NORTH SAILS BLOG

BACARDI WINTER SERIES #2: NORTH CLIENTS SHINE North Boats Win Both Overall And Corinthian In The J/70 Class 📸 Kathleen Tocke For the second edition of the Bacardi Winter Series in Miami, 25 J/70s and 25 Melges 24s raced in 5-10 knots over two days. The Bacardi happy hours were a hit as always! North boats took five of the top ten places in the J/70 class. Oivind Lorentzen, Ian Coleman, David Shreiner, and Lucas Calabrese won overall, while Zachary Segal, Ashton Hamerlin, Enrique Quintero, and Piet van Os won the trophy for top Corinthian team. Both winners used the XCS-2 mainsail, the J-2 High Clew Jib and the AP-1 Spinnaker. North Sails expert Zeke Horowitz sailed on John Heaton’s Empeiria, and he shares some lessons from a light air weekend. Dynamic sail trim is hugely important. If the boat isn’t fully powered up, both sails should be adjusted in every slight velocity change or wind shift. Err on trimming too loosely. The upper leech of the jib should be trimmed to the outside spreader mark, while the foot of the jib should be just touching the toe rail. Fight the desire to feel weather helm! Especially in light air, it’s common to want some “tug” on the rudder, because weather helm gives you feel. This is not as fast as the uncomfortable feeling of having zero helm. A “dead stick” means no rudder drag, which is fast both upwind and downwind. Flat is Fast, even in light air. Sailing the boat with as little as 5 degrees of heel in flat water is ideal. If you don’t have a heel indicator, get one! Keep the backstay snug enough to avoid the rig bouncing. Keeping the backstay just snug is good, even in conditions where you aren’t trying to bend the top of the mast. Reducing headstay bounce makes it easier for trimmer and helm to stay in the groove. This goes for downwind too! Full results First Place overall Oivind Lorentzen, team Nine. 📸 Kathleen Tocke 1st Place Corinthian, Zachary Segal and team USA 1154 📸 Kathleen Tocke 3rd place overall John Heaton and team Empeiria. 📸 Kathleen Tocke 📸 Kathleen Tocke 📸 Kathleen Tocke READ MORE

Matulji četvrti naslov prvaka Hrvatske Još jednom je prvo Prvenstvo Hrvatske u kalendarskoj godini, jedne od službenih klasa HJS-a, bilo organizirano u Rogoznici od strane JK Val iz Šibenika. S obzirom da je u inozemstvu Rogoznička uvala poznata kao "raj za RU jedrilice" lako je zaključiti da su u pitanju bile RU jedrilice klase IOM. Već 14. put se RU jedriličari okupljaju na mjestu koji je geografski centar Jadrana, na mjestu gdje se 2018. organiziralo Europsko prvenstvo ove klase. Ta centralna pozicija na karti se poklopila i s klimatološkim elementima koji omogućuju da Rogoznica često ima mnogo ljepše vrijeme nego što je u njenom susjedstvu, a to je pogotovo u siječnju vrlo primamljiv faktor za sve one koji planiraju provesti vikend na otvorenom. S obzirom da se šibenski klub već odavno potvrdio kao vrstan organizator i ovakve vrste regata, a Rogoznica kao izvrstan domaćin, nije trebalo puno da se popis sudionika popuni s maksimalnim brojem od 40 sudionika. Do ovog ograničenja je došlo s obzirom da SHRS sustav,po kojem se jedri na ovoj regati, dozvoljava da istovremeno na moru može biti do 20 jedrilica. A kroz godine rade se pokazalo da je optimalno kad se jedri u dvije skupine jer tada svi sudionici imaju dovoljno vremena i za jedrenje, a i za odmor između pojedinih plovova. Najveći teret je tada na presuditeljima koji moraju presuđivati na moru za obje grupe, a također i donositi odluke u eventualnim kasnijim prosvjedima, odnosno članovima Regatnog odbora koji stalno moraju pratiti situaciju s vjetrom i korekcijama bova omogućavati regularne uvjete za natjecanje. Od prijavljenih 40 natjecatelja 15 je bilo članova HJS-a, a ono što posebno veseli kako organizatore, tako i članove RU klase je to što je ovo bila već druga godina za redom kad se među njima pojavilo i jedno novo lice. Lani je to bio prvi junior nakon dugo vremena, Bruno Marević, a ovogodišnji premijerni nastup u Rogoznici je imao Tomislav Bezić. Standardno otvaranje regate je bilo s navigacijskim jedrenjem oko Rogozničkog poluotoka. Međutim, u petak je zapuhalo tek oko 11 sati. S obzirom da je kompletna ruta navigacije duga oko 3.5 NM, a start klasičnog jedrenja oko oznaka predviđen za 12:30 odlučeno je da se jedre samo prva i treća etapa, a najdulja da se ove godine izostavi iz programa. Kako je vrijeme jedrenja bilo ograničeno start je dan s vjetrom u krmu, nije se postavljala dodatna privjetrinska oznaka. S obzirom na uvjete i broj jedrilica (ovdje nema ograničenja na veličinu grupe) koje su imale namjeru prijeći startnu liniju, nije se isplatilo igrati s rizikom prijestupa. Zato su svi pažljivo odradili ovaj kritični dio plova i krenuli u lov na svaki namreškani dio morske površine. Pokušavana su imalo ekstremnija odvajanja od grupe, ali u tom prvom dijelu regate je najviše profitirala sredina i jedrenje po najkraćoj ruti. Tek nakon obilaska prve oznake (na karti žuta oznaka - Mark) svježe je zapuhalo iz E-SE i dionica preko mosta je odjedrena praktički u "vlakiću" i tek nakon "control gatea 1" ponovno kreće taktičko nadmudrivanje i biranje prolaska rutom bliže kopnu ili više u sredini uvale. Flota se u principu podijelila u tri skupine. Prvih 5-6 jedrilica se dosta odvojilo na čelu, a zatim jedna veća skupina i zatim društvo sa začelja. U principu standardan rasplet na kraju, osim što se desio jedan presedan u vidu ulaska mađarskog jedriličara Lászla Csóke kao pobjednika u cilj etape. Iza njega završava Ante Kovačević, te još dva mađara ispred najboljeg od talijanskih predstavnika. Prvi idući hrvatski predstavnik je tek na 8. mjestu. Ove godine su se zamijenile uloge... a jedrila se još samo jedna etapa... Nakon kratke pauze nakon što je posljednji ušao u cilj, RO je pokrenuo predstartnu proceduru za povratak na Miline, dio Rogoznice pred ulazom u marinu Frapa od kuda je i krenulo navigacijsko jedrenje. Po sad već pomalo formiranom laganom SE-S krenulo se ponovno u krmu. Ovog puta jedrenje je bilo značajno brže. Scenario sličan prethodnom... nekoliko jedrilica se izdvaja na čelu, potom velika grupa i nekoliko jedrilica na začelju. Međutim ovog puta flotu je predvodio domaći jedriličar Boris Bakotić. Njemu je za rukom pošlo ponoviti ono što je napravio László Csóka u prošloj etapi, ali nažalost je Boris bio dosta sporiji u tada, pa se nije mogao nadati dobrom generalnom rezultatu. Zato je László jedrio u jednakom stilu kao što je i otvorio navigacijsko jedrenje i ulazi u cilj odmah iza Borisa. U konačnici je cijela flota bilo mnogo brža, a osim Borisovog skoka na prvo mjesto, ostali akteri u vrhu su bili isti kao u prvoj etapi. Međutim, u ovoj revijalnoj regati jedini tko je na kraju bitan je pobjednik, a kao što ste pretpostavili to je ovaj put bio HUN 23 - László Csóka. To je bio tek drugi put da je trofej pobjednika Rogozničke navigacije otišao van granica Hrvatske. Prvi stranac kojem je to pošlo za rukom bio je talijanski jedriličar Matteo Longhi 2011. godine. Kako su prošli ostali možete vidjeti u rezultatima na ovom linku. Prva iduća točka programa, a prije početka jedrenja Prvenstva Hrvatske, bilo je premjeravanje jedrilica. Od svih pravilima dozvoljenih kombinacija provjeravanja opreme i zadovoljavanja pravila, izabrana je najjednostavnija. To je vaganje ukupne mase jedrilice, kompletno opremljene s najtežim kompletom jedara i baterijama. Ta masa ne smije biti manja od 4000 grama. Svi koji nisu zadovoljavali ovo pravilo morali su u trup ubaciti dodatni balast i tek nakon što su svi zadovoljili ovaj nužni uvjet moglo se krenuti s kvalifikacijskim jedrenjima. SHRS sustav predviđa šest kvalifikacijskih jedrenja nakon kojih se formiraju zlatna i srebrena jakosna skupina. Kvalifikacijske skupine su svaki put različite, a formiraju se na osnovu rezultata prethodnog plova, dok je samo za prvi plov sastav skupina određen položajem na rang ljestvici za hrvatske jedriličare, a slučajnom metodom za inozemne sudionike regate. Južin koji je puhao na drugoj etapi navigacije držao je skoro cijelo poslijepodne i regatno polje je postavljeno u skladu s njim. Po tim uvjetima odjedrena su po četiri plova za obje skupine. Rezultati su bili dosta "šareni" i za dio jedriličara se nije moglo prognozirati u koju finalnu skupinu će upasti. U svakom slučaju trebalo je pričekati subotu, pa da se završi cijeli kvalifikacijski ciklus s obzirom da su u kvalifikacijama dva odbacivanja! Subota je po prognozi trebala ponovno biti u znaku laganog južina, ali je Rogoznica bila u znaku laganog levanta koji ipak nije otišao u desno za suncem. Iako je puhao skoro cijeli dan ipak nije bio dovoljno stabilan da bi se moglo odjedriti dosta plovova. Uglavnom, završile su se kvalifikacije. Deset hrvatskih jedriličara je ušlo u zlatnu skupinu, dok ih je petorica morala nastaviti jedriti u srebrenoj. U jednom trenutku je vjetar okrenuo na NW i cijelo polje se zarotiralo ali nažalost nije dugo potrajalo... sve nade svih sudionika su se okrenule prema nedjelji i da će zaista probiti bura koja je bila u najavi za cijeli Jadran. Na obostrano zadovoljstvo svih uključenih u regatu, bura je uistinu i zapuhala u nedjelju. Preko 10-12 čvorova je puhalo od samog jutra, da bi se kasnije tijekom dana u refulima dizala i na preko 15 čvorova! Ove granične vrijednosti su dijelom bile i razlogom zašto su flote bile mješovitog karaktera po pitanju jedrilja koja su se koristila. Većinu jedrenja jedriličari su kalkulirali da li da jedre s najvećim jedrima ili da se prebace na srednji komplet. Po pitanju brzina u orcu uglavnom su bile slične za oba kompleta. Mala razlika bi se javila u kutu jedrenja, ali najveća razlika je bila vidljiva prilikom jedrenja dionica niz vjetar. Dok ne bi stizali refuli brzine su bile malo više u korist veće kvadrature, ali kad bi "stisnuo" reful jedrilice s velikim jedrima su doslovno jedrile slalom izmeu onih s manjim, sve do trenutka kad više ne bi mogli kontrolirati kretanje i s "nose diveom" nekontrolirano štraorcaju. Ovo su bili uvjeti po kojima se najbolje vidjela razlika među jedriličarima, a i među njihovim bolidima. Velika većina jedrilica na regatnom polju je bila od poznatih i provjerenih proizvođača, ali Kantun 2, Zvonka Jelačića je apsolutno dominirao, pogotovo po jakom vjetru! Čak prvih 13 jedrilica u generalnom plasmanu su bile K2! Što se tiče borbe za vrh ona se vodila između Roberta Matulje iz JK Opatija i Ante Kovačevića iz JK Zenta. Ostali nisu mogli pratiti njihov tempo i nadmetanje je bilo napeto do samog kraja. Jedini Kovačevićev kiks je bio u predzadnjem plovu kad je imao DNF. Nakon toga se definitivno otvorio prostor koji je Matulja izvrsno iskoristio i s pobjedom u posljednjem plovu potvrdio svoj četvrti naslov prvaka! Ukupni rezultati regate mogu se pronaći ovdje. A evo i kratkog razgovora s novim prvakom Hrvatske. Inače, ovo mu je drugi naslov koji je osvojio u Rogoznici: Ove godine je konkurencija malo iznenadila po pitanju inozemnih natjecatelja. Nekolicina ih se dignula jedan viši nivo, pogotovo László Csóka iz Mađarske koji je završio na 5. mjestu. Šteta je što su falili neki naši vrlo dobri jedriličari, a svi ostali smo bili manje više tu gdje smo svi očekivali. Tako su završili i talijani koji su s nama jedrili na Europskom prvenstvu. Završili su u prvih 15 i to je po mom mišljenju za sada njihov doseg, a tu je također bio i turski predstavnik Kaya Dinar koji je na prošlom SP završio 34. Ostali strani predstavnici bili su uglavnom u srebrenoj skupini koja je neka njihova realnost s obzirom na našu trenutnu snagu. Mislim da je jedrenje u nas trenutno na stvarno visokom nivou. Evo nakon dužeg vremena ponovno vidimo i nova lica među splitskim jedriličarima, a moram reći da i kod nas u Opatiji ima nekih osvježenja. S nama su počeli povremeno trenirati Boris Rosović i Damir Puhar. Inače jedre za JK Orion iz Mošćeničke Drage, ali treniraju s nama u Opatiji. Istina, u Opatiji nam nedostaju juniori u IOM-u, dok klinci iz kluba tu i tamo znaju zajedriti u RG65. Uglavnom je to još kroz zezanje, tako da još neko vrijeme neće iz te skupine isplivati neko novo ime. Ali nadamo se da će se i to popraviti. Tako da smo ja i Robert Grubiša manje više sami na treninzima kojih je bilo nešto manje u posljednje vrijeme dok sam ja bio bez jedrilice... do prije 15 dana sam jedrio sa starim bratovim Lintelom ali evo sam i ja sad član K2 flote :) Sad se nadam da ćemo odjedriti sve naše zimske regate, a možda otići na po jednu regatu u Italiju i Mađarsku. Jedino što je još upitno u sezoni ispred nas je Europsko prvenstvo koje će se jedriti u talijanskom Orbetellu od 25. travnja do 2. svibnja. Što se tiče samog Kantuna 2 i kratkog vremena kojeg sam imao za prilagodbu na njega, mogu reći da ga ne mogu usporediti niti s jednom drugom jedrilicom koju sam vozio. Jedan osjećaj je po laganom vjetru, a s druge strane je strašno dominantan po jakom vjetru. Moram reći da mi se njegove maritivne mogućnosti generalno sviđaju, dok bi se o vizualnom dojmu moglo raspravljati :) I za kraj želim pohvaliti sve koji su bili uključeni u organizaciju i suđenje, savršeno odrađena regata! Robert Matulja, JK Opatija Kao što je bilo i najavljeno, u Rogoznici se jedrilo i s jedrilicama klase RG65. Sudjelovali su maleni rogožnjanci, primoštenci i splićani, a stiglo je i nekoliko seniora. I ove jedrilice su se uspješno nosile s burom, a priliku za upoznavanje s RU jedriličarstvom na svim razinama iskoristili su juniori JK Split koji su stigli iz Splita na studijsko putovanje s praktičnim vježbama. Inače, u ovom klubu se nakon dosta vremena ponovno organizirala modelarska radionica, a u sklopu nabavke opreme nabavljeno je i 8 jedrilica klase RG65, te se nadamo da će i taj klub postati još jedno jako uporište ovog vida jedrenja u Hrvatskoj. Kompletnu fotogaleriju ovog atraktivnog vikenda u Rogoznici možete pronaći na ovom linku, dok kratki video presjek nedjeljnih jedrenja možete pronaći u video galeriji. READ MORE

EFFECTS OF WINTER SUN ON BOAT SAILS UV Is Not Your Friend We all know that ultraviolet (UV) light breaks down traditional fabrics, which is why sunshine is bad for your sails. (FYI 3Di is composite technology, not a sail laminate. For info on 3Di sail care, read Sail Maintenance.) Even the lower sun angles of winter can wreak havoc on our sails. Here’s what you need to know about UV damage on traditional fabrics. Fortunately, there’s a way to protect your sails and extend their life expectancy: be diligent about covering them up when they are not in use. Once fabric is rotted from UV exposure, the only remedy is replacement. Read on for other factors that make a difference. Fiber type Some fibers have better UV resistance than others. For two fibers of the same type, a smaller diameter fiber will degrade more rapidly than a larger diameter fiber. Woven polyester fabrics are made with warp yarns that are almost always smaller than the fill yarn. So when dacron has been rotted by the sun, it will rip more easily across the warp (parallel to the fill). The simple test of your sail’s fiber integrity is to lightly scrape the surface of the fabric with a dull metal object, like the edge of a spoon or the thick side of a knife blade. If the fibers are still in good shape, the fabric will become shiny and smoother where you rubbed it. If the fibers are rotted, the filaments on the surface will fuzz up or sluff off of the sail. If the UV damage is very advanced, the fiber might rub away completely—the sign of a sail that is going to fail. Most UV exposure occurs when the boat is sitting with the sails down. Accordingly, some areas of the sail will get more exposure than others. The mainsail leech lying on top will rot long before the parts of the sail hidden beneath it. The same is true for a roller-furled headsail. The fabric on the inside of the roll will last much longer than the leech, which forms the outside of the roll. Sometimes the degraded area of a sail can be economically replaced. But more often, when the sail fabric is degraded enough to easily rub the fibers away, or to tear a Dacron fabric along the fill yarns, it is time to replace the sail. Suncovers You may be surprised to learn that your sail will degrade right through its sun cover. As the cover ages, it becomes less effective at blocking the rays of the sun. Heavier fabric provides a more effective barrier than lighter fabric, and dark colors provide better protection than light colors. If you spend time in the tropics, consider a multiple layer cover. It will be much more bulky, but your mainsail will last longer. Last but not least, the deck of your boat is an excellent UV barrier. Keep your sails below decks whenever possible. A suncover can help protect your sail from UV rays, but step one is making sure your sail is furled correctly so the suncover is on the outside. This image shows how the sun has damaged the sail material because the sail was furled incorrectly. Stitching Sewing thread will rot in the sun much sooner than a fiber of the same size woven into sailcloth, because it sits on top of the fabric and is more exposed. If resistance to UV rot were the only criteria for selecting the thread weight, bigger would always be better. But selecting thread too heavy for the application will result in a hopelessly puckered up seam and eventually the fabric will tear along the dotted line. A needle that is too small for the fabric weight can bend and deflect around large fibers, adversely affecting the timing tolerances of the machine. With these considerations in mind, the sailmaker typically chooses the lightest thread and smallest needle that the fabric will allow. Thumb Test Anyone with a thumb can test for rotten thread. If you can scrape the thread away with your thumbnail, it’s time to restitch your sail. Check each seam in several locations, especially along the leech tabling or on the sail cover of a roller furling genoa. Some areas will rot sooner because of the way the sail is rolled or flaked. If you can scrape away any of the thread, circle the area with a pencil and then start looking for more rotten thread. Restitching is an easy, time-consuming job, but less time-consuming if you catch the rotted thread before the seams come apart. Sun degrades stitching. It’s important to get scheduled sail service to address these types of issues to avoid disaster on the water. Straps and webbing When you inspect your sails, take a close look at the outside of any web straps. If you see any broken fibers, start planning to get the sail into a loft to have new straps sewn over the old ones. It is not a good idea to attempt to sew through an old corner strap with an onboard sewing machine, or any other light duty machine. The corners of the sail get harder as the sail is used, and you will be exploding lots of needles. Excerpted from The Complete Guide to Sail Care and Repair, by Dan Neri Webbing damage due to long-term sun exposure. READ MORE

THE YEAR AHEAD North Sails Experts Share Their 2020 Season Hopes We had a great year in 2019, from distance races to weeknight racing to Saturday cruises, our time on the water was fantastic. As we start the New Year ahead, our team shares what they're looking forward to this sailing season and what makes them excited to get back out on the water. Doug Folsetter J/70 Canadians at Charlottetown Race Week. I'm looking forward to sailing with friends and visiting PEI as I've never been there. Mike Wolfs Sailing on the new Saffier 37 lounge coming from Amsterdam. Hugh Beaton I'm looking forward to delivering new modern cruising sails we've been working on all winter and doing sea trials with them. For racing, I'm excited for the 8 Metre Worlds in Enkhuizen, Netherlands. Louisa Bobyk All racing this summer. I'm excited for the 2nd annual Raft Party Race as well as J Fest at Etobicoke Yacht Club. Combined with some weekend sailing with the family, I think it will be a fun summer on the water. Have an event you're looking forward to this summer? Or want to share a local activity you think we should be apart of? Let us know. We're always looking for new and exciting things to sail, support and share on the Great Lakes. Email us today. READ MORE

CUSTOMER SPOTLIGHT: TOM MULDER An Extra Special Christmas For Sailing Enthusiasts Now that the holidays are over and we focus on what’s ahead in 2020, I was able to get in touch with Tom Mulder about a very special gift from his parents on Christmas and ask him a few questions about his new North Sails, his sailing past, and a peculiar question about the Edmund Fitzgerald. I had the pleasure of speaking with your dad about a very nice Christmas gift that you received last month for Christmas….a new set of white North Sails for your Harpoon boat. Did you have any idea that they might do something like this? How it all started was your previous location was in Grosse Point if I remember correctly, off Mack I think. I I’ve had my Boston Whaler since 1988, 32 years now. It had original sails, I’m the second owner. Those sails after 42 some years, started to decay obviously. I kept them in good condition, kept them protected obviously, and what not. I figured that right now would be a good time to replace the sails, both the jib and the mainsail. Since we knew that you had an office location nearby to get in contact with you guys. And as we found out, you can do repairs as well as fabricate sails at your location. That’s really what started it, to contact you guys North Sails Detroit> to help us replace sails. I was under the impression that this was going to be a surprise. Was it supposed to be a surprise? Yes, it eventually ended up as a surprise. It started out as, especially leading to a place-- Both my wife and I live down here in North Carolina and my parents are still up in the Metro Detroit area, so it was behooving them and us to see local availability for them. And for us to see if you could either repair them or if the sails were not repairable, if you could replace them. We knew that the sails were going to get dropped off. I wasn’t quite sure if they had resolved whether the sails could be repaired or not or if they were just going to get replaced. What thoughts were going through your head when they told you about the new sails? So when they came down here just a couple weeks ago for our son’s birthday, they showed us the pictures of the new sails and the new sail bags. They were actually fantastic. The new sails looked absolutely wonderful. I am so very excited for summer time to get back up to Michigan and put the sails on the boat and get out on the water. Your Dad mentioned that you are a bit of a North Sails enthusiast. How did you originally discover North Sails and what about the North product do you appreciate the most? It was kind of by happenstance. In the late 80’s my cousin-- both my mom and my dad’s side are from the west side of Michigan, Holland and Grand Rapids area. I have several cousins over in Muskegon and one of my cousins invited me out there to go sailing with him. I had never been sailing before, it was about ‘87. I ended up being a part of his crew, if I remember correctly on a 27’ J-Boat and well, he had North Sails. Ironically at the time my other cousin, his brother was on the boat and then their sister, my other cousin was on a different boat. I just was enamored. I got the sailing bug. Right away. With the experience of the North Sails that he had and the equipment I just thought-- it was one of those things that I had a great experience, fantastic sailing and just thought instead of trying to change something, I’ll just stick with it. Ironically within about a year I had bought my Boston Whaler and that came with 2 North Sails on it, a jib and a main and just stayed with it. Didn’t look at Hood or any other type of sailmaker. I Kind of thought, just stay with North. We never had any problems with any of the sails or durability so it’s been great. Your dad said that you were adamant about white sails, no other colors, can you elaborate? Yeah, I know through just experience and racing and watching on TV growing up in that timeframe, before the current sails I’ve always just wanted white sails with numbers for personal and for racing thoughts. That was it. No colors. I know with spinnakers we can get colors, but for me it’s always been about just a clean white sail on the blue waters. Your Dad claims that you made a model of the Edmund Fitzgerald when you were a kid. Could you tell me what inspired you about this particular boat that now lies on the bottom of Lake Superior? I did; out of a 2x4. Living in Michigan, it was the inland lakes where we have had cottages and where my boat currently is- at my parent’s cottage. I love the great lakes, the freighters, the lake boats. I don’t quite remember how I got caught on that bug, with the Edmund Fitzgerald, but I’ve had that knowledge with me and that desire to just obtain as much information as I could. I still have the information with me, as well as the documentaries and books that have been published. It came to a point where while my grandparents on my mom’s side were still alive, I made a USS Constitution for my grandpa and grandma. I just thought why couldn’t I? It didn’t seem too complicated that I make an Edmund Fitzgerald out of wood by myself. I started with the hull out of wood from a 2x4, and then taking cardboard to create the super-structure, all the forward and aft. And it worked out pretty good, not too bad for that age that I was and ironically when my parents came down last fall, they brought the original boat down with them. I still have it here, in my possession. Did you carve it? The hull was carved and shaped into the bow structure and then the stern was rounded. I didn’t get into the finite details of under the hull of it with the propeller or the tiller, or the rudder. I just did to whatever accent I could. And just sort of made out of cardboard, thin cardboard, the super-structure from there. I took a little bit of architectural license with it, but it was quite good. Do you have any stories from your past that may have helped shape your appreciation of the sport of sailing? I will say this. Part of the official sailing experience with my cousins on Lake Muskegon was, if I remember correctly, I was there for about 4 days. We sailed on Wednesday or Thursday qualifying and the race was on a Saturday. On the qualifying, off of Lake Michigan there was a squall that came in. I remember being on Lake Muskegon and reefing the sails and the harbor was too tight with the boats and the slips on the dock that we had to actually stay out on the lake during the storm. It didn’t last more than 30 or 40 minutes but part of that experience was getting the bug inside me. That was another reassurance for me that the North Sails were strong enough and would last forever. After that throughout the 90’s and early parts of 2000, I know being on my Boston Whaler I broke both shrouds at the mast out in the middle of the lake the mast keeled over into the water. You’ve got to do what you’ve got to do. You disconnect it, pull it back out onto the boat, and haul yourself back into shore or flag someone down for assistance. But at the end of the day, North sails never caused any problems or any issues what-so-ever. It’s been another element of experience and I’ve been a very happy North Sails customer. Have you been able to pass along your interest in sailing and marine activities to your family? Well, honestly, our son is going to be 12 this week and our daughter just turned 5 last September and they’re not quite- My son has been interested in sailing but at this point it’s not quite as fast as the power boat. And the amount of work to be done on a boat; especially on a smaller sailboat where your controlling the jib and the mainsheet with the lines it’s not just get on the boat and go. That part of it, the way I look at it- you’re by yourself on the boat trying to find your own propulsion with the wind. That I’ve never lost. It’s been great, but on the other side too, not to be a traitor to sails but definitely having a power boat has been another element for us to at least be on the water. Which both my wife and I are very-- growing up in Michigan we need to be near a lake to get out on the water and just enjoy the peace and quiet and the solitude, lake-wise. Now that you know you have the new sails waiting for you in Michigan with your boat, what are your plans for the upcoming sailing season? We do, we started past years coming up in the summertime for a week and just based on our sons school schedule and my daughters starting kindergarten this summer. Both of them will be in year round school down here and usually the July or August timeframe is when they have 3 or 4 weeks and that’s when we plan to be going up. This year we’ll be going up in July around the 4th timeframe. It’ll be good up there. Right around the time when the Michigan lake waters warm up just enough. We’re excited to get up there and to see the sails and try them out. READ MORE

GONE SAILING Ft Lauderdale to Key West with Ken Read and Suzy Leech on Alchemist Ken Read explains why he raced double-handed in a new 33 footer from Fort Lauderdale to Key West. I just broke a cardinal rule that I was told a long time ago by a Bermuda Race veteran. NEVER go offshore in a boat shorter than your age! This week I raced a Jeanneau Sun Fast 3300, which is a boat I’d never sailed before, from Fort Lauderdale to Key West, with Suzy Leech—and I’d never sailed with her before. And since it’s a sailboat race, we set out win the whole thing—not just our two-boat class. Sounds cocky but you have to set the bar high no matter what you do, right? Reality is we had very little expectations and I was super-anxious to have some fun and see what this short-handed racing is all about! The rhumb-line distance was about 160 miles, so it was a quick race. As we skirted along the outside of the Keys, we were still trying to figure out the boat’s polars and how to operate all the state-of-the-art electronics (can anyone tell me how to use that self-steering thing?), as well as how to make efficient sail changes with only two pairs of hands. You might remember that several years ago, I took on a totally unknown challenge for me and sailed around the world a couple times in the Volvo Ocean Race as a cure for windward-leeward boredom. Let me tell you, going from a fully professional, fully crewed program (with lots of staff, ashore and afloat, to make everything happen) to only one other teammate is equally drastic. I’ve never been shy about embracing a new challenge, but if I’d known how much work this would be… ah hell, I would’ve done it anyway. 📸 Billy Black / FL to Key West 2020 Why? There are several reasons. First, for North Sails it is critical to have strong relationships with companies like J/Boats, Beneteau, Jeanneau and all the other sailboat manufacturing companies like them. I happened to mention my interest in shorthanded sailing to our North rep in Annapolis Allan Terhune, who set up a meeting with Mike Coe at Jeanneau, and we talked about using their SunFast 3300 for a few events. It just so happens to match the newly announced Mixed Two Person Offshore Keelboat class, though let me be perfectly clear: this is not the beginning of an Olympic campaign. Another point of interest in the 3300 is its co-designer Guillaume Verdier, a major force behind the Comanche design team and a good friend. Anytime he’s involved with the design of a boat, I know it will be a good ride. Next, I want to do everything I can to encourage more sailboats to be built and get the ones that already exist out on the water more often. One complaint I hear all the time is that it’s too hard to find crew, but for this kind of sailing you only need to find one other person. Double-handed sailing has exploded in France and England, because the people who are doing it are just having fun. There have been pioneers of short-handed sailing on this side of the Atlantic as well, so this is not a reinvention; maybe I’m just finally smartening up to what others have been saying for a long time. Last but certainly not least, North Sails designers JB Braun and Max Tringale have been working really hard on our Helix layouts for upwind sails, and they needed a guinea pig. Out of five front sails on this boat, four were Helix for this race (the only one that’s not Helix is the A2 Nylon sail). It’s the biggest Helix percentage of any racing inventory to date in my estimation. 📸 Billy Black / FL to Key West 2020 How to choose a teammate? As soon as I had the idea, I realized I needed a teammate who would cover for my own weaknesses. Because the Olympics will require a mixed gender team, I figured that instead of just getting one of my usual buddies I’d practice what I preach and actually invite the other gender to come participate with me. Sailing is still a boys’ club, and we boys need to start doing something to fix that. I also decided my teammate should be American, partly to fit Olympic requirements and partly to promote shorthanded sailing in my own country, where sailing frankly needs a shot in the arm. Suzy Leech ticks all of these boxes, and she’s a bad-ass. She did bow on Mighty Mary (the all-female team) in the America’s Cup trials in 1995, and they came within one race of going to the Cup. Back then the boats were pretty sketchy, a serious challenge especially forward of the mast. She obviously knows how to handle boats and she is not afraid to get her hands dirty. She’s also smart and understands instrumentation, so I don’t have to figure out any of that. (It’s called an auto pilot, right?) Remember, I’m used to having staff! And I say that in a good way because when you run America’s Cup or Volvo or Comanche and Hanuman type programs with dozens of people involved, you end up with staff! For this race, she had to rely on me and I had to rely on her. And with so little time to practice and trial this new ride, practically the first time we left the dock on our own was to head for the start. Because of the late announcement by the organizers the doublehanded class only has four boats, but we’ll be scored against the entire fleet in ORC as well. It’s such uncharted territory—the sail crossovers, the people, the process—that I had fewer expectations than any race I’ve ever sailed. All I’m really sure of at this point is that we had fun! 📸 Billy Black / FL to Key West 2020 READ MORE

SARASOTA WINTER SERIES #2: SPEEDY TIPS Bennet and Beardsley Dominate Weekend Regatta Congratulations to Hayden Bennett and Mike Marshall, 2020 VX One Midwinter Champions! 📸 VX One Class/Sarah Wilkinson The VX One and Viper fleets enjoyed two days of great sailing on Sarasota Bay last weekend. Saturday started off with a nice 12-15 knot breeze that slowly died, while Sunday brought a steady 9-16 knot breeze. The Vipers completed 8 races and after a tie was broken, Rachel and Peter Beardsley came away with the win over Jackson Benvenutti sailing with Jan Majer and Jesse Fielding. Hayden Bennett and Mike Marshall won the seven-race VX One Midwinter championship. What We Learned VIPER 640 CLASS (Jackson Benvenutti) 📸 Sarah Wilkinson Puffy conditions create possibilities for huge gains (or losses) downwind due to the boat-speed and angle differences between puffs and lulls. The tactician should spend most of the time looking backwards, studying the wind to see where the next puff is coming from, and figuring out how to take advantage of it. Questions include Is that next puff within reach? If so, how do we get to it as quickly as possible? Figure out which jibe keeps the boat in the puff for as long as possible. Having an in-between race routine is just as important as the routine at the start of each race day. Develop a checklist that allows for a quick mental rest and then quickly reenages both skipper and the crew. Here is what we do, in order: Water and food Debrief from previous race (What worked? Were we fast or slow? Did one side of the course pay off?) Adjust rig (Check rig on both tacks) Ping line VX ONE CLASS (Mike Marshall) A flat boat and flat sails are very fast. Anytime you are hiking, get the sails as flat as you can so that you can trim them hard without heeling. A combination of vang, cunningham, and rig tension all combine to make flat sails. Don’t be afraid to pull the lines harder. Sport boats have two modes: searching for power, and depowering. In light air, the goal is to get the crew hiking. Trimming the sails extra hard can help add power, as long as they are not stalling. As soon as you are consistently hiking, you are looking to flatten the sails to reduce drag. A flat boat is key in the breeze, VX One Midwinter Champions! 📸 VX One Class/Sarah Wilkinson North Sails post racing debrief 📸 VX One Class/Sarah Wilkinson READ MORE

BOOT IN DÜSSELDORF Treffen Sie uns in Düsseldorf Bis am 25. Januar können Sie Ihren Schweizer Segel-Spezialisten Daniel Schroff in Düsseldorf am North Sails Stand H22 in der Halle 10 treffen! READ MORE

EVENT SPOTLIGHT: KRIS KRINGLE REGATTA A Fun Annual Event For West Coast Etchells Sailors San Diego Yacht Club played host to the annual Kris Kringle Etchells Regatta. Established to keep the local fleet in touch with the latest advancements in Etchells racing, this regatta brings all levels of experience together for good times, competitive camaraderie, great racing, learning new things, and an awesome party! Expert Alex Curtiss provided a chalk talk at the beginning of the day with the help of Chris Busch and Benny Mitchell. Each speaker went into detail on how to set your Etchells up for speed, and explained new developments in the class. Speakers were also able to touch on what the new sail inventory North Sails is providing clients, as well as the new changes to finishing details on jibs. Once the fleet hit the water, they couldn't ask for better sailing conditions. Heading off from the Bali Hai with breeze from the southwest, Jeff Johnson and his team ran three great races for competitors. Chris Busch, Benny Mitchell and Max Hutchinson took the overall win, with Charlie Mann and team close behind in second place. Up next for the local Etchells fleet is the February One Design Weekend, which is before the class welcomes some East coast sailors in for the West Coast Spring Series, which includes the 2020 edition Etchells Nationals. For more information about whats new with North Sails Etchells Class in your area, contact your local experts for more information on how to make your 2020 a successful run! Contact Alex Curtiss, Long Beach, CA Contact Brian Janney, San Diego, CA Contact Eric Doyle, San Diego, CA READ MORE

CUSTOMER SPOTLIGHT: ROB DEWITTE Childhood Sailor Builds Dream Team His crew has sailed over 900 nm in the past year not including casual sailing or deliveries. Friends first, teammates second , Robert Dewitte and his crew have delved into the world of club racing and now distance racing on Dewitte's J/100 Perspective. Tell us how you became a boat owner and what the learning process was like for you. I learned to sail an Optimist down at the Hamilton Harbor Commission back when I was... well, I guess it would have been late '70s. My dad and I sailed when I was a young teenager in dinghies. We had so much fun and it really brought us together. But I grew, I became a big guy and the two of us we didn't fit. The boat got sold and we didn't sail again. I got busy, school, work, family, but always in the back of my mind was, "I want to sail again." Once the kids were big enough, I bought a Hunter 170. My wife and kids started to like it. They didn't fall in love with it and one of the reasons was that dinghy's are tender and my wife expressed the idea that something more stable would be great. I thought, "Hmm, time for keelboat." But one of the real thrills in all this was sailing with my dad. I went looking for a keelboat and I had no idea of what kind of boat I wanted. I didn't want it to big, but also wanted to avoid two things. I wanted to avoid a boat that required a lot of maintenance. We imagined day sailing and then had a good friend who had a keelboat in the States and he was giving me some coaching. I told him how I enjoyed heeling the boat on the windier days and going fast and he said, "You should get a J/Boat." So I did. There was an incredibly friendly guy at the club, I'm at Burlington Sailing and Boating Club, He saw that I joined as a new member and he phoned me up and he told me to come to the meeting of the racers before the season. I said, "I'll go and meet some people." They asked me what kind of boat I had, I told them and that I hadn't raced before. None of them believe me and I didn't quite understand this. But now I realize that J/Boats are very well known for racing. One of the big joys for me in all of this is building a crew essentially out of my friends and learning together. That's great to hear. So you are all about sailing now? Yes. It's just been amazing. Of course during the first race, they all believed that we'd never done this before. I mean, we went around the wrong side of a mark. We came dead last in the wrong fleet. One of the big joys for me in all of this is building a crew essentially out of my friends and learning together. Now that we've learned how to sail it, it really is a joy and it's fast. You're among the bigger boats, it's really fun. We were still bottom of the fleet, but we started to feel like we were in the hunt and that I think stimulated us to begin to learn more and but also once we were in the hunt, we started to attract some people who had more experience than us. What have you done to build your crew that sets you apart from other teams out there? What we've done that I think has been really, really fun and helped us learn is what I call the winter series. We're about to start our third winter series, which is essentially like a book club or like a book study. The other thing about my crew though is their contribution and skills. There's some really, really handy guys on board and they're far more capable than me with drill saws and tools and electronics and engines. These guys have contributed so much time and energy making the boat better, and when we get her in in the spring, they come and help wash and wax. One of the things I think that makes the crew work, by the way, is that the personalities of the people. One other thing has really helped us because is the I-Regatta app and it happens to have the J/100 polar configuration, like what we have. We have this real time performance indicator, like what's our boat speed relative to our polar at this moment? When it's saying, 65 that means, "Okay, guys, we're not going fast. We have to make an adjustment." When it tells us, we're going 115 it's like, "Okay, guys called down. We've got the boat going, let's look around and see what we need to do." It's a guide and has accelerated our learning because then you get in a situation where the boat's slow, the app tells you it's slow, you make an adjustment. I wouldn't say that we got into this to win races, but we get a certain joy just from getting better. What drove you to your decision to go with North Sails? The number one reason I began to work with North Sails was Doug Folsetter, who had already been very helpful in helping me think through the sail plan. He sailed with us on three or four races. He's got an incredible amount of knowledge. I think the service philosophy and him investing his time in a new sailor, new racer, let's say. He sat in my backyard and had coffee; we had diagrams and pushed our spoons around like they were the boats. Talked about tactics and things like that. Meanwhile, he beats me out there all the time. Then I would say next would actually be the spinnaker, the downwind spinnaker. When I switched to the symmetrical, it was quite a lot of conversation about how to design it. It's a mast type of rig, so it's a pole mast, high aspect ratio sail plan and there was a conversation about how wide to make the spinnaker, how tall to make the spinnaker to make it fly stabling. The designers that looked at it did a really fantastic job of that because we struggle to stay even with the fleet upwind. When we get in reaching angles with the pole all the way forward, we can fly it almost like a giant Code Zero. It's just very versatile. The boats really, really well balanced with that sail. I think that one made a huge difference because we didn't have anything in that range. This number two is just a fantastic sail and it's my go-to unless we're down below 12 knots. Follow the crew and their experience on their website. They blog each race, have a lot of video (prior to 2019), some photos, updates on what they've learned or adjusted on the boat, and a few pages of resources for crew. READ MORE

ANOTHER YEAR, ANOTHER BOAT SHOW 2020 Toronto International Boat Show Kicks Off Another year, another boat show begins; it's how our Toronto team knows the New Year has really begun. The team consisting of Hugh Beaton, Mike Wolfs, Geoff Moore, Louisa Bobyk, George Jackson and Doug Folsetter were on hand for a chilly preview day to welcome customers, friends and sailors alike. In classic boat show fashion, the first weekend of the show was greeted with a snow storm that had us longing for summer even more. No fear though as the snow didn't detour visitors and we saw lots of water enthusiasts come out for the show. The team will be on site for the entire show to help you find the right sail for your needs. Take advantage of North Sails Boat Show Special by placing your order today for preferred pricing. Heard about Helix? It's our new specialized sail structure evolved from North Sails Load Sharing Technology. Load Sharing Technology is a sail design and engineering solution that redistributes rig loads from a cable or headstay into the sail membrane. The Helix structure is designed to handle sailing loads while providing sufficient torque for furling. Helix sails are more versatile, from light air close reaching to heavy air broad reaching. Helix structure and optimized shaping results in sails that are furling, self supporting and forward projecting. Interested in learning more? Speak to our team at the show, booth 1623 in Hall D. Looking for cruising sails? Check out our award-winning 3Di NORDAC for a better cruising experience. 3Di NORDAC reinvents the traditional dacron cruising sail providing more aerodynamic shape without compromising control, speed and comfort; rather it enhances and improves all the above. Order the revolutionary cruising product today. Interested in our products? Visit us at the Toronto Boat Show or Contact our local loft today! READ MORE

SAIL HANDLING SYSTEMS What You Need To Know And More Personally, one of my least favorite jobs after sailing is getting the sails down and rolled or folded. Fortunately, there is a sail handling system that can take some of the pain away for just about any sail. In this article we will take you through some of the major systems and how they can help make your sailing experience more enjoyable. Whether its your main, genoa, or spinnaker, there is a system that can help. Mainsails often give us the most grief. Falling off the boom, tall stack heights, and binding slides are all very common problems but can be relieved with the correct system(s). Lazy jacks, Dutchman systems, and Quick Covers can all help keep the sail stacked neatly on take downs, the later being a combination of lazy jacks and mainsail cover. Pairing one of these systems with a Tides track will not only solve the problem of binding slides, it will also make hoists and take downs effortless. While genoas are usually one of the easier sails to deal with, there are still some great systems you may consider upgrading to depending on your current set up. If you have a wire forestay and still using hanks, you may consider changing to a luff tape and using a head foil or roller furler. Much like main sails, hanks can often bind on hoists and take downs and also makes it very difficult to change sails on the go. A head foil can make your life a bit easier with twin grooves for fast sail changes and one solid attachment point along the luff, your time spent on the bow preparing to hoist and after take down will be reduced dramatically. For those of you looking to spend no time on the bow, a roller furling unit may be the right call. This will allow you to keep your genoa up all season with the ability to partially roll the sail for reduced area while sailing and completely furl it while at the dock. Lastly, one of the more daunting tasks, especially for day sailors and larger boats can be the launching and dousing of a spinnaker. Fortunately, there are a few great systems that can really make this maneuver easier. Furlers aren’t just for genoas anymore. Recently a common trend for A-symmetrical spinnakers on larger boats is adding a furler. This will allow you to control the launching and dousing of your spinnaker just like a furling genoa. For smaller to mid-size boats, a dousing sock may be right for you. This is essentially a lightweight sleeve that connects to the head of the sail and is pulled up and down with a continuous line and pully system as needed. Dousing socks work great for shorthanded sailing with an A-symmetric spinnaker. If you have any questions about the products we’ve mentioned in this article, feel free to reach out to Bill Lesnek (Bill.Lesnek@northsails.com) or Mike Stark (Mike.Stark@northsails.com) or you can call our Detroit office at 586-790-7500. READ MORE

Everything You Need to Know For BOISW BOISW is shaping up to be the main event with over 130 boats registered! Divided into many classes, it looks to be a fun and competitive regatta for sailors of all kinds. Get your team race-ready with our tips and tricks to guide you around the race course and prepare for the ultimate racing experience here at Bay of the Islands! Local Knowledge Can Help Bay local Chris Hornell, skipper of TP52 Kia Kaha shares his insights that could help you catch the first shift at sailing week. Learn More Make Sure Your Boat Is Race Ready With many variables in sailing outside of our control, it is important to make sure your yacht is cleaned, light, and ready to be used with ease once your sails and crew are added. Learn More Maintaining Speed Through Changing Conditions Whether it’s your first BOISW, or you are a race veteran, it’s hard to anticipate the ever-changing conditions. North U Expert Bill Gladstone explores Angle of Attack in moderate air trim and also techniques for de-powering in heavy air and powering-up in light air. Learn More Know Your Job. Do Your Job. On board communication for racing yachts is a key factor for performance, no matter what type of sailing. However, when the number of crew increases, it becomes more and more important. Learn More Certified Service Guaranteed Bay of Islands Sailing Week is just around the corner, and your North Sails team of experts will be onsite and ready to help you with all of your sail care needs. North Sails is a long-time sponsor of BOISW, and we are back again this year to help make sure you are ready to race. Learn More READ MORE

WORLDS BEST SERVICE AT BOISW Keeping You On The Water and Having Fun! Bay of Islands Sailing Week is just around the corner, and your North Sails team of experts will be onsite and ready to help you with all of your sail care needs. North Sails is a long-time sponsor of BOISW, and we are back again this year to help make sure you are ready to race. In a beautiful location with a unique atmosphere, Bay of Islands Sailing Week is one of New Zealand's premier regattas. A highlight to the sailing calendars of many clients and staff, BOISW is an excellent opportunity for all to participate in great racing. The social aspects of the regatta are one of a kind when it comes to networking, and the race itself is a beautiful sight to see. It's a great chance to race, socialize, network, and see a full range of North Sails products in action, not only on superyachts and big race boats, but also on one designs and cruisers. North Sails experts will be on hand to answer any questions and will run a service loft at the regatta to repair sails from any manufacturer. We look forward to seeing you there! Offering you the Worlds Best Service, no matter where you are At North Sails, our mission is to provide you with expert repairs, maintenance, and upgrades promptly. We know that whether you race or cruise, your sails are a significant investment, and we're committed to helping you maximize their performance and lifespan. Our unmatched worldwide network means you get the same quality service, whether you're at home or joining us for sailing week here in the islands. Are you attending Bay of Island Sailing Week? We'll be onsite and ready to take care of all your sail needs. Have questions about tuning? Need a sail repair? Contact us today, and we'll meet you at the dock. 📸 Lizzo Photography READ MORE

MAGPIE WINS ETCHELLS AUSTRALIAN CHAMPIONSHIP Graeme Taylor Takes Home the Title with a Race to Spare Magpie (AUS 1474) and Shoulda Gone Left (AUS 1395) go head-to-head 📸 John Curnow 35 teams arrived at Royal Brighton Yacht Club in Melbourne to battle for the Etchells Australian National Championship title. North Sails clients claimed all top 10 positions overall, so we had to find out why from Graeme Taylor, the helm onboard the winning Magpie (AUS 1474). Graeme has been part of the class since 2000 and has racked up multiple victories, including four top-three finishes at the Worlds and four Australian National titles. For this year’s Nationals, he teamed up with James Mayo and Tom Slingsby and won the regatta with a race to spare, despite the varied bag of wind strengths in Port Phillip Bay. “We are very comfortable in all conditions,” Graeme explains, crediting their inventory of PC-FM Radial Head Mainsail, GT Jib, MAL Jib, Full Radial Spinnaker, and VMG Spinnaker. “Having worked hard to be competitive in the light air, we now feel fast in those conditions.’’ In an experienced fleet with so many competitive boats, Graeme stresses that keeping a level head is key. “Never rip up your tickets! You will not always be at the front but there are usually a lot of opportunities in each race to improve your position. It’s always a long regatta and it is important to focus on the overall goal. Bad results and tough days are just part of the sport. You can never be perfect in every race and catch every shift during a regatta. I think it is important to know your team well and understand how they overcome obstacles.’’ Asked about the pressure of being one of the favorites, Graeme replied, “We don’t care about being seen as one of the favorites and it does not affect our performance at all. Generally, I feel like other boats do not want to engage with or tack onto us. If they want to follow us, we are good with that because they are already behind!’’ Graeme says the team’s consistent top-five results came from a positive mental attitude, along with finding what worked and sticking with it. “The start and the first windward leg are very important. We try to stick to a standard routine around the start line to make life easy. Every race is a new race and we see each one as a new opportunity for a good result.’’ “Every race is a new race and we see each one as a new opportunity for a good result.’’ He also has some advice for anyone looking to up their game in 2020. “I have always told myself that all of the great sailors are human too and not to be intimidated by them; they only have two legs, two arms, two eyes, two ears, and one brain, the same as me, so there is no reason why I can’t beat them! There are many talented sailors in the Etchells fleet, and being a class member for such a long time, it’s great to constantly be challenged. Train and sail lots, and the results will come.’’ Team Magpie is already thinking ahead to the 2020 Worlds in Fremantle in November. “We have a lot of opportunities to improve our downwind speed through technique and different modes, so we will use the limited time we have to train to be as effective as we can be in this area.’’ Congratulations to all North teams, especially all of the top 10 finishers! View the full list of results. 📸 John Curnow Corinthian winners, TRIAD (AUS 1383) 📸 John Curnow 📸 John Curnow 📸 John Curnow Rat Pack (AUS 963) 📸 John Curnow TAMM HA TAMM (AUS 865) 📸 John Curnow READ MORE

BOISW LOCAL WEATHER Chris Hornell Sets the Scene for Weather on the Bay 📸 Lissa Photography One of the biggest attractions for first-timers and Sailing Week regulars alike is the weather and wind conditions enjoyed in the Bay of Islands. Bay local Chris Hornell, skipper of TP52 Kia Kaha, says the most common conditions for the height of summer is an east-northeasterly sea breeze, which can fill in up to 15 knots, especially if the wind is lighter in the morning. "However, every few years we do get a front that pushes in and we can get two to three days of a decent southwesterly and a breezy regatta," Chris says. Like much of the upper North Island, the bay has been experiencing a persistent southwesterly since Christmas, so he is hoping for a change back to more typical conditions by late January. Sailors that are familiar with our version of harbour racing often also enjoy sailing in bigger seas. While the inshore courses are more sheltered, the sea state can build in the afternoon with the sea breeze. This can also be affected by offshore systems which send in big rollers from the Pacific. Either way, the conditions and setting usually combine to create ‘champagne sailing’ for the bay races around the islands. The early morning calm before the sea breeze fills in. 📸 Lissa Photography READ MORE

WINTER SERVICE TIPS The Top Three Benefits of Winter Sail Service Winter is now in full swing, and it's time to have your sails evaluated. In the colder months when you are staying warm and off the water, you should think about giving your sails the same treatment. Three Benefits for winter sail service: 1. The sails will be inspected and ready to roll out in spring. Our 10 point inspection covers all the bases to ensure your sails are in working order come spring. Our 10 Point Inspection includes: Inspect head, tack, clew and reef attachments. Inspect webbing & hardware for chafe and UV damage. Inspect hand stitching. Inspect luff tapes and luff attachments. Inspect for chafe at external hardware contact points at spreaders, shrouds, stanchions etc. Inspect leech line, foot line and attachment system. Inspect sail for UV damage and proper furling side (if applicable). Inspect batten pocket ends, attachments and fit (if applicable). Inspect sail body for condition of cloth, seams, sail numbers, draft stripes and windows. Replace or add telltales (complimentary). Inspect miscellaneous gear: Spinnaker Snuffer line and hoop, mainsail external flaking system, headsail vertical battens, UV covers, etc. Inspect sailbag draw string, zippers, web straps, and label properly. Sail report, 10 checkpoints, comments. 2. The sails will be out of the elements of winter. No chance of a headsail unfurling in a windstorm, no more UV damage, and overall knowing that your sails are in good hands. 3. Cleaning. Did your sails seem dirty? Winter is the best time to have them cleaned, they are already off the boat and not being used. Cleaning your sails will brighten them and eliminate dirt and stains. Don't forget about our One Year Free Sail Care for North Sails under 1 year old. This program is honored anywhere in our worldwide network of sales and service locations. 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. An annual inspection of your inventory will aid significantly in extending sail life and maintaining peak performance. READ MORE

North American Champion and North Sails Expert Mike Marshall explains how to sail this exciting sportboat well. Who sails a VX One? This is the nuts and bolts of VX One sailing. First off, VX sailors are really fun and we all have a blast sailing this boat. Even on a day when we can’t sail, we have a good time. One reason the class is gaining in popularity is that you can sail it with either two or three people, and at a wide variety of weights. Most people sail with three, and the accepted class weight is around 420 pounds. I have been in the top three at major regattas sailing with just one crew, and had great results at weights ranging anywhere from 380-450 pounds. 📸 Tim Olin What’s involved in crewing? The boat responds very well to hiking, so it’s important for the entire team to be physically fit. Pulling the spinnaker up and down is the hardest job, so put your strongest teammate in the middle. Sailing with three, jobs are divided up as follows: Upwind: the forward person adjusts the self-tacking jib and the middle crew trims main. Downwind: forward person adjusts weight (both fore and aft and side to side) to keep boat flat and fast, adjusts the jib as needed, and trims the kite during sets and douses. Middle hoists/douses the kite and trims it the rest of the time. Sailing with two, the helm handles the mainsheet and also takes the spinnaker sheet during sets and douses. Top VX speed tip? You just can’t get the boat flat enough upwind. Hiking harder will make you flatter, but if you aren’t able to do that ease the main out farther than you think, and then pull the heck out of the vang. Oh yeah, and hike HARD. What should buyers know when choosing a boat? There are two builders, McKay and Ovington. Any of the newer boats (above #150) are quite similar. Below that number, the boats are a bit heavier. You are allowed to take weight out of the keel to bring them down to minimum weight, but it’s a little extra work and there is a limit to how much you can take out. How does a VX get around on land? For just one boat, the load is light and you can pretty much tow it behind anything. It’s got an aluminum trailer, and the keel goes up and down. So you put the boat on the bunks, put the covers on, put the mast on top, and head off to the next regatta. It’s a similar load to a Lightning. If you are traveling more than an hour, it is a good idea to take your keel out. How many sails are required? Three sails, made of polyester cloth. Our goal is to keep costs down. There was a push in the class to go to Aramid, but a brand new polyester sail is going to be better than an older Aramid sail so we think it’s more important to be able to buy new sails more often. That’s also why we only offer three sail options: one main, a jib, and a spinnaker. VX One Tuning What are the keys to rig set-up? The VX has uppers and diagonals, as well as checkstays that attach to the top of the vang, and balancing the tension between them is crucial. Set your rig tension to the tuning guide’s base numbers for the conditions before leaving the dock. Once on the water, fine-tune the uppers so the leeward one just goes slack when you're sailing upwind. That gives you enough prebend, and enough headstay sag or headstay tension for the conditions. Total range is 18 turns from light air to really windy. Once I get my uppers correct, I continue to sail upwind and overtrim the main a few clicks. The overbend wrinkles should go about 50% of the way back. If they're going above the spreaders and more than 50% of the way back, I immediately put a turn or two on the diagonals. If they look okay at the spreaders, but they're going more than 50% of the way back through the window in the main, I put maybe one turn on the checks (the whole range should only be one to two turns, so if you are doing more than that, your base tuning is off). The diagonals will go through about 10 full turns of adjustment up the range. For more detail, read the Tuning Guide. And don’t just count turns; the key is to look at the main while tuning, to dial it in. Then go sailing! 📸 Jeff Westcott VX One Upwind Sailing Upwind the front person adjusts the jib sheet and car. It’s self-tacking, but sheet tension and car angle are critical to boat speed. The middle person trims the main, which also controls angle of heel. The driver adjusts vang and cunningham. Which is better, sailing high or fast? Sailing fast is much better, but the boat has to be flat. Keep the jib telltales flying 100 percent of time; don’t let the windward one dance until you are overpowered and have to ease the jib out to keep the main from backwinding. Upwind, where does the crew sit? Keep crew weight as far forward as possible. If I take three big waves over the bow in a row, everyone moves back a half body width. Otherwise stay as far forward as possible. 📸 Tim Olin How do you trim the VX mainsail upwind? Unless we’re overpowered, I trim it in until the top telltale just stalls. Once we get overpowered, mainsail trim doesn’t matter—boat heel does. Ease it out as much as you need to in order to keep the boat flat. How do you trim the VX jib upwind? The top of the upper leech should be parallel to centerline with the telltale flying 95% of the time, and the jib car should be sitting at 7-7.5 degrees out from centerline until it’s time to depower. Start depowering by moving the car halfway down the track (10-13 degrees off centerline); I like to keep the sheet on as long as possible. The standard attachment point on the clew is the fourth hole up from the bottom. In breezier conditions, move down a hole or two. Jib halyard tension is key in the VX One and should be played constantly, especially in puffy conditions. When you do have the main eased to keep the boat flat, don't overtrim the jib. If the main starts luffing, it’s backwind from the jib so it is time to ease! How do you shift gears upwind? Put the bow down and go faster! Off the starting line, it’s so hard to consistently sail the boat high and slow that you’re better off extending away than trying to pinch someone off. Shifting gears in this boat means figuring out that you’re too high and not fast enough. The faster you go, the more effective the keel and rudder are so the higher you will point. Who says what when sailing upwind? On our boat, the forward crew talks about pressure while the middle talks about boat traffic and speed. The skipper has pretty good visibility, and I don’t hike hard enough… so I can look around to decide where to go. When I sail with two, my forward crew talks about pressure and fills in my blind spots. 📸 Jeff Westcott VX One Downwind Sailing How fast is the boat downwind? It feels like you're doing a million miles an hour, but it’s also totally manageable. The boat talks to you; when it does wipe out, just let the kite out, pull the jib in, and get the bow down and the boat flat again. There are two very distinct modes sailing downwind; lower/not hiking, and higher/hiking. The higher mode is better, but harder to maintain because it requires riding the fine line of not sailing too much distance while going fast. The goal is to stay right on the edge of control. Where does your crew sit when sailing downwind? The middle crew needs to be able to see the spinnaker, so that means sitting (or hiking) on the weather rail. The forward crew gets as far forward and to leeward if necessary (in light air) to keep the correct angle of heel. It’s easy to move back too soon; wait until you’re planing and hiking or taking waves over the bow. In very light air, the forward crew can sit on the floor in front of the shrouds. Don’t drag the boat’s butt in any condition. If you ever feel like the bow is up in the air, then you're probably too far back. Under spinnaker, how much heel should be carried? Just enough to get one half of the hull out of the water, about eight degrees. It’s very similar to upwind. 📸 Chris Turner What are the keys to trimming the kite? Biggest key is to ease when a puff hits, even though the kite might curl a little. Trimming heels the boat over, which turns the boat up—the opposite of what you want in a puff. Easing frees the helm and allows the boat to pop onto a plane. In theory, the apparent wind will remain constant downwind, because as you accelerate you turn down. So don’t move the kite sheet too much. In lulls, trim a bit as the driver heads up, but be careful of overdoing it. How do you shift gears downwind? There are two modes. Displacement (under 10 knots of breeze) and planing (above 10 knots of breeze). Above 18, it’s easy to find the planing mode. From 10-18 knots, the higher mode is faster but it’s also harder to achieve. VX One Boathandling What are your top 3 tips to starting well in a VX? For the first five seconds after the gun, put the bow down and commit to getting boat speed up. If you do this, you’ll probably be going faster than the boats around you, so you’ll no longer need to sail high to keep your lane. If you don’t commit to the low fast mode, you’ll end up pinching and watching others sail away from you. While in sequence, keep a small part of jib unfurled to make it easier to tack. The jib trimmer needs to be very active. I’d love the jib to come out at 20 seconds, but realistically it’s out at around two minutes to get to the right place on line and control the boatspeed. Never slow down too much. The keel has a very short cord length, so you’ll end up sliding sideways and eating up your hole to leeward. What are the keys to tacking a VX well? Keep your crew weight forward. If you drag the stern, you’ll slow down even more. When you come out of the tack, ease both sails to keep the boat flat and powered up until you get back up to speed. What are the keys to jibing a VX well? There are two kinds of jibes: the high speed blow through, and the displacement. For the first you turn a lot faster, trying to keep the speed up. Trim the old sheet in before letting the sail blow through to the new side, and then fill it again by trimming the new sheet. It’s fast, but not conservative. For a displacement jibe, the old sheet gets eased early and you trim on the new sheet as you’re turning. You should be about halfway in on the new sheet when the main crosses. This isn’t quite as fast, but it’s a lot less likely to get you into trouble if it’s windy or your crew is not too experienced. 📸 Jeff Westcott How do you make a fast spinnaker set? Turn down 15-20 degrees lower than your sailing angle before calling for the hoist, just long enough to depower the sails and get the boat flat. Then turn back up as the kite goes up. If you hoist while the boat’s heeled, the tack will fall in the water and you will shrimp. The middle crew hoists, using legs rather than arms, and it should be fully hoisted with 2-3 pulls. The forward person trims the sheet until it’s handed over to the middle crew. If you have to stay high to maintain a lane, ease the main to get the boat flat before hoisting. What are the keys to a good spinnaker takedown on the VX? Pass the sheet to the forward crew so they can keep it filled right up to the douse. The middle crew pulls on the douse line; the first two pulls are easy, but once the bulk of the sail reaches the snuffer (usually on the third pull) it gets a lot harder. Try to adjust your first two pulls so that you’re just beginning the third when it gets hard; that way you can use your legs and have more power. On any takedown where you have to get the sheet around the headstay, I like to grab the weather sheet and pull it back until the clew is just behind the headstay on the windward side. That helps the kite land in the boat, not in the water. How do you recover from a broach or capsize? I haven’t done that yet! Fingers crossed! But the boat talks to you… so when you feel the rudder cavitate, ease the main to get it under control. If you don’t catch it in time, luff the kite while trimming the jib until the boat is back under control. Any recommended boathandling drills? Setting and dousing are the two hardest boathandling moves. Practice with an older kite, and work on the timing of the pulls as well as the direction that the bow is pointed. Also practice stopping and starting. Getting up to speed quickly can make (or break) your starts. One good check is at what speed on your Velocitek you loose flow on the foils; try to never get below that on the starting line. The coolest thing about the VXOne class? The people! The boat is an absolute riot to sail, but it wouldn’t matter if you didn’t have fun people to sail against. No matter where you are in the fleet, you’ll be crossing tacks and jibes with someone who will be sharing their war stories over a beer back on shore. Everyone is just so excited about going sailing and having fun. 📸 Jeff Westcott READ MORE

Trofejna 2019. za hrvatske laseraše Vjerujem da Europa Cup ne treba posebno predstavljati. Ipak je riječ o natjecanju koje traje dugi niz godina i naši jedriličari i jedriličarke su redoviti sudionici od samih početaka. Nekad su uspješniji, a nekad manje, a za 2019. sigurno se može reći da ulazi u one kojih ćemo se rado sjetiti. Od pet kategorija koje se boduju kroz različite regate širom starog kontinenta, Hrvatska je imala predstavnike na postolju u čak tri! Kategorije po kojima su podijeljeni sudionici Europa Cupa su Laser 4.7 za momke, Laser 4.7 za djevojke, Laser Radial za momke, Laser Radial za djevojke i Laser Standard. U principu nema dodatnih podjela po godištima za generalni plasman, a jedino dobno ograničenje je da natjecatelji moraju biti stariji od 12 godina. Naravno, na pojedinim regatama se dodatno nagrađuju i pojedine dobne skupine. O kojima je riječ najbolje se može vidjeti na popisu nagrađenih na posljednjoj Novogodišnjoj regati, a točna razgraničenja za sezonu 2019 izgledala su ovako: IZVOR: EURILCA Da bi se ovaj tour ravnopravno popularizirao u cijeloj Europi, EurILCA je odlučila uvesti podjelu na pet zona: Sjeverozapad: NED, BEL, GER, DEN, GBR, IRL Sjeveroistok: NOR, FIN, EST, LTU, POL, SWE Jugozapad: ESP, POR, FRA, SUI, MON Centralni istok: AUT, HUN, SLO, ITA Jugoistok: ROU, GRE, ISR, CRO, SRB, BUL, MNE Da ne bi bilo zabune, EurILCA je organizacija s mnogo više država članica nego što je na ovoj karti, a ove podjele su napravljene s obzirom na želje nabrojanih da budu domaćini nekoj od regata iz ciklusa. Naime, dogovoreno je da se svake godine organizira deset regata koje će se bodovati za tour i u svakoj od zona se organiziraju po dvije regate. Glavni cilj toga je da jedriličari iz pojedine zone imaju jednaku priliku sudjelovati na bar dvije regate, a ne da su hendikepirani zbog velike udaljenosti i financijskih troškova putovanja na udaljene destinacije preko cijele Europe. Regate su raspoređene tijekom cijele godine, a u 2019. na raspolaganju su bile: Europa Cup Slovenija - 15-17.03. - Koper Europa Cup Švicarska - 29-31.04. - Lugano Europa Cup Francuska - 11-14.04. - Hyères Europa Cup Italija - 9-12.05. - Torbole Europa Cup Norveška - 31.05-02.06. - Stavanger Europa Cup Nizozemska - 07-09.06. - Hoorn Europa Cup Bugarska - 14-16.06. - Varna Europa Cup Njemačka - 11-14.07. - Rostock-Warnemünde Europa Cup Mađarska - 06-08.09. - Balatonfüred Europa Cup Hrvatska - 28-31.12. - Hvar Naši predstavnici su se uglavnom koncentrirali na 5 regata, pa ih se uz Hvarski EC može pronaći i na rezultatima Europa Cupova u Sloveniji, Švicarskoj, Francuskoj i Mađarskoj. Osim očiglednog razloga o sudjelovanju u Hrvatskoj, Sloveniji i Mađarskoj, zbog blizine, natjecanja u Švicarskoj i Francuskoj su organizirana zbog povezivanja nastupa na nekoliko Europskih i Svjetskih prvenstava za Lasere koja su organizirana u Francuskoj prošlo ljeto. Što se tiče bodovanja, u obzir su se uzimala po tri najbolja rezultata, dok ih se sedam najlošijih moglo odbaciti. Pa krenimo po "kvadraturi" od najvećih prema najmanjima... U klasi Laser Standard Marko Smolić iz šibenskog JK Val osvojio je prvo mjesto! Marku je ovo posljednja godina u juniorskoj konkurenciji, tako da se na regatama na kojima je jedrio u 2019. još uvijek nalazio u konkurenciji U21, a evo što on kaže o ovoj temi: Lani sam nastupio u Europa Cupu u Sloveniji, Švicarskoj, Mađarskoj i na Hvaru. Sam početak sam dobro otvorio s drugim mjestom u Kopru i pobjedom u Luganu, a u Sloveniji su me doslovno milimetri dijelili od prvog mjesta u generalnom plasmanu. U Mađarskoj sam imao nekih problema s brzinom, tako da tu regatu nisam dobro završio. A sad na Hvaru sam samo došao odraditi posao. Imao sam i priliku završiti na postolju... nas nekoliko je bilo u par bodova. Zadnji plov sam stalno bio drugi-treći, ali sam u cilj ušao kao četvrti. Šteta... Ove godine je Europa Cup bio organiziran tako da se jedri širom Europe i da se konkurencija poveća maksimalno. Da cijelo natjecanje dobije još više na težini. To se vidi i iz rezultata, jer su na rezultatima i Ukrajinci, Portugalci, Englezi... Momci protiv kojih sam jedrio su praktički svih generacija, ima i mlađih od mene a i starijih, ali većinom su to juniori koji traže svoj put prema olimpijskim ciklusima. Što se tiče cijele moje prošle sezone mogu je opisati kao prilagodbu na Laser Standard u kombinaciji s fakultetom kojeg sam lani upisao. U dogovoru s trenerom Teom Piasevolijem nisam postavio visoke ciljeve, fakultet mi je bio na prvom mjestu. A što se tiče jedriličarskog dijela priče tu je bilo i uspona i padova. Početak sezone je bio dobar jer sam dosta vremena provodio na moru, bio sam u dobroj formi, a kako je sezona odmicala rezultati su bili lošiji jer sam se morao posvetiti i studiranju. Također sam dobio i ozljedu leđa, pa me je i ona malo vratila natrag. Sve u svemu vrlo duga sezona. Najvažnije od svega je što smo izvukli određene zaključke i znamo na čemu trebam još raditi. S druge strane zadovoljstvo mi predstavlja to što sam ostvario nekoliko vrlo lijepih rezultata unatoč tome što nisam bio na 100% svojih mogućnosti. Tu moram posebno istaknuti ulogu mog trenera Tea Piasevolija i klupskih kolega Roka Copića i Jurja Radačića koji su mi stvarno puno pomogli da prođem prvu godinu fakulteta što bezbolnije. Naravno, želim se zahvaliti i svom klubu koji me je ovako pratio do sada s nadom da ćemo tako surađivati i ubuduće. S druge strane 2020. godina je moja posljednja juniorska godina i plan je da se što bolje spremim za juniorsko Svjetsko prvenstvo, a nakon toga trebam sjesti s trenerom i vidjeti što ćemo dalje. Marko Smolić, JK Val - Šibenik Unatoč tome što Marko studira u Splitu, još uvijek većinu treninga odrađuje u Šibeniku. Jedini ozbiljni period treniranja u Splitu je bio pred Svjetsko prvenstvo koje je organizirao JK Mornar krajem listopada. Tada su u Splitu bili organizirani i kampovi za Lasere. Trenutno je na drugoj godini petogodišnjeg fakulteta, tako da je definitivno još velik posao ispred njega da uskladi sve svoje akademske i sportske obaveze. Još sedam naših jedriličara je nastupilo u Laser Standardu, a ovo su njihovi konačni plasmani: 8. Juraj Radačić - nastupio na 3/10 11. Antonio Lukšić - 3/10 15. Dominik Perković - 2/10 18. Mario Novak - 2/10 29. Alec Cvinar - 2/10 59. Stipe Gašpić - 1/10 72. Božidar Golubić - 1/10 Ukupno su u ovoj klasi zajedrila 183 jedriličara. U ženskom Radialu u 2019. je nastupila 161 djevojka. Među njima 10 s CRO jedrima. Na žalost tu nismo imali ni jednu predstavnicu s medaljom za finalni plasman iako imamo nekoliko vrlo kvalitetnih jedriličarki. Ali nastupile su na samo po jednoj regati i nisu skupile dovoljno bodova za neki ozbiljniji plasman: 15. Karla Šavar - nastupila na 2/10 25. Mare Milić - 2/10 26. Ivona Ercegovac - 2/10 31. Karmen Perković - 1/10 38. Sandra Lulić - 1/10 46. Ursula Balas - 1/10 58. Sara Mujesić - 1/10 72. Petra Mastelić - 1/10 79. Katja Frua - 1/10 83. Ana Vitasović - 1/10 Ovdje treba uzeti u obzir da su neke od ovih jedriličarki počele s jedrenjem u Radialu tek pred kraj 2019. godine, tako da su jedine bodove dobile tek na Europa Cupu u Hvaru. Tako ćemo npr. Ursulu Balas i Petru Mastelić pronaći i na rezultatima u ženskoj konkurenciji Lasera 4.7. U 4.7 konkurencija je bila nešto manja, jedrilo je sve skupa 127 jedriličarki. Više od 10% od ukupnog broja su bile hrvatske natjecateljice. Ukupno je bilo 14 naših djevojaka, a najviše veseli podatak da su zauzele 2., 3. i 4. mjesto! Jedino je ispred njih bila mlada švicarka Anja von Allmen, aktualna svjetska prvakinja u ovoj klasi. Srebrena na kraju godine bila je jedriličarka JD Val iz Crikvenice, Ursula Balas. Osim po ovom rezultatu, 2019. će joj sigurno ostati u vrlo lijepom sjećanju i po srebrenoj medalji na Europskom prvenstvu osvojenoj u Hyreseu, a s kompletiranjem kolekcije odličja počela je 2018. kad je u Grčkoj osvojila brončanu medalju također na EP. Tek nedavno sam prešla u Radial i stvarno sam zadovoljna s rezultatom na Hvaru, jer se vidi napredak u odnosu na prošlu regatu. Na početku godine sam u Laseru 4.7 odjedrila prve tri regate Europa Cupa. Tada sam nastupila u Kopru, Luganu i Hyèresu. U Sloveniji sam završila prva sveukupno... i u muškoj i u ženskoj konkurenciji. U Francuskoj sam bila druga, a u Švicarskoj sam bila treća ukupno i prva u ženskoj konkurenciji. Po pitanju konkurencije u 4.7 mislim da je puno jedriličarki bilo na mom nivou i konačni rezultati su ovisili o uvjetima koji su vladali i kome su koji više odgovarali. Tako je recimo meni najdraže kad je oko 10-15 čvorova... uvjeti slični onima koji su bili na Hvaru. Da sam tada jedrila u 4.7 možda bi imala šansu i za ukupnu pobjedu u Cupu. Ovako je prva Anja von Allmen. Nas dvije smo dosta jedrile jedna protiv druge... na proljeće smo obje bile na regatama u Kopru, Luganu i Hyèresu, a kasnije i na Europskom prvenstvu i Svjetskom prvenstvu u Kanadi. Na sve te tri regate EC-a ja sam bila brža. Što se tiče sezone ispred nas jedan od ciljeva mi je povećanje mase i daljnje privikavanje na ovu klasu. Oonda ovisno o rezultatima na prvim regatama vidjet ćemo na čemu treba dodatno raditi. A što mi je u ovoj sezoni bilo najdraže... sigurno mogu istaknuti srebro s Europskog prvenstva. Sigurna sam da je to bila najjača regata na kojoj sam jedrila, a samo jedrenje je bilo čisti užitak jer su uvjeti bili baš onakvi kakve volim. Nisam sebi ni postavila neke posebne ciljeve, već sam se samo koncentrirala na jedrenje i tek posljednja dva dana, kad sam vidjela da imam šansu za medalju, koncentrirala sam se baš na taj cilj. Naravno, svi ti rezultati ne bi bili mogući bez mog tima kojem se želim zahvaliti za sav trud... treneru Robertu Jurinčiću, treneru Leu iz teretane i svojim roditeljima! Ursula Balas, JD Val - Crikvenica Ursula je inače učenica trećeg razreda srednje škole i po svemu do sada prikazanom vrlo svijetla budućnost je ispred nje. Da bi priča iz Crikvenice bila još ljepša, pobrinula se Ursulina klupska kolegica Nika Manestar. Ona je osvojila brončanu medalju na Europa Cupu za 2019. a Novogodišnja regata joj je bila posljednja u Laseru 4.7. Ubuduće ćemo i nju viđati na regatama Laser Radiala i stvarno je odlično kad se u jednom klubu mogu istovremeno naći dvije jedriličarke ovakvih mogućnosti i kvaliteta. Ostale naše jedriličarke su EC 2019 završile ovako: 4. Eleonore Borgin - nastupila na 5/10 15. Lea Rakovac - 2/10 22. Paola Celić - 2/10 48. Petra Marendić - 1/10 53. Carla de Carina - 1/10 63. Anastazija Marendić - 1/10 69. Helena Jakšić - 1/10 72. Dora Gomerčić - 1/10 78. Petra Mastelić - 1/10 81. Nora Copić - 1/10 93. Kalista Delić - 1/10 96. Ivana Šošić - 1/10 Treća klasa u kojoj je Hrvatska osvojila medalju u Europa Cupu je Laser radial u muškoj konkurenciji. Od petnaest hrvatskih jedriličara najbolje plasiran je bio još jedan Valovac Roko Copić. Momak koji je jedan od najboljih laseraša u svojoj generaciji krenuo je furiozno na početku sezone. Potom dolazi do ozljede ramena s kojom je uspio i jedriti na velikim regatama na kraju ljeta, ali se početkom jeseni ipak morao podvrgnuti operativnom zahvatu. Unatoč tom ozbiljnom negativnom efektu uspio je osvojiti broncu, a od srebrene medalje ga je dijelio samo jedan bod s kojim ga je ukrajinski kolega pretekao na Hvaru. Sasvim realno je za vjerovati da ga je zdravlje poslužilo da bi ga vrlo vjerojatno vidjeli na pobjedničkom postolju zajedno s klupskim kolegom Markom Smolićem. Treće mjesto na Europa Cupu sam osvojio zahvaljujući rezultatima na regatama u Kopru, Luganu i Balatonfüredu. Od početka godine smo ciljali na medalju, ali nas je moja ozljeda malo zeznula, pa smo morali donijeti dosta promjena u naše planove i prilagoditi tome plan regata, a trebalo je i ciljeve prilagoditi trenutnoj situaciji. U svakom slučaju mislim da smo uspjeli izvuči maksimum iz dane situacije. Trenutno sam u procesu rehabilitacije i očekujem da bi se uskoro mogao vratiti u brod. Za sada taj proces ide bolje od očekivanog i vjerujem da će sve to biti dobro. Po trenutnom stanju stvari vjerujem da ću ponovno zajedriti za oko mjesec i pol, možda dva, a prvoj regati se nadam negdje početkom ljeta. Inače o Europa Cupu mislim sve najbolje, jer tu se stvarno dobro vidi tko je dobar u prijelaznim i tko je spreman za nastaviti dalje u ozbiljnijim klasama. Tako je i u Radialu konkurencija bila ozbiljna, ali unatoč svemu godinu smo završili sa solidnim rezultatom. Da mi nije bilo ove ozljede jedrio bi i na Hvaru i vjerujem da bi konačni rezultat bio mnogo bolji. Ako izuzmem ozljedu i napravim rezime cijele sezone mislim da je bila vrlo uspješna s mnogim novim saznanjima, pogotovo po pitanju kondicijske pripreme i samog jedrenja. S druge strane mi je pokazala i gdje sam u odnosu na svoju generaciju i što mogu očekivati u budućnosti koja je vezana za Laser Standard, jer nemamo više planova za jedrenje u Radialu. Roko Copić, JK Val - Šibenik Kako je Roko godinu stariji od Ursule i trenutno je maturant, također se nadamo od njega dugom nizu lijepih lijepih vijesti nakon što prođe rehabilitacijski ciklus. Sama konkurencija u muškom Laser Radialu je bila najbrojnija u Europa Cupu ove godine. Ukupno se 380 jedriličara kalilo u ovoj konkurenciji i brusilo svoje jedriličarske vještine. Naših momaka je bilo iz skoro svih klubova i sudjelovali su uglavnom na regatama o kojima su pričali naši sugovornici, a osvojeni bodovi su ih plasirali na slijedeće pozicije: 13. Vice Jušić - nastupio na 4/10 17. Frano Šestan - 3/10 24. Krešimir Buneta - 3/10 37. Božidar Golubić - 2/10 42. Nik Pivalica - 3/10 95. Roko Stipanović - 1/10 107. Antun Tomašević - 1/10 115. Matija Reljanović - 1/10 129. Vicko Alfirević - 1/10 160. Bruno Gašpić - 1/10 164. Marijan Mavar - 1/10 174. Robert Mislej - 1/10 193. Lovro Mirković - 1/10 243. Filip Jurišić - 1/10 Kod pojedinaca treba uzeti u obzir da su bodove osvojili samo na posljednjoj regati EC, jer im je to bila prva regata Cupa u Radialu, pa se neka imena mogu ponovno vidjeti i na rezultatima za Laser 4.7, slično kao i u ženskoj konkurenciji: 6. Roko Stipanović - nastupio na 3/10 19. Roni Bobovnik - 3/10 20. Luka Hagenauer - 3/10 45. Luka Fatović - 3/10 49. Luka Vuković - 2/10 56. Antun Tomašević - 2/10 95. Lovre Bakotić - 1/10 103. Max Gjidera - 1/10 106. Niko Jakelić - 1/10 112. Jan Komadina - 1/10 117. Tedi Leonardelli - 1/10 132. Hrvoje Mršić - 1/10 135. Leonardo Borgin - 1/10 142. Frane Baršić - 1/10 152. Simon Starić - 1/10 153. Antonio Marendić - 1/10 159. Antonio Rudelj - 1/10 171. Massimiliano Rovis - 1/10 191. Matija Reljanović - 1/10 194. Ivan Vlačić - 1/10 249. Karlo Matić - 1/10 264. Luka Kaić - 1/10 Treba dodati da je ukupna konkurencija u muškom Laseru 4.7 bila od 296 jedriličara, a svi oni koje zanimaju detaljni rezultati svih klasa mogu ih pronaći na službenim stranicama EurILCA-e. Prva regata Europa Cupa za 2020. je u Portugalu od 31. siječnja, pa do 2. veljače, dok je prva Hrvatima lakše dostupna u Italiji od 30. travnja do 3. svibnja. READ MORE

ETCHELLS SIDNEY DOREN MEMORIAL REGATTA Clients Sweep the Podium Overall and in Corinthian 📸 Bill Goldsberry Miami delivered near perfect conditions for the second event of the Biscayne Bay Regatta Series. A full series of five races was sailed over the course of two days. Winds were primarily 15-20 kts out of ESE. It was everything Etchells sailors hope for for early January sailing! North Clients took 1st, 2nd, 3rd overall, while also sweeping the podium in the Corinthian Division. Our clients also impressively won every race in the regatta. Congratulations to Steve Benjamin and his team Stella Blue for taking the 2020 Doren title and to Steve Gurling and his team on Lion Heart for winning the Corinthian Division. 📸 Bill Goldsberry Saturday started with breeze-on from the ESE at 18 knots. It slowly trended down through the day. Boat speed and good starts yielded good scores. There were minimal wind shifts, so it was imperative to have wide open lanes and top boat speed. Vince Brun, Jeff Madrigali, and Jeff Reynolds on Louise won the day with an impressive 2,9,2. Jim Cunningham, Steve Hunt, Erik Shampain and Serena Village on Lifted also had a solid score line with a 1, 5, 8. Cunningham and his team have been sailing with the new Australian Designed jibs the MAL and GT, and it has translated into consistent speed. They have been training with North Sails expert Skip Dieball’s WarCanoe, helping them get up to speed and dialed in. Skip commented, “making the switch from traditional tuning to the new Australian tuning isn’t very difficult, but it is fun making tweaks to find even faster gears. Clearly Jim’s team has the right formula.” Another new sail to the lineup in 2020 is the new FR2 Spinnaker. North expert Alex Curtiss talked about the FR-2, “The more we have used it, the more we realize that it is a game changing sail. It makes it super fun to go downwind! The new layout has proven to be fast in the correct conditions.” “It’s fun making tweaks to find faster gears.” Sunday brought passing fronts and good breeze with a similar breeze direction at 12-15 knots. Steve Benjamin and his team of Michael Menninger, Ian Liberty and Joe Morris won the day and regatta handily with double bullets. Steve and his team were using the PCF-M main, LM-2HR and GT jibs, and FR-2 and VMG spinnakers. Interesting in regatta-winning Etchells sails? Contact your local North Sails Etchells experts and up your game before the next event. 📸 Bill Goldsberry READ MORE

ARIZONA LEUKEMIA CUP & 62nd BIRTHDAY REGATTA 2020 Sail to Support the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society READ MORE

#NSVICTORYLIST: 5.5 METRE WORLDS Kristian Nergaard Claims Tenth World Title In the 76-year history of the 5.5 Metre Class, only one skipper has won back-to-back titles in both the Scandinavian Gold Cup and the World Championship: Artemis XIV’s Kristian Nergaard. Kristian was excited to repeat this impressive achievement again at this year’s championship in New South Wales, Australia, and he is even more excited to compete next year on his home turf in Hankø, Norway. Even though this was Kristian’s tenth World title, he was still nervous going into the last day of racing. “We are not that strong in the light air. The sea state was lumpy and tough to get through while keeping up boat speed. In the first race we had an eye on New Moon II, as they were very close, but unfortunately by doing that we went the wrong way, putting us in fifth place. Going into the final race we had to stick with Ali Baba. We both got a bad start, but we knew as long as we were near them we would be okay.” Kristian adds that he has a great team. “Johan has been sailing for many years on Solings, in the Olympics. Anders is headed to the Olympics in a few months, so he’s also a great teammate to have on the boat.” “I also want to thank the race organizers for running an excellent event,” he continues. ”They had a professional team organizing the races and it was a great regatta for all competitors. It’s not always common to get every kind of condition at a World Championship, and in the trickiest conditions, the PRO still held up their end to make sure we had true championship racing.” 📸 Robert Deaves Second place was determined by a tiebreaker; after a tough start to the event, New Moon II used consistency and better boat speed to finish in front of Craig Symonette’s Ali Baba. North Sails 5.5M expert Christoph Burger, the middle crew on New Moon II, said the team had to pull together to climb back. “We had a decent first race, but then got off-track in race two. We were able to get our act together after that and got off the starting line with great speed. Once we were able to break away, it was all about positioning and fleet management, and keeping the boat going as fast as possible.” With a 90% market share in the top 10, Christoph says “2020 was real proof that North is offering the right sail inventory options to the class. With the various conditions we saw each day, we used every sail that North offers. For our upwind selections, we went with the Li-2 light jib together with the Mi-1 medium jib and then swapped the Li-2 out for the Hi-1 heavy jib as the breeze increased, which worked very well.” Downwind, the team used the S1, S2, and S3 and added the S4 as the wind increased. “With all of these sail options,” Christoph concludes, “we managed to cover the weather forecast perfectly and achieved our maximum boat speed goals each day.” New Moon II, Second Place 2020 World Championship 📸 Robert Deaves Will Alloway, crew on third place finisher Ali Baba, says they had a great first race even after going back to restart. “We led the fleet to the top mark, even after our corrected OCS; being able to come back is what kept us in the game.” With several boats tight on points behind Artemis XIV, the last day was a nail biter onboard Ali Baba. “The last race we again had a bad start,” Will says. “We managed to get out to the right and caught up on the downwind. Our entire strategy that day was to go left and get the best pressure that was coming down. We got forced out right, so we had to slowly work our way back in to the left pressure. The team did a great job on boat speed and getting us back to where we needed to be.” Just prior to the 2020 World Championship, North Sails clients won the 2020 Kaag Classic Cup & Hanko Evolution Cup, the Alfred’s Gold Cup, and the Scandinavian Cup. Interested in the world’s fastest 5.5 Metre sails? Contact your 5.5 Metre sail expert today and power through the wind ranges at your next regatta. World Championship Results 📸 Robert Deaves READ MORE

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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