NORTH SAILS BLOG

North Sails clients take 9 of top 10 positions at 2017 J/24 US Nationals J/24 Nationals is a wrap! Thirty two boats participated in the three-day championship, with strong participation and support from local J/24 Fleet 26. Aside from racing, the sailors enjoyed making new connections and learning what they could from each other. Lots of factors in the game for this event, with light air and strange current in Puget Sound keeping sailors on their toes. Nine races with a generous discard gave sailors a break, however the scores stayed very close in the top 10 positions. Thursday was designated as a practice day, though without enough wind to sail, the North Sails on-site team hosted a dock talk. Lead by North Sails experts Will Welles and Brian Janney, who finished 2nd on USA 5208, the dock talk allowed for a beneficial group discussion among competitors. Many questions were asked and answered. Local sailors shared knowledge of the sailing area and sailors from around the country shared techniques. The fleet was very competitive in light air, which was prominent throughout the event. Current and eddies along the shoreline were considerations, which made decisions tricky and the importance of making the right decision even more of a priority. Playing the current well served huge gains, as well as spending as much time as possible on the lifted tack upwind. Keeping your head out of the boat and eye on the dark water was also very important and made a big difference within the top 10. © Chris Howell “It was never the same way twice it seemed,” said Welles, who placed 2nd at the event. Local sailor Keith Whittemore and his crew on Tundra Rose leveraged their intel particularly well on the 2nd day, judging when the wind wouldn’t shift any farther right. They placed their bets on the left side early which proved beneficial. The current was also much stronger on the left, but that being said it was hard to decide if it was worth getting into. The wind was still so light there was concern that it could be impossible to get out of the strong current when it was time. Boat speed was important, but so was staying between your competition and the marks. The breeze filled in much sooner in the day on Sunday, allowing the committee to get in three good races before the event came to a close. Keith and his team were able to minimize mistakes, allowing them to stay out ahead of the pack the majority of the time. “They were unbelievably fast,” said Will. A fun regatta with newfound friends and experiences to remember, are the things every sailor in the J/24 fleet can take away from this event. Welcoming new sailors to your home club and sharing your knowledge of the craft shows a lot for the J/24 class and its sailors as a whole. Big thanks to Seattle Fleet 26 and RC volunteers for making this event a success. Will commented, “Sailing with friends is what it’s all about”. Congratulations to our clients for their strong performance in the top 10, and special congrats to Keith Whittemore and his team Tundra Rose for taking the overall win. © Chris Howell © Chris Howell © Chris Howell © Chris Howell © Chris Howell © Chris Howell © Chris Howell © Chris Howell © Chris Howell © Chris Howell © Chris Howell © Chris Howell © Chris Howell © Chris Howell © Chris Howell © Chris Howell © Chris Howell READ MORE

Class 40 Imerys tackles the uniquely challenging offshore race, powered by renewable energy and North 3Di sails © Rick Tomlinson On Friday, May 19th, Phil Sharp and Pablo Santurde won the Normandy Channel Race, crossing a line off of Hermanville in the wee hours of the morning. Not only did the pair sail their Class 40 Imerys on renewable energy alone, they finished the race in record time to set a new benchmark: 4 days, 11 hours 15 minutes and 50 seconds. Originating in 2010, the Normandy Channel Race is a popular double-handed offshore challenge in France. The course is varied and challenging, covering 1,000 offshore miles between the English Channel and the Celtic Sea as well as coastal portions off of France, the United Kingdom and Ireland. Challenging navigation zones brought on tight competition throughout the week-long journey, forcing sailors to be relentless and maintain focus to make sound tactical decisions. Imerys crossed the line just under three hours ahead of Jeand Galfione and Nicolas Ttroussel in 2nd place on Serenis Consulting, also powered by North. The following seven boats all finished in a busy two-hour span between 6:17 am – 8:19 am. Upon reaching the dock, lots of wide smiles from sailors and spectators alike gave the great feeling of a race sailed and finished well, with plenty of challenges in between. Phil began working with the North Sails team based in the UK before his entry in the Quebec – St Malo Race in 2016. A new mainsail was delivered on short notice, the same 3Di ENDURANCE main Phil and Pablo had up when they won the race this week. In the past year, Phil has expanded the inventory on Imerys to include a North Sails 3Di ENDURANCE J1, NPL SPORT J2, and a code zero, A6 and code 5. “Massive congratulations to Phil Sharp and Pablo Santurde on winning the highly competitive Normandy Channel Race on their Class 40 Imerys, on behalf of all of us at North Sails. It has been a pleasure to work on the sails for Imerys and collaborate with Phil on maximizing the boat’s performance.” – Jeremy Smart, North Sails in Gosport, UK © philsharpracing.com © philsharpracing.com © philsharpracing.com © philsharpracing.com READ MORE

One of the most dramatic events in modern sailing occurred in 1983. Australia II, with its famous winged keel, defeated US defender Liberty and took the America’s Cup abroad for the first time in its 200 year history. It was a stunning victory for the Aussies that resonated far beyond the sailing world. As both boats carried North sails, the company also rode the wave. Both Liberty and Australia II used revolutionary warp-oriented sail cloth for the first time. Aboard Australia II, a crew led by skipper John Bertrand hoisted sails of different material split front-to-back: polyester panels worked out of the luff and the layout switched to woven aramid, or kevlar, at the leech. The sails used a tri-radial layout, designed and developed by Tom Schnackenberg of North Sails in New Zealand, and were thought to be considerably lighter and less stretchy. Aboard Liberty were skipper Dennis Conner and tactician Tom Whidden. In 1987 Conner and Whidden would have their revenge. With the whole world watching, the pair guided American challenger Stars & Stripes to victory over Aussie defender Kookaburra III in a tense, windy series held in Perth. The Cup returned to US shores, Dennis Conner became a household name and Tom Whidden was hired as President of North Sails. Today, the America’s Cup remains a key platform for North sail development. Whether racing 12Metres, IACC sloops or wing-masted foiling catamarans, AC teams have helped North pioneer breakthroughs in sail technology such as 3DL aramid/carbon laminates, asymmetric spinnakers, 3Di composite sails, and the design horsepower behind a wing and soft sail working together. Commissioned by Alan Bond as a challenger for the 1983 America’s Cup, Challenge 12 (KA-10) was a point of reference for Australia II (KA-6). Here the two yachts are shown in the Challenger Series prior to the 1983 Cup. At the launching of Kookaburra III in Freemantle, before the 1987 Cup where she lost to Dennis Conner’s Stars & Stripes ’87, returning the Cup to US shores. READ MORE

Sailors gather in Lomma, Sweden to kick off the season North Sails is a proud sponsor of the Trim Cup, a unique event in Lomma, Sweden with an emphasis on improvement. Sailors worked on their performance on the racecourse with training drills and personal coaching provided by North Sails experts. This year was no different than the last, making for a highly engaging training regatta, and a great way to start the sailing season off right! A beautiful 16-22 knot breeze satisfied the fleet on Friday. Crew communication, maneuvers and starting techniques were key focuses of the day. With the help of North Sails’ Jesper Feldt and Henrik Ottosson, the race committee ran some practice starts coupled with short races for the fleet to warm up. Throughout the day, North Sails’ Chuck Allen and Charlie McKee took photos and video to review with the fleet after racing. All competitors showed great improvement in the span of the day, and awards were given to teams with the best starts and good communication, noted by experts on the water. On Saturday morning, the North Sails team of experts collected training priorities from the fleet. First step was to drop a weather mark so boats could practice mark roundings upon arriving to the race area, with coaches Chuck and Charlie close by to provide feedback. The race committee gave the 35 boat fleet a few practice starts and some short races to warm up before an afternoon of racing. Chuck and Charlie focused in on sail trim throughout the afternoon, sharing pointers and planning a debrief of the afternoon with photo and video. Every boat was seen on camera, emphasizing their trim, weight placement, and crew communication. On Sunday the breeze softened, giving sailors a chance to test their light air settings and crew work. North Sails experts reviewed notes and briefed sailors on the plan for the day. After three good races, Chuck and Charlie ran a short debrief on light air tacking and gybing with footage collected that day. Sailors appreciated hearing about individual techniques that worked for other members of the fleet. Awards were given out to competitors from their host, the Lomma Yacht Club, making for a great learning and racing experience for all. A whole-hearted thanks goes out to all the volunteers who made this a wonderful, welcoming event. Melges 24 downwind working on crew communication Debriefing after racing at Lomma Yacht Club 1/2 Tonner Antheor won “Most Improved” on Friday. FAREAST 28R working on boat speed in the lighter conditions on Sunday. Sunday’s Awards Ceremony READ MORE

NORTH SAILS PARTNERS WITH U.S. J/22 CLASS SCHOLARSHIP BOAT PROGRAM U.S. J/22 Class Initiative Gives Talented Young Sailors the Opportunity to Experience World Class One-Design Competitive Sailing North Sails One Design is proud to partner with the US J/22 Class Association its J/22 Scholarship Boat Program. North Sails has committed to providing new sails for the program for the 2017 season for the team using the boat. We are looking forward to being able to foster youth sailing in the J/22 and see the Scholarship Boat Grant program as a prime opportunity to further our goals. We are thankful to all the donors who have made the programs possible so far and want to encourage more people to become a part of the programs to help it succeed. Mike Marshall, J/22 World Champion and North Sails J/22 Class Leader, worked with the Class to organize the partnership. “I am so pleased and excited that our group is able to join with the J/22 Class to help provide opportunities for younger sailors to be involved with such a great Class. We are looking forward to continuing our support of the program for the next several years and help the Class build on its success.” “We are super excited to welcome North Sails as a major sponsor and are looking forward to working with Mike Marshall and North Sails to further promote the J/22 Scholarship Boat Program,” said Mark Stuhlmiller, President of the US J/22 Class Association. ABOUT THE PROGRAM The J/22 Scholarship Boat Program was designed to encourage talented youth sailors to experience the J/22 and the Class’ tremendous community of one-design sailors – at virtually no cost. Recipients of the award receive a fully outfitted J/22 sailboat and trailer for the entire season. It is the hope that recipients’ experience in the program will escalate their level of competitiveness and inspire them to accomplish great things in the world of sailing. THE 2017 WINNERS We caught up with the winners for a brief interview: WHY THE INTEREST IN THE J/22? The J/22 Class is a highly competitive Class that is always willing to share their knowledge to grow the Class. The sailors in the J/22 fleet will not only provide great sailing experiences for us, but will also introduce us to a higher level of competitive racing. HOW WAS THE TEAM WAS SELECTED? The team is constructed of the Jacksonville University Sailing Team by choosing four sailors who have a good chemistry together and have previous experience on similar boats to the J/22. However, the team is not limited to these four sailors. Since we are a collegiate team of about 30 sailors, we can easily move players around and train less experienced sailors to create a team that we believe will perform best in certain conditions. Our teamwork will allow us to select the right sailors to be the perfect fit for each event. FROM COLLEGE SAILING TO COMPETITIVE J/22 CIRCUIT College sailing has prepared us for the J/22 Class by improving our teamwork skills and by teaching us to always keep our heads out of the boat. Through college sailing, we’ve learned how to be prepared for the unexpected which will help us in sailing as a whole. In college sailing we have a nice variety of racing exposure that goes from fleet racing to match racing to team racing, along with our team workouts which make us very dedicated and team-oriented sailors. WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNED SO FAR? Learning how to tune the boat by adjusting the upper and lower shrouds was hard to grasp, but everything made sense as soon as we had our first practice. Something that we would like to continue to learn about is finding the balance between the upper and lower settings when we sail in different conditions. Having a better understanding of proper rig tuning will also teach us how to properly adjust the rake and backstay. EVENTS PLANNED? For this summer, we plan to attend Cleveland Race Week, J/22 North Americans, J/Fest, and the 2018 J/22 Worlds in Annapolis. For more information contact: Mike Marshall (401) 683-7997 mike.marshall@northsails.com READ MORE

Thornburg and crew reach Hawaii, finish Trans-pacific crossing in record time © Rachel Fallon-Langdon In the darkest hour of Tuesday morning, Lloyd Thornburg and his crew aboard Phaedo3 sailed past Diamond Head Lighthouse buoy at 4:32:18am local time. The team raced their maxi trimaran from Los Angeles to Hawaii to set a new record, shaving roughly an hour off the previous time. Yet to be ratified by the WSSRC, Phaedo3‘s new time-to-beat is 3 days, 16 hours, 52 minutes and 03 seconds. Upon reaching the dock, owner-driver Lloyd Thornburg said, “An unbelievable trip! Can’t believe we actually broke the record! This was the most difficult sail of my life. Everything went our way and the team put out a super human effort in order to keep the boat moving at nearly 30 knots through the entire trip. We are all excited for a well deserved rest and some sight seeing in Hawaii…” Lloyd joined his crew of Brian Thompson, Fletcher Kennedy, Justin Slattery, Pete Cumming, Henry Bomby and David Swete for the record-setting crossing. The team hoisted North Sails 3Di RAW and 3Di FORCE sails built this year. READ MORE

Mascalzone Latino Jr. Takes The Melges 20 Act 2 Overall Win In Scarlino Wrapping up Act 2 of the Melges 20 European Division in beautiful Scarlino, Italy with 32 teams from 7 different nations. A very nice job by the event organizers at Circolo Nautico Scarlino and the race committee personnel for running an excellent regatta for the M20 class. Day one was very light and the RC decided to call it for the day as the wind was not going to fill in with enough time to race. Saturday and Sunday were great sailing days, with 8-14 knots of breeze, the fleet was able to get in three good races. With the growth of the Melges 20 fleet as a whole, the boats are very tight on the race course, making speed a good start the most important take-away from the event. The starting line was just big enough for all boats, making it that much harder to find a hole and accelerate in a timely manner. Saturday and Sunday allowed for the teams to really work the boat on the downwind legs. Getting your team in sequence and being able to transition through modes was very important. Knowing how hard to push the boat downwind allowed for separation within the fleet and with the different techniques teams had it was interesting from a spectators point of view to see how each team found their groove. North Sails 3Di RACE is a fresh introduction to the Melges 20 class. The product has been demoed by a handful of fleet members including Leviathan, Raya, Cars 167, RUS 2, Mascalzone Latino Jr, and Maolca. Tactician Cameron Appleton had the following to report after using the sails on Mascalzone Latino Jr: “I was extremely happy with the 3Di RACE sails. We noticed how the mainsail handled a range of wind pressure and rig tune. The design has transferred from 3DL to 3Di seamlessly, with the match being very close and the sail’s behavior on par with what we expect from 3Di RACE verse 3DL sails.” “Each team will want to fine tune their own rig tune and setting with he new sail to suit there crew weight and style of sailing,” Cam continued. “So far we’ve gone approximately 85% off of the M-16 tuning guide with our own variations of tune for the conditions.” Congratulations to our clients for finishing within the top 10 positions, and great job to Mascalzone Latino Jr. for their impressive victory at Act 2 of the Melges 20 European Series. Next stop for the Melges 20 fleet, Zadar Croatia for Act 3! Stay posted on the North Sails offering for the Melges 20 here. Melges World League / Barracuda Communication Melges World League / Barracuda Communication Melges World League / Barracuda Communication Melges World League / Barracuda Communication READ MORE

FINN EUROPEANS Where The Heavyweights Come Out To Play Finn Europeans is a wrap! Sixty five competitors spent a week in Marseilles, France at the Yachting Club de la Point Rouge for an exciting week of sailing in the utmost variety of conditions, ranging from two to 30 knots. This is the first championship held in Marseilles for the Finn class and 26 countries were represented. Formatted like the trials, there are 10 races in the opening round, with the top three finishers qualifying for the final round. Sailors that place between fourth and 10th will then sail a semi-final round, with the top two finishers moving on to compete in the five-boat final round. The final round was on Saturday in which a final champion was determined. The week started out with heavy winds as a mistral moved through the region allowing two races to be completed on Monday. After the brunt of the storm passed, the winds became very light, too light to sail, so competitors were postponed onshore until enough wind built back up. They got one race in for the day. On Day two the race committee was successfully able to score one race in 8-10knots of breeze. Ed Wright began his event with two bullets, but was over early in the third race, allowing Ben Cornish to take the win and move into the overall lead. On day three, Ed Wright made it back into first place overall, leading the fleet by three points after three races and a long day on the water. Southeasterly winds and rain plagued the regatta site on Day four with sailors postponed ashore. The race committee made the decision that there would be no racing that day. Day five brought shifty light-to-medium conditions that challenged the race committee to find the fairest place to set the course. Lots of changes on the scoreboard at the end of day five; with the leaders close in points, anything was possible for the last few races of the regatta. The competitors in the top positions have a ton of pressure on them the last day, knowing that everything they’ve worked for all week could be lost with one bad tactical decision. Lobart and Pedersen acheived 1st and 2nd, respectively, on the last day of the opening round. Wright was able to pick up third place and move into the final round. The final round results confirmed Lobert in 1st, Wright in 2nd, and Cornish in 3rd. The semifinals resulted in Wetherell placing 6th, and Heiner in 10th. A tough regatta, but the results show us that focus and patience was the key to success last week. Congratulations to our clients for taking the silver and bronze in the finals round, and placing 4th-8th, and 10th overall, wrapping up a big week for the heavyweight division in Marseilles. Full Results HERE Brendan McCarty © Robert Deaves Ed Wright © Robert Deaves © Robert Deaves Day 2 AP- Tom Ramshaw, Ed Wright and Brendan McCarty hanging waiting for wind Ed Wright © Robert Deaves Ben Cornish © Robert Deaves READ MORE

JOHN-ØYVIND GARVIK WINS 91-BOAT REGATTA USING THE NORTH R-4 DESIGN The New North Sails Optimist Designs Continue to Prove Superior Speed on the Race Course We are happy to share yet another major regatta win powered by North Sails R-4 design. John-Øyvind Garvik won the first event of the Norwegian Ranking Series, the Norwegian Optimist Cup, taking first place out of 91 total boats. The conditions were light, but not too challenging for 14-year old JØ, who had strong finishes of 1-2-1 to win the first event for the Norwegian Ranking. JØ has been using his North Sails R-4 since last September and is also helping us test the new R-5 design, with the coordination of our Optimist specialist Thomas Nilsson and his coach Luka Radelic. The North Sails Optimist designs have been winning many major events in 2017, including the Spanish Nationals, New Zealand Nationals and Irish Trials. Learn more about the North Sails designs for the Optimist READ MORE

A gap of good weather opened up for the record 114-boat fleet which gathered for the 10th anniversary of Sail Port Stephens, a classic event in Australia’s New South Wales. It began with things calming down for the feeder race from Newcastle on Sunday, and just kept getting better. The best was left for the last day of racing on the following Sunday, April 9, before a blustery 40 knot Westerly took charge that night and into the following day. Indeed the highlight for many was Saturday’s passage race, which offered mild breezes from the Northeast and numerous opportunities to take in the glorious scenery of Tomaree Head and Cabbage Tree Island. North Sails was proud to support the owners and their crews as they undertake their passion. Whether sailing on board, assisting with trim and tune, or completing overnight repairs, the North Sails team is committed to ensuring sailors get the best from their time on the water and importantly, their sails! Four North Sails team members participated in this year’s event, racing on different boats at different times. Michael Coxon, Alby Pratt, Billy Sykes, and Nick Beaudoin would like to thank their clients for the opportunity to sail with them, and experience racing from a number of unique vantage points. Racing for the Commodore’s Cup in performance cruising, Rob Aldis’ new and very stylish Azuree 46, which was penned by Rob Humphreys, secured an impressive third place on debut. ‘Kayimai’ featured North Sails 3Di working sails, a NPL code zero and NPC A1.5 asymmetric spinnaker. Greg Wilkins’ Archambault 32, ‘Esprit’ was celebrated a daily win with great gusto. North Sails Alby Pratt sailed with Anthony Bishop on the Dehler 38, ‘Rocksalt’ for the first half of the regatta from Monday to Wednesday. The Super 12’s were bristling with power, really shining when the breeze got into the 12-14 knot range towards the end of the regatta. Brad Sewell’s Melges 32, ‘Breezin’, had North Sails Scott Beeby on board. Mark Griffith had his distinctively shaped, and equally memorably named Ker 40, ‘Showtime’ out there punching away. Adrian Walters had an impressive spinnaker on Shaw 11m, ‘Little Nico‘, grabbing your eyes from every angle on the course, even if it was simply returning back through the heads. Just before the last race, Walter Lewin’s Farr 400 Vento was interfered with on the start line by another craft, and it did take some gel coat off. What it did not do was deter the crew, who assessed the damage, gave the thumbs up when asked if they were OK and then set about sailing well, especially downwind under their brand new A2 flying off their bowsprit. The racing in IRC division II was predictably hot. Gerry Hatton’s MAT 1245, ‘Bushranger‘, nearly secured the win on the last day, needing only to scrape home by a point. Alas, they tied with Bob Cox’s DK46, ‘Nine Dragons‘, who beat Bushranger by just 11 seconds on corrected time in the final race. It was great to see Tony Kirby back out on the water, and he brought his sleek Ker 46, ‘Patrice‘, to the regatta for IRC Division One. North Sails Certified Service Manager Nick Beaudoin was onboard and commented, “Tony could not be happier with our result at Port Stephens. The yacht has had a few modifications below the water line and now it’s all coming together. Patrice had new crew Richard Allanson and David Chapman onboard, who delivered a superb debut performance. Although we’re smaller than the TP52’s, we found this to be to our advantage in the shifty conditions”. Patrice’s crew was constantly improving and saved their best performance for the last day which brought much lighter conditions where they enjoyed the power delivered by their 3Di jibs and A1.5 and A2 kites.” Aaron Rowe’s TP52, ‘RKO’ (Reverse Knockout Option), was sailed near faultlessly to comfortably win IRC division. 1. Even when starting second row and to leeward, they set about their work, climbed back on top to secure yet another win for the regatta. As a mark of respect for the regatta and the competition, the whole crew was on hand to collect the trophy. Well-done team! Matt Allen’s TP52, ‘Ichi Ban’, left Sydney with her offshore mast in place. They had not sailed her since the Sydney Hobart Race and were perhaps a little under-prepared in that regard. It certainly did not stop them from trying, and when they found the right gear, they certainly had more than enough hustle to streak ahead. Alas, that was not often enough to match her very high rating. Billy Sykes sails on Ichi Ban, and commented, “Yes it was hard to tune the stiff offshore rig, and with no sailing since the Hobart, and in often trying conditions it meant we just could not get the results we expected. Finding the sweet spot was a bit hit and miss, but we certainly got better as the regatta went on, with the Sunday seeing us perform the best yet. We also had a crew in different positions, with one of the changes not having Wade Morgan being available, due to the birth of his son on Saturday.” An impressive story to come out of it all is the large tear that appeared along the foot of one of Ichi Ban’s kites. It was replaced smartly at the time, but later than night, Billy and Nick drove an hour down to their agent’s loft in Newcastle to apply proper repairs. Given the forecast, they knew it would need it next day. Directly after racing on Sunday the guys put the offshore boom back on, and set the entire boat up for going back to sea. The very next morning she headed North in readiness for the Brisbane to Gladstone race which started on Good Friday. Hoping for a strong Southeasterly, Billy would be sailing on Ichi Ban, and Mark Bradford and Vaughan Prentice from the North Sails Brisbane loft were sailing aboard Black Jack. RKO © John Curnow Bushranger © John Curnow Nine Dragons © John Curnow Kayimai © John Curnow READ MORE

TED KELLER WINS 2017 COW TOWN CLASSIC Ted & Ben Use North Sails Z-Max The first weekend in May can mean only one thing. Well, some horses run around a track for about two minutes. But to MC sailors it means it’s time for the Cow Town Classic. The 2017 edition of the Cow Town Classic, took place at Hoover Sailing Club in Westerville, OH on May 6th and 7th. Hoover is a reservoir on the northeast corner of Columbus, OH. The sailing club is active with multiple one design fleets and MC Fleet 54. The weather forecasters again predicted dingy conditions for the weekend with rain, cold temps, and high winds. There were definitely some turned away as it looked mid-week like it would be hard to get any racing in at all. But late in the game, the forecast changed to dry and breezy but sailable conditions both days. Those who were not to be dissuaded made it to Hoover from Indianapolis and even Wisconsin, and a fleet of 18 sailors vied for the Cow Town title. Saturday saw mostly sunny skies with NW winds from 10-20. We hear that range a lot, but the fleet saw every bit of that range as the lulls were down to 10 or even a bit less and the puffs were in the high teens and touching 20. This meant that it was a shifting gears day, depowering the boat and hiking through the puffs and then powering the boat back up for the lulls. The NW wind was quite shifty as well as the N and W winds fought to edge each other out. Pressure would shift from left to right and back again, pulsing in increments. With the puffs packing some punch, there were definitely some abrupt auto tacks as well. With the shifts coming quickly, it was important to work the middle with a ‘climb the ladder’ mentality. Getting too far to one side often meant missing a shift, ending up trying to get back to the middle out of phase. Staying conservative and patient was the key, finding the pressure on one side and maximizing it, while almost immediately looking to the other side of the course for signs that the switch was coming. The Race Committee, led by PRO Steve Lavender, did a great job managing the shifty conditions and setting square courses and starting lines. 4 races were sailed on Day 1, each one with 7 legs. This made for lots of mark roundings, plenty of tight quarters racing and opportunities to pass a bunch of boats all at once. Or lose a bunch. The highlight of this regatta is the prime rib dinner Saturday night. The Hoover fleet delivered again and the sailors enjoyed great food, drink and camaraderie, sharing stories of the day. READ MORE

JUAN CARLOS ROMERO NAMED NORTH SAILS OPTIMIST HEAD COACH Experience and knowledge to help Opti sailors perform even better with North Sails North Sails is excited to announce Juan Carlos Romero as the North Sails Optimist Head Coach in North America. Working with the North Optimist team, Juan will assist in developing sails and coordinating educational programs for Optimist sailors looking for opportunities to improve their performance. “Juan brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to help Opti sailors perform even better with North sails, and develop new ideas for designs moving forward.” said Tim Healy, President of North Sails One Design. Juan is one of the most accomplished and experienced coaches in the Optimist class with nearly 25 years coaching experience. Born in Ecuador, Juan has coached at many top programs such as the Annapolis Yacht Club, St. Petersburg Yacht Club, Lauderdale Yacht Club, Coral Reef Yacht Club and is currently the Sailing Director at the Key Biscayne Yacht Club in Florida. Juan has also coached the Ecuadorian and United States National Teams in international events such as South Americans, North Americans and Worlds. “I am really excited to be a part of the North Sails team and I am looking forward to helping the North sailors in the Optimist Class!” said Juan. “Juan is the perfect addition to the North Sails’ Optimist program. His experience and excellent demeanor combine to create a unique ability to explain the nuances of sail trim to young sailors, making him a one-of-a-kind weapon for us. We know he will share his knowledge, take care of our customers, and represent our brand with great character. We are thrilled to have Juan as our Head Coach!” said Zeke Horowitz, North Sails Class Leader for the Optimist. Juan can be contacted at 410-212-5303 or juancarlos.romero@northsails.com. See also: Coach Juan recently profiled on Sail1Design READ MORE

Finger-lake sailing at its best! Spending the weekend in a J/24 on one of the most beautiful finger lakes in upstate New York; Who could ask for anything more? Well, maybe the sleet and rain were a little more than one would ask for, but the racing was competitive, fun, and very tricky, making for a great experience for all 27 boats. Teams arrived Saturday morning at beautiful Canandaigua Yacht Club for some good old fashioned lake sailing. Fully suited in fowlies, everyone was prepared for the unpredictable finger lakes for a test of skills, crew work, and most importantly, patience. There is something to be said about the one liner: “Wait for it…”, as conditions were more shifty, puffy, and challenging than most could imagine. A post-race debrief with Mike Ingham from North Sails offered great insight on maintaining control of your own destiny in short course racing. Most importantly, teams were advised to keep the comms up when Mike said, “We did better when we were all talking about it. I noticed when things got quiet onboard we didn’t do as well.” This was true for all sailors in the fleet as staying focused and keeping track of what was going on could make or break your next race. As pressure moved in from the West, large puffs were coming in on both sides of the windward leg, making decisions at the start very important. One start in particular that Mike reflected on was where there was a huge lefty right which caused the entire fleet to tack right at the start, making the next decisions very crucial. Keeping your head out of the boat, looking for what pressure is coming down, but also making sure there was a future after the first move was very important. Shifts were big enough to lift you 15 degrees, and force an auto tack seconds later. In other cases it was better to follow the header down and determine if it was significant enough to tack in. There were also some major fluctuations in velocity, making it difficult to sort through whether a decrease in pressure was in fact a header as well. Boat set up was important as you never wanted to be too tight or too loose, the default for most was to set up for the lulls. You could easily make the fine-tune adjustments and crew weight to get you through the puffs, as they were not steady throughout the race course. Another thing that teams practiced diligently throughout the weekend was never giving up. One minute you could be looking great, the next not so much, but keeping your head out of the boat, looking for the next pressure line to come down, being patient, and having faith and trusting in what you know gave sailors the best shot of staying between their competitors and the mark. Congrats to Andrew Carey and team ‘Mr. Hankey’ for winning the J-Daze Regatta, and thank you to the Canandaigua YC Race Committee and staff for your hospitality and support. This was a great regatta for the J/24 class! Full Results CYC RC ready to run some races READ MORE

A wet and wild NOOD Regatta makes waves with record numbers and stormy weather In one of the biggest NOOD events we’ve seen in years, Annapolis provided all the necessities for fun this weekend, leaving sailors on over 200 boats exhausted yet happy with their final results. Friday was an absolute blowout, forcing the race committee to cancel racing for the day. Saturday served a full day on the water, followed by a debrief with North Sails experts Zeke Horowitz, Jackson Benvenutti, and Skip Dieball for the Viper 640 class. Viper sailors collected pointers from the North class experts on how to improve trimming techniques and find the best ways to tune their rigs in big breeze and waves. Discussion surrounding how to survive when your rig is too tight, different sailing angles, and adjusting head stay tension, created a great environment for sailors to unwind and think about improving their boat speed for the next day. North Sails Saturday also opened the signature Rally Race – a one-day pursuit distance race. The Rally Race had a great turnout for both spinnaker and non-spinnaker divisions, with North clients taking 1st in both divisions. Conditions were superb with a WNW Breeze at 15-22 knots. Bill Adam and the Race Committee team selected an 18-mile race with the start and finish just East of the US Naval Academy. All competitors in the Rally Race enjoyed the North Sails party back onshore and had fun stories from the day to share over libations with fellow competitors. Sunday was a full on thrill for sailors with big puffs and sustained winds over 20+ knots. Solid conditions to top off another great NOOD regatta on the Chesapeake. Congratulations to our clients for their outstanding performance this weekend! Full Results J/22 Start J/22’s headed downwind J/111 team ‘Skeleton Key’ ‘Savasana’ wing-on-wing Ensign team ‘Chowder’ took first in their division J/70 fun in big breeze ‘Muse’ 2nd Place Corinthian J/70 team ‘Savasana’ catching one downwind ‘Skeleton Key’ edging upwind in big breeze Rally Race RC lead by Bill Adams on point and enjoying their day on the water Rally Racer’s loving the big breeze READ MORE

MATT PRANGE WINS C SCOW ICEBREAKER POWERED BY NORTH I-1 GOLD Congratulations to Matt Prange, Katie Bruder and Debbie Prange for winning the C Scow Icebreaker Regatta held at the Cedar Lake Yacht Club on May 7-8, 2017. They used North Sails I-1 Gold Mainsail to win the regatta, followed by Dave Harris, Lou Morgan and Quinn Harris in second place also powered by North Sails. Matt Prange, Katie Bruder and Debbie Prange – Winners Dave Harris, Lou Morgan and Quinn Harris – Second Place READ MORE

CEDAR POINT YACHT CLUB ONE DESIGN REGATTA An Awesome Venue and a Guaranteed Fun Time to Kick-off Your Summer Racing Schedule June 3-4,2017 – Cedar Point Yacht Club – Westport, CT North Sails is excited to be the title sponsor of the Cedar Point Yacht Club One Design Regatta, the premiere opening event for a great Summer of sailing on Long Island Sound. Cedar Point Yacht Club is a quaint and user friendly venue that provides a fun and family-friendly atmosphere. The North Sails team has decades of experience sailing and training in the waters off of Westport, CT and can offer valuable insight and individualized attention to each team which makes this regatta both a great tuning and learning event for your whole team. Whether preparing for Block Island Race Week, to win your club championship or getting ready for the big summer events, the CPYC OD Regatta is a great chance to get in some practice for your team, learn from the North experts and enjoy the unequalled hospitality of the Cedar Point Yacht Club. Here’s what you can expect to be included in your registration for the CPYC OD Regatta: FRIDAY: North Sails Practice Day FREE on-the-water coaching with the North Sails Team, including practice starts and short races with video and debrief at the North Sails hospitality tent in the late afternoon wrap up. SATURDAY: North Sails Regatta Services North Sails regatta specialist Chuck Allen will be on the water taking photos and videos during the races for a post racing debrief at the North Sails hospitality tent. REGISTER TODAY! READ MORE

AROUND NEW ZEALAND’S NORTH ISLAND Co-skippers Joliffe and Tucker tie for first on IRC, record the fastest overall time on PHRF and the fifth-fastest elapsed time overall. Joliffe’s 10.8 meter Jeanneau Sun Fast 3600 showed the big boys a thing or two at the SSANZ two-handed, Round the North Island (RNI) race. North Sails consultant Josh Tucker and co-skipper Damon Joliffe sailed the the boat to the to its full potential to tie for first on IRC and record the fastest overall time on PHRF, the fifth-fastest elapsed time overall. Tucker and Joliffe have campaigned and practiced for 18 months prior to the race. Both knew what to expect: Tucker has completed the tough, 1,200 mile race three times, and Joliffe two. On top of doing a ton of double-handed racing together, the duo also spent a ton of time in the loft making sure no stone was left unturned in terms of sails. “We knew from previous races the best sail combinations for reaching and upwind, which is what you mostly get in this race. It was also about knowing the crossovers for each sail. We pretty much knew exactly what we should have up at any time. We made notes as we went and fine-tuned it — it wasn’t just trial and error.” Tucker says the combination that worked best during the race was reaching with the Code Zero up, with the staysail inside. “If it got windy we’d reef the main and have the zero and staysail up to keep the center of effort forward. The boats next to us would be going full main and small jib, but we found we could get as good a speed as the forty footers with this combination.” They also have a 3Di reefing jib. Having a reefing jib means the team didn’t do a single jib change the entire race. ‘We could use the medium-size jib to up to about 22 knots, then we’d reef it and it could go up to 32 knots. You can use up quite a bit of time changing jibs, and a lot of crew energy, too.’ Which brings up another important factor: Tucker and Joliffe undertook an intensive fitness program before starting the race, to make sure they were in top condition. “We did eight months of boot camp twice a week and completed a half-marathon as a team to make sure we were as fit as possible,’ says Tucker. ‘There’s no point having the best sails if you don’t have the energy to use them properly!” Richard Bicknell, from North Sails in New Zealand, did three-quarters of the RNI on canting Elliott 50 Ran Tan II, with owner Brian Petersen, before having to travel overseas to sail in a J-Class regatta. Ran Tan finished first in line honors on every leg, ahead of IRC 52 Miss Scarlet, but was ineligible for the overall prize because of the change of crew. “It was my third RNI and Brian’s second, so we knew that the biggest influence on winning the race was consistency, finishing each leg as fast as possible with minimal downtime. It sounds obvious, but it is easy to lose two or more hours through small problems,” Bicknell said. In Ran Tan’s sail wardrobe were a new North 3Di main and headsail — a number one headsail which could be reefed to a number three. They also had a furling J4 that sets back from the forestay, a North paneled sail with a locking staysail halyard; a NorLon A4, a fractional code zero on a roller furler, an A7 blast runner, an A2 cut down TP52 sail, a storm jib and trysail. “Being one of the line-honor contenders, we knew that would also mean any wind holes or transitions onboard would allow the back of the fleet to catch up to us,” Bicknell says. ‘That happened a lot — we were really pushed on the second leg into Wellington and only just managed to hang in there.” North Sails New Zealand also supplied sails for around half of the rest of the fleet, including Shaw 40 “Blink”, which had a new 3Di main and reefing jib for the race; Stewart 34 “Pahi”, which was tweaked up with a push to fly asymmetric as well as a near full inventory of new sails; and Ross 40 “Marshall Law” and Elliott 1050 “Spearhead“, which both sported 3DL inventory. Roger Hall from North Sails’ Bay of Islands loft traveled with the fleet to provide onshore repair services at each stopover location. North Sails additionally set up a temporary loft in Napier to work with the Wellington sales team, Todd Olson and Dave Molen. © Steve Cowper READ MORE

© Paul Wyeth The Jenga crew is led by two brothers, Sam and Mark Richmond. An avid sailor and Londoner, Mark owns the boat and skippered throughout the weekend. Sam, a North Sails expert out of Gosport, UK was onboard as trimmer. Despite the difficult IRC competition at the annual RORC Easter Challenge, the team had a great weekend on the water and appreciated the opportunity to work in their new sails. Following, as Sam takes a sailmaker’s perspective to review the new sails, Mark uses his experience on the helm to recount how 3Di RACE helped push the boat to its fullest potential. Since Jenga raced in IRC for the Easter Challenge, their new 3Di RACE sails fell outside of class rules. “For this event, we needed slightly modified sails to get us up to speed with our competition,” said Sam, who coordinated delivery of the sails a few weeks prior. “There are lots of custom IRC boats that have been tweaked for years, but for us it was about seeing what we could get this boat to do. We used a bigger jib, a mainsail with a smaller head, and a lighter weight spinnaker and Code Zero.” The Code Zero is a furling sail, perfect for tighter, off-the-wind angles. “The race with a reaching start, followed by a two mile first leg, was our best result,” he recalled. Having trimmed the mainsail on Jenga all weekend, Sam reported positively on the readability of 3Di RACE sails. “They have a ‘stiffness’ that allows for perfect shape once trimmed, and still allows the full range of tuning in a smaller boat with a bit more mast bend such as the J88. “3Di RACE is the latest rendition of North Sails’ proprietary 3Di technology, and is designed to be very adaptable to any boat, making the sails a ‘go-to’ option for racing clients. “The sails held their shape perfectly with our Selden mast, and we could easily adjust our sail controls as the pressure built to maximize power as the mast bent. Overall, I was impressed.” Mark remarked on the boat’s increased performance with new sails, and the work done to tailor the sails specifically for the J/88. “In over 12 knots the boat went much quicker downwind, especially wing-on-wing, which was a competitive move for us against the symmetrical spinnakers.” “Smoothness of the sails was impressive. Trimming was significantly easier too, simply adjusting jib halyard tension and moving jib cars had an amazing effect through the transition period, while the wind built and died down. The sails worked well in wider wind ranges, the minor adjustments easing us through the transition while maintaining boat speed and power.” Sam further remarked on the adjustments made within North Sails, between the design and sales teams, to refine the IRC inventory for the J/88. “We had a lot of work to do on the rigs when we first made J/88 sails. We’ve come a long way since then, which says a lot about the designers and development that’s been progressing which has really made it all come together for this boat. I lifted RACE main and jib onboard before racing and was really surprised with how light they were together. I was super impressed with how they performed after the fact.” READ MORE

FINN WORLD CUP SERIES Sunday wrapped up the World Cup Series in Hyerés, France for Olympic & Paralympic Classes. Competitors couldn’t have asked for more perfect sailing conditions in some of the most competitive fleets in the world. Over 500 sailors from 52 countries came to Hyerés to compete for first place and the gold medal. Familiar faces returned to Hyerés for redemption, and some to defend their previous titles. Lighter winds welcomed the fleet but towards the end of the event, they were seeing big pressure on all courses which made for some major competition. Consistency paid off in all fleets. The medal races concluded Sunday with medals won in the Finn, Laser, Radial, and 470 classes. Hyerés was event #2 in the World Cup series. Next up is Santander, Spain which will round-out the series for 2017. North Sails clients duked it out to the very end, some claiming gold in the medal race with others achieving hard-won positions among the fleet. Congratulations to Finn sailors Nicholas Heiner for claiming 2nd overall (at his third Finn event!) and silver in the medal race, Ed Wright for achieving 4th position overall, and Ben Cornish for an amazing performance leading the fleet on day 1 & 2, and ending up in 8th place overall. Best of luck to you all in Santander! © Robert Deaves © Robert Deaves © Robert Deaves © Robert Deaves © Robert Deaves © Robert Deaves © Robert Deaves © Robert Deaves READ MORE

Winning the Star Class World Championship is the holy grail of one-design keelboat racing. The classic 23-foot one-design class was launched in 1911, and has since attracted generations of highly skilled teams from around the world. Lowell North won the Star Worlds five times, a feat that has never been equaled. The first was in 1945, when a 15-year-old Lowell crewed for 17-year old Malin Burnham. In 1949 Lowell skippered North Star II in the Worlds and would have easily won except for a DSQ in the second race. His victory in 1957, however, was the most significant. Held in Havana, Cuba, the ’57 Worlds was a challenging light-air event featuring unpredictable winds and strong currents. Results were up and down for most in the fleet, but Lowell and crew James Hill sailing North Star III had an advantage…speed. Often finding themselves in the rear of the fleet like every other competitor, North and Hill displayed a remarkable ability to claw their way back to the front. Lowell followed with World Championship wins in ’59, ’60 and ’73, but 1957 was special. It was the year he started North Sails. Today, North Sails customers win more one-design championships than all other sailmakers combined. On the water, Lowell is known as one of those guys who just “got it.” Renowned for his results in the Star Class, he medaled in 12 World Championships over 25 years and won gold at the 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico City. The Star was the primary Olympic class keelboat from 1932 through 2012. Over 8,400 boats have been built, with more than 2,000 actively racing in 170 fleets. You win some, you lose some. Peter Barrett and Lowell North work on their faces after barely losing the 1967 Star Worlds in Denmark, succeeding the win to Paul Elvstrom. READ MORE

In early 1986, a series of races were held off of Fremantle as a precursor to the 1987 America’s Cup. Dubbed the 12 Metre World Championship, a dozen syndicates competed in what they considered a “shakedown series” to test their boats against the competition. Some of the teams had new builds, their first development boats. Others hit the line with retrofit, or modified yachts. Many programs built three to four boats in the lead up to the 1987 Cup. Strong winds led to an extreme regatta, leading to four masts, a dozen booms and numerous sails being destroyed, and a few crew members overboard! Australia III, the heavy-weather Ben Lexcen designed successor to Australia II won the series. The New Zealand challenge boat KZ 5, a fiberglass Bruce Farr design, came in second, with the New York Yacht Club entrant America II third. Of the visible genoas on the starting line pictured below, woven polyester and aramid cloth is predominant, some cross cut and some tri-radial. In this photo we see three sails made by North including the genoa at center (I-6) and three others (see caption). At this time, North Sails lofts around the word were individually owned and operated, and each loft used their own version of sail design techniques and production processes. This is apparent in the variety of layouts and materials used. What has not changed is the independent development on each team. The difference between each of the sail plans in this photo is clearly visible in the variety of shapes and patterns. While less obvious today, variety in performance-related decisions, detail, and the resulting product, is still a hallmark of the America’s Cup. At the starting line in the 1986 12 Metre Worlds off Freemantle. Visible from left to right: North Sails, Hood Sails, North Sails, unknown, Sobstad Sails, North Sails, North Sails. READ MORE

Thirty-three teams met in Portoroz, Slovenia for the 1st event of the M24 Euro sailing series! North Sails teams finished 1,2,4,5,7,9,10 in Portoroz, Slovenia for the first event of the Melges 24 European Sailing Series. A fleet of 33 entries from 15 nations showed great representation from all over Europe and the United States. Beautiful spring weather blessed teams with sunshine, clear skies, and fair winds. Very close racing within the top, but the teams that got out ahead early were untouchable once in place. Andrea Racchelli and his team on ‘Altea’ came out 20 points ahead, with unbelievable teamwork and boat speed against their 32 competitors. ‘UpUpUp’ followed behind in 2nd, and ‘FGF Sailing Team’ came in third position. This is event 1 of 6 total regattas within the 2017 Melges 24 European Sailing Series. The next event is held on Lake Garda in Italy, followed by Marstrand, Sweden in June, and Helsinki, Finland in July/August, where they will award an overall World Champion. The 5th event is taking place in Medemblik, NED just before the series ends with the 6th and final event in Luino, ITA in late October. Some very competitive racing out there in Portoroz, we can’t wait to see who comes out on top at the end of the series! ‘Altea’, first place finisher in event #1 of M24 European Series © Mauro Melandri Link to final results READ MORE

A beautiful weekend in Charleston welcomed teams who traveled across the country to compete in one of the biggest regattas in the nation Charleston Race Week 2017 saw 213 boats registered, which made for a fun and exciting week of racing! The J/24, J/70, and Melges 24 fleets were the largest this year with a lot of familiar faces ready to hit the water in one of the most exciting venues south of the mason dixon line, the Cooper River! With different locations and courses for each racing circle, current and land factors come into play and can make or break your strategic plan around the course. Day one was a day to remember, with picture-perfect conditions for the OD courses inside Charleston Harbor. A building breeze made for fun racing later in the afternoon, especially in the J/70s who were up and planing for the last race. The current switched as the wind became shifty and puffy, which kept the sailors attentive to tricky course dynamics. Keeping track of the current direction in the different parts of the course was very important. “The best way to figure this out was to look at the marks and the committee boat to see which way they were sitting. The race committee boat is very helpful in determining just how strong the current actually is, and in what direction it is flowing which is helpful for starting techniques and calling the lay line,” said North Sails expert, Zeke Horowitz, of the J/70 class. “Constantly looking outside your boat is important as the angles are so apparent, and shifting rapidly,” he continued. “Having someone in the boat to keep an eye on fleet management makes it much easier to tell whether you have chosen the tack to get you ahead, or if you, in fact, need to tack.” On day two, the J/22 and J/24 fleets were sent to a different location to race, south of the Cooper River Bridge. With the new location and new factors present in that area, it seemed that the leaders were successful by choosing their own destiny. “Looking beyond our current position, and thinking a step ahead allowed us to make gains in this area of racing,” said North Sails expert, Mike Marshall, who skippered J/24 USA 5208. Mike remarked on a solid showing in the J/24 and J/22 fleets this year, noting great competition and camaraderie in both fleets. A front moved in slowly on Sunday and turned the big breeze on, which kept competitors on their toes while settling into the new pressure. The J/70s had a hard time starting together in both fleets, resulting in two general recalls which lead to the black flag. “Things got interesting when the second fleet finally got off to a good start, and the first fleet was already sailing downwind against the upwind sailors,” recalled Brian Janney of North Sails in San Diego, who sailed on 3 Ball JT. Brian noted the biggest factors of the final day were consistent, “Keeping your head out of the boat and staying in phase was an important part of maintaining confidence in your decisions. Tacking on each small shift made for big gains, as the fleet leaders dug closer and closer into shore.” With relatively flat water and consistent pressure, sailors reported a flatter sail plan worked well. Another great race week in the books, with outstanding attendance in the J/70 division! Melges 24 Team ‘SlingSHOT’ catching the perfect puff © Tim Wilkes Joel Ronning’s “Catapult” coming around the offset mark-ready to roll downwind © Tim Wilkes READ MORE

SEB MENZIES WINS 6 RACES AND THE CROWN OF THE 2017 NEW ZEALAND OPTIMIST NATIONALS Seb on the North MZX4: “Always good in all conditions – You can rely on it!” Our Optimist specialist Derek Scott caught up with Seb Menzies for a quick interview after winning all four New Zealand Ranking regattas and the Nationals championship. Seb used the North Sails crosscut design MZX4 which he describes as: “Good pointing and fast downwind”. Enjoy the interview! READ MORE

The Royal Ocean Racing Club (RORC) Easter Challenge is an annual event on the Solent off of Cowes, UK. North Sails is proud to sponsor the regatta and was thrilled to offer the Regatta Services program for the third year in a row, including on the water coaching and organized fleet debriefs. The event was composed of three race days, kicking off with a high of 20 knot winds on Day 1. Temperatures were around 15-18 degrees celsius, which made for pleasant sailing conditions, and the pressure was pretty consistent in terms of speed from the Southeast. As day two came along, the breeze shifted toward the North and became significantly lighter. This made it very shifty and the water became much flatter. The fleet was postponed on Day 3 with WNW winds making for flat conditions again, yet so shifty it was nearly impossible to set an accurate course. Finally, the pressure filled in and was more consistent, allowing the RC to get races off in the best sailing conditions possible. Tide has a major effect on the racing in this area. Race strategy is a huge part of pre-race set up and practice, which makes it key to get on the water a little early to figure things out. Starts are very important as it is very hard to catch up in a fleet like this. There are lots of experienced local sailors that compete at this event each year, which is obvious in the races as the competition is quite tough, and teams really know their way around this area with the crazy tides and current! The fleet completed windward-leeward style races with three longer distance races around buoys that toured the Solent. Not the typical conventional racing, but it kept things interesting and was a lot of fun to sail all around the Solent. The event concluded with 8 total races, making for a successful finish for North Sails clients who secured places in the top five in all divisions. Daily debrief with North Sails © Paul Wyeth © Paul Wyeth © Paul Wyeth © Paul Wyeth © Paul Wyeth READ MORE

LES VOILES DE ST BARTH 2017 Celebrating a week in paradise for the 8th edition of Les Voiles de St. Barth Spending a week on the island of Saint Barthélemy for the Les Voiles regatta is a not-to-miss opportunity. Keeping the competition level high and the ‘island feels’ strong, the sailors are welcomed throughout the town of Gustavia for a long week of sailing in the sunshine, authentic French indie cuisine, and warm salty air that would make any sailor want to stay forever. With races that span up to 30 miles long, Les Voiles de St Barth puts forth very challenging (and rewarding!) racing that keeps a wide variety of sailing teams coming back year after year. The regatta incorporates both IRC and CSA racing rules, motivating teams to challenge their ratings with modified rigs, hulls, and sails. Challenging and fun, each race is scored with the ‘time on time rule’, where a boat’s rating is converted to a corrected time factor, which is then used to convert her elapsed race time. In some racing, being the first across the line doesn’t achieve the ultimate win, as the boat’s time correction factor is multiplied by the elapsed time from start to finish. It’s not always about crossing the line first, but putting the most time between you and your competitors, which make this Caribbean event quite special and truly one of a kind. With a selection of twenty courses to pull from, the Race Committee chose wisely according to sailing conditions. Winds were between 8-15 knots early in the week, which made for competitive timed finishes amongst all divisions. On Friday the wind was much lighter, ranging between 6-10 knots, and tapered off drastically during the last two legs down to 5 knots which made for a very challenging ending to what would be the last race of the event. The selected courses were between 17-26nm, which made for long days out on the water. On Saturday, the wind did not live up to its promise and, at around 11:30am, racing was called off for the day. North Sails Regatta Repair was on site with an overnight service loft. Certified Service Director, Ben Fletcher went to work with a small staff assisting sailors needing repairs, including some advanced sail modifications. The team completed overnight repairs Wednesday – Saturday, allowing competitors to make the utmost of the long distance round-the-island racing. Congratulations to our clients on a job well done! READ MORE

ROAD TO NAS & WORLDS: ETCHELLS MIDWINTERS WEST Congratulations Tom Carruthers, Chris Bush and Andrew ‘Dog’ Palfrey Twenty eight teams descended upon San Diego Yacht Club to participate in the West Coast version of the Etchells Mid-Winters. After the great team at SDYC got everyone checked in and weighed on Thursday afternoon and Friday morning, the stage was set for a great weekend of sailing. Super race committee chairman Bill Stump was able to hold all 11 races over the three days in some very trying conditions. The breeze was generally 6 to 10 knots with some really large swell which made for some interesting driving and spinnaker trimming conditions. Tom Carruthers with crew Chris Busch and Andrew ‘Dog’ Palfrey prevailed for the weekend with great starts, solid upwind speed, sharp crew work and excellent downwind tactics—a very strong combination to say the least! They used the standard PC-F mainsail, the VMG spinnaker, and the LM-2L radial head jib. This is a new jib Norths Sails has been developing and they have been testing it for the past year. The goal of this sail is to fly exactly the same as the very well proven LM-2L jib, but this model has a radial head to go up range a few more knots and to help with longevity. It has a little smoother transition in the lower section but is still very powerful to help drive the Etchells in light air. However, Team Carruthers have also used it in up to 15-16 knots of wind and are very happy with their speed. In fact this past weekend they were able to win 5 races and they complimented the sail’s smoothness and versatility throughout the wind and wave conditions. Bruce Nelson and Eric Doyle fought it out for 2nd overall with Bruce prevailing in the end. The top 7 teams all used entire North Sails inventories. Some teams with softer masts opt for the PC+ mainsail which has more luff curve to accommodate the softer masts, the LM-2 light was the jib of choice, and the VMG spinnaker was in range pretty much every run. We actually never pulled the heavy jib or the full runner spinnaker out of the bag. Big thanks to regatta chair and fleet captain Xavier Sheid and the whole team at San Diego Yacht Club for a great weekend. This was the first regatta in the West Coast Spring Series with the next event being the Pacific Coast Championships on April 28-29 and the series culminates with the famous Orca Bowl on May 28 and 29. All this racing and the summer One Design Weekends will be great practice for the North American Championships which will hosted by San Diego Yacht Club in August. It is shaping up to be an amazing year for Etchells sailing on the west coast and our entire group is looking forward to a great year. If you have any questions about the latest developments we are working on or need more information for your clients please contact Eric Doyle or Skip Dieball. North Sails San Diego Team, 3rd place – Eric Doyle, Patrick Powell & Pike Harris READ MORE

NORTH R-2 RADIAL DESIGN POWERS MARIA PERELLO TO WIN THE SPANISH NATIONALS “I Really Love the R-2!” A short video-interview with Maria Perello READ MORE

GUL B14 TT SERIES ROUND TWO STOKES BAY So, April arrives and the joker has been played. What did we do to Blue Badge and Team Marlow at Rutland. Both teams have doctor’s notes due to physical injuries to their helms, so both had to sit this one out, but will hopefully be seen again soon However, Chapter two saw the resumption of the battle royal between Team P&B (Jasper Barnham/Ollie Wells) Wonkey Donkey (Mark Watts/Kathy Sherratt (Watts) (standing in for Bish) and Team GUL/North Sails (Mark Barnes/ Amir Shamuddin (standing in for Char). To add spice Torq (Gerry Fermor/Leakey Fermor) light airs specialists were in the mix. Day 1 was all about the strong tide and shingle beach. The course was set in a SE force 2 – 3 and easterly tide. Russian roulette and holding one’s nerve would be a good way to put it. Over the first two races, places changed a lot both upwind and downwind with B14s skimming the shoreline with slightly raised boards. Go offshore and you lost places. All teams touched to varying degrees as did several RS800s. Wonkey Donkey in race 2 shook a leg and hit a rise hard, damaging their board and chipping their nice new B14. Alas end of race 2 and the 3 legged donkey, after capsize inspection retired to the grazing to be had ashore, not to be seen again over the weekend. GBR 789 (Henry Metcalfe/Jasmin Husband) also hit hard and bailed out with a capsize to save the kit which must have surprised the spectators but other than that, they held onto the coat tails of Torq, P&B and GUL/North Sails who battled throughout with little to chose at times. GUL/North Sails Held the lead by a nags head overnight from Torq and P&B not far behind. The classic fleet also fought their own battle between White Cover/GUL (Alex Horlock/Tim Pearce) and White Stilletto (Liam Willis/Abby Keightley-Hanson) with one point gap overnight. Throughout the fleet there were battles with some new faces attending their first B14 TT. So it was to Dan Vincent’s quiz night and the mini Easter egg hunt. All great fun and the Mustos were hounded by the B14s. With little to choose between them, the B14s played their joker, 45 chickens eggs which would have won it. After the judiciary had sat, they were excluded and the B14s conceded to the Mustos and others Sunday dawned bacon butties were consumed and more of the same once the breeze set in. Jousting commenced, and the runners and riders hit the shore in the westerly tide and SE force 2-3. As race 4 closed out it came down to a resurging GUL/North Sails doing a crash gybe drop with P&B a nose ahead, then the sprint to the finish with kites gathered on both teams crew’s laps, both driving hard. P&B got it by less than 0.5 m. More was to follow, with hopefully Torq not mounting the windward mark again as she was swept onto the mark in race 4. Torq led race 5, but spent most of the race shadow boxing GUL/North Sails over the three laps, whilst the B14s chased down the bulk of the RS800s, who then became the pawns in the battle for supremacy in the race. In the dying breeze GUL/North Sails closed it out from Torq and P&B. White Cover/GUL also managed to close out White Stilletto with one advantage to each team In the fading breeze, Mike the R/O and his team called it time before the breeze completely died and all retired to a well earned lunch and cold drinks. So another nice sunny weekend and close racing with quick turn arounds and good catering ashore with Dan and co as the ring masters on Saturday night, and to GUL for the tokens that the fleet appreciate. The Merit prize went to James and Anne Gardener. After a couple of the steeds including Wonkey Donkey have been refreshed by Solent Boatworks, they’ll be on their way to Porthpean for round 3 over the bank holiday 29.04.2017 to experience great Cornish hospitality. Those looking to training, there will be training events going on in May with the first at Whitstable Yacht Club on the 5 – 6 May. So if wanting to be included, you need to let the class know ASAP. North Sails Results 1. Mark Barnes & Amir Shamsuddin 2. Gerry Fermor & Leaky* 4. Henry Metcalfe & Jasmine Husband 5. Alex Horlock & Tim Pearce* 6. Liam Willis & Abby Keightley-Hanson 7. Alex Cappon & Tyler Stonebridge* 9. Mark Watts & Kathy Sherratt* 10. Barry Price & Gareth Lincun * Denotes partial inventory READ MORE

EXPERT SAILMAKERS TRIPP FELLABOM & JOHN BOWDEN JOIN NORTH SAILS Charleston sailmakers join forces to strengthen North Sails support in the Southeast Newport, RI (April 11, 2017) – North Sails is pleased to extend its global network to a new location in Charleston, South Carolina. With the addition of local experts John Bowden and Tripp Fellabom, the world’s leading sailmaker will offer state-of-the-art products and certified service to the diverse sailing community in Charleston and throughout the Southeast region. Both John and Tripp bring a wealth of industry knowledge to a newly established loft in the Charleston City Marina, offering solutions for boats and sailors of all types. A lifetime sailor with nearly 40 years experience in sailmaking, Tripp brings a strong foundation of knowledge to the North Sails team. His time on the water has earned recognition in classic southern regattas such as the SORC, the Charleston to Bermuda Race, and MORC International. Tripp won Key West Race Week in 1991 and has also tried his hand in competitive one design racing, especially in the J/24. “Joining North Sails presents a golden opportunity to offer the best sails on the market to our current and future clients,” said Tripp. John, who opened his own loft in 2008, will rejoin the group after a nine-year hiatus. “I am excited to be back with North Sails, and I look forward to increasing support for sailors throughout North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and Northern Florida,” said John, who’s experience bridges hard work in the loft with fair play on the water. During his time at College of Charleston, John received the ICSA Robert H. Hobbs Sportsman of the Year award, and since then has achieved a number of notable sailing victories, including National Championship wins in the Melges 32, Melges 20 and J/88. John topped the 2014 Melges 20 world ranking as the tactician/trimmer on The Portobello. “Tripp and I are fortunate to work in a healthy sailing community, filled with great people and competitive sailing,” said John. “North Sails is committed to improving our presence and providing more sales representatives and sail care lofts to the thousands of sailors in the southeast,” said Pete Colby, Director of Service Operations in North America. “We look forward to setting a new foundation in Charleston and trust that the wealth of experience between John and Tripp will put the region in great hands.” Tripp can be reached by calling 843-722-0823 or by email: tripp.fellabom@northsails.com John can be reached by calling 843-754-9547 or by email: john.bowden@northsails.com READ MORE

John Harrop reports on his 3Di RACE sails after a year of use on Flying Tiger 10m Justice A well known Southern California sailor, John Harrop spends his days off the water practicing as a licensed paralegal. His Flying Tiger 10m Justice was recently fit with a new set of gold North Sails 3Di RACE upwind sails, which John has repeatedly used to bring his competitors to “justice” on the race course! We caught up with John after he raced in the San Diego NOOD regatta to get his impressions on the sails. “The 3Di RACE sails are truly awesome, a great plug and play product.” John reported that he and the crew on Justice had been able to try the new set in a variety of conditions over the last few months. “The sails are very sensitive and receptive to rig tune and setup. Halyard and headstay sag adjustments give the jib a great range of power and point through all conditions.” The latest application of North Sails proprietary technology, 3Di RACE is designed to be a practical and durable option for racing sailors. “In theory, one of the main user benefits of 3Di RACE is sail longevity. These sails have proven to hold their shape longer, and shrink less than a laminate. This is what I’ve noticed that makes the product unique in its own way, in its construction and materials. It is innovative and has proven itself to work exceptionally well for me and my boat.” With a 100% corinthian crew, John describes their sailing style as somewhat conservative, especially at starts. The Justice crew appreciates the reliability of 3Di RACE, coupled with its ability to perform well throughout a wide range. “After almost a year of use, the main and jib look great, they trim well and produce results that keep our boat at the front of the fleet. We are not a pro team, and we don’t really practice. We trust the confidence gained by a well prepared boat and great sails like these.” READ MORE

THE ‘KING OF THE SOUTH’ WEARS THE CROWN ONCE AGAIN! It was in the early 1990’s when the moniker “King of the South” became attached to Ched Proctor in the Lightning Class. By then Ched had been making waves in the Lightning Class for over a decade and, by 1995 had won the Lightning Southern Circuit four times over a nine year period. Fast forward to 2017, Ched recently secured his 7th Southern Circuit crown, a feat that no one, in the 70 year history of the Southern Circuit has accomplished. This year he and his team also managed to win his 4th Midwinters title (in Miami) and 2nd Winter Championship (in St. Petersburg). Ched (middle) after winning the North Americans in 1991 for the first time as crew To say Ched is knowledgeable about making Lightnings go fast is akin to saying “water is wet.” It’s unbelievably obvious that even mentioning it may make someone question your sanity! The fact is, Ched has been trying to help make everyone go as fast as him for decades. A bit of a “speed savant,” he has made a career out of trying to figure out how to make sails (and boats) go faster and has always been quick to share his thoughts and tips with anyone who asks (and sometimes even when they don’t). Ched, while generally a man of few words, has always been the guy in the parking lot, helping a competitor tune his or her boat, explain pre-bend and headstay sag or trying to explain why he trims the sails the way he does. Through his incredible comprehension of sail shapes and tuning details, he has likely helped more people understand how sails and boats work together to maximize efficiency better than anyone over the past 30 years. Ched’s advice spans everything from giving insights on how to trim in big breeze to how to play your backstay, and even providing intel on what cleaning methods he uses on his boat during major events. A legend to the Lightning Class and One Design sailing, his fellow competitors always enjoy competing against him, and if you do manage to beat him, you know you can compete with anyone because you will have managed to beat the best in the class! Miami 1997 The Lightning resume Ched has produced over the past 30 years shows a consistency and commitment to excellence that is arguably unmatched and clearly locks him in as one of the top Lightning sailors of all time. In addition to his unequalled record on the Southern Circuit, Ched has won 4 North Americans (1993, 1994, 2000 and 2011), the International Masters Championship (2013), North Americans Masters (2013), and the Canadian Open National Championship (2000, 2009). He has also won multiple Atlantic Coast Championships, Districts, regionals and local events all while doing his best to help others in the class learn to get faster and enjoy Lightning sailing that much more. It is fair to say, for decades fellow sailors have looked to him for advice showing their admiration and respect for him. Ched is a role model both on and off the race course. He is an intricate part of the Lightning Class and has been sharing his amazing adventures with sailing enthusiasts over the last 30 years. In November of this year, Ched and his team head off to the World Championships in Salinas, Ecuador to chase down the one title that has eluded him in his illustrious career. We wish him luck and know that he has the skills, experience and talent to get to the top of the podium. Miami 2017 St. Petersburg at the Winter Championships 2017 READ MORE

VEGGIE SUB WINS LIGHTNING MIDWINTERS IN SOUTHERN WINTER CIRCUIT FINALE The Lightning Midwinters ended Saturday with four races in windy conditions of 15-22 knots on beautiful Biscayne Bay in Florida. The Coral Reef Yacht Club race committee, led by Jane Anne Pincus, kept the fleet of 30 teams in the northern end of Biscayne Bay and ran flawless W4 and W5 courses in challenging but consistent breeze. There proved to be a definite left side advantage in the first three races, which gave those who got left early a chance to break free and gain a nice advantage on those who went right. In race 1, Ched Proctor’s team Veggie Sub, consisting of Ben Cesare and Jay Lurie, was pushed hard by David Peck, his wife Nina and son David on 15215. Peck led around the windward mark in Sunday’s first race and benefitted greatly from Ched’s “nose dive” into a wave just after the weather mark that nearly filled the cockpit to the seats, which allowed the Peck team to run away with that race as Ched narrowly fended of Jeff Linton’s team on xx. The left corner shifts seemed to pay off for Veggie Sub in the second race, working their way to the top mark in first place and avoiding all downwind hazards to win the race. The third race of the day was a close battle between the top three teams. Ultimately it was the Cristobal Perez and his team from Chile who caught the last big gust of the race, and surged ahead just before the finish to take the win. Jeff Linton was close behind until a mishap caused a capsize just before the finish line. The last race of the series presented the fleet with a 15 degree right shift that made it hard to get out of the left corner for those who committed early on, although Dave Peck’s 15215 pulled off the feat by over-standing the windward mark and reaching in on port tack full speed, to just barely make it across the bows of the starboard tack lineup on the layline. Team VeggieSub, with North Sails expert Ched Proctor at left, wins the Lightning Winter Championship, Midwinter Championship, and Southern Circuit Championship of 2017! The final standings for the Midwinters saw North-powered teams in the lead with Ched Proctor’s Veggie Sub taking the overall win, the Peck family on 15215 finishing second, Chris Perez sailing No DesesPerez in third, and Jeff Linton with team xx finishing fourth. We are very proud of all the North teams that performed so well this year on the Southern Circuit and dominated the results at all the events! The Midwinters marked the end of the Southern Circuit events, which also included the 70th annual St Petersburg Winter Championship that finished earlier in the week. In the Southern Circuit overall results, North clients placed 1-14. Top five are Ched Proctor and team Veggie Sub, Cristobol Perez and team No DesesPerez, Jeff Linton with team xx, Tom Allen with team 9, and Neal Fowler with 11346. Congrats to Ched and his team for winning the Midwinters, Winter Championship and overall Southern Circuit titles and to our clients for participating in and dominating the results in the Southern Circuit series events! Complete results for the Southern Circuit HERE Results for Miami Winter Regatta HERE READ MORE

CHED PROCTOR WINS LIGHTNING WINTER CHAMPIONSHIP Ched and team ‘Veggie Sub’ in the lead! Day one of the winter champs began with a front that brought NW breezes in the 8-12 knot range and built throughout the day to 22+ knots. The fleet successfully completed four races as attrition took its toll on the fleet. Capsizes, bent spreaders, and one broken mast resulted in very sore and tired sailors! Day two was primed to be “moving day” with many teams set to work their way up the leaderboard. Unfortunately the wind wasn’t in the mood to get “moving” until late in the day as the fleet waited onshore until 3pm for the sea-breeze to build. Patience was rewarded with a very nice 5-leg race in a pleasant 8-12 knot westerly breeze, which was challenging to the fleet because of the shifty and puffy wind behavior. David Starck on ‘Team Patstrong’ got out early in the first beat, never looked back, and took the race win. The rest of the top varied throughout the race and changed every leg with several teams moving into and out of second through fifth. In the end, Jeff Linton got to the right of Marvin Beckman and Mike Holly on the final beat to take second place. James Taylor was there to round out the top 5. Fleet lined up ready for the start of the race Once sailors got to shore, the ‘Lutz Rum Party’ at St. Petersburg Sailing Center was a nice way to end a solid day of racing. The final day was a test of patience as the 40 teams were postponed onshore waiting for the promised afternoon seabreeze. After a little over four hours postponed the fleet headed out into the building breeze, which finally turned southwesterly. While the majority of the fleet turned right after the start to chase the expected wind shift, event leaders Ched Proctor and David Starck got out to the left side of the course where they found a bit more pressure. This enabled them to get over the top of the boats on the right and round the top mark first and second again, with Ched holding a one-boat length lead on second place. From there it was protect and extend for team ‘Veggie Sub’ as they covered ‘PatStrong’ throughout the race to earn their third victory and overall regatta win. The Starck team crossed the finish line in the final race in second, followed by Tom Allen in third, Jeff Linton in fourth and Cris Perez in fifth. In the overall result, team “Veggie Sub” with Ched Proctor, Jeff Eiber and Tim King won the 70th Winter Championship. This was Ched’s 2nd Winter Championship victory The teams of David Starck, Marvin Beckman, Cris Perez, Tom Allen and Jeff Linton rounded out the top 6 places, all powered by North Sails. Congratulations Ched Proctor and team ‘Veggie Sub’ for taking the overall win at the winter championships and to our clients for sailing well! Full results can be found HERE READ MORE

We caught up with Bruno Pasquinelli who is owner and helmsman for J70 “Stampede”. Bruno won the J70 Winter Series held in Tampa, Florida at the Davis Island Yacht Club this year. The J70 Winter Series is composed of 3 events between December-February with one overall series winner. We asked Bruno how he prepares for events like this, and how it contributed to his success. What are the three most important factors that helped you and team Stampede win the 2017 J70 Tampa Winter Series? Boat/Sails/Crew I have great ground support from Jay Vige. The boat is well prepared and maintained when we get to the regatta and need to go sail. The electronics have batteries, the radios work, preventive maintenance has been done, the rig is set to the micrometer settings, etc. “We have confidence that our boat is ready for the event and are not distracted by boat issues.” Work on my skills Stampede sails each big event with a top tier team of sailors. I am the weak link on the boat. I am an amateur sailor with no formal training. I try and learn things every time I sail. I keep a detailed journal about the boat/rig/sails/conditions for each race we sail. This is helpful when we meet as a team prior to an event and then every day before we sail to make sure the boat is going out to the course with an effective setup for the conditions that day. I also put notes in the journal about skills or situations I don’t execute well. I have sailed with some great people over the last year and the first thing I tell them when they get on board is that this is recreation(fun), I want to do well, and that they are my coach. I want feedback on things that will up my game. These things go in my journal. Some of my notes over the last year include entry/exit angles for mark roundings, tiller movement on tack/jibe/mark rounding exits, slowing down at the leeward mark to not get stuck outside the pinwheel, starting techniques, etc. I draw diagrams in the journal and study them before I sail at each event. I have GoPro footage from every race and I review the footage on the plane while traveling to the events. The camera is mounted directly over the tiller and the video clearly shows when I drive well and when I don’t. I review the video of the “incidents” in my journal. Sail a big event every month This helps me retain the skills I am learning from each event and raise the performance of the boat. “Trying these three things together gives me the confidence to concentrate on my job on the boat and leave everything else to the team. It is working.” We had a great Worlds in San Francisco and won the Davis Island Winter series. Lastly, our sails are awesome, thanks North Sails! READ MORE

2017 SAN DIEGO NOOD REGATTA: WEST COAST RECAP The San Diego NOOD was an all around success. Beautiful conditions gave sailors the opportunity to enjoy the fresh west coast air and all the things southern California has to offer. Coronado Yacht Club welcomed the fleet Friday, with heavy fog that cleared by the early afternoon allowing for a light breeze to fill in. North Sails assisted sailors with a weather briefing just prior to the skippers meeting, providing local insights to visiting sailors. Dock talks for the J70 and Ultimate 20 fleet featured photo and video and gave fleet members the chance to notice opportunities for improved speed, fine tuning, and steering. North Sails Saturday started with the Rally Race for cruisers. 11 miles were sailed in fresh breeze inside the harbor. Drew Belk’s Melges 32 ‘Precepts 3.2’ was awarded North Sails Boat of the Day. Sailors collected daily awards and viewed photos and video from racing at the North Sails tent after each day on the water. 1st place in Rally Race division A went to Corsair 31 ‘F- Bomb” with Lawrence Adams. 1st place in Rally Race division B went to 6m ‘Sprig’, with Greg Stewart. Congratulations to our clients for taking 1st place in the J70, J105, Flying Tiger 10m, J120, Viper 640, and Rally Race fleets. Congrats to overall NOOD winner, Argyle Campbell with Etchells team “Rock n’ Roll”. “Sanity”, 1st Place J105 with Rick Goebel First Place – North Sails Rally Race- Greg Stewart’s 6m “Sprig” Kym Kapalla’s “M2”, Melges 32 – 1st Place in ORC North Sails Boat of the Day Winner, Drew Belk on “Precepts 3.2” 1st Place J70- Jeff Janov “Minor Threat” North Sails Saturday- Rally Race! 1st Place Rally Race Winner Lawrence Adams “F Bomb” READ MORE

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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