NORTH SAILS BLOG

MINI EN MAI 2019 Une édition particulière mais menée de main de maitre par le comité de course 📸 Jacques Vapillon La mini en mai s’est déroulée du 6 mai au 10 mai. Un départ avancé pour cause de fort coup de vent, une neutralisation de la course pendant 24h, puis un second départ où les coureurs sont repartis en fonction des temps du premier parcours. Après une lutte acharnée, Axel Tréhin (FRA 945) signe une très belle 2 ème place en classement proto. Pour l’occasion, Axel avait reçu ses voiles plates en 3Di. Prochaine course, le trophée Marie Agnès Péron à Douarnenez, début juin. READ MORE

Zagrijavanje pred ORC Svjetsko prvenstvo Foto: Hrvoje Duvančić - regate.com.hr Unatoč očekivanjima da će većina hrvatske flote koja se prijavila za jedrenje na SP doći u Šibenik, to se nažalost nije ostvarilo. Zamišljeno je da se regata jedri tri dana - petak, subotu i nedjelju - i da se izađe na oba regatana polja koja će se koristiti na Prvenstvu. Međutim, par dana pred početak regate i dalje je na startnom popisu bilo samo 8 jedrilica, pa su organizatori u dogovoru s jedriličarima odustali od trodnevne regate i skratili je na samo dva natjecateljska dana. Kako je prognozom najavljeno dosta jako jugo za cijeli vikend, skoro sve posade su obavile transfere već u četvrtak i nekoliko ih je petak iskoristilo za trening po jakom vjetru. Koliko su bili atraktivni uvjeti za jedrenje govori podatak da je jedrilica Dubrovnik po 25 čvorova juga jedrila brzinom 18 čvorova! U subotu je flota izašla na more s nadom da će pokušati startati s prvim jedrenjem u podne jer jugo još nije bilo prejako. Ali dok se plovilo prema poziciji između Zlarina, Obonjana i Prvića, vjetar je kontinuirano jačao. Regatni odbor je preventivno savjetovao natjecateljima da se sklone u zavjetrinu Zlarinske uvale, dok su suci izašli na "brisani prostor" potencijalnog regatnog polja. Tamo ih je dočekalo vrlo valovito more, a jugo je s prosječnih dvadeset čvorova u roku od dvadesetak minuta eskaliralo na prosječnih 25 s udarima od preko 30 čvorova. Po pravilima ORC-a, ne savjetuje se startanje regate po vjetru koji je jači od 22 - 23 čvora, jer tada točnost kalkulacije rezultata dolazi u pitanje. Naime, polarni dijagrami koji se dobivaju iz ORC-ovog VPP-a (Velocity Predicting Program) su između 6 i 20 čvorova stvarnog vjetra (true wind speed - TWS). Ali ako za vrijeme jedrenja plova koji je startao unutar dogovorenih limita dođe do pojačanja vjetra, a uvjeti još nisu tako loši da bi se zbog sigurnosti prekinulo jedrenje, plov se ne prekida i jedri se do kraja. S obzirom na situaciju na moru RO je proglasio odgodu i pridružio se jedriličarima na Zlarinu, gdje su nakon par sati proglasili kraj čekanja i raspustili natjecatelje. Kiša između subote i nedjelje je ugušila jugo i nedjeljno jutro je bilo lijepo i sunčano s nekoliko čvorova oštrina. Randezvous na regatnom polju je dogovoren za 11:00, a prvi start je signaliziran u 11:25. Foto: Hrvoje Duvančić - regate.com.hr Startalo se po 6-7 čvorova iz 195°. Flota je ugodno jedrila, a u zoni pred privjetrinskom oznakom vjetar je počeo slabiti. Srećom bilo ga je dovoljno da se jedrilice neprekidno kreću i da su jedra napuhana. Regatni odbor ne prekida jedrenje i to se kasnije pokazuje dobrom odlukom, jer se nakon desetak minuta vjetar vraća i sve jedrilice uspješno dolaze do cilja. Čak i posada Blue Chipa može biti zadovoljna ishodom, jer je ova jedrilica imala najviše problema s vjetrom, ne ulazi u cilj u grupi s ostalima, ali nakon korekcije rezultata zauzima 5. mjesto. U rezultatima se može vidjeti da je i u ovom i u idućem jedrenju uz jedrilicu X-Cite oznaka DNC. Oni su se u subotu vratili u Biograd, a svoju odluku su donijeli na osnovu kombinacije vremenske prognoze po kojoj se u nedjelju nije trebalo održati ni jedno jedrenje i umora posade koja se par dana ranije vratila s Kornati Cupa. Nakon blage korekcije regatnog polja, jer je vjetar za desetak stupnjeva otišao u lijevo, krenuo se s drugim jedrenjem. Start je bio točno u 13 sati, a vjetar je sad već pojačao na preko deset čvorova. Koliko brže se jedrilo vidi se u usporedbi realnih vremena ulaska u cilj. Razlike su u prosjeku bile oko 25 minuta! Ovog puta je vjetar imao ravnomjeran pritisak po cijelom regatnom polju i nije se ponovila situacija kao sat ranije kad je Dehler ostao iza sviju. Ovog puta je ušao kao predzadnji realno, ali nakon korekcije odnosi pobjedu. Odmah iza njega završavaju pobjednici prvog plova, domaća ekipa s Anđele X. Također je veliku razliku u rezultatima napravila i ekipa jedrilice Dubrovnik. Oni su u prvom plovu nakon korekcije završili na 7. mjestu, dok su u drugom plovu finiširali kao 4. Za razliku od njih posada Mareusa je bila konstantno dobra i knjiži drugo i treće mjesto. Polar iGringo su također dosta oscilirali nakon korekcije, dok je Munjek po matematičkom modelu trebao biti mnogo brži u oba plova. I pokušan je još jedan plov. U 14:30 se startalo po sad već jakom oštrinu. U međuvremenu su se skupili i oblaci nošeni burom, tako da je bilo za očekivati da će doći do neke značajnije promjene situacije. Do tog preokreta dolazi već za vrijeme završetka jedrenja prve krme, kad vjetar kreće sa značajnim pomakom u lijevo. Do toga dolazi toliko brzo da RO ne stiže reagirati s "Charlijem" i nema drugog izbora do označavanja prekida jedrenja. Kako se to desilo par minuta prije 15 sati - vremenskog ograničenja - regata se mogla proglasiti završenom! READ MORE

THE NEW CLUBSWAN 36 MAKES ITS DEBUT North Sails Team Collaborates On Class Design Process On May 3rd Nautor’s Swan unveiled the ClubSwan36 in Scarlino Italy. This foil assisted one design keelboat is the newest addition to the ClubSwan family, a division of Nautor’s with the specific goal of leading the yard’s development of high-performance yachts based upon cutting-edge design principles. North Sails is proud to have played a part in bringing this innovative one design boat to launch by delivering North Design Services and technical analysis to the project. “All of us at North Sails are looking forward to sea trials and dialing in the performance potential of this exciting new class.” North Swan expert Arnd Howar and sail designer Juan Meseguer worked with Juan Yacht Design and the Nautor’s team throughout the design process. “You need to have sailmakers involved early on in the design process to help define the loads and flying shape, explains Philippe Oulhen, JYD Project Leader working with Nautor’s. “North Sails supplied models to power the CFD runs, which allowed us to progress onto rig development. The North team and JYD have worked together on many projects throughout the years, and we’re pleased to have Juan collaborate with us as we move through the various design phases.” A tight one design rule limits the sail inventory to just five sails; one main, two jibs and two asymmetric kites. The ClubSwan 36 upwind inventory is built from North 3Di RAW, known for its shape holding and ability to carry through a wide range of racing conditions. “The ClubSwan 36 is an exciting project for one design sailors who will experience high-performance sailing in a boat that was designed for ease of handling,” remarked Arnd Howar, who is the North Sails ClubSwan 36 class leader. “All of us at North Sails are looking forward to sea trials and dialing in the performance potential of this exciting new class.” READ MORE

NORTH KNOCKOUT AT B14 UK NATIONALS Top Ten Boats Powered By North Sails 📸 VR Sport Hosts of the event, Restronguet Sailing Club provided a great mix of conditions for the GUL B14 skiff Championships. Day one brought three very different races. Launching in a force four which soon reduced to a force two by the start of the race, The Anthill Mob (Tim Harrison/Jonny Ratcliffe) showed their light wind prowess to win the first race from Harken (Nick Craig/Tobytastic Lewis). With the wind becoming shifty and continuing to drop for race two, Team GUL/North Sails (Mark Barnes/Char Horlock) responded well to these shifts, maintaining a healthy lead until Harken found some lucky pressure, turning a five-minute deficit into an impressive win in very little wind. The Anthill Mob recovered to third from choosing the wrong side of the course on an exceptionally hard to call first beat, finishing ahead of Brightmile (Mark Watts/Stig Rogers). The wind died to nothing in the afternoon of day one, as race officer, Phil Slater, hoisted AP over I. However, after spotting some wind in the estuary, the fleet were greeted by a 15 knot northerly and sunshine – champagne sailing! With all to play for going into day two, Harken had the edge with four teams in close contention. The plan to have four races at the lower end of Carrick Roads off of Falmouth did not look promising as the fleet arrived on the water to sunshine and a dying breeze on day two. Luckily, a force two to three filed in from the south. Race four had a clean first start with Harken, Demelza (Peter Knight/James Wilkinson), Team GUL/North Sails and The Anthill Mob fighting it out at the front of the fleet. First to pull through and take race one was Harken. Demelza showed her local knowledge finishing in second and Asbo (Crispin Taylor/Ralph Singleton) appeared under the radar taking third from Team GUL/North Sails. Damelza dominated race five and Team GUL/North Sails took their first win in race six. 📸 VR Sport With one hand on the trophy, Harken were out of race seven after snagging a buoy, leaving the win open to the rest of the fleet. Brightmile took up the challenge, chased by The Anthill Mob and Demelza. An exciting final day was to follow as just 2.5 points separated The Anthill Mob, Demelza and Team GUL/North Sails. With similar conditions, day three brought sun and dying breeze to the racecourse which was set in the upper half of Carrick Roads, off Mylor Harbour. 5-8 knots arrived making local knowledge paramount in such a complex channel. The Beast (Gary Parks/Chris Webber) set the pace on race eight with the top five scattered across the course. Over two laps they held true, but on the last lap Harken and Team GUL/North Sails were keen to challenge The Beast. On the final run, a kite line wrap released Harken and a split occurred. The Beast headed into pressure and slight adverse current as the other two teams sailed inshore. At the finish, Harken held on, but Team GUL/North Sails could not take second from The Beast, resulting in just a few metres between the three boats at the finish. In fourth came Brightmile. The Anthill Mob took fifth and Demelza slipped into seventh. The breeze died for race nine, so the fleet returned to Circus Maximus, the arena off of Falmouth at the bottom of Carrick Roads. Breeze steadied at 5-6 knots and the tide turned. Demelza meant business and led the fleet at the windward mark. Harken found a lane and took second place. The Anthill Mob and Team GUL/North Sails chased in third and fourth with Asbo and Brightmile hitting the current forcing them back to fifth and sixth. Numbers were calculated. Harken’s consistency meant they had won, but all else was up for grabs. Time to perform when it mattered most. Going into the final, deciding race, Team GUL/North Sails got rolled at the Committee Boat on the start line, The Anthill Mob got caught at the pin as a shift came through and Demelza, positioned at the middle of the line, was in her stride. Team GUL/North Sails chose mid-left on the first beat, reaching the windward mark with Better Than Life (Steve Hollingsworth/ Joe Tosh) and Demelza. The downwind leg caused a split between these three boats, with Team GUL/North Sails hooking both boats at the gate. On the last beat, Brightmile came in to play. As the final downwind was so close, Harken, Brightmile and Demelza fought it out with Team GUL/North Sails shadowing ahead. Finishing within seconds, it would be when the sailors got ashore that they discovered their finishing position. Harken took a worthy win, The Anthill Mob had fallen away to confirm fourth, but second place was decided by the rule book as Team Gul/North Sails and Damelza both finished on 23.5 points. Team GUL/North Sails had just done enough, meaning Dalmelza took a well earned third place. Team GUL/North Sails also took first female crew with Char Horlock onboard. The fleet now looks forward to the Carnac Europeans and World Championship which looks like they are set to be nail-biting events after such tight results at the UK Nationals. For more information on B14 Championship winning sails, visit our class page. 📸Patrick Clarke READ MORE

ERFOLGREICHE NORTH SAILS KUNDEN IM FINN UND STAR AM BODENSEE Gleich in zwei One Design Klassen standen nur Segler, die North Sails vertrauen, auf dem Podest! Herzlichen Glückwunsch den Siegern und allen Teilnehmern bei diesen garstigen Bedingungen! Jollenregatta, Mammern, 27.-28. April 2019 Bericht von der Finn Klasse Schweiz: In Mammern gabs nichts zum Jammern! 20 Finnsegler gaben sich die Ehre bei der diesjährigen Jollenregatta in Mammern. Ein französischen Freund liess sich allerdings am Samstag morgen von Horror-Wind-Gerüchten auf Windfinder abschrecken – er zahlte sein Startgeld…. und verschwand, sodass am Ende 19 in die Liste kamen. Tatsächlich wehten einige Böen am Samstagmittag kräftig mit über 20 Knoten, der konstante Wind hielt sich allerdings stets deutlich unter der 12 Knoten Marke und war angenehm zu segeln. Einige der Teilnehmer erzählten von Regenschauern ja sogar Graupelschauern und Frostbeulen während der Wettfahrt, dem Autor ist so etwas an unserem schönen, stets sonnenverwöhnten und warmen Bodensee völlig unbekannt und er kann dieses nicht bestätigen. (Zudem würde er natürlich Ärger mit dem hiesigen Tourismusverband bekommen). Ein stärkerer Westwind ist vor Mammern immer anspruchsvoll zu segeln. Das buchtige Ufer auf der nördlichen Seite scheint immer bevorteilt, lässt aber dann bei Annäherung zur Luvtonne oft seine Jünger im Stich. Sodass diejenigen, die in der Mitte bei 10 bis 15 Grad Drehern eine Wende nach der anderen setzen am häufigsten mit guten Plätzen an der Luvtonne belohnt werden. Bereits im ersten Lauf am Samstag kamen damit Oliver Wirz und der Autor (also Bollo - also ich) mit dieser Taktik als die ersten beiden oben an. Vorwind konnte sich Oliver Wirz ein „Muckesäckele“ nach vorne schieben und fuhr dann schulbuchmässig immer zwischen Tonne und dem Gegner ( also dem Autor, also Bollo, also mir ) gen Luv, dieser, (also der Gegner also der Autor also ich) dachte sich: "ok Kollege, dann schauen wir mal wie weit Du mit mir in die Grütze fährsts" , war bald überrrascht von der Leidensfähigkeit seines Peinigers und noch überraschter als Thomas Bangerter den vorderen Zweikampf nutzte um sich auf der Kreuz aus einem sichern 100 Meter Abstand vor ihn zu schieben. Also erster Lauf Oliver (mit gutem Abstand) 1. Thomas 2. Ich dritter. Im zweiten Lauf ähnliches Spiel, allerdings war Thomas dort bereits auf dem ersten Vorwind mit gutem Abstand mit Oliver vorweg. Ich konnte dann auf der kurzen Zielkreuz noch 4 Plätze holen und kam mit 3 Zentimer Abstand als 3. vor Bernd Rimmele ins Ziel. Das Duo Oliver Wirz (1.) und Thomas Bangerter (2.) konnten auch den 3. Lauf deutlich für sich entscheiden. Nach 3 Läufen bei bockigem Westwind waren dann alle Finnisti froh, dass die Wettfahrtleitung vom angedrohten 4. Lauf absah und uns in den sicheren aber recht kühlen und nassen Hafen schickte. Bei Freibier gespendet von der Bootswerft Schenk Yachtbau und der Fireball KV würden dann noch Heldentaten ausgetauscht, bevor es dann traditionell in den Saal des Gasthauses "Hecht" zum Nachtessen ging. Teuflischer Weise waren die Kinder und Jugendlichen so nett zu den Gästen (beim übrigens sehr guten Essen), dass man Ihnen niemals ausschlagen konnte, wenn Sie nachfragten, ob noch etwas zu Trinken zu bringen sei -Sie hatten einfach sehr viel Spass am Bier zapfen. So saßen also die höflichen Finnsegler bis in die Nacht und ließen sich ein Bier nach dem anderen bringen - natürlich nur um den Kindern die Freude am Zapfen zu ermöglichen. Ebenso war die recht spät angekündigte Startzeit von 10:30 Uhr nicht allzu motivierend zu früh den Saal zu verlassen ( beim Schreiben dieser Zeilen kommt mir da fast der Verdacht, dass die niedlichen Bedienungen und der späte Start irgendwie zum Plan der Gastgeber gehörten den Getränkeumsatz zu puschen). Der Sonntag empfing die Segler dann mit etwas weniger aber umso launischerem Westwind, bei "nahezu tropischen Temperaturen und strahlendem Sonnenschein" … (ok ich treff den Chef vom Tourismus Büro regelmäßig also nehmts mir nicht übel). Oliver Witz hat beide Läufe gewonnen. Er konnte somit einen 1. Platz streichen. Thomas Bangerter schwächelte etwas und ließ den Autor ( also…bla bla) die 4 Punkte von Samstag aufholen, er und der Autor waren somit Punktgleich und der 3. Lauf am Sonntag wäre die Entscheidung gewesen, leider kam es nicht dazu, denn ein (warmer fast tropischer) Schauer kam diesesmal von Norden, sodass der Wind erst 90 Grad drehte und sich dann zurück an den Nordpol verabschiedete. Die Wettfahrtleitung reagierte auch hier tadellos, broch den Start für die Finns ab, und die Wettfahrt für die anderen Klassen auch. Nach sehr kurzem abwarten auf dem Wasser schickte sie die Flotte an Land. Siegerehrung wie immer mir süßem und saurem Most als Teilnehmerpreis und Sekt (oder Apfelsekt ? - habs noch nicht probiert) für die Sieger. Wie immer haben die beteiligten des kleinen Vereins in Mammern wieder alles gegeben um die über 60 angereisten Segler der 3 Klassen zufrieden zu stellen. Die sehr freundschaftliche und bemühte Aufnahme der Gäste ist immer wieder klasse. Auf dem Wasser überzeugt die Wettfahrtleitung mit Regel und Revierkenntnis. Noch ein Wort zum Wetter: Bei der Heimfahrt kurz vorm Hafen schlief ja der Wind ein, und es schien die Sonne – ein neben mir treibender Contender Segler meint zu mir: "Das ist doch klasse, so können wir wenigstens ohne Regen einpacken!" er sollte recht behalten als wir im Hafen waren... kamen die ersten Graupelschauer. Oliver Wirz, 5 Pkte Thomas Bangerter, 11 Pkte. Andreas Bollongino, 11 Pkte. Bollo GER 19 (der als zahlendes Mitglied der Schweizer KV sich den Luxus erkauft hat als 3. Schweizer gezählt zu werden und schreiben zu dürfen – toll gemacht ) Bodenseemeisterschaft der Starboote, Bregenz, 4.-5. Mai 2019 Bericht von der Star Klasse Schweiz: Mit der Bodenseemeisterschaft wurde am letzten Wochenende die erste Schweizer Star Regatte ausgetragen. Erstmals organisierte der Yacht Club Bregenz und konnte vier Wettfahrten durchführen. Der Sieg ging an das Team Hans Stöckli/Alex Gouda, mit einem Punkt vor Jürg Ryffel/Beat Heinz. Rang 3 geht an Bernhard Seger / Walter Oess. An der durch den Yacht Club Bregenz hervorragend organisierten Bodenseemeisterschaft konnten am 4. und 5. Mai vier Wettfahrten durchgeführt werden. Wahrscheinlich verhinderte der angesagte Wintereinbruch oder die fehlenden Winterpneus am Anhänger ein grösseres Teilnehmerfeld. Nur 6 Boote! Am Samstag kurz nach dem Skippermeeting überquerte eine Westfront mit ca. 5 Windstärke die Bregenzer Bucht. Drei Starboote waren rechtzeitig am Start, der Laufsieg ging an das Team Hans Stöckli/Alex Gouda vor Jürg Ryffel/Beat Heinz. Am Sonntag knapp unter der Schneefallgrenze bei einem frischen Nordwind konnten drei weitere Wettfahrten durchgeführt werden. Die Ausgangslage vor dem 4. Lauf war spannend, mit zwei 1. und einem 2. Rang führte das Team Hans Stöckli/Alex Gouda vor Jürg Ryffel/Beat Heinz mit den Rängen 2/2/1. Wenn zwei sich streiten freuen sich die dritten, Bernhard Seger mit Walter Oess konnten den 4. Lauf für sich entscheiden. Somit präsentierte sich folgende Schlussrangliste: Hans Stöckli / Alex Gouda 4 Punkte Jürg Ryffel / Beat Heinz 5 Punkte Bernhard Seger / Walter Oess 7 Punkte Dorett Hanhart / Dominik Schenk 12 Punkte Arthur Rebsamen / Beatrice Rebsamen 15 Punkte Hermann Wegener / Steffi Kern 21 Punkte READ MORE

COACHINGS PERSONNALISES, SUR L'EAU ET A TERRE! Les North Experience sont de retour en 2019 ! Nous vous préparons déjà les prochaines sessions. Que ce soit en Surprise, Grand Surprise, Luthi, Psaros, Esse ou M2, profitez d’un moment unique afin d’apprendre tous les trucs de nos navigateurs professionnels, autant lors d’une navigation qu’à terre ! Le 26 mai dans le haut-lac et le 18 août à Lausanne/Pully, des sessions d’accompagnement auront lieu pour les Esse 850. N’hésitez pas à contacter Julien Monnier pour vous inscrire. Pour en savoir plus ou encore demander la création de votre session, prenez contact avec Julien Monnier (079 574 11 15) Exemple de journée-type de coaching : 10h00 - 12h00 : workshop sur le réglage des voiles et du gréement / questions diverses / mise en application sur les bateaux 13h00 - 16h30 : navigation avec séquences de départ et petits parcours autour de bouées / interventions VHF et à bord A partir de 17h00 : apéritif-débriefing... Options de coaching : - ACCOMPAGNEMENT A BORD ‘in situ’, module de base Partie théorique puis mise en application avec le réglage du gréement de vos bateaux Coaching personnalisé en navigation, prise de vues techniques Débriefing à terre, images photos & vidéos à l'appui, questions/réponses Happy hour North Sails - ACCOMPAGNEMENT A BORD ‘in situ’, module de perfectionnement Partie théorique puis mise en pratique sur l’eau Travail spécifique sur les départs : mesure du côté favorable, plan alternatif, positionnement et lancement, assistance électronique Travail spécifique sur les manœuvres : technique de virement & d’empannage, gestion des croisements, passage des marques de parcours, différents types d’envoi et d’affalé de spi Autres thèmes possibles, à déterminer ensemble ! Débriefing à terre, images photos & vidéos à l’appui, questions/réponses Happy hour North Sails - ACCOMPAGNEMENT SPÉCIAL RÉGATE Analyse Météo Préparation du bateau Encadrement de l’équipage Analyse stratégique Optimisation et astuces sur les réglages Happy hour North Sails - ACCOMPAGNEMENT THÉORIQUE à la voilerie Sujet à la carte, à définir ensemble : entretien des voiles, réglages de voiles via North-U-Simulator, tactique et stratégie, playbook, etc Happy hour North Sails READ MORE

CLIENTS WIN PRESTIGIOUS AWARDS AT SAILING WEEK An Exciting Finale For The Caribbean Series In Antigua © Paul Wyeth / ASW 2019 92-boats arrived at the scene for the 52nd edition of Antigua Sailing Week, giving sailors from all around the world a chance to race in one of the most beautiful sailing locations in the Caribbean. Bright blue waters and reliable 18-25 knot tradewinds provide pristine racing conditions for boats of all kinds, ranging from 24-115’ in length. Sailors raced on everything from small boat one designs to high-performance speed racers and elegant megayachts. Antigua offers utmost hospitality for sailors during sailing week, with social activities and fun post-racing award ceremonies allowing competitors to meet and make new connections and talk about their fun day on the water. Between the race committee officials, organizers, and onshore teams, the hospitality and event organization at Sailing Week did not disappoint this year. North Sails clients had a solid showing at sailing week, winning prestigious awards and overall recognition. Sir Peter Harrison’s Sojana* won the honorable Lord Nelson Trophy for the third time. “ “It was a fantastic week,” commented Sir Peter. We won the trophy last year and in 2011, so this is a hat-trick win for us. Sojana* has been powering along and there hasn’t been a day when we haven’t done well. I am absolutely delighted with our team’s success.” Sojana* won six races total, claiming the overall win for CSA and in CSA 1. Antigua Race Week concludes a successful Caribbean season for Sojana, who adopted 3Di into their inventory in 2018. © Paul Wyeth CSA 4 team Liquid, with owner Pamala Baldwin, won the Travellers Trophy this year for outstanding results over the course of the entire Caribbean racing series. The final test was Antigua Sailing Week, where the team showed off their talents and secured the trophy, and second overall in their division. Pamala Baldwin’s Liquid, winners of the 2019 Travellers Trophy © Paul Wyeth In CSA 6, Jules Mitchell’s 26-footer NSA Spirit, a dominated in class despite breaking a rudder and retirement in race six. After a quick fix, Mitchell and his all-Antigua youth team were right back at it after a quick fix. NSA Spirit won their division by six points and claimed Henley Cup Trophy for highest placing local team and first place in their division. “This is my sixth Antigua Sailing Week and the third as skipper of NSA Spirit. It’s been awesome! Antigua served up amazing tradewinds that we capitalized on and the regatta had excellent organization. A true test of sportsmanship and big respect goes to NSA Valiant, for lending us their rudder when ours broke.” © Paul Wyeth In the double-handed class, client Philip Asche on American Swan 44 Freebird, won the National Parks Trophy for taking the bullet in the final race of the regatta, and winning overall in class. “We are feeling really good having won our class. It’s strong sailing down here, which we know. The boat was built for these conditions, but we are not quite as built for it as we used to be! It’s been a very good week and we have enjoyed it a lot,” said Philip. © Ted Martin / ASW 2019 The North Sails loft in Antigua was working in overdrive throughout the week to ensure all teams were race ready. It was a lot of late nights making sure repairs were completed in time to get all sailors back on the water to take on the next day of racing. “Everything from batten pockets to luff tapes, leech tapes to clew reinforcements,” commented loft manager Andrew Dove. “A lot of these teams have been to the loft multiple times this week with miscellaneous things that needed attention. 3Di is by far the easiest and fastest sail material to repair because it does not have delam issues. We’ve seen many laminate string sails come in each day for repairs.” A short race day for SHK Scallywag turned into a long overnight for Andrew and his team. Just after the start of the around the island race, Scallywag got tangled upwind, hooking their backstay and part of their mainsail on a TP52. Note to self, a carbon TP52 mast is no match for any sail! The North loft was proud to share they were quick to take on the task of getting the 100’ speed-demon back out on the race course, having their repaired 3Di sail delivered at the dock first thing Monday morning. Future Fibres pulled off some tricky logistics to get Scallywag a backstay delivered to the island in time for one final day of sailing. The team finished Antigua Sailing Week in high spirits and went out on the final day to take second place in the last race of the regatta. Congratulations to our clients for an outstanding showing and perseverance throughout the week of windy-blue water sailing. Scallywag on the final day, giving Sojana some fun competition. © Paul Wyeth READ MORE

AN EVENING TO SUPPORT ABLE SAILING North Sails Supports Sailors Of All Abilities AbleSail Kingston has been operating an adapted sailing program for people with disabilities out of Kingston Yacht Club since 2002. The Able Sail Program can offer the freedom of sailing to those with even extremely limited mobility using their specially designed and adapted boats, the Martin 16 and the 2.4 Metre for single-handed sailing, and the Sonar for crews of up to six people. The boats are rigged for incredible safety and for those with limited mobility in mind, ensuring maximum stability in all weather or wind conditions. The adapted steering and sail handling controls are welcome modifications to otherwise complicated procedures for those who are unable to scramble about as they would need to in traditionally rigged sailboats. “The only time I forget I can’t walk is when I’m dreaming or sailing.” The AbleSail program has recently expanded to welcome those with mental disabilities as well, thanks in large part to the incredible coaches hired to run the program and the many volunteers that offer their time and assistance as well. Every year shortly after March Break, the Kingston sailing community comes together to both raise money for and renew awareness of, AbleSails' mission and programming. The event includes a highly successful silent auction, a baked goods table and more recently, has featured a sailing presentation given by special guest speakers from many different parts of the globe. Last year it was a member of winning America's Cup team from New Zealand. This year's talk was via a skype telecall with Jack Boutell, a team member of the Volvo Ocean Race winner, Dongfeng Racing. Additionally, Jack recently purchased O Canada, the well known Open 60 built by the late Derek Hatfield. Jack intends to sail in the 2020 edition of the Vendee Globe round the world single handed race. Jack regaled the crowd with vivid stories of determination, hardship, leadership and triumph in a very hard fought win. A fitting parallel for so many in the program with day to day challenges getting around on land. North Sail's motto of Going Beyond seems to be so pertinent for those who have participated in the AbleSail program as they need to go above and beyond daily. Beyond their comfort zone. Beyond their usual horizons. Beyond their reality. North Sails is proud to have been able to support AbleSail's mission through auction items. READ MORE

LOUISE RACING WINS KING JUAN CARLOS TROPHY North Sails Fuels Grant Gordon To The Overall Win 📸 Luis Fráguas The 24th King Juan Carlos Trophy was the second leg of the International Dragon European Cup Series 2019. The event saw some tight competition last weekend at Clube Naval de Cascais. After three days of racing, every one of the top eight boats had a chance to win, meaning the trophy was all to play for going into the fourth and final day. Troika (NED 412) won the opening race with Louise Racing (GBR 820) narrowly beating Sophie Racing (SUI 311) into third. This left three boats tied for the overall lead, with a number of opposing teams dangerously close by. However, it was Scotland’s Grant Gordon with his team on Louise Racing, and North Sails Dragon expert, Ruairidh Scott, that managed to get the most out of their boat, winning not just the final race, but the overall regatta as well. Ruairidh Scott explains the team onboard Louise Racing had fantastic speed all week which really helped on the final day when it mattered most. Cascais is a boat speed critical venue as everyone aims for the right of the course, so being quick was important. The North sails proved very versatile in varied condition – often the race would start in 10 knots and end in 20. Our genoas have nice wide crossover so we felt comfortable even when sailing close to or out of range on each sail. Cascais is a boat speed critical venue as everyone aims for the right of the course, so being quick was important. ”Our genoas have nice wide crossover so we felt comfortable even when sailing close to or out of range on each sail. The North sails proved very versatile in varied condition – often the race would start in 10 knots and end in 20.” Sailing with a full North Sails inventory throughout the regatta (A-7+ mainsail, V-6M and V-6H genoas, R-5 spinnaker), this result, combined with a third place in Cannes earlier this year, sees Louise Racing leading the Grade 1 circuit overall. 📸 Luis Fráguas 📸 Luis Fráguas 📸 Luis Fráguas 📸 Luis Fráguas READ MORE

GEARING UP FOR THE 2019 RACE TO MACKINAC Tom Pease Shares Heavy Weather Tips At The Offshore Safety Sea Training I attended and presented at the International Offshore Safety at Sea course hosted by Sailing Education Association of Sheboygan (SEAS) with instructors Brian Adams and Mike Bush last weekend. For sailors participating in the 2019 Race to Mackinac Safety at Sea is now required for 50% of every boat’s crew. As I have in the past, I was offered the opportunity of presenting the Heavy Weather Sailing portion of the seminar. After two years in a row of fairly heavy air upwind work in the Mac I expanded the topic beyond the sails and rules to include more tips and techniques for sail trim and boat handling both upwind and downwind. A special thanks to Bill Gladstone and North U for some of the videos and animations. There’s no question that having the right sails for conditions greatly improves the boats performance and your results. I’ve found that it’s just as important in keeping the boat under control as it is in keeping the crew fresh and functional in trying conditions. When you’re sailing in 25 knots, slamming into 6 to 8-foot waves that feel like they are barely more than a boat length apart, it is most definitely trying conditions for the crew, the boat and the equipment. We spent a full day in a classroom setting covering numerous topics of safety gear and procedures. It’s a great opportunity to become familiar with the latest technology available for us to both protect ourselves and take advantage of while either racing, cruising or day sailing. I know my shopping list was fairly extensive for both personal gear and boat gear, I suspect others had equally long wish lists. Other presenters on the first day included Whitney Kent doing the Weather module and Adam Grandlic giving us some basic Medical insight, as well as a representative of the US Coast Guard bringing us up to speed on their protocol and what we should expect should we need their assistance. Day two is optional for the Race to Mackinac but was a great opportunity to get into the pool in full gear, test out our PFD’s and climb into a life raft. It was a challenge in the pool with relatively warm water and a controlled environment; I definitely don’t want to ever experience a real life in the water event of myself or a crew mate. Bottom line, respect the elements, respect your equipment and respect the reality that bad things can happen when you’re in the heat of the moment. It's always great to get together with a bunch of sailors to talk about sails, boats and equipment. Now I’m even more anxious for the season to start and get back out on the water. READ MORE

NOTHING BEATS 40 YEARS OF SAILMAKING EXPERIENCE Bill Lesnek Reputation For Exceptional Work In Sail and Kite Repairs Has Led To His Cult-Like Following For Service Work Brian Lefeve has worked with Bill Lesnek over the years in the world of kiteboarding repairs and sailmaking, leading to a friendship filled with fond memories and priceless learning moments. He shares what makes Bill the go to guy for kiteboarding repairs and advice. Tell Us About Your Journey To Where You Are Today and Great Lakes Surf. Well when I was 10 years old, my parents drove us to California and I tried surfing for the first time and got hooked. When we got back home I was really ... I didn't know about surfing in Michigan, so I got into wind surfing when I was 11. Wind surfing just became addicted and started teaching wind surfing when I worked for a company called The Wind Surf Company, Keego Harbors. I managed that shop for many years. I taught wind surfing and then in 80, or 98-99, that's when kiting came out and they sent us a kite, we tried it out and we got hooked. I was teaching myself how to kite and then a lot of other people wanted to learn and I pretty much started a school out of that. Out of the necessity of people wanting to try the sport. it just evolved into that and then it got really busy and I started camps and then I rent some space from within North Sails; when we had kite repairs I'd have Billy do the repairs and he did phenomenal job. I would help prep him a little bit, and then he'd just do the sewing. Then after awhile I had more and more people coming in for repairs and we just gave them to Billy. It was great as that. I mean it worked so well because of course the ripstop materials are all the same, the sewing, everything. It was just such an ideal situation to be in that loft at the start up of kiting because people were learning and ripping their kites. What Keeps You Coming Back To North Sails? The quality of the work. Billy does an amazing job and there's a couple other places that you can send your kite out to, which is called Air Time. They have a facility in Florida and then another one in California, but the expensive of shipping it out. They do a good job, but if you have somebody local that can do just as good a job, if not that better, it makes more sense to keep everything local. What's Your Favourite Aspect Of Working With Billy? I guess, just the relationship we had. Bill's a really easy going guy, so he's very friendly. It was easy to work in the same facility as him. Now I didn't work for North, I just rented the space from them of course, but just the fact that we could joke around and have fun. At the same time though, he taught me a lot too. Just about the ripstop and the materials and how he does his work too. It was easier for me to really help sell him as a repair guy because I saw his work and he taught me a good portion of it. He showed me how to prep tights in the beginning when he was really busy so I could prep them, he could sew them. Just the fact that he was a great teacher too and mentor. The best thing is the turnaround time is so fast. That's another thing because if you send your kite out, you're looking at a week and a half to two weeks sometimes. I just try to ensure people, "Hey man, that's why I send everyone to Billy and Mike. You want to get it done, get it done quick and get it done right, that's where you go." Learn more about the Detroit team & their experience! READ MORE

J/70 LIGHT-AIR HEADSTAY SAG & JIB TRIM What do we look for in headstay sag to optimize jib trim for a variety of light-air conditions? One Design expert Tim Healy explains. 1. The boat at top has a tighter headstay, which gives the jib a finer entry, less power and less drag. 2) The boat below has a sagged headstay, which gives the jib more depth and power. 3) Watch for a “knuckle” in the front of the sail if the headstay sags too much, which can make it hard to point. 4) The jib leech is tighter on this boat; too much headstay sag will close the slot between jib and main. A couple of years ago, I sailed the Bayview One Design Regatta (BOD) in Detroit with Skip Dieball, the Etchells World champion that year. Skip knows a thing or two about making sailboats go fast and it was fun to interact with him and get his input and feedback on the J/70. I wrote an earlier version of this article after that regatta, and then reread the story last summer while we were preparing for the J/70 Worlds in Marblehead. The Worlds turned out to be windy, but we sailed two light-air regattas in Newport, RI, beforehand, and this reinforced and refined some of my ideas. I hope some of these notes can help you understand your J/70 setup better and help you go faster. The regatta conditions that year in Detroit were largely light with occasional moderate chop, so rig tension, headstay sag, and jib trim were especially important factors in setting up the boat. Skip and I regularly discussed the synergy between these three variables to answer the question what should we look for in headstay sag on the J/70 to optimize jib trim through a variety of conditions? Afterwards, I gathered my thoughts on how one affects the other and how to tune and trim for maximum performance with a focus on light air, and I have augmented those with insights gained during 2018 summer racing. How J/70 headstay sag improves pointing: The shrouds should be tensioned so that we have 2-4 inches of headstay sag at the mid-stripe of the jib and 1/2 to 3/4 inch of mid-mast side sag. The basic idea is that headstay sag adds depth to the jib. Adequate headstay sag in light to moderate wind reduces the need for weather sheeting the jib. Sagging the headstay powers up the middle of sail, but fine tuning the lower section is important. Tension the weather sheet so that the clew is just above the edge of the cabinhouse to 2” off the cabinhouse. In flat water, you can trim 1” inside the cabin house edge, maximum. The mast side sag is an indicator that the mast is free to move/flex with little restriction by the lowers. This will allow the mast to be more flexible and dynamic in light air and increase headstay sag. The middle of the jib luff sags not only aft but also to leeward, which changes your angle of attack to the wind. At the same time, the mid-leech “rotates” slightly to weather, reducing the need for windward sheeting referred to above. The net result of the headstay sag is that the boat can point higher. So how do we get there consistently? Light Air & Flat Water In light air and flat water, it is important to create the power in the sail plan that the J/70 wants, while keeping flow across the sails. In lighter conditions and flat water, the jib needs depth for added power and sagging the headstay is the easiest and most direct method to create depth in the jib. When the headstay sags, it not only sags to leeward but also sags aft, towards the jib tracks, which puts the luff closer to the leech, thereby adding depth to the jib. What we find is at the middle section of the jib, when it is sagging 4-6″, the luff of the jib is actually falling off to leeward slightly and the leech, by default, “rotates” to windward just a bit. This creates a scenario where the middle of the jib luff has a better angle of attack to the wind and, because of this better angle of attack, you will be able to point slightly higher without luffing or losing flow over the front of the jib. In this scenario, when the mid -leech “rotates” to windward, the effect reduces the need to windward sheet as aggressively because the leech has, effectively, moved inboard already because of the sag. When you have this setup correctly, it is still important to make sure the jib leech tell tales are flowing 90%-100% of the time so that the airflow stays attached to the jib, and the sailplan does not have any “breaks” or “stalls” in the airflow. That said, it is OK (and actually encouraged) to test to make certain you are at maximum trim by sheeting in periodically until you see the jib leech telltales stall slightly, then ease out till they are full streaming. This is your jib sheet trim range which may be as little as 1” of sheet. It is important to stay on top of your rig tensions in these conditions and find the settings that work best for your rig and driving style. In general, rig tensions that are loose enough to create 4″ of sag are good for light air and flat water. As you can see in the tuning guide, the “base” setting is 16/10 minus 2 turns on the lowers for 10 knots so when the breeze is quite light (0-6 knots), I will loosen 1-2 turns on the uppers and between 1-2 turns on the lowers. This gets my uppers closer to 14 and the lowers are very loose (they do not register on the gauge). The mast side sag at the spreaders should be about a 1/2 inch when the lowers are loose enough. This side sag is also a signal that the mast is free to bend forward as well as off to the side. This forward bend is good in light air to create a flatter main that can be sheeted tighter without stalling the leech. This will also help pointing ability. Light Air & Choppy Water When chop is introduced into the picture, a loose rig is still good, but you may find that the rig will pump too much in heavy chop. This is normal, but in order to temporarily stabilize the rig, pull on enough backstay to take the deflection out of the backstay flicker at the top of the mast and put a small amount of tension to pull back on the mast. This should minimize the pumping of the rig and headstay and keep a more consistent sail shape through the chop. As soon as the patch of chop is over, release the backstay to get slightly more sag back in the headstay. Final Thoughts The J/70 is one of the few boats where weather sheeting is effective, but it has to be done with an eye on the headstay sag. With a saggy headstay, you will tend to use less weather sheet. With a tight headstay, in general, you can use more weather sheet. Keep in mind that the angle of attack and leech position will change with the headstay sag, and adjust your weather sheet accordingly. These are tips that can make a big difference in light air speed. Feel free to contact Tim Healy or any member of the North Sails One Design Team if you have other questions on how to make your J/70 boat GO BEYOND. For more on this subject, read “Why is Headstay Sag Fast Upwind?” For more on the J/70, read “J/70 Speed Guide.” READ MORE

CRUISING PERFORMANCE: 3Di NORDAC Q&A What To Know About This Innovative Cruising Sail Q: How is 3Di NORDAC different than my old cross-cut dacron sails? A: 3Di NORDAC transforms the same trusted polyester materials of a traditional dacron cruising sail into a unified composite structure. Instead of seaming and stitching together panels of woven sailcloth, 3Di NORDAC sails are molded into a one-piece seamless sail. Like woven polyester, 3Di NORDAC sails are durable – but have better shape holding and shape longevity. If you like sailing your boat sail to its full potential, you will love 3Di NORDAC. Q: I don’t understand how you “Mold” a sail? What’s the deal? A: Your sail is built in its three-dimensional flying shape. All of the component materials are laid up and then fused on a full-size “mold” custom-shaped to your sail design. This process is different than cutting panels of sailcloth with curved edges and sewing them together, which is how traditional cruising sails are made. Q: Why is a Molded sail better than a paneled sail? A: All of the material is assembled in a precise 3D form, which means the sail will have a smoother sail shape. Also, a molded 3Di sail is better at resisting stretch and distortion because all the filaments are aligned with both strain and compressive loads. All of these materials are laid up in a multi-axis array and variable density. In panel cloth, you only have two directions that the fiber can be aligned. With 3D molded sails, there is an infinite number of alignments available to achieve the perfect shape and strength for the intended use. By better utilizing materials properties, 3Di NORDAC sails will go farther and faster. Q: 3Di seems cool, but how do you know it will be right for cruising sails? A: 3Di technology has sailed millions of miles over the past ten years, and over 3000 3Di NORDAC sails are in use around the world in the harshest sailing environments. We spent over two years developing 3Di NORDAC, using a scientific approach that enables predictable results. We stand behind our products and guarantee you will have great durability and great performance. Q: I have heard Cruising Laminates don’t last long. Will 3Di NORDAC delaminate? A: No. One of the key attributes of 3Di construction is that it is not a laminate and there is no mylar film. 3Di NORDAC is made much like a fiberglass sailboat, with a solid core of fused polyester. These spread filament tapes are bonded with thermoset polyester resin into a single structure that is heat, humidity, and UV resistant. Q: What is the square pattern on 3Di NORDAC sails? Are these seams? A: No, they are not seams. The outer layer of 3Di NORDAC is a special protective surface of spread filament polyester tapes. This layer resists damage from UV, chafe, abrasion, and flex. One side is oriented vertically, the other horizontally, creating the cross pattern. We think it looks cool, too. Q: How can I trust North Sails to build a great cruising sail? Aren’t you guys are all about racing and superyacht sails? A: It may surprise you to learn North Sails has also been the world’s largest cruising sailmaker for many decades. While we occasionally brag about our racing success, many of our North Sails team grew up cruising just like you. We like to cruise and we know how to make great cruising sails. Also, one of the benefits of building sails for around-the-world racers and superyachts is that lessons we learn about durability are directly transferred to ALL of our cruising sails. Q: If 3Di NORDAC is such a great sail, how can North Sails offer them at affordable prices? A: A few reasons. 3Di NORDAC is a smarter way to build sails. From a manufacturing perspective, it is like a “farm to table” approach. The materials are made into a complete sail within a single North Sails factory, with less processing. Woven polyester undergoes many manufacturing steps in a long supply chain and passes through different factories to become finished sailcloth. There are numerous embedded process and transport costs in woven dacron sailcloth. Since we are using the same base polyester fiber and making a sail in fewer steps, we can offer an affordable price and exceptional value. Also, we want to spread the word about what good cruising sail performance means. Get in touch today and Request A Quote. Q: I love my new 3Di NORDAC sail. What should I do at the end of the season? A: 3Di NORDAC sails require minimal maintenance, but it is always a good idea to take them into our service sites for an annual checkup. We will make sure there are no wear points, and repair any minor damage that may occur. Every 3Di NORDAC sail comes with 1-year free sail care, so bring it in at the end of the season. READ MORE

ET DE TROIS SUR LE FIGARO 3 North Sails aux premières loges Solo Maître Coq 2019 📸 B. Gergaud 47 navigants en lice, une jolie palette de marins chevronnés et 3 premières places au podium pour les coureurs North Sails (même palmarès que sur l’épreuve précédente durant la Sardinha Cup). La 16e édition de la Solo Maître Coq s’est achevée samedi 2 mai après de belles batailles et de riches rebondissements entre différents leaders. Les conditions étaient variées sur cette première épreuve en solitaire du circuit Figaro Beneteau qui a mené les concurrents de l’île de Ré à Belle-Ile en passant par le plateau de Rochebonne et la bouée Houlographe, dans l’ouest d’Oléron. Après deux jours de courses côtières et une grande course au large de 340 milles, c’est finalement Xavier Macaire sur SNEF qui l’emporte au classement général. Tanguy Le Turquais (Quéguiner) prend la deuxième place et Morgan Lagravière (Avec vous sur la Solitaire) termine troisième. Ces 3 bateaux Figaro 3 sont tous dotés de voiles North Sails. Le prochain rendez-vous sera la Solo Concarneau qui se déroulera du 10 au 15 mai 2019, dernière opportunité de se distinguer avant le coup d’envoi de l’épreuve reine de la saison, la Solitaire Urgo - Le Figaro qui aura lieu le 2 juin 2019. Affaire à suivre… READ MORE

GROWING STRONG AT EXPO VOILE North Sails Toronto Joins Marina Gosselin A weekend of cold temperatures, rain and FUN at Marina Gosselin with North Sails Toronto. Louisa and Kyann joined local North Sails rep Miro Balcar for the annual Expo Voile in Quebec to connect with sailor and celebrate the season ahead. Located an hour south of Montreal, Marina Gosselin is a sailing hub for local sailors who have a passion for sailing and quality time on their boats with loved ones and friends. North Sails Toronto's Louisa Sonosky commented; "Connecting face to face with our Quebec customers is always a joy! Their enthusiasm for cruising, their boats and passion for sailing is infectious - you can't help but get excited about sailing when you're with them." It was fantastic to see so many new and familiar faces and discuss new sail options with customers, especially 3Di technology. With cruising as the primary focus for sailors, 3Di NORDAC was a hot topic amongst the team, as well as 3Di Raw and 3Di Endurance for those who interested in sailing south with their boats. Those with their sails in hand are waiting for mother nature to cooperate so they can go sailing! Long time customer Marc Deslauriers, owner of a Beneteau First 38, can't wait to get out to try his new NPL Tour Xi Furling Genoa and Tour Xi Full Batten Mainsail this summer. 3Di NORDAC owner Jean-Sebastien was also sharing the same sentiments. "Connecting face to face with our Quebec customers is always a joy! Their enthusiasm for cruising, their boats and passion for sailing is infectious - you can't help but get excited about sailing when you're with them." The team was also able to deliver the Solo Valcour flags (below) for the upcoming 2019 race, started by Miro Balcar years ago to help promote single handed distance cruising in the area. North Sails Toronto is proud to keep their sponsorship of the event going with the custom flags for the event; a staple in the local community. READ MORE

BRINGING POWERFUL TOOLS AND UNPARALLELED EXPERIENCE TO THE 36th AMERICA’S CUP North Technology Group Companies Deliver an Engine above the Deck The year 2019 will be a historic one for the America’s Cup, the competition for the oldest trophy in international sport, and the North Technology Group, with a particular focus on North Sails, Southern Spars and Future Fibres, will play an integral role. Later this year, teams are scheduled to launch their first AC75 race boats, incredible foiling monohulls capable of reaching speeds around the track that have never been seen before in the America’s Cup – or anywhere else in a sailing competition, for that matter. Providing the power to push these boats into the red zone – speeds are expected to be approaching 50 knots by the time racing starts in the America’s Cup in 2021 – is a revolutionary rig and sail design, the result of years of investment in engineering and research and design. North Sail Designer Gautier Sergent commented; “Emirates Team New Zealand came to North Sails right after they won the America’s Cup in Bermuda. The Kiwis recognized we were the only ones advanced far enough down the track to accurately model a new concept like this.” While the last two editions of the America’s Cup utilized a rigid wing sail, the logistical challenge of handling the rigid wing is prohibitive in larger boats, where cranes and a shore crew is needed before and after sailing to handle the wing operation. So the 2021 America’s Cup will use a more traditional style mast with a twin skin sail that can be raised and lowered by the sailors at sea, more like a traditional sloop. Importantly, due to the ease in logistics and cost, this allows for a trickle-down effect of the technology to everyday sailors. The performance goal is to be as close to as aerodynamically efficient as the rigid wing of the past while keeping the power consumption on board at a reasonable level and ensuring the loads on the rig and through the control systems are manageable. This is far from an easy problem to solve, so best-in-class software modeling and design experience are critical to coming up with a winning design. To date, North Sails has been selected as the supplier of choice by the majority of teams currently training for the 36th America’s Cup. This is no coincidence – North Sails has supplied every challenger and defender in the famed competition since 1988. “North Sails has taken a leading role in the America’s Cup because the company has always strived to be the technological leader,” said company President and former America’s Cup skipper Ken Read. “We have a huge depth of talent within our company and some very smart people that are world-leading in what they do. The America’s Cup is an event that continues to challenge even the greatest of minds and forces us all to look at things in new ways – the next cycle will be no different and we are really excited that North Sails will be right at the cutting edge.” For the upcoming 36th America’s Cup, North Sails, Southern Spars and Future Fibres are combining their talents and know-how to provide the ‘Engine Above Deck’, which will produce the power to generate speeds that lift the AC75 monohull up out of the water and onto hydrofoils, which greatly reduces drag in the water and dramatically increases the speed of the boat. “Southern Spars and North Sails have developed software tools together for a long time and it’s a very powerful asset for us. If you looked back and compared it to how we worked even 10 or 15 years ago, it’s been a massive evolution.” But the three companies are acting as more than just suppliers to the teams. In fact, their engineers and designers helped the defending champion, Emirates Team New Zealand, and Challenger of Record, Luna Rossa, by contributing expertise to the design rule for the AC75. And now, several North Sails designers are integrated into the America’s Cup design teams. “Emirates Team New Zealand came to North Sails right after they won the America’s Cup in Bermuda in June 2017 to use our software tools to help model the new AC75 concept to determine things like the rig size and how the twin skin system could work, for example. The Kiwis recognized we were the only ones advanced far enough down the track with not just the software tools, but the right people as well, to accurately model a new concept like this,” said North Sails designer Gautier Sergent. “We worked on the aero package for the rule for about eight months, so a lot of the development for the tools that we use in the North Design Suite was done prior to the AC75 design rule being released.” From that advanced but generic starting point, the North Sails designers who have since become integrated into different America’s Cup teams now work independently of the mothership, putting all of their efforts into designing the fastest package for their team. Sergent, for example, is a member of the INEOS Team UK, the British challenger, working as the lead on Sail Design and Aerodynamics. “The development we do from now on is proprietary to each team, so when we have the team hat on, we are still designers for North Sails, but we are competing with each other. There are no friends until after the last race!” It’s a similar story at Southern Spars and Future Fibres where years of expertise and experience were drafted in to help with the design rule. “We started off by building some smaller rigs to test the twin skin concept, which worked out pretty well and then we got into developing the rig for the boat. That’s a process that’s gone on for the better part of a year,” said Mark Hauser from Southern Spars. “We’ve had a long-term relationship with Emirates Team New Zealand that is probably second to none, so it’s a natural evolution for us to step in and contribute.” And just as with North Sails, there are Southern Spars designers and engineers embedded with the teams. Jarrad Wallace is a design engineer who has moved across to join the rig programme with INEOS Team UK. “The rig on the AC75 is doing more than just holding the sails up,” Wallace says. “It’s actually part of the wing, so the interface is extremely important, especially with the control systems. The key difference is being able to control the head position of the sail, which is quite revolutionary in terms of soft sails, and that has a massive effect on the loadings on the rig. So our software lets us model that and then we can use that information to engineer the mast to do its job.” “Southern Spars and North Sails have developed software tools together for a long time and it’s a very powerful asset for us. We’ve had to take that a step further for these rigs to improve the way we model this aero package and I don’t think anyone else in the world could do that at this level,” Hauser added. “The level of detail in how we interact with North Sails over the years has increased dramatically,” Wallace explains. “It’s at the point now where we are sharing a common model, each having input in our own areas of expertise, and we make iterations in the software during the design phase so that by the time we go to build, we’re already at a very advanced level of refinement. If you looked back and compared it to how we worked even 10 or 15 years ago, it’s been a massive evolution.” Burns Fallow is a North Sails design expert who is embedded with Emirates Team New Zealand for this Cup cycle. Testing the soft wing concept sail in Auckland 📸 Emirates Team New Zealand “I’ve been here for a year now, and we spent the first six months or so working on this new rig project with Southern Spars, Emirates Team New Zealand and Luna Rossa” Fallow said. “The question we were trying to answer was, what can we do that isn’t a wing but that has as many of the characteristics of a wing that we’ve had in the last two America’s Cups? One of the key things that North Technology Group could bring to the table was that we were really the only people who could bring any simulation software and adapt it quickly so it could be a tool to evaluate our ideas to see what would work practically.” Here, it was the North Sails Membrain™ software, which balances wind pressure, sail shape, and rig forces, within the design suite. Fallow worked with fellow North senior design expert Michael Richelsen to simulate how the twin-skin wing might work at the scale needed for the AC75. “I briefed Michael on what we were trying to achieve and after some intense software development, we had a working version of Membrain that helped us answer those big questions within weeks,” Fallow said. “Since that time we have been adding more and more features to make even more refined models. Overall, this is one the most exciting and progressive projects I have been involved with in my 30 years at North Sails.” Membrain uses data from the wider suite of North design software to simulate what happens to the rig/sail combination as a unified structure when it is subjected to different loads. As the structure is deformed under load, the shape of the sail changes and Membrain pushes the data back through the other North software programs, most notably Flow™ (which applies wind pressure to sail surface and calculates the forces created), to acquire updated pressure field data. The process revises the sail shape in Membrain in a circular feedback loop until a stable balance is achieved. “The question we were trying to answer was, what can we do that isn’t a wing but that has as many of the characteristics of a wing that we’ve had in the last two America’s Cups? Since the AC75 design rule was published, Richelson has joined Luna Rossa Challenge, while Fallow has bunkered down with Emirates Team New Zealand, where he works with the Aero Design team. But he says the project isn’t simply a case of looking at what happens above the deck. All the systems, from the rig to the soft wing sail and its control system, to the foils under the water need to be designed to work in harmony. “What’s critical to any America’s Cup design team now is the VPP (Velocity Prediction Program) and simulation modeling,” he notes. “We need to be sure that the input we provide into that model, which is about half the equation – the aero side as opposed to the hydro side – is as accurate and realistic and versatile as it can possibly be. That alone involves hundreds and hundreds of simulations to build up a realistic model. “One thing that has changed over the past 10-12 years or so is that in the past, developments needed to be verified with two-boat testing on the water. That gets hugely expensive in terms of time and people. But with the software becoming so much more sophisticated, the developments we make in the virtual world are now accepted as being ‘real’ and so the concept of two-boat testing is essentially over. So the development cycle is much, much quicker now.” For all of the designers and engineers in this America’s Cup, the work won’t stop until the final race of the event is over. The quest for speed continues all the way across the finish line in the last race. “The cool thing about the whole process is that it’s not just a tool for designers, it’s ultimately for the benefit of the sailing team as well. Remember the concept for the AC75 is only about a year old and looking back, what we had then was pretty rudimentary. When the first boats launch this summer we’ll get some real world validation and that will help us figure out where we were right and where we can improve in our simulation and the net result is that it will continue to get better,” Fallow concluded. And when the 36th America’s Cup is over in 2021 the designers and engineers from the North Technology Group will get together for a debrief to advance the tools that help the companies design sails and rigs for dozens and dozens of classes. “When you get involved in new projects you share the experiences and knowledge that you have. You don’t just sit in your own little bubble,” Fallow says. “That’s the way we all get better. That’s how the companies get stronger.” READ MORE

MUSTERING FOR CRUISERS Kingston Yacht Club Cruiser's Spring Muster Despite an ice-locked harbour as winter turned to spring cruisers from Kingston's oldest yacht club gathered to celebrate the coming of a new sailing season. Organized by past Commodore Rosemary Wilson and board member Bob Story, the muster is a chance to mix, mingle, and share plans for the upcoming season. Story and Wilson thought it essential for the Kingston Yacht Club, and its members to make cruising a point of emphasis. Racing at many clubs is the focal point because it's so visual and prominent. The activity of race nights and weekend regattas draws a lot of attention. It is almost the opposite when cruisers go cruising. North Sails is proud to support such initiatives that help cruisers get out on the water more and celebrate their adventures on the water! Of course, the Club, situated in one of the most beautiful sailing venues in the world, has its share of summertime event cruises. The club even has property down the river to sail and visit. But for many sailing couples and families, these events are just a little too organized, not on a convenient date or not adventurous enough. Story and Wilson wondered if there shouldn't be more recognition of members' wanderlust and sense of adventure. To throw off the lines. Leave a safe harbour to go out to explore, challenge oneself. To see new places and meet new friends. With the support of the Club, these two independent cruisers created a series of purposeful awards. Multiple trophies are awarded each year; ranging from making the longest continuous cruise in a single season on KYC’s Home Waters (St. Lawrence River) to the highest number of miles in KYC’s Home Waters. Additionally, distance flags are also awarded to sailors sailing a minimal number of miles in KYC’s Home Waters : 250-mile flags; 500-mile flags; 1000-mile flags. An additional aim of the Musters is to create an atmosphere for collecting and sharing knowledge gained by members who have ventured far and wide. This bolsters the collective expertise of the membership while identifying members with expertise and insight to share with others. The spring muster was purposely designed to be held a few hours before the Club's Nautical Night speakers series. This was a win win win for all. North Sails was happy to support such a fantastic initiative on the Great Lakes and within KYC. North Sails Toronto donated three prizes that were raffled off to cruisers in attendance! Explore North Sails line of cruising products today! READ MORE

North Technology Group kao vrlo važna karika na 36. America's Cupu Foto: America's Cup 2019. će biti povijesna godina za America's Cup, natjecanje za najstariji trofej na međunarodnoj sportskoj sceni kao i za North Technology Group s posebnim fokusom na North Sails, Southern Spars i Future Fibres, koji će imat vrlo važnu ulogu. Kasnije ove godine, predviđeno je da timovi porinu svoje prve jedrilice tipa AC75, nevjerojatne foiling monotrupce sposobne postizati brzine kakve do sada nisu viđene na America's Cupu na regatnim poljima, kao i na bilo kojim drugim jedriličarskim natjecanjima ovog tipa. Razvijanje snage koja gura ove jedrilice u „crveno“, a očekuje se da će se razvijati brzine od oko 50 čvorova do 2021. kad treba početi America's Cup, omogućavati će revolucionarni dizajni snasti i jedrilja koji su rezultat dugogodišnjeg ulaganja u razvoj i dizajn. Na dva posljednja izdanja America's Cupa koristila su se kruta jedra, a ona predstavljaju izniman logistički izazov u rukovanju na većim jedrilicama. Kod njih je nužna pomoć kopnenog tima s dizalicama i prije i poslije jedrenja. I da bi se izbjegnuli logistički zahtjevi tog tipa na America's Cupu 2021. će se koristiti jarboli tradicionalnijeg stila s „twin skin“ jedrima koje će posade moći podizati i spuštati na moru, slično na klasičnim jedrilicama. Osim smanjenja logističkih zahtjeva i troškova, ovo omogućava lakše prenošenje tehnoloških dostignuća svim ostalim jedriličarima. Tehnološki cilj je da se aerodinamička učinkovitost približi krutom krilu s prošlih izdanja dok bi se u razumnim granicama nastojala zadržati potreba za snagom koju treba koristiti za upravljanje jedriljem i kontrolnim sustavima. Ovo nije jedan od lako rješivih problema, stoga je ključno da se uz upotrebu najboljih softverskih alata dođe do pobjedničkog dizajna. Do danas su North Sails kao dobavljača izabrala četiri od pet timova koji trenutno treniraju za 36. America's Cup. Ovo nije slučajnost – Nort Sails je opskrbljivao sve izazivače i branitelje ovog natjecanja još od 1988. godine. „North Sails je preuzeo vodeću ulogu u America's Cupu jer je tvrtka uvijek nastojala biti tehnološki lider“, izjavio je predsjednik tvrtke i jedriličar s iskustvom jedrenja na America's Cupu, Ken Read. „U tvrtci imamo velik broj talentiranih ljudi, a neki od njih su vodeći u svijetu u tome što rade. America's Cup je događaj koji nastavlja izazivati najveće umove i koji nas tjera gledati u novim smjerovima – tako će biti i u ovom ciklusu i mi u North Sailsu smo stvarno uzbuđeni što ćemo biti u samoj prethodnici.“ Foto: North Sails Za predstojeći 36. America's Cup, North Sails, Sauthern Spars i Future Fibres kombinirat će svoje talente i know-how za razvoj „motora iznad palube“, koji će stvarati dovoljno snage da se generiraju brzine koje će AC75 monotrupce podizati iznad mora na hidrofoilove i tako reducirati otpor prolaska kroz more i dramatično povećati brzine jedrilica. Ove tri tvrtke neće samo djelovati kao opskrbljivači timova. U stvari, njihovi inžinjeri i dizajneri pomogli su branitelju naslova Emirates Team New Zealand i službenom izazivaču Luna Rossi sa svojim stručnim savjetima prilikom kreiranja pravila za AC75. Također i sada, nekoliko dizajnera iz North Sailsa je integrirano u dizajnerske timove. „Emirates Team New Zealand pristupio je North Sailsu neposredno nakon osvajanja America's Cupa na otočju Bermuda u lipnju 2017. s molbom da uz upotrebu naših softverskih alata pomognemo u modeliranju novog AC75 koncepta, da se definiraju stvari poput veličine snasti i npr. kako „twin skin“ sustav treba raditi. Kiwiji su prepoznali da smo jedini dovoljno napredni ne samo po pitanju softverskih alata, već i po pitanju ljudi koji koji su sposobni koncept dovesti do upotrebljivosti“, istaknuo je dizajner iz Nort Sailsa, Gautier Sergent. Foto: Emirates Team New Zealand „Radili smo na pravilima za aero paket oko osam mjeseci, tako da je dosta razvoja alata koja koristimo u North Sails Suite moralo biti napravljeno prije objavljivanja pravila za AC75.“ Od te napredne, ali generičke polazne točke, dizajneri North Sailsa koji su se od tada integrirali u različite timove America's Cupa sada rade neovisno o matičnoj tvrtci, ulažući sve svoje napore u izradu najbržeg paketa za svoj tim. Tako je npr. Gautier Sergent član INEOS Team UK, Britanskog izazivača, gdje radi kao voditelj odjela razvoja jedara i aerodinamike. „Razvoj na kojem sad radimo je vlasništvo timova, iako imamo timove za koje radimo i dalje smo dizajneri North Sailsa, ali koji se nadmeću međusobno. Nema prijateljstava dok ne završi regata!“ Slična priča je kod Southern Sparsa i Future Fibresa gdje su godine i godine iskustva iskorištene prilikom kreiranja dizajnerskih pravila. „Krenuli smo tako što smo izradili manje snasti da testiramo „twin skin“ koncept, koji se pokazao prilično dobrim i tada smo krenuli s razvojem snasti u pravoj veličini. I taj proces će trajati nešto dulje“, rekao je Mark Hauser iz Southern Sparsa. „Imamo dosta dugu suradnju s Emirates Team New Zealand koja je stvarno bez premca, tako da je bilo prirodno da pristupimo i sudjelujemo u ovoj suradnji.“ Jednako kao dizajneri i inženjeri North Sailsa, tako su i dizajneri Southern Sparsa uključeni u timove. Jarrad Wallace je dizajn inženjer koji se priključio u program razvoja snasti za INEOS Team UK. „Snast na AC75 radi mnogo više od samog držanja jedrilja,“ kaže Wallace. „To je u stvari dio krila, tako da je sučelje iznimno važno, posebno u kontrolnom sustavu. Ključna razlika je mogućnost kontroliranja položaja vrha jedra, što je u stvari prilično revolucionarno kad su u pitanju mekana jedra i to ima ogroman utjecaj na opterećenje snasti. Naš softver koristimo za modeliranje jarbola tako da jarbol odradi svoj posao.“ „Southern Spars i North Sails su dugo vremena zajedno razvijali softverske alate i to nam je vrlo jak zajednički adut. Morali smo napraviti taj korak naprijed da bi unaprijedili način modeliranja aero paketa i mislim da trenutno nitko na svijetu to ne može napraviti na ovom nivou,“ dodao je Hauser. „Razina na kojoj obrađujemo detalje u radu s North Sailsom tijekom ovih godina je dramatično narasla,“ objasnio je Wallace. „Trenutno dijelimo zajednički model, u koji svatko može ubacivati parametre iz svog područja i softverski analiziramo interakciju tijekom modeliranja, tako da dok dođemo u fazu izrade funkcionalnog proizvoda već smo na vrlo visokoj razini finalizacije. Kad pogledate unatrag 10 – 15 godina i usporedite s ovim danas, desila se vrlo velika evolucija.“ Burns Fallow je North Sails dizajner koji se priključio Emirates Team New Zealand u ovom ciklusu. „Ovdje sam oko godinu dana i prvih šest mjeseci proveli smo projektirajući novu snast za Southern Spars, Emirates Team New Zealand i za Luna Rossu“ rekao je Fallow. „Nastojimo pružiti odgovor na pitanje što to možemo napraviti a da nije krilo, ali da ima mnogo karakteristika krila poput onih na dva posljednja America's Cupa. Jedna od ključnih stvari koje North Sails Technology Group ima u ponudi je ta što smo stvarno jedini koji mogu ponuditi simulacijski softver i vrlo brzo ga prilagoditi tako da postane alat koji služi da se naše ideje razvijaju i da vidimo kako će se ponašati u praksi.“ Za to je zadužen softver imena North Sails Membrain™, on balansira s podacim o pritisku vjetra, obliku jedra i snage u snasti s kompletnim dizajnom. Burns Fallow radio je s kolegom Michaelom Richelsenom na simulaciji o ponašanju „twin-skin“ na AC75. Foto: North Sails „Izvjestio sam Michaela o tome što želimo postići i nakon intezivnog razvoja softvera dobili smo radnu verziju Membraina koja nam je dala odgovore na velika pitanja koja su se skupila tih tjedana,“ kaže Fallow. „Od tada samo dodajemo sve više mogućnosti da možemo simulirati sve preciznije i složenije modele. Ovo je jedan od najuzbudljivijih i naprednijih projekata u koje sam uključen tijekom mojih 30 godina u North Sailsu.“ Membrain koristi podatke iz široke lepeze Northovih dizajna da simulira ponašanje u snast/jedro kombinaciji kao jedinstvenoj strukturi kad se koriste različita opterećenja. Kako se struktura deformira pod opterećenjem tako se mijenja i oblik jedra i Membrain generira podatke i vraća ih ostalim North softverskim alatima, posebno u Flow™ (koji simulira pritisak vjetra na površinu jedra i proračunava dobivenu silu), za dobivanje preciznih podataka o tlakovima. Proces revidira oblik jedra u Membrainu u kružnoj povratnoj vezi sve dok se ne postigne ravnoteža. Od kada su objavljena pravila za dizajn AC75, Michael Richonson se pridružio timu Luna Rossa Challenge, dok se Burns Fallow pridružio Emirates Team New Zealand gdje radi u Aero Design timu. Ali kaže da projekt nije jednostavno analizaranje situacija koje se dešavaju iznad palube. Svi sustavi, krenuvši od snasti, pa prema mekanom jedru u obliku krila i njegovog kontrolnog sustava, pa do foilova ispod mora moraju se dizajnirati da rade u harmoniji. „Ono što je u ovom trenutku kritično za svaki America's Cup tim je VPP (Velocity Prediction Program) i simulacijsko modeliranje. Moramo biti sigurni da su ulazni podaci u tom modelu, što je otprilike pola jednadžbe – aero strana nasuprot hidro strani – točni, realistični i da je pokriveno što je više moguće. Samo ovo obuhvaća stotine i stotine simulacija da bi se dobio realističan model. Ono što se posebno promijenilo u posljednjih 10-12 godina je to što je u prošlosti za ispitivanja trebalo imati dvije testne jedrilice u moru. A to je iznimno poskupljivalo postupak i po pitanju vremena i ljudi. Međutim kako softver postaje sve sofisticiraniji, razvoj koji vršimo u virtualnom svijetu je prihvaćen kao pravi test pa se koncept testiranja s dvije jedrilice polako gasi. Tako da je ravojni ciklus sad mnogo brži. Za sve dizajnere i inžinjere na America's Cupu posao neće završiti dok ne završe sve finalne regate. Zahtjev za brzinama bit će stalan sve dok se ne presiječe ciljna ravnina u poljednjem plovu. Super stvar u simulatoru procesa je što to nije samo alat za dizajnere, na kraju krajeva to je jedna velika prednost za tim kao cjelinu. Treba zapamtiti da je koncept AC75 star samo godinu dana i što smo na početku imali bilo je prilično šturo. Kad se ovog ljeta porine prva jedrilica dobit ćemo priliku da potvrdimo u stvarnosti ono što smo proizveli, a jednako tako ćemo dobiti i priliku da shvatimo gdje smo bili u pravu i gdje možemo unaprijediti naš simulator i da u konačnici postanemo još bolji,“ zaključio je Fallow. I kada 36. America's Cup bude gotov u 2021. dizajneri i inženjeri iz North Technology Group okupit će se i zajedno napraviti zaključni sastanak s ciljem da unaprijede alate svoje tvrtke za dizajn jedara i snasti za mnoge druge klase. „Kad ste uključeni u novi projekt dijelite iskustva i znanja koja imate, Ne sjedite samo u svom malenom mjehuru,“ kaže Fallows. „To je način da budete bolji. Tako tvrtka postaje sve jača.“ READ MORE

CORPUS CHRISTI BAY IN LATE JUNE Local Knowledge by Mark Foster For the past 50 years, Mark Foster has raced and sailed in Corpus Christi, the location of the 2019 Etchells World Championship. Here are some of his experiences with the wind, waves and current patterns that normally occur during a June afternoon. The sea breeze will be fairly consistent with small shifts. The pressure will build from the left side of the course. The normal SE sea breeze develops with the heating of the land and takes about 10 degrees of temperature differential to develop. Bay water in late June should be in the mid 80s. The sea breeze can start as far left as 90 degrees and as far right as 170 degrees, but it usually settles in around 125 to 140 and then builds to 15 to 18 knots, gusting to 20. Pull out a bay chart and locate the Nueces Bay Causeway, the long low bridge with a small hump in it that you’ll see when sailing out of the gap. Looking upwind, the wind will build faster on the left side of the course, because it can blow over the causeway rather than into the downtown buildings. So, while the general consensus is to go right, it can pay to work the left side of the course as the winds builds from 8 to 15. The wave pattern is consistent across the course. The bay averages 10 to 14 feet deep. With the SE breeze, the waves have 8 to 10 miles of fetch before they reach the race course. Big waves come in sets of three, and you are advised to try and avoid them at all cost. Going upwind, starboard tack is more into the waves and port tack is more across the waves. Set your sail trim for each tack. In general, you will find that port tack is faster than starboard. What is the best way to sail around the waves upwind? My advice is to steer “downhill” by keeping the bow pointing to the next low spot, so that the boat is going downhill as often as possible. The sea breeze will set up a wind-driven current that flows northwest towards the Harbor Bridge and returns up the bay inside Alta Vista reef. The current is consistent across the course and usually does not exceed ½ knot; it should not be a factor in the racing. The Alta Vista reef runs parallel to the shore, approximately ½ mile off the bay front, with two markers noted on the bay chart: Number 1 is a buoy on the north end and Number 3 is a piling with a day marker on the south end. The race course will be set outside the reef. Hopefully this gives you some insight to the local sailing conditions in Corpus Christi. READ MORE

CEDAR POINT ONE DESIGN REGATTA 2019 Coffee With North | Weather Tips | Sail Care North Sails is excited to continue supporting the prestigious Cedar Point One Design Regatta, kicking off the sailing season in the New York, Connecticut area. Our North experts will be there to offer your team full support, both on and off the water, daily weather debriefs, tip of the day, raffles, overnight repair service and a lot more. Coffee With North Join the North Sails experts Brian Hayes, Jack Orr, Tom Castiglione, Zeke Horowitz, Allan Terhune, Pal Van Dyke every morning at the North tent for a cup of fresh brewed Joe and some morning snacks. Make sure to check weather debriefs and tips for the day from our local experts. Regatta Repair Our Certified Service Expert Bill Walker will be on site picking up sails after racing on Saturday and returning them on Sunday morning. Open to all boats for overnight sail repair, we will be there to offer every crew the peace of mind when it comes to sail care matched with expert service. READ MORE

MINI 6.50 Pornichet Select 📸Bruno Bouvry La première course en solitaire de la saison s’est déroulée le week-end dernier sur un parcours de 230 milles. 84 bateaux sur la ligne avec un départ décalé à cause d’une météo difficile et de l’état de la mer chaotique. En classement proto, Axel Tréhin (945) et François Jambou (865) se sont livrés un combat exceptionnel, 5 minutes les séparant sur la ligne d’arrivée après 1 jour et 19 heures de courses. Axel signe une très belle 2ème place. Pour l’occasion, il testait son nouveau grand spi North Sails. En classement série, Ambrogio Beccaria (943) a dominé cette épreuve du début à la fin, et s’adjuge une magnifique victoire. Félix De Navacelle (voile plate) et Matthieu Vincent (2 voiles de portant) terminent respectivement 2ème et 3ème. Quel beau podium pour les voiles North Sails. Prochaine épreuve, la Mini en Mai dans une semaine à La Trinité sur Mer. READ MORE

NORTH SAILS GANA EL NACIONAL DE OPTIMIST Los más pequeños continúan agrandando el palmarés de North Sails en competición. Los cuatro campeones del recién disputado campeonato de España de Optimist (Valencia, 14 a 19 de abril) lograron sus victorias equipando velas North Sails R2, y desde aquí queremos felicitarles por su hazaña y agradecerles su confianza en nuestros productos. Felicitamos a los nuevo campeones de España de Optimist: Javier Ojeda (campeón de Sub16 masculino y ganador absoluto del certamen), María Perelló (Sub16 femenino), Pol Nuñez Vía-Dufresne (Sub13 masculino) y Nicola Sadler (Sub13 femenino). ¡Gracias, campeones! READ MORE

CONSEJO NORTH SAILS El calendario de regatas comienza a alcanzar velocidad de crucero, y desde North Sails queremos recordarte unas pautas básicas para que disfrutes de tu tiempo de navegación. 📸 Ian Roman La anticipación resulta vital a la hora de garantizar que tenemos el barco listo para cuando suene la señal de salida, por lo que se impone una revisión completa con el mayor margen posible: mástil, cabuyería, electrónica, motor,... y, por supuesto, las velas. Para garantizar que se encuentran en estado óptimo, os recomendamos poneros en contacto con cualquier experto North Sails o directamente con nuestro equipo a través del email info@es.northsails.com. Estaremos encantados de resolver vuestras dudas y facilitaros el acceso a nuestro Servicio Certificado North Sails, el único que garantiza la puesta a punto más exhaustiva realizada por los mejores profesionales. ¡Recordad que disponemos de servicio de recogida y entrega en cualquier punto de la geografía española! Para más información, contacta con tu agente North Sails, visita www.northsails.com o escríbenos a info@es.northsails.com READ MORE

Desarrollada específicamente para palos Selden o Southern Spars, ofrece un diseño más plano y equilibrado para adaptarse a la flexión del palo en todas las condiciones.  READ MORE

ÉXITO EN EL PRINCESA SOFÍA El Trofeo S.A.R. Princesa Sofía celebró sus bodas de oro con excelentes noticias para los clientes North Sails. 📸 Sailing Energy / Trofeo Sofía Iberostar El podio de clase 470 femenino estuvo copado por nuestras velas, con victoria absoluta del combinado británico (Hannah Mills y Eilidh McIntyre). En 470 masculino, North Sails propulsó a los dos primeros clasificados: el campeón sueco (Anton Dahlberg y Fredrik Bergström) y el subcampeón español (Jordi Xammar y Nicolás Rodríguez). Podio completo también para la marca en clase Finn, con victoria final del neozelandés Andrew Maloney. Desde North Sails España felicitamos a los ganadores y agradecemos su confianza a todos nuestros clientes. READ MORE

NUEVA 3Di OCEAN, NOVEDAD NORTH SAILS EN EL SALÓN NÁUTICO DE PALMA North Sails repitió presencia en Palma International Boat Show desplegando su extensa gama de productos, en la que destacaba como novedad absoluta la nueva 3Di Ocean, lo último en velas para superyates de crucero oceánico. Palma International Boat Show supone una cita ineludible para el sector náutico, tanto por su posición estratégica en el corazón del Mediterráneo como por las fechas de su celebración (27 de abril a 1 de mayo), justo antes del comienzo de la temporada de grandes regatas del Mediterráneo. En su 36ª edición, Palma Superyacht Show, su zona temática para superyates, acogió la mayor reunión de Europa de veleros con esloras superiores a los 24 metros, un nicho dominado por North Sails y en el que sus dos velerías de Mallorca componen el mayor centro de servicio especializado del mundo. Luis Martínez Doreste, director comercial de North Sails España explica: "El salón náutico de Palma es un evento de referencia para nosotros. Se celebra a escasos kilómetros de nuestras dos velerías especializadas en superyates (Palma y Llucmajor), por lo que supone una ocasión excepcional para encontrarnos con nuestros clientes y realizar nuevos contactos prácticamente sin salir de casa." La vela ideal para crucero oceánico La gran novedad North Sails en el 36th Palma International Boat Show fue la nueva 3Di Ocean, "Un producto ideal para armadores de cruceros oceánicos de gran eslora que valoran especialmente el compromiso entre durabilidad y prestaciones", explica Martínez Doreste. Su composición con alto contenido de UltraPE proporciona un equilibrio inédito entre durabilidad y facilidad de uso al reducir volumen, peso y rigidez al tiempo que conserva los mejores niveles de dureza y fiabilidad asociados a la tecnología 3Di. Disponible en una gama de tres colores, llega al dossier North Sails para completar la familia 3Di junto a las ya conocidas RAW, ENDURANCE, NORDAC y DOWNWIND. Pero en el Salón de Palma no todo fueron grandes esloras. Marc Patiño, responsable comercial de North Sails en Mallorca, recuerda que los superyates suponen un segmento clave para la firma, pero no la única razón de su presencia en el salón. "Aunque nuestro principal mercado en la isla es el de los superyates, prestamos servicio de velería a todo tipo de embarcaciones. Por el salón de Palma pasa todo el sector, así que sin duda es una cita ineludible para nosotros." Para más información sobre North Sails, visita https://www.northsails.com o contacta con nosotros en info@es.northsails.com READ MORE

FREMTIDENS TURSEJL 3Di NORDAC tursejl skal holde den vigtige vingeform i mange år. Det er hvad der forventes i forhold til almindeluge vævede dacron-sejl, som på få år bliver for dybe, hvilket resulterer i mere krængning og lavere fart. minbaad.dk tester i Caribien 3Di NORDAC-sejlet er utroligt strækstabilt og let at trimme. Det viste en fem timers test på en Beneteau 45, som vi sejlede ved British Virgin Island, imellem fem og ni meter pr. sekund. Hele sejladsen foregik på kryds. Bølgerne var krappe, og den friske vind gjorde, at vi måtte rebe det hvide storsejl med gennemgående sejlpinde. Sejlet var let at rebe, selv om dugen er noget mere hård end en traditionel dacron-dug. Det første, man lægger mærke til, er, at 3Di-dugen har et specielt udseende, som ikke ses lignende hos andre sejlfabrikanter. Det ser karakteristisk ud og er North Sails 3Di-signatur. Stærkt og fladt 3DiNORDAC-dugen er stærk og sejlet er dejligt fladt, men stadig med power i. Det gav sig ikke en tomme undervejs, selv ikke når større pust ramte os. En regnskylle kom også ind over os, da vi krydsede i British Virgin Island fra Tortola mod Gorda i 25 graders varme. Regnen perlede straks af sejlet. Faktisk er det umuligt for fugt at trænge ind i North Sails 3Di NORDAC-sejlet, da sejlet i polyester er mættet med lim og samtidig ikke er lamineret med film og taffeta. Det erfarede vi få uger før sejlturen, da vi besøgte fabrikken i Minden i USA. Her så vi, at 3Di-sejlene lå til hærdning i syv dage under den 22 dage lange proces, hvor sejlene bliver produceret. 108 procents fokken stod også, som den skulle, tilpas flad, men med power i. Sejlet gav sig ikke. 3Di er et komposit, hvor der anvendes mere avanceret lim og ingen mylarfilm, som det ellers ses hos de fleste sejlproducenter. Det betyder med andre ord, at 3Di NORDAC-sejlene kun anvender udspredt filament-tape, hvilket så udgør hele sejlet. Et 3Di-sejl kan derfor ikke delaminere. Enkel at trimme og mindre krængning Jesper Feldt, sælger og daglig leder af North Sails Danmark, tror på, at 3Di-sejlet kan blive det foretrukne sejl for fremtidens tursejlere i Danmark og fortæller om den positive feedback fra kunderne på 3Di NORDAC-sejlet: "3Di NORDAC er meget enkelt at trimme og holder formen længere end de hidtidige vævede dacron-sejl. Med den rigtige facon får du mere ud af sejlet og kan enkelt balancere din båd og kontrollere krængningen. Hele North Sails’ dna er, at sejlerne skal kunne sejle stærkere og mere sikkert, og sjovt nok er hurtige sejl enkle at trimme og holder faconen." "Vi har alene i Danmark solgt over 250 3Di NORDAC-sejl det første år, så det ser ud til at blive tursejlernes foretrukne sejl. Danskerne vælger nu et sejl, der er bygget med den nyeste teknologi og som holder i mange år. De fleste tursejl, der i dag produceres med polyester, begynder at miste deres facon efter to-tre år, hvor 3Di NORDAC holder faconen år efter år." Mere værdi for pengene Leveringstiden for det nye 3Di NORDAC ligger på mellem fem til otte uger. North Sails’ CEO Dan Neri, der holder til på hovedkontoret i New Port, Rhode Island i USA, var med om bord til testen i Caribien. Han fortæller, at North Sails nu satser stort på 3Di NORDAC til tursejlermarkedet. Vi tror på, at 3Di NORDAC vil dominere fremtidens tursejl, fordi det er et sejl, hvor man får stor værdi for pengene. I dag er vi verdens største producent af tursejl med 4.500 solgte tursejl årligt ud af de 33.000 sejl, vi sælger årligt (10.000 one design-sejl, red.), forklarer Dan Neri fra North Sails. Firmaet blev startet i 1957 af Lowell North i San Diego, USA, og har i dag 1.500 ansatte, fordelt på 150 sejllofter i 29 lande. Heraf arbejder de 15 i Danmark. North Sails har udviklet 3Di NORDAC gennem længere tid på 3Di-fabrikken i Nevadaørkenen i Minden, hvorefter man har ladet 45 kunder teste sejlene i over et år under alle vind- og vejrforhold. North Sails 3Di NORDAC har vægt som et almindeligt tursejl i dacron-dug og er bygget med North Sails patenterede 3Di-teknologi. Materialet er polyester, et fleksibelt materiale, der er 17 gange mere fleksibelt end et 3Di-sejl med kulfiber. Det nye 3Di NORDAC-sejl er dermed mere tilgivende og kan bedre absorbere chokeffekt, hvis man fx rammer en stor bølge, og båden går i stå. Produktionsmetoden sikrer samtidig, at sejlet ikke kan delaminere, da der anvendes termoset-lim og ikke en film på sejlet, hvilket ellers ses på alle laminatsejl. Sejlet bygges i Minden i USA og på Sri Lanka og er stærkt, hvor der er behov for det - fx ved skødebarmene. Dugen til fx en 30 fods båd består af fire lag ultra tynd polyestertape midt i sejlet og 20 lag polyestertape i skødebarmen, hvor der er stor belastning. Sejlet bygges til både op til 45 fod, og her vil der typisk være mellem seks, otte eller 10 lag polyestertape. Der er op til 50 lag ultra tynd polyestertape i skødebarmen på sejl til både op til 45 fod. Dugen er vandafvisende på grund af limen i sejlet, der fuldstændig afviser vandet, modsat almindelig dacron-dug, der suger vand. North Sails gør dermed op med den vævede dug, der har fyldt det meste af markedet i mere end 60 år. READ MORE

ETCHELLS SPEEDY TIPS Quick Tips That Make All The Difference Whether you are preparing for the Worlds, a local regatta, your country’s nationals or your club’s summer series, we have compiled a series of speedy tips from North Sails Etchells experts that will help you step up your results. Don’t forget the jib trim setup. We spend a lot of our time focusing on the mainsail when the headsail is usually 67% of the total drive force. Light Air Jib Setup Under 8 knots Use the soft full length batten. Add forestay sag by easing the backstay. Add prebend in the mast by easing the mast lever or reducing mast blocks. Trim the sheet to have the upper leech tell tale flying 90 to 100% of the time. Jib Trim Use the tuning guide’s spreader marks as your trim guide for consistency. Battens For Light Air Use the soft full length top batten combined with the shorter length lower leech battens. They make a big difference. Getting A Good Start Is Critical The more you can practice starting, the better. Work on your line sights before each start and work to get a “movie” line sight for the bow person, watching to leeward as you approach the line so they can be calling accurate distance to the line as you approach. That, plus a good clear call on time is invaluable. Straight Starting The Etchells is a heavy keelboat with the rudder attached to the skeg and does not turn that well. Try not to bear off too much on starboard in the last 45 seconds to the start. Keep the jib trimmed in, or luffing about halfway if necessary, to help the helmsperson find the right angle to build speed in the last 15 seconds or so. Watch The Layline Unless you are in the top 3-5 boats at the first windward mark, NEVER EVER get to the layline more than 10 lengths from the mark because you’ll spend too much time in bad air from the boats ahead. Instead, find a clear lane back to the middle, and then work to get up to the layline inside ten lengths from the mark. Bad things happen to good people who get to the layline too early! Do Your Homework Arrive a few days before each event to get reacquainted with the boat and your teamwork. A day or so of practice really helps shake the cobwebs, and, if you are working with a coach, is a chance for some good analysis of setup and general trim. Having a good training partner helps a bunch, especially if both teams are keen to learn and share. Never Stop Practicing Time/Distance Drills for Starting Good starts typically yield good finishes. In the uber-competitive Etchells fleet, getting off the line is essential as the fleet thins out very fast and lanes are at a premium. Try to get proper line sights (safe ones!) and practice accelerating and decelerating as you approach the line. The goals are always the same: cross the starting line as close as you can, on your best exit angle, and at top speed! Don’t Wait Too Long To Take Down The Spinnaker The Etchells will keep its momentum into the bottom mark and any loss you think you give up with an early drop is overshadowed by a clean rounding in a good lane with speed and everyone hiking. Speaking of hiking, it works every time, so don’t take long breaks in the breeze. The Etchells responds nicely to a hard hiking crew, even though it hurts! Tuning Evolution It is amazing to see how this great boat continues to evolve. The addition of the mast lever and intricate in-haul systems have really helped make the boat so much more adjustable from the rail. You can adjust your sailing mode to the racing situation: maybe a high mode to live in a lane, or a more open bow-down mode to capitalize on a shift. I have been sailing these boats since the 1980s and I am still learning every time I race them. Smooth Versus Bumpy Water Set Up I have found that fast settings for smooth water often do not work as well in bumpy water and vice versa. Bumpy water versus a big sea swell also changes what set up works best. In general terms, fuller sails with more twist seem to work well when the water is rough, while flatter sails with harder sheeted leeches seem to be better when the water is flat. Spreader Angle and its Effect on Mainsail Luff Curve Each Etchells mast is a little different in bending characteristics. The mast ram can have a big effect on getting the mast to match the sail’s luff curve, but spreader angle also has a part to play here. A more forward or straight-out spreader angle makes the mast stiffer. A more aft-sweep spreader angle lets the mast bend more easily, particularly in the middle section. A fair curve that matches the sail best is the ticket. In Miami, Consistency Pays Miami continues to be venue where consistency pays. Taking chances usually produces a high scoring race. I try to be conservative on the line, starting in the middle third. From there, I work my way to the favored side as I progress up the first leg. New Sails are Better Than Old Sails! We used unbuttoned sails for the first 3 winter series events to save our buttoned sails for the Midwinters, a sanctioned event. Fresh sails do make a difference, especially with jibs. Flat Water Tuning Biscayne Bay is very specific with its flat water conditions. Most other venues tend to have more chop or swell, so you’ll have to revert back to settings with a little less rake and slight fuller flying shapes. Find A Clear Lane Find a clear lane free from boats too close to leeward, so you can put the bow down and reach max speed. Put The Keel To Work It often takes as long as a minute to reach max speed with the bow down. After you do, you start to sail higher as the keel begins to work. Crowded Leeward Mark At the leeward mark, if you are in a group of boats with only a marginal chance of gaining an inside overlap, hold back and round behind to allow a high lane exit. This allows you to sail to the side for longer. Tacking back into the middle too soon after rounding is usually a loser. READ MORE

NORTH AFFICHE DE BELLES PERFORMANCES SUR LE SPI ET LA SNIM Un week-end de Pâques riche en émotions et en victoires pour North 📸 David Ademas / Ouest-France Le week-end de Pâques a battu son plein avec au programme deux gros événements nautiques : le Spi-Ouest à l’Ouest de la France dans la baie de Quiberon et la SNIM au Sud sur la rade de Marseille. Sur les quatre jours, les conditions météo ont donné du fil à retordre aux équipages présents (entre pétole et dépression) qui ont dû user de tout leur art, mais se sont livrés à de belles batailles. On compte un bon tiers de la flotte qui a navigué sous voiles North (jeu complet ou partiel) et autant de victoires sur le Spi-Ouest tandis que sur la SNIM, c’est quasiment la moitié des bateaux qui décrochent les places d’honneur sur le podium (jeu complet ou partiel). 📸 Thomas Bregardis / Ouest-France À la Trinité, c’était presque l’été durant ce long week-end de Pâques (19-22 avril 2019). Malgré un début timide avec vents légers, parfois absents, la 41e édition du Spi-Ouest France – Destination Morbihan s’est disputée dans des conditions plutôt idéales avec ciel bleu, soleil radieux et températures dépassant les 20 degrés. Les 440 équipages répartis en 6 zones de course ont navigué entre 4 et 16 manches selon les catégories de bateaux, sur des parcours construits ou de grands côtiers, soit 150 au total. Le niveau de jeu entre amateurs et professionnels était de taille et a offert aux spectateurs venus nombreux pour l’occasion un magnifique ballet incessant de voiliers, notamment sous spis multicolores, et des régates endiablées sur la magnifique baie de Quiberon. 📸 Pierik Photographe À Marseille, sur les quatre jours de régate, les conditions durant la 54e Semaine Nautique Internationale de Méditerranée étaient particulièrement denses et instables, avec un vent d’est capricieux, une dorsale de hautes pressions et une dépression, entraînant des flux différents et perturbés au Sud comme au Nord de la rade. Des conditions atypiques mais qui ont offert de nombreuses tactiques et de très belles courses aux 139 bateaux et 1000 marins présents. 📸 Pierik Photographe Côté classement sur le Spi Ouest, nombreux sont les bateaux dotés d’un jeu North Sails qui décrochent la plus haute marche sur le podium comme le catamaran ETF 26 Team Pro, le TP 52 Paprec Recyclage (IRC A), le XP 38 X Spain (Osiris 1), le JPK 10.80 LS Resa (IRC Double), New Territories (J/70), et Bénéteau Boat Club (First 24). Autres victoires, chez les Figaro 2, C-Magic termine 2e tandis qu’en Open 7.50, Bretagne Telecom et Le Britannia occupent les 2e et 3e places. En Multi 2000, Arbezen se classe 2e de sa catégorie. Bonne Nouvelle 2, Joke, Sage Engineering occupent les 3e places de leur catégorie respective en 31.7, Osiris 2 et J/70. Enfin dans la série ETF 26, Cool Runnings 4 se place en 2e position, suivi de Gaspe en 3e. Pour tous les résultats de course, voir sur https://evenements.ouest-france.fr/spi/. 📸 Pierik Photographe Sur la SNIM, on note les victoires des TP52 Team Vision Future, Alizée et Arobas 2 en catégorie IRC O, respectivement en position 1, 2, 3 sur le podium, qui affichent le logo North Sails. De même pour Imagine et Tonnerre de Glen qui arrivent 1er et 3e de leur série en IRC 1. Le fast 40 Sloughi Rivas Yachting prend la 2e place en IRC 2, et Absolutely emporte la 3e place en IRC 3. Dans les autres catégories, c’est Raging Bee qui décroche la 2e place en IRC 4, Espresso arrive en tête de sa catégorie en IRC Solo, suivi de très près par Hokua. Enfin en IRC Duo, c’est l’équipage de Léon 4 qui domine la flotte. Pour tous les résultats de course, voir sur https://www.lanautique.com/regate/snim-2019/. READ MORE

A NEW NORMAL FOR SCALLYWAG Helix Sails Create Higher Expectations 📸 Les Voiles St Barth Richard Mille The 100’ super maxi Scallywag added Helix to their sail wardrobe in early April, just in time for Les Voiles de St Barth Richard Mille regatta. With limited testing days from install to start line, it was trial by fire. “Scallywag switched over to North Sails at the end of 2018, and we are all thrilled with the decision we made,” remarked David Witt, Scallywag skipper. “Our team has set lofty goals and our boss wanted to make sure we have every opportunity and best shot to hit them. These new Helix sails have reset our expectations for boat speed, and we haven’t even fully unlocked its potential.” Designing the team’s new 780 sq. meter A-3 was a groundbreaking and collaborative team effort involving North designers around the world. New Zealand-based sail designer Magnus Doole led the project, which included Mickey Ickert, Mike Schrieber, Steve Calder, and Brodt Taylor. “Helix sails represent a very exciting new style of sail design and set up,” explained Doole. “Mike and I designed the base mold and ran refinements to the design through our North Design Suite; Spiral/Desman/WARPS/Membrain/Flow. Brodt and Steve were involved from a layout perspective, and Mickey acted as my sounding board and provided a feedback loop for this really intense project. All the while, I was checking in with Steve and JB Braun on their Helix design experience to date. Sail evolution brings out the best in North Sails as the collaborative work takes the guesswork out of the end product.” North Helix sails with Load Sharing Technology are changing the narrative on the sail design and set up, and stepping into a whole new world of headsail performance. Get in touch with a North expert today and learn how Helix can help you raise your game. https://www.northsails.com/sailing/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Scallywag.mp4 READ MORE

NEW GENERATION 3Di JIB FOR MELGES 20 New 3Di Ji-4 Jib Now Available Across The Fleet The One Design team at North Sails are never satisfied; they are continually striving and working to improve their products and provide their clients with the tools to raise their performance levels. Such is the case in Melges 20. Two years after first introducing 3Di technology to the class, North Sails are releasing a cutting edge 3Di jib to create a hugely competitive 3Di sail wardrobe across the boat. It was this 3Di mainsail and jib combination that saw STIG triumph in dramatic style in the recent World Championships in Miami. North Sails clients may have won the Melges 20 World Championships for the last seven years, but this does not mean the team rests on their laurels. Over the winter, the experienced Class Leader Giulio Desiderato, worked with Europe’s leading designers and STIG to roll out the Ji-4. Developed by Giovanni Cassinari and Michele Malandra, with the help of One Design expert Mike Marshall, the team used North’s bespoke Membrane software to simulate the sail structure and design. Testing through February and March evolved a sail that ultimately powered STIG to victory in Miami. “Simulating the data collected from the North team racing on the circuit with our in-house software, we were able to create a new generation of jib” Commenting on the new 3Di jib, Giulio Desiderato added, “It was a dream team of designers with Giovanni, Michele, and Mike, and they did a fantastic job, working hard to create something really exciting. Our 3DL jib was a big success with our Melges 20 clients, powering many victories on the circuit, so we wanted to develop a 3Di jib that would be even more successful and work perfectly with our 3Di mainsail. Simulating the data collected from the North team racing on the circuit with our in-house software, we were able to create a new generation of jib with a completely changed layout, modified shape and new sail geometry. The sail is not only lighter, but the 3Di structure makes it more stable, and the new layout combines perfectly to produce a fantastic shape that delivers.” The skipper of STIG, Alessandro Rombelli summarized the performance of the new jib: “The new 3Di for the Melges 20 is much more effective. The shape holds perfectly and is desirable in all conditions. The new 3Di Ji-4 jib was a great tool for our upwind performance.” Giulio concluded, “This project really shows the potential when the unparalleled North Sails network combines the best experts in different fields to deliver a game-changing sail. I am excited about offering our clients this new product, and we won’t stop there, we’ll always keep looking to improve. I want to thank all the owners and sailors that bring so much energy and passion in deciding to work with us to reach our shared goal to constantly improve, and sail faster and faster.” The new Ji-4 is now available for order and will be ready for delivery ahead of Act 2 of the World League. To learn more, please visit our class page. READ MORE

RACE RECORDS CLAIMED AT LES VOILES DE ST BARTH RICHARD MILLE To New Records Added To The #NSVictoryList 📸 Christophe Jounay Upwind, downwind, and around the corners, North Sails inventories assisted clients throughout the course of the 10th edition Les Voiles de St Barth Richard Mille. Congratulations to 100-foot monohull SHK Scallywag with owner Sung Huang Lee and skipper David Witt and Greg Slyngstad’s 53-foot multihull Fujin. Each won the Richard Mille Record Trophy for setting new race records in the 34-mile round trip sprint to St. Martin and back. SHK Scallywag, built for speed and made for distance racing, has the right inventory for a swift downwind sprint, with the addition of North Sails Helix which enabled her to sail higher angles at a faster pace. “We are obviously delighted that SHK Scallywag is named this year’s monohull trophy winner,” said Phil Harmer, two-time Volvo Ocean Race winner who sails on board SHK Scallywag. “SHK Scallywag is made for long-distance races and she is obviously more comfortable when the course gets a little longer,” said Harmer. Skipper David Witt shared Harmer’s feelings on how SHK Scallywag performed in the distance race to win the Richard Mille Record for the monohull. This was David’s first time racing in St Barth, and he was humbled to have contributed to this iconic win for his team and owner Sung Huang Lee, who was in St Barth driving the boat earlier during the week. “The last three days have been beautiful sailing in a beautiful place – it doesn’t get much better. It sure beats going around the world,” said Witt. “For us, this event is great practice to help us work toward our goal at the end of the year to race in the Sydney to Hobart Race.” Bieker 53 multihull Fujin finished just three minutes after 100-footer SHK Scallywag, in a personal best of 2 hours, 36 minutes, and 33 seconds. Quite the accomplishment for a boat half the size to keep up with a high-performance speed-machine. Well done Greg Slyngstad and crew for an amazing race! North Sails full results recap of the 10th Edition Les Voiles de St Barth READ MORE

Clients fly at Les Voiles de St Barth Richard Mille, winning eight of 11 classes, and claiming two new race records. Congratulations to Peter Harrison’s JV72 Sorcha, winner of the Richard Mille Maxi Cup. Pamala Baldwin’s J/122 Liquid, winner of CSA 4 and overall CSA champion 📸 Christophe Jounay Triple Lindy and Summer Storm battling upwind in close competition in CSA 2. Congrats to Summer Storm for the division win. 📸 Christophe Jounay Windfall, winners of Maxi 2 📸 Christophe Jounay READ MORE

IMPRESSIVE TURNOUT FOR SAIL PORT STEPHENS Achieving High-End Results With North Sails Experts Onboard 📸 Hover UAV North Sails mounted a huge turnout at Sail Port Stephens 2019, both in terms of clients achieving high-end results and staff crewing across the range of boats which made up two sets of record fleets. Now in its 12th year, the popular autumn series, which is broken into two halves and open for entry to either or both, had a waiting list of owners wishing to enter but unable to find a marina berth over the busy period – a good reason to enter early for the 2020 edition! Dates are yet to be announced. The first-half Bannisters Port Stephens Commodores Cup - designed for cruiser-racers with a daily passage race making up the pointscore - enjoyed the best conditions of the week-long regatta, a light air opener for the stunning offshore islands course then two windier days for the record 100-strong fleet. 📸 Salty Dingo Conditions for the Pantaenius Yacht Insurance Port Stephens Trophy fleet of 150, also a Sail Port Stephens record, were tediously light and fickle on the opening Friday with marginal less hair-pulling on the Saturday. Finally Sunday brought enough wind, remnant from the overnight southerly change though peppered with rain squalls and significant shifts, to complete that day’s closing schedule of windward/leeward and passage races. On-water postponements, shortened courses, mid-race course adjustments and overnight changes to the racing schedule kept the race committee, led by Denis Thompson, busy between Salamander Bay where the Australian Sports Boat Association national title and VX One state titles were playing out, to the offshore course area. 📸 Salty Dingo Results-wise, North clients and staff posted multiple regatta winning low scores across the divisions including the eventual IRC division 2 champion for the fifth consecutive year, Bob Cox’s DK46 Nine Dragons, with Michael Coxon aboard. The Middle Harbour Yacht Club entry staged a late steal in the stronger winds on the final day, Sunday April 14, having been beaten up by the Farr 40s in winds eight knots and less on the Friday and Saturday. NSW IRC Championship division 1 second-placed Hooligan, Marcus Blackmore’s Pittwater based TP52, had Paul Westlake as part of its well-credentialled team, including Ben Lamb, Ed Smyth from New Zealand and Stacey Jackson, among other talent. 📸 Salty Dingo North’s Rob Greenhalgh added his expertise to Sam Haynes’ TP52 campaign, Celestial finishing third in IRC division 1 and taking out the TPR division which is a new Australian-based bespoke scoring system for the TPs based on AMS and the number of professionals aboard. Rob Pitts’ Farr 40 Double Black remained on the IRC division 2 podium right across the long weekend, North’s Aaron Cole an integral part of the Victorians’ consistency coming off the back of the class’ summer-long season of racing. 📸 Salty Dingo Adding their name to the list of North Sails noteworthy results was Steve Barlow’s MC38 Lightspeed, both the Performance Racing division 1 and Super 12 victor. David Griffith and Doug Flynn’s stunning Marten 49 Yarrandi cleaned up Performance Cruising division 1 and Steven Proud’s MC38 Swish, with Sydney-based Billy Sykes calling tactics, picked up second in the Super 12 division and third in Performance Racing division 1. North Sails staff also picked up Commodore’s Cup top three results crewing on Not a Diamond (Hamish Crossan), Mojo (Jeremy O’Donnell) and the TP52 Gweilo (Kyle Dodds and Andrew Parkes) - 12 staff in total across the week. 📸 Salty Dingo While there is a highly competitive thread across most divisions racing at Sail Port Stephens, particularly for the Port Stephens Trophy, another significant draw card for owners and crew is the fact the holiday destination is just 2.5hrs from Sydney by road, and it’s well situated between Brisbane and Melbourne for staging class and multi denominational championships. Accommodation options are plentiful and varied for crews plus family and friends to join their favourite sailors, shops are handy and boat services are easy to access. The bay offers brilliant flat-water racing made challenging by the tidal flows, sandbanks and land influence, and sailing around the striking uninhabited islands just beyond the Port Stephens entrance resembles the Queensland Whitsundays. 📸 Salty Dingo Add in a colourful program of evening social gatherings, including the dress-up Commodore’s Cup prizegiving and sponsored drinks at Broughtons at The Bay where crews gathered religiously after racing for the obligatory debrief, and it’s no wonder record numbers are heading to the Hunter coast for the annual series. Full results at www.sailportstephens.com.au 📸 Salty Dingo READ MORE

ROAD TO THE J/111 WORLDS: ESTABLISH THE PLAN Preparing For The Season In the first article in a three-part series, North Sails expert Allan Terhune describes what Team Velocity will work on over the course of the season to peak at the J/111 Worlds in August. Based in Annapolis, Md., Marty Roesch’s J/111 Velocity has been an active and successful class competitor since the class got underway half a dozen years ago. In 2018, the team scored a first-place finish at the Annapolis NOOD and in 2017, the Chicago YC Race to Mackinac and Chicago NOOD. Although Velocity has regularly competed at the class world championships, podium finishes have eluded us (I joined the team last season). Our goal for 2019 is to stand on the podium at the end of the Worlds, which will be in Chicago, August 19-23. We’d like to win, but in my experience, if you sail well enough to get onto the podium, you have a chance to win if things break your way. The goal is always to have a chance to win with a race or two to go and then let the chips fall where they may. What are the team’s priorities? First priority is to get squared away on our tuning and sail set-up. The class has recently shifted away from using jibs that are tacked to a roller furler, and now they are tacked on the deck. This is the first year for that in the U.S., so we’re installing a new headstay and setting up new jibs to this configuration. Learning how the sails trim and what tuning changes are needed are priority #1. Without speed, it will be impossible to place well at any event. The class has recently shifted away from using jibs that are tacked to a roller furler, and now they are tacked on the deck. Learning how the sails trim and what tuning changes are needed are priority #1. Next priority is to work out how to maximize sailing time for the whole crew and lay out a schedule so we peak at the right time. Rather than focus on results at each event, we’ll set goals for each regatta and measure ourselves against them. Again, it’s a season-long build-up to the Worlds. The final priority is to consistently evaluate performance to identify weaknesses. We need to plan how each event will be a chance to work on correcting some of these weaknesses. What do you focus on first? Establish a schedule that the entire crew could agree on! That was our top priority, and as of late March, that’s done. We leaned toward one-design regattas where possible and are pacing ourselves so we don’t peak too soon or burn out. Our whole team lives locally, and we’ve begun having regular crew meetings, looking at the goals for each event, and giving each crew a chance to own their area of the boat, as well as the team’s goals. May – Helly Hansen NOOD Regatta (Annapolis, Md.) June/July – Chesapeake Bay Racing August – Pre-World Tuneup (Verve Cup) August – World Championship (Chicago) What are your goals for the Annapolis NOOD? We expect to have eight J/111s at this regatta. We have a good local fleet and should be able to sail a couple Wednesday night races and a day of practice beforehand. Our goal is to get our tuning right with the new headstay, learn how our jibs should be flown and trimmed, and identify boat handling weaknesses in all maneuvers including starting and steering. Of course, we want to do our best, but we will be focusing on long-term goals as well as short-term regatta results. As a foundation for this, we’ll do debriefs every day. To get better as a team, it’s important everyone has a voice and provides input on what they’re seeing. The debrief is paramount to learning as a team and taking steps forward after each day. What are your goals in June and July? In the J/111 Class, we have only three sail buttons for new sail purchases, and new jibs are required for the new headstay. The new sails are North’s 3Di, they will last longer than our competitors. This will give us a leg up on being able to sail with the sails a little more and get our settings in a place where we are comfortable with them. Our June races are in mixed fleets so we won’t be doing closed-course one-design racing and it will be nothing like the Worlds, which will have 25 or more boats on the racecourse. However, the racing will be a great opportunity to perfect our ability to get around the corners. At the Worlds, great boat handling is an absolute must. The new sails are North’s 3Di, they will last longer than our competitors. This will give us a leg up on being able to sail with the sails a little more and get our settings in a place where we are comfortable with them. This is also when we’re pacing ourselves and not overdoing it. Early in the season, everyone is enthusiastic but if we push too hard we risk burn-out. One good regatta a month, or a couple of one-day races in June, with a practice or two sprinkled in, should be about right. What are your plans for the Pre-Worlds and Worlds? The Pre-Worlds Regatta, part of the Verve Cup Offshore Regatta is right before the Worlds, so our plan is to treat it just like the Worlds and go as hard as we can, developing our game plan. Our goal is to podium for the event and leave it feeling good with all our sails and mechanics ready for the Worlds. How do you build team connections throughout the season? We have a team group on the chat app WhatsApp. Our discussions are not always sailing related, and I view that as a good bonding thing for us. I know we also stay together as a group after Wed night racing and other events. We also started talking about our team weights and where we need to be for the event. It is better to know the goals now with 4 months to go versus trying to do it last minute. The goal is to be on weight, strong and ready for the event, and not have this be a stress point. Learn more about North’s products for the J/111 Class. READ MORE

37TH GARDA OPTIMIST MEETING Thanks For Visiting Us At Fragila Vela Riva 📸 Matias Capizzano North Sails is proud to be a part of the 37th Lake Garda Meeting for the Optimist Class - the largest single-class regatta in the world. Aside from a spectacular sailing venue, Lake Garda always delivers perfect sailing conditions and this event was no exception - reliably at noon every day, the Ora wind set in. This made for exciting racing, with the top seven boats being divided by just four points after the penultimate race. Throughout the week, the North Sails booth acted as a hub for over 1000 sailors to come and talk, ask questions and play games. North Sails Optimist Class Experts offered some last minute racing tips to the sailors, coaches and parents, with sail designer Mike Marshall coming over from the U.S. to give some hands-on sail tuning advice. ''It was great to see both the coaches and sailors critically analysing the sails," commented North sail designer and Optimist expert, Mike Marshall. North Sails Optimist Class Experts offered some last minute racing tips to the sailors, coaches and parents. "It was great to see both the coaches and sailors critically analysing the sails." As well as being present onshore, our experts were out on the water putting our latest Optimist development sails through their paces. Working closely with teams from Russia, USA and Norway, we are delighted with the performance of these test sails. Testing will continue over the next month in Germany, Italy and Switzerland... watch this space! After working closely with teams from Russia, USA and Norway in Garda, the testing of our latest Optimist development sail will continue over the next month in Germany, Italy and Switzerland. Congratulations to Marco Gradoni from Italy who came top of the 887 boats in the Junior fleet and Erik Scheidt from Brazil for winning the younger Cadetti fleet with 84 boats. ''With great pride and satisfaction, we have completed this 37th edition of the Garda Optimist Meeting. This year, we were particularly lucky also with the weather conditions. that gave us a week that almost looked like summer, with warm sun and steady Ora wind, never below seven knots. It's already time to look forward, in 2020 we will also host the Optimist Worlds so it will be a great year for Fragila Vela Riva.'' Giancarlo Mirandola, President of Fragila Vela Riva. Visit the Optimist Class Page and browse our Shop Inventory now. 📸 Matias Capizzano 📸 Matias Capizzano 📸 Matias Capizzano READ MORE

WANT TO JOIN OUR CREW? North Sails Long Island Is Recruiting Would you like to work in a fun, and fast paced environment with the worldwide leader in sailmaking? Since 1957, North Sails has led the sailmaking industry with our cutting-edge technology and knowledgable team. We are looking to add an energetic and organized sales representative to our team in Huntington, NY. Job Title North Sails Sales Expert Job Overview He or she will be responsible for networking and building a customer base of sailing clients. The sales expert with work with clients to identify their needs and provide sail solutions. Responsible for identifying potential clients, providing quotations, completing the sale and entering the order to meet the client parameters of their boat. Location North Sails Long Island, 135 W Shore Road, Huntington, NY 11743. Hours This is a full-time position. Office hours and travel are required and will vary depending on season, client base and location. Essential Duties & Responsibilities Maintain knowledge and expertise in the current North Sails product line Provide first class customer service to all customers Maintain Sales Funnel Meet and/or exceed sails goals as discussed with manager Represent North Sails on an off the water in a professional manner, as described in company guidelines and code of conduct Adhere to Sales Guidelines Actively participate in local and regional sailing organizations, clubs, and events Attend and participate in sales trainings, meetings and events Qualification Requirements Must have extensive background in sailing and participation in local and regional sailing events Experience in sales position Superior customer service skills Professional written and verbal communication skills Moderate to strong computer skills Flexible / non-traditional working hours Confidentiality Ability to work without direct supervision If you are interested in this position, please send cover letter and resume to Pete.Colby@northsails.com READ MORE

LE MULTI SOUS TOUTES SES FORMES À LA GRANDE MOTTE Le Salon International du Multicoque Tout le monde est prêt pour l'ouverture Parmi les événements nautiques de la saison à ne pas manquer figure sur le calendrier le Salon International du Multicoque à la Grande Motte. Du 24 au 28 avril, la 10e édition dévoilera les grandes nouveautés 2019 en avant-première (une dizaine en exclusivité mondiale ou européenne). Seront exposés une variété de modèles conçus par les principaux constructeurs, soit près de 60 catamarans et trimarans habitables, à voile et à moteur, sur un espace de plus de 3000 m2. Ce salon de référence réunira tous les acteurs de la filière multicoque de plaisance dont le dynamisme ne faiblit pas : professionnels, architectes, chantiers, voileries (dont North Sails), accastilleurs, loueurs, assureurs, transporteurs, etc. La France reste leader sur ce marché avec environ 70% de la production. L’Afrique du Sud est le second producteur. Comme chaque année, North Sails sera présent sur le salon. L’équipe tiendra son stand sur l’esplanade (stand T2) et présentera aux visiteurs, professionnels comme amateurs, ses différentes gammes de produits les mieux adaptés aux multicoques de plaisance (Nordac et 3Di Ocean : nouveauté 2019) et à la course (3Di Raw : la voile de tous les records sur le Jules Vernes, le Trophée Saint-Exupéry, le record des 24h, etc.), sans oublier les voiles de portant du Spi symétrique au tout récent Gennaker Hélix 3Di. Le Salon International du Multicoque qui fête ses dix ans cette année a organisé sa grande première à Lorient en 2010 avant d’être relocalisé à la Grande Motte sous le soleil méditerranéen. Depuis son existence, l’événement confirme sa réputation dans le milieu avec une hausse constante des fréquentations. Environ 15 000 visiteurs du monde entier sont attendus. Pour plus d’informations : https://www.multicoque-online.com/fr/ READ MORE

MUSTANG 30 "PERIDOT" SEA TRIAL Testing the latest IRC-optimised inventory Maurice "Prof" O'Connell from North Sails Ireland onboard the Mustang 30 "Peridot" testing their new 3Di mainsail, No.1 genoa, Code 2 jib and S1.5 symmetric spinnaker on Good Friday on Dublin Bay. Speaking yesterday after the 3Di sail trial co-owner Jim McCann said, "the sails are awesome!". "North Sails Ireland have been supplying "Peridot" since 2010 and we are delighted to work with Jim and his team in developing the latest IRC-optimised inventory. Sail FAST guys!" said Prof after the sail trial. READ MORE

Odlični rezultati North Sails klijenata na XXIII. Uskršnjoj Foto: Dubravka Pajk Druga regata u kalendaru CRO ORC D-Marin Cupa je odjedrena od 11. do 13. travnja. Novost ove regate je što se u potpunosti vratila ORC-u, odnosno nije više bilo Open skupina, već su se svi rezultati vrednovali po ORC sustavu. Naravno, posade koje su na ranijim izdanjima ove regate pokazivale izrazitiji sportski naboj i ove godine su jedrile po International inačici ORC-a, dok su se bivši Openaši prijavljivali s ORC Club svjedodžbama. Ovog godine je broj "ozbiljnih sportaša" bio veći nego društva iz Naute. ORC CRuiser/Racer skupina je brojala 15 jedrilica, dok je Nauta bilo 13. Kao i ranijih godina, jedrili su na sličnim regatnim poljima, a ostao je jednak i broj krugova koji je morala svaka od flota odjedriti. Skupina International je imala nešto kraće polje, ali s obavezna dva kruga, dok su Naute jedrili na oko pola milje duljem polju i to po samo jedan krug. Osim tih štapova u programu su imali i jednu navigaciju koju su odjedrili na jednakoj ruti. Što se tiče flote ona je bila manje više poznata s ranijih izdanja regate, ali uz manje izmjene poput toga što su se dva TP-a koji su ranijih godina jedrili u Nautama ovaj put su se prebacili u Race skupinu. Jedino novo (staro) ime na startnoj listi je bila Anđela X koja je ovaj put jedrila u pomlađenom sastavu, ali pod istim klupskim bojama. Prvi natjecateljski dan je bio četvrtak. Kasnije se pokazalo da je to bio i najplodniji dan regate jer se odjedrio maksimalni program od po tri plova za svaku skupinu. Uvjeti su bili teški jer vjetar nije bio stabilan. Dolazio je iz drugog kvadranta i počeo kao jugo koje je putovalo u desno, da bi se na kraju vratilo u lijevo, u levant. Tako da je RO morao sva tri puta postavljati novo polje, a u posljednjem plovu je bio i signaliziran Charlie za skupinu "rejsera". Foto: Dubravka Pajk U svim plovovima prvi bi startali Raceri, dok bi Naute krenuli 10 minuta nakon njih. Prvi put se tako zbilo u 12:10, drugi sat i pol kasnije i treći dva sata nakon drugog. Kako je vjetar oscilirao po smjeru, bio je nestabilan i po snazi. U prvom plovu je ORC scorrer izračunao da je korigirano najbrži, X-Cite, jedrio po prosječnih 14 čvorova, dok je realno najbrža bila Assilina. U drugom plovu, kad je vjetar otišao u desno izgubio je na snazi. Prva u cilj ulazi posada drugog TP-a, Polet Furioso, dok je nakon matematičkih kalkulacija na vrh ponovno izbio X-Cite s korigiranih minut i pol prednosti ispred drugoplasiranog Poleta. Po ORC-ovom matematičkom modelu treći plov je bio po najjačem vjetru tog dana. Ekipa Assiline je nakon propusta u prethodnom plovu vratila koncentraciju i ponovno dojedrila do prvog mjesta u realnom vremenu, ali i oni i ekipa s Poleta ipak nije odjedrila kako bi trebala i zauzimaju dva posljednja mjesta. S druge strane na prva tri mjesta su izbile najmanje jedrilice u floti. Pobjedu odnosi Anđela X, a pratile su je One i Mareus II. Foto: Dubravka Pajk Što se tiče skupine Nauta, kod njih je apsolutno dominirala posada jedrilice Franko II. Posada JK Endemi je u sva tri odjedrena plova ušla prva u cilj u realnom vremenu, a od jedino mjerodavne, korigirane pobjede, u drugom plovu ih je udaljila posada jedrilice Erco. Istina, realne pobjede je lako objasniti jer je riječ o sigurno najbržoj jedrilici u skupini, ali nakon obrade rezultata pokazalo se da su stvarno dobro jedrili i da su davali sve od sebe u regatnom polju. U prvom plovu su skoro minut i pol bili brži od drugoplasirane Krke i dvije i pol minute od trećeplasiranog Zlatana, Grand Soleila 50 s Češkom posadom. Što se tiče drugog plova tu se Erco pokazao boljim po laganijem vjetru i uspijeva za 12 korigiranih sekundi pobijediti Franka II. Ali zato su se u trećem plovu vratili uvjeti po kojima je Franko bio nenadmašan i ponavlja se scenario prvog plova, samo što je ovaj put razlika između njega i ponovno drugoplasirane Krke sad smanjena na samo 31 sekundu. Sutradan je zabonacalo u Hvaru, a u planu je bila navigacija od 24NM. Na moru su se izmjenjivale zone s vjetrom, bez vjetra, vjetar je jačao i slabio... Među Racerima najbrži su bili momci s Poleta. Prednost najvišeg jarbola su dosta dobro koristili, jer su uspjeli nakon korekcije ostati na relativno visokom trećem mjestu. Inače u ovakvim uvjetima profitiraju manje jedrilice, ali ovaj put ih je bilo i na vrhu i na dnu ljestvice. Nakon korekcije su Green Pepper i One, a Green Pepper je čak ostvario prednost od skoro 17 minuta ispred jedrilice One! U skupini Nauta situacija je bila malo teža. Uvjeti na moru u kombinaciji s dosta težim jedriljem i neoptimiziranim jedrilicama rezultirala je s čak 7 DNF-ova. U danim uvjetima najbolje se snašla posada Srne V dok je na drugom mjestu ponovno bila, pogađate, Krka. Posljednjeg dana jedrenja odjedren je samo jedan plov, a (ne)sretnici su bili članovi skupine Nauta. Lagani vjetar i na kraju osam jedrilica u cilju. Pobjeda je ovaj put otišla u ruke posade jedrilice Sreća. Razlika između njih i drugoplasirane Xirene je bila skoro 9 i pol korigiranih minuta! Na kraju ipak je bilo dovoljno jedrenja da se dobiju konačni rezultati, a oni su za skupinu Racera izgledali ovako, dok su za Naute izgledali ovako. Foto: Dubravka Pajk Što se naše jedrarije tiče mi smo pobjednici u svakom pogledu. U skupini Racera, od 15 jedrilica čak 11 je ili u potpunosti ili djelomično opremljeno s North Sails jedrima dok je među Nautama od 13 jedrilica nama povjerenje poklonilo pet vlasnika. Skupina Racing 1. X-Cite 100% North Sails 4. Barba Branko 100% North Sails 5. Mareus II 100% North Sails 6. Polar 2 100% North Sails 7. Polet Furioso djelomično North Sails 9. Generali - Assilina III 100% North Sails 10. Gringo 2 100% North Sails 12. Blue Chip 100% North Sails 13. Toto Travel djelomično North Sails 14. Karpo djelomično North Sails 15. Sky djelomično North Sails Skupina Nauta 1. Franko II djelomično North Sails 2. Krka D 100% North Sails 3. Srna V djelomično North Sails 4. Zlatan djelomično North Sails 7. Adio Pameti 100% North Sails READ MORE

Klasszikus hajókra készülő vitorláknál a magas teljesítmény, tartósság mellett a vintage esztétika is elvárás. Korhű megjelenés, kortárs technológia a tradicionális kompetitív osztályokban. Például a 6mR Yacht-oknál. Nagy örömünkre szolgált az 1928-as amszterdami olimpiai részvételével az egyik legszebb történetű Magyar klasszikus a Hungária - 6mR felújításában részt venni és születésekkor jellemző "mitre" szabású vitorlákkal felszerelni. READ MORE

GET READY TO GO OFFSHORE Planning Ahead Is Essential Planning on heading out into open waters? When racing offshore, sailors have to be prepared for anything and everything, and when the ocean tosses up a new challenge, it's what you have done to prepare that will be essential. North Sails expert and two-time Volvo Ocean Race Skipper Charlie Enright will be hosting an Offshore Performance Seminar on May 16th in our San Diego Loft, alongside Southern Californian local Peter Isler, who holds an armory of offshore racing records and America's Cup victories. RSVP now and join us to talk directly with the experts and hear what they do to prepare for offshore adventures. From sail selection to squall management, Charlie and Peter can help you put together your offshore toolkit. Sail Selection | Weather & Routing | Squall Management Watch Systems | Food & Gear | Safety | Maneuvers | Communication North Sails San Diego | Thursday May 16th | 6 - 9pm | Free Entry READ MORE

NORTH AU RENDEZ-VOUS DE LA 54e ÉDITION DE LA SNIM 📸Piérick Jeannoutot Tandis qu’en Bretagne en baie de Quiberon, les concurrents tirent leurs premiers bords de cette première journée du 41ème Spi Ouest-France-Destination Morbihan, de l’autre côté de l’hexagone, et plus précisément sur la côte est à Marseille, l’heure est aux derniers préparatifs avant le premier coup d’envoi de la 54ème édition de la SNIM. La Semaine Nautique Internationale de Méditerranée se déroule également à Pâques, comme son cousin breton, du 19 au 22 avril 2019 sur la rade de Marseille. Comme chaque année, cette grande rencontre nautique, initiée par la Société Nautique de Marseille et parrainée par la Banque Populaire Méditerranée, ouvre le bal de la saison voile en Méditerranée. Pour l’édition 2019, on compte près de 139 bateaux et plus de 1000 régatiers internationaux (5 nationalités représentées), professionnels et amateurs, regroupés en 10 classes qui s’affronteront sur quatre championnats (IRC équipages 0 à 4, IRC Solo, IRC Duo et Surprise). Afin d’ouvrir la régate à un plus grand nombre de marins, la SNIM accueille également pour la première fois cette année les J/70 dans la compétition. Parmi les voiliers en lice, nombreux sont ceux qui affichent le logo North Sails, et certains sont dotés de la nouvelle technologie Helix. C’est le cas des yachts Vision et Teasing Machine. L’équipe de service North Sails sera sur place pour assister tous les équipages en cas de besoin. C’est en 1966 que la SNIM a vu le jour. Et au fil des années, l’évènement s’est imposé comme un rendez-vous incontournable de la voile en Méditerranée. La rade de Marseille attire de nombreux navigants, et pour cause son cadre idyllique, ses îles et ses conditions météo variées en font un véritable terrain de jeu nautique. C’est d’ailleurs sur ce plan d’eau privilégié que se disputeront les prochaines épreuves nautiques des jeux olympiques 2024. 📸 Piérick Jeannoutot READ MORE

J/70 ITALIAN CUP: A STRONG START North Clients Sweep The Podium In Scarlino 1,2,3 powered by North Sails ©J/70 Class | Lucchi | Lucarelli We saw a strong series kick-off at the inaugural event for the 2019 J/70 Italian Cup. Scarlino welcomed 52 competitive teams from nine different countries for a great weekend of sailing, friendship, and top-notch fun with parties that only Italians know how to throw. A huge congratulations to Carlos Alberini and team Calvi Network for winning the first event. Here at North, we celebrated an almost-perfect scoreboard proving the high performance of the North products for the super competitive J/70 Class. Here’s the facts: A total podium sweep with all race-wins were powered by North Sails inventories. Eight out of the top ten teams used North products, placing 1,2,3,4,6,7,9, and 10th overall. We caught up with our European J/70 expert Giulio Desiderato, who sailed on Claudia Rossi’s Petite Terrible that placed third overall. “We sailed five races in 4-7 knots. The top two teams were light, not more than 330kg, while we finished third with a team really heavy 370kg. This means that the North range of products has been successful in these light wind conditions covering a big range of crew weight”, said Giulio. Inventories Used by The Top Teams 1st Place: Calvi Network – XCS-2 mainsail, J2-HC Jib and AP-1 AirX spinnaker 2nd Place: Maria – XCS-2 mainsail, J2-HC Jib and AP-1 AirX spinnaker 3rd Place: Petite Terrible – XCS-2 mainsail, J2-HC Jib and AP-1 Dynakote spinnaker New F-1 Mainsail With the recent addition of the new F-1 mainsail to the North inventory, we expect to see teams using it in the upcoming events of the Cup. Developed to fit the Selden mast or a Southern Spars mast with a stiff set-up, the new North Sails F-1 mainsail is a flatter design, balanced top to bottom that reacts to mast bend in all conditions. Designed to be user-friendly, the F-1 is easy to trim and tune, to produce maximum speed on the water. Read about the performance of the F-1 main at the 2019 Charleston Race Week. The North team looks forward to seeing you in Ancona on May 10-12th. For more information on the North J/70 products, don’t hesitate to contact our experts. Starting line in Scarlino ©J/70 Class | Lucchi | Lucarelli New F-1 mainsail tested and approved at Charleston Race Week. READ MORE

CUSTOMER SPOTLIGHT: HOOLIGAN New Boat, New Suit Of 3Di © Louisa Sonosky Bruce Pierce of Mimico Cruising Club shares his process of creating the optimal sail inventory for Hooligan, a J/122, to race on the Great Lakes. Bruce, Can you walk us through the thought process in terms of deciding on the sail inventory? When we bought the boat, three and a half to three years ago, we had an existing inventory that was purchased with the boat. We made an evaluation kind of with North Sail Toronto's help, we made an evaluation of the existing inventory and then put a plan together in terms of what was good, what we could continue to use and prioritized sail inventory. At that point in time we prioritized a new main for the boat, and we did that in the first year as we bought the boat because we were putting a new mast on. Would you say it's performance has been what you expected? Or would you say it's been above expectations? Well, I hold North Sails to high expectations, so it's performing exactly the way it should. But I'm very comfortable with the quality of sail. Since then, when we bought the first 3Di, we then we bought my second one. My buddy who has the J160 out West, we were sailing on his boat, and I said to Dave, I said "You guys, even just cruising you need to go to a 3Di because you're gonna reduce onboard weight and minimize sail handling." How would you say the sails have aided with the performance of the boat? You're doing a lot of the racing around here and then last year you went down to the U.S. as well. Subsequently, we've been buying one sail a year for the last three years. We put a new main on, came back and bought a new light-medium jib which replaced one of the existing sails we had which was a panel sail. We knew it wasn't going to be in the best shape but we also took that sail and made it a jib top for us. We replaced the J1 and then we looked at our spinnaker inventory and started evaluating. Pierce also purchased a new A2 Asymmetric AirX spinnaker and a medium-heavy 3Di RAW jib. © Louisa Sonosky How do you think the crew has been with the new sails? Has their sail handling improved with the sails? Or was there a big change compared to the old boat and the older sails? Certainly the performance in the sails is significantly different. What led us to the change in the J3 to a medium-heavy what was its weight, we had a panel sail that was ballistic. It's interesting, Brian and I were on the boat in the Chicago Mac race, and when you look at the Naval Academy sail up with the main, it doesn't slot properly. You can see that when you look at the 3Di inventory, the main and jib fit really well together. You can trim so you get the same shape and the same drive and the sails were meant to be operated together. When we had the old J3 up, it was a different shape, a little flatter, ballistic. It will probably go on for ten years, if we use it every week because it's just hardened. But it was really tough to get the same shape, therefore you're not getting the same performance out of the boat. We're thrilled to see what the new shape looks like but we're confident because we built it similar to the light-medium and I know we'll get the same performance out of the boat. What prompted you to go do the Chicago Mac last year? Was it always on your bucket list? Yup. We did Transpac almost four years ago now, and personally I enjoy a lot of offshore racing and Transpac was one of those things where I was either going to finish the race and love it or hate it. I wasn't sure until we got to Hawaii and when I got off the boat in Hawaii it was like “Damn, I love that." © Louisa Sonosky What other races are on the horizon for you? What motivates you guys to keep going out and keep racing? Passion for the sport motivates to keeps us out there racing and you know what, we'll probably look to do the Caribbean 600 and likely Newport Bermuda in the future as well. Maybe not in this boat but we'll certainly do it in the future. What's your biggest piece of advice for people that are thinking about upgrading their sails? Probably just having a plan in terms of what do you want to do. Not many people can afford to put out the price for three or four sails in year one. It's looking at your existing inventory, trying to figure out how you put it together and what's the plan. I think that's what we did. We sat down and said “Okay, what's our strategy going to look like?” Each year we went back and re-evaluated it and said “Okay, does this still make sense?” I think we moved one of the sail purchases around, we accelerated the spinnaker because we didn't like the shape we were getting out of it once we had seen it in action after we had the boat long enough. © Louisa Sonosky READ MORE

NORTH SAILS DÉJÀ PRÉSENT Mini 650, La Rentrée Des Classes Ils ont passé leur hiver à s’entrainer, et le week-end dernier, 68 mini 650 faisaient leur rentrée scolaire lors de la ''Plastimo Lorient'' avec un parcours de 215 milles. Le départ et le tour de l’île de Groix s’est fait dans des conditions estivales, dans une légère brise d’Est, puis les 68 duos sont allés virer une bouée au sud des Glénans dans une nuit bien fraiche. Puis un long bord a emmené nos duos jusqu’à l’île d’Yeu, avant d’attaquer un retour express dans une nuit ventée, humide et toujours aussi fraiche jusqu’à Lorient. 20/ 25 nœuds au reaching, des pointes à 18 nœuds, de quoi avoir un sourire jusqu’aux oreilles. Axel Tréhin et Clément Bouyssou à bord du n°945 (classement proto), s’adjuge une belle 3ème place, tandis que Hendrick Witzman et Simon Koster à bord du n°920 (classement série) s’offre la seconde place. Une belle performance, d’autant plus que Simon et Hendrick sont les seuls à placer un "nez pointu" sur le podium. Prochaine étape, la Pornichet Select, mais cette fois-ci en solo. READ MORE

FOTO: PIERRICK CONTIN Nakon tri regate Europa Cupa za 2019. godinu naši momci čvrsto drže svoje položaje na vrhu Laser Standarda i djevojke na vrhu Lasera 4.7, dok imamo još i predstavnike na postolju u obje kategorije Laser Radiala. Stvarno impresivni rezultati ove generacije naših juniorki i juniora. Do kraja ciklusa ostalo je još sedam regata. Nama najbliže se jedre u Italiji i Mađarskoj, a posljednja će se tradicionalno jedriti na Hvaru. Za očekivati je da će naši laseraši preskočiti Europa Cupove u Norveškoj, Nizozemskoj, Bugarskoj i Njemačkoj, ali s nastupima na 6 od maksimalnih 10 regata sigurno mogu i dalje konkurirati za sami vrh. Ali vratimo se regati u Hyèresu. Vrijeme im je bilo netipično za ovu lokaciju. Prva tri dana je bilo poprilično oblačno i bilo je i nešto kišice. Zadnji dan se razvedrilo, bilo je sunčano, a čak je u prognozi bio i nešto jači vjetar u odnosu na prve dane kad je puhalo uglavnom do desetak čvorova. Ali i posljednjeg dana je vjetar ostao jednake snage. Konkurencija u sve tri vrste lasera je bila stvarno brojna. U Standardima je nastupio 51 natjecatelj, u Radialu 197 i u Laseru 4.7 151. Stvarno impresivna slika, a jedan od aduta za masovnost je i činjenica da će se na istom regatnom polju za oko mjesec dana jedriti Europsko prvenstvo za 4.7. Na regati smo imali 21 jedriličara i jedriličarku, od toga ih je četvero bilo u standardima, šestero u radialima i čak jedanaest u 4.7. FOTO: PIERRICK CONTIN Flota 4.7 je bila podijeljena u tri skupine. I u četiri dana regate ukupno su odjedrili 7 plovova. Od toga ih je 5 bilo kvalifikacijskih, a finalnih samo dva. Naši predstavnici su se ravnomjerno raširili po cijeloj floti, tako da smo u finalu imali po pet predstavnika u zlaznoj i srebrenoj floti i jednu jedriličarku u brončanoj. Sad već tradicionalno, najbolja naša predstavnica je bila Ursula Balas. Kvalifikacije je otvorila pobjedom u svojoj skupini, a jednom ih je završila i na drugom mjestu. Najlošiji rezultat kvalifikacija joj je bilo 13 mjesto koje je na kraju mogla odbaciti. Svi ostali rezultati su joj bili unutar deset najboljih, od čega je u finalu završila kao 3. i 4. U konačnici je zauzela izvrsno treće mjesto u generalnom plasmanu, a u ženskoj konkurenciji regatu završava na drugom mjestu. FOTO: PIERRICK CONTIN Samo jedno mjesto iza nje, četvrto u genearalnoj sumi bodova, je finalno mjesto Roka Stipanovića. On i Ursula završavaju regatu s jednakim brojem bodova, a presudila je jedna Ursulina pobjeda. Njegov najlošiji rezultat u Hyèresu je bilo deseto mjesto! Slijedeća naša predstavnica je po svom plasmanu bila Nika Manestar. Ona je završila na 18. mjestu. Vrhunsko jedrenje u kvalifikacijama i finiše unutar top ten zamijenila je s nedovoljno dobrim rezultatima u finalu. Nažalost po jedno 32. i 23. mjesto su je poprilično udaljili od vrha ljestvice. Prvi idući junior je Antun Tomašević, ujedno i jedan od najmlađih predstavnika Hrvatske. Rezultatski gledano jedrio je dosta stabilno. Osim bljeska u drugom plovu kad je završio 6. i odbačenog rezultata, prosjek bodova mu je bio 17. mjesto, ali matematika ga je postavila na 28. mjesto. Posljednja naša predstavnica u zlatnoj floti, Dora Gomerčić, doma se vratila s 38. mjesta. Analizirajući njene pojedinačne rezultate također se može reći da je pokazala kvalitetu i da nije slučajno jedrila s najboljima. Na kraju ju je od Antuna koji je završio deset mjesta bolje dijelilo samo 9 bodova. Najbolji predstavnik u srebrenoj skupini je Luka Vuković. U ovoj konkurenciji završava na četvrtom mjestu, odnosno kao 55. generalno. Između njega pa do idućeg našeg jedriličara smjestilo se 26 jedriličara iz drugih država, 82. je završio Luka Fatović. Više bodova od njega su imali Roni Bobovnik (90. mjesto), Luka Hagenauer (94. mjesto) i Eleonore Borgin (97. mjesto), te Petra Mastelić (132. mjesto). U najbrojnijoj floti, Laser radialu, također je bila podjela na tri skupine i odjedrili su jednak program kao mlađi i laganiji kolege. U jakoj međunarodnoj konkurenciji imali smo samo dvoje predstavnika u zlatnoj skupini. 63. je završio Frano Šestan, a dva mjesta iza njega povratnica u klasu, Karla Šavar. Frano je imao neloše rezultate u kvalifikacijama, ali kad se koncentrirala flota u finalu zauzeo je svoja dva najlošija mjesta na regati. Karla je na kraju regate imala 5 bodova više od Frane, a dojam da je mogla mnogo bolje ostavljaju po jedan UFD i DNF ali i činjenica da je posljednji dan jedrila pod temperaturom. Za razliku od zlatnih, srebreni i brončani su jedrili jedan finalni plov manje. Pri sredini srebrene skupine, na 102. mjestu završava Ivona Ercegovac, a na 110. mjestu Krešimir Buneta. Malo niže, u brončanoj skupini, kao 133. završava Mare Milić, te Nik Pivalica na 145. mjestu. Kao mala utjeha Mari može joj poslužiti podatak da je bila najbolja među brončanima. I na kraju je ostala skupina čiji članovi u svojim planovima možda imaju i nastupe na olimpijadama, naravno, riječ je o Laser Standardu. U floti od 51 standarda jedrila su naša 4 jedriličara. Dvadeset drugi nakon osam jedrenja (s obzirom da je bila samo jedna skupina nije bilo kvalifikacija i finala) završava Alec Cvinar. Uglavnom su se svi finiši nalazili oko tog mjesta, a najbolji rezultat mu je 6. mjesto u četvrtom plovu. Na sedamnaestom mjestu završio je najmlađi u ovom kvartetu, Antonio Lukšić. Najbolje jedrenje je pokazao u šestom plovu kad je završio 9. a u konačnici za 27 bodova bolji od Aleca. Osam mjesta iznad njega, na 9. mjestu završava najveći tragičar ove regate, Mario Novak. Momak koji je apsolutno dominirao u floti, pobijedio dva puta i dva puta bio treći, a od postolja su ga udaljila dva UFD-a za redom. FOTO: PIERRICK CONTIN kvaliteti njegovog nastupa slažu se svi, od njegovog trenera, pa do ostatka hrvatskog tima: Jedrilo se četiri dana i prevladavao je lagani vjetar do desetak čvorova. Mario Novak mi je jedrio fenomenalno, trenutno je u vrhunskoj formi. Pobijedio je na Europa Cupu u Kopru, na Palmi je prvi put u karijeri bio u zlatnoj skupini, do sada je uvijek jedrio u brončanoj. I evo sad je trebao pobijediti u Hyèresu, ali je napravio dva UFD-a. U jednom od ta dva plova je pobijedio, a u drugom je završio peti i eto da je regularno završio ta dva plova bio bi prvi. S obzirom na broj standarda na regati ni 9. mjesto nije loše, mislim, nije konkurencija bila kao na grade 1 regati, ali bila je stvarno dosta dobra. Dominik Perković iz Labuda je također izvrsno jedrio. On je na kraju pobijedio regatu. Jedrio je baš lijepo, konstantno, bez većih grešaka. Inače, sad smo se vratili s puta nakon mjesec i dva dana! Cijelo to vrijeme smo van Splita bili ja i Mario, a ostali su dolazili i odlazili ovisno o regati. Ante Ćesić, trener JK Split A Dominik Perković, na kraju najbolji u Laser Standardu, u principu je jedrio jednako kvalitetno kao i Mario Novak, samo što je bio oprezniji na startevima. Konačni zbir mu je dobiven od dva prva, tri druga, jednim trećim i jednim desetim mjestom, a DNF iz posljednjeg plova mu se odbacio. Većinom je bio lagan vjetar koji je dricavao i lijevo i desno. Regatni odbor se maksimalno trudio i kao jedriličar sam stvarno zadovoljan trudom koji su ulagali u to da nam regatno polje bude kako treba, ali nekako je većinom uvijek vukla desna strana. Trebalo je startati uz brod Regatnog odbora. Imali smo i nešto kurenta, obično je bio nešto više lijevo od vjetra i bez vala. Ja i Mario smo dominirali i stalno bili među vodećima. Nažalost on je imao dva UFD-a i to je mene na kraju u ukupnim rezultatima diglo i u zadnjem plovu nisam ni trebao jedriti, ali nisam jedrio zbog jednog udarca, ne zbog bodova. Inače, bilo je i dosta penala, trebalo je stalno paziti gdje su suci i što radimo. Ja sam bio dobar pa nisam bio među kažnjenima. I moram još jednom reći da mi je žao Marija jer je stvarno vrhunski jedrio! Dominik Perković, JK Labud FOTO: PIERRICK CONTIN I za kraj je par riječi od Dominikova trenera Vedrana Mandića: Jedrilo se po laganom vjetru. Prva tri dana je bio problem što je vjetar stalno bio promjenljivog smjera. Zadnjeg dana je bilo malo više vjetra, ali Dominik je stalno jedrio bez greške. Konkurencija je uglavnom bila u obliku natjecatelja do 21 godine, a posljednjeg dana ju je pojačao nastup Švicarca (Meerceron Eliot) i Novozelanđanina (Deegan Luke). Inače je ta mlada konkurencija nama važna jer planiramo nastup na Europskom i Svjetskom prvenstvu za Standarde do 21 godine, a Dominik je jedrio superiorno u odnosu na sve te konkurente. Fizički je spreman, a jedino nije odjedrio posljednju regatu, jer se raniji plov udario u koljeno koje ga je počelo boljeti. Pa sam ja kao trener odlučio, znači ne zbog toga što je osigurao pobjedu, da se zbog udarca i otekline koja se pojavila povuče iz jedrenja i preventivno stavi led na koljeno. Na kraju se pokazalo da je srećom damo jedan udarac, ali nije bilo potrebe ulaziti u rizik. Što se tiče Antuna Tomaševića on je još mlad, a i više bi mu odgovaralo da je bilo par čvorova više vjetra, a konkurencija je bila izrazito jaka jer im je EP na istom mjestu za mjesec dana. Vedran Mandić Baki, trener JK Labud Konačne rezultate klase Laser Standard možete pronaći na ovom linku. Idući tjedan u Betini će se organizirati službeni kamo HJS-a. Najviše se očekuje sudjelovanje jedriličara u Laseru 4.7, dok će se stariji natjecatelji koji su u završnim razredima srednjih škola možda malo više uhvatiti školskih obaveza da bi mogli rasterećeno otići na seniorsko Europsko prvenstvo u Porto. A što se tiče uvoda u kojem smo spomenuli vodeće pozicije naših jedriličara na zajedničkim ljestvicama Europa Cupa, njih možete pronaći na ovom linku.sukošan READ MORE

HET WEDSTRIJDSEIZOEN GAAT WEER BEGINNEN Hier kunt u onze experts tijdens het paasweekend vinden Het wedstrijdseizoen gaat tijdens het paasweekend op 20 april weer van start. Voor de ORC/IRC klassen en sportboten begint het seizoen in Stellendam met de Van Uden Reco Stellendam Regatta. De Open boten varen de jaarlijkse Internationale Easter Regatta vanuit Loosdrecht. Heeft u tijdens een van deze evenementen vragen over uw North Sails zeilen of zijn er reparaties nodig? De experts van North Sails Benelux staan tijdens deze evenementen voor u klaar met service en advies. Van Uden Reco Stellendam Regatta Nic Bol en Jacco Huijgen varen mee op de Swan 45 K-Force in ORC 1. Wouter Köllmann vaart met zijn eigen J/70 PlaJ in de J/70 eenheidsklasse. Bart Overgaauw vaart mee op de J/109 Joule in ORC 2. Paasei Wedstrijden Joost Houweling vaart tijdens de Internationale Easter Regatta in Loosdrecht met zijn eigen Star. Overnight repair service in Stellendam Op zaterdagavond verzorgen de experts van North Sails Overnight Repair Service, zodat u, ook bij schade, op zondag met uw beste zeilen kunt varen. Neem contact op met Jacco Huijgen op +31(0)6 504 238 32 wanneer uw zeilen schade hebben. De Service bus vertrekt op zaterdagavond van het haventerrein om 18.00u. READ MORE

STIG CONQUERED THE FLEET IN THE ULTIMATE COMEBACK Rombelli And Crew Triumph At The Melges 20 Worlds 📸 Zerogradinord Starting a World Championship with a deep score can be tough, but it was no match for Alessandro Rombelli’s team STIG. Having 16 points on the scoreboard after just one race could be the beginning of the end for most, but it was no concern for the team. One thing that made the difference for Alessandro’s team from the rest of the fleet at the Worlds was their incredible speed. Because of that, they held it together and put the bad race behind them- as they did with the rest of the fleet in the nine races following to earn the new World title by seven points after one discard. Having a major comeback is not always possible because each team is very competitive, but STIG pulled it off with flying colors with outstanding crew work the help of their new 3Di wardrobe. We spoke to the owner and skipper, Alessandro after the final result and got an idea of what his team did during the event to overcome a rough patch and turn around and win the championship. 📸 Zerogradinord What difference do you notice using 3Di vs. your old 3DL? “The new 3Di for the Melges 20 is much more effective. The shape holds perfectly, and is desirable in all conditions.” It’s awe-inspiring you had a big come back in such a tight fleet. What did you do to clear your mind after the bad race on day one? “We knew our team had the ability to be one of the top five teams at the Worlds. The first day we suffered an OCS, which was in the first start of the regatta. Although not a great way to start, we knew it was possible to overcome the obstacle. Being competitive with other teams and having great boat speed was our weapon. As it turned out, STIG was still in contention to win the regatta going into the final day of racing. With our great results in the last few races on Saturday, going into Sunday with a five-point advantage gave us the upper hand. Managing the fleet well was what STIG did best at the Worlds.” 📸 Zerogradinord What was your strategy upwind? How did that affect your tactical decisions? “Our strategy upwind was to have the best starts we could, trying to stay as conservative as possible. Avoiding the middle was also key, and by getting out to an edge, we could gain more leverage on our competition.” “We used the new the new jib design developed by Giovanni Cassinari, with the help of Michele Malandra, who simulated the design with our membrane software with the help of North Sail Designer, Mike Marshall. The new 3Di Ji-4 jib was a great tool for our upwind performance.” “The new 3Di for the Melges 20 is much more effective. The shape holds perfectly, and is desirable in all conditions. The new 3Di Ji-4 jib was a great tool for our upwind performance.” What conditions did you find you did the best? “Sailing with four crew put us on the higher-end of the weight spectrum. The conditions at first were not to our advantage. On the last day of racing, the conditions improved and there was more wind, which helped us win the first race of the day by a considerable margin.” What were some contributing factors to your overall performance over the course of the event? “Our team spirit, attention to detail, competence, and skills were contributing factors to our success at the Worlds. Francesco Bruni, Giorgio Torarolo, and Tea Faoro are a talented crew to sail with.” Congratulations team STIG on a job well done! Full results 📸 Zerogradinord 📸 Zerogradinord 📸 Zerogradinord READ MORE

NEW COWES CERTIFIED SERVICE LOFT Now Open For All Your Sail Care Needs Our new service loft based at Cowes Yacht Haven is open and ready for business ahead of the RORC Easter Challenge this weekend. With our on-site designer, sailmakers and sales knowledge, we aim to provide the best local service for you during the regatta and going forward. North Sails expert Harriet Mason is based at the loft and with a several years of sailmaking experience, has the skill set and enthusiasm to deliver the best possible service to everyone - from Optimists to Grand Prix race boats. With our prime location, we also provide overnight service, allowing us to work during regattas throughout the season. READ MORE