between employee and teacher. Other early staff included friends like Earl Elms and Tom Nute, and later Pete Bennett from Murphy and Nye in Chicago. “Pete brought a lot of really good production techniques with him, and established ways of cutting and sewing sails more accurately and efficiently,” Lowell said. “We started making Snipe sails, which was the first class we were really successful in. Meanwhile, Paul’s plan was to retire a few years from then and sail around the world.” “Did he do it?” we asked. “I haven’t seen Paul Merrill in years. I suspect he did.” Around 1962, Lowell and production manager John Rumsey began empirically testing sailcloth stretch and fatigue. They read the numbers and confirmed the market standard was far too low. They could do better. “The sails on the market weren’t good enough. I started re-cutting my Star sails from the prominent West Coast sailmaker at the time .” “We began testing cloth samples by attaching them to the antenna of my car. We called it flutter testing, it seemed to match the real life degradation of the material and gave us a pretty good inkling of how the sail cloth would degrade in actual use. We later simulated the car antenna flutter testing by building an in-house machine which spun the attached samples on a rotating wheel or arm.” This was the beginning of a long history in material development. The “30/30 benchmark” became known among cloth specialists: 30 minutes at 30 miles per hour. Looking past woven polyester, Lowell and textile converter Noah Lamport created the first laminated sailcloth, used on the 12 Meter Enterprise in 1977. In 1980, launching NorLamTM (a polyester/Mylar laminated sailcloth) complemented the company’s introduction of radial panel sail layouts. Lowell’s legacy continued with patented three-dimensional membranes (1992), followed by the first warp-oriented polyester sailcloth, North Sails Radian™ (2008). North Sails 3Di composite membranes went to market in 2011, and they are continually improved by materials research out of the Minden loft. The capacity of North Sails 3Di technology continues to expand as designers and product engineers learn to adapt the product to new sailing markets. Ask North Sails designers today, and they’ll tell you it’s all about the strength and shape of the membrane – which goes right back to the same qualities Lowell was testing for. On the water, Lowell is known as one of those guys who just “got it.” Renowned for his results in the Star Class, he medaled in 12 World Championships over 25 years and won gold at the 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico City. He also won a bronze medal in the Dragon at the 1964 Tokyo Games. It was during this time that North Sails was first getting off the ground, and Lowell met many people who would become key players in its expansion. “Peter and I met in Japan at the 1964 Olympics. I think Eckart Wagner was there too. Charlie Rogers and Dick Deaver crewed for me in Japan. They were all instrumental in the early success of North Sails.” Peter Barrett founded the second North Sails loft (Seal Beach, CA) before moving home to Pewaukee, WI to start North Sails Midwest, the first loft outside California. Eckart Wagner broke ground in Germany in 1966, followed by Andre Nellis with North Sails Belgium. Later, North Sails Italia came online with the arrival of Robin Morgan. “At some point I went to a school for executives. They taught me if you put together a group of men that were fairly hungry for something, and you worked to provide them with what they wanted, they would help create a successful organization. The term Tiger seem to fit the personality of our loft managers at the time; they were hungry.” At this point in the interview, Lowell’s wife Bea chimed in. “We were in Portofino, in a little medieval castle in the old port, to accept a “Life of Sailing” award for Lowell. The Italian TV guy asked me, “Do you know who you’re with? Do you really know who you’re with?” and I said, “Well, who am I with?” He said, “The man that revolutionized the world of sailing.” Lowell replied, “I think I brought together a great group of guys whose ideas and thoughts made for a very innovative company, and a profitable organization.” For 27 years, Lowell led North Sails to new heights by being a true pioneer. He crafted ways to test the strength of raw materials, introduced computer-driven cloth-cutting machines, and performed the first computerized structural analysis of upwind sails. Along the way, he built a trusted team from the ground up and found personal success with the products he offered. By devising his own approach, he established a new industry standard and left his company with an ideology that still survives today. As we celebrate the 60th anniversary of North Sails, Lowell reflected on how the sport has changed by weighing in on a much-debated topic between traditional and modern sailors. “Sailing has changed very little, in that wind and water are the same. Racing and winning still rely more on the skill of the skipper then on the equipment. 60 years from now? Not much difference: bigger, faster and more aerodynamic boats, bigger sails and probably more foils.” We asked, “What makes a master sailmaker?” and “What is the greatest strength of North Sails?” Lowell had the same answer to both questions: “The ability to build fast sails.” We asked his favorite place to sail and he replied truthfully, “In the ocean off Point Loma in San Diego.” “The worst place?” we asked. “I stay away from places like that.” READ MORE

North powered teams finished first through fourth The Etchells Biscayne Bay Series hosted by Fleet 20 is one of the major Etchells regatta series dating back to 1994. Quality racing, heavy competition, and classic design are why sailors race Etchells. A big thank you to Fleet 20 for making regattas like these happen, as well as PRO Dave Brennan for running excellent races in the best possible sailing conditions. Your hard work and diligence is greatly appreciated! The Etchells Midwinters this past weekend was a solid finish to a great series in Miami, FL. A total of 47 boats made it down to Miami for the warm weather and highly competitive racing. North powered teams finished in the top, placing first through fourth in all wind ranges. Friday and Saturday started out light, making for tricky tactical decisions. Boat speed and a clear lane was essential to do well. Sunday was more promising with winds in the 15-18 knot range, giving sailors a chance to sail in all conditions throughout the event. Lawrie Smith on Alfie took the win with 28 total points, followed by Steve Benjamin on Terrapin_x009d_ with 33 points. Skanky Gene ended up 3rd with 40 points and with Phil Lotz’s Arethusa finished close behind with 41 points. Featuring some of the toughest competition within the Etchells class, this event series is not to be missed! Link to full results HERE North Sails One Design Congratulations to all North Sails powered teams! Ernie Pomerleau, long time Etchells sailor and owner of 1300, enjoys the series each year The fleet making its way to the finish line Chris Morgan, skipper of 1300 and familiar face to the Etchells class -happy with his teams’ finish READ MORE

The J70 Midwinters this past weekend were an all around success for North powered teams. Light air made for tough conditions-and a ton of patience.  READ MORE

North Sails interviews Steve Hayden, 2017 Overall Winner of St. Petersburg NOOD Regatta The St. Pete NOOD is the first NOOD event of the series with boats from all over the country coming together to sail in key locations along the east and west coast of the United States. At the end of the series, the overall winner from each event competes in the overall championship held in the British Virgin Islands later this season. After the regatta we had a chance to catch up with Steve and asked him some questions about his win at the NOOD. Steve (Gen5) and his son, neck and neck, rounding the leeward mark Steve, how long have you been sailing the Lightning? “Over 40 years.” Have you ever crewed for your kids? “Yes, almost as much as they’ve crewed for me.” What would you say were the key factors to your win at the St. Pete NOOD? “Patience and sticking with our game plan. I was also very confident in our North Sails and the setup we use. And staying with some long-time friends…Mike and Junia Milvain.” What is the most important thing to know about sailing a Lightning? “That it’s a great boat with a great class of people who are willing to help you and include you. There is great competition because the boat is technical enough and challenging enough it attracts, and retains, many outstanding sailors of all ages.” What was the funniest thing that happened on the water at the NOOD? “Taking compass headings before one of the day’s races started. Pretty much wrote down the entire compass…” Have you been to the BVI’s before? If not, how excited are you!? “No. Very excited! Looking forward to it greatly! My Dad has been down a few times, so I’ve heard some great things. I’m sure it’s going to be a great time.” In preparation for the championship in the BVI’s, what are the top three things you will focus on? “Who is going with me…family and friends…I’ve been hearing from a lot of people I haven’t heard from in awhile for some reason.” Steve Hayden, doing what he loves A new overall winner of the St. Pete NOOD, but Steve is no new face to the Lightning Class. Steve grew up sailing the Lightning and got his kids involved too. For Steve back at home, it’s just a family affair. READ MORE

This year was the ninth edition of the RORC Caribbean 600 with the largest offshore fleet the event has ever seen; 70 yachts, over 900 sailors representing 24 different countries. The most exhilarating fleet, with some of the most amazing boats built for speed, ready to sail in the most beautiful place on earth. The competition level was high, and the spirits were willing and able to make this year the best year we’ve seen in the history of the C600. North clients had a strong showing amongst the fleet in some of the fastest boats on the racecourse. The MOD70’s Phaedo 3 and Maserati came out hot from the start with one goal in mind: to break the current record. Flying along the water anywhere between 15-20 kts is ideal Caribbean sailing. While falling short of record speed, Lloyd Thornburg’s Phaedo 3 edged out Maserati to take Line Honours in the Multihull Class. Most of the fleet were quite close during the entire week of sailing, having just a difference of one nm between them for most of the time which kept the racing tight, and staying in the pressure even more important. On Wednesday, Feb. 22nd, North client George David on Rambler 88 finished the Caribbean 600 at 11 hrs 56 mins 17 secs taking his third Monohull Line Honours. David continues to hold the race record from 2011 with his Rambler 100. In their debut Caribbean 600, Anders Nordquist’s Swan 115, Shamanna won the Superyacht Class. While light wind and difficult conditions for most of the race, Shamanna saw 20 knots on their way down to Guadeloupe, giving the boat a chance to show what she was made for. For a Swan 115, 8-10 knts can prove a bit frustrating at times, pushing the team to focus on more tactical decisions. The upside is Nordquist’s team was able to take in the Caribbean scenery, which included dolphins and whales! Congratulations to all North powered victories at the Caribbean 600. Redshift El Osaco IRC 2, CSA 2 Taz* – IRC 1 Sleep X – IRC 3 Phor-ty* – Class 40 *Partial inventory “Every year, I get reminded how insane a race this is and after this race, our navigator Miles Seddon said to me that we have turned the insanity up again this year. You never get used to this race – hanging on reaching at 36 knots, it is just incredible. All of our team had to dig so deep and we love Antigua and had an amazing reception.” – Lloyd Thornburg “This year the race was not as tough as previous years, but it is far from a Caribbean holiday. We had to make a lot of sail changes which is very grueling on the crew. This boat is like a Volvo 70 on steroids; it has unlimited power and in these conditions the helm is still relatively easy to handle and there is a lot of water coming over the bow, but we don’t go up there!” – Brad Butterworth “On the way down to Guadeloupe we had almost 20 knots, so we were really happy to experience the conditions that the boat was built for. The crew have been racing together since 2012 and they are a fantastic team. We know each other very well; the communication is good and the atmosphere is great. It was an excellent race.” – Anders Nordquist READ MORE

After 103 days at sea, Fabrice finishes 11th in the 2016-17 Vendée Globe and thanks North Sails for “globally fast” and reliable 3Di sails. While sitting in the newspaper offices of Le Figaro in Paris, Fabrice Amedeo built up a dream over the years: attempting the Vendee Globe. He went from IRC events with his family to trying his hand in the singlehanded Figaro and Class 40. A few days ago, the 39 year old journalist-turned-ocean racer finished 11th in the Vendée Globe, 103 days after he started. He went from exhilarating speeds in the Atlantic to “safety first” mode in the southern ocean, and kept sharing his joy and happiness to be at sea through fun videos. After being short on food for the last fifteen days at sea, he managed to cross the line in 103 days, 21 hours. Fabrice took some time to rave about the longevity and shape of his sails after he crossed the finish line off Les Sables d’Olonne: “First of all I would like to thank Alan Pennaneach from North Sails, who was with my team at the finish. He was at the start, it was important to me that he was at the finish.” My sails have been globally fast and reliable, and I have been especially stunned by the incredible shape holding of the 3Di. Except for mainsail issues from my mistake during a 50 knot gale in the Indian Ocean, my set of sails is still in perfect condition. I told myself when I deployed my J2 just before the finish that it could very well sustain another 25,000 miles, although I pushed real hard on it! Same for my J1 and J3. “I used my Cuben Fiber fractional Gennaker a lot. It was super versatile, and the angled luff allows the bow to rise and keep the boat fast and safe. I also had a Cuben Fiber Blast Reacher for strong winds in the Southern Ocean, but my systems were not reliable enough for me to use it safely. It will be for 2020.” Congratulations to Fabrice, and to everyone who completes this grueling race around the world! https://northsails.com/Portals/matmut.mp4 READ MORE

MC38 AUS Championship – No barriers. Just fun. When there are so many terrific things to talk about, it could be hard to find just one thing that shines brightest out of the MC38 Australian Championship. Was it that it was held in the delightful Pittwater in lovely conditions? Perhaps it is because the class is full of terrific owners and sailors who span from 20 years to 84 years? Maybe it was how the hard work of the Race Management team got the full allotment of nine races completed? Billy Sykes was on Lightspeed, and commented afterwards, “It really is a great class to be involved with, most notably because you have wonderful owners to sail with, and against! Clare Crawford of Assassin was the sole female Skipper. Then you had Leslie Green take out the championship, for the fourth year running mind you, and he is 84 years young! It’s pretty amazing to be a part of all that.” “Being close, true OD racing, means generally everyone finishes inside a couple of minutes of each other after 60 minutes of windward/leeward racing, with a downhill finish. This makes it fun and exciting”, said Sykes.' In second place was Neville Crichton. His boat, Maserati, was just two points astern of Leslie Green’s, Ginger, in the end. They had a great final day, with tactician Joe Turner calling the shots. Of course, many people would remember Crichton’s super maxi, Alfa Romeo II, along with his other boats. “It shows that we have a product to suit a 100-footer like Alfa with 3Di RAW, and then also our 3Di Race sails that are doing so well on craft like the 18-foot Skiff, Thurlow Fisher Lawyers. Whether it’s cruising, club racing, heading offshore, or setting world records, we can help you.” Class President, James Bacon, drove his Dark Star to third place, and was a further two points adrift of Maserati. Steve Barlow had chartered Lightspeed for the event. Sykes said, “The sails may have been a few years old, but our fourth place shows off both his skills in this Owner/Driver One Design class, and that our sails are not only fast, but durable.” Now just one point behind Lightspeed in the end was Marcus Blackmore’s, Hooligan, so that was another titanic struggle inside the fleet. Then it was Chris Hancock’s Vino, followed by Assassin, Ghost Rider and Menace. Sykes went on to add, “Sailing with our great clients is rewarding. Three days of good racing, like we had with this championship out of the host club, Royal Prince Alfred YC, means you’re pretty tired at the end. Four races on the Saturday certainly ensured everyone was especially so by the time we returned to the quay.” “It is very emotional out on Pittwater, for you can go from hero to zero ever so quickly. The MC38 accelerates amazingly well, and you can get a 500m advantage over the fleet if it’s your turn to get the lucky break. Equally, you can be the one stuck in almost nothing, so you are always reminding yourself that you are never out of it, and you just have to keep trying!” “So a cool head is essential. We have plenty of good sailors from 40-84 years and 18-30, so age or sex is no barrier, and it proves that experience can match it with youthful exuberance. I particularly like how we can get submarine like in 15-20 knots, and during a gybe, everyone is on the new sheet to get the 180m2 bag around to the new set. Hard work is rewarded and getting your tacks and gybes correct is a really big part of it, just as it should be in true OD racing.” “I would also really like to say how brilliant it was of the PRO, Steve Merrington, to have us well and truly back at the club before the big storm hit on Friday afternoon at around 1630hrs. Great effort by him and all the team out there, in the end”, said Sykes in closing. North Sails were proud to have provide sails to the majority of the fleet with North Sails 3Di RAW upwind sails, and class leading asymmetric spinnakers, powering the top seven vessels, exclusively. Sykes was also one of four North Sails staff out there racing on different boats. Alby Pratt was on Dark Star, Michael ‘Cocko’ Coxon on Assassin, and Nick Beaudoin on Vino. Nick was also on hand each afternoon to perform any sail repairs that might be needed. So contact your North Sails rep to see how you can make your on water performance even more enjoyable. https://youtu.be/7R9oiCtGBZs READ MORE

Putting 3Di RACE to work on an 18’ Skiff Sydney Harbor’s 18’ skiffs are legendary for their all-out speed and micro-technical gear changes. Dave O’Conner, a member of the Thurlow Fisher Lawyers team, describes sailing these boats as “a wild craft… like riding a bucking bronco.” We caught up with Dave right after his team won the 2017 Australian Championship, a five race series. He was very happy with the way their new 3Di RACE sails had performed for the event. “The World Championship starts in late February, and the weather at that time of year is often lighter. Teams are always thinking, how do we change things, and given that it’s the same location each year, the rigs just get bigger and bigger. “But we still have to sail the boats up range, so we need to be able to depower. We’ve got two reefs in our smaller #2 rig, but the #1 rig doesn’t have any reefs. With the #1 rig you’re searching for power… up to the crossover at about 12-15 knots. We have to be able to change gears from 0-12 with the same sails.” 18 Foot Skiff class limits mast height, but changing over to 3Di RACE and raising the hounds allowed Dave’s team to add sail area with what they call a “square top jib.” “There’s no area limit on the sails, you can make them as big as you want. So the sail area tends to just keep getting bigger, as much as can be supported on a rig of that size. What’s nice about 3Di is that it’s so stable, we can actually go up in area and still maintain the shape of the jib. If you have a softer fabric it will just fall away, and you don’t want to put too many battens or too much weight in the sail to support it… so 3Di is pretty powerful.” © Michael Chittenden Working closely with the North Design team, Dave requested several design changes for their new 3Di RACE sail, to extend its range and improve its shape. “We’d actually been struggling quite a bit with our number 1 reef, which was a sore point for us because we used to be quite competitive. So we really put a lot of effort into making sure the main was going to perform for us. We went for a straighter, cleaner leech profile, and then we made sure we got the luff curve right—so a lot of bend tests on the rig, to make sure top-to-bottom the mainsail had a really smooth flying shape. It’s just so smooth, we’re very happy with that and it’s performing very well for us. “What’s also nice is it goes through the range. When we compress the rig to depower, the actual shape of the sail maintains this great profile and blades out really nicely. Likewise when we ease off the rig and start to power up, we get a deeper sail but it maintains its good flying shape.” Dave chose 3Di RACE over a paneled laminate or 3DL sail because his team was looking for an edge—and they got one with the smooth flying shape. What his team didn’t realize until after they first used the new sail was how much weight they were saving. “Paneled sails are significantly heavier than 3Di. We’ve actually weighed both! And if we can reduce weight up high, then we’re making massive, massive gains. The biggest factor in our increasing performance is being able to reduce the weight of the sails. “We were worried the 3Di wouldn’t be forgiving enough to allow the boat to work and maintain its stability when we’re sailing… but that wasn’t even an issue.” Right before we let him go to get ready for an afternoon sail, Dave added one more aspect of 3Di Race he really liked; it’s so easy to read. “We’ll go out and do a tuning session this afternoon, and we might change our D1s or D2s one or two turns… the impact can be seen instantly in boat speed or height. That stuff is priceless when you’re trying to maximize your performance.” © Michael Chittenden READ MORE

Part 1: Induced Drag and Mainsail Leeches By Tom Whidden One of the goals for our book, The Art and Science of Sails, is to connect the theoretical with the practical. An understanding of the physics of aerodynamics will help us better trim and set our sails. To illustrate this, I’ve chosen a seemingly obscure topic – induced drag and how to minimize it – by splicing together a few excerpts from my new book. As a tactician, I need to ensure the boat is fast. Otherwise, we’re not going to win, regardless of how well I do my job. And, since the main was always front and center for me, I was constantly studying it, ensuring my mainsail trimmer was doing his/her job. I hope the following will help you better understand the connection between the science and sail trim—and there’s plenty more detail in the book. ******** By far the largest and most destructive drag for sailing performance is induced drag. The root cause of induced drag is the changing of the direction of the air flow by the foil. With airplane wings that change is downward; with a sail it’s to weather. The change in flow direction is the beginning of the process of lift. So, induced drag is a direct result of the creation of lift. In more technical terms, induced drag is the varying coefficient of lift (Cl) across the span. In other words, the differences in lift across or over the total area of a sail or wing cause induced drag. How does induced drag relate to real life on a sailboat? Assuming the boat is well trimmed and properly set up, about 80 percent of the total sail area will experience relatively constant Cl. However, in the aftermost 20 percent of the sail, the velocity of the flow rapidly decreases; and with it, the lift. The rapidly changing Cl results in significant induced drag, some on the leech and some at the head and foot. This induced drag forms the vast majority of the total drag. There are two variations of induced drag: off the trailing edge (leech), and off the tips (head and foot). This photo of Steve and Heidi Benjamin’s SPOOKIE shows the leech twist on the mainsail quite well. © Onne van der Wal / North Sails Induced Drag off the Leech These are vortices, spinning counterclockwise off that trailing edge. A deeper head section, compared to the bottom, minimizes the flow of air trying to find the shortest path from the high-pressure windward side to the low-pressure leeward side. Leech twist is very significant for the optimization of upwind speed. It’s been said that the only reason to have a front of a main is to be able to attach the leech area to the mast! The leech of the main, however, is there not just to ensure that the air bent around the front of the main is allowed to exit with the least interference (induced drag), but to help steer the boat. So, how should the trimmer adjust the leech to best attain the above two goals while sailing upwind? With a well-designed and relatively new main, the answer is to sheet the main until the top telltale (preferably hanging off the back of the top batten) just begins to stall. If it’s constantly stalled (hidden to leeward), it’s a sign drag is too high. The lift-to-drag (L/D) ratio is lowered. If the telltale is flying straight back or there is an excess of backwind, it’s a sign that the sail could be sheeted tighter to allow the boat to sail closer to the wind. In this case, the L/D ratio is reduced for the opposite reason. This screen shot, from a RANS-code CFD analysis, illustrates the tip vortices emanating primarily from the top leech of the main on a fractional-rigged boat. The orientation is looking back at the top of a rig an sails from just to leeward and forward of the onset flow. Induced Drag off the Head and Foot The second variation in induced drag is tip vortex. On a plane, these flow off the ends of the wings; on a sail, they flow off the head and foot. There is a pressure difference, or delta, from the lee side of the sail to the windward side. Nature abhors pressure deltas. It’s why we have wind. And, it’s why the flow on the high-pressure side of a sail wants to escape over the top or end to help equalize this pressure. Almost all modern race boats employ a fractional rig. At the hounds, the main’s chord on the fractional rig is still quite long and therefore helps shed the headsail’s tip vortices. On a masthead rig, the tip vortices of the headsail are matched with the tip vortices of the main. Not good! ***** We cover this topic (and many others) in much more detail in The Art & Science of Sails Revised Edition, written by myself and Michael Levitt. If you enjoyed this short overview you’ll enjoy the book even more. READ MORE

PLAN AHEAD AND JOIN US FOR GREAT YEAR OF ETCHELLS SAILING 2017 Etchells Racing Calendar At-a-Glance This year’s North Americans and Worlds will he held in San Diego and San Francisco – great reasons to head West to sail at two of the best sailing places in the world! Give our team in San Diego a call and we will be happy to help with logistics, local information and anything that can make your 2017 program successful. Here are the main events that the North Sails team will attend: Sidney Doren Jan 7 Miami Goblets Sydney Jan 31 Sydney Florida States Feb 4 Miami Midwinters East Feb 24 Miami Victoria State Champs Mar 10 Brighton West Aus State Champs Mar 11 Royal Freshwater Bill Bennett Memorial Mar 18 San Diego Midwinters West Mar 30 San Diego PCC Apr 29 San Diego UK South Coast Champs Apr 30 Cowes NOOD Annapolis May 5 Annapolis Orca Bowl May 20 San Diego Saida Cup May 13 Cowes Europeans May 26 Cowes US Nationals Jun 2 Newport Australasian Winter Champs Jun 8 Mooloolaba YC Sir Kenneth Preston Trophy Jun 10 Cowes UK Nationals Jun 23 Cowes Atlantic Coasts ACC Jun 24 Shelter Island Bedrock Trophy Jul 8 Cowes Long Island Sound Champs Jul 15 Larchmont YC NOOD Marblehead Jul 28 Marblehead North Americans Aug 16 San Diego Worlds Sep 22 San Francisco Queensland State Champs Sep 30 Southport YC READ MORE

The winter months make New England summers all the more beautiful. Days spent on the water last, crystalized in memory from November to May. With spring comes the onset of new energy – a rush brought with new seasons, an urgency to pack as much as possible into daylight. By late August they have finally found it: the weekend with nothing on the schedule except their Pearson 36 Snoek, sun, and an 18 nautical mile sail to Block Island. Here is the story of an afternoon, told through the lens of Onne van der Wal, starring Tenley. READ MORE

North Technology Group CEO, Tom Whidden, celebrates 30 years with North Sails February 1, 2017, saw Tom Whidden celebrate 30 years with North Sails. On this occasion, we asked the celebrated sailor to recall his years spent with North and reflect, in his own words, on the changes the company has experienced since 1987. Founder of North Sails, Lowell North, believed good sailors would make great businessmen. Tom’s career began as a sailor and, true to Lowell’s hypothesis, he quickly found himself in leadership roles, first as president of Sobstad Sails International and later as president of North Sails Group. Today, Tom sits as CEO of North Technology Group, the parent company of North Sails, Southern Spars, Future Fibres, Edgewater Boats, North Thin Ply Technology (NTPT), and North Sails Collection. It all started with days on the water, as written in his recently published book, The Art and Science of Sails (Revised Edition), “My business is sailmaking and my passion is sailing.” When Tom joined the company, North Sails was made up of many sail lofts around the world that he says, “were performing well, but maybe not at their highest level.” A lot has changed from the days of manufacturing paneled sails in a vast network of sail lofts – Tom mentions ten in the US alone. Today North Sails operates with only seven wholly-owned manufacturing facilities in six different countries supported by over 150 sales and service sites worldwide. “The market today is quite a bit bigger than it was in 1987. We have shifted to a centrally managed, streamlined manufacturing system that is technologically driven. So the need for many sailmaking lofts has decreased, while the need to have many people servicing and selling those sails has increased.” North Night at Key West Audi Race Week (when Audi sponsored the event in the 90s). Tom, far left, handed out daily trophies from North Sails. The values of the company remain rooted in people and a scientific approach. The immediate needs and requirements for North Sails shift over time with a drive to increase growth. “Twenty years ago we spent our time improving the talent in our team and improving our design systems. Today we continue to invest in our people, and we put our minds toward identifying the next best way to make a sail. So the priorities have only changed a little bit.” The biggest shift in approach was the decision to address the whole aerodynamic package of a boat rather than the sails alone, which led to investing in spar making and rigging. This integrated package of sails, spars and rigging is now known as the Engine Above Deck. “We think about sailmaking in a much broader sense today than we ever did. We don’t have to come up with a new process, but continue to think of innovations for clients in different sailing markets.” Sailmaking is an ancient trade that draws back over 5,000 years, making Tom’s 30 years in the business seem like a fraction. Still, there is a lot to unpack since 1987; developing laminated sailcloth followed by 3D sailmaking and string sail technology, the expansion of North Design Software to include VPP, the launch of 3Di, and the transition of North Sails from a multifaceted family of locally run companies to a wholly-owned global brand. On the water, Tom found success racing inshore and offshore, winning the Newport-Bermuda Race five times and Miami SORC five times (twice overall). Tom sailed with Dennis Conner in a total of eight America’s Cup campaigns, beginning in 1979 as practice-skipper. As tactician Tom raced in five America’s Cup series and won the Cup three times (1980, 1987 and 1988.) Fun fact: he and Dennis were given a key to New York City from Mayor Ed Koch in 1987, after reclaiming the Cup from Australia. Tom was inducted into the America’s Cup Hall of Fame in 2004. 1987 America’s Cup in Fremantle, Australia. Tom Whidden, tactician, in the back to the left of helmsman, Dennis Conner. Tom will celebrate the 30th anniversary if this event, when America reclaimed the Cup from Australia, with friends in Newport, RI on February 5th. When we ask Tom to recount the highlights of his career so far, he keeps it simple: “To see the company grow so much, with thousands of employees so passionate about what they do. To me, the highlight is to watch and participate in that process, and see our clients happy with their experience on the water by virtue of something we’ve made for them.” Congratulations Tom, on three decades of leadership and innovation within the sport! Here’s to many more milestones on the water. READ MORE

Powered by a North Sails NPL TOUR paneled mainsail, the young Frenchman Louis Burton completes his first solo non-stop circumnavigation Finishing in the early hours of Thursday morning in Les Sables D’Olonne, Louis Burton finished a comfortable seventh place in his first ever Vendée Globe, with a buffer of more than 2,000 miles on his closest competitor. Racing in many parts of the world in splendid isolation, Louis benefited from regular periods of excellent conditions that saw him pile on consistent miles with no breakdowns that ultimately set him out alone, ahead of a chasing pack of older generation boats. Burton, whose father is Welsh, was the ‘benjamin’ – as the French call rookies – as the youngest skipper to start the last race in 2012 (aged 27). But a collision with a trawler shattered his first Vendee Globe dreams within a few days of the start. But 2017 has seen the amiable sailor finally achieve his dream, and he is the first skipper in the race to finish with a paneled mainsail (North Sails NPL TOUR, built in 2015). Speaking from just before the finish line as he experienced challenging conditions in the Bay of Biscay, Burton concluded: “I have been very impressed by the shape holding and resistance of my paneled mainsail and 3DI J1 and J2. I had to push really hard to pull away from the others especially in strong breeze. The sail that impressed me most is my fractional Gennaker in Cuben Fiber. I didn’t have a chance to use it in past Transats, but it just so happens that it is the ultimate weapon in the Southern Ocean. I put it up west of Cape Town and didn’t drop it until after the Falklands! With it, the bow comes up and the boat feels like it is flying! In addition, its versatility and tolerance far exceeded my expectations.” Louis will next take on the Transat Jacques Vabre in November with his partner Servane Escoffier, onboard their new steed: winner of the 2016 Vendée Globe, Banque Populaire. Congratulations Louis from everyone and North Sails! We look forward to continuing our support in the journey ahead. https://northsails.com/sailing/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/170202_sujet-pad-108_visionnage_va.mp4 READ MORE

GRAEME TAYLOR WINS ETCHELLS AUSTRALIAN CHAMPIONSHIP The Australian Etchells championship has been run and won for another year. North Sails would like to congratulate The Magpie AUS 947 team of Graeme Taylor, James Mayo and Steve Jarvin on a very consistent regatta in not very consistent conditions. And also Iain Murray and John Bertrand on their 2nd & 3rd places, showing the depth of the Australian fleet. The Magpie team was behind the eight ball from the start with Mothy having travel issues and not turning up till later in the regatta and GT flat out and turning up on the first day of racing. North Sails delivered a full new card of sails to the boys for the regatta which they pulled up for the first time on the way to race one. GT kindly thanked Cocko and the North Sails team “for again delivering consistent regatta winning sails straight out of the blue bags, no problem”, a testament to North Sails One Design culture. North customers took out the top 1,2,3*,4,5,6,8,9 in the regatta with all of our models featuring in the results. From my point of view on Tango, the versatility of the sails is a key feature. We have used the same models on the boat at the the flat water Cowes Worlds as we did for the bump on the Palm Beach Circle for the Australian, with many commenting on our speed edge. Versatile designs is our one design goals and North’s results at both the worlds and Australians highlight this point. Hope to see you all at the next event and working with you all as we lead into a very exciting couple of years of Etchells sailing in Australia. Please get in contact if you have any questions regarding anything Etchells. Report by Sam Haines, Melbourne, Australia READ MORE

Record breaker and legend in the making, Thomas Coville, joined North Sails at their 60th Anniversary Dinner in Lisbon, Portugal last week. Thomas was a surprise guest of honor for the 200+ in attendance during North Sails first-ever global sales meeting. On Christmas Day, Thomas cemented his name in sailing’s history books by breaking the solo around the world record, chopping eight days off the record last set by Francis Joyon in 2011. At the completion of this incredible feat, Thomas’ North 3Di mainsail had 75,000 nm on it. That’s equivalent to three laps around the world. Thomas shares North Sails’ passion for speed and the brand’s appetite for pushing the limits of what is possible. He thanked North Sails for believing in his dream, “I want to thank North Sails for trusting in me,” said Thomas. “It’s easy to find people to trust you after the idea works, but North Sails was with me from the start. And that is why I am here today. With our project, with our dreams, you prove there is nothing and no one who can stop you if you have a dream.” North Sails is honored to be onboard with Thomas, and we are excited to see what he dreams up next. READ MORE

Inaugural Excellence in Leadership Awards presented at North Sails “Meet in the Middle” Global Meeting North Sails celebrates 60 Years in Business Founded by Lowell North in 1957, North Sails is the leader in sailmaking technology and innovation. In celebrating our rich history, the brand’s inaugural Excellence in Leadership Awards were presented at the North Sails global sales meeting in Lisbon Portugal. It was Lowell North’s philosophy that great sailors made great business people, and he famously dubbed his leadership team “The Tigers.” The first two recipients, Robin Morgan and Tom (Tomac) McLaughlin are examples that have proven Lowell spot on. Sailing legend and North Technology Group CEO Tom Whidden presented the first award of the evening to Robin Morgan. In Tom’s words, Robin was “one of the best salesmen who has ever been at North Sails. He is the kind of guy our brand is about.” Robin has a considerable history with North Sails, first as a customer in 1967, and then hired by Dick Deaver in 1978. He joined North Sails at a time when the brand was fighting for their position in the industry. Upon accepting his award, Robin noted, “North Sails is always trying to do better than anybody. This company is incredible because we’re determined to stay number one, always be number one and I really enjoy my association with North Sails.” The second award of the evening was presented by Mike Toppa, to his mentor Tom (Tomac) McLaughlin. Tomac is one of Lowell’s original Tigers, having joined the San Diego loft on the handwork bench. Like Robin, Tomac is renowned as one of the best salesmen in the history of North. On the 60th Anniversary of North and the trend to push speed records and sail limits, Tomac reflected on change. “Change is always a bit shocking and a bit frightening,” he remarked, “Yet change will always be there and with change brings opportunity. As market leaders, North Sails is never sheltered from that. I know Lowell would be so proud of all the competence in this room tonight.” Everyone at North Sails congratulates our first two Excellence in Leadership award recipients. Robin and Tomac have set the bar high, and we look forward to giving this annual award out in the future. READ MORE

IDEC SPORT Wins Jules Verne Trophy for Fastest Circumnavigation on Record Another entry in the sailing logbook. On Thursday, January 26 at 0749hrs Francis Joyon’s team on IDEC SPORT completed their east-about circumnavigation of the globe, finishing in 40 days and 23 hours. This groundbreaking elapsed time is four days under the Jules Verne Record set in January 2012 by Loïck Peyron and his crew on the VPLP-designed trimaran Banque Populaire V. Lead by renowned offshore sailor Francis Joyon, and his crew of Bernard Stamm, Alex Pella, Sébastien Audigane, Clément Surtel and Gwénolé Gahinet, the 31.5m VPLP-designed trimaran IDEC SPORT averaged 22.84kn over their 40-day adventure. Rather than chasing fronts, this crew rode them as fast as the wind, peaking on their 14th day when they covered 894nm averaging 37.3kn in 24 hours. With their Jules Verne record, the crew joins an elite group of eight prior record holders. Their official time of 40 days, 23 hours and 30 seconds will now stand as the time to beat. Francis Joyon is one of many legendary offshore sailors who entrust their sail design and manufacture to North Sails. Working with the team in Vannes, France and collaborating specifically with North Sails experts Quentin Ponroy and Yann Reginiau, Joyon pushed off the dock with a selection of new and old sails. Two key sails, the mainsail and gennaker, were built in 2016. The mainsail is North Sails 3Di ENDURANCE, a durable and high-performance option, while the gennaker is 3Di FORCE, a new application of 3Di technology specific to downwind sails. The J3 and J1 headsails were built in 2015 and were used on IDEC’s Jules Verne attempt that year, making this latest circumnavigation their second lap of the globe. The J2, the oldest sail on the boat, was built in 2014 for Banque Populaire VII and has served well for two Jules Verne attempts plus a Route du Rhum and return transatlantic. It is rare that Francis decided only to take one gennaker. On their 2015 Jules Verne attempt the IDEC team brought two – one 3Di and one made of Cuben Fibre. Joyon’s confidence in 3Di grew, and soon they were convinced they did not need a spare. When asked which sail in the IDEC inventory is his favorite, Francis replies: “It is, of course, the mainsail which is the principal motor of the boat and which is used 100% of the time, of which 95% of the time with the full mainsail up. Then there is the J1 which Quentin designed for us last year. This sail perfectly completes the inventory of the boat.” “The J1 is a downwind sail in strong winds as a little gennaker, but also an upwind sail in lighter winds,” Quentin explained. “The Ultime trimarans are very big and their sails are hard to maneuver, so to minimize changes the J1 can double as a smaller gennaker.” Currently, North Sails is manufacturing a new J1 for the team for The Bridge, a new crewed regatta in June which starts in St Nazaire, France, and goes across the Atlantic to finish in New York, USA. In the past two years, North Sails clients have broken nearly every milestone in offshore sailing while using 3Di sails. In addition to the Jules Verne record of Francis Joyon and his IDEC crew, just in the past four weeks, we have seen Thomas Coville smash the singlehanded around-the-world record in 49 days, and Armel Le Cléac’h set the east-about monohull and singlehanded monohull around-the-world record in 74 days. READ MORE

Celebrated solo sailors Jean-Pierre Dick, Jean Le Cam and Yann Eliés close in on Les Sab with a mere 80 miles between them. On Wednesday morning, January 25th Jean-Pierre Dick led a pack of three toward the Vendée Globe finish line off Les Sables d’Olonne. His foil-clad IMOCA 60 StMichel-Virbac was first to reach the lighter winds off the coast of Brittany and hence the first to tack toward the finish. In this situation we do not always envy the leader. Because the the two skippers chasing Jean-Pierre had not yet hit the weather, Yann Eliès on Quéguiner-Leucémie Espoir and Jean Le Cam on Finistère Mer Vent slowly closed the distance he had worked so hard to put between them. The trio have battled in close proximity since rounding Cape Horn, Jean-Pierre patiently defending his lead through tantalizing weather systems off the coast of Argentina and further North as he crossed the equator with Eliés and Le Cam close behind. As of this morning they were less than 100 miles from the finish with only 80 miles between them. In the end Jean-Pierre defended his lead with determination and finished first at 1347hrs UTC, welcomed by a sea of fans, friends and his family on a partly cloudy afternoon. He finished in 80 days 1 hour 45 minutes and 45 seconds. Later this afternoon, Yann Elies on Quéguiner-Leucémie Espoir is due to become the first non-foiler of the 2016 fleet to finish. Local legend Jean Le Cam is close behind. From the nav bench, the skippers reported to the North Sails team on the performance of their sails. “The real surprise was the little gennaker that I used like a code zero and which allowed me every time, during each transition, to build the difference between Jean and I,” explained Yann Eliés. “We had some transition periods where I was successful in getting more out of the change and the weak conditions than he. I think he even talked about this in one of his videos when he saw the sail through his binoculars.” Yann, Jean, and Jean-Pierre have worked with the North Sails team in France for many years. For this Vendée Globe, an inventory of North Sails 3Di ENDURANCE, 3Di RAW, and NPL SPORT sails was developed for each of their IMOCA 60s. Extending a friendly shout-out to North designer Yann Reginiau, Jean Le-Cam wrote from onboard Finistère Mer Vent, “Knowing Yann, I never doubted for a second that my sails would not be powerful. Everything is absolutely perfect. Aside from the mainsail (which is a given), I have used the J2 a lot. It’s the sail with the largest range of use.” From all of us at North Sails: Congratulations Jean-Pierre, Yann, and Jean on a safe and successful Vendée Globe! We are glad you found some company along the way. READ MORE

Last week 99 boats invaded the city of Key West, USA to kick off a new year of sailing. Competitors reported tough competition in each division at Quantum Key West Race Week, and ideal conditions for matching up against top-of-the-line sailors in each fleet. The constant drive for boat speed provided individual successes for many within each class. Tim Healy and his J70 team New England Ropes. 1st Place! True to form, the J/70 class composed the largest of the event with 42 boats. Led by North Sails-powered New England Ropes with 60 points after 12 races, North clients sailed well to claim four of the top five places; Carlo Alberini’s Calvi Network in 3rd, Brian Keane’s Savasana in 4th and Joel Ronning’s Catapult in 5th overall. Another stand-out fleet in Key West this year was the Flying Tiger 7.5, where seven teams enrolled in the North U Regatta Experience program. The experience includes a pre-regatta clinic and entry to the regatta, which featured a dedicated one-design start for a unique, and competitive, group of sailors. Arriving with a crew ready to improve, coupled with onboard coaching and on/off-water sessions results in a great offshore one-design experience. Nigel Brownett’s team with Jahn Tihansky and coach Andrew Kerr dominated the Flying Tigers, followed by Brian Tyrell in 2nd, who’s team of Melges 24 refugees had a fresh experience of their own in the FT class. In a three-way tie for 3rd, Rachel Bryer’s team came out on top of Guy Williams’ crew in 4th. North U director Bill Gladstone was joined by North Sails expert Mike Marshall, who coached Rachel Bryer and crew for the event. “Our partners in the Regatta Experience program – 1D Sailing Academy – have provided a great fleet of boats and support; we’re excited to continue the North U Regatta Experience program at St. Pete NOOD and Bacardi Miami Race Week,” said Bill. “We all met for the first time at this event to grasp the “know how” of the Flying Tiger, and got to race together to develop the teamwork and welcome new friendships. Our coach, Rod Favela, did a fantastic job helping us to function better every day, not just on the maneuvers but on the analysis of the race course and improving our feeling of the boat (balance, search for speed, pointing, etc.). The video sessions led by Bill Gladstone after sailing carried lots of integrated analysis, and he opens the floor for sharing experience and expertise between boats.” -Elizabeth Pattey, helm of Flying Tiger, bow 03 The TP52 class made their Key West debut to mark the start of their 2017 Super Series. Among the crews were a handful of North Sails experts. Sailing on Bronenosec was Paul Westlake, who remarked on the level of competition on the course. “Every point counts. As always, the fleet was tight and we went into the final day with roughly seven points between the top six boats,” he recalled. “We are thinking big picture at the start of the series. So far no one has made a clear breakthrough – it’s all on for Miami”. Last week’s ten races came down to a three-way tie for 2nd place. Also enjoying the racing were North clients Pete Wagner of Skeleton Key and Martin Roesch of Velocity, who finished 1st and 3rd respectively in the J/111 class. Thank you to the Storm Trysail Club, race committee staff and regatta organizers for a fantastic week! READ MORE

Jeremie Beyou completes Vendée Globe podium on North-Powered Maitre Coq French skipper Jérémie Beyou finished the Vendée Globe today on his IMOCA Maitre COQ, at 7:40 pm local time after 79 days at sea. Beyou has participated in this iconic singlehanded around-the-world race twice before, in 2008 and 2012, and on his third participation he finished in third place behind race winner Armel Le Cléac’h and second place finisher Alex Thompson. On the foredeck of Maitre COQ after reaching Nouch Sud, Jeremie told reporters, “After all the challenges of this race, to finish third is awesome!” Later he followed with, “Since this morning I have relaxed, after 78 days, we are very comfortable, I took advantage of it.” Past winner of La Solitaire du Figaro, Jeremie is an experienced offshore sailor, and this Vendée Globe race has put his experience to the test. Shortly after his departure from Les Sables d’Olonne on November 6th, Jérémie lost the use of two autopilots. Later his fleet antenna broke which prevented him from receiving regular weather updates. He kept rolling with the punches, and recalled today, “When my mainsail hook broke, I almost gave up. It was pitch dark, and I told myself I would never be able to repair it. Afterward, I don’t know where I got the energy, but I managed to do it. Each decent maneuver is a victory, and you have to be pleased about that.” Jérémie sailed a total of 27,101 nautical miles before reaching Nouch Sud. His average speed was 14.43 knots, his top distance in 24 hours was 504 miles (November 21, averaging 21 knots boat speed). The 8th Vendée Globe started on the 6th November from Les Sables d’Olonne. 22 of 29 skippers left the dock with North Sails onboard, and Jeremie Beyou’s Maitre COQ is one of 13 boats with complete North Sails inventories. View North Sails coverage of the Vendée Globe, featuring commentary from the North team and brand ambassador, Sam Davies, on our dedicated race webpage. READ MORE

Armel Le Cléac’h reaches Nouch Sud, makes Vendée Globe history under North 3Di sails In likely the most breathtaking finish of the Vendée Globe singlehanded around-the-world race, Armel Le Cléac’h and his IMOCA Banque Populaire VIII finished just hours ahead of his fierce competitor, Alex Thomson on Hugo Boss. After 74 days at sea, both boats will finish within the east-about circumnavigation record set by Francois Gabart in 2013. Armel reached the iconic finish buoy “Nouch Sud” at 4:30pm on Thursday, January 19, 2017. Today thousands of sailing fans will line the channel in Les Sables d’Olonne to welcome him, having successfully completed his third Vendée Globe race, this time stealing the win and securing a new world record for the fastest circumnavigation by a singlehanded sailor on a monohull 74 days, 3 hours, 35 minutes, 46 seconds (yet to be ratified). 100 miles behind, Alex Thomson was close on his heels in hot pursuit of an epic comeback. The world watched in anticipation as the pair worked their way North through the complex patterns of the Atlantic, with Alex slowly chipping away at Armel’s lead. But Armel, known to his fellow sailors as the Jackal for his unrelenting pace, knew he would have to work hard for this win, as all Vendée skippers do. After he finished second to François Gabart in 2013 by a mere three hours, Armel knows that every minute counts in this marathon event. The Vendée Globe is above all a voyage to the ends of the sea and deep down into the sailor’s soul. It has been won by some of the greatest names in sailing: Titouan Lamazou, Alain Gautier, Christophe Auguin, Vincent Riou, Michel Desjoyeaux and François Gabart. Perhaps their fellow competitor on Spirit of Hungary, Nandor Fa, said it best on Tuesday when he called into Vendée Live from the South Atlantic for an interview: “I’ve watched these guys match race round the world and what they’ve done has been fantastic,” he added. “Both of them deserve to win because their performances have been incredible.” Armel has worked closely with the North Sails team in France over the past five years, and for the 2016-17 Vendée Globe, an eight sail inventory including 3Di RAW, 3Di FORCE and NPL DOWNWIND was developed for Banque Populaire VIII. Before the race start on November 6, 2016, Armel reported: “After the last Vendée, I had a good idea of what I would do for the next boat. Looking back it is now radically different, and I feel confident about our choices because of all the design and testing work that has gone into it. The sails match the boat and my way of sailing, and I’m happy with the performance and durability – it’s a well-rounded inventory for this race.” Alex Thompson on Hugo Boss is due to finish this evening. He will soon be followed by Jeremie Beyou on Maitre Coq who is roughly 700nm from the finish. As for the tight trio of Yann Elies, Jen-Pierre Dick and Jean Le Cam, they have just under 2,000nm to go with roughly 20 miles between them – this will get interesting! Congratulations to Armel from all of us at North Sails, third time’s a charm! Now please, get some rest! READ MORE

Neptune Grants Prime Conditions for 2016 Sydney – Hobart North Sails clients reap the benefits of fastest Rolex Sydney – Hobart Yacht Race on record The 2016 Sydney To Hobart was raced in an amazing weather pattern that allowed 3 boats to break the course record set by Wild Oats in 2012 (18 hours and 23 minutes and 12 seconds). The year proved a successful installment for North clients as well, who claimed 1st and 2nd line honours; 1st, 2nd and 3rd in IRC and 1st and 3rd in ORCi. Early finishers were led by Anthony Bell’s Perpetual Loyal, which took line honors and slashed 4.5 hrs off the record, while Jim Delegate‘s Giacomo was granted the coveted Tattersalls Trophy for placing first in IRC, and Bin Wang’s team UBox claimed ORCi (we look forward to seeing more of this crew in the upcoming Volvo Ocean Race!). Perpetual Loyal finally got to show her true potential after abandoning mid-race in 2013 and 2014. North Sails Expert Alby Pratt manages the sail program for the team out of the loft in Sydney and joined the crew for the race south. ”The 2016 race was fantastic. This was my 21st race and the most enjoyable conditions by far. The heavy downwind stretch we had on the first afternoon allowed us to use our massive running spinnaker to good effect. This sail was built for the boat last year to improve her achilles heel which was VMG running, and we developed a custom Cuben Fibre cloth for the project. The sail kept us within striking distance of the Oats until transitioning on the first night,” said Alby, who sailed on Wild Oats in 2015 and has overseen the sail inventories for both programs over the years. Due to a more powerful hull shape and higher displacement, Perpetual Loyal is always at a disadvantage to her maxi competitor Wild Oats in the fresh running conditions the fleet experienced at the outset. The crew were happy to report a noted improvement while using the newly developed North Sails NPL DOWNWIND runner. On the morning of the 27th, Perpetual Loyal showed what she could do in the moderate reaching conditions, gaining distance on Wild Oats until the yachts were a beam. Unfortunately, around this time, Wild Oats suffered a keel ram failure and the crew were no longer able to cant the keel – a maneuver granting added righting moment, and a key component to Wild Oats’ safe and effective performance. The team was forced to abandon their charge for line honors and the new course record. Perpetual Loyal charged on as the breeze became lighter on the afternoon of the 27th. The crew hoisted the boats new NPL DOWNWIND A3 reacher which was purpose built for this year’s race. Designed to capitalize on the boats powerful reaching ability it allowed Loyal to sail away from Scallywag and the next group of boats behind which included the fast finishing Volvo 70’s Blackjack and Maserati who were also reveling in the reaching conditions. Loyal’s sails were designed by JB Braun, who is based in Massachusetts, USA and designs many high-profile projects for North Sails including super maxi Comanche, the latest J-Cass performance inventory, and sits on the Aero design group for ORACLE Team USA. JB worked closely with Alby and Loyal’s Sailing Master on Perpetual Loyal, Tony Mutter, to design a sail that would push the boat’s reaching ability to maximum advantage. By dusk on the 27th the breeze had swung aft, enough to hoist the A2 running sail for the last stretch into Tasman light. “Perfect conditions up the Derwent was icing on the cake, we had an amazing race,” said Alby Jim Delegat and his New Zealand team on Giacomo were second over the line holding off the much bigger Scallywag and taking out IRC honors. Giacomo also flew North Sails 3Di sails with Richard Bicknell from North Sails in New Zealand among the crew. Bin Wang’s U box was a late campaign for the race and her victory in ORCi is a fantastic result for the team. U Box was led by Charles Caudrelier of Dongfeng Racing, who took the opportunity to trial and train with crew for the Volvo Ocean Race, starting this October in Alicante, Spain. U Box had a new North Sails 3Di RAW mainsail and 3Di ENDURANCE headsails, fitted days earlier on Christmas Eve. North Sails Expert Billy Sykes managed the sail order for U Box and, after sending them off, hopped on board Matt Allen’s Ichi Ban which took 3rd in IRC. Ichi Ban also reveled in the fresh running conditions and at the entrance to Storm Bay was leading the IRC standings. Unfortunately for Matt and his team including round-the-world veteran Gordon Maguire, the notoriously fickle Storm Bay did not want to play and they could only watch as the distance they had gained evaporated with the breeze. No doubt, the 2016 Rolex Sydney-Hobart course record will be broken in the future as faster and faster boats are designed and built every year. The conditions in 2016 were ideal for high-speed ocean sailing – and the competitors jumped off the line to reap the benefits. The big question is, how long will we wait for King Neptune to grant these prime conditions again? Time will tell, and we’ll be ready! READ MORE

DRAGON CASCAIS WINTER SERIES ACT THREE Top three powered by North Sails Congratulations to the top three Dragons at the third event in the Cascais Winter Series – all were powered by North Sails . In first was Lawrie Smith’s ‘Monday’ GBR801, he raced with North Sails Hugo Rocha on board. Second place was Andrey Kirilyuk on ‘Strange Little Girl’ RUS76 and third Klaus Diedricht’s ‘Fever’ GBR758 with Jamie Lea on board. Also congratulations go out to the first Corinthian boat, in 5th place overall, Benjamin Morgen’s ‘Rosie’ GER1180. The date for the 4th round of the Cascais Winter Series is 10th Feb. Thanks to Richard Pinto for the photo www.rspinto.com READ MORE

On January 3rd 2017, the North Sails Australia licensed operation was purchased by North Technology Group. In line with the ethos of North Sails Group, the purchase of the renowned Sydney loft will enhance the customer experience. It will ensure that whilst benefitting from the shared technology, greater efficiencies and wealth of knowledge from within the Group, the core of the business is still understanding the local culture and sailor. As a result, Managing Director Michael Coxon and his team at North Sails Australia will now be spending more time on their core business of selling and servicing sails than ever before. Michael Coxon, Managing Director, North Sails Australia: “Over my 33 years as a North Sails loft manager I have benefited from, and enjoyed, great relationships and experiences with my peers both on and off the water. During this time, I have observed and participated in a lot of change and challenges in our company and industry. Over my tenure, North Sails Australia has been a viable operation, keeping the North Sails name and brand at the forefront of Australia’s sailing market. As North Sails is the only truly international vertically integrated sailmaking company, to me it is a logical step forward for North Sails Australia to proceed into the future under the secure umbrella of our parent company. This shall offer long term security and direction to our loyal and experienced staff and as we truly work as one, provide our clients with the best products, service and value into the future.” North Sails Australia is the country’s leading sailmaker with a diverse market ranging from dinghy, One Design, 18′ Skiffs, cruising, racing, Grand Prix and Maxis. Dating back to when Australia defended the America’s Cup in Fremantle in 1987, North Sails Australia was the sailmaker of choice, supplying both the Bond and Kookaburra defense challenges and building some 323 panel America’s Cup sails for the Cup. Since then, the loft has continued to be at the forefront of campaigns and teams from the America’s Cup all the way through to around the cans racers and offshore racing, dominating the fleet in classic blue water races such as the Rolex Sydney Hobart Race. Ken Read, President North Sails Group: “North Sails Australia is a world-renowned sail facility. We take very seriously the notion of ‘think global, act local’ and we feel that with this latest addition to the North Sails Group of centrally owned lofts we are doing exactly that. We fully understand that each individual loft is as much about the people, relationships and local knowledge as it is about our products. In working more closely with Michael and his team, we allow them to further enhance our customers’ experience and ensure that everyone gets the best possible sail, and sailing experience. We are delighted to welcome Australia into the Group and look forward to all that we can achieve together.” North-powered Perpetual Loyal running with a custom A2 built at the Sydney Loft, on her way to breaking the Sydney – Hobart course record on December 28, 2016. READ MORE

Mental state has a lot to do with performance. Races have unexpected twists that lead to situations you weren’t expecting, and maintaining a positive mind state can be tough when days on the water are long. Getting plenty of rest, staying hydrated, and staying organized are all key components to a fun, successful regatta. When tensions are high and competition is tough, remember the big picture – for every race start there is a finish, and getting stuck on the details can affect the entire team. We caught up with North Sails Expert Mike Marshall, 2016 J22 World Champion and nominee for 2016 Rolex Yachtsman of the Year, and asked him how he does it. We asked Mike: How do you maintain intensity while keeping the mood light? READ MORE

With a long week ahead in Key West, North Sails will be on site and at your service to keep you having fun on (and off ) the water! Our goal is to provide expert repairs and maintenance in a timely manner. Your sails are a major investment, and we’re committed to helping you maximize their performance and lifespan. With our service location being on Stock Island, our North van is on call and ready when you are for immediate pick-ups from your dock locations. Keep our numbers on speed dial and as soon as you get in we can come to you! Since we all know parking isn’t easy, the van will be making rounds to assist everyone and anyone in need. Florida Keys Community College in Stock Island 5901 College Rd, Key West, FL 33040 Yana – 631-805-4949 Alexei – 954-663-4556 Every sail serviced by North Sails undergoes a thorough inspection designed to identify maintenance issues early, so they do not become major problems later on. Our unmatched worldwide network means you get the same quality service whether you’re at home or at a regatta. As soon as you know you will be needing service, don’t hesitate to call us and we will be there, at your service! READ MORE

CONSEILS POUR L'ENTRETIEN DES VOILES Mieux vaut prévenir que guérir ! L'entretien des voiles est facile et rapide ; les quelques précautions d'usage que nous vous présentons ci-dessous augmenteront considérablement la durée de vie et les performances de vos voiles. Evitez le fasseyement Un des meilleurs moyens pour préserver la forme et augmenter la durée de vie de vos voiles est de limiter au maximum le fasseyement qui fatigue le tissu et dégrade inévitablement la voile. Ce conseil vaut aussi bien pour le fasseyement dans les manoeuvres que pour celui lié à un mauvais réglage du nerf de chute (tension insuffisante). Respectez la plage d'utilisation de la voile Utiliser une voile au delà de la plage d'utilisation pour laquelle elle a été conçue est également tout à fait déconseillé. Il faut donc respecter les préconisations de votre voilerie et éventuellement les noter sur la voile afin que tout l'équipage les connaisse et les applique. Protégez les voiles du ragage Le ragage est un autre ennemi des voiles. Tout contact prolongé de la voile avec le bateau ou le gréement conduira nécessairement à une usure prématurée. Protégez donc tout ce que qui est possible (ridoirs, barres de flèche, chandeliers, balcons, etc...) et évitez les manipulations brutales des voiles sur le pont et les pontons. Protégez les voiles du soleil Le soleil (et plus précisément les UV) affaiblit le tissu à voiles et conduit à terme à sa destruction. Pensez donc à protéger vos voiles des UV dès que vous ne les utilisez plus. Soit en les mettant à l'abri, soit en utilisant un dispositif de protection approprié (taud, bande anti-UV, fourreau de génois etc...). Stockez vos voiles pliées dans un endroit sec Quand elles ne sont pas utilisées stockez vos voiles au sec, dessalées, et pliées dans leurs sacs. Essayez de ne pas toujours retomber dans les mêmes plis. Il est en effet préférable d'avoir plus de plis légers qui s'estomperont en navigation que toujours les mêmes plus qui deviendront permanents. La plupart des voiles One Design (monotypes dériveurs et quillards de sport) vieilliront mieux si elles sont roulées dans leurs sacs. Concernant les spis il est important de bien les faire sécher avant de les stocker dans leurs sacs car sinon les couleurs foncées risquent de passer et le tissu de moisir. GUIDE D'ENTRETIEN DES TISSUS North Sails utilisent les meilleurs tissus pour vous offrir des performances et une tenue de forme de très haut niveau. Vous trouverez ci-dessous quelques conseils pour vous permettre de conserver vos voiles plus longtemps. Mylar® Les voiles que l'on appelle Mylar® sont en fait des voiles où un film Mylar® est collé (laminé) à des fibres Polyester de différents modules. Ce sont de bonnes voiles Club. Attention cependant à: respecter la plage d'utilisation de la voile ne pas utiliser de génois sans protection de barres de flèches éviter le fasseyement ne pas surtendre le guindant éloigner la voile de toute source de chaleur (ex : moteur) Kevlar® Le Kevlar® est exceptionnellement résistant pour son poids. Ce qui explique pourquoi on le retrouve si souvent dans les voiles de régate où ses qualités de résistance à l'allongement permettent de retarder la déformation. Il a cependant quelques ennemis : le fasseyement qui va casser la chute, les impacts qui risquent de percer le film Mylar, et l'eau de Javel. Dacron® Le Dacron® se compose à 100% de fibres Polyester, dans la trame et la chaine. Ce tissu est imprégné de résine, indispensable pour le stabiliser dans le biais (+/- 45°) et le protéger des rayons UV. Si votre voile est fortement imprégnée, nous vous conseillons de NE PAS la plier mais plutôt de la rouler. Pour le lavage, nous recommandons l'emploi d'eau et de savon doux, éviter les produits chimiques forts et les solvants. Ne nettoyez pas la surface de vos voiles à l'aide de brosses agressives ou de jet d'eau sous pression. Cela risquerait d'endommager la finition. Nylon Quasiment toutes les voiles de portant sont fabriquées en Nylon, très populaire en raison de sa légèreté et de sa solidité. Il est cependant fragile à la déchirure il faut donc faire attention lors des manœuvres. Si vous faites un léger accroc vous pouvez le réparer provisoirement avec de l'insignia mais pensez ensuite à ramener la voile dans une voilerie North pour une réparation plus sérieuse. Contact avec l'eau de Javel à proscrire absolument. Comment éviter la moisissure ? Aérez régulièrement vos voiles, surtout lorsque elles ont été mouillées, notamment par la pluie. Par exemple en dépliant les voiles pour une heure un jour de beau temps. L'exposition au soleil n'est pas une mauvaise idée en soi mais elle pose d'autres problèmes. Ne stockez pas votre voile si elle est encore humide ou salée (le sel attire et retient la moisissure). Si vous n'utilisez pas votre bateau pour au moins trois semaines, démontez vos voiles ou demandez à quelqu'un « de les faire respirer » surtout s'il a plu. Comment traiter la moisissure ? Intervenez dès que possible sans quoi la moisissure risque de se propager rapidement. Il y a de grandes chances de pouvoir se débarrasser des traces quand elles sont restreintes, qu'elles viennent d'apparaître et qu'elles sont toujours en surface. C'est bien moins évident lorsque la moisissure est dans les fibres. Isolez les voiles, cordages, housses, etc... des voiles intactes car la moisissure se développe vite. Le produit anti-moisissure le plus connu est tout simplement l'eau de Javel diluée à environ 3%. ATTENTION: NE PAS UTILISER D'EAU DE JAVEL SUR LE KEVLAR® OU LE NYLON. Après avoir utilisé de l'eau de Javel, toujours rincer soigneusement à l'eau claire. L'eau de Javel mal rincée fera à long terme plus de mal que quelques tâches de moisissure. Pour les tâches les plus tenaces, un simple nettoyage de surface n'est pas suffisant. Dans ce cas faites baigner la tâche au moins 12 h dans une solution contenant un fongicide; il n'est pas forcément nécessaire d'utiliser une solution très concentrée, simplement il faut que le produit atteigne la tâche. Le bain est vraiment la meilleure solution et si cela n'est pas efficace, abandonnez. Notre expérience montre que trop insister dans le traitement de la moisissure crée des dommages collatéraux sur la voile. CHECK-LIST POUR L'INSPECTION DES VOILES Toutes les voiles qui sont entretenues dans une voilerie North Sails font l'objet d'une inspection minutieuse afin de repérer au plus tôt les petits soucis et les réparer avant que la voile ne soit réellement endommagée. Nous vous recommandons donc de nous confier vos voiles au moins une fois par an pour prolonger leur durée de vie et leur performance. Nous vous livrons ci-dessous un "petit guide de la bonne inspection" : Vérifiez les sanglages ou oeillets de tête, amure, écoute et ris, l'usure due au ragage et aux UV. Vérifiez les points à la main Vérifiez les ralingues et autres systèmes de fixation du guindant Vérifiez l'usure des voiles au niveau des barres de flèches, haubans, chandeliers etc... Vérifiez les nerfs de chute et de bordure (fixation, taquets) Sur un génois enrouleur vérifiez la bande anti-UV (usure, solidité) Vérifiez les goussets de lattes (usure, coutures, qualité du velcro) Vérifiez le corps de la voile (tissu, jonctions, collage des numéros de voiles et bandes de visualisation du creux, état des fenêtres, renforts, pennons) Retourner la voile et reprenez les points ci-dessus Vérifiez les accessoires liés au voiles : chaussette à spi, tauds, etc... Vérifiez l'état des sacs, zip, sanglages, étiquettes... Une fois que tout est clair repliez votre voile et remettez la en sac ; sinon apportez la dans une voilerie North Sails. CERTIFIED SERVICE NORTH SAILS Que signifie le service North Sails pour vous ? Des standards de qualité Le service North Sails Certified permet à nos clients de bénéfécier de la technologie et de la compétence de la première voilerie au monde, et ce dans plus de 100 points de service aux quatres coins du monde. Toutes nos réparations sont effectuées rapidement dans les règles de l'art et reprennent les mêmes techniques de fabrication que celles utilisées en production. Des moyens Que ce soit une réparation rapide pour votre croisière estivale ou la régate du mercredi soir ou bien la recoupe d'une voile sur un yacht classique de 120', North Sails a les ressources humaines et matérielles pour vous servir au mieux. Une inspection en 10 points Toutes les voiles qui sont entretenues dans une voilerie North font l'objet d'une inspection minutieuse afin de repérer au plus tôt les petits soucis et les réparer avant que la voile ne soit réellement endommagée. Nous vous recommandons donc de nous confier vos voiles au moins une fois par an pour prolonger leur durée de vie et leur performance. Cas de la bande anti-UV Tous les marins savent combien les UV abîment les voiles. Si vous devez laisser votre génois enrouleur à poste faites installer une bande anti-UV en acrylique sur la chute et la bordure. Elle protégera durablement votre voile. Et faites la changer ou réparer si elle est endommagée ! NOS SERVICES HIVERNAUX "A LA CARTE" Proposés pour toutes les marques de voiles, en Suisse et en Méditerranée Contrôle complet « Certified Service » Service d'enlèvement des voiles sur le bateau Bateau à quai, voiles pliées dans leur sac, prêtes à emporter Avec un délai de 15 jours ouvrables Débâchage et re-bâchage du bateau, dégréement de la grand-voile ou génois sur son enrouleur. Remise en place de la grand-voile ou génois sur enrouleur Livraison Service de stockage pendant la saison hivernale Dans des locaux sécurisés et tempérés, inclus livraison aux chantiers navals ou aux ports Voiles pliées ou roulées Lavage Nettoyage, traitement anti-moisissure et tâches d'insectes. Rabais de 15% pour toutes les voiles North Sails Pack "Standard" Contrôle, expertise, stockage, livraison au port Pack "Plus" Désinstallation, contrôle, expertise, stockage, livraison au port MC LUBE SAILKOTE PLUS Qu'est ce que le McLube Sailkote Plus ? C'est une couche de Teflon appliquée par vaporisation sur la surface des voiles. La version « Plus » est enrichie d'un fongicide pour prévenir le développement de moisissures entre les laminés ou entre les renforts et la voile. Pourquoi North Sails propose le McLube Sailkote Plus ? Depuis plusieurs années, nous constatons les nombreux avantages apportés par ce produit, surtout pour les laminés taffetas et les nylons. Ce produit est susceptible d'améliorer la performance et la longévité de vos voiles, grâce aux avantages suivants. La voile absorbe moins d'eau et reste ainsi plus légère La voile absorbe moins d'eau et reste ainsi plus résistante, surtout pour les nylons La friction est fortement réduite permettant aux voiles enrouleurs de se stocker avec un diamètre de 30% inférieur donc moins de fardage La friction est fortement réduite et diminue ainsi les effets du ragage avec le gréement La voile reste plus propre et le fongicide combat la moisissure potentielle transportée par les gouttes de pluie Combien de temps le Sailkote Plus reste efficace ? En fonction de l'utilisation et de l'entretien, il est réaliste de compter sur une efficacité minimum d'un an pour les utilisations les plus intenses en course, pouvant s'étendre à 3 ou 4 ans dans la majorité des cas. Combien coûte l'application du Sailkote Plus ? Pour environ 15.- CHF le m² de la surface de la voile, North Sails dispose de l'équipement et de l'espace pour appliquer le Sailkote Plus dans les conditions appropriées et est à même de garantir le bon ratio de couverture par m². Quelles sont les conditions d'une bonne application ? Le Sailkote Plus s'applique sur tous les tissus à voiles neufs ou usagés. Dans le cas de décoration par peinture ou adhésif il est préférable de disposer d'au moins 24 heures pour bien laisser la décoration sécher. Il faut aussi disposer d'un solvant pour préparer la voile à une réparation par adhésif. READ MORE

The tropical South Pacific Ocean islands and atolls were first inhabited by seafaring people who voyaged across vast stretches of ocean in sailing canoes and rafts, guided only by legends and the patterns of waves, winds, and stars. Many hundreds of years later, sailors from Europe stumbled upon the same islands and returned home with fantastic stories and nautical charts, some of which provided data still used in modern charts today. “All sailors can trace our sailing roots directly back to those early voyages, in the South Pacific and beyond. There are obvious differences but ultimately we’re all using sails to drive ourselves across vast stretches of wild open ocean that exist more or less exactly as they did when our “ancestors” crossed the same waters hundreds and even thousands of years ago.” Thor Heyeradal, a scientist sailor from Norway, spectacularly bridged the gap between the past and present. He developed a controversial theory of Polynesian migration while he was living on Fatu Hiva, a small strikingly beautiful island in the Marquesas chain. Dr. Heyeradal believed that people from South America settled Polynesia by crossing the ocean in large rafts made of balsa wood logs. To support this theory Thor and his friends built a raft, the Kon Tiki, then sailed/drifted 4,300 miles in it from Peru to French Polynesia in 1947. Their voyage ended when the raft was wrecked on the jagged outer reefs of Raroia, a remote Tuamotu atoll. The crew of the Kon Tiki all survived the wreck with no major injuries. After salvaging the remains of their raft they survived on a tiny motu inside the lagoon on Raroia until some natives eventually “rescued” them. The tiny Kon Tiki motu still exists today almost exactly as it did when the raft was wrecked there over fifty years ago. We spent a week anchored at that motu with no other people or boats in sight. The many, often harmless, black tip sharks kept us company as they continually prowled the clear blue and turquoise waters. Naoma anchored next to Kon Tiki island. Kon Tiki motu is tiny. Most people can walk completely around it in about ten minutes. One side has an amazing white sand beach. The other side is jagged volcanic reef. The island is covered with spindly trees and coconut palms but the most striking feature is the birds. There are hundreds of terns constantly flying around the island, a rare sight in the Tuamotus. They are not afraid of humans. We had to be careful not to step on any of their many nests. There is a small plaque commemorating the Kon Tiki voyagers but otherwise there was no evidence of humans (aside from the ubiquitous and unfortunate bits of plastic debris found on the windward beaches of all islands in the South Pacific). In our last post we described the challenging upwind passage we had when sailing from the Tuamotus to the Marquesas. “We sailed from the Kon Tiki motu to Fatu Hiva, a course chosen in homage to Thor and his adventures”. If you’re interested in learning more about the journey Thor Heyeradal wrote a fantastic book called, “Fatu Hiva” about his adventures on that island. He also produced a gripping documentary about his adventures on the Kon Tiki (not to be confused with the newer Hollywood-style movie by the same name.) Google Earth offers some interesting perspective through bird’s eye views of the places I mentioned. The book “We, The Navigators” is a comprehensive examination of navigation techniques used by pre-European Pacific voyagers and includes some inspiring examples of recent voyages completed in traditional open ocean sailing canoes. One final story… While the shipwrecked Kon Tiki crew were living amongst the natives on Raroia they came across a young boy with a life threatening boil on his head. There were no doctors on the tiny atoll so the Kon Tiki crew used some of their supplies, notably penicillin, and saved the boys life. That boy is now a very old man, still living on Raroia, “…and is yet another example of how interconnected our world is, across oceans and throughout time, something you become a part of every time you set sail.” READ MORE

Some athletes are endurance runners, others sprint. If Thomas Coville were a runner he would be the former, with a jet-pack. On Sunday he accomplished his lifelong goal of breaking the record for sailing solo, non-stop around-the-world. As a matter of fact, he smashed it by over eight days. The French sailor boasts a myriad of offshore sailing experience beginning in the 1997 Mini Transat, sailing across the Atlantic alone on a 6.5m boat. He later moved onto the Vendée Globe, around the world alone on a 60ft monohull. He sailed in crewed offshore races such as the Volvo Ocean Race, winning with Team Groupama in 2011-12. He also won two benchmark solo offshore races – the Route du Rhum in 1998 and the Transat Jacques Fabre 1999. It has all been in preparation for this ultimate challenge: to set the solo, non-stop, around the world sailing record. Thomas Coville finally achieved his dream, on Christmas Day 2016, after four prior attempts. Thomas joins Dame Ellen MacArthur and Francis Joyon in a prestigious, small group of three multihull sailors who have sailed around the world, nonstop. The difference with Thomas’s tour du monde is his daily average speed, not to mention the difficulty a 31 meter Ultime trimaran imposes on a sailor. These make his achievement unique, incredible, amazing, and quite surprising, even for those closely involved with his campaign. “Sometime after Thomas’s departure, I joked that it would be perfect if he finished in 48 days to match his age,” said Gautier Sergent, a comrade of Thomas’s and the North Sails designer for the Sodebo Ultime campaign. “It was so funny at the time because we never predicted he could finish that quickly. In the end, it was 49 days… and we are all in disbelief.” North Sails has a long-standing relationship with Sodebo, and Gautier bonded with Thomas during his stint on Groupama 4 in the Volvo Ocean Race 2011-2012. Gautier was the sail designer for that program, too, and many offshore programs before and after. “From this and past experiences with Ultime campaigns, I can say that sailing these boats is tough, they are unforgiving. If you lose your concentration for two minutes, the boat will take over, and you risk breaking equipment in what quickly spirals into life-threatening situations. You can not back off and 49 days of intense sailing is a long time to maintain your mental focus and physical strength.” Gautier works collaboratively with Sodebo’s appointed sail coordinator, Loic Le Mignon and North Sails expert, Quentin Ponroy. The sail design team is part of a wider group of trusted designers, engineers, craftsmen, meteorologists, sailors and coaches, marketers, and operations professionals that make up Sodebo Ultime. Numerous times Thomas credits his achievement, while a “solo” sailing record, to the people who have supported and pushed him on the record-breaking journey, not to mention four prior attempts. It takes a lot of faith to take a leap into the unknown hoping each person got his contribution right. Addressing the challenge, and nodding to his support, Thomas explained: “For example, when you leave Brest and you know that the weather sequence is going to be difficult in the South Atlantic, but in the end, you turn this seemingly bad window into a good one because you gybe 20 times in 48h along the ice limit to extricate yourself from the St. Helena high. I did what was needed to turn this route into a good one. So there is, at the same time, a share of risk, a part of chance, and a share of fortune that you create. It is a window, and you can decide to open it or leave it closed. For me, Jean-Luc Nélias, Sam Davies, Thierry Douillard, have an analysis that they propose to me, and sometimes they challenge me, push me, Jean-Luc pushes me a lot. Then there is the third parameter of technological breakdown. This boat is faster down the Atlantic and in the Southern Ocean. But the counterpart of that is it’s more physical to maneuver. The gennaker is 120 kg, or even 130 when it gets wet, and there it becomes a huge physical commitment. I did not spare myself, and I do not think I have done fewer maneuvers than if the boat was crewed.” He didn’t let up for 49 days, an intensity unmatched, apparent in his average boat speed of 24 knots over 28,400 nautical miles. What any sailor can learn from Thomas Coville is that determination and a passion for the process pay off. “What I would like to keep from this record is not so much the 49 days and 3 hours, it’s mostly the way I traveled, I fell, I got up, I dared. Ten years, a dream very difficult to reach, but a dream that I lived, that I live.” READ MORE

The North Sails team in Australia does Christmas a bit differently. With the annual Rolex Sydney to Hobart Race setting off on Boxing Day, they are full swing getting sails serviced and ready for clients’ grueling trip through the Bass Strait to Tasmania. The silver lining? Most of them are onboard for the legendary ride south. Here’s a peek at their preparation for the 2016 Rolex Sydney-Hobart Race. READ MORE

The annual Boxing Day departure of the Rolex Sydney-Hobart Race is approaching fast. We caught up with the North Sails team in Sydney, AUS, who are now in full-swing getting sails serviced and ready to go. The Sydney to Hobart course is 628 nautical miles, out of Sydney Harbor and past the Heads, down the Australian coast and through the Bass Strait to Tasmania. The race is known to be extremely challenging, due to its ever-changing conditions and legendary squalls in the strait. A new kid on the block this year is the CNB76 luxury cruiser, Charlotte. This will be her first Hobart race and she is in good hands, with an experienced crew including owner Ervin Vidor, who has entered the race six times. Preparing a premium cruising boat for an offshore race of this caliber can be tricky. North Sails Expert Jason Antill has supported the program along with his father, Rob; building a trusted crew, outfitting the deck and cockpit, and ramping up the inventory with three new downwind sails. “While Charlotte is a high performance cruiser, once the day’s sailing is complete the design spec calls for the boat to be at anchor and the crew to get a fine night’s sleep… That’s a bit hard when you’re 120nm off the Australian coast in a 40 to 50 knot headwind,” said Jason, who explained that safety will be a top priority. “We took care of safety concerns by placing additional hand holds and safety lines on Charlotte’s vastly spacious foredeck and cockpit. Managing halyards at the mast was another challenge, especially the 2:1 halyard for the new Code 0. This is where having the North Sails collective experience was helpful. We asked a member of our team, Michael Coxon, to join us for a crew training day. In the end he helped us create a custom halyard bag to avoid tangling.” Charlotte launched with a North Sails 3DiTM ENDURANCE hydraulic furling jib and staysail. Now with over 10,000 bluewater miles logged, these core working sails are up to the Sydney-Hobart challenge. Jason and Rob have added a VMG gennaker, a North 3Di Raw Code Zero, and a North Panel Laminate (NPL) light-medium asymmetric runner. Regarding the durability of Charlotte’s first 3Di sails, owner Ervin Vidor commented, “The 3Di working sails have covered 6000nm in Europe and 4000nm in Australia, one service and they are good as new.” In gathering the ideal crew, Jason used his contacts to find sailors with extensive experience on big boats. “I’ve called every friend I have to put the program together, there’s no one left now!” he laughed. “We basically pulled from our previous campaigns, which provided a nucleus of people who have done the Hobart before. They’re all experienced in big boats, not just racing, and short handed deliveries.” Among the crew is Jason’s father Rob Antill, who was instrumental in the opening of North Sails in Sri Lanka and Sydney, and certainly has his fair share of Hobart bragging rights. Rob will be “Sailing Master” for this year’s race. “Dad has forgotten more than I will ever know about the Hobart,” said Jason. “Not surprisingly, when I suggested the boat was longer plus a few feet than his age he was more interested in coming along this year. From where I stand, being able to trust my father, knowing he has the experience to understand the limits of a boat this size, means I’ll sleep a lot better off watch.” READ MORE

Bravo Thomas! Around the world in 49 days, 3 hours, 7 minutes and 30 seconds. Thomas Coville and his 31m maxi trimaran Sodebo Ultim’ has shattered the solo around the word record by over eight days. Eight days, 10 hours, 26 minutes and 28 seconds to be exact. This adventure is Coville’s fourth attempt to break the previous record of 57 days and 13 hours set by Francis Joyon in January 2008. Coville joins Joyon and Ellen MacArthur in the prestigious, small group of three multihull sailors who have sailed around the world, nonstop and without assistance. And after 50 days at sea, with little sleep, Coville is only focused on one thing. “Right now, I have only one desire: to sleep and to let my mind rest. I want to fall asleep by simply telling myself: Everything is fine!” Coville trusted North Sails 3DiTM to get him around the world quickly and safely. He and his Sodebo Ultim’ team worked with the North Sails team in France to make this record dream a reality. Everyone at North Sails is incredibly proud of Thomas and this amazing achievement. Bravo Thomas pour votre voyage fantastique. READ MORE

SOLO SUPER SERIES Congratulations to Chris Brown who was the winner of the Solo Super Series draw held at the End of Season Champs over the weekend. Unfortunately due to the lack of wind all racing was cancelled for the last event, however overall results can be seen on the Class website. North Sails Lawrence Creaser presented Chris with his prize, a new North Sails F-2 Solo sail! North Sails are proud to continue their sponsorship with the Solo Super Series in 2017. To find out more about the F2 and our other new designs for the 2017 season please see our class page. READ MORE

PACIFIC YANKEE WINS THE 2016 MELGES 20 WORLD RANKING Interview with Drew Freides The final rankings for the 2016 Melges 20 World Series have been announced and Drew Freides and his Pacific Yankee team finished the season as the top ranked team and are the series champions for 2016. Drew and his team culminated the 12 event series with a victory in this years final event which put the finishing touches on Pacific Yankee’s #1 ranking over seventy other teams in the series. Our team at North Sails is proud that Pacific Yankee, as well as the teams and boats that finished the season ranked 1,3,4,5,6, all chose to be powered by full North Sails inventories! The Pacific Yankee team worked closely with North Sails expert Vince Brun to make sure the team was learning all they could through a thoughtful sail development program to make Pacific Yankee go fast and be the best they could be. We got in touch with Drew and asked him the key factors to such a successful year: Boat Setup “From day one, Vince wanted us to focus on learning how to set up the boat correctly. With so many options for adjustments we developed a complete matrix with the boat & rig setup for every wind speed. Vince’s goal for us was not to have to think about how to make the boat go fast during racing and just focus on boat positioning as well as racing”. Training “We spent a lot of time on the water tuning and training, always with an open mind to try new things. We would see another team doing something different, and we would try it, often times going against standard logic. Some things worked, while other things didn’t, but we constantly learned from the experimentation and testing.” Team “We sailed all year with the same team. Charlie Smythe focused on boat setup, constant rig adjustment and overall boat speed, both upwind and down. Morgan Reeser worked with me on my driving as well as tactics and boat positioning vs the fleet and the race course”. Sail Program “We switched from the AP-6 mainsail to the new standard M-16 main from North which was the right direction. There is no question that North is recognized as offering the fastest sails by the majority of the Melges 20 fleet.” Final Thoughts “I seriously had chills running down my spine when I saw the results. I can’t believe we ended 2016 ranked #1in the World! I can’t thank you all enough!!!!!!! We did it. Now we just need to win a World Championship. Just before my mom passed away almost three years ago, she told me to buy this boat – she would never believe what we have accomplished. Thank you again for all of your commitment and hard work!!!!!!! I owe you guys!!!!!!!!” Thank you Drew! Seeing sailors have fun and great success while learning to go faster is one of our favorite things to see at North Sails. Thanks for making our day and congratulations to you, Charlie, Morgan & Vince on a great year! Learn more about our sails for the Melges 20. READ MORE

Only in eternally sunny Newport Beach, California could you race in a Sunkist Series during the dead of winter! Taking advantage of the long sailing season are Alan Andrews and Molly Lynch, who sail in the monthly series with their Andrews 38, Double Time. Sailing with family and friends compliments the more serious racing Alan does with clients of his firm, Alan Andrews Yacht Design, and in 2016 the family-friendly program had a busy season, entering 14 races in total. Last Sunday marked the second Sunkist, and Alan & Molly broke out their new North Sails 3DiTM RACE genoa for the first time. The boat’s #1 genoa is a key sail: last year there were only two races they didn’t use it. The sail they had was seven seasons old, so a lot of new options were on the market when Alan and Molly decided to replace it. “We were looking for a #1 jib that would cover the whole range. This weekend we sailed our first event with the 3Di RACE genoa in very light wind, probably four knots to start and it went down from there.” It was a bit of a “drifter” with light, shifty breeze and lumpy water, the kind of conditions many sailors dread. In the end Alan and Molly’s team claimed the win and, having used the new sail at one end of the range, Alan was encouraged by the readability of the new sail in light conditions. “The sail absolutely met our expectations at that end of the range. Having raced a lot with clients and friends over the years, my impression with some of the earlier 3Di sails was they were a bit on the stiff side. On Sunday we were sailing at the bottom end of the range with a little bit of chop, really shifty light air, and we were able to read the sail. The material was supple enough to respond to subtle changes in pressure. For an all-purpose #1, that’s a good deal. We expect this sail will bring us up to 14 knots.” The new 3Di RACE genoa replaced a 3DL SPORT #1 jib with a taffeta layer for added durability. In switching to 3Di RACE, Alan noticed that the new sail was lighter in weight while promising superior durability to string sails. “Compared to the 3DL™ taffeta sail, the 3Di sail shifts the material weight into the load bearing thread, which gives the sail potential to hold its shape higher up the wind range. While shape retention was not an issue with our last sail, we immediately noticed that the new sail was much lighter.” Being a numbers guy, Alan weighed his new 3Di sail vs the old 3DL sail and found the 3Di to be 10% lighter. The ability to place material in a load bearing pattern, adding weight to the sail where it’s needed most, and saving where it is not, is an inherent trait of 3Di technology. And the best news? It’s still ‘summer’ in California. The Balboa Yacht Club hosts racing every month of the year, so we’ll be checking back in to hear how Alan and Molly’s new 3Di RACE sail performs up the range. READ MORE

Our congratulations to team Alinghi for securing the 2016 Extreme Sailing Series (ESS) world title this weekend on Sydney Harbor. This is Alinghi’s third series win, following victories in 2008 and 2014, and the first time they’ve done so ‘flying’ on the new lightning fast one-design GC32 catamarans. As the official supplier to the GC32 Class, North Sails delivered eight one-design inventories to the fleet in early 2016. Co-skipper of team Alinghi, Arnaud Psarofaghis, said, “The GC32s are perfect. At the beginning of the season we thought it would be hard to compete on small courses in foiling boats but now the Extreme Sailing Series is even better than before.” Considering his work as a sail designer for North Sails in Switzerland, Arnaud maintains an envious balance of work and play. Originally from Corsier, he has risen as one of Switzerland’s top sailors and has a broad range of experience across the multihull world, having found success in the D35s, the Ventilo M2, the Extreme 40 and also the AC45. “I have been a designer at North Sails Geneva for 10 years and enjoy it a lot. We face new challenges every day to build the fastest sails whilst also meeting demands set by our clients. It’s nice to be able to create something new every day.” When designing sails for the GC32, North Sails designers had a unique set of requirements from the new one design class. In an interview prior to the ESS series opener, project leader Gautier Sergent said, “The difficulty (and the fun) is that the GC32 are foiling catamarans sailing in a wide variety of racing formats (GC32 circuit, ESS, Bol d’Or long distance sailing) and on many different stretches of water (from lake to ocean). You need to cater to all this with only four sails in total.” Learn more about designing sails for the GC32 here. Image credits © Jesus Renedo / Lloyd Images READ MORE

Last week North Sails joined the Melges 40™ team for sea trials in Dubai. The Melges 40 is the largest, fastest and only canting keel sailboat ever offered by Melges Performance Sailboats. North experts were on site to help with testing the above-the-deck package, including North Sails 3Di RAW™ sails, designed in collaboration with the yacht designer and sister company, Southern Spars. Ultimately working the boat through the range over two days of thorough testing, the group is happy to report the new boat has successfully completed sea trials with flying colors. “North Sails has been involved with the development of the sail plan and class rules since day one. The company has been a great partner in this project and helped make it a big success. The “engine above the deck” is so important for the performance of any sail boat, and what is most impressive is how spot-on the first set of sails are, right out of the bag. A big thank you to the entire North team for helping make this dream a reality! – Harry Melges, Melges Rep and North Sails expert in Zenda With the launch of the new boat, Melges have embarked on their mission to redefine the highest level of windward/leeward one-design racing. Boat no. 1, owned by Melges Premier Performance, has been used for overall product development including fine tuning systems in an effort to finalize one-design Class Rules. Currently, new Melges 40 owners are sailing the boats for the first time, including Richard Goransson’s Inga From Sweden which uses a full North Sails inventory. “I think it’s a great concept. There have been a lot of boats that use a canting keel (mostly offshore). So while the concept is not new, it is new to one design boats in the sense of round-the-buoys racing… and it will offer you a whole new understanding of the sport.” – Cameron Appleton, North Sails Sail Development The Melges 40 is different from what we have seen lately in the 40’ range. It’s retractable bow sprit and twin rudders aim to offer more control for the driver, easier maneuvers in tight quarters and greater downwind speeds. The canting keel with centerline canard is push-button operated, keeping tacks smooth and simple. Foiling catamarans are awesome boats in their own right. We wanted to create a platform that would maintain the purity of traditional monohull racing: around-the-buoys tactics with the thrill of speed and performance that the Melges brand is known for. Not just a speed race to the corner, but a boat that is fast, fun and easy to sail while still offering the maneuverability of a monohull to maintain the close fleet tactics we love. – Harry Melges, Melges Rep and North Sails expert in Zenda Learn more about North Sails 3Di on our dedicated product page. READ MORE

The 2016 Melges 24 World Championship came to a close on Saturday, December third. The fleet sailed 12 races in 10-20 knots over five days. In the ocean off Miami, the sea state was challenging upwind and downwind with some great surfing. Congratulations to North Sails clients who finished 1,3,4,5,6,7,8,10, and to North-powered Corinthian teams Lenny and Accru, who finished second and fourth respectively in the Corinthian Division. North-powered team Embarr took the win with only 38 total points – a 30 point lead over second place. Onboard Embarr were Conor Clarke, Aoife English, David Hughes, Stuart McNay, and North Sails’ Maurice O’Connell. The team showed spectacular boat handling technique and impressive speed upwind and downwind. O’Connell trimmed the chute for the Worlds and reported the standard North models were fast. “The week was a tough one for sure. Our results showed a dominant performance, but it sometimes didn’t feel like that! We had one or two sketchy starts that forced us in the wrong direction.” “What was satisfying is we never felt under pressure boat speed wise. We used the standard North Sails models which were very fast. In the moments our performance was sub-optimal, there was always a simple reason for it: rig settings, sail trim, hiking or kinetics. By staying proactive in these areas, Embarr kept ripping along, and our speed got us out of trouble – more than a few times!”- Maurice O’Connell, North Sails There is a reason for a regatta like this to be held in a place like Miami in the Fall. The best chance for breeze and primetime ocean sailing make for a top event of the year, and an excellent way to welcome the winter season in the south for the Melges 24 class. With a solid 75 boats on the starting line, threading the needle through traffic upwind and holding your lane made for the biggest challenges. Participants reported that rig tune, crew placement and communication from the front to the back of the boat kept you in the groove and able to maintain boat speed. “Set-up wise, we kept a near-constant discussion of how the boat felt and what it needed at the moment. We weren’t timid on changing hard and soft controls. Within the “noise” of the race, being totally honest about a boat’s performance is one of the toughest challenges,” reported Dave Hughes, tactician and headsail trimmer on Embarr. With winds between 10-20 knots, an important part of upwind set-up was to keep the boat powered up in big waves, with just enough tension for the 20-knot winds yet still allowing enough space to breathe when necessary. Still, the breeze was relatively consistent in pressure, giving the World’s teams some time to fine-tune. “Please pass on my thanks to the North Sails team in San Diego. The green kites look amazing and are now famous in the Melges fleet. They are obviously super fast too! North Sails have been a great help to the Embarr team and we really appreciate it,” said Embarr’s Conor Clarke. READ MORE

The 2016 Melges 24 World Championship was held in the open ocean off Miami Beach, November 29-December 3rd. In five days of racing, Conor Clarke’s Melges 24 team Embarr sailed an amazingly consistent regatta (finishing just on race out of the top five). Tactician Dave Hughes credits onboard communication and teamwork to their World’s success. Hi Dave, how does it feel to win the Melges 24 World Championship? Winning is a mixture of elation and fatigue! This was a long, hard-fought event. It’s wonderful to prove to ourselves that our preparation and approach to the event was a winning formula. What would you say were the three key factors to your success this week in Miami? A heads-up, alert attitude to the race course is key in any regatta and definitely helped us in the big fleet, big waves conditions in Miami. In addition, always sailing the boat hard no matter our position and working with our coach, Morgan Reeser, kept us going fast. What was the biggest “take-away” you gained from this event? World Championships throw a lot of curve -balls at you, both on and off the water. Rest up, shoulders back, and keep fighting. If you could share with your fellow competitors one thing that you would consider the most critical part of your set-up this week, what would it be? Set-up wise, we kept a near-constant discussion of how the boat felt and what it needed in the moment. We weren’t timid on changing hard and soft controls. Within the “noise” of the race, being totally honest about a boat’s performance is one of the toughest challenges. What did you find to be the most successful in your upwind strategy? Lane management. What was the most unexpected contribution to your win? Where do I start?!! Truth be told, it was surprising just how many people had a hand in making this win happen, both on and off the water. Our ‘thank you’ list is long! You can’t win a major event without help along the way. What are your crew positions/jobs? Conor is the owner of the boat, hardest hiker, and responsible for about 100 things onboard. Aoife is the bow extraordinaire. Maurice (AKA ‘Prof’) was on the spinnaker. Stu drove the boat and I was on the jib and tactics (both good and bad!!) What’s the next event for your team? Uncertain at this point, we need to take a breath first! What was your team dynamic like compared to your Olympic Campaign on the 470? The similarities are fairly obvious with Stu driving and me on jib/tactics. As a boat, the Melges 24 has a great number of parallels to the 470 (a reference the Embarr team is definitely sick of hearing!). However, as with any boat, the team takes on its own character and personality. In the end, hard work is the key. We all saw your downwind technique. Where did you learn how to move like that? The 470, of course! What was your funniest moment of the event? (Any funny sayings you had on the boat/ or a funny thing that happened on the water)? The Embarr team has its fair share of go-to sayings, re-told jokes, and “I can’t believe that just happened.” I’ll leave it at that… Learn more about North Sails Melges 24 products at: North Sails One Design READ MORE

America’s Cup defender Oracle Team USA visit the North Sails loft in Minden, NV where the one-design 3DiTM sails are being built for the ACC cup boats. READ MORE