NORTH SAILS BLOG

THE KEY TO SUCCESS AT J/111 WORLDS North 3Di powers Skeleton Key to winning victory in San Francisco After Peter Wagner’s Skeleton Key won the 2017 J/111 Worlds on San Francisco Bay, hosted by St. Francis Yacht Club. North Sails caught up with tactician Seadon Wijsen, North Sails J/111 class expert and salesmen based in San Francisco, CA. Seadon identified four key points that contributed to their first place finish at one of the most competitive regattas of the J/111 season. North Sails clients have won every major J/111 Class event since Worlds in Newport, RI in 2015. This year, Skeleton Key was equipped with North Sails MNi-4 Mainsail, MHi-4 Jib, Hi-2 Jib, HWJi-2 Jib, A2-4 Spinnaker, and the A4-2 Spinnaker. Thanks to our clients and expert feedback, our designers are constantly improving sail designs, pushing to create the best products for high performance competition. 1. Experience – We have sailed a number of J/111 regattas over the years and know how to sail the boat well. 2. Consistency – Having seven of the eight crew we had at the Worlds last year, and the same team we had in Key West this past January, really helped. 3. Confidence – Knowing our rig tune and sail set up gave us a lot of consistent speed. While this time we were not always the fastest around the marks, we were consistently fast upwind and downwind throughout the wind ranges. 4. Patience – If I were to add one more thing, it is that we had a lot of patience. We were a little frustrated to not be winning after each day and sometimes we beat ourselves up, but overall we were patient, did not try anything too radical, kept covering and chipping away at the competition. Contact your local North Sails expert to get the latest information on the fastest sails for the J/111 READ MORE

NORTH SAILS INTRODUCES NEW RADIAL JIB FOR THE LIGHTNING CLASS Extended Testing Proves V17 Jib Delivers Improved Performance in All Conditions North Sails sail designer and Lightning legend, Ched Proctor has devoted many years and thousands of sailing hours perfecting fast Lightning sail designs. The “King of the South”, a nickname earned by winning a record seven Southern Circuits, Ched is one of the most renowned and respected Lightning sail designers in the 80 year history of the class. The Lightning sails produced by North Sails have been the Lightning sailors’ choice for decades, so developing a new, faster radial jib was no easy task. “I feel confident in our products and feel our sails are, by far, the fastest and the most versatile sails in the market. That said I am always looking to create a faster sail. Getting the V17 to the point where I feel confident enough to use and sell it to our clients was quite a challenge!” said Ched Proctor. The new V17 jib was developed based on the design of the R75 and the shaping of the 5A+ jibs. Utilizing a radial head and clew section, the V17 has proven to be incredibly fast and versatile in all conditions. The prototype was tested at the 2017 Southern Circuit where it won all the events and, after further testing and minor tweaks to make the sail smooth and easy to trim, the V17 is now ready and available to help you and your team get to the podium. “Ched has been very focused on making improvements to our radial sail program. After many hours of testing and tweaking, he has created the V17 which has proven to be a very fast and pretty sail. I think it is the perfect compliment to our winning lineup and a great option for someone looking for that performance edge,” said North Sails Lightning Global Class Leader, Brian Hayes. The new V17 is now in stock and ready to ship for your next Lightning regatta. Contact your nearest North Sails Lightning expert today. READ MORE

LIONHEART CLAIMS KOHLER CUP SEASON-LONG POINTS TROPHY Inaugural J Class World Championship wraps up in Newport Newport, Rhode Island welcomed the J Class Association for the inaugural World Championship this week. Six yachts competed over five days of racing, battling for the World Championship title and season-long points trophy, the Kohler Cup. Competition was tight between the six yachts, Hanuman, Lionheart, Ranger, Svea, Topaz, and Velsheda, with frequent lead changes throughout tactical courses on Narragansett Bay. The final leaderboard is a true reflection, showing seven points between first and third place and only a 13 point difference from top to bottom. North Sails is the official sailmaker of the J Class Association and is proud to have taken part in a historical year of racing. All the yachts at the World Championship raced with North 3Di sails, a unique combination of the industry’s most advanced sail technology paired with the classic lines of the J Class fleet. Congratulations to Lionheart, the first J Class World Champion as well as winner of the 2017 Kohler Cup. North Sails would also like to commend Hanuman and Ranger who finished second and third respectively. “Thank you very much to the New York Yacht Club for hosting this fantastic regatta, it’s been phenomenal. I would of course like to thank my crew and family. This is a family boat, I sail with my sons and my wife and it’s really a gift to be able to do this,” said Lionheart’s Harold Goddijn at last night’s prize giving. “Congratulations to the Lionheart team for doing an amazing job this week and throughout the year,” said Ken Read, skipper of Hanuman and president of North Sails. “Thank you to our hosts, the New York Yacht Club and to the city of Newport for their strong support on the water. This was an opportunity for sailing to come back, for crew work and sail handling to be front and center in the world again. All the teams here did an amazing job, everyone had their day, and it was so fun to be a part of. On behalf of the entire Hanuman team, it’s been a pleasure.” Competitive racing in the J Class will continue with the release of 2018’s Kohler Cup schedule early next week. View all 2017 race results at jclassyachts.com. READ MORE

NORTH U FUELS GREAT COMPETITION AT 20TH J-CUP Post-racing debriefs offer added value for J-Cup sailors in Torquay Sweeney – J-Cup 2017 Hosted by the Royal Torbay Yacht Club, the 20th J-Cup saw forty-one J boats come together for three days of racing. The J/109 was the largest fleet, with fifteen boats. In true British summertime style, the competitors had everything from sunshine to hail, but a consistent 15+ knots each day meant the boats had a fantastic time racing. North Sails was proud to be one of the partner sponsors of the event. Daily prizes for the overall winners were provided as well as daily weather forecasting briefs. The North U post-racing sessions, run by North experts, brought the crowd together for a recap and tips for the next day. Perhaps the most hotly contested fleet was the J/88. After Day 1 the top four boats were separated by only two points, with Kirsty & David Apothorp’s J-Dream and Paul Ward’s Eat, Sleep, J, Repeat tied in 1st place, followed by Gavin Howe’s Tigris and Tim Tolcher’s Raging Bull tied in second. This battle went on until the final day when Eat, Sleep, J, Repeat took the title with finishes of 1-2-(4)-2-1-2-2-3, giving them a 2 point lead over J-Dream. Congratulations Paul Ward and team for a great regatta! In the J/111 class, the competition between Sweeney and McFly continued on from Cowes Week with the two boats battling hard against each other to take the win. Between the two of them, they won all the races. However, Sweeney squeezed ahead of McFly in the end with a four point lead. The outstanding performance of the week and the overall winner of the J-Cup went to Divanti Tyres, Marie-Claude & Paul Heys in the J/112E class, who completed the series with all bullets! North Sails is proud to be the stand-out sailmaker of choice at the J-Cup. Get in touch with a North expert to learn about latest offerings and how to up your game next season! Divanti Tyres – J-Cup 2017 Raging Bull – J-Cup 2017 Jelly Belly – J-Cup 2017 Eat,Sleep,J,Repeat – J-Cup 2017 Full results READ MORE

North Sails would like to welcome Ian “Biggles” Johnson to our team. David Clark, the Vice President of the Australian Etchells has to say about the man best known as ‘Biggles’. “He is highly regarded as both a sailor and a person. It is probably because he is so much fun to sail with, for he throws humour in the face of adversity. He is a classic.” I have sailed with some real pros and Biggles makes a clever and very subtle shift between being on and off. When he’s on, he’s totally into it, and a really competitive sportsman. It is really good, because when you have a long day on the water, he makes it so much more pleasurable, and his demeanour does not change whether you’re at the pointy end or back of the fleet.” He’s just straight up, and calls it the way it is. I think he’s taken a lot away from his time sailing with John Bertrand, AO. You always use the phrase, ‘A Good Man’, when referring to Biggles”, said Clark. “ Biggles said he thought he knew a lot about sails until I sailed with John Bertrand for two years. His attention to detail and understanding is incredible. In addition to building rapport instantly with Biggles, you also get to understand the depth of his own skill base. For instance, he has attended 15 Etchells World Championships, and is looking to make it 16 next year at Brisbane. Of the many top ten placings in that time, Biggles is clear that the thing he learned the most is how not to do it. There are also 19 Sydney Hobart races on his impressive CV, with a Line Honours win followed up the very next year by stepping into a life raft. There are also two Fastnet races in there, lots of National and State titles in many things, time in the lovely Stars, as well as J24s and others. Now we mentioned the great man JB a bit earlier, and after now learning more , it is only apt to refer backwards a little. John Bertrand AO considers things for a moment, asking himself, “How best to describe Ian Biggles Johnson?” Then JB sums it up quickly and succinctly with, “Pure enthusiasm. Biggles sails and races for the joy of the sport. The man exudes a natural feel when it comes to wind, water and team building. Just a terrific bloke.” Ian will be based out of the Melbourne loft with Aarron Cole and is excited to be working with North Sails. “It was a childhood dream to be involved with the world’s best sail makers and brand. Biggles will be back in the Etchells this coming season, Some club racing at Sandringham, Brighton and down on the Mornington Peninsula. It could be Saturday to Wednesday Wonders. “I am happy to be out there helping, and love it”. READ MORE

CONSISTENT GOOD STARTS – THE KEY AT THE ETCHELLS NORTH AMERICANS Scott Kaufman and Team American Jane 11 best a fleet of incredible talent Twenty nine teams including World champions, Olympic medallists, America’s Cup sailors and many other talented sailors, raced in typical Southern California light-medium conditions for the Etchells 2017 North American title. With such a high level of the talent, there was no better place to tune-up and prepare for the World Championship in San Francisco next month. “The regatta was very challenging,” said North Sails Brian Janney, who sailed with Argyle Campbell and finished third place. “Good starts were key as the line favored the right side. Scott (Kaufman) sailed well, he had really good starts.” The top teams used the North Sails PC-F mainsail, LM-2L and LM-2H jibs and VMG and Full Radial spinnakers. Congratulations to Scott Kaufman and team American Jane 11, the 2017 North American Champions, and Keith Whittemore for winning the Corinthian division! Heading to the Worlds in San Francisco? Contact our experts today for the fastest Etchells sails. Full results 2017 North American Champions – L to R: Alex Curtiss, Jesse Kirkland, and Austen Anderson and Scott Kaufman Corinthian champions – L to R: Brian Thomas, Kevin Downey, Patricia Stadel (presenting the trophy), Keith Whittemore and Peter Busch (not pictured) Scott Kaufman earns a great start on American Jane 1, winning the boat end The youngest sailor at the regatta, nine year old Anton Schmid READ MORE

VELAS CLÁSICAS EN TIEMPOS MODERNOS Los veleros clásicos son una ventana al pasado. Sus armadores y tripulantes son guardianes de la historia única de cada barco y de una tradición que perdura en el tiempo ajena a los avances tecnológicos. En su condición de velería líder mundial, North Sails cuenta con una división específica dedicada al diseño, fabricación y mantenimiento de velas para estas joyas de la navegación. La estricta reglamentación que rige la competición de clásicos limita el uso de materiales, pero la evolución forma parte del ADN de North Sails, por lo que los expertos de la marca buscan la mejora en optimización de formas y de fabricación. Los mejores expertos en velería para clásicos trabajan en dos instalaciones North Sails desde las que se cubren las necesidades de la flota mundial: Milford (Estados Unidos) y Cuntis (Pontevedra). En la planta española opera una veintena de personas que compaginan la fabricación y el mantenimiento de velas de última generación con la de clásicos. “Fabricamos entre 100 y 150 velas para clásicos cada año”, explica Manuel Lastra, director general de North Sails España. A lo largo de sus más de cuatro décadas de experiencia, Lastra ha vivido buena parte de la evolución y revolución del sector. “Comenzamos en la década de 1980, cuando suplíamos velas para los buques escuela. Estas velas requerían bastante trabajo manual en materiales tradicionales, como costuras de cabo, protecciones de cuero, etc... De entonces viene nuestra especialización e interés por barcos de otras épocas, y desde entonces forman parte de nuestro muestrario”. Velas con historia Por las instalaciones de North Sails en Cuntis pasan piezas que recorren siglo y medio de historia de la navegación. “Todos tienen su parte de interés y curiosidad, ya que vienen con una larga historia ‘adherida’. Barcos que pertenecieron a famosos, como el Manitou (John Fitzgerald Kennedy); otros utilizados para viajes documentales como el Xarifa (Hans Hass),... Esa es la parte emocional del proyecto. En la parte técnica, todos tienen algo: Hay que considerar que estás recorriendo con ellos unos 150 años de evolución de navegación a vela, sus materiales, maniobra,…”. Por el departamento de clásicos de Cuntis pasan proyectos de velas nuevas para barcos restaurados o para réplicas en construcción, así como renovaciones de inventario para barcos que compiten hoy en regatas como la Puig Vela Clàssica o la Copa del Rey Panerai Vela Clásica Menorca. Piezas que requieren un trato de auténtica sastrería a medida. “Actualmente estamos trabajando para barcos como el NY 30 Linnet, el MYLNE 57 Kelpie, los NY 40 Mailee y Chinook, los S&S 53 Skylark y Serenade, o el J15 Mariska”. Auténticas joyas de la navegación. Materiales En la velería pontevedresa se entremezclan ambos extremos del espectro de la vela. Bajo su techo conviven las velas de clásicos con las de barcos de última generación. ¿Qué las diferencia? “Básicamente, las diferencias radican en los materiales utilizados en su fabricación y en las formas”, explica Lastra. “El poliéster y el nylon son las fibras utilizadas en las velas clásicas. Estos materiales, combinados con la madera de cascos y mástiles, proporcionan una elasticidad al conjunto, que es todo lo contrario a la “rigidez” de los barcos y velas modernas. Las velas clásicas necesitan más potencia para los mayores desplazamientos de estos barcos respecto a los barcos más ligeros de hoy en día”. Botado en 1908 y restaurado en 2009, el Mariska pertenece a la clase 15M, y con sus casi 16 metros de eslora desplaza 34 toneladas; un TP52 actual, con eslora similar, apenas desplaza siete. “Los materiales más comunes son el poliéster (Dacron) y el nylon para los espís. En competición, tienen que ser tejidos compuestos de trama y urdimbre sin mylar; por esa razón se admite incluso el Pentex tejido, aunque actualmente ya no existe en el mercado. Para grandes desplazamientos se usan tejidos de Dacron de doble capa, ya que tienen mayor estabilidad al bies que sus equivalentes en peso de una sola capa. En competición, y dependiendo bajo qué reglamento, se pueden utilizar otras fibras o cortes de vela, aunque están penalizados. Otros materiales más avanzados, como el carbono, están directamente prohibidos”. Modernidad relativa Dentro de los estrictos parámetros que rigen la competición de clásicos, existe espacio para la aplicación de materiales y metodologías más actuales. Su perfeccionamiento se centra en la forma y la fabricación. Mediante el uso del North Design Suite, los diseñadores pueden crear modelos 3D de un barco para comprender mejor cómo encajará una vela en la geometría de aparejos que son, por lo general, complicados. La combinación de diseñadores especializados en velas clásicas con el uso del potente software de diseño mejora el rendimiento al tiempo que respeta la estética clásica. Ese margen de maniobra “depende de bajo qué regla se compita, y a veces del área geográfica; en este aspecto, en Estados Unidos son menos estrictos. Lo más moderno que admite sin penalización el reglamento CIM (Comité Internacional del Mediterráneo, vigente en el área del Mediterráneo) es el Pentex tejido. En la clase Espíritu de Tradición (SOT o Spirit of Tradition, barcos construidos a partir de 1970 utilizando técnicas y materiales modernos pero con un aspecto y estilo fieles a un proyecto tradicional de época o clásico) sí se admiten fibras y construcciones modernas”. Incluso la revolucionaria tecnología 3Di de North Sails tiene cabida entre los clásicos: “Se acepta en la categoría Espíritu de Tradición, como los J Class, flota de la que North Sails es velería oficial”. De Velas Campos a North Sails Lo que hoy es North Sails España nació como Velas Campos a finales de la década de 1970. Pedro Campos y los hermanos Manuel y José María Lastra, todavía estudiantes, comenzaron a fabricar velas para uso propio en una vivienda de la familia de Campos en Madrid. “En 1978 conseguimos un pedido del astillero Taylor para Dufour, lo que suponía hacer más velas, más grandes, y requería más espacio”, explica Lastra. “Así que la familia de Pedro nos ofreció espacio en el comedor del balneario de Cuntis, cerrado en invierno; en verano nos trasladábamos al gimnasio, una habitación de 7x18 metros que servía de oficina y velería. Ahí empezamos a fabricar las primeras velas para buques escuela sobre 1980”. En 1981 construirían lo que hoy es la planta de Cuntis. “Mientras la terminaban, trasladamos la velería a un taller de coches”. En sus inicios, la velería ocupaba la planta superior de la nave actual, un espacio diáfano de 21x51 metros (más de 1.000 m2), “por entonces la mayor de Europa sin columnas”, donde fabricaban velas de todo tipo, “hasta de windsurf”, siempre en busca de las mejores prestaciones. “Mi hermano José María siempre fue muy rompedor en materiales, y posiblemente fabricamos las primeras velas de kevlar de España”. En 1984 se unieron a la firma danesa Diamond Sailmakers. En 1995, Jose María Lastra dejaba la empresa, que pasaba a denominarse North Sails. Hoy, la factoría de Cuntis es una de las más productivas de la firma gracias a la maestría de sus hasta 40 trabajadores “gente de la zona, que en algunos casos lleva con nosotros casi 40 años”. Sus tres plantas y cerca de 4.000 metros cuadrados de superficie están consagrados a la división de velas clásicas North Sails, a la fabricación de velas de portantes y, desde este mismo año, a la aplicación de gráficos en velas. “A través de nuestra división North Graphics hemos decorado la mitad de las velas de la flota Volvo Ocean Race; la otra mitad, en San Diego”. READ MORE

2017 MELGES 20 US NATIONALS North Sails clients finish 1,2,4,5 in the class National Championships in Newport © Double Shot Studios The 2017 Melges 20 Nationals started off with a bang with 22 teams from six nations arriving in Newport, RI for the last U.S. event before the World Championship in October. Light air ruled the day for the North U Melges 20 Speed Clinic on Wednesday. North U experts Tim Healy, Chuck Allen, Jeremy Wilmot, and Melges 20 sailor and Olympian, Stu McNay focused on sail trim, boat speed, and weight distribution. After sailing, images and video were shown on the big screen at Sail Newport, triggering a lively discussion on set-up techniques. Sailors of all experience levels were able to take something away that would be handy for the predicted light air racing during the event. Thursday was tricky with light air conditions as predicted, giving sailors a chance to use the techniques they had practiced during the clinic. Drew Freides’ Pacific Yankee won the second race of the day, putting them in the lead going into day two. On Friday conditions were more promising with an approaching frontal system bringing a solid twelve knot breeze. Samba Pa Ti with skipper John Kilroy started the day with a 1-1, putting them at the top of the scoreboard. Drew Freides was able to finish strong, securing the lead yet again with a 2-1 at the end of the day. Samba Pa Ti held onto 2nd place, followed by Liam Kilroy’s Wildman. Saturday’s conditions brought a nice southerly which gave the Race Committee ample wind to run two races before the cut off time. North-powered Pacific Yankee was able to hold on to their lead, winning this year’s National Championship Title. Samba Pa Ti stayed consistent, maintaining their 2nd place finish. Liam Kilroy’s Wildman ended their regatta in 4th position, followed by James Wilson’s Oleander in 5th. Congratulations to Drew Freides and John Kilroy for their performances. Click here for more information on 3Di for Melges 20, or to speak with a class expert North Sails 3Di Debuts in Small Boat One Design Pacific Yankee, 2017 U.S. National Champions! © Double Shot Studios © Double Shot Studios © Double Shot Studios READ MORE

EXPERT TIPS Leave the dock at 100% with these tips on how to prepare for racing offshore, thanks to North Sails expert and Volvo Ocean Race skipper, Charlie Enright © Amory Ross/ Volvo Ocean Race North Sails expert and Volvo Ocean Race skipper, Charlie Enright, has logged thousands of miles on the world’s oceans. As Charlie looks toward his next adventure onboard Team Vestas / 11th Hour Racing in the 2018 Volvo Ocean Race, he shares a few rules of thumb with us. Following are the “top three” areas in need of your attention. Provisioning Sustenance is important because it keeps the team going. Without proper food and water consumption, the crew will get tired and have a hard time reacting to what happens unexpectedly on deck. For instance, as I look ahead to the Chicago-Mac, we’ve planned for two freeze-dried meals a day, plus a breakfast. That will be supplemented with protein bars, snacks, and tons of fluid – the little things make a difference in the long run. In case you didn’t know, ‘Starbucks Via’ has the ability to split a watch in half! © Matt Knighton/Volvo Ocean Race Team Supplies and Equipment What should your crew have on their person? What should they have in their gear bag? These are the essentials: On Each Crew Member: Harness AIS Unit Knife Torch Headlamp Strobe In Your Crew Bag: Base layers Socks Gloves iPod Sunscreen Lip protectant Floppy hat/head protection © Amory Ross/ Volvo Ocean Race Daily Routine To maintain consistency ondeck, we run a 4 hours on, 4 hours off schedule with the team split into groups. Switching every two hours will maintain sufficient overlap so the crew has time to communicate about conditions, configurations, and trends to look out for. It’s important to be up and awake at the same time before each of your scheduled watches. Being properly dressed, well fed, and ready to go before your shift has started is important and allows the group that is finishing their shift to come down and rest. Off watch time is just as, if not more important. Focus on managing your sleep by establishing a routine you can follow – know when to eat, and when to take care of your hygienic needs so they do not interfere with your time to rest. Believe it or not, it’s little things like this that can have a great affect on performance. The more predictable and routine oriented you are, the more it helps your team do the same, making it easier for everyone to adjust to life onboard for distance racing. © Brian Carlin / Team Vestas Wind READ MORE

J/70 YOUTH CHAMPIONSHIP North Sails partners with J/Boats to create a unique platform opportunity for youth sailing at a championship level Nine youth teams from Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, California, and Rhode Island met in Newport, RI to compete in the J/70 Youth Championships to further develop high performance racing and get more young sailors on the water. To start off the weekend, North Sails Tim Healy and Will Welles held a clinic with the youth teams to get them race ready. The main focus of the clinic was rig tuning, weight placement, and techniques. Sailors were able to take what they learned and use it during the actual regatta. After the weekend of racing, youth team Santa Barbara came out ahead with flying colors, winning 1st place at the Championships as well as free usage of a fully equipped J/70 with sails and a trailer to race for twelve months. Consisting of SBYC, Severn Sailing Association, Sail Newport, Annapolis YC, CRYC, Little Traverse YC, the Mudratz, Eastern YC, and St. Pete Youth Sailing Team, the Youth Champs was a great event for younger sailors to gain experience in a high-performance racing boat. Congratulations to the youth team representing Santa Barbara YC! Skipper Lucas Pierce and his valiant crew sailed a fantastic regatta and were well deserving of this win. Next year, the St. Petersburg Yacht Club in Florida will be the host of the 2018 Annual J/70 Youth Championships. Thank you to SPYC for stepping up for next year to promote youth sailing. We look forward to seeing more youth sailors on the water in the future. For more information on J70 products, or to speak with a Class Expert READ MORE

2ND ANNUAL J/FEST NEW ENGLAND Sailors fight the tides in the tricky conditions in Newport, North Sails clients win six divisions and enjoy the J/24 40th Anniversary race This past weekend, in Newport, RI, was the 2nd Annual J/Fest Regatta. On Friday, the J/24 class celebrated their 40th Anniversary with a fleet of 20 boats that sailed a longer race around government marks on the Eastern side of Jamestown. Starting to the South of Rose Island, sailors raced up to Ft. Wetherill G9 off of Jamestown, then to GR can at Halfway/Fiske Rock down past Prudence Island. It was a very long downwind haul against the flooding current and only 5-7 knot s of wind. After rounding GR, they beat back upwind up to the Southern tip of Rose Island, keeping R12 and GC1 to Port. Finishing 50 yards South of Goat Island, it was an awesome race that took the fleet roughly four hours. North U provided on the water support both Friday and Saturday. By taking photos and video, Chuck Allen worked with the J/24, J/105, and J/109 fleets on trimming techniques, crew placement, and rig tuning. Lots of good feedback and things to practice to improve overall boat speed. “Thanks again for your help this weekend! It really gave us big gains in speed! We still need to learn more, but we are getting there. I greatly appreciate everything you and your team does. I know you don’t have to, and there are times that you make special trips to help us out. I do recognize this and appreciate what you do even more.” -Brooke Mastrorio, J/109 Corinthian team ‘URSA’ Friday evening, past J/24 World Championship duo, Sail Newport’s Brad Read and North Sails President, Ken Read provided some insights to local knowledge and possible scenarios for what the weather would bring for the weekend. Giving sailors intel on geographics and certain weather and tide conditions around Narragansett Bay, Brad and Ken wanted sailors to be ‘in the know’ so they could focus more on tactics and align that with the tricks only a local would know. The weather report for the weekend was a bit frightening, as a low-pressure system was moving just south of Newport, creating wet and humid air, with warm temps, and pulsing sea fog which would end up affecting the wind conditions on Saturday and Sunday morning. The second annual J/Fest NE Regatta was composed of a variety of J/Boats, including J/22, J/24, J/37c, J/70, J/105, J/109, J/110, J/30, J/92s, and a PHRF division. Racing on Saturday was unfortunately impossible due to the thick fog creating zero visibility, and lack of wind mainly due to the fog and low-pressure system passing to the South of Newport. On Sunday, the Race Committee team did their best to get the most quality racing in for the sailors, achieving four races for the J/24, J/70, and J/22 fleets. The PHRF fleet got in two races, and the J/105, J/109, and J/30s were able to get in three races. Tough sailing conditions made it hard for the event, luckily ending with a solid day on the water and fun for all. North Sails is a proud sponsor of the 2nd Annual J/Fest NE, partnering with J/Boats and other local sponsors to create a platform for sailors of all kinds to sail with friends and family. North U was on the water providing coaching Friday for the J/24 fleet sailors. Chuck Allen worked with each boat on trimming techniques, crew placement, and rig tuning. Thank you to Sail Newport for hosting the fleets this past weekend, as well as RC officials, volunteers, and on the water support. Thanks to all sailors for being an intricate part of the 40th Annual J/24 Anniversary Race, making this year a special one for everyone. Full Results Here Steve Kirkpatrick and his team giving thanks to J/Boats and the J/24 sailors for making Friday’s 40th Anniversary race a great one Steve Kirkpatrick and his team on the mighty ‘Buckshot’, taking 1st overall in the 40th Anniversary race for the J/24 Fleet READ MORE

NORTH SAILS 3Di “As a management team, we had to decide if we wanted to invest in the technology or not. The bet was about a 20 million dollar bet,” said North Sails CEO, Dan Neri, reflecting back on North’s decision to purchase an idea that eventually led to today’s most advanced sailmaking product: North Sails 3Di. Dan worked alongside lead sail designer, JB Braun, and many others among the North team to turn an idea into a game-changing sail technology. Feedback from clients and professional sailors is key to the development cycle. In this video we also hear from Cameron Appleton, who speaks from experience using 3Di sails on a variety of racing circles – from small boat one design to superyachts. READ MORE

Purjeneulomo Niiniranta Oy / NORTH SAILS pitää avoimet UIVA- FLYTANDE 2017 messujen aikana 17.- 20.8. keväällä avatussa Lauttasaaren toimipisteessä, osoitteessa VENEENTEKIJÄNTIE 12 Olemme paikalla: torstaina ja perjantaina klo 12-20 lauantaina ja sunnuntaina klo 10-18 Tervetuloa tutustumaan uusiin tuotteisiin ja toimitiloihin. Tarjolla kahvia ja syksyn kuumimmat purjetajoukset. READ MORE

SNIPE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP North-powered Raul Rios and Mac Agnese are the 2017 Snipe World Champions! 170 Snipe sailors from 16 countries flocked to Real Club Nautico de La Coruña in Spain for the 2017 World Championships. Sailors were challenged in a three-race qualifying series, which would dictate whether they would compete in the Gold or Silver division. After the qualifying round, sailors competed in a 4 race Championship round within their divisions for the #1 spot. After a week of racing, North-powered Raul Rios and Mac Agnese came out 5 points ahead in the Gold Division, taking the 2017 World Championship title using the R3-LM jib and SW-4 mainsail. Mitsugu Nakajima and Kazuhiro Ito from Japan took the top spot in the Silver Division, working hard all week to stay ahead of team USA’s Watt Duffy and crew Asher Zittrer by four points. In conditions of all kinds, Raul and Mac worked hard and kept fighting to achieve their first World Championship win. Raul Rios is no stranger to the Snipe Class, being the National Champion the last three years, he is known for his remarkable speed and talent. Congratulations to Silver Division winners Mitsugu Nakajima and Kazuhiro Ito and Gold Division World Champions Raul Rios and Mac Agnese for sailing an amazing regatta, and proving that hard work really does pay off when you have the tools you need to succeed. Click here for more information on World Championship winning Snipe products, or to speak with an expert. READ MORE

NEW J/70 JIB DEBUTS WITH TWO CLEAN SWEEPS 1,2,3 at the NOOD Regatta in Marblehead and 1,2,3,4 at the Corinthian Nationals Powered by the New J-6 Jib Brian Keane and his team on Savasana, 2017 Corinthian National Champions. © Chris Howell From light to heavy conditions, the new J-6 jib has been tested and proven to hold its own as the leading tool for all-purpose abilities. The top 3 teams at the NOOD Regatta in Marblehead: John Baxter’s Team Vineyard Vines, Bruno Pasquinelli’s Stampede, and Brian Keane’s Savasana used the new J-6 jib and showed excellent speed. “The J/6 is sweet!” said John Baxter, winner at the Marblehead NOOD Regatta. The story was no different than the report from Buzzards Bay last week where 28 teams competed at the J/70 Corinthian Nationals. The top 4 boats on the scoreboard were also using the powerful J-6 high-clew jib. Brian Keane and his team on Savasana took the title with four bullets. “We are very pleased with the new J-6 headsail from North Sails. We believe it is highly versatile, balanced, and allows for aggressive weather sheeting.” –Brian Keane, owner-driver of J/70 Savasana and winner of the 2017 Corinthian Nationals. The North Sails new high-clew jib, optimized for more in-hauling cross-sheeting abilities across the cabin-top, has proven to be the best choice for the J/70. “It is great to see our clients testing our new products and winning the events. We were 100% confident in the performance of the J-6 jib when we released it. These results prove that there is no better all-purpose jib in the market for the J/70 class and we highly recommend it for the Worlds.” – Tim Healy, North Sails One Design President and J/70 World champion. Learn more about North’s fastest J/70 sails Full Results : Marblehead NOOD | Corinthian Nationals Heather Gregg’s MUSE sailing upwind, using her new J-6 jib. © Chris Howell Glenn Darden and crew on HOSS, also using the new J-6. © Chris Howell READ MORE

Avoimet ovet Uiva/Flytande 2017 messujen aikana North Sails pitää avoimet ovet Uiva/Flytande 2017 messujen aikana keväällä avatussa Lauttasaaren toimipisteessä osoitteessa Veneentekijäntie 12. Olemme paikalla messujen aukioloaikojen mukaisesti to-pe 12.00-20.00 ja la-su 10.00-18.00. Tervetuloa tutustumaa, kahville, keskustelemaan tulevista hankinnoista ja katsastamaan messutarjouksemme! READ MORE

WINNERS ROUND FASTNET ROCK WITH NORTH SAILS 3Di A nail biting finish for the VO65s and another class win for father-son duo on Night and Day – North Sails clients find success in the 2017 Fastnet Race. © Jen Edney / Volvo Ocean Race The Fastnet Race is among the most challenging offshore races in the world, and this year was no exception with a record 368 boats crossing the start line in Cowes. Corinthian and professional teams lined up off the Royal Yacht Squadron, following a course around The Lizard (the most westerly point of mainland Britain), through the Irish Sea to round Fastnet Rock, and back to Plymouth on the UK’s South coast. While conditions this year did not serve a record-breaking run, some 2700 sailors aboard everything from 30 footers to the 115 ft Nikata, took on the highs and lows of this 605 nm offshore race – starting with an upwind slog out of the Solent in a 15-20 knot Westerly. First to go were the multihulls including Tony Lawson’s MOD70 Team Concise, who rounded the needles at the furthest end of the Solent before most boats had entered their starting sequence! Team Concise finished the race in a remarkable 42 hours and 55 minutes, just as the fastest Monohulls were arriving at Fastnet Rock. The IRC classes followed which included defending double-handed champions Night and Day. The French father-son duo once again took the double handed win as well as winning IRC 4. Ron O’Hanley’s North-powered Cookson 50 Privateer took the top spot in IRC Z and narrowly missed the overall IRC win to Didier Gaudoux’s Lann Ael 2. Racing in IRC 1, Lann Ael 2 completed the race in a corrected time of 3 days, 23 hours, 55 mins and 27 seconds, giving them the overall IRC win. George David’s Rambler 88 took monohull line honors in 2 days 9 hours 34 mins and 21 seconds, which is over six hours faster than their 2015 time. The VO65s were the last to set off. With the Volvo Ocean Race start on the horizon, the Fastnet Race is part of their “Leg 0” – a final shakedown for these around-the-world sailors before taking on the trip of a lifetime. True to form, the competition was tight. After nearly three days of racing, the seven boats were separated by less than 40 minutes! The fight for the lead came right down to the wire between Team Mapfre and Dongfeng Race Team, who in the end benefitted from a crucial sail choice. They had a smaller headsail up when a large gust came in, which powered them across the line just 56 seconds ahead! North Sails is proud to be the Official Sailmaker of the 2017-18 Volvo Ocean Race, in which all teams will race with 3Di sails. All but one of the VO65s competing in the 2017 Fastnet used North Sails 3Di mainsails from the previous race, boasting over 50,000 nautical miles logged. We estimate this is equal to about 12 years of use for the average sailor, offering superior performance with unprecedented durability. North Sails is proud to supply sails to competitors across the 2017 Fastnet fleet. Racing in the Fastnet is a right of passage for many sailors, just reaching the starting line is often an achievement in itself! Full results © Ugo Fonolla / Volvo Ocean Race © Martin Keruzore / Volvo Ocean Race © Jeremie Lecaudey / Volvo Ocean Race READ MORE

NORTH SAILS CLIENTS CLAIM 16 DIVISIONS AT COWES WEEK Another great week in Cowes, with North-powered wins and a new monohull record for the history books! North Sails clients are successful in both IRC and One Design racing at Cowes Week this year. Cowes Week has been running since 1826 and is the UK’s longest running regatta, proving to be one of the most popular sailing events on the global sailing calendar. This year with thirty-four classes entered from cruising boats to VOR’s, Cowes showed her true colors, and her competitors made history on the race course. The week supplied a variety of conditions. In the beginning, boats had the leverage along the North shore of the Isle of Wight due to the lack of wind. Racing was eventually called off for all but class zero and the VOR teams. By the end of the week, a low-pressure system settled in and brought big winds, giving competitors exactly what they came for. Overall, the British summer weather behaved, with just two days of rain, with the extreme days bringing a prevailing Westerly at 15-20 knots. Cowes week attracts sailors from all over the world, allowing an amazing experience on the Solent from its complex tidal system to the hidden sand banks, the Solent really is one of the top sailing race tracks that exists. The week fell just before the start of the Rolex Fastnet race, meaning larger boats such as the Class 40’s were seen practicing before the start of the prestigious RORC event. One of the unrivaled highlights of the week was watching Team MAPFRE break the around the island monohull record in a time of 3 hours 13 mins 11 sec, and they did it in 30+ knots which shot them around the needles at the Western edge of the Isle of Wight! Nice job team! Cowes Week was a success in both One Design racing and IRC racing across the board for North Sails, being the dominant sailmaker for most classes. North-powered boats took the lead in IRC 0 – IRC 4. Some of the highlights were Peter Morton’s Girls on Film winning the Fast 40 Division. There was much excitement in the fleet when 42 South broke their mast on the second day of racing. IRC 1 was swept by Sam Cox and his team on Nifty Racing, a King 40, but not without a fight from Tony Mack’s J/111, McFly who benefitted as the wind picked up using their asymmetric spinnaker allowing them to settle in and get in the groove downwind. IRC 0 was won by Bernard Langley’s TP52 Gladiator while IRC 2 with Andrew McIrvine’s La Reponse who had a great scoreboard of 4-1-1-1-1-5 across the series. In IRC 3, Adam Goslings Yes! had an impressive 1-2-1-1-1-2 run, and IRC 4 with David Franks’ Strait Dealer sweeping his competition in utmost speed. Within the One Design fleets of the week, North Sails clients took the lead with Tony Mack’s J/111 McFly winning their division. In the J/70 fleet, Jack Davies’ Yeti, took the lead, with his crew all under the age of 25! In the XOD fleet – the local One Design class member John Tremlett and his team on Lass took the win, followed by Swallow, skippered by Simon Russell. Oliver Morgan’s Christianna took the title in the Dragon Fleet and Robert Elliot’s Bon Vivant won the Etchells Division, sailing a great regatta. North Sails is a proud sponsor of Cowes Week each year, offering the best in customer service to competitors in all classes. Congratulations to our clients for excelling in all divisions, and big thanks to our loft team for working overnight to keep sailors on the race course having fun! For more information on our regatta-winning products, contact your local loft today! READ MORE

RECORD BREAKING ENTRY AT THE 36TH COPA DEL REY North Sails clients win nine out of ten classes in 36th Annual Regatta in Palma Copa Del Rey – ITA 5016 A record breaking 138 boats entered into the 36th edition of the Copa Del Rey in Palma last week. This included ORC and One Design racing. The Bay of Palma is well known for its reliant 12-18 knot sea breeze, which comes in consistently as the land heats up. Due to the extreme temperatures this year, Copa Del Rey did not see these conditions until the final day of racing. Despite the light winds, the race committee managed to fit in at least nine races in all divisions. North Sails clients won all Swan One Design classes in the regatta: Hendrik Brandis and Team in Early Bird (GER 5005) in the Swan 50 fleet, Jose Maria Meseguer’s Pez de Abril (ESP 4225) in the Swan 42 fleet, and Christian Plump and team Elena Nova in the Swan 45. In the foiling GC32 fleet, all the podium positions used full North Sails inventories. Japanese team, Mama Aiuto, won the event after the 14 race series followed by US Team Argo and the Swiss Real Team. Rafael Carbonell’s Swan 45, Rats on Fire (ESP 9400), racing in ORC1 won the class by two points followed by Luis Senis’ Swan 45 Parron IX (ESP 10222) – who were tied in equal points with Maserati (ESP 1234) in their DK 46. As Parron IX was carrying four-1st place finishes, this put them into runners up position. In ORC 2 Sum Innovation (ESP6746) took the lead in their Rodman 42. The ORC 3 podium was also dominated by North Sails clients, however, the stand out performance goes to Grupo Ceres (ESP 6928) in their Dufour 45 who finished the regatta with eight bullets out of nine races, giving them an impressive 11 point lead ahead of British team Just the Job (GBR 7897R) on the J/97, who also sailed a great regatta. Congratulations to all our North Sails clients! Find out more about our products, or get in touch with a North Sails Expert Full results Copa Del Rey 2017 READ MORE

Buzzards Bay Regatta & J/70 Corinthian Nationals North clients top the board at BBR, sweep second annual Corinthian National Championships in the J/70 © Chris Howell The 2017 Buzzards Bay Regatta and J/70 Corinthian National Championships saw a great turn out for its 45th year with 141 crews competing on a variety of sail-powered boats and boards in New Bedford, MA. From kiteboards to J/105’s, 505’s to Shields, New Bedford hosted sailors from all over the country to compete in one of the best events for summertime sailing. J/70 sailors came to test their skills in the class’ Corinthian Nationals, fighting for the top spot in this amateur-only regatta for the class. Breeze ranging from 8-15 knots gave sailors plenty of races to get a discard. North-powered teams led across the board in the 505, J/70, and J/105 fleets. Ethan Bixby, with crew Parry Barclay, won the 505 fleet on Pressure Drop, with four bullets over seven races. In the J/105 division, Nicole Breault with Good Trade topped the fleet, winning all 10 races in a perfect winning streak with nine points after a discard of one point. Mark Lindquist’s Sterling came in 2nd place, fending off third position by five points. Brian Keane’s Savasana came out at the top of the 28-boat J/70 Corinthian fleet. Heather Gregg’s Muse was close behind in 2nd, followed by Glenn Darden’s HOSS. The top teams in this event all used North’s new J-6 Jib. New on the market is North’s J-6 high-clew jib, designed for enhanced inboard sheeting. Similar to results at the Marblehead NOOD, J/70 teams at the Corinthian Nationals fine-tuned the J-6 for speed, power, and punch to claim the top four places overall. For more on the New J-6 J/70 Jib or to speak with one of our J/70 Class Experts Brian Keane and his team on Savasana hauling in the mail upwind, showing the new North Sails J-6 Jib cross-sheeted over the cabin top. © Chris Howell © Chris Howell Heather Gregg’s MUSE sailing upwind, using her new J-6 jib. © Chris Howell Glenn Darden and crew on HOSS get ready to set at the top mark, also using the new J-6. © Chris Howell Kiteboarding clinic with Brendan Healy © Brendan Healy READ MORE

KENT HAEGER WINS THE WYA C SCOW CHAMPIONSHIP Top 10 Teams Powered by North Sails A full round of congratulations goes out to Kent Haeger, the 2017 WYA C Scow Champion! Haeger finished with close to half as many points as the rest of the podium. After four races in very shifty, puffy, challenging conditions on Nagawicka Lake, the B-12 finished with 16 points and not a single finish in the double-digits. Only one point separated silver from bronze. Ed Eckert and Matt Schmidt (A-136) took second place, edging out Will Haeger, Will Hutchings, and Hannah Noll (B-1) who finished in third. Rounding out the top five were Jim Gluek and Alby Rolfs (V-137) in fourth and the family program of Steve, John, and Wendy Schmidt in the E-88. North Sails powered the top 10 in the event with many top competitors using both their Harecut and I-1 Gold throughout the three-day event. The best way to stay at the top of your game is to keep your sails fresh. Learn more abut North’s fastest C Scow sails. First Place Kent Haeger Second Place Ed Eckert and Matt Schimidt Third Place Will Haeger, Will Hutchings and Hanna Noll Fourth Place Jim Gluek and Alby Rolfs READ MORE

NORTH SAILS RELEASES NEW 3Di HEADSAIL FOR THE J/105 CLASS The New Li-5 3Di Jib Is Optimized for Under 12 knots August 3, 2017 (Newport, RI): North Sails released its latest headsail design for the competitive J/105 class. The Li-5 3Di jib replaces the L-4 3DL jib bringing the ultimate consistency and performance of North’s exclusive 3Di technology to this light-air optimized headsail. The Li-5 is the perfect complement for the Mi-4 3Di jib which is an all-purpose sail. “The North Li-5 3Di jib is great! We left the other J/105’s​ in the dust and beat a very well sailed J/120 in light air, which we have never done before!” said Mark Lindquist on Sterling. The 3Di material is a more flexible material and therefore offers an enhanced sail shape in light air conditions having a much more rounded foot. A forgiving luff curve makes it easier to read the wind, helping the trimmer and skipper. The added durability of the 3Di products is also a plus for the J/105 jib. The Li-5 3Di Jib is recommended for winds up to 12 knots. Consistency is a key feature of 3Di manufacturing. The technology’s reputation has earned North Sails exclusive supplier agreements to the 35th America’s Cup, Volvo Ocean Race and Extreme Sailing Series, all of which mandate identical sails under a strict one-design rule. Featuring a high level of repeatability and quality assurance, North Sails 3Di will benefit one-design sailors in the form of consistent weight, measurements and sail shape. The new 3Di J/105 light air jib is now available for purchase. To learn more, get in touch with a J/105 Class Expert, or visit our J/105 product page. READ MORE

INTERLAKE NATIONALS Congratulations Jim & Jayme Ward and Matt Fisher! The Interlake Nationals were held at the Lorain Yacht Club this year. Four days of racing were scheduled, but only four races were sailed due to a cold front that made its way across Lake Erie. Jim Ward and his team won the title with very consistent scores of 1-1-2-1. On the Masters Division, congratulations Peter Frissell! Also powered by North Sails. Learn more about North’s fastest Interlake sails. READ MORE

2017 CAN AM CHALLENGE Where the Niagara River meets Lake Ontario, North Sails Clients come out on top in the J/22, Beneteau 36.7, 8 Metre, and PHRF Division Hosted by Youngstown Yacht Club on Lake Ontario, this year’s CanAm Challenge saw an excellent turnout with a variety of One Design fleets, as well as four PHRF divisions representing the United States and Canada. Never ceasing to disappoint, the hospitality at YYC is one of a kind, complete with a fantastic Race Committee team. Saturday evening after racing, North Sails Mike Ingham and Dan Fien recounted their day on the water with fellow sailors. Key takeaways included: making smooth maneuvers, having consistent crew work, trimming the jib without disturbing the flow, and using the headstay to balance power and point while racing. Thanks to the North U crew for providing technical insights to support the competitors and help keep the level of competition at its highest! A highlight of the weekend was the J/22 Grant Team North Sails, led by Alfonso Bringas coming out on top of the fleet with flying colors. North Sails One Design is proud to partner with the US J/22 Class Association to build its Scholarship Boat Program by providing new sails for the team selected for the grant. With fostering youth sailing in the J/22 Class as the main goal, our team at North Sails has created this unique opportunity for young sailors. Congratulations to Alfonso and his team for placing 1st in the J/22 fleet after only their 2nd event in the boat in a highly competitive fleet. Alfonso and his team racing to the #1 spot at the 2017 CanAm Challenge The J/88s, competing in their North American Championship, had an amazing turnout with 13 boats on the line making for some very competitive racing and one of the biggest roll calls at an event for the class. Congrats to Douglas Newhouse and his team on Yonder for staying consistent and finishing 3rd overall in the North Americans. Richard Reid’s Zingara powered by North Sails 3Di won the Beneteau 36.7 fleet with five straight bullets, defining perfection in crew work, fleet management, and tactics. John Mitchele and his 8 Metre team on Thisbe won all but one race, sailing very consistent to take home 1st place in their class. Dan Berezin and his Melges 24 team on Surprise, powered by North Sails, on took 1st overall in their division by three points. In the PHRF 1 – Spinnaker division, Andrew Kooiman and his J/35 team Loyalist took first place in PHRF 1 Spinnaker Division. In PHRF 2 -Spinnaker division, the C&C 29-2 Sting with skipper Joel Doyle claimed 3rd overall. North Sails is a proud sponsor of the CanAm Challenge, keeping sailors out on the water racing each day with overnight sail repair services. Nice job this year, sailors! Full Scores READ MORE

FAIR WEATHER ROUNDS OFF A TIGHTLY FOUGHT OUT ORC EUROPEANS IN GDANSK North Sails clients top the scoreboard in three divisions! ORC Europeans 2017 Eighty-two boats from 14 nations came to Gdansk, Poland to compete in the ORC Europeans last week. With wet and windy conditions, competitors duked it out all week sailing six races over four days. The sun finally appeared at the end, giving sailors two final races in beautiful weather and a steady breeze, completing the series where the ORC European Champion would be decided. Keeping things interesting, the first race of the series was a distance race offshore. Five inshore buoy races followed, allowing for a different type of sailing experience where sailors used their local knowledge, fine-tuned crew work, and short course tactics to get around the race course. In Class A, Tea Ekengren’s Swan 45 Blue Nights scored 2-2-1-2-2-(6) giving them a 5 point lead ahead of Erik Berth’s Tarok VII in second place. Class B saw the X-41’s dominate the top end of the fleet, with all podium places being of this class. Martin Estlanders’ Xini Freedom came out on top with only a 2 point lead on second placed Dockenhuden skippered by Thomas Jungblut, who was also only 1 point ahead of third place Premium, with skipper Priit Tammemägi, completing the top 3. Patrick Forsgren’s Pro4u/Malin took the title for class C with 1-1-3-(8)-1-3.5 on the scoreboard, with Kaivar Tuulberg’s Katariina II following closely behind in second place. Overall, the ORC Europeans was a successful week for North Sails customers. Congratulations to our clients on a job well done! Full Results ORC Europeans 2017 ORC Europeans 2017 ORC Europeans 2017 READ MORE

2017 X INLAND CHAMPIONSHIP DECIDED IN EPIC LAST RACE Congratulations Nathan & Graham Hetzler! With an unbelievable tie after seven races, the stage was set for an epic showdown between D-30, I-25 and I-11. In the who-beats-who final race, Nathan Hetzler, Chapman Petersen, and Kyle Navin finished first, second, and third. Delavan Lake’s Nathan & Graham Hetzler are your newest X Boat Champions! Congratulations to the Simon siblings who earned the title in the junior fleet of 67 X Boats! Pewaukee’s Meta & Fritz Simon sailed an incredibly consistent event averaging less than four points. Every X Boat has a place in this lifelong Inland community. In the words of Dr. Tom Hodgson: “Treasure this moment kids. It is a very special moment in your life. You are making friends here that will be your friends for life.” The Melges X Boat is the path to the Inland. A community of fast, FUN, family sailing. After kids age out of X Boats, they move into the Melges MC, C, E, and A. This is scow country! Home to Olympians, Rolex Yachtsmen, and Inland Legends. Learn more about North Sails fast X Boat sails Full Results READ MORE

North Sails Benelux aanwezig op HISWA te water, komt u ook? (langs de waterkant, standnummer K.150) Over een paar weken start de HISWA te water, dit jaar voor de vijfde en (voorlopig) laatste keer in Amsterdam. De HISWA te water vindt plaats van 29 augustus t/m 3 september, de beurs is elke dag van 10:00 – 18:00 geopend. North Sails Benelux is de gehele week aanwezig met een eigen stand. 3Di NORDAC op de HISWA te Water We praten u tijdens de HISWA graag bij over de nieuwste toepassing van onze 3Di zeiltechnologie: 3Di NORDAC. Ook hebben we 3Di NORDAC sample zeilen bij ons op de beurs. Wanneer u tijdens de beurs uw nieuwe zeilen in bestelling geeft kunnen we u een scherpe beurs aanbieding doen. HISWA te water in 2018 in de Bataviahaven in Lelystad Vanaf 2018 verhuist de HISWA te water naar de evenementenhaven Bataviahaven in Lelystad. De grootste in-water boot show van Noord-Europa is met het oog op de toekomst op zoek gegaan naar een ruimere locatie. Met onze loft in Almere zijn we verheugd dat de beurs in 2018 bij ons in de achtertuin plaats gaan vinden. Dit biedt ook voor North Sails veel perspectief! Afspraak maken? Wilt u graag een afspraak maken met één van onze experts? Neem dan contact op met North Sails Almere. Tickets bestellen? Bestel hier uw tickets voor de HISWA te water. Ps. Voor onze vaste klanten en nieuwsbrief abonnees zijn er gratis kaarten beschikbaar voor de HISWA te water. Binnenkort ontvangt u hierover meer informatie. Credits: OTTI fotografie READ MORE

2017 Thistle Nationals Thistles descended on the challenging Lake Chautauqua for the 2017 Nationals with North Sails taking top positions at Women’s, Youth, President, and Open Nationals Championship Divisions. The 2017 Thistle Nationals was a big success with close to 90 boats on Lake Chautauqua in New York. Past U.S. Sailing President, Tom Hubbell, hosted the event out of the town park in Mayville, NY. With so many boats and no physical clubhouse, the event base was at a public park so it had a different social feel than other events we’ve seen. Throughout the week sailors were tested throughout a variety of weather conditions, keeping things interesting and exciting on the water. The regatta festivities were casual and fun. Two of the nights, the local fire department hosted a BBQ for the competitors which was a big hit. Another night we took the Chautauqua Bell (a classic steam paddle wheel boat) over to event organizer Tom Hubbell’s home for a neighborhood dinner which made for a nice evening with our fellow competitors. PRO Matt Bounds had his hands full, not only with 90 boats but also in dealing with a shifty inland lake conditions. It’s one thing to manage a shifty small lake with a small fleet, yet another to set good courses and complete a series successfully with so many boats. Matt pulled it off well, and the sailors were happy to get some great racing in. Each morning about an hour before we launched, Paul Abdullah and I hosted Coffee with North and provided sailors with some tips for the day under the North tent. The crowd was quite large, with roughly 140 sailors tuned-in, so the tips session was moved under the main regatta tent to accommodate everyone. Between the North U Clinic, the Women’s and Junior Nationals, the practice day, and 5 days of championships style racing, it was an intensive week of Thistle sailing. Managing the shifty and puffy conditions while maintaining boat speed and making good tactical decisions were key topics of each group discussion. Thanks to the Chautauqua Yacht Club and the Thistle Class Association for organizing a great event. Congrats to our clients for your hard work at Nationals last week and your dedication to the Thistle Class! For more information on Thistle Class Sails, contact your local North Sails Expert, or visit our Products Page Thistle sailors eager to learn at the morning briefings with North U tips for the day Full Results READ MORE

ZEKE HOROWITZ & COLE ALLSOPP WIN 2017 SANDY DOUGLAS MEMORIA REGATTA Deep Creek Lake, mountain lake sailing at its finest! This past weekend 52 Flying Scots descended upon Deep Creek Lake – home of the Flying Scot Inc. factory to race for the Sandy Douglas Memorial Trophy. This is the biggest event in Deep Creek which is the biggest Flying Scot fleet in the country. It is mountain lake sailing at its finest! The breeze is constantly shifting and it’s rare to be sailing in the same wind as the boat 10 yards away from you. This regatta is all about having fun in one of the most beautiful venues you could ask for. Five races were sailed in fantastic conditions, with Zeke Horowitz and Cole Alsopp coming out on the top of the leaderboard with 8 points. Tyler and Carrie Andrews were close behind with 11 points, taking 2nd overall. Before racing on Saturday, Zeke offered some insights to the fleet with a key tip: TIP FROM ZEKE: Remember in shifty and puffy conditions to always have a hand on the vang! It might even be prudent to have the crew playing the vang because it is so important to ease the mainsheet and tighten the vang hard when you get a big puff. As soon as the puff leaves, the vang must get eased back off quickly to power the boat back up. You should be adjusting the vang nearly as often as you adjust the main sheet! Learn more about North’s fastest Flying Scot sails Full Results READ MORE

Jedrenje s timom X-cite, na njihovoj X-41 jedrilici s North Sails jedrima, kroz Nacionalni park Kornati. Posada Angelina pobijedila je sve, a ova regata nije bila iznimka. Kup Kornati se održava već više od 30 godina; dobro organiziran i uvijek popularan, ova regata privlaći jedriličare iz cijele Europe. Ove godine bilo je prijaviljeno preko 100 brodova, svaki s posadom od otprilike osam članova. Kornati kup jedna je od najvećih regata u Hrvatskoj. Većina natjecateljskih brodova su charter jedrilice, međutim, članovi posade su cjeloživotni jedriličari i postoji ista glad za pobjedom koju biste našli na bilo kojoj regati višeg ranga. U ponedjeljak smo uživali u dvije regate jedrene u štapu po laganom vjetru od oko 5 do 8 čvorova ispred Pakoštana nekon kojih su posade uputile u Marina Piškera kako bi prenoćili. Utorak je donio 10-15 čvorova sa sjeverozapada te je jedrena navigacija u Kornatskom i Žutskom kanalu. Po dolasku u Marina Žut te večeri, svi natjecatelji bili su zadovoljni s dvije pristojne utrke. U srijedu su posade prvo čekale vjetar pored Žuta, da bi se regatni odbor se zaputio put otoka Gnalić u iščekivanju istog. Na tom putu mnogi brodovi su bili vezani zajedno, neki su se lovili ribe, a sa sigurnoj udaljenosti svjedočio sam kupanju jednog natjecatelja potpuno golog. Po laganom vjetru od oko 7 čvorova, oko otoka Ošljak Mali, Ošljak Veli, Gnalić, Artica Vela i Mala održana je navigacijska regata. Ciljna linija nalazila se pored pristaništa u Biogradu. Večernja proslava uključivala je natjecanje u stand-up-paddleboard i glazbu uživo. Izvješće o vjetru za četvrtak nije bilo obećavajuće. Iz različitih smjerova i ne više od 5 čvorova. Utrke su zakazane i pokušane; Bavaria 41 su uspjeli prijeći cilj, sve ostale klase su napuštene. Atmosfera je bila neodoljiva na dodjeli nagrada i mnogi su se odmah registrirali za sljedeću godinu. Luka Šangulin, vlasnik Angeline Yacht Charter, http://www.angelina.hr, je bio korimilar jedrilice X-cite na ovoj regati. Imenovana po Lukinoj baki, obiteljska charter tvrtka posjeduje s preko 120 različitih jedrilica i motornih jahti, a 2015. godine dobila je nagradu za najbolju charter tvrtka u Hrvatskoj. Oni su regularni sudionici Kornati kupa i bili su ponosni s još odvojanjem još jedne regate u nizu. Ručak na brodu X-cite nije bio uobičajeni pre-made sendviči, već mali piknik. Drvena pasarela namještena popreko koja je glumila stol s hrvatskim mesnim prerađevinama i sirevima. Posada koja jede, ostaje zajedno ... i očito jako pobjeđuje. North Sails Hrvatska sretni su što imaju Team X-Cite i Angelinu Yacht Charter kao kupce. Pružamo osobne usluge i kvalitetne proizvode, podržavajući lokalne tvrtke i održavajući hrvatsko gospodarstvo u prvom planu. Like Facebook za više. READ MORE

The North Sails Crew is here for you North Sails is proud to be supporting the Landsail Tyres J Cup, August 17th - 19th, both on and off the water. Our crew will be on the water taking photography and drone footage to use for daily debriefs post racing. Join us after racing each day for a panel discussion and footage analysis to go over what really happened on the race course. Our Certified Service team will be on hand for overnight repairs. Contact Jonty Cook 07470 409213 for all your sail care needs make sure you don’t miss out, sign up for the regatta today! For more information and to keep up to date during the regatta, be sure to follow us on Facebook @NorthSailsWorldwide READ MORE

Ispitivanje kvalitete North Sails-a je rigorozno. Kombinira promatranje učinaka sunca, vlage i plijesni na vlakna s dodatnim kontroliranim istraživanjem kako bi se bolje razumjelo što uzrokuje prirodnu degradaciju jedara. U suradnji sa UV istraživačkim laboratorijem na Floridi, North Sails provodi dugoročne testove na cijeloj proizvodnoj liniji. Ovaj laboratorij je specijaliziran za promatranje izloženosti materijala sunčevim zrakama. Jedna od najčešće korištenih metoda je izvođenje testova s ​​umjetno induciranom UV simulacijom. Ova metoda daje rezultate u kraćem vremenu od vanjskog izlaganja, no šteta nastala ovim testiranjem nije konzistentna sa vanjskim realnim izlaganjem. Vanjsko testiranje na prirodnom sunčevom svjetlu i učinak jedrenja zahtijeva više vremena, ali pouzdanost podataka je znatno veća. Do danas je testirano preko 750 uzoraka kako Northovih tako i konkurentskih jedara, s najsloženijim UV testiranjem u proizvodnji jedra. Razgrađena platna analizirana je nakon 500, 1000, 1500 i 2000 sati izlaganja suncu. Polovica uzoraka ispitana je za izdržljivost čvrstoće vlakana, dok je druga polovica testirana testom FlexCycle koji simulira zamorno trzanje jedara te se naknadno testira čvrstoća vlakana. Istraživanje se ovdje ne zaustavlja. Northovi UV testovi također su uključivali uzorke jedara prikupljenih od Open 60 jednotrupaca koji su jedrili oko svijeta. Uzorci su također izvučeni iz sličnih površina konkurentskih jedara, uključujući dijelove podvrgnuti kompresiji, savijanju i neke čiste površine jedara. Budući da ti brodovi jedre istim rutama sa sličnim uvjetima, rezultati pružaju pouzdanu usporedbu degradacije jedara na poznatom udaljenost i vrijeme. Na vrelom suncu Hrvatske, North Sails jedra su odlična! Snažna, dugotrajna i mudra investicija za vašu jedrilicu. Like Facebook za više. READ MORE

THE JUG 4 1 TOPS OFF THE FLEET AT THE J/22 NORTH AMERICAN CHAMPIONSHIPS Former World Champion, North-powered Chris Doyle and his team Jug 4 1 win the J/22 North Americans in Buffalo, NY Will Harris, Chris Doyle and Adam Burns on team ‘Jug 4 1’, the 2017 NA Champions! Thirty J/22 teams met in Buffalo, NY for the 2017 North Americans. Weather predictions had many different outlooks and it came down to the very day to know what the weather was going to bring. The practice race was cancelled due to thunderstorm activity, some teams were able to get sailing time in after the weather cleared and before the wind died off completely. North Sails Expert Mike Marshall organized a Q & A panel with the keg at arm’s reach, and 60-70 competitors asked a ton of questions that helped sailors get in the right frame of mind for racing. Nine races were successfully completed over three days in a light to moderate breeze that built to the low teens for the final day. The chop emphasized the importance of changing gears as quickly as possible while keeping things smooth in the boat. Immediately after the start it was a race to the course left side, with little to no room for errors in tactics or boat speed. Familiar face to the J/22 Class, Travis Odenbach, lead the debrief after the first day, with a panel of familiar faces. Previous World Champion Chris Doyle gave insights on sail trim and boat speed, along with Luke Lawrence and North Sails Expert Zeke Horowitz. On the last day of the regatta the breeze shifted between 30-40 degrees, which made it impossible to recover from a bad decision ( some of us found that out the hard way!). The first race worked well for North Sails Expert Jeff Todd with his team Hot Toddy, moved into the lead by escaping out to the right side with amazing boat speed. After an hour delay, the second race started in very light air. Local team and previous World Champion, Chris Doyle and his team on Jug 4 1 were faster than ever and left no chance for their competitors as they were going, going, gone! In the overall standings, consistency was key. Only the top two boats were able to get away with all single digit finishes. Congrats to our clients for your outstanding performance. Thanks to the Buffalo Yacht Club for hosting this years North Americans. It was a great event and a lot of fun for competitors! Tips from North Sails Experts Zeke Horowitz & Mike Marshall: Boat Setup and Crew Positioning 1. Don’t be afraid to loosen the lowers a lot. It’s important to generate 3/4 of an inch of mast sag, which requires aggressively loose lowers. Maybe it sounds risky, but it worked 100% of the time! 2. Using main leech tension to power up the boat and get people to the high side was important. It seemed a relatively tight main and slightly eased jib was fast in under ten knots and flat water. 3. A lot of concentration on sail trim was a key factor. The helmsman needs to focus on maintaining a balanced helm, not over steering, and letting the boat ‘steer itself’. Moving the crew weight was essential to achieve a neutral helm. Boat speed and Decision Making 1. Jib halyard tension was pretty critical. Over the range of conditions, the goal was wrinkles just forming off each of the snaps. Scallops meant the luff was too loose and no wrinkles meant the luff was too tight. 2. Match the boat speed of the boats around you before trying to match the height. We were able to point higher when the boat was up to speed and the keel was working. 3. Staying out of the middle of the course was also very important. When the wind was that light, the breeze would fill in from either edge. If you were in the middle, you could lose out on both sides, especially if you tried to run to the side with the shift instead of waiting for pressure on the side you were on. Patience was key! Click here for more information on North Sails J/22 Products or to speak with a North Sails J/22 Class Expert. Full Results READ MORE

FLYING SCOT FAMILY SAILING: WIFE-HUSBAND CHAMPIONSHIP Couples gather in Rockport, MA for a fun, competitive sailing event Race one winners Sharon and John Wake It is fair to say that the Flying Scot Class is one of the biggest supporters of family sailing in the US and the Association strongly supports and encourages families to sail and race together. To that end, the class holds an annual Wife/Husband North American Championship which is, perhaps, the most well attended and competitive spouses-only event in the country. This years W/H NAC, which attracted 29 teams, was held in beautiful Rockport, MA and hosted by the Sandy Bay Yacht Club. The teams arrived Friday throughout the day and after rigging the boats they were hooked up to the SBYC hoist for the 15-30 foot (depending on the tide) descend into Rockport Harbor where all 29 boats spent either on club docks or courtesy moorings. On Friday evening North Sails Expert Brian Hayes gave a short tuning and trimming talk to the group going over rake settings, vang tension and sail trim tips before the group dispersed throughout the town to enjoy the area restaurants and shops. PRO Stephen Oulette greeted the group on Saturday morning with the traditional competitors briefing with the exception of mentioning that the protest committee would not be hearing any “intra-boat” disputes! Even though all the teams were ready to roll the breeze was not, and a 1 1/2 hour postponement was whittled away reviewing some archived Scot footage that Brian had from previous events and sharing tips with the fleet. Saturday afternoon mustered up enough breeze to create tricky “current vs. breeze” conditions with large position changes in both fleets. Sharon and John Wake figured it out in Race 1 with a 2 minute race win while Amy and Jeff Linton sailed through the fleet in Race 2 for another convincing win. Sunday brought a fresh, new wind direction and more velocity. Some teams used the wind speed/marital harmony equation and opted to sit out the days races, but a majority of the gang hit the water in a fresh 15 mph of breeze with big, open water, waves testing their abilities. Those who ventured out were rewarded with two more great races in a consistently softening breeze with Amy and Jeff Linton leading the way in both races to win the 2017 Wife/Husband Championships with 5 total points. Full Results Tyler and Carrie Andrews with winners Amy and Jeff Linton in front Regatta Chair Margot Hintlian and Ralph Block Charlie and Cindy Clifton READ MORE

FLEET CHARGES LAKE MICHIGAN IN 109th EDITION OF RACE TO MACKINAC North-powered teams win ten divisions and Chicago Mackinac Trophy in Chicago Yacht Club’s annual race to Mackinac Island © Onne Van der Wal Sailors on 301 boats joined a quest for speed in the Chicago Yacht Club’s 109th Race to Mackinac. North-powered teams held on strong to the finish and won 10 classes, including the Chicago Mackinac Trophy, won by David and Peter Askew’s Wizard. This year Lake Michigan delivered a race of all sorts, with moderate reaching conditions turning to running conditions and a severe frontal passage that hit hard for some of the teams. Many encountered gusts over 50 knots on the evening of the 15th, upping the level of competition as well as endurance for some. The 20 crew members on 74’ Reichel Pugh Wizard saw nothing stronger than 30 knots, reported crew member Charlie Enright. “Our takeaways were that we got a jump on the competition through smooth and timely sail changes,” he said, noting that the conditions lighted up substantially toward the end of the race. David and Peter grew up running boats on the Great Lakes and have a fair amount of local knowledge in the bank, which paired nicely with Wizard’s well-planned sail inventory. After rigging a new 3Di mainsail for the Pineapple Cup in February, Wizard started the race to Mackinac with a fresh 3Di jib, genoa staysail, and masthead zero. As a North Sails expert based in Portsmouth, RI, Charlie manages the inventory for Wizard in between a number of independent offshore projects. His next adventure will be onboard Team Vestas / 11th Hour Racing in the 2017-18 Volvo Ocean Race. “3Di is a robust product that gave us a lot of confidence. We’ve noticed the differentiation of 3Di to string sail products is indisputably better, especially within offshore racing.” Wizard’s corrected time of 38:45:04 earned them 1st in the Turbo division and 1st place in the Big Boat Division, claiming the the Mackinac Trophy. Congratulations to our clients for your steadfast performance this year in one of the most challenging distance races in the country. Glad you made it home safely! Full Results For more on preparing yourself for offshore racing, check out our Expert Tips by Charlie Enright READ MORE

NORTH SAILS ADVANCES WINNING J/70 HEADSAIL DESIGN New J-6 Headsail Builds on Consistent Results with New Features and Benefits July 25, 2017 (Newport, RI): North Sails released its latest headsail design for the competitive J/70 class today. Based on North’s popular J-2 design, the J-6 headsail brings new benefits to sailors seeking an all-purpose option that excels in maximum in-hauling conditions. Since day one, North has remained at the forefront of sail development in the J/70. Development efforts originated with an out-of-the-box solution released alongside the launch of hull #1 in 2012. Powered by North Design Suite software, the one design sail package was designed in tandem with the J/70 hull and rig. “The J/70 is an important class for North Sails, we’ve enjoyed watching the class take off in the States, and expand to sailing communities abroad these last few years,” said Tim Healy, World Champion J/70 skipper and President of North Sails One Design. “Our team continues to unlock performance with new sail shapes, and we are excited to offer the J-6 as our latest development for J/70 sailors.” The J-6 headsail offers familiar sail shape with a few key performance enhancements. A shortened leech creates a higher clew position for more aggressive windward sheeting over the cabin house. The sail also features a slightly deeper entry and a straighter exit down low, allowing a more forgiving steering groove and opportunity for tighter sheeting angles. Based on North’s trademark J-2 J/70 headsail, which clients used to win the 2014, 2015 and 2016 World Championships, the J-6 takes proven performance to the next level by offering a fresh solution to sailors upping their game this season. “We are very pleased with the new J-6 headsail from North Sails,” said Brian Keane, owner-driver of J/70 Savasana who tested the J-6 during a local event in June. “We believe it is highly versatile, balanced, and allows for aggressive weather sheeting.” Contact a North Sails expert today to learn more about the North Sails J/70 inventory. Brian Keane’s Savasana racing with the new J-6 from North Sails, to win the NYYC One Design Regatta in June. READ MORE

TORPYONE PROVES CONSISTENCY IS THE KEY TO WINNING AT THE MELGES 32 EUROPEANS ©Mauro Melandri The Melges 32 Europeans, hosted in Sibenik, Croatia brought 17 teams together for three days of some highly competitive and close racing. This was the final test event for the class before the Worlds in Monte Argentario, Italy in late August. The first day of racing was tough racing in light air with only two races completed before the wind completely shut down. The fleet went back ashore in hopes the weather would cooperate the next day. Day two unfortunately was very light again, and only one race was completed leaving all-to-play for the series on the final day of racing. With no discard on the scoreboard yet, the podium positions were an open to anyone, making things exciting as the stakes were very high coming into the final day for the European title. On the last day, the weatherman delivered! The wind was oscillating out of the South at 18-20 knots, which gave the competitors a thrilling day on the water. While conditions were prime, this allowed teams to push the boundaries in speed downwind and be much more physical upwind while hiking. Torpyone scored a 9-3-4, using up their only discard. Despite having to discard their 9th place, their incredible consistency showed that winning races is not essential to winning a regatta, but that achieving consistent podium results is. With all but one race finishing in the top three, the European Championship title was theirs this time around. This win is their best result in the Melges 32 fleet to date. G-spot skippered by Giangiacomo Serena di Lapigio fought hard on the final day scoring 2-1-2 making them runners up, followed by Richard Goransson’s team on board Inga. Both teams discarded a 12th place, but G-Spot was able to keep 2nd overall with a 1st place finish in race five, winning the tiebreaker. Congratulations to all North-powered customers in the Melges 32 fleet and good luck at the World Championships in August! For more information on North Sails Melges 32 products Full Results Team Torpyone -European Champions! ©Mauro Melandri ©Mauro Melandri ©Mauro Melandri ©Mauro Melandri READ MORE

MELGES 24 SAILORS REAP THE WIND AT THE COLUMBIA RIVER GORGE North-powered MiKEY tops the fleet at the 2017 North Americans © Jan’s Marine Photography One of the most famous places in the United States, the Columbia River Gorge serves its visitors the ultimate “wind” experience, typically ranging in the 20-50 knot range is one of the best-known places for kiteboarding, windsurfing, and sailing. The Gorge is a part of our Earth’s natural history, and with its amazing geography, it creates the best recipe for wind, as it functions as a wind tunnel with its steep walls and narrow river. With dangerous rapids and very strong river flow, her beauty distracts travelers from her daunting and potentially perilous waters. We can’t think of a better location for the Melges 24 Class to host the 2017 North Americans! Twenty-nine teams showed up to Hood River at the Columbia River Gorge in Oregon and they were greeted with pristine and breeze-on sailing conditions, not to mention breath-taking views! Twelve races completed over four days was a great experience for all, and gave competitors plenty to share with their families and friends when they returned home. Kevin Welch’s team MiKEY was unstoppable claiming 1st place by sixteen points, followed by Michael Goldfarb’s Warcanoe. Kent Pierce’s Average White Boat came in 4th, followed by British Columbia’s Kirk Palmer, with his team on Light Scout. Congratulations to our clients for your performance last week, having the opportunity to experience one of the Earth’s most unique places in North America. Full Scores READ MORE

ILYA E SCOW INVITATIONAL Congratulations Tom Burton and Team M-9! A full round of congratulations is in order for Tom Burton and the M-9 team, champions of the ILYA E Scow Invitational Regatta! Cygnet earned three race wins in the first three races. The top ten regatta leaders all sailed North. The North Sails E Scow Whomper was truly the spinnaker to use this past weekend on Pewaukee Lake – The top five teams all sailed with the new Harry Melges designed kite, allowing them to sail lower angles downwind yet still maintain top speeds. Learn more about the North Sails Whomper Full Results READ MORE

Y-FLYER NATIONALS Congratulations Bill Totten and Paul Abdullah! Paul Abdullah and Bill Totten, 2017 Y-Flyer National Champions The 2017Y-Flyer National Championship was hosted by the Louisville Sailing Club. Twenty two teams faced the challenge and excitement of Ohio River in a six-race series dealing with strong currents and variable conditions. Bill Totten, sailing with Paul Abdullah, won the title with results 2-8-4-1-3-3 for a total of 12.75 points. Bill and Paul used the North Sails DSD design. This was Bill’s first ever Y-Flyer Regatta! Congratulations Bill! Thanks to Paul Abdullah for the great interviews during the event: DAY 1: Drew Daugherty’s tips from day 1 DAY 2: Bill Totten recap on the second day DAY 3: Shelby Hatcher on winning race #5 Learn more about North’s fastest Y-Flyer sails. READ MORE

Vom 21. bis 23. Juli segelten die 36 Clubs der 1. und 2. Segel-Bundesliga zum Auftakt der 128. Travemünder Woche bei überwiegend schwachen Winden um die ersten Tabellenplätze. Es war eines der spannendsten Wochenenden in der Liga-Geschichte: In der 1. Liga kam es erst im letzten Rennen am Sonntagnachmittag zur Entscheidung. Der Deutsche Touring Yacht-Club (DTYC) mit Steuermann Julian Stückl, dem ligaerfahrenen Sebastian Bühler, Neuzugang Dominik Müller sowie Marco Tarabochia konnte sich bei wechselhaften, schwierigen Bedingungen den ersten Platz auf dem Siegertreppchen knapp vor dem Segel- und Motorbootclub Überlingen (SMCÜ) sichern. „Mit den schlechten Starts am letzten Wettkampftag haben wir unsere Führung unnötig riskiert“, erklärt Julian Stückl sichtlich erleichtert. North Sails ist stolzer Partner der Segel-Bundesliga und exklusiver Segellieferant. Alle J-70 der ersten Bundesliga fahren mit den regulären One Design Klassensegeln. Für die zweite Liga stellte North Sails neue Vorsegel vom Typ Club. Der Segel- und Motorbootclub Überlingen (Tino Mittelmeier, Jan Fritze, Alexander Gaiser, Frederik Schaal) vom Bodensee verpasste den Sieg in Travemünde nur knapp. Am Ende reichte der 3. Platz im letzten Rennen nicht für den SMCÜ. Beim Punktgleichstand mit 48 Punkten konnte sich der DTYC mit mehr Erstplatzierungen den Sieg in Travemünde sichern. Die Süddeutschen waren nicht mit hohen Erwartungen nach Travemünde gekommen. „Aber bei unseren Lieblingsbedingungen mit wenig Welle und zehn Knoten Wind konnten wir konstant gute Ergebnisse und damit eine absolute Top-Platzierung einfahren“, freut sich Steuermann Tino Mittelmeier. In der Gesamtwertung führt nach vier von sechs Spieltagen der SMCÜ vor dem DTYC und dem Norddeutschen Regatta Verein aus Hamburg, der die Tabellenführung abgeben muss. 1. Platz – 1. Segel-Bundesliga: Deutscher Touring Yacht-Club © DSBL/Lars Wehrmann 1. Platz – 2. Segel-Bundesliga: Seglervereinigung Itzehoe © DSBL/Lars Wehrmann READ MORE

Esse 850 European Cup - nur North Sails auf dem Podest !! Vom 13. - 16. July massen sich 18 Esse 850 aus der Schweiz, Italien, Österreich, Holland und Deutschland bereits zum 10. Mal am European Cup vor Malcesine am Gardasee. Erstaunlich viele Boote bereiteten sich diesmal auf den Anlass vor und konnten ein paar wunderschöne Trainingstage geniessen. Am Freitag ging es mit einer starken Ora nach dem Mittag pünktlich los. Es konnten 4 faire Läufe gesegelt werden. Obwohl der Wind konstant war, liess er taktische Überlegungen zu und man konnte sowohl auf der Kreuz, wie auch auf Vorwind Plätze gut machen. Der Samstag war windtechnisch gesehen der schwächste Tag. Der Erste Start war auf 13.00 Uhr angesetzt, doch erstmal hiess es warten. Es konnten später zwei Leichtwindläufe und danach ein noch leichterer Leichtwindlauf mit Ziel im 2. Luv gesegelt werden. Dabei schafften die hintersten Boote das Zeitlimit nur knapp und die Segler kehrten erst um 19.00 h in den Hafen zurück. Abends wurden die Segler im Club wie jedes Jahr verwöhnt. Trotzdem musste am Sonntag früh aufgestanden werden, da Morgenläufe angesetzt waren. Leider war es kein 'normaler' Vento, sondern eine stark abgeschwächte Version davon. Trotzdem brachte die wie immer sehr professionelle Wettfahrtleitung die zur kompletten Serie noch fehlenden 2 Läufe am Morgen unter Dach und Fach. Der 2. Lauf war allerdings schon eine Zitterpartie und das Ziel wurde wieder ans 2. Luvfass verlegt. Überragender Sieger des Europacups 2017 mit nicht weniger als 8 Laufsiegen war Alain Marchand auf SUI-172. Er fuhr mit einem kompletten Satz der neuen 3Di Segel von North Sails. Komplettiert wurde das Podium mit Robert Hartmann auf SUI-153 und Daniel Schroff auf SUI-156, beide ebenfalls mit North Sails, Daniel Schroff mit einer neuen 3Di Fock. North Sails ist stolz auf diesen Erfolg, der zeigt, dass die Segelentwicklung in die richtige Richtung geht! Am European Cup fuhren 13 von 18 Teams mit North Sails - danke euch allen für euer Vertrauen! Für mehr Informationen über die neue 3Di Technologie könnt ihr euch gerne an Daniel Schroff wenden: +41 71 680 00 80 Rangliste READ MORE

NORTH SAILS POWERS 2017 OPTIMIST WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP WIN IN THAILAND Recently launched Radial R2 design powers María Perelló to win the Optimist Worlds Girls Division Spanish sailor María Perelló won the 2017 Optimist World Championship Girls Division in Pattaya, Thailand. Using the Radial R2 North sail, she finished 15 points ahead of 2nd place. The R2 design was developed by the team at North Sails in Japan for better pointing capability and maximum acceleration. North’s Radial Series consists of four sails: R1,R2, R4 and the recently launched R5, each optimized for the sailor’s weight. The Worlds was hosted by the Royal Varuna Yacht Club with a record-breaking 281 sailors from 62 nations attending the event. Authentic Thailand weather brought the best of everything from rain storms to wind storms, and extremely light wind towards the end of the week. Principal Race Officer Neil Dunkley worked hard around the variety of weather conditions, achieving six quality races for the fleet into the qualifying series and three races into the final medal fleets, making for a very successful event overall. At just 12 years of age, María has demonstrated amazing talent in the Optimist. Among other titles, she also won this year’s Spanish National Championship. Congratulations María! Learn more about the fastest sails for the Optimist READ MORE

THE ISLAND SAILING CLUB HOSTS THE 69th EDINBURGH CUP Thirty-eight teams came to Cowes with the hopes of engraving their names in the prestigious Edinburgh Cup Trophy The Dragon Edinburgh Cup this year was sponsored by Oliver Morgan Architects and Stoneham Construction Ltd. and came to a stylish conclusion in Cowes with a thrilling race which determined the winner. A spectacular prize giving dinner and closing ceremony created the perfect ending to this successful event. Going into the final day, four boats were in contention to claim the prestigious Edinburgh Cup, which was first raced out of Cowes from the Island Sailing Club 69 years ago. This year 38 teams from six nations challenged each other for the right to engrave their names onto the trophy. With a week of mixed weather conditions from light winds to heavy, sun and rain, the sailors were tested in all conditions making this a true competition of who could overcome all obstacles. Congratulations to Graham Bailey, Julia Bailey, Will Heritage and Will Bedford for clinching the title in the final nail-biting race of the series. North sails clients finished strong, placing 2, 3*, 4, 6*, 7, 8 ,10 and were a dominant feature in the fleet. Congrats to Andy Beadsworth and team on Provezza Dragon for hanging in there! (*Denotes partial inventory) Full results Provezza Dragon – Edinburgh Cup 2017 Edinburgh Cup 2017 READ MORE

STELLAN BERLIN WINS HIS 10TH 2.4mR GOLD WITH FIVE BULLETS Heavy winds followed by no wind welcomed 84 teams from 14 countries to Holland 2.4mR Worlds 2017 Eighty-four boats representing 14 different nations headed to Sneekemeer, Holland for the 2.4mR Worlds, hosted by Koninklijke Watersportvereniging. The first five days of racing brought the sailors an average of 19 knots gusting up to 24 knots of wind which is towards the upper limit of racing conditions in the class. Despite the strong winds, the race committee got in 3 races for all 4 flights. The fleet was split in 2 starts with 42 boats in each, a total of 84 boats. The first 6 races were qualifiers where the best sailors were split in different fleets. The following days would bring light air conditions which made it shifty and tricky for sailors when it came down to making tactical decisions. Unfortunately, due to the lack of wind on the last day, the race committee was unable to achieve any additional races, as conditions were not sailable. Despite the conditions, ten great races were completed in the series allowing for two discards in the scoreboard. “The days with strong and steadier winds the North heavy air sails are really good to find the balance and boat speed needed. On the light and shifty days, I sailed more conservative and could compensate not going all the way to the corners by very good downwind speed thanks to the CA-T75 light air jib.” Stellan Berlin North Sails clients placed within the top 10 finishers. There was a variety of North sails products being used amongst the top of the fleet. Stellan Berlin, SWE 379, who took the World Championship title with 5 bullets in the gold fleet, while using the sails designed for the Charger Mast, the FL-4, FH-2, CA-T75, TB-5, and HB-4. This was his tenth gold title within the fleet using North Sails winning sail design. Immonen, FIN 166; Cichocki, POL 7; and Kokkala, FIN 190 who finished 7th, 8th, and 9th respectively, were also using partial North Charger designs. Pascoe, GBR 141, who finished in 4th place used the North Sails Superspar Design. North Sails 2.4mR Products Full results 2.4mR Worlds 2017 2.4mR Worlds 2017 READ MORE

J/80 WORLDS North Sails, proud sponsor of the J/80 Worlds, supporting yet another successful event for sailors in Hamble The J/80 Worlds was a successful event for all, hosted by the Royal Southern Yacht Club in Hamble, UK, where sailors tested their strengths on the infamous Solent. 48 teams met at the Yacht Club on Monday, July 10th, representing six different countries to battle for the World Championship. The week started out windy, with plenty of on-the-water action keeping things interesting and exciting for competitors. The J/80 is very swift in the bigger breeze, making for fun downwind runs surfing in the waves, and tough and physical upwind legs testing strategy and seamanship. Team Baby J – Corinthian Three-time World Champion skipper, Rayco Tabares and his team on Hotel Princesa Yaiza were faster than ever, achieving five bullets, having only 3 races out of the top 5 positions. With 18 points to throw-out, they were untouchable with their outstanding consistency. Wednesday was North Sails Day, where prizes were given to the top sailors in the fleet. Prizes went to the Top Youth Team, Boysterous skippered by Angus Gray-Stephens. First overall for the day was awarded to Brezellec Eric with his team on Courrier Junior taking a 3-3-1, being the best team average for the day on the scoreboard. Prizes were awarded to the first Corinthian team HM Hotels with skipper Javier Chacártegui Cirerol, as well as a special award that was given to team Startijenn with skipper Claire Montécot for having a breakdown and being able to get her repairs done so her team could get back out on the water to continue racing. Another breakdown on the racecourse on Wednesday involved team Baby J who was also able to get put back together so they could continue racing. Big thanks to the North Sails team that was on-site to support the J/80 World Championship, making this one of the best years yet. Full Results Here Team Boysterous – Corinthian Team Courrier Junior Claire Montécot – Startijenn READ MORE

TRANSPAC 2017: ONE FOR THE RECORD BOOKS North Sails clients win seven classes, set three race records in the 2017 Transpac Race from Los Angeles to Honolulu Division 2 winner, Pyewacket 2 © Sharon Green The Transpac Yacht Race first kicked off in 1906. As one of the longest ocean races, it is now considered one of the oldest distance races in the sailing world. North Sails is proud to support clients throughout the fleet in their pursuit of unique performance goals, ranging from the Hobie 33 to the MOD 70! Competitors began their journey from Los Angeles, CA to Honolulu, HI beating against rough conditions as they worked offshore. In true Transpac fashion, the fleet found sweet relief by reaching the Eastern trade winds, sending them on an easier heading to Diamond Head, Oahu. “Even the most hard-core offshore sailors will experience seasickness in that first offshore stretch,” explained Steve Calder, North designer and main trimmer on H.L. Enloe’s Mighty Merloe, which broke the multihull course record this year. The Transpac can be a trying race for sailors of all ranks and ages, with wind reports often ranging from 15-50 knots. A diverse fleet of yachts reflects the depth of offshore racing in Southern California, with each owner, charterer, and navigator completing a minimum of 150 nm offshore before entering, as well as a list of safety checks for the boat and crew. In its 49th edition, we have witnessed three elapsed time records set and a strong performance by North Sails clients throughout the Transpac fleet, which was split into four starts. The record-setting Maxis, MOD 70s and ORMA 60s of the 3rd and 4th start were sipping Mai-Tai’s onshore after a five-day sprint. This year the faster-rated boats managed to fare well on corrected time by staying ahead of a high. Some of the sailors are still working their way toward Hawaii, with a large crowd of fellow sailors there to greet them. Setting a new time-to-beat for multihulls, ORMA 60 Mighty Merloe won 1st in Line Honors and 1st in Multihull Division 0. Second place in Division 0 was Lloyd Thornburg’s MOD 70 Phaedo3, followed by Gunboat 62 Chim Chim, MOD 70 Maserati, and LoeReal, a Jeanneau Trimaran. North Sails is proud to power all multihulls in the fleet this year with a mix of 3Di upwind and downwind sails. Super-maxi Comanche was another North-powered boat making waves this year, setting the monohull course record and covering 484.1 nm in 24 hours on the way, thereby setting a new 24hr Transpac speed record. Comanche, finishing in 5 days 1 hour 55 minutes 26 seconds, also secured the race’s Merlin Trophy: the fastest elapsed time by a power-assisted yacht. Manouch Moshayedi’s Rio 100, secured the Barn Door Trophy for the second time in a row for the fastest elapsed time by an unassisted monohull, racing this year with an A3 from North Sails. The Pac 50’s in Division 1 had great speed in the conditions. North-powered Invisible Hand placed 1st in Division 1 followed by Bad Pak in 2nd. Invisible Hand also took First Place Overall in ORR. Congrats to Roy Disney’s Pyewacket, Transpac winner in 1997 and 1999, who won Division 2 this year. Followed by fellow North client’s Catapult and Merlin, finishing 2nd and 3rd in Division 2. Division 5 winner, Summit 40 Locomotive, finished July 15th after covering 2,342nm. Team Loco is happy! © Betsy Crowfoot Enloe’s ORMA 60 Mighty Merloe cruises into a record-breaking finish at sunset. © Sharon Green Pac 50 Invisible Hand took 1st place in ORR #1 and Division 1. © David Livingston/ Invisible Hand Super Maxi Comanche on her record-breaking 2017 Transpac run. © Sharon Green READ MORE

PROSPECTOR SETS MARBLEHEAD TO HALIFAX RACE RECORD Powered by North Sails 3Di ENDURANCE, Mills 68 Prospector sets new race record in Marblehead to Halifax race by more than 2 hours The 363 nm race from Marblehead to Halifax dates back to 1905, and this year welcomed a strong fleet of 73 boats to the starting line. Charging into the finish at 16 knots under main and jib, the crew on Mills 68 Prospector was unaware they had broken the race record until the crowd congratulated them at the dock Monday evening. Paul McDowell, David Siwicki, Larry Landry and the Prospector team beat the record set by Tripp 75 Bella Pita in 2011 by two hours, with a race time of 28 hours, 28 minutes, and 50 seconds. Built in 2008, Prospector is a well oiled machine. After building offshore experience at events such as the Middle Sea Race, Les Voiles de St. Barth, the Fastnet Race and the Pineapple Cup, she entered Marblehead to Halifax ready to show her best, and she did just that. The breeze went from light to breeze-on, so they decided to hoist all three sails and were hauling the mail at 17 knots in smooth seas, feeling faster than ever and confident she would be leading the charge. Carrying the A3 and genoa staysail as long as they could, they went for a peel, which then favored the A3 and spinnaker staysail, allowing them to carry a better true-wind course. “She was jumping and charging like an animal that wants you off its back, and only got faster and more stable as she figured we weren’t going anywhere”. Upon arrival in Halifax, the crew celebrated with their onshore team – libations and cigars all around! © Craig Davis Photography READ MORE

CHED, CHARLIE & MEREDITH WIN CT-RI DISTRICTS WITH TRIPLE BULLETS Light Winds and Strong Currents – The Excitements of Niantic Bay! Ched Proctor, Charlie Proctor and Meredith Killion – 2017 District Champions! The 2017 Lightning Class Connecticut-Rhode Island Districts were held at Niantic Bay Yacht Club this weekend with 18 Lightnings at the race course. Although the wind forecast was pretty dismal for the whole weekend, we were able to race all six scheduled races, three on Saturday and three on Sunday. Wind direction was from the 130 to 140 on Saturday. The first race was started with the normal 200+ direction. Later the cloud cover prevented the thermal influence and it backed into the 160-170 direction, however one puff did come from around 70 for the last leg of the third race on Saturday. Regatta chair, Dave Peck sailing with his wife, Nina Peck and Brian Lilly used this puff to pass half the fleet and win the race. Most of Saturdays racing was light to very light. At night we had a great steak dinner and the fleet and club members were treated to a local fireworks display. We were greeted by a light Southerly justifying an on time 10:30 am start on Sunday morning. The wind came around to the common 235 direction. For many years, text book way to sail in this wind direction is: tack to port off the starting line, go to the layline and gain from the righty puffs off the shore. Since most competitors have this pattern ingrained in their minds, the starting line was very crowded at the weather half. It was very challenging to find a spot on the line. This led to a few general recalls and PRO Franz Edson utilized an I flag, then black flag to keep the fleet behind the line. Notable exception was that defending District champion, Nick Sertl that started several races off the leeward end of the line all alone and with a very good high mode. They was able to be one of the early leaders to the right and by picking the layline well, thy were able to arrive at the weather mark consistently among the leaders and finish second in the regatta. With a flooding current, you tend to get pushed to the mark on starboard tack. This made picking the layline from a half mile out and having a clear lane the keys to getting to the weather mark in the lead. At the end our team with my son Charlie Proctor and Meredith Killion, picked the right spot more often than not to emerge in the lead. It was a bit challenge after several of my starts that left us looking for a clear lane before we could settle into the parade to the shore. The exception came on the last beat of the day. We had rounded the leeward mark in the lead and chose to protect the usually successful right side of the course. Long time local, Don Barrett, led a group of three out to the left corner. It was prescient, since Saturday morning he had told me that the flooding current at the mouth of the bay takes you to the mark. And the current is strong! He led this group back on port tack to come out bow to bow with us 50 meters from the finish line. Only two quick tacks saved the race for us, while the group of three from the left took 2nd, third and fourth in the race. Such is the excitement of racing in Niantic Bay. Learn more about the fastest Lightning sails. READ MORE

AUSTRALIAN TEAM WINS 420 FRENCH NATIONALS 2017 North Sails Powers the Winners in the Men and Girls Fleet! The 420 French Nationals were hosted by Crozon-Morgat Nautical Centre, sailing in Douarnenez Bay last week. 85 boats entered the event representing 5 different nations. After 12 races, which were completed in a range of conditions, the Australian team Otto Henry and Rome Featherstone won the event, followed closely by French team Enzo Ballanger and Gaultier Tallieu Gueydan. In third place was Hugo Le Clech and Zachary Le Bris. Learn more about the fastest 420 sails Full results READ MORE