NORTH SAILS BLOG

NORTH CLIENTS DOMINATE AT CHARLESTON RACE WEEK Podium Sweep In Six One Design Classes Team Luck Dog, Sperry Charleston Race Week’s One Design Boat of the Week © Zerogradinord In a dominant display of success, North Sails clients filled the scoreboard at the 2019 Sperry Charleston Race Week. Highlights from the weekend include a podium sweep for those using North inventories in six one design classes and top boats on nine out of the ten classes. Congratulations to North Sails clients for achieving victory across multiple fleets. Here are some highlights: MELGES 24 Charleston Race Week has brought back a huge resurgence in the Melges 24 fleet with 37 boats racing, making it the largest Melges 24 regatta in the US since the World Championship in 2016 in Miami. We also saw a huge number of Corinthian teams at this event which is very encouraging. The big North news in this class is the development of the new 3Di sails. We had three full sets of the latest designs on the water and they finished 1,2 and 5. Travis Weisleder and his Lucky Dog Race team tied with Bruce Ayres’ Monsoon to with the tie breaker, winning the event, and was also deemed Charleston Race Week’s One Design Boat of the Week. Monsoon and Lucky Dog have been working together for the past four years as tuning partners and have been the latest driving force in the development of the 3Di upwind product. Our Melges 24 experts have been working tirelessly with sail designers Per Anderson and Mike Marshall and the teams have been doing a lot of collaboration on rig tune. The good news is that the new 3Di designs seem to setup very easily and the tuning is very similar to the North standard paneled sails. Heading to the Melges 24 Nationals in Fairhope, Alabama? Contact our Melges 24 expert John Bowden, who sailed on Lucky Dog, for the latest up-to-date information on the M24 sail development and boat tuning. Buddy Cribb’s Victory, powered by the new North F-1 mainsail. © Zerogradinord J/70 The J/70 class showed up strong for Charleston Race Week with fifty-six teams ready to battle for the win. The conditions were flat water, 10-20 knots of wind, warm and tight racing! There was a little bit of everything and all you saw were smiling J70 crews as the sailing was very fun! We at North were especially excited to have the new F-1 mainsail, delivered in time for the event. The results couldn’t be better. All three teams using the new F-1 finished in the top 10 with a special highlight to Buddy Cribb’s team Victory, finishing in a strong third place. The F-1 mainsail is a design optimized for the stiffer masts. “We were very fast at Charleston with the new mainsail. We were able to hold our lane off the line, and sail fast both upwind and downwind. Sunday was particularly exciting downwind with winds gusting to 35 knots!”, said Buddy Cribb who finished third, one of their best results ever in the J/70 class. North Sails J/70 expert Allan Terhune sailed with John and Molly Baxter, on Team Vineyard Vines. “We used the new F-1 main with a Southern Spars rig and the sail set up REALLY well since our rig is in the stiff side. We made a few adjustments to the tuning: For base, we used 16 on the uppers and 10 minus 1 turn instead of 2 on the lowers. Then we used the same tuning matrix in terms of steps as the tuning guide with the exception that we added one turn to the lowers in chart. So, instead of +2 and +1 on the lowers for the first step, we went +2 and +2. As the wind got stronger, we added one more turn to the lowers to keep the main from washing out.” J/70 Takeways: Sail Flat Upwind And Keep It Constant We talk about this a lot, the J/70 loves to sail flat. To achieve this communication is the key factor. The mainsail trimmer and driver need to know when puffs and lulls are coming, to keep the boat on its tracks. Good communication allows the trimmer to make the necessary adjustments and the driver to steer the boat. It was key at Charleston for the driver to proactively steer to keep up with the big shifts and the puffs. Jib Trim Because the wind was up and down, the jib needed to be adjusted a lot. We generally focus on the leeward sheet and halyard and keep the in-hauler on when using the J-6 jib. Know Your Downwind Modes It was tricky to know when to wing, plane or sail normal displacement mode in Charleston. Again, the key was good communication in order for the team to do their best to position the boat in the breeze and in the correct mode. Only with true teamwork we can achieve this. VX ONE The North Sails team, coordinated by sail designer Mike Marshall and expert John Bowden, held a North Sails Tuning Guide release and Q&A session prior to racing day sharing the latest tuning information for the VX ONE. On the race course we want to congratulate Michelle Warner and team Tudo Bem for the great, consistent results in such variable conditions we saw in Charleston. All top four boats used North Sails in the VX class. North Sails Results: Kevin Mccarthy’s Chance V, winner in the Viper 640 class. © Zerogradinord Henry Brauer’s Rascal powered by the North XCS-2 mainsail, J2HC jib and AP-1 spinnaker featuring a cool new graphic. © Zerogradinord READ MORE

WHAT'S IN YOUR KIT? Here's What To Bring On Your Next Adventure Around The Racecourse Long-distance racing is one of my new favourite ways to enjoy this sport. Having put a few of these races under my belt in the past couple years, I’ve pared down my kit to the essentials, including a couple indulgent items that I like to bring as well, space permitting. Your boat will likely have a size restriction of the bag you bring, so find out before you pack your largest suitcase with every piece of sailing gear you own, “just in case”. Outside The Bag Good foulies. I spent the 2018 Caribbean 600 in a pair of pants that were no longer waterproof. Even in the tropics, I was cold and miserable. Boots: unlike day racing, once your feet get wet out there, they can stay wet until you’re over the finish line (ew!) Life jacket with tether, if not provided by boat. Inside The Bag Base layers: I have a set of 100% silk layers that I love, but merino wool is the popular choice. Natural, wicking materials are your friend here. It gets cold at night, even in the summer or in the Caribbean. 1 pair of long pants: I bring a pair of lulus that I wear over the silk if it’s really cold. 1 pair of shorts: Fast-drying, comfortable shorts. If you can get a pair with a padded rear, do it. 2 T-shirts: I prefer long sleeved UV shirts, especially on wetter boats where my sunscreen might not last long. 1 sweater to layer at night. Wool socks: I also bring my layering socks (made for skiing), for super cold nights. Gloves, and if you’re in colder weather, bring waterproof ski gloves, especially if you're driving! Small Items Baseball cap and/or a toque. Nothing is worse than being sunburnt on your scalp or freezing. Sunglasses. The raccoon eyes tan is always in. Sunscreen or a Zinc stick. Reapply often. Chapstick. There's nothing worse than chapped, salty lips. I put one in every pocket of my jacket. A sailing knife for safety. Extra hair elastics and a comb. Missed this once, 5 days later my hair was a salty matted mess. If you have long hair and want to keep it, don’t forget this one. Baby wipes. Baby wipes. Baby wipes. You will probably use these to shower. Bonus Coffee! This is my one non-essential / essential item that I always bring with me… Now. I learned the hard way that the provisioning isn’t always perfect; we ran out of coffee in the last two days of my first delivery. I’ve brought my own coffee since, just in case. I don’t bring a reusable water bottle. This seems counterintuitive in 2019, but unless your boat has a drinking fountain on board, you’re probably going to be drinking out of single use bottles. I bring a thermos-type bottle for coffee, if the boat doesn’t have them for crew. READ MORE

NOUVELLE CLASSE DOTÉE DE VOILES NORTH SUR LE SPI OUEST © Giovanni Mitolo L’incontournable épreuve de voile du week-end de Pâques réitère son rendez-vous annuel pour la 41ème fois. Le Spi Ouest-France Destination Morbihan se disputera sur quatre jours du 18 au 22 avril 2019 à la Trinité-sur Mer en baie de Quiberon. Ce grand rassemblement trinitain réunira de nombreux passionnés de voile, professionnels comme amateurs, répartis sur différentes catégories de bateaux, du monocoque au multi en passant par les voiliers de séries IRC et les monotypes. ETF 26 : Nouveau Souffle sur le Spi Ouest Cette année, les organisateurs apportent un nouveau souffle à la compétition en ouvrant les portes à une toute nouvelle flotte de catamarans volants en carbone : les Easy to Fly ou ETF 26. Ces sport boats à foils de 7,93 mètres, dessinés par Guillaume Verdier et équipés de voiles North Sails, ont été conçus par la société Absolute Dreamer de Jean-Pierre Dick, ancien skipper de St-Michel Virbac et quadruple vainqueur de la Transat Jacques Vabre entre autres. Les ETF 26 peuvent atteindre deux fois et demie la vitesse du vent et dépasser les 35 nœuds. Compte tenu de leur vitesse élevée, un rond de course leur sera spécifiquement réservé. Le Spi Ouest sera donc leur première régate de série. En effet, la classe ETF 26 envisage de se constituer un championnat dont l’un des objectifs est d’offrir aux navigants l’opportunité de faire leurs gammes sur un support volant en attendant la construction de leur Imoca ou Ultim. Parmi les autres séries en lice représentées sur le Spi Ouest 2019, on trouve les Diam 24, les Multi 2000, les IRC 1 à 4, les IRC Double, les First 24, les First 31.7, les Figaro 2, les Grand Surprise, les J/70 et J/80, les Mach 6.5, les Mini 6.50, les Open 7.50 et 5.70, ainsi que les Osiris Habitable. Depuis sa création en 1978, le Spi Ouest n’a cessé de prendre de l’ampleur en attirant un grand nombre de marins français comme étrangers. Organisé par la Société Nautique de La Trinité-sur-Mer et parrainé par le quotidien Ouest-France, cet événement populaire est aujourd’hui considéré comme la plus grande régate de voiliers habitables en Europe. Plus de 420 bateaux et des milliers de régatiers s’affronteront pour l’occasion dans des conditions météo prévues favorables. De quoi réjouir concurrents, visiteurs et organisateurs. READ MORE

ON THE ROAD WITH NORTH SAILS DETROIT EXPERTS Local Seminar Circuit Team Travels To Erie, Bay City, Westshore, and Edgewater Yacht Club It has been a busy few weeks for North Sails Detroit as we took to the road and did a hand full of seminars throughout the region. On the evening of March 26th, Loft Manager Karl Kuspa gave a presentation on downwind sailing (asymmetric and symmetrical) at Erie Yacht Club. Approximately 65 people attended the event. The event was well received and we are always happy to hear the feedback. “Last night’s presentation was fantastic. Karl gave us great information that we will use next time we sail." -Jeff Benson The following night, Karl made his way to Bay City Yacht Club to join up with local dealer Joe Parker to present on downwind trim. The event drew about 35 people. “It is so much fun doing presentations with Joe” states Karl, “he has been doing this a long time at is a wealth of knowledge for the Bay City Area” “I’m more likely to get my chute out of the bag" -Aaron Ackerman Next up, Skip Dieball headed to West Shore Sail Club on April 4th as guest speaker. Skip was asked to talk about Sail Technology. A crowd of approximately 35 people showed up to hear Skip speak from him years in the industry. The biggest takeaway from this talk was the importance of matching the best materials and construction to your type of sailing and budget. Ryan Lashaway, our Cleveland representative was the final guest speaker, drawing a crowd of close to 70 people at his home club, Edgewater Yacht Club. Ryan covered three very different topics including rig tune, starting tactics and jib and main racing, showing expertise in a number of different areas of sailboat racing. “I am so happy that our Team is out there helping improve the sailing throughout our region. We have a wide range of expertise within our organization. It is fun to see each other’s strengths and weakness’ and how we can help each other. It’s really like that not only with in our region, but company wide. - North Expert Karl Kuspa As we have tried to do all winter, we asked for donations for a local sailing group. Thank you to the attendee’s for the monies raised to benefit Erie Yacht Club Junior Sailing Program and Saginaw Bay Sailing Community Center. READ MORE

NEUIGKEITEN VON LINDA UND MAJA Auf Ihrem Weg an die nächste Olympiade im 470er Newsletter_frühling_19 READ MORE

NORTH EXPERT WILL WELLES SNATCHES J/24 NORTH AMERICAN TITLE Sailing In Valle de Bravo Creates The Ultimate Experience Will Welles and Team Bruschetta, 2019 J/24 North American Champions. © Chris Howell Story by Will Welles If you ever get invited to go sailing in Mexico make sure you clear your schedule as the Mexicans have it down on how to run a regatta! They welcome out of towners with open arms and roll out the red carpet, making everything on shore easy and relaxed- which feels like a vacation. The 2019 North American Championships were held at “the lake” which is Valle de Bravo, a piece of heaven on Earth. The lake is about a two-hour drive from Mexico City and located high in the mountains. Many teams (local and from away) used the Mexican Nationals as a tune up for the North Americans as it was held in the same venue the weekend before. Our team used the Monday between to relax, catch up on work and see the town. On Tuesday we went straight into race one of the NAs. Don’t get me wrong, the mornings were pretty relaxed as the breeze doesn’t come in until the afternoon with the first warning signal around noontime. “Valle de Bravo “the lake” in Mexico is a piece of heaven on Earth.” The Conditions Basically, the wind blows from the same direction every day in Valle de Bravo. The cloud cover determines if the breeze comes at all or how quickly and strong. On a clear day (which most days seem to be pretty clear in Valle de Bravo) the wind comes right on time. After the Nationals the away teams had figured out that we had to protect the right side, it seemed to work nine times out of ten, once in awhile the left would work and you had to commit till the end. The wind velocity was up and down, lots of gear changes and decisions about the rig tension between races. At the bottom of the course it was typically 6-8 knots and at the top of the course it was 10-12, sometimes a little lighter at the bottom and a little stronger at the top. Rig Tuning With pretty flat water we figured it wouldn’t be awful to be a little tighter on the rig but the lulls were big and long. We pretty much stuck at base (20 on the uppers and 15 on the lowers, Loos model B tension gauge) 90% of the time. A couple races early on we sailed one step up and a couple more races we sailed at a half step in between. Towards the end of the North Americans it seemed to be a little lighter so we just sailed at base, it was pretty nice in the light stuff and we had the backstay to pull on at the top of the course in the breeze. Shifting Gears We received lots of questions shore side about gear shifting. Here is how I think about it: Crew hiking hard Traveler down Backstay on When you run out of backstay go to vang sheeting Ease Genoa in the big puffs. (along with main) Pull genoa cunningham on in the big puffs. You want to set the halyard for the lulls to keep you powered up *(Reverse in lulls for max power) The key is keeping the boat flat in the puffs and powered up in the lulls. A big shout out to my team, Aroldo de Rienzo, Rich Bowen, PJ Schaffer and John McCabe. It was a memorable trip to Mexico! J/24 Mexican Nationals – 1, 2*, 3, 4, 8, 9 powered by North Sails. Congratulations local Ken Porter, 2019 Mexican National Champion. J/24 North Americans – 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8 powered by North Sails. Congratulations Will Welles. Learn more about North products for the J/24 Class. Local Ken Porter, crowned the 2019 Mexican National Champion, finished 3rd at the NAs © Chris Howell Tony Parker’s Bangor Packet, 2nd Place at the NAs. © Chris Howell Team Baba Louie, going fast at the North Americans and finishing 4th place overall. © Chris Howell READ MORE

50. Trofej princeze Sofije FOTO: ROBERT DEAVES Među jedriličarima regata poznata samo kao "Palma", ove godine Mallorca je po 50. put bila u statusu Europskog, a možda čak i svjetskog proljetnog centra jedrenja. Jedrilo se u deset različitih klasa, od čega je Hrvatska imala predstavnike u čak sedam. Tako su naše djevojke jedrile u 49erFX, Laser Radialu i RS:X, dok su se momci nadmetali u 49eru, Finnu, Laser standardu i RS:X. Jedino nismo imali predstavnike u klasi 470 i u Nacri. Pa krenimo po redu koji sa svojim rezultatima već dugi niz godina nameću laseraši kao najtrofejniji kolektiv. Slično je bilo i ove godine, a naš najbolji predstavnik u ovom olimpijskom samcu je bio Filip Jurišić. Njemu i još četvorici naših laseraša konkurencija je brojala još 182 jedriličara iz više od 50 država! Njihov program se sastojao od deset jedrenja za cijelu flotu. Četiri prva plova su bila kvalifikacijska, a preostalih šest finalnih i za kraj je deset najboljih odjedrilo medal race. Flota je stalno bila podijeljena u tri grupe, naravno u finalnom dijelu na zlatnu, srebrenu i brončanu flotu. U zlatnoj su osim Filipa jedrili još Tonči Stipanović koji je regatu završio kao 14. te Mario Novak koji je na kraju bio 58. A dva naša najmlađa lasera na Palmi, Bruno Gašpić i Alec Cvinar završni dio regate jedre u brončanoj skupini i završavaju regatu na 150. i 151. mjestu. Filip je regatu otvorio s dva treća mjesta, te 7. i 20. To mu je bilo više nego dovoljno za zlatnu skupinu u kojoj je osvojio po jedno 5. i 8. mjesto, dok je u preostala četiri plova bio nešto lošiji. Evo što nam je ispričao o svom nastupu: Konkurencija je bila najbrojnija ikad. Do sada nisam jedrio u brojnijoj floti! Regata je bila iznimno teška sve dane. Puhalo je od laganog, pa do stvarno jakog vjetra... provodili smo dosta vremena na moru jer su bile tri grupe, pa je bilo dosta čekanja. Taktički je također bilo zahtjevno, ali na kraju sam vrlo zadovoljan odrađenim unatoč nekim greškama koje su posljedica prve velike regate u sezoni. Realno, koliko god da je bilo natjecatelja na Velikoj nagradi Mornara i PH ovdje je konkurencija bila na puno višem nivou. Ovdje je cijela grupa od po više od 60 jedrilica bila brza. Također nam je i polje bilo relativno kratko, a s obzirom na broj konkurenata to se ne može simulirati na treninzima. Zadnja regata ovog kalibra nam je bila u rujnu, a Miami smo ove godine ciljano izbjegli. U konačnici nemam što reći i zadovoljan sam svojim nastupom. Na medal raceu smo imali više od 20 čvorova vjetra i uvjeti su mi stvarno odgovarali, jer smo na brzini dosta radili ovu zimu. Tu sam završio na drugom mjestu... u zadnjoj krmi sam izgubio jedno mjesto. Filip Jurišić, JK Mornar FOTO: SAILING ENERGY Što se tiče Filipovog klupskog kolege Tonča Stipanovića, on je bio nešto lošiji u kvalifikacijama, ali zato mnogo bolji u finalnom dijelu regate. U šest finalnih plovova četiri puta je završio u top 10, ali kombinacija 47. mjesta i BFD-a iz kvalifikacija ga je zaustavila u desetom plovu i ovaj put se nije priključio Filipu u medal race-u: Sebi dajem neku srednju ocjenu. Ne računajući Prvenstvo Japana u studenom, zadnja prava regata nam je bila u rujnu. Tako da je trebalo malo da pohvatamo sve, pogotovo što se tiče starta. Prvog dana nam je i polje bilo dosta kratko, cijela regata je trajala 35 minuta na flotu od 64 broda. Mislim da je orca trajala oko 7 minuta, a race officer (glavni sudac na brodu Regatnog odbora, Brazilac) ima neobičan običaj puštati i nepravilne starteve. Oni koji ga dulje poznaju znaju to njegovo ponašanje pa preuranjeno startaju na sredini linije, jer on kao one koji su preuranjeno startali zapiše samo nekoliko brodova koji su najbliži njemu. Tako sam nastradao u trećem plovu iako sam startao među zadnjima, ali mi je greška bila što sam bio uz brod RO-a. Kad smo to shvatili morao sam promijeniti taktiku, ali teret tih velikih bodova daje dodatni pritisak na nastavak regate jer se sad baš svaka daljnja regata računa (samo jedno je odbacivanje). A medal race mi je pobjegao u 8. plovu. Nakon gatea smo se ja i Gašo odvojili, on je išao desno, ja lijevo, pala je totalna bonaca, a kad se vjetar ponovno vratio ja sam bio na krivoj strani i završavam 47. U kasnijim analizama, u slučaju da se može napraviti jedno odbacivanje u finalu, imao sam drugi najbolji rezultat finala, ali što je tu je. Tonči Stipanović, JK Mornar Treći naš predstavnik u zlatnoj skupini, Mario Novak, izvrsno otvara regatu. Prva dva plova je 12. i 9. i već se tada moglo vidjeti da bi regatu mogao nastaviti u zlatnoj skupini. u trećem i četvrtom plovu je bio nešto sporiji, ali na kraju je suma bodova bila dovoljna da se kvalificira među najbolje laseraše na Trofeju princeze Sofije. U grupi u kojoj je bila koncentracija najboljih laseraša na svijetu ostvaruje rezultate između 33. i 55. mjesta, a jedina tamna mrlja mu je BFD u 8. plovu, kao kod Stipanovića. Na kraju solidan 58. Što se tiče Bruna Gašpića i Aleca Cvinara, može se zaključiti da njih dvojica će u budućnosti sigurno imati bolje rezultate. Završnicu jedre u brončanoj skupini, a regatu završavaju kao 150. i 151. od 187 jedriličara. Ono što posebno veseli kod njih dvojice je da su u brončanoj skupini završavali i kao 1. i kao 2. i kao 3. Što se tiče djevojaka u Laser Radialu, također olimpijskoj disciplini kao što je i Standard za muškarce, tamo je konkurenciju činilo 118 jedriličarki, a sve tri jedriličarke s CRO na jedru su finale jedrile u zlatnoj skupini. Najbolja je bila Elena Vorobeva. FOTO: SAILING ENERGY Kiks iz prvog plova vrlo brzo je ostavila iza sebe i u nastavku kvalifikacija nastavlja mnogo bolje. S druge strane u finalu dosta oscilira, a da ima odgovarajuću kvalitetu pokazuje 2. mjesto u predzadnjm plovu. Suma sumarum, 31. mjesto. Samo dvanaest bodova iza, na 39. mjestu u generalnom plasmanu završila je Sandra Lulić. Za razliku od Elene, imala je osrednji kvalifikacijski dio, ali zato kad je zapuhalo radi vrlo dobar niz 4., 10. i 5. mjesta: Pa bilo je OK, solidan početak sezone, pogotovo što nisam regatavala od Aarhusa u kolovozu prošle godine. Tako da sam zadovoljna, jer se vide i rezultati rada na nekim segmentima jedrenja što smo trenirali ovu zimu i što mislim da sam stvarno poboljšala. A sama regata je bila dosta teška jer su uvjeti bili dosta promjenljivi i trebalo se dosta snalaziti. Nekad bi mi pošlo za rukom, nekad ne, ali sve u svemu sam zadovoljna. Rezultati bi možda bili i bolji da nisam imala nekih problema na startevima. Imala sam nesreću što sam bila sudionik nekih sudara za koje nisam bila kriva, pa dok bi se raspetljali i dok bi ponovno krenula već bi izgubila dosta vremena. A štos e tiče vjetra, puhalo je sa svih strana i uglavnom lagani vjetar od 5 do 10 čvorova. Samo jedan dan je puhalo, meni puno dražih, petnaestak čvorova. Sandra Lulić, JK Mornar A s 54. mjesta s Palme se vratila Anđela de Micheli Vitturi. U kvalifikacijama su joj rezultati slični onima od Sandre, osim 3. plova u kojem je Sandra imala UFD, a Anđela vrlo dobro 7. mjesto. Međutim u nastavku regate nije joj išlo najbolje. Rezultati su uglavnom oko 40. mjesta, BFD u predzadnjm plovu i 20. mjesto u posljednjem jedrenju kao najbolji rezultat finala. Slijedeće natjecanje na koje idu i momci i djevojke je regata Svjetskog kupa koja će se jedriti trećeg tjedna travnja u Genovi. Višednevna regata, vrlo velika konkurencija, ali s uvjetima koje jedriličari uspoređuju s onima koji obilježavaju Opatijske regate. Po pitanju drugog olimpijskog samca, kojem će po kretanjima u World Sailingu, nakon olimpijade u Tokiju biti odbrojani dani u olimpijskoj konkurenciji, na regatnom polju je imao i tri Hrvatska jedra. Naši posljednji Mohikanci u klasi, u lovu na jedino mjesto za Hrvatsku na listi za olimpijadu, u principu su podizali formu pred Europsko prvenstvo koje će se u svibnju jedriti u Ateni. Flota na Palmi je brojala 86 vrhunskih atleta, a naši su već tradicionalno bili u samom vrhu. Samo dva boda su dijelila Josipa Olujića i Milana Vujasinovića na 15. i 16. mjestu, dok je Nenad Bugarin bio nešto niže. Završio je kao 22. s 19 bodova više od Vujasinovića. Oni su kao i djevojke, jedrili u dvije flote, dok im je program bio jednak kao i kolegama laserašima. Nakon 4 kvalifikacijska plova jedrilisu još 6 finalnih, a najboljih desetorica nadmetali su se i u medal raceu. U kvalifikacijama je najbolji naš jedriličar bio Milan Vujasinović. Imao je čak 16 bodova manje od Josipa i 22 manje od Nenada. Međutim, u finalu se Josip bolje snalazi. Osvaja jedno 6. i jedno 2. mjesto uz dosta oscilacija u ostalim plovovima dok je Milan uz dva 8. mjesta uglavnom između 23. i 31. O dojmovima s regate popričali smo s Josipom Olujićem: Na Palmi su bili baš svi koji nešto znače u klasi Finn. Nitko nije izostao. Tako da je ova regata bila izvrsna za brušenje forme prije skorašnjeg Europskog prvenstva što ćemo jedriti u Grčkoj, a koje je svima vrlo važno jer ćemo se tamo pokušati izboriti normu za Tokio. Rezultatski nisam ja, a mislim ni ostali Hrvati, napravili koliko možemo, a pogotovo u okviru "nacija" kao što će se gledati na EP, a što je bitno zbog olimpijske norme. Tako će se npr. u Ateni dijeliti četiri mjesta za nacije, a na Palmi sam ja kao naš najbolji predstavnik bio 7. nacija. Gledajući tako napravili smo podbačaj, ali ja osobno mislim da sam odjedrio OK regatu. Solidan rezultat za otvaranje sezone. Uglavnom nam je puhao lagani vjetar s mora od oko 8-9 čvorova, pa je bio jedan dan s dvadesetak čvorova tramuntane i za kraj opet s mora 10-12 čvorova To je nama značilo da na početku smo imali jedrenje kad nismo pumpali u krmu, dok su zadnja dva dana bili malo jači uvjeti. Jedan kiks mi je bio što sam imao pomalo isforsirani preuranjeni start u 5. plovu. Čista nesmotrenost čija posljedica je izostanak s medal racea. Zadovoljan sam brzinom jedrenja, ali ipak sad kad budem išao u Grčku na pripreme pred Europsko morat ću poraditi na nekim detaljima. Josip Olujić, JK Labud FOTO: SAILING ENERGY Kao i dvojica bolje plasiranih kolega, tako je i Neno imao oscilacije u svom jedrenju. Kvalifikacije su bile odrađene u rasponu od 17. do 9. mjesta, a u finalu je objeručke dočekao vjetraške uvjete po kojima je u dva predposljednja plova osvojio 6. i 5 . mjesto. Što se tiče Svjetskog kupa u Genovi, nju će većina Finnista izbjeći i prebaciti se u Atenu gdje će brusiti formu za hvatanje mjesta za upad na olimpijadu. Tako će i naši momci koji će se na jug zaputiti nakon kraćeg odmora u Splitu. I posljednja skupina samaca na regati je bila još jedna trojka, ali ovaj put je riječ o jedriličarima koji regatu provedu uglavnom u stojećem položaju, naravno riječ je o surferima na dasci RS:X. Djevojaka na RS:X-u je bilo 49 i među njima samo Palma Čargo kao naša jedriličarka. Sve su jedrile zajedno u jednoj grupi, tako da nije bilo kvalifikacijskih i finalnih plovova, već se samo nakon 10 odjedrenih regata organizirao medal race za deset najbržih. Palma je na kraju završila na dvadesetom mjestu generalnog plasmana i kao 3. u kategoriji do 21 godine! Po ostvarenim rezultatima može se zaključiti da je mogla biti za nekoliko mjesta bolja jer u prvom plovu nije jedrila, a u petom je bodovana s UFD. Jedna od ove dvije kratice je na kraju odbačena, ali druga je donijela golemih 50 bodova, a prosjek ostalih jedrenja je bio oko 18. mjesta. Kad bi se taj podatak iskoristio za simulaciju mogućeg plasmana bez UFD-a, moguće da bi Palma završila mnogo bliže najboljima koje su ušle u medal race. U muškoj konkurenciji jedrilo je 58 jedriličara. Zajedno s njima naš višestruki olimpijac Luka Mratović i zvijezda u usponu, Rocco Enzo Hrvoj. FOTO: MARIN SIRIŠČEVIĆ Program jedrenja im je bio jednak onome koji su imale cure... 10 + 1. Nažalost, obojica su odjedrili samo obaveznih deset jedrenja, a jedanaesti je ostavljen nekim drugim jedriličarima. Bolji od njih dvojice je bio iskusni Mratović koji je završio na 18. mjestu. Finiše u sredini flote na početku regate popravljao je kako je regata odmicala, a kad je zapuhalo pred kraj natjecanja ulazio je u cilj i unutar najboljih deset. S druge strane Hrvoj je na početku imao slične rezultate, ali s njima je nastavio tijekom cijele regate, te na kraju završava na 35. mjestu. Kao njegov poseban adut mora se dodati to da je bio jedan od najmlađih natjecatelja i u konkurenciji do 21 godine završio je kao 8. Definitivno njegovo vrijeme tek dolazi. O ovoj našoj trojci na Trofeju princeze Sofije brigu je vodio njihov trener Marin Siriščević: Mi smo još na Palmi, jer nakon Trofeja kreće Europsko prvenstvo za RS:X. Uglavnom, sve je OK, kod sviju je vidljiv napredak, uporno radimo u nekom svom ritmu i idemo nabolje. Realno gledajući ova regata nije bila neki posebni pokazatelj, jer se puno jedriličara sprema za EP, pa su ovu regatu koristili više u nekom trening modu i flota nije bila u punom sastavu. Npr. u ženskoj floti ih je bilo pedesetak, a na Europskom će ih biti oko osamdeset. Nedostajalo ih je petnaestak iz samog vrha. Što se tiče Palme Čargo i njenih okreta na privjetrinskoj bovi bilo je OK, ali treba još raditi na njenoj i Roccovoj formi, ipak su oni među najmlađima ovdje. Na nadolazećem EP Palmina konkurencija će biti toliko jača da ako se uspije plasirati u prvih deset do 21 godine bit će ravno ovom njenom rezultatu gdje je bila 3. u istoj kategoriji. Rocco Hrvoj je napravio ogroman napredak, neznam što mu se dogodilo (smijeh), a Mrata je ono klasičan. Sigurno u top 15 u svijetu kad se jedri po jakom vjetru i kad se može glisirati, a kad padne vjetar je u srednjem điru, ali opet moram reći da je Rocco napredovao enormno. Uvjeti su nam bili šareni, od bonace do super jakog vjetra, onako kako bi svaka prava regata trebala biti. Marin Siriščević, JK Labud Što se tiče jedrenja na RS:X-u, Marin radi s još nekoliko juniora koji su još premladi za konkurenciju poput ove na Palmi i što će biti na EP, tako da surf generalno raste. Kako u svijetu raste razvoj brzih klasa koje mogu glisirati i foilati, a sve se to danas vrlo lako prati na internetu, na društvenim mrežama se objavljuju vrlo atraktivni video klipovi, tako i klinci koji izlaze iz Optimista sve više traže nešto modernije od onog što je trenutno u ponudi naših jedriličarskih klubova. Cjenovno najprihvatljivije na kraju ispadaju različite vrste surfova, pa mnogi svoje karijere preusmjeravaju u tom smjeru. Trenutno jedina organiziranija ponuda u ekstremno brzim modernim jedrilicama je u Zadru gdje se jedri na 49erima, te u Šibeniku gdje je u sklopu JK Val g.Danijel Kraljev doveo svoja dva privatna katamarana klase F18 i dao ih mladim laserašima na raspolaganje. Dok maleni kadeti iz Optimista još uvijek jurcaju u ovim dvotrupcima uz nadzor starijih jedriličara. I za kraj su ostale jedine dvije hrvatske posade koje su glisirale na nešto većim daskama za jedrenje. Među 108 muških posada u 49er-ima jedrili su aktualni svjetski prvaci ove klase, braća Šime i Mihovil Fantela. Flota je bila podijeljena u tri flote, a prije formiranja konačnih finalnih skupina morali su proći 6 kvalifikacijskih plovova. Naši momci su se uspješno plasirali u zlatnu skupinu i u njoj su odjedrili još 6 finalnih plovova. Rezultatski su i oni bili šaroliki. Dva puta su pobijedili u kvalifikacijama, a ukupno imaju pet rezultata unutar najboljih deset. Na kraju su bili 16. u generalnom plasmanu, a samo nekoliko bodova je bilo viška za par stepenica bolji plasman. Druga naša posada je bila u ženskom 49er-u. Enia Ninčević i Mihaela Zjena de Micheli Vitturi su bile dio flote od 66 jedrilica i sudjelovale su u najopsežnijem programu Trofeja princeze Sofije. Djevojke su nakon 6 kvalifikacijskih plovova odjedrile još 9 finalnih. Iako su u kvalifikacijama imale jedno 4. i jedno 8. mjesto nisu uspjele ući u zlatnu skupinu. Zato su u srebrenoj skupini bile među najboljima i na svoj konto knjiže 4., 5. i 6. mjesto, ali po jedan BFD i DSQ ih pretjerano opterećuju. Kad se podvuče crta i zbroje svi rezultati završavaju na desetom mjestu u srebrenoj skupini, odnosno na 35. u generalnom plasmanu. Sve rezultate s regate možete pronaći na ovom linku. READ MORE

Making the square-bowed Optimist go fast requires a different thought process, North Sails expert and J/22 World Champion Mike Marshall explains. READ MORE

#NSVICTORYLIST: A RESULTS PACKED WEEK One Design Clients Secure Top Spots Around The Globe 📸 Zerogradinord In a single weekend, North Sails customers and experts filled the #NSVictoryList with numerous podium finishes from around the globe. On Monday morning, the North Sails office was buzzing with regatta news, including Team Stig’s new title as Melges 20 World Champion. These victories covered a wide range of boats and conditions: everything from light Olympic dinghies to heavy keelboats, racing in 5-25 knots. “We are and have always been committed to developing fast one design sails, backed by a team of experts dedicated to helping our customers achieve their goals.” In Europe, the Melges 24, J/70, and 5.5M classes saw a strong start to their spring seasons, with Tonu Tonisstu, Carlo Alberini, and Peter Morton each placing on top of their respective podiums. And perhaps the Princess Sofia Trophy 470 and Finn results predict medals for Tokyo 2020? Meanwhile, several time zones to the west, Will Welles and team won both the Mexican Nationals and the J/24 North Americans. This has been a hugely successful week for our customers, and we were overwhelmed and humbled as we pulled this story together. “Seeing so many results packed into a single weekend fuels the North Sails team to continually advance and make faster sails,” commented Tim Healy, President of North Sails One Design. “Sailmaking has evolved with new technology, new sail cloth, new classes, yet the values Lowell North laid down when building North Sails still ring true today. We are and have always been committed to developing fast one design sails, backed by a team of experts dedicated to helping our customers achieve their goals.” A huge congratulations to our clients for such incredible results. Seeing you succeed is what this is all about. No matter what class you sail, you can trust in the proven success of North products and support to improve your results. Congratulations to all! READ MORE

CATCH YOU ON THE WATER THIS SUMMER 2019 We'll Be There. Will You? Our North Sails Toronto crew will be on the water and walking the docks at the following events this season. Look for our team in their trusty North Sails cap and gear. Don't hesitate to ask us questions about tuning, rigging, and sails. We are here to help and we are looking forward to seeing you. READ MORE

MIKE MARSHALL: WORLD CHAMPION & SAIL DESIGNER Looking Towards A New Challenge Design expert Mike Marshall joined North Sails in 2013 because he wanted to combine sailing with working in aerodynamics. “The two mesh well in designing sails,” he says. Working with the North Design Suite and learning from JB Braun was a great opportunity, and “the job stays fresh because each challenge is new and different.” After a few years commuting from his home base in Rhode Island to JB’s office in Marblehead, MA, he’s now based out of the Portsmouth loft, which has expanded to include a small design team. Mike also coaches youth sailors, which has helped his latest design project: refining the North Sails Optimist inventory. “The coaching experience allows me to relate to the sailors to get quality feedback.” Combined with his sail design expertise, he can then interpret that feedback based on what he’s seen on the water. © Charmaine Gittens / North Sails Leading Edge Optimist Clinic Opti sail design is a unique challenge, he continues. “The designs are based on weight ranges and we get calls from people who say, ‘Well, what if my kid ate a big breakfast sandwich?’ Really, the important thing is that the sail works and that the sailor can use the same shape sail for a significant amount of time.” When he looked at existing designs, Mike realized that sprit tension is the biggest driver of sail shape. “Most coaches just tell their sailors, ‘make the wrinkles go away,’ but there’s a lot more to it than that.” The new design is radial in the clew, which makes it possible to adjust sprit tension to a wide range of conditions. “I think of it as a halyard; more tension closes the upper leech. Closing the leech when you are hiking and not overpowered—that’s really powerful. Yes, you can get rid of the wrinkle by pulling more tension, but removing the wrinkle is not really what you’re trying to achieve.” “The job stays fresh because each challenge is new and different.” Mike’s own sailing currently focuses on world-level one-design racing, mostly in small keelboats. He recently won the J/22 Midwinters, and in 2016 won the J/22 World Championship. He’s also done well in the J/24, J/70, and VX-One. Making keelboats perform definitely helps his design work, Mike says. “In both design and racing, the details are really important, but I try not to get too caught up in the small stuff and focus on doing the big things well.” As for hobbies, Mike laughs at that question. “Sailing?” he quips, before adding that “kiteboarding and diving are definitely hobbies, not that I get to do them that much these days.” © Charmaine Gittens / North Sails Leading Edge Optimist Clinic READ MORE

MELGES 24 SPEEDCAMP IN ASCOY Maurice "Prof" O'Connell delivered his high-energy "Speedcamp" to the Norwegian class. Melges 24 Class President Jens Altern Wathne (L) and his Party Girl team in Askoy YC 2016 Melges 24 World Champion Maurice "Prof" O'Connell from North Sails Ireland was in Bergen, Norway recently to deliver his high-energy "Speedcamp" to the Norwegian class. Sailors from all over Norway travelled to Askoy YC which is the venue for the 2019 Norwegian Nationals in August. Prof delivered intensive boathandling exercises and short race sessions afloat. Ashore some entertaining talks on starting tactics, rules and rig tune were had! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ePjw7XJlCxs&feature=youtu.be READ MORE

HETAIROS GAINS PERFORMANCE BOOST WITH NEW SAILS Perfect Set Up From The Start in St Barths 📸 Carlo Borlenghi The 218-foot ketch Hetairos is a longtime client of North Sails and was an early adopter of 3Di sails within the superyacht crowd. Their recent success and final-day push in securing Overall Winner at the St Barths Bucket is a testament to great teamwork, both onboard and with their sailmaker. “Hetairos has a long-standing relationship with North Sails and is very happy with the sail performance that we have onboard,” explained Captain Graham Newton. “The main and mizzen have been halfway around the world and seen plenty of action, yet the shape still looks like it did on day one. We sailed with a new North race blade and J4 in St Barths. They set up perfectly right out of the bags. The performance increase was clear to see, and no doubt helped us in claiming a hard-fought win in a very competitive class.” Though familiar with stories of Hetairos’s sailing adventures, both racing and cruising this was North Sails President Ken Read’s first time sailing on the boat. He was quick to note a few points upon hitting the dock. “I was amazed at the sheer size and power of this boat. And with all their around the world cruising stories, I was surprised by how agile she was while racing. The race crew and permanent onboard crew has really dialed in that boat and sails Hetairos extremely efficiently.” “We sailed with a new North race blade and J4 in St Barths. They set up perfectly right out of the bags. The performance increase was clear to see and no doubt helped us in claiming a hard-fought win in a very competitive class.” Read was onboard Hetairos as a guest for the practice day and Race 1 of the Bucket weekend. “Being an observer is a new experience for me, and it allowed me the opportunity to take a really good look and evaluate the sail plan North has developed with the team,” explained Read. “I really want to make sure that the North 3Di sails are living up to our lofty promises, and I’m thrilled to say yes. A lot of the sails being used in the Bucket have sailed around the World and experienced extreme Southern Ocean conditions. I stand in awe of how the team pushed the boat, and by our company’s capabilities and the sails that we make.” 📸 Ryan Borne 📸 Carlo Borlenghi 📸 Carlo Borlenghi READ MORE

FLYING SCOT MIDWINTERS Winning In The Challengers Division Karen Jones and Chuck Tanner, Challengers champions. © Jim Faugust When Chuck Tanner found himself without a skipper for the Flying Scot Midwinters he connected with local Fleet 36 captain Karen Jones and began training with a modest goal of “top 5 finishes” and having fun on their home waters in Sarasota Bay. Now, after winning 6 of 8 races and dominating the fleet with boat speed and solid teamwork, Karen and Chuck share some of their secrets that made them the 2019 Midwinter Challenger Division Champions! Karen and Chuck, first off congratulations on your performance at the Midwinters in the Challenger Division. You had an incredibly consistent performance throughout the week through a very wide range of conditions. What were the keys to being able to adapt to the different conditions and be so successful in all of them? Thanks! First off the North Sails RHC main, Snug Rig Jib and BR-1 spinnaker were fast! They had been used a bit but they really hold their original designed shape (not stretched and worn) really well and these designs really set up well for our team weight (low 300#s) for the range over three gorgeous days. In addition to knowing we had the fastest sails, we also had the advantage of familiar waters and winds. In the light stuff Karen kept the boat punching through chop left over from earlier higher winds and from motor boats. In the races where we were overpowered we also kept the boat moving through the water using vang and cunningham to keep us more than competitive with the heavier teams. If our crew weight was in the low 400#s we might ask Zeke about using the standard AP Mainsail, but the newer Norths really have a wide wind range for more people. Clearly you were going FAST. What tips would you give to fellow class members that can help them get prepared to have top notch boat speed throughout a wide range of conditions? We all say that old Scots stay competitive with new Scots as long as you have a decent suit of sails. In my experience, the Norths have always had a longer life than most other makers. Jibs and spinnakers take a rougher beating so you might get a year less out of them than you do the main. Along with recent sails, I think our boat set-up was similar to what the current competitive boats have, and the lines and blocks were all in good repair. You can’t fight your boat, sails, and gear and at the same time expect to stay competitive. We all say that old Scots stay competitive with new Scots as long as you have a decent suit of sails. In my experience, the Norths have always had a longer life than most other makers. Jeff and Amy Linton, Championship winners. © Jim Faugust What did the team focus on as far as pre-race “homework?” Did you have a routine before every race? We were lucky that David Ames (ed: David, with PJ Buhler were the Championship Division runner-ups with their brand new North Sails!) took time to help us all over several weekends. He wants us to develop the habit of checking weather reports beforehand, watching the wind as we sail to the course area, note the lifts and headers, and possible persistent direction changes, on both tacks. Where are the areas of pressure? How do they move across the course? He wants us to check for which end is favored, at both ends, and perhaps teaming with a second boat if possible. He wants us to get a line sight when that pin finally gets established. All these small things added up to helping us keep our focus each race. What was your communication on the boat like? How did you divvy up the roles in terms of boat speed and tactics/strategy? Because of the close proximity of so many boats I recall Karen asked me not to chatter too much in those last few minutes before he start! The result was mostly fine starts that gave us the freedom to hold our lane and go pretty fast. We were able to shed some of the boats quickly, though in the Champ Fleet the luxury of dusting the boats around us is just not a possibility. Along with nice starts, Karen concentrated on speed and height very successfully, and that allowed me to focus on tactics and positioning and choose when we would tack and gybe and where to go! Also, we worked hard on sail trim and mainsheet and vang adjustment was constant and sail trim was a joint effort. The Challenger fleet has the advantage of being able to watch the Championship fleet start first. Did you use the Championship fleet as a tell tale for what might happen in your races? Watching the Champ Fleet on the starting line, on the weather leg, and downwind is invaluable and is also one of the most enjoyable things about the big regattas. It is a great tip for Challenger teams to use to improve their performance and results. It has a huge effect on our plans and choices throughout each race. © Jim Faugust What was your general strategy on the starting line? Our plan was to set up so that we had some room ahead and to port to accelerate into through the seconds before and after the gun. Karen’s success here really helped us to have freedom and choices up the first weather leg. We noted how the top of the Champ Fleet can, in light air, induce heel to leeward and really keep charging downwind. … this downwind “gear changing” may be the most difficult part of Scot racing to master. We did a lot of sailing with varying wind velocities (lots of puffs and lulls). How did you change gears with sail trim, center board trim (downwind), and body positioning throughout the changing velocities? We were always quick to ease vang and sheets, always looking for the drop in pressure. Karen was always quick to bear off and ease slightly for chop, and keep the boat feeling like it was moving freely. Karen frequently had me move into the boat to induce heel when pressure dropped. For chop I would slide aft to ‘butts together’. Downwind the board was in skeg mode for tracking over a wide range. When the wind came forward, we would lower the board to 1/3rd, for reaching and downwind we heeled the boat to weather whenever possible. We noted how the top of the Champ Fleet can, in light air, induce heel to leeward and really keep charging downwind. From our perspective, this downwind “gear changing” may be the most difficult part of Scot racing to master. Next year you’ll have to be in the Championship Division! How will you approach the regatta differently? The Championship Fleet is a much more intense world. It is broken into three groups – good, better, best. We would have a strong learning curve within the ‘good’ group. It takes a lot to survive the starting line. Two recent Challenger champs, Jim Leggette and Bill Vogler, preferred to stay in Challenger for 2019, perhaps for the safety and fun factor! Any last tips for the class on how to win a regatta? Karen is captain of Scot Fleet 36 which is very active and the fleet sails at a pretty high skill level so my first suggestion is to get on the water with your local group and sail! Next, if you have the chance to attend a Midwinters or North Americans, you should do it. Between the racing and the tips you will get from the top sailors in the class you will become a better sailor. When I lost my crew job with Ron Pletsch I didn’t know if I’d get to race. When Karen and I teamed up, our goal was to shoot for individual top-five race finishes. We had a lot of good surprises. That happened unexpectedly to local members in 2015 also, and it can happen to everyone. Get on the water with your local group. If you have the chance to attend a Midwinters or North Americans, you should do it. You will become a better sailor. Greg Foote, Stephen Griggs and Christy Stephens enjoying the nice breeze. © Jim Faugust READ MORE

VX ONE TUNING GUIDE RELEASE Get The Most Out Of Your VX One North Sails is proud to release a complete Tuning Guide for the VX One class. The new guide was based on six months of tuning and practice, leading up to and including the 2018 North Americans in Charleston, South Carolina. North VX One experts John Bowden, Jackson Benvenutti, and sail designer Mike Marshall worked together to develop the guide. The base rig tensions and turns for each step have been adjusted as well to keep the mast bend better aligned with the sails. Language has been added to the guide to clarify the way that sails should be trimmed and the boat should be sailed in all conditions. “The new base numbers in the tuning guide were the ones that our team used to win the VX North Americans in Charleston. They help to better depower the boat in heavy air and power it up in light air.” – John Bowden. While we can’t guarantee you immediate victory on the race course by following this guide, we can assure you that you’ll be taking a big step in the right direction! Open Tuning Guide READ MORE

DONINO MAKES A GRAND DEBUT New Team Hits The Ground Running In Villasimius 📸 Mauro Melandri / Zerogradinord/ MWL Event one of the Melges World League European Division was held last weekend in the beautiful waters of Villasimius, Italy. Wind ranged from 8-11 knots throughout the weekend. North clients finished 1,2,4,5 in the strong 14-boat fleet. Luigi Giannattasio’s Argentinian team Donino found themselves on top of the podium in their Melges World League debut. “The team members played a key role in this victory, made up of great champions like Manu Weiller, Sebastian Col and Federico Michetti, who were the key to the team’s growth up to this level of competitiveness that puts us with great pride at the top. “ Newcomber Donino hit the ground running, finishing race with a bullet, and continuing their stride with all but one finish outside of a third place. The team was able to fend off second place Caipirnha, a known powerhouse, as well as Tavatuy, who is a two-time World Champion. Even with a 10th place finish in race four, Donino swept the fleet, winning by 12 points after the discard. “I can only express great happiness for this result obtained on a boat that both myself and my son Pierluigi, who was on board with us and with whom I have the pleasure of sharing this success, love very much,” commented owner and skipper Luigi Giannattasio. “The team members played a key role in this victory, made up of great champions like Manu Weiller, Sebastian Col and Federico Michetti, who were the key to the team’s growth up to this level of competitiveness that puts us with great pride at the top. ” Mainsail trimmer, Sebastian Col was also humble his team found success after their first regatta together. The team worked closely with North Sails in Italy and got a ton of support. Sebastian commented; “The service we have received from North Sails in Italy was helpful. Everyone is knowledgeable, and they know the boat. All of this has contributed to the fact that we have been able to figure out the boat faster, and can start the season with the ability to be competitive with other top teams.” 📸 Mauro Melandri / Zerogradinord / MWL When it comes to using North Sails, Sebastian had a positive experience. “North’s products for the Melges 32 make it easy to find your groove quickly. Our sails have great shape and work well in all wind ranges. As a starting point for the season, we are pleased with the product and service we received.” Following the North Sails tuning guide and seeing how it affects the boat also made a difference for Donino. “North’s tuning guide is a good starting point. We will continue to push during practice, hoping we get faster and more comfortable in the boat,” said Sebastian. Winning the first event of the season is a great way to start the season, but the team acknowledges that they need to keep working at it because the series is far from over, and the level of competition is still a very high. Sebastian commented; “We don’t want to be too confident after winning this first regatta. Spending the time in the boat is what we need to continue to do well in the series.” Donino duking it out with Caipirnha. 📸 Mauro Melandri / Zerogradinord / MWL 📸 Mauro Melandri / Zerogradinord / MWL READ MORE

North Sails is never satisfied and always seeking to build sails that help our clients to win. Our victory list is here to prove it. READ MORE

TIPS FROM OUR LOCAL EXPERTS North Sails Charleston Team Give Us The Inside Scoop On Racing In Charleston With the first race right around the corner, we grilled John Bowden, Rich Bowen and Ervin Grove, North Sails' local experts, on what counts and what doesn't when sailing Charleston Race Week. Here's a recap on what they told us. What season is April in Charleston? Winter may be over, but early spring can still bring some big fronts through town, which means chilly northerly winds. But more often, the days will be warm and draw in the southeasterly seabreeze. The bottom line? Get ready to dress for either condition. Water temperatures are in the high 60's, so if you're from the northeast, a wave in the face will feel like mid-summer. What's the regatta set up? Charleston Harbor is located at the confluence of three rivers - the Wando, Cooper, and Ashley - with a big island in the middle named Shutes Folly Island. Boats are parked at Patriots Point Marina (the regatta HQ, near circle 4), Carolina Yacht Club (near circle 1), and James Island Yacht Club (south of circles 1-3). Four racing areas are inside the harbor while circle 5 south and north are outside. Depending on your location and your assigned race area, it'll take 20 minutes, plus or minus, to get to the inside courses. The fleets racing outside start their first race in the harbor and sail a pursuit race out to their circle, then do the opposite at the end of the day. That minimizes the commute and congestion, and maximizes racing time. How long are the courses? The organizers aim to have one-mile beats on most courses and approximately 45 minutes per race. In a seabreeze, they can sometimes stretch the legs slightly. In winds from other directions, it's a challenge to keep the courses on different circles from overlapping, so they may shorten up. What are the common wind directions? The Charleston seabreeze typically comes in about 11am or noon from the southeast. It may start more easterly and swing to the right with a fair amount of south in it, building to 12 to 15 knots. If it's warm and the skies are cloudless in the morning, the seabreeze usually arrives sooner. If it's going to be a weak seabreeze, it may not come in until the tide changes. If a weather system comes through, the wind will often blow fairly hard for a day or two from the north-northeast with big wind shifts. The locals watch to see "which river will pay", as the wind often channels out of one river and then the other. What about the tidal current? Charleston has a strong tidal flow, and Bowden says the organizers schedule the event to minimize motoring with an ebb tide in the morning and a flood in the afternoon. The harbor is subject to a tidal range of 5.5 to 7 feet, so you would think it would make sense to know exactly what time the tide is going to change. However, because there are three rivers involved, the direction of the current flow varies across the harbor, and if it's been raining in the hills of North Carolina earlier in the week, the tide change could easily be off by an hour. It can also be very different from course to course and across a single racing area, particularly on circle 2 and 3. How do you deal with unpredictable currents? The consensus is to get to the racecourse nice and early and do your homework. Pay attention to how the signal boat is lying at anchor, sail the weather leg, and look out for crab pots. Also note your location relative to the closest river. For the rest of the day, keep watching what the current is doing as it changes. And don't be surprised to find variation in current direction on different parts of the same race circle. What's the difference when racing offshore? When racing the pursuit legs, in and out of the harbor, be aware of commercial traffic. You'll see containerships coming through and they're going fast. Stay clear! If you get a series of warning blasts from the ship, you will be disqualified. Watch your AIS, keep someone on the VHF, and don't hesitate to call the harbor pilots on channel 13 or 16. Have a conversation with them and let them know what you're trying to do. When they come past you , you can sail outside of the channel, fairly close to the jetties. Top tip for visitors? Watch what it does on the starting line and don't hit a mark and let it ruin your regatta, but don't get hung up on the current and bang the corners looking for a current advantage. The current may favor one side or the other, but when racing inshore, the wind shifts are usually more important. When you see someone winning a race by a lot during the regatta, it's usually an out-of-town boat with a sharp-eyed tactician taking advantage of a great windshift. Off the water, any food recommendations for out-of-towners? Charleston is great, bot for lunch and dinner, but it't busy. For sandwiches, go to Jersey Mikes, Publix, or Brown Dog Deli. Order ahead if you can. For dinner, make reservations early, or you'll have a very long wait. What do we do if we need sail repair during the regatta? Our North Sails loft in Charleston is ready for all your regatta repairs. Call Certified Service Manager, Ervin Grove directly at 865-789-2895 or the loft at 843-722-0823 for sail pick up and delivery information. READ MORE

RACE READY WITH NORTH SAILS & LOOR Racers Get Measured & Ready To Go For The Upcoming Sailing Season Our team of North Sails experts - Mike Wolfs, Hugh Beaton, Kid Domiciano, Joel Caro, Louisa Sonosky and Kyann Renztelos were on-hand to help racers check another thing off their to-do list before the sailing season kicks off. Racers were able to get their sails measured and certified for PHRF or IRC racing on the Great Lakes. Our team of experts walked sailors through the measurement process, what would be involved in servicing them including a brief overview of our 10 Point Inspection and recommendations for improving sail handling. Will French, fleet captain at Lakeshore Yacht Club and co-chair of LSYC Raft Party Race, stopped by to have his Olsen 911SE mainsail measured for racing while fellow LSYC/LOOR member Sandra Chave and Tri Pham stopped by for measurement for their Hanse 342 sails. Missed the event? Not to worry. Bring your sails in anytime and our service team can help get your sails measured & certified, both for PHRF and IRC ratings. To learn more about LOOR’s yacht racing/handicap requirements for racing, please see here for more detail. Learn more about North Sails Certified Service and how it can help your sailing experience. Our Toronto team thanks racers for coming out! Interested in sails? Have questions about our products? Contact us today. READ MORE

FIVE WAYS TO GET THE MOST FROM YOUR SAILMAKER We Are Here For You! North Sails Toronto provides 5 tips on how to optimize your local sailmaker to get the most from your time on the water. Building Your Sail Inventory We get it - deciding which sail to go with or what to add to your inventory next is a hard decision and one that is not always easy. Our team of North Sails experts are here to help you review your options based upon what you have, what kind of sailing you want to do, and where you want to go sailing. More Than Just Sails Getting your new sails is great and exciting however we can also help you with the hardware options that can help you optimize your sails. Items such as furlers, Tides tracks, or Antel cars are items your local North Sails expert can assist you with. This hardware also plays into fine-tuning your sail inventory and boat handling. Continued Support From the beginning of your interaction with North Sails, albeit service or new purchase, our team is here to help you. If you have questions about your sail, old or new, and want some insight or advice; our local team is more than happy to come sailing with with you to ensure you’re using your sails to their full potential. Going beyond on water assistance, we're here to provide continued support after you purchase your sails. Our design team is available - even during the purchase process - to answer any questions you may have and provide sail shape analysis of your sails. Regatta Repair Overnight repair? No sweat. Utilize the team for overnight regatta repair if something happens on the water. We want to get you back on the water as fast as you want to be back on it! Extend The Life Of Your Sails When the season is over, bring your sails or have bend off service performed and bring the sails in for a check-up. North Sails experts and our Certified Service experts are more than happy to look at your sails with you, provide feedback, and help you extend the life of your sails. We can help you catch small problems before they become big ones. READ MORE

CONSEJO NORTH SAILS ¿Qué significa NPC? Acrónimo de North Panel Cloth, son las siglas con las que en North Sails denominamos a la familia de velas fabricadas con tejido poliéster. Nuestra firma cuenta con una larga tradición en fabricación de velas de dacron desde la introducción de esta fibra para la fabricación de velas en 1950. Con el tiempo hemos perfeccionado su diseño, manufactura y acabado, alcanzando un nivel de perfección inédito que aplicamos en tres gamas: NPC Cross-Cut (la más polivalente, fabricada con tejido NorDac Fill), NPC Radian (menor estiramiento y mayor rendimiento que cualquier otra lona de poliéster no laminado) y NPC Downwind (para un máximo rendimiento en portantes). Para más información, contacta con tu agente North Sails, visita www.northsails.com/sailing/es/lofts o escríbenos a info@es.northsails.com READ MORE

TE ESPERAMOS EN EL SALÓN DE PALMA North Sails continúa apoyando los principales salones náuticos celebrados en España. Entre el 27 de abril y el 1 de mayo participaremos en el 36 Palma International Boat Show con un stand en el que expondremos nuestra gama de velas, incluyendo la nueva Helix con tecnología de reparto de cargas, la interpretación de North Sails para velas de proa sin cabo antitorsión. Te esperamos en el Moll Vell de Palma. READ MORE

VISITA A CUNTIS Participantes de la 5ª Regata Interclubes de la Ría de Pontevedra se acercaron hasta la velería de North Sails en Cuntis. Participantes de la 5ª Regata Interclubes de la Ría de Pontevedra se acercaron hasta la velería de North Sails en Cuntis para descubrir de mano de nuestro diseñador Fernando Pazó cómo trabajan nuestros expertos veleros en la fabricación y reparación de velas. Esta iniciativa formó parte del programa del ya tradicional clinic North Sails impartido en esta ocasión por Jorge Martínez Doreste, y que se celebró en el Real Club Náutico de Sanxenxo el 23 de marzo. READ MORE

NORTH SAILS, EN LA LIGA MUNDIAL DE MELGES El pasado 29 de marzo comenzó en la localidad sarda de Villasimius (Italia) la división europea de la Melges World League 2019, liga mundial de clases Melges 20 y Melges 32. 📸 Mauro Melandri Por tercer año consecutivo, North Sails participa como patrocinador de un evento que es referencia en el circuito internacional de monotipos. Expertos de North Sails estarán presentes en cada evento para prestar asistencia a los participantes y recopilar información para continuar mejorando nuestros productos. En 2018, los títulos mundiales de Melges 20 y Melges 32 fueron ganados por equipos propulsados por velas North Sails. READ MORE

CAMPEONES NORTH SAILS EN ST. BARTHS La clasificación final de la St. Barths Bucket 2019 dejó muy buenas noticias para los clientes North Sails. 📸 Studio Borlenghi El vencedor absoluto fue el barco más grande de esta edición, el colosal Hetairos, ganador además de Clase A, también denominada Les Gazelles des Mer. El Baltic de 218 pies de eslora sumó un primero, un segundo y un tercero en las mangas disputadas, empatando a puntos con el Baltic 108 WinWin diseñado por el español Javier Jáudenes; tercero finalizó el Baltic 130 My Song, tercero. También confiaron en North Sails los tres primeros clasificados de Clase B (Les Mademoiselles del Mers): el Farr de 35 metros Sojana, el Dubois 382 Farfalla y el MM330 Missy. ¡Felicidades y gracias a todos por confiar en North Sails! READ MORE

SERVICIO A DOMICILIO PARA SUPERYATES Además de diseñar, fabricar y comercializar las mejores velas del mundo, North Sails ofrece un servicio itinerante de velería en eventos donde la logística puede suponer una complicación para sus clientes. 📸 Studio Borlenghi Además de diseñar, fabricar y comercializar las mejores velas del mundo, North Sails ofrece un servicio itinerante de velería en eventos donde la logística puede suponer una complicación para sus clientes. Es el caso de la recién celebrada St. Barths Bucket 2019, donde los 34 superyates participantes pudieron competir con la tranquilidad de disponer de un equipo de veleros North Sails en tierra para resolver cualquier incidencia durante la competición. Dentro del calendario anual de competición de superyates, la St. Barths Bucket es considerada la regata de referencia en formato no profesional. Los armadores pueden compartir su pasión con amigos a bordo de sus embarcaciones y contar con un timonel de America’s Cup o un campeón olímpico navegando su barco, algo así como lanzarse a un circuito con tu coche conducido por Fernando Alonso. Es también una ocasión excepcional para comprobar el verdadero potencial de sus embarcaciones a manos de expertos capaces de explorar sus prestaciones. Tanto el puerto como los alrededores de la isla de St. Barths (San Bartolomé, territorio francés en el extremo oriental del Caribe) son ideales para acoger una regata de superyates de este calibre, pero no siempre es fácil encontrar solución a reparaciones de velas de semejantes dimensiones. Este año participaron 34 barcos con esloras comprendidas entre los 31 metros del Swan Varsovie y los 67 metros del Baltic Hetairos. Basta revisar las medidas del coloso verde, con 62,5 metros de altura de mástil, para comprender las proporciones de sus velas. Servicio North Sails Un año más, North Sails desplazó a St. Barths el equipo material y humano para brindar un completo servicio de velería a pie de pantalán, algo muy valorado por los participantes. “Antes, el velero local se traía su máquina de coser al pantalán y gente como yo se pasaba la noche reparando velas, pero desde que decidimos instalar el servicio, con todo en un mismo sitio y bien organizado, hemos facilitado mucho la vida de armadores y capitanes de los barcos”, explica el experto en superyates de North Sails Quinny Houry, que se desplazó desde su base de Palma para competir a bordo del MM330 Missy. El servicio itinerante North Sails incluye un equipo formado por entre tres y cinco veleros, en función de las características del evento, y supone un considerable esfuerzo logístico que incluye el transporte de la maquinaria y los materiales necesarios para trabajar en velas de varios cientos de kilos de peso cuya superficie se cuenta en ocasiones por miles de metros cuadrados. Para la St. Barths Bucket todo viajó desde las instalaciones de North Sails en Palma, las mayores del mundo especializadas en superyates. Localmente se alquilan elementos como carpas, suelo y cualquier otro accesorio complementario. “En los días previos al inicio de la competición realizamos modificaciones y mejoras en las velas, pero una vez que empieza la regata lo más habitual son reparaciones de spinnakers”, explica Ben Fletcher, director de servicio North Sails. “La carga de trabajo depende mucho de las condiciones meteorológicas, por lo que en algunas regatas estamos a tope, con 20 velas al día o más, mientras en otras damos servicio a 20 durante todo el evento. En la St. Barths Bucket 2018 realizamos 21 reparaciones, y este año terminamos la operación con un número similar”. Este servicio itinerante supone un considerable esfuerzo impensable sin el apoyo de una gran organización, como recuerda Quinny: “Una de las ventajas de North Sails es que es lo suficientemente grande que disponemos de los recursos necesarios para trasladar a la isla un servicio itinerante sólo para este evento. Si imaginas la logística necesaria para trasladar unas instalaciones capaces de gestionar velas de más de 200 kilos de peso, no es fácil. North Sails es la única firma con la capacidad de hacerlo, y estamos muy orgullosos de poder ofrecérselo a nuestros clientes”. Además de en la St. Barths Bucket, North Sails proporciona el servicio itinerante en la Loro Piana y la Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup de Porto Cervo (en la isla italiana de Cerdeña) y Les Voiles de Saint Tropez (Francia). Para la Sail Racing PalmaVela y la Superyacht Cup de Palma se ofrece un servicio similar pero aprovechando la infraestructura de las dos velerías de North Sails en la isla. READ MORE

GENNAKER LAUNCHING BAG Installation Guide Most of the really memorable spinnaker mishaps can be avoided if the sail is equipped with a dousing sleeve. Inside the sleeve, the sail is protected from most snags. When the sleeve is hoisted there is no pressure on the sail, so the crew can take their time and make sure everything is sorted out before raising the sleeve. However, the sleeve and retrieval line add another layer of complexity and potential for tangles. That’s why, except on very large boats that are equipped with purpose-made spinnaker launching bins, we recommend storing your cruising spinnaker and sleeve in a racing “box turtle” bag or zipper “sausage” bag. For trouble-free launching and retrieval, follow the steps below. Step 1 In a sail loft or on a clean dry lawn, tie the head of the sail to a tree or post. With a helper holding the tack, run the sleeve up and down to remove any twists. Step 2 Pull the sleeve all the way down. If the sleeve fits the sail correctly, the cone will come within a foot of the clew, but will not go past the clew. Next, attach the clew and tack to opposite ends of the bag with the Velcro web straps. Stuff the loose foot fabric into the bag and place the cone in the center of the bag opening, on top of foot material, clew, and tack. Step 3 Coil the retrieval line loosely and shove it up into the outer sleeve, so the line disappears above and outside the cone. This will keep the retrieval line from getting tangled and will prevent you from inadvertently rigging the tack line, halyard or sheets through the loop. (When you hoist the sleeve to the top of the mast, the retrieval line may fall to the deck on its own; if not, reach in and pull it out.) Step 4 Flake the sleeve into the bag, forcing each flake deep into the corners. Pass the center Velcro webbing through the head ring and close the bag. Now the sail can be hooked up to the tack line, halyard, and sheets. You will hoist right out of the bag. If the cone is allowed to run freely up the luff as the sail fills, it is possible for the cone to run fast enough that it creates a fair amount of friction. This could cause enough heat to melt the fabric over large areas of the sail. The friction of the retrieval line running through the palm of your hands can also cause enough friction to melt human skin. The skin repair is free (except in extreme cases), but the cost of replacing the melted spinnaker fabric can be pretty high. Before raising the cone, control deployment speed by wrapping the retrieval line around a deck fitting or winch. READ MORE

European Match Race Tour - stop Tivat foto: Elena Shu - Porto Montenegro Yacht Club Druga regata European Match Race Toura za 2019. je odjedrena u Tivtu, domaćini su bili članovi Porto Montenegro Yacht Cluba, a Hrvatski predstavnici su bili ponovno članovi Wave Sailing Centera. Konkurencija je bila iznimno jaka jer je regata imala kategoriju Grade 2, što bi u prijevodu značilo da donosi hrpu bodova za WS MR ljestvicu. Regata je imala i simboličan novčani fond nagrada, za pobjedu se dodijelilo 400€, za drugo mjesto 300€ i za treće 200€. U Tivat je stiglo deset kormilara među kojima je bilo onih koji pripadaju samom vrhu dvobojskog jedrenja. Najbolje plasirani među njima su bili Ettore Botticini (ITA) - 4. na rang ljestvici, Mati Sepp (EST) - 6. na ljestvici, Dejan Presen (SLO) - 14. na ljestvici, Szymon Szymik (POL) - 21. na ljestvici... Među njima su zajedrili i mladi šibenčani s Markom Smolićem za kormilom koji trenutno zauzima 189. mjesto na svjetskoj rang ljestvici. S obzirom na broj posada program je bio vrlo opsežan, čak 45 matcheva se trebalo odjedriti da se završi kompletan Round Robin i da bi se dobili parovi koji su konačni plasman tražili u King of the Castle, polufinalu i kasnije u finalu. Što se dešavalo na moru ispričao nam je jedan Denis Marinov, koji je zajedno s Nevenom Baranom direktnim suđenjem na moru presuđivao sporne situacije: Vrijeme nas je izvrsno poslužilo i napravili smo cijeli program. U petak je puhalo s jugozapoada između 5 i 9 čvorova, dok je u subotu i nedjelju dominirao maestral koji je u dizao i do 20 čvorova. Jedrilo se s tri para jedrilica klase J70, a konkurencija je bila iznimno jaka! Naša posada je bila jedina ispod 100. mjesta na svjetskoj rang ljestvici. Denis Marinov, jedriličarski sudac Smolić i društvo prvog dana regate se nisu najbolje snašli. Lako su dobivali penale i u petak gube tri dvoboja (matcha) te dan završavaju bez bodova. U subotu su se malo trgnuli i pobijedili su u tri nova dvoboja i u jednako toliko izgubili, pa im je konačni postotak bio 33%. Posljedica je da su Round Robina završili na 8. mjestu. Imali su jednak postotak kao Danska posada Emila Kjaera, kojeg su dobro upoznali na match race regatama u Šibeniku ove i prošle godine, ali su danci pobijedili u međusobnom dvoboju pa su na idući stupanj natjecanja išli sa 7. mjesta. Kao jedna svijetla točka tog dijela regate je bila to što je iza njih završila posada Szymona Szymika koja je imala samo jednu pobjedu, odnosno osvojila je 11% dvoboja i slovenci s Bojanom Rajarom koji su iz kvalifikacijskog ciklusa izašli bez pobjede. S obzirom na nizak plasman u kvalifikacijama naši su u nedjelju mogli jedriti samo u King of the Castle. Tu su imali šansu izboriti se do dosta dobrog 5. mjesta u generalnom plasmanu. Tko je koga pobijedio u ciklusu svakog protiv svakog možete vidjeti na ovom linku. Princip napredovanja s nižih startnih pozicija je bio da su prvi dvoboj jedrili 9. i 10. nakon Round Robina. Tu je pobjedu odnijela poljska posada i u idućem matchu su ih dočekali Smolićevi momci koji (osmi nakon Round Robina). Naši su izvrsno otvorili match i vodili su cijelu regatu, da bi šansu za napad na 7. mjesto izgubili u doslovno posljednjem metru plova. Slijedeća stepenica koju su trebali prijeći Poljaci bila je s posadom Emila Kjaera. Izgleda da je nedjelja bila dan danske posade jer su glatko pobijedili poljake, kao što su napravili i u svoja iduća dva matcha te regatu završavaju na 5. mjestu. Vodeća četvorka je imala klasičniji program. U polufinalu je najbolja posada iz Round Robina, Francuzi s Jean-Baptiste Bernazom izabrala svoje protivnike i tako definirala i drugi polufinalni plov. Bernaz i Botticin pobjeđuju u oba polufinalna plova te su se sastali u finalu, dok su u malom finalu jedrila talijanska posada s Roccom Attilijem na kormilu i miješani slovensko-hrvatski sastav koji je okupio Dejan Presen. Konačni rezultat i poredak nakon regate možete pronaći na ovom linku. READ MORE

NORTH SAILS POWER HETAIROS TO OVERALL VICTORY IN ST BARTHS Three Days of Racing Delivers Scoreboard Success North Clients on Hetairos, the 67m Dykstra R/P, had a great regatta. Congratulations to the crew for a job well done, winning overall in Class A, just ahead of WinWin and My Song. 📸 Carlo Borlenghi / Borlenghi Studios Winning North inventories filled in 12 of 18 podium positions, including the overall winner of the St Barths Bucket. Thirty-four yachts and 1500 sailors competed in the 2019 edition of the Bucket, an event known for its competitive, but Corinthian spirit. Hetairos, the 67m Dykstra R/P bested her fleet and was also crowned 2019 overall champion. With three races in three days, North Sails clients found success across multiple classes. In addition to Hetairos, North sails outfitted Class B winner Sojana as well as crowding the podium across Class C, Class D, Class E and the dedicated Corinthian, non-spinnaker Class F. Each year since 1995, St Barths plays host to the by-invitation superyacht regatta. This event is an opportunity for boat owners, their friends and a collection of highly accomplished sailors to enjoy this annual tradition. For this edition of the race, North Sails worked with world-renowned sailing photographer Carlo Borlenghi to capture sailing during the day and our pop-up service loft at night. Below is a selection of our favorite imagery from St Barths, which captures the spirit for this truly unique, Corinthian superyacht regatta. 📸 Carlo Borlenghi / Borlenghi Studios 📸 Carlo Borlenghi / Borlenghi Studios 📸 Carlo Borlenghi / Borlenghi Studios 📸 Carlo Borlenghi / Borlenghi Studios 📸 Carlo Borlenghi / Borlenghi Studios 📸 Carlo Borlenghi / Borlenghi Studios 📸 Carlo Borlenghi / Borlenghi Studios 📸 Carlo Borlenghi / Borlenghi Studios READ MORE

MAKING THE SWITCH New J/22 Client Casey Lambert Explains What Made The Difference Casey Lambert’s Blackburn Marine Racing, 3rd place at 2019 J/22 Midwinters. ©Chris Howell One Design expert Mike Marshall interviews Casey Lambert after the J/22 Midwinters in Florida earlier this month. Casey recently switched to North Sails, and his 3rd place performance at the Midwinters caught Mike’s attention. Learn more from Mike’s Q & A. Casey, you recently switched to North Sails and finished 3rd at the J/22 Midwinters. How did you go about setting the rig up for the new sails? What tuning tips would you have for others switching? What did you use for your base setting? We initially used the North Sails J/22 Tuning Guide. The guide recommended starting with 26 on the uppers and 7 on the lowers. With this setting, we saw no sag, so the lowers were eased until we could see 1/2″ of sag. As a final result, we had 26 on the uppers with no reading on the lowers, 4-5 inches side-to-side measured at the dock. For any one switching to North Sails, I would start with the tuning guide to get a solid starting point, but don’t be afraid to make changes as all boats are a little bit different. If you had to sum up the key characteristics of the sails when you thought you were going fast, what would they be? I always try to keep the flow in the main even with tell tales flowing at all times. With that being said, I found the traveler had a lot more to offer than with my last sails. The jib was a bit more work, but by the end of the regatta we found that moving the car back and tightening the luff (no scallops) gave us the best performance with the conditions given. ©Chris Howell You mentioned that you changed your forestay length for the North sails. What made you make that change and how much did you changed it? What is the length now? After speaking with you we started at 4′ 11-3/4″. After sailing the boat twice in 0 to 5 knots with no other boats, we made some adjustments to give me a little bit of leeward helm. After sailing the boat in the practice race with a little more breeze I knew we had a problem. The boat had a huge weather helm forcing me to use the rudder like an emergency brake to keep the boat from rounding up. After discussion with Evan and Jesse we decided to take 5 turns out of the head stay (not a minor adjustment). We went into day one ready to make changes but we had speed and point, so we ran with it. We have not made a new measurement since the last changes. After using the sails for four days now, what are the main differences that you have seen in the way that you trim the sails from your previous set? Mainsheet, backstay, jib car? Mainsail – In the past, unless I had a crew sitting in, the traveler never left center. I found that I set the mainsheet and played traveler in all breeze allowing the headstay to stay firm and not bounce around. Jib – The jib really likes the car back and a tight luff which we always kept some scallops in the past. Clearly, you are very fast in the J/22, so as for the boat in general, what are the tips you would give other class members that were key to your success so far this season? Jesse, Evan and myself have been sailing together for 15 plus years on many different boats. Our communication with each other is great! Over the years, we have traded spots on the J/22 which helps in changing gears. I trust them and they trust me. Never settle for the way your boat is set up. Don’t be afraid to make changes… you will never know if you don’t try. We never give up until the finish horn. When I find myself in the back I try to win my side of the race course. In large fleets one shift can send you from 20th to 1st in a matter of seconds. At the 2019 J/22 Midwinters, North Sails designs were used by nine out of the top ten teams, including winners, Mike Marshall’s Bad News, Jeff Todd’s Hot Toddy in second and Casey Lambert’s Blackburn Marine finishing 3rd. Big congrats to Casey on his improvement! Have questions about sails? Need expert advice? Contact Mike today. ©Chris Howell READ MORE

SPEED READING: MANAGING YOUR RISKS Maximizing Your Chances To Make Gains Zeke Horowitz, skipper of J/22 Uncle Fluffy, 2019 World Champions. © Chris Howell J/22 World Champion and North Sails Expert Zeke Horowitz explains how you can maximize your chances to gain through smart boat positioning on the racecourse. Sailboat racing is all about controlling what we can—boat speed, boat handling, preparation, and decision-making. But we can’t control everything. So we need to think about ways to manage risk so we can rely on good speed and conservative tactics. In this article, we’ll review strategies you can apply to your position decisions to ensure your boat is in the right place to make gains while avoiding big losses. Pre Start: “It’s all about the homework” Get out early to sail most of the first beat and figure out if there are any trends in terms of where the velocity is, how often the wind is shifting, current differences, wave differences, etc. Take note of the range of compass numbers on both tacks so you’ll know right away if you’re lifted or headed. Then, check the starting line. Is there a line sight? Is there a favored end based on compass bearings compared to wind direction? Now you can relate this info to what you learned sailing upwind and decide on an overall strategy. Is there a persistent shift? Is there a side to race to based on current? Is it oscillating? With all of this info, decide which area of the line to start so you can be ready to make gains right off the line. If there is a favored end of the line or side of the racecourse, it’s important to start near that end. But if the wind is oscillating, start in an area so you can sail on the lifted tack off the start, regardless of the favored end. If you know the wind is oscillating and in a left phase during the start sequence, the pin will be favored. But since the next shift will be a right phase, it’s probably better to start near the middle or even boat end, because you will have an easier time tacking right away to get on the port lift, and you’ll be closer to the next shift than most competitors. Maybe a few boats that make a risky start at the pin look advantaged early, but you are on the lift, in less traffic and headed towards the next shift, which will be a righty. Now you’re in a position to gain right away. Starting in Oscillating Breeze: Pre-race homework says wind is oscillating and the pin end is favored. Boat at the pin is upwind at the start, but can’t tack onto the lift right away because of traffic. Boat at unfavored weather end tacks onto the lift and then immediately after the start on the first shift, and gains the lead. Beats to Windward: “Game of Thirds” I like to divvy up the beat into thirds. At the bottom of the beat, it’s all about positioning yourself so you can execute the game plan. If you’re in bad air, you need to decide if tacking for a clear lane is the move or if it’s better to suffer for a while in bad air to get going the direction you want. If there aren’t many shifts, or there isn’t a particular favored side, then lane management is everything and you should not sail for a moment in bad air if you can help it. But if you know you need to get to one side, you may have to sail in bad air to get over to that side at the bottom of the beat. If the wind is oscillating, you may have to come to terms with the fact that you won’t have much clear air on this beat, because sailing on the lift towards the mark is more important than sailing in clean air. If you know you’re on a lift, duck a boat coming across on the header instead of tacking on its lee bow, even if it’s a big duck. Keep going the right way, staying in position to gain at the next cross. For the second third of the beat, start looking for opportunities to consolidate. You’ll have an idea of where you stand, and you need to weigh your options for staying ahead of the boats behind you while looking for the opportunity to jump the pack just in front. If you can take separate a bit from any pack of boats, you’ll be able to sail faster. So look for a good opportunity to separate into clear water and avoid being the boat going slow in the middle of the pack. Most importantly, look up the course past the laylines and start developing a strategy for the top of the beat. If you want to get to a certain side for the last portion of the beat, be disciplined about lee-bowing packs or taking smart ducks to ensure you’ll be one of the first to get out there. Also, look for opportunities to consolidate any gains you’ve already made on packs so you can put them in the bank. As you near the top of the beat (the final third), think about what the last shift or pressure advantage will be. Often, you can make gains getting to the edges at the top, avoiding the cluster in the middle. As the fleet gathers under the top mark, the wind velocity dies there under “the blob.” Be a little more on an edge, and you’ll have an opportunity to gain. If you’re not in the lead pack, think about the boats that will round ahead and try to avoid that traffic. If possible, also try to avoid getting to a layline too early; if the wind shifts, you won’t make any gains. Finally, as you approach the weather mark, start developing a downwind strategy. Will there be a long jibe? Is there a pressure or current advantage? Are you rounding in a shift that will dictate the favored jibe right away? Being decisive here can help you jump that pack just in front of you! Best Pressure/Shift at the Top Mark: Port approach is often clearer but more risky. Watch for traffic and boats rounding the windward mark ahead. Look for an edge with more wind or last favorable shift. Runs to Leeward: “The Train and Making Gains” The top third of the run is all about escaping from the top mark. If it’s the first weather mark, the traffic of boats still going upwind and the “blob” representing the mass of the fleet as a whole make the area directly under the mark a no-go zone. Unless you see a massive right shift or you know the run is going to be all port jibe, do a bear-away set. Jibing early at the first top mark can be tragic, and the smart money calls for a regular bear-away set on starboard. Keeping that in mind, though, if you’re clued into the last shift or the position of the leeward mark and you know port jibe is going to be strong, then don’t hesitate; call the jibe set and jump the boats around you so you can be the first on the favored jibe heading down the course. On the other hand, if you feel the left side of the course is favored and you want to stay on starboard, then commit early to the high lane around the weather mark so you don’t risk getting rolled and forced the wrong way. Things usually settle in by the second third of the run and you can focus on speed and positioning. Manage your lane behind you to always have clear air, but when it is time to jibe, position yourself to make gains by sailing artificially low for a few moments, moving the trailing competition high of you. While it looks like they are creeping up to get on your breeze, you jibe into clearer air, setting yourself up for the last phase of the run. The most important thing to decide in the last third of the run is where you want to be for the next beat. If you know you have to go to one side, then that dictates the gate mark you’ll round. If it’s not clear, then try to observe if there is a favored gate (one more upwind than the other), and if that isn’t clear either, decide if one gate will provide a cleaner escape—fewer boats coming down that side of the course giving you bad air as you turn upwind. You also need to position yourself relative to the nearest boats so you can have a clean rounding. Try to get to the inside of any packs to get mark room. Or look for the chance to split from the pack or the boat rounding just in front of you so that you have less traffic and more clear air as you round. If you’re in a pack of four, and three boats are going to the same gate mark, it usually pays to go to the opposite gate with more speed and clearer air. Even if you want to go the other way, you can come around and tack fairly soon. Now you’ve avoided rounding in a pack and you’re still going the right way. Rather than being in a position where you’ll likely lose distance on that pack, you’re positioned to make another gain. Just make sure you’re not sailing straight into a blob of boats coming downwind with spinnakers! The name of the game here is being able to decide when the opportunity is to “stay on the train” to avoid a loss and balancing that with positioning the boat on the train so that you’re more likely to gain than lose. Above all else, none of this will matter if you don’t take the time to develop good speed. Good luck this season! Making Gains at the Gate: If you want to go to the right side, round that gate mark. If there is a pack of boats close ahead, round the other mark and then tack with clear air to gain on all but the leader. READ MORE

NORTH SAILS STRENGTHENS SOUTH FLORIDA PRESENCE Combining World Class Customer Service & Products In The Southeast The North Sails loft in Fort Lauderdale will merge with the former Doyle Sails East (Fort Lauderdale) loft to consolidate their expertise and personnel, giving sailors in South Florida access to unmatched service and product offering. Under the leadership of North Sails veteran Mike Toppa, the new combined team will be headed by Bob Meagher and Peter Grimm Jr, both hugely respected in the Southeast region. Meagher, the previous owner of Doyle Fort Lauderdale, will take on the role of Site Manager for Fort Lauderdale and become the Southeast Regional Manager for North Sails. He will be supported by his longtime sales expert Peter Grimm Jr. Based out of the current North Sails loft in South Florida, they will now be able to tap into North’s patented in-house software programs and the full spectrum of world-leading products to ensure their customers get the most out of their boats and sails. Now integrated into North’s unrivaled global network, sailors in the region will also benefit from world-class service. Commenting on the merger, longtime North Sails Florida leader Mike Toppa said: “As two management teams seeking to provide the best solutions possible to our customers, it made perfect sense to both parties to combine our efforts. I’ve always had a huge amount of respect for Bob and Peter and have complete trust having Bob in the operational leadership role. I am confident the new team will go from strength to strength as we build on each others’ knowledge, networks, and skills. Anyone with a boat in the region will undoubtedly reap the benefits and see the results.” Bob Meagher has built a career helping people enjoy their boats. Two decades of sail consulting have led him to become one of America’s most experienced sail experts, especially in the growing market of cruising multihulls. He has a vast knowledge of sailcloth and sail handling systems across a wide variety of boats, providing captains and project managers with a clear understanding of the sail options available to these unique boats. His twenty years of business experience with fellow sailmakers around the country gives Bob deep understanding of the sailing industry in the Southeast U.S. and the industry trends shaping sailing throughout North America. "I am confident the new team will go from strength to strength as we build on each others’ knowledge, networks, and skills. Anyone with a boat in the region will undoubtedly reap the benefits and see the results.” Commenting on the merger, Bob concluded “For a long time I have felt we can give sailors better products, better service, and better solutions if we combined forces with North Sails. Once we decided we could make it happen, it has been a very positive experience and I am excited about the future, not only for our staff but for our customers.” More than five decades of sailing and 100,000 sea miles give Peter Grimm the ability to help clients get the most out of their boat and sails. His long familiarity with owners, boat builders, spar builders, yacht designers, project managers, and captains of all experience make Peter a resource to educate clients not just about sails, but all the components needed to improve their performance and enjoyment, and his wins in races such as Montego Bay, Key West, St Barths Bucket, and the Palma Super Yacht Cup demonstrate his success. Peter's career has stayed on the cusp of the ever-growing superyacht market, from the largest 80 footers in the 80’s, to the 200 footers in the 2000’s. Constantly on the forefront of what is new, he is a regular fixture in superyacht yards and marinas of South Florida, and wherever these unique vessels gather. Commenting on the merger, Peter explained: “Throughout my career, I have competed with North Sails on and off the water through a highly personalized, hands-on approach to help clients who race or cruise around the bay or around the world. The unique North Sails products add a new dimension to my tool kit. The unrivaled level of knowledge and client support within North Sails is an advantage I’m looking forward to bring to my Superyacht clients.” To learn more about the new Fort Lauderdale loft and team, please contact us at 954-522-8840 READ MORE

BOMBARDA WINS THE BACARDI CUP Expertise And Design Provide The Perfect Platform For Success Andrea Pozzi's Bombarda, First Place Melges 24 Bacardi Cup 2019. © Mauro Melandri / Zerogradinord With eight races and one discard, It all came down to the final race to determine the winner of the Melges 24 fleet and the 2019 Bacardi Cup, and it was going to be close. Andrea Pozzi’s Bombarda came out clean, one point ahead of the fleet after a consistent scoreline. North Sails Expert, Giulio Desiderato is the coach for Melges 24 Bombarda, winner of the 2019 Bacardi Cup. Giulio campaigned with Bombarda for several years, and was tactician in 2017 when they held the number one spot on the class world rankings. He was also onboard when they took second place at the European Championship in 2016 held in Hyeres. This winter the Melges 24 specialist Matteo Ivaldi became the Tactician and he began coaching the team and has seen his teammate's performance progress as well as the North sail designs. Through practice and fine-tuning, the team is where they want to be and ready to take on the next challenge. “As their coach, I’d like to say thank you to my team for such a great week. They sailed very well, and it’s been an honor to be by their side. Big congratulations to Andrea, Matteo, Ciampa, Carlo e Nicholas, they really have been the protagonists of this success.” Sailors showed up ready to battle, and Miami served up pristine racing conditions that made it possible to get great races in the Melges 24 fleet. The level of competition remained high all week, and off the water, sailors enjoyed the camaraderie and making new connections. Team Bombarda has worked hard in the lead up to the World Championships in Sardinia, Italy later this Spring. Beginning the season on a high note is not a bad start, but Giulio says there is still work to be done. © Martina Orsini “Our journey to the Worlds has just started, and we are happy about the results, but we know that we still have many things to improve. What’s been clear is the step forward that we have taken from the previous event we sailed in January. The biggest change that we’ve made was to our sail inventory, which has made a big impact on our performance.” "Big congratulations to Andrea, Matteo, Ciampa, Carlo e Nicholas, they really have been the protagonists of this success.The biggest change that we’ve made was to our sail inventory, which has made a big impact on our performance.” Since the very first day of training for team Bombarda, the team was fast and consistent. During the practice races before the regatta, they realized that they had all the ingredients to create the perfect, winning recipe that could get them a podium finish. © Mauro Melandri / Zerogradinord Andrea Pozzi, owner and skipper of Bombarda, commented; “Sailing in the Melges 24 class is always a tough feat. I'm happy to be back in action with my team with the goal to prepare in the best way possible for the World Championship in Spain.” “Winning the Bacardi Cup in Miami was a great experience. The venue is beautiful, and our results have given us even more motivation to improve. The relationship between Bombarda and North Sails is almost historical. We’ve been together in different campaigns over the course of several seasons. Especially with our win last week at the Bacardi Cup, I want to give thanks to North for the support and the services they have provided my team.” “From the first moment we hoisted our new set of 3Di sails,” said Giulio, “we could easily adapt our old tuning to the new set up. Our goal was to be consistent, manage the risks, and try to stay in the front so we could avoid a large discard. We pulled it off!” “Since the introduction of 3Di technology into the Melges 24 class two years ago North's designers Per Andersson and Mike Marshall have done a great job and made a ton of progress in class development”, said Giulio. “Since the introduction of 3Di technology into the Melges 24 class two years ago North's designers Per Andersson and Mike Marshall have done a great job and made a ton of progress in class development”, said Giulio. The starting point of 3DL paneled sails was a benchmark in the Melges 24 fleet, but we now have advanced as far as delivering the best existing product into the class that has so far, made a huge difference in performance across the range for clients worldwide.” “They’ve constantly been working on the shape and layout of the sails to improve the design since the very beginning. The starting point of 3DL paneled sails was a benchmark in the Melges 24 fleet, but we now have advanced as far as delivering the best existing product into the class that has so far, made a huge difference in performance across the range for clients worldwide.” © Mauro Melandri / Zerogradinord READ MORE

NEW F-1 MAINSAIL FOR J/70 CLASS Flexibility, Versatility, Balance, And Speed The One Design team at North Sails are driven by our commitment to find solutions for our customers and to always find more speed and boat performance. This is why the new F-1 mainsail was tested and developed within the competitive J/70 Class and why it is now available to everyone. Developed to fit the Selden mast or a Southern Spars mast with a stiff set-up, the F-1 mainsail is a flatter design, balanced top to bottom to match 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. “Development on the F-1 main started with sail testing sessions in the early spring of 2018, using the North Sails two boat testing telemetry system,” commented North designer Mike Marshall. “Using the results data and the power of the North Design Suite, were able to, in very few iterations, come up with a sail that much more effectively fits the Selden mast. An additional benefit is the vertical shaping in the sail is much more balanced to work well through the entire range of conditions.” Commenting further on the development of the F-1 sail, North Sails One Design expert Max Skelley added “North Sails were invited to join Bruno Paquenelli’s Team Stampede to campaign for the 2018 J/70 Worlds in Marblehead. It quickly became apparent that the standard mainsail set up is quite different with the Selden mast. Primarily, in light air they were unable to flatten the main enough or get the draft far enough back to give the boat some helm; the shape looked full and draggy. We worked with Mike Marshall to flatten the vertical profile of the sail, and after several trials, we reduced the luff curve by enough to handle the very straight fore and aft mast set up the boat required in light air. The result: a very even sail shape was achieved, with resulting balance and speed.” “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.” At the J/70 Worlds, in a wide range of challenging conditions, Stampede’s upwind speed was outstanding and got the team top finishes, with equally strong results in 15+ knots of wind. As North One Design expert Eric Doyle noted “With the J/70 being so tender and light, we were able to flatten the main more than ever before, and this let us put the bow down and go fast when we needed to. The F-1 main allowed us great versatility in the big fleet. We could trim hard to point and hold our lane off the starting line without stalling the sail too much.” “The F-1 proved it was ready for market after the 2018 J/70 Worlds,” explained Tim Healy, President of North Sails One Design. “The regatta was ultra-competitive, and the new F-1 finished an extremely close second place, just a single point away from winning it all. This battle-tested result was the conclusion to our sail testing.” The F-1 mainsail is a new cross cut design featuring less camber when compared to the North XCS-2. Standard Features include one gaff batten, two full-length battens, two leech battens, vision and spreader windows, radial teardrop patches, spreader chafe patch, trim stripes, leech telltales, Class insignia, adjustable leech and foot cords, and roll bag. The F-1 sail is now available for any team competing at Charleston Race Week or for the summer season. READ MORE

RBS SLICE BATTEN Installation Guide North Sails RBS Splice Battens provide a convenient way to ship and stow 19mm and 25mm battens with lengths up to 7.4 meters. With proper installation, the RBS Splice battens will afford the same level of performance as standard battens, with minimal distortion to the sail. NOTE: The splice connector is permanently attached to the front section of batten. DO NOT try to remove the connector from the front end. Step 1 Lay out the battens with the labels facing up and the arrows pointing towards each other. Step 2 Identify the front and back sections, making sure that the tapered end of the back section is aligned with the splice connector. Step 3 With the arrows pointing toward one another, insert the tapered end of the back section into the splice connecter. Apply enough pressure to the back section to seat the batten completely in the connector. Step 4 If the two sections are connected properly, the batten will be perfectly straight. If the batten is improperly assembled, the back section will be angled. Step 5 Tape the junction of back section and connector. To take battens apart, remove the tape and hold the back section of the splice connector. Flex the front end up and down, while exerting pressure in the opposite direction as the arrow. For a short video demonstration, click here. READ MORE

Optimisti ulaze u završnu fazu kvalifikacija za reprezentaciju foto: Hrvoje Duvančić – www.regate.com.hr Vikend 22 - 24. ožujka bio je rezerviran za održavanje posljednjih kvalifikacijskih regata za regije sjever i jug prije formiranja popisa sudionika kvalifikacijskih regata za formiranje reprezentativnih sastava Lijepe naše. Kadeti sa sjevera su se okupili u Crikvenici, dok su južnjaci mjesto susreta imali u Makarskoj, a još jedna zajednička dodirna točka ove dvije regate je bila bezvjetrica. Lijepi rano proljetni dani su rezultirali samo jednim odjedrenim plovom u Makarskoj i s dva u Crikvenici. To ipak nije bilo dovoljno da bi konačni rezultati s tih regata bili valjani za uvrštavanje u odgovarajuće ljestvice. Klasičan uvjet valjanosti ovih regata je da se trebaju odjedriti minimalno tri plova. S obzirom da se to ovog vikenda nije uspjelo kvalifikacije koje su počele 1. rujna 2018. završile su nepotpunim programom. Sjevernjaci su konačni poredak dobili nakon pet od predviđenih šest regata, dok su južnjaci imali još manje sreće s uvjetima na moru, pa su u konačnici sumu dobili s rezultatima četiri regularno odjedrene regate. Regate koje su omogućile formiranje kvalifikacijske ljestvice regije Sjever su bile Rabačka, Kup Lošinja, ACI Kup, Sv.Nikola i Karnevalska regata. Ukupno je sudjelovalo 97 kadeta i kadetkinja iz Istre i Kvarnera. Najbolje plasiran je Buba Pulek, član Uljanik plovidbe iz Pule. Ovaj petnaestgodišnjak je dominirao na kvalifikacijama i pobijedio u tri regate od četiri na kojima je sudjelovao i bodovna zaliha je bila više nego dovoljna da preskoči jedrenje u Opatiji. Jednako uspješno je bilo još dvoje njegovih klupskih kolega, najbolja djevojčica na sjeveru je bila Lucija Škopac - 3. na kriteriju i Tol Tristan - 4. na kriteriju. Njih dvoje također je preskočilo Opatiju, a to je bio razlog zašto ih je Grigor Pettener s Malog Lošinja preskočio i kao najmlađi među prvih 14 na ljestvici zauzeo vrlo visoko drugo mjesto. Da bi se kvalificirali na izbornu ljestvicu kadeti su se morali plasirati među najboljih 38 i to je pošlo za rukom predstavnicima čak deset klubova. Konačan raspored na ljestvici možete pronaći na ovom linku. foto: Hrvoje Duvančić – www.regate.com.hr Što se tiče južnog dijela hrvatske flote optimista kvalifikacije je odjedrilo 88 malenih dalmatinaca i dalmatinki, a 42 ih se plasiralo na izbornu ljestvicu. Slično kao na sjeveru i ovdje je ovaj dio sezone prošao u znaku dominacije jednog imena. To je bila mlada Uskokova jedriličarka Noela Petešić. Ona će zapamtiti ove kvalifikacije po dvije pobjede i s jednom podjelom bodova s Petrom Marendić iz splitskog Mornara, koja u izborni dio ciklusa ulazi kao trećeplasirana na jugu. Između njih, na drugom mjestu, je završio član JK Omiš, Josip Tafra. On je ujedno i najmlađi jedriličar među prvih osmero. Bodovi su se skupljali na regatama u Dubrovniku, Primoštenu, na Hvaru i na Otvorenom prvenstvu Splita, a zbog orkanske bure nije odjedren Sv.Ivan u Omišu. Točan poredak svih na ljestvici možete pronaći na ovom linku. Osamdeset jedriličarki i jedriličara koji će se natjecati zajedno u nastavku sezone imaju dva okupljanja na sjeveru i dva na jugu. Riječ je o slijedećim regatama: 05 - 07. travnja, Memorijal Antolić Česić, JK Uljanik plovidba - Pula 12 - 14. travnja, Regata grada Poreča, JK Horizont - Poreč 03 - 05. svibnja, Split 1700, JK Split - Split 10 - 12. svibnja, Kup Vitrenjaka, JK Uskok - Zadar Uz bodove koje će osvojiti na ove četiri regate u obzir će se uzimati i bodovi osvojeni na Prvenstvu Hrvatske, a konačan cilj svima je plasman u jedan od dva reprezentativna sastava. Prvih pet će se plasirati za jedrenje na Svjetskom prvenstvu koje će se od 6. do 16. srpnja jedriti na Antigui. Slijedećih sedmero ide na Europsko prvenstvo koje se organizira u Crozon-Margatu u Francuskoj. Jedino na što se treba pripaziti prilikom slaganja sastava reprezentacije je da ne smije biti više od četvero istog spola. READ MORE

TALK SAILS WITH YOUR LOCAL EXPERTS Find Out About Helix, Talk Sail Care & Get Ready For The Season READ MORE

Oglašena je uvertira za ORC SP u Šibeniku foto: Hrvoje Duvančić – www.regate.com.hr U sklopu priprema za D-Marin ORC Svjetsko prvenstvo u 2019. organizatori iz Jedriličarskog kluba Val su odlučili regatu koju tradicionalno organiziraju početkom svibnja, a koja je i inače dio ciklusa regata koje se jedre za CRO ORC D-Marin Cup, podignuti na jedan viši nivo i iskoristiti je kao predigru i posljednji ozbiljni test pred SP. Ove godine se odustalo od uobičajena dva dana i regata će imati tri natjecateljska dana. Prijam jedrilica, okupljanje i prijave bit će organizirani u četvrtak 2. svibnja. Sutradan će natjecatelji koji možda stignu tijekom noći imati na raspolaganju još sat-dva vremena za prijave i pripreme, a na more će se izaći oko deset sati, da bi se stiglo na neko od regatnih polja na kojima će se jedriti SP četiri tjedna kasnije. Regatni odbor će na raspolaganju imati mogućnost da kombinira s dvije zone. Jedna je s jugozapadne strane otoka Zlarina. U principu ista lokacija gdje se jedrila prva regata prošlogodišnjeg TP52 World Series. To je zona koja je poprilično otvorena i prostrana, a u slučaju juga i jačeg maestrala jedriličari mogu očekivati i malo veći val, dok je kurenat malo manje izražen nego u kanalima između otoka. Druga zona koja je u kombinaciji je u Murterskom moru. Iako je dosta zatvorenija od ranije spomenute može se razviti poprilično jaka bura i maestral. Inače se u tom području jedrila Uskrsna regata dok se organizirala u Vodicama. U svakom slučaju nema problema po pitanju da li će biti dovoljno prostora za flote od 50-60 jedrilica. Ostaje nam vidjeti da li će RO Šibenik ORC Cupa, a koji je dobio i prestižni aneks "Pre-Worlds", iskoristiti mogućnost kombiniranja održavanja ove regate na obja regatna polja, a treba napomenuti da su Valovci predvidjeli i mogućnost jedrenja jednog navigacijskog plova. Inače se na regatama za CRO ORC Cup izbjegavalo jedriti navigacijska jedrenja. Ali u programu Svjetskog prvenstva su predviđena dva navigacijska jedrenja (čiji rezultati se ne mogu odbaciti), pa ako uvjeti na moru za vrijeme Pre-Worldsa ne budu odgovarali za postavljanje kvalitetnog štap polja, jedriličari ipak neće biti besposleni. foto: Hrvoje Duvančić – www.regate.com.hr Što se tiče broja sudionika očekuje se da bi ih moglo biti između 20 i 30. Od toga će većinu sudionika sigurno sačinjavati domaće posade koje su se prijavile za nastup na SP, a kojih je trenutno na prijavama čak 18. Također su neki sudionici iz daljih dijelova Europe najavili dopremanje svojih jedrilica što kopnom, što morem, te se očekuje da bi oni uz dio talijanske ORC flote koja je u velikom postotku u Jadranskom bazenu, mogli se odlučiti na testiranje Šibenskog akvatorija u uvjetima koji bi mogli biti čak i jednaki onima koji će vladati u prvom tjednu lipnja. Svi zainteresirani Oglas regate mogu pronaći na web stranicama Jedriličarskog kluba Val. READ MORE

SUPER-CHARGED COMPETITION & HIGH PERFORMANCE SAILING North Sails Teams Up With Melges For The 2019 World League Season 📸 Melges World League / Mauro Melandri The European Division of the Melges World League racing season commences on March 29th. In an event that was designed to super-charge competition in the Melges 20 and 32 classes, North Sails is proud to continue our partnership for the third consecutive year. As the industry leader in one design sails, North Sails plays an active role in delivering great events for all the sailors joining the Mediterranean-based circuit. The 2019 season consists of 10 events, spanning eight months. This opening act will feature the Melges 32 class sailing on crystal clear waters in Villasimius, Italy, a venue known for its excelling racing conditions. In 2018, both Melges 32 and Melges 20 top titles were won by North powered teams; Matteo Balestrero’s Giogi securing the Melges World League title in the Melges 32 and Filippo Pacinotti’s Brontolo placing on top of the podium of the Melges 20 European Division. 📸 Melges World League / Mauro Melandri Through our partnership, North Sails is committed to showcasing the World League events and bringing awareness to the high-performance Melges 20 and 32 classes. Melges World League content and event news will be shared across the North Sails social media channels, whose audience is unparalleled in the sailing world. In addition to sharing event news, North Sails class experts will be on hand at each event to help sailors by delivering support and collect first-hand feedback for continued product development. The combined online visibility and on-site support guarantee an enhanced experience for competitors and all fans of one design sailing. Join Us Online: Facebook | Instagram @north_sails @melges32 @melges20 📸 Melges World League / Mauro Melandri READ MORE

AVEC NORTH SAILS, JE PARS SEREIN © Charal / Eloi Stichelbau À moins d’une semaine de la Sardinha Cup (26 mars-13 avril), les Figaristes accélèrent la cadence et s’attèlent aux derniers préparatifs pour la première épreuve de la saison qui se disputera à Saint-Gilles Croix-de-Vie. Près d’un tiers de la flotte des Figaro Bénéteau 3 est équipé de voiles North Sails. C’est notamment le cas pour Charal de Jérémie Beyou, un habitué du circuit, et Banque Populaire d’Armel Le Cléac’h qui revient cette année sur la Solitaire Urgo Le Figaro après six ans d’absence. Jérémie Beyou © Charal / Eloi Stichelbau Armel Le Cléac’h se lance un nouveau défi pour la saison 2019. Après le chavirage de son trimaran Banque Populaire lors de la dernière Route du Rhum et en attendant la mise à l’eau de son futur Ultim en 2020, le vainqueur du dernier Vendée Globe prendra part à la 50ème édition de la Solitaire sur son Figaro 3 flambant neuf doté de voiles North. "L’arrivée de ce nouveau monotype à foils est une belle opportunité pour moi de revenir sur cette compétition difficile, six ans après ma dernière Solitaire, confie le double vainqueur de l’épreuve. Repartir avec des voiles North sur ce Figaro 3 paraissait comme une évidence. C’est une longue histoire avec la voilerie. J’ai confiance en leur travail, et je pars serein avec mes voiles North." Pour ce marin accoutumé aux géants des mers, la Solitaire du Figaro reste une épreuve exigeante de haut niveau idéale pour ne pas perdre la main. "Naviguer sur un Figaro 3 est physique, on va chercher des limites d’un point de vue mental et sommeil, ce qui le rapproche des Ultims même si on ne va pas à la même vitesse et que le format de course est différent." "C’est North Sails quoi, du 3Di!" C’est avec le Pôle Finistère Course au large de Port-La Forêt qu’il s’entraîne à maîtriser et fiabiliser ce monotype signé VPLP, tout comme Jérémie Beyou, triple vainqueur de la Solitaire (2005, 2011 et 2014) qui signe sa 18ème participation. En parallèle à son programme Vendée Globe sur son Imoca Charal, Jérémie sera dès le 26 mars sur les pontons de Port-La-vie pour la première étape en double du circuit aux côtés du britannique Alan Roberts. Quant au choix de ses voiles, le skipper de Charal a fait confiance à la voilerie vannetaise. Derrière les voiles North Sails, c’est toute une technologie de longue date, une expertise et un savoir-faire que d’autres voileries n’ont pas encore réussi à égaler, précise Jérémie. Il n’y avait donc pas trop à réfléchir. C’est North Sails quoi, du 3Di ! Nos voiles plates 3Di sont adaptées à ce support technique et subtil et sont quasiment impeccables sans aucun défaut notamment pour la grand-voile et le foc de brise. On pourrait faire encore plus léger la prochaine fois, mais pour un premier jeu, c’est excellent. © Charal / Eloi Stichelbau Pour l’instant, l’objectif pour les deux skippers chevronnés est de poursuivre les tests en mer afin de parfaire le jeu de voiles. "On teste les voiles à tous les angles et à toutes les allures pour arriver aux meilleurs réglages possibles, explique Armel. J’échange énormément avec Quentin Ponroy, dessinateur de talent chez North Sails. Nous sommes dans la phase de finitions où on affine les détails pour obtenir un résultat qui me ressemble. Le choix des voiles pour la course doit être judicieux. Bien entendu, ces voiles vont forcément évoluer au cours de la compétition, et dans un an, elles seront peut-être complètement différentes." Les échanges entre la voilerie et le skipper sont essentiels pour arriver au jeu de voiles final souligne Jérémie. "La voilerie, et surtout Quentin Ponroy, en charge des voiles, a fait un véritable travail en amont. On passe beaucoup d’heures sur l’eau à tester différents réglages en balayant les extrêmes. Quentin est également un bon marin et son ressenti apporte une véritable plus-value." Sur cette course, "tout se jouera au cm de réglage près", ajoute Jérémie, et la tâche sera ardue, d’autant que l’édition 2019 s’annonce acharnée entre le retour des ténors et la pléthore de jeunes talents. "On met cartes sur table cette année, et les places seront chères sur le podium, il faudra être très bon, conclut Armel qui participera à sa onzième Solitaire. Les anciens n’auront pas envie de ramasser les bouées et les plus jeunes de se faire malmener ! " READ MORE

SPEED READING: SETTING GOALS One Design Expert Zeke Horowitz Shares His Winning Formula © Chris Howell J/22 World Champion Zeke Horowitz explains how to put his winning formula to work for you this season. If you’re a competitive sailor, you’ve probably read about the value of setting goals for your racing. By setting and trying to achieve your goals, you measure your progress as a competitor, whether the goal is to finish every race at a windy regatta, finish in the top half, score a finish in the top five, or flat out win the regatta. It’s important to always be striving, but for most sailors, there’s usually one regatta each year where we really want to perform our best. Sometimes it may even be two years ahead. It might be the Fastnet Race or the J/70 World Championship. But it could just as easily be the Labor Day Regatta or the district championship for your one-design class. If you haven’t named that event yet, do it now! Then follow these seven steps to be best positioned to peak at the right time and have your best result when it counts. Step 1: Set up your team. Your team is the most important part of your success as well as your fun. There is no substitute for sailing with people you enjoy and with whom you work well. Approach your team with the idea that you’ve got a season of sailing ahead of you with a goal of delivering your top performance at the big event. Get everyone on the same page and committed to an energetic effort to achieve this goal. © Chris Howell Step 2: Set up your schedule. Look at the regatta schedule leading up to your big event. Take note of any events that have a high priority: Are any of them at the same venue as your big event? Are any local to where your boat is? Are any more likely to attract a big fleet? Send this full schedule to your team and try to work out which events make the most sense. There is HUGE value in doing events with the ENTIRE team. You can always look for subs if someone can’t make it, but try to prioritize your regatta participation based on the whole team’s participation. Always include at least one day of practice as a “shakedown” before the regatta if schedules permit. If it fits at any events, try also to include a day of tuning practice with another team, so you can have a tuning partner and learn faster. A shakedown session and a tuning session could also be fit into the same, single day. Sailing before a regatta pays many benefits and can really help the whole crew be on point for racing. © Bernie Kaaks Step 3: What’s the budget? This is obviously a big piece of the puzzle in our sport. You need to consider travel, logistics, food, boat equipment, sails, etc. Make sure your budget fits comfortably with your schedule. It’s often better to sacrifice a regatta if it helps your team with more room in the budget for equipment or more comfort at your other events. If you sacrifice equipment, time or comfort instead, you likely have a much less productive experience. I find having a top-quality experience at one less regatta is a good tradeoff. Step 4: The Boat In sailing, there are many elements that are not in our control—wind shifts, tides, competing boats, decisions made by race committees, etc. But one element that we can and must control is our equipment. The boat is the most important piece of that. Be realistic about the condition of your boat and make the changes needed to have the best boat possible. If you’re chartering a boat, do lots of homework, get pictures, and make arrangements for any upgrades necessary. Broken or non-functioning equipment is a massive time waster. Add in specific days to your schedule for boatwork. And don’t leave anything until the last minute. When you get to the big event, you need to be 100-percent confident that your boat is perfect. Step 5: Sails Depending on your class rules, you will have more or less room to get creative with sail purchases. But regardless, you need to be sure you have the newest sails possible for your biggest event. In some boats, that means having sails that are “broken in”; but even then you must make that part of your plan. Look at your event schedule leading up to the big event and decide when and where you should have each sail in use based on your goals for each event (see step 6). This is another element that you can control, and it’s important to do it as well as you can given the budget. © Andrew Palfrey Step 6: Goals within goals. Your team is clear that your big goal is to peak at the big event. In the meantime, it’s critical to set specific and trackable goals for each practice day and each regatta on your path. Maybe the first regatta you want to work out specific crew communication and boat handling. Then work on starts and boat speed at the next one. Decision-making at the top of the beats, etc. It’s imperative to not only set these goals before every day on the water, but to then debrief them with your team after each race, each day, and each regatta. Your goals for the next events will change based on your debriefs and based on what you learned at your last one. But you need to spend time working on all of the small details so that you’ve had a chance to learn your lessons and reflect on your mistakes before the big event. That way, your team can have confidence in doing all the little things well, and you can focus on the conservative tactics and superior boat speed needed for the big event. Step 7: We’re finally here – the big event. If you’ve done the first six steps well, then you know your boat, sails, and equipment are at 100 percent. You’ve taken the time to gain confidence in your speed and your boat handling. You’ve learned about your team and how to communicate effectively. You’ve determined roles for each teammate both on and off the water (who makes sandwiches, who puts the bow numbers on, etc.). Essentially, you’ve controlled all of the elements you are physically able to control. Now your task is to have fun, continue to control the things you can, and make conservative, high-percentage decisions on the racecourse that allow your team to rely on its strengths. Continue debriefing after each race and each day throughout the event. Keep learning! There is always going to be luck involved with our sport, and there’s not much you can do about it. In fact, most top sailors will tell you that it takes a bit of luck to reach the top of the podium. With this approach, you’ll be able to put yourself in a position to achieve your goals. Whether or not you achieve this goal at the big event, treat it just like all your warm-up events and debrief it with your team. At that point, it will become another step along your path to the next big event, where you can choose to peak next year. Good luck, and have fun! ©Mauro Melandri | Zerogradinord READ MORE

2019 NORTH FINN INVENTORY Optimized Designs for Sailing Conditions, Mast and Sailor Weight © Sascha Klahn The North Finn inventory is customized to complement each and every mast individually. Our Finn Radial designs are manufactured from North Sails’ exclusive NLXi Technora laminate, while the Cross Cut sails are manufactured from Maxx Aramid laminate. Find below our sail selection charts which shows the sail that best suits your weight, mast and sailing conditions. WILKE & PATA MASTS CONSTRUCTION RADIAL RADIAL CROSS CUT WIND RANGE 0-8 Kts 5-12 Kts 8-18 Kts 15-30 Kts All-Purpose All-Purpose FABRIC NLXi-02 Technora NLXi-03 Technora NLXi-03 Technora NLXi-03 Technora NLXi-03 Technora Maxx 06F Aramid 100+ KG MB-1GL MB-1G M-1 MB-1G M-1 MX-6 96-99 KG MB-1G MB-1G MB-1G MX-7 92-96 KG MB-1G MB-1G Minus MB-1G MX-7 -92 KG MB-1G Minus MB-1G Minus MB-1G Minus MX-8 HIT MASTS CONSTRUCTION RADIAL RADIAL CROSS CUT WIND RANGE 0-8 Kts 5-12 Kts 8-18 Kts 15-30 Kts All-Purpose All-Purpose FABRIC NLXi-02 Technora NLXi-03 Technora NLXi-03 Technora NLXi-03 Technora NLXi-03 Technora Maxx 06F Aramid 100+ KG MB-1GL MB-1G M-1 Xi-2 M-1 MX-6 96-99 KG Xi-2 Xi-2 Xi-2 MX-7 92-96 KG Xi-2 Xi-3 Xi-2 MX-7 -92 KG Xi-3 Xi-4 Xi-3 MX-8 Standard Features: Class insignia, sail numbers, vision window, Epoxy battens, elastic batten pockets, plastic headboard, leech and trim tell tales, leech line, 7mm luff rope, long roll bag, World Sailing in-house measurement and class royalty label. Optional Features (additional cost): Carbon battens, carbon headboard, stick-on pockets, adjustable elasticated luff and country flag. For more information on the North Finn designs or to place an order please contact your local North loft. Please have your mast bend numbers available. READ MORE

A NIGHT WITH OUR EXPERTS Winter Seminar With North Sails In Portsmouth, RI North Sails in Portsmouth, RI hosted a starting strategy, sail trim, and tuning seminar to kick off the Spring sailing season. One Design President, and multi-World Champion, expert Tim Healy gave a technical presentation about headstay sag and prebend, and how that affects your angle of attack, sail depth, and twist. Going into a significant amount of detail on headstay sag, Tim shared the ways it can be controlled on any given boat. Adjust your jib halyard Adjust your shroud tension Backstay tension Mainsheet tension Mast blocks at the deck (if your boat has it) Moving your mast forward and aft are all ways to adjust your headstay length When is headstay sag most ideal? Tim says when you have light to moderate wind conditions, or when you are looking for more power. When you are looking to get more power, headstay sag can also help get you more speed, allow you to point higher. Off the starting line, it can also contribute greatly with your accelerations. Learn more about headstay sag here. One Design expert and sail designer, Mike Marshall, fresh off his J/22 Midwinters win gave the audience some great tips on starting line strategy. Even for Mike, starting isn't easy! He presented three questions you should ask yourself before every start. Where do you want to start on the line? Boat, middle, or pin?> Am I high or low in the box? Am I leading or pushing? The same processes can be done at every start you. With main concepts to think about things like where is the wind coming from , line bias, what are the tacking angles , where is the most pressure on the race course, and is there any current that can influence where you are at your final approach. Tim Healy contributed an excellent point to Mike’s overview, which explained the importance of being confident with slow boat handling at the start. Being able to maintain your place on the line, and not accelerate too soon can almost guarantee you a hole to leeward at the start. Both Mike and Tim agreed that patience was vital because some opportunities open up a little last minute, but can save you the stress of having to find an escape route after go. Learn more about starting strategies here. Experts Tim Dawson and Henry Little were also there to support the seminar topics, giving their perspectives from racing on larger One Designs to 100-footers. All the the seminar topics can be applied to boats of all kinds, and all sizes. There was a ton to learn from some of the best in our industry at the seminar in Portsmouth, RI, and the crowd brought some great questions that we can all relate to. Sailors who partake in local racing were in grand attendance, including local Laser sailors, Thistles, VX One, Shields, J/24s, PHRF, ORC, IRC racers. Thanks to our experts for a great night, bringing local fleets together in Rhode Island to get us all pumped for some great racing in one of the best places for sailing New England has to offer. Questions about rig tune, racing, or sails? Contact your local loft today! READ MORE

OK DINGHY WORLDS: PERSPECTIVES FROM THE NEW WORLD CHAMPION Dan Slater Explains How He Won The 2019 Title © Robert Deaves Dan Slater was an Olympian in the 49er and Finn classes for New Zealand when in 2015 he began sailing the OK Dinghy, which he describes as a “smaller, hard-chine version of a Finn Dinghy.” Age 43, Dan had long been working as a sailing coach while also running a watersports and dinghy specialist shop called The Water Shed and says that after his Olympic class sailing days, he’d begun to miss sailing in a competitive fleet. He built his own OK and found in racing it a good chance to stay sharp for professional sailing work. When the OK Worlds came to Auckland in 2019, Dan admits he might have had a home field advantage. He had been sailing for 25 years in those same waters off Takapuna, where the America’s Cup racing was held in 2000 and 2003. But Dan was not the only sailor with a local edge. Some 25 to 30 boats race in his local fleet on Sunday afternoons and contributed dozens of competitive entries to an overall fleet of 110 Worlds competitors. They finished well, too, with only three non-Kiwis finishing in the top 10. Conditions for the regatta were relatively normal for the summer season. “We were lucky,” Dan says. “We had wind from every direction of the compass. A couple of light races, a couple quite breezy, and otherwise generally 12 to 15 knots.” The starting lines were 600 meters long, and it was often shifty. “I had to be in the middle of the line and make the call on where to start at two and a half minutes to go,” Dan says, “then get towards the end I wanted and find my position. At one start near the pin, I tacked after 20 seconds and crossed the fleet. In small boats, you have a lot of leverage on a line that long. And the beats are only a mile long.” © Robert Deaves Bold decision-making was required to succeed in a regatta such as this, but Dan’s speed was also excellent, and he sailed with extraordinary consistency for the first seven of nine races, winning one race and always finishing in the top four. Getting in good physical condition made a big difference, Dan says, and in preparation for the regatta he lost five kilos and built up his conditioning. Dan had been working with North Sails all four years since joining the class. The OK allows only Dacron or other woven cloth, but offers design flexibility, and sailors can choose two sails to measure in. Dan says his deal with North was to help develop an all-purpose design that everyone could use (with modifications to luff curve to match each sailor’s mast-bend numbers), and he got several local sailors involved including former Olympic medalist Rod Davis. While Dan designed a variety of shapes, he ended up measuring in a light-air sail plus the all-purpose sail, the KP-1. “I used the KP-1 in 8 of the 9 races,” Dan says. “We had the perfect 12 to 15 knots, exactly what it was designed for.” The sail has a bigger range than other designs, he says, with a “twisty head,” but you have to be prepared to trim more, which is a change for many OK sailors. Rod Davis used the same sail, finishing ninth overall and first in the Masters Division, and several other Kiwi sailors did well with the sail. © Robert Deaves On the last day of sailing, Dan had a pair of finishes in the 20s. “I made a meal of the first race,” he says. “There was a southerly fighting a westerly in the first race, with puffs from both sides, and at the start there was a massive right-hand shift. Some guys almost laid the mark from the start. I was down toward the pin and rounded the weather mark with only five boats behind me. The saving grace was that the other top guys were only about 10 boats ahead of me for the whole race, so nobody put heaps of points on anybody else.” Dan crossed the line in 24th, his discard race. “In the second race,” Dan says, “I had a blinder start and was in control of the fleet. I knew Freddy was the only one who could beat me, so I just stayed close to him and didn’t worry about where we finished.” In that race, Dan finished 21st. One of Dan’s takeaways from the championship was for local fleets, like his New Zealand group: “We need to look at the length of our beats in club racing,” he says. “We tend to do short laps and don’t really learn whether we are fast or slow.” He recommends some longer legs to prepare for major events. For OK Dinghy sailors generally, Dan says, “Keep enjoying it! If you enjoy it, you tend to do more of it.” One way to do that is to make sure your boat is as comfortable as possible to sail, he says, which he planned to do for next season by widening his side decks to make hiking less painful. Results: http://2019.okworlds.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Results-Race-9.html © Robert Deaves © Robert Deaves READ MORE

MC38 AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP Clients Favor Pittwater Conditions Sweeping Title © www.tillylockmedia.com The MC38 Nationals were conducted in the waters of Pittwater in 2019 with variable conditions over three days which Pittwater is notorious for. The Maserati team with Tom Quick at the helm took out the regatta after a strong last day. Skipper Joe Turner had the following to say “We had an issue with our boat the week of the regatta so we missed our opportunity to test and commission our sails for the nationals. But the work we have done with North's over the past 12 months had paid off and the new sails were spot on out of the bag. Which got us out of a bit of trouble. We are really happy with our set up, the boat is consistently on pace in all conditions, just need to send it the right way more often! Neville has been a great leader for myself and our team. He took me on as boat captain/tactician with little one design tactical experience and over the past four years we have built a very solid team and program. His long lasting relationship with Cocko and North Sails has been a key to our success.” "Neville has been a great leader for myself and our team, and his long lasting relationship with North Sails Michael Coxon "Cocko", has been a key to our success at the MC38 Australian Nationals" © www.tillylockmedia.com North Sails powered yachts Maserati, Dark Star, Lightspeed, Hooligan, Swish, Ginger and Ghostrider all equipped with North 3Di upwind sails and V-Series downwind. Not only were North Sails powering the top yachts in the class, they were also well represented with the following staff; Paul Westlake & Matiu Tehau on Hooligan, Billy Sykes on Swish, Richie Allanson and Noel Drennan on Ginger, Rob Greenhalgh and Kyle Dodd’s on Ghostrider. © www.tillylockmedia.com © www.tillylockmedia.com © www.tillylockmedia.com READ MORE

WHO WE ARE: DEANNA TREJO Get To Know Your Local Sales Expert How long have you been involved in sailing? I’ve been sailing out of Chicago since I was four years old when my dad decided to buy a Capri 22 Catalina. As the family grew, so did the boat, and we upgraded to an Alberg 35. We did Junior Fleet and graduated to Wednesday night beer can racing. What boats/classes do you sail? For the last 15 years I’ve been sailing the Rhodes 19 with active Fleet 12. I’ve also been sailing on a Dufour 36 P for the last two years, also competing in two Chicago Mac Races on that boat. My main position is jib trim, and I also make a mean breakfast burrito for the long distance races. I’m working on making a sailor out of my husband – we chartered a boat in Lake Superior for a lovely honeymoon. What got you into the marine industry? It was a lucky break that I ended up working in the marine industry. I was looking for a new job in 2013, and a friend told me about a temporary, part time position at North Sails they saw advertised in Scuttlebutt Magazine. I applied for assistant Office Manager, was hired, and survived my first Chicago Mac at North Sails the summer of 2013. In the end offered the position full time permanently as Office Manager. What's your favorite aspect of working in the industry? Being in the industry since summer of 2013, one of my favorite aspects is learning how many other people make a living based on their love of sailing and the variety of ways in which they carve out a profession – from dealers in faraway cities and towns, to local positions at different yacht yards, to sailing instructors and yacht club managers. It’s a bigger world than I had imagined. Another aspect I enjoy at North Sails is helping customers at events we host, such as the Chicago NOOD, Strictly Sails boat show, and North U. Seminars. Learning more about sailing is always a fun activity for everyone involved, and it’s a great way to get out of the office and meet our customers in person, which is valuable. What's your favorite aspects about sailing? My favorite thing about sailing is that it’s the easiest way be outdoors and get away from the city in a place like Chicago. It’s a whole different perspective on life once you get off shore. Second to that, I love making the boat go fast. READ MORE

BAD NEWS WINS J/22 MIDWINTERS Interview with Mike Marshall, Todd Hiller and Zeke Horowitz Team Bad News, 2019 J/22 Midwinter Champions. ©Chris Howell The J/22 Midwinters were held at Fort Walton Yacht Club, FL. Sailors were surprised to find that it can actually get pretty chilly in Florida, especially on the panhandle of the state. Conditions proved to be quite tricky, with wild wind shifts and extremely varying pressure differentials across the course for almost every race. The RC certainly had their hands full trying to get proper races off due to these conditions, but they certainly got the job done well. Jackson Benvenutti (who sailed with David Muller, finishing 7th) caught up with team Bad News, the winners of the event, Mike Marshall, Zeke Horowitz, and Todd Hiller to see what the most important elements were in the given conditions to end up on top at the end of the event. Mike, it’s certainly quite hard to drive the boat in those conditions and also control the mainsheet, traveler, and backstay all at the same time. What was your order of operations as you hit a puff, and then what did you do as the puff faded away? First, nice work by Jackson and the rest of the team on Call the Ball for winning the last race of the regatta! As for handling the controls, I’m almost always on the keep-it-simple program. I only have two hands, and one of them is dedicated to the most important job I have – driving the boat fast. This means I can’t adjust mainsheet, traveler, and backstay all at once. So it’s about prioritizing. In this regatta, I felt that it was best to use mostly traveler. The puffs and lulls were very short and with very different velocities. By using the traveler, I could adjust the boom angle almost a meter in a very short time. This enabled me to depower quickly when the sharp puffs hit and power back up afterward in the lulls. Since I was using the traveler, the mainsheet didn’t need as much attention because the leech of the main was just moving to windward and leeward, not twisting more or less. (Also, this constant leech tension helped to keep a constant headstay tension.) With the traveler and mainsheet mostly under control, I adjusted the backstay in only the largest puffs or lulls or when I was trying to sail the boat in a high or fast mode. If I had the traveler all the way up or down, I would move to the backstay next. I know this seems a little backwards to what you would normally do by playing the backstay, but I think that the change was justified given how big and short-lived some of the puffs were. That’s why I spent most of the regatta with the tiller and the traveler in my hands and the mainsheet over my knee. Occasionally, I would adjust the mainsheet, and even less occasionally, the backstay. I only have two hands, and one of them is dedicated to the most important job I have – driving the boat fast. This means I can’t adjust mainsheet, traveler, and backstay all at once. That’s why I spent most of the regatta with the tiller and the traveler in my hands and the mainsheet over my knee. Zeke, playing the jib is certainly a huge necessity on the J22, especially in the given conditions. Can you explain how and when you liked to ease and trim the jib as puffs hit and also through the big shifts? How did you and Mike keep in tune with each other during such big course changes in the shifts? You’re right, accurate jib trim in the J/22 is possibly the most important facet of upwind boat speed in shifty/puffy conditions. It’s imperative to keep an active jib sheet to help the driver maintain a balanced helm and steady heel angle. I was the tactician upwind as well, so balancing the concentration on looking around while trimming the jib can be difficult. But I would look for opportunities when I knew we weren’t tacking for a while to really dial in my focus on the jib. I would stare at the tell tales so that if we got a lift and the outside tell tale started to flick, I could immediately ease the jib between 3-9 inches so that the bow could easily come up in the lift without Mike having to push the tiller too hard. Conversely, if a header hit and the luff of the jib started bubbling, I could give the winch handle a little pump to artificially over trim the jib to help the bow go down. I would also try hard to ease the jib in a puff even if it wasn’t a huge shift. If the boat was beginning to heal over, I could burp the jib 1-3 inches which opens the leech, keeps the head stay straighter and helps to de-power. It also gives the bow an easy opportunity to come up and feather through the puff which can be very effective in flat water. As soon as the boat was coming back to its normal heal angle, I would trim the jib back in. Mike and I would talk about the feeling in the helm as I would move the jib to make sure we are staying on the same page and that what I was feeling was accurate with what the helm was dictating. Busy starting line at the 2019 J/22 Midwinters. ©Chris Howell Todd, you were the eyes and essentially the tactician downwind. Can you explain how you managed clean lanes, making sure you weren’t in dirty air? What tools do you use to do this? Managing clean lanes downwind was particularly challenging at this event as any breeze that presented itself generally would go around (outside perimeter) of the race course. There were four basic items I would consider downwind. 1. COA (Course of Action): It was important to determine what our next move was as we approached the weather mark. Based on where saw the maximum pressure determined whether we would set and extend or jibe immediately at the weather offset. 2. Execution: Maintaining a clean lane downwind, it was important to track how the fleet would set up behind us. As traffic accumulated after the weather offset, this would dictate whether we had to stay high to keep a clear lane or potentially jibe to separate from the fleet. As simple as this may sound, but our windex was an invaluable tool and it was important to stay in check with which direction it was pointing. Using the fleet as wind indicators helps too. 3. Pressure: If Zeke felt light on the spinnaker sheets, then I would quickly look up and assess whether we needed to step up a lane or suggest a jibe. The overcast conditions made it difficult to see the actual breeze or if your mind was playing tricks on you. At times, as a sanity check, Zeke and/or Mike would look back to confirm my observations. 4. Weight: My position on the boat downwind was critical. If we needed to head up, I would shift my weight to leeward and use the curvature of the hull to steer the boat. Likewise, when we needed to head down, I would move my weight to weather. My goal downwind is to have Mike steer as little as possible and make sure Zeke had descent pressure on the spinnaker sheets. Todd, how do you communicate to Zeke and Mike downwind? Can you give us a common conversation that might be happening at any point on a run? A common conversation downwind would be that I would ask Zeke how the pressure was in the spinnaker sheets. Again, my goal was to mitigate any excessive steering with Mike. I would constantly call pressure coming his way. As soon as he had it, I would either shift my weight to weather to steer the boat down or if we decided to extend forward we would keep the boat flat. At about 2/3 of the way down the leg, based on our upwind observations we would determine which gate to round. At any point into our approach to the leeward gates it was then decided which was closer. If we needed to adjust our upwind game plan, then it was at this time when we would execute our maneuver. It was also important to keep an eye on the downwind traffic. If a majority of the fleet were on any particular side, we would quickly decide if the juice was worth the squeeze sailing upwind in dirty air to get to the favored side of the upwind beat. Jeff Todd’s Hot Toddy, 2nd place. ©Chris Howell Mike, what did you do to prepare the boat before the regatta? What were the three most important things to get your boat in shape before putting her in the water? The good news for me is that I know this boat very well, and I always know what condition it’s in when I leave it after the last regatta. One of the keys to good boat prep is to have the boat ready to sail whenever you are. At the end of an event, I try to fix all the things that need attention before I put the cover back on. This means fewer things to think about when getting ready for the next regatta. When I arrive at the next venue, I have to think about only three things: the bottom of the boat, the rig, and whether everything I need is onboard. To prep the bottom, I wash the road dirt off with soap and water. Then I polish the bottom with some PTEF. Step 1: Done. Next, I step the mast and return the rig to my base setting using the caliper numbers that I’ve written inside the hull. Step 2: Done. Finally, I check through all the lines, safety equipment, radio, compass, and other gear to be sure that nothing essential is missing and that nothing extra is on the boat. I have a checklist for doing this so that I don’t forget anything. Step 3: Done. It seems pretty simple when put in these terms, but simple and straight-forward is what I aim for. Anything more complicated is just asking to become a time sink that could take away from potential practice time on the water. Who was in charge of rig tune for the event, and how did you decide to set it up given the varying conditions? Zeke – It was fun working as a team on the rig tune discussion. We only ever let Todd touch the turnbuckles (except for the couple times we adjusted it between the warning and the prep!) but we talked about it as a team and we even took turns sighting up the rig to confirm what the sag was looking like. Mike knows the tendencies of this rig better than either of us so we let him have the final say, but we would all give our opinions based on what we saw. We found we had a more forgiving groove with the rig on the looser side so we always erred towards being able to set up for the lulls and survive through the puffs. We knew we had great “base” numbers and from there we stuck to the 2:1 ratio of uppers to lowers. Teams powered by North finished 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9*, 10. Congratulations to all! Learn more about the North Sails products for the J/22 class. Full Results Casey Lambert’s Blackburn Marine Racing, 3rd place. ©Chris Howell North Sails J/22 expert Jackson Benvenutti trimming the spinnaker on Call the Ball. ©Chris Howell Mike, Todd and Zeke, winners of the 2019 J/22 Midwinters. ©Chris Howell READ MORE

WHO WE ARE: LUKE LOGAN Get To Know Your Local Service Expert What do you sail? Anything from Cruising boats to racing. I grew up sailing on my family's Chesapeake 32 and Cal 36, and I've been sailing since I was a kid. What got you into the marine industry? Growing up on the water, I was drawn to a "profession" that integrated my own passion to be on/around the water, with helping people to further explore what sailing has to offer in the form of recreation and relaxation. How long have you been in the industry? Having been in the industry for over 20 years, I especially take pride in going the extra mile for customers, and maximizing their time on the water, in whatever form that may be. Whether its sailing, windsurfing, or kitesurfing, I will take great pride in offering you the best sail care that the Great Lakes has to offer! READ MORE

WHO WE ARE: CHELSIE STRONG Get To Know Your Local Team How long have you been with North Sails and what lead you to pursue a career with the Detroit office? I am the newest member of North Sails Detroit with only seven months under my belt. I was interested in working for a sail maker due to my parents and in particular, my father’s passion with sailing. Although my parents sold their modest sailboat shortly before I came into the world, I still grew up instilled with a high respect for the sport and craftsmanship involved in boat building and sail making. I thought that working for a reputable sail maker in Detroit would be a unique opportunity to sort of reconnect with my family’s past. Why do you believe your background makes you a good fit for North Sails Detroit? I see a lot of parallels with my personal background to the marine industry. I was a swimmer my whole life and am still a very avid water sports person. I love the great lakes and the beauty that our region offers, being the largest freshwater resource in the world. So to me, whether it be by sailboat, canoe, kayak or other vessel, being out on the water is one of my favorite places to be. I also spent many years working in the aquatics industry where I honed my customer relations skills which I believe is a very large part of the north sails mantra- providing excellent customer service. What excites you about your future with North Sails? Two things come to mind: One being my adult sailing lessons that I will take at Bayview Yacht Club this spring. The second being North Sails Sustainability push and the #GoBeyondPlastic campaign. I feel like learning to sail is something that should have happened for me many years ago; so I am ready to finally get out there and learn how to use the wind to power a boat. Although sailing is already a pretty sustainable activity, North is taking it a step further and doing its part to help remove harmful plastics from the oceans (and lakes) and to help each loft become more sustainable in daily practice. I like that North is being part of the solution, not the problem on this subject. What have you learned thus far about the sail-making industry? Well, I have learned a lot. Bill Lesnek, our service manager has been teaching me the lingo and a lot of basic technical stuff about sails and boats which I find fascinating. Karl Kuspa has started introducing me to the sailing community of our area so I am getting to know the people. I have also learned how much science is going into sail making today and much about the history of sails and materials used. I can also see that North Sails is a deep company with a lot of very passionate, hard-working, and friendly people that are always there to help when you need it. READ MORE

ADD ST BARTHS TO YOUR BUCKET LIST North SY Expert Quinny Houry Sets The Scene For This Must Sail Event 📸 Michael Kurtz / St Barths Bucket The St Barths Bucket has a placeholder on many calendars within the North Sails network. This annual superyacht regatta is a ‘must do’ for more than just its tropical location. The Bucket is considered one of the most Corinthian events of the superyacht circuit, mixing great sailing with a casual vibe that is enjoyed by owners, their guests and the crew who help sail these modern superyachts. Taking our cue from the event, North Sails is onsite (and onboard) to make sure all 36 yachts taking part in the 2019 St Barths Bucket are race ready throughout the four-day event. Palma-based Superyacht expert, Quinny Houry will be sailing on Missy, an MM330. We called Quinny in advance of his trip to collect his thoughts on the 2019 event, and why, the Bucket has a place in Quinny’s schedule since 2003. Quinny, set the scene for those of us who have not been to the Bucket before. The St Barths Bucket is the Corinthian Superyacht event of the modern era – a mix of owners, pro sailors and guests onboard all the boats. The owners are very comfortable to bring their boats because they’re with friends. For the pro sailors, it’s just an amazing place to be out on the water. The island lends itself to ideal superyachts racing, and also the infrastructure to support an event this size. Anybody who loves sailing, and gets an opportunity to do the event, should. The Bucket is similar to a golf Pro-Am tournament because although there’s competition, and you have some of the best sailors in the world, everyone on the water is having fun too. The most amazing thing about the racing is you’ll have an America’s Cup helmsman, and Olympic gold medalist sailing on your boat; it’s the equivalent is being able to go around a Grand Prix track with Lewis Hamilton driving your car. Owners really see the potential of their boat, whereas when you’re cruising it, you don’t see the potential because you don’t have world class sailors sailing it. When I’ve sailed with Shirley Robertson, who’s won two Olympic gold medals, and she’s on the boat giving the debrief, the owner is sitting there listening to her give her views on the race you’ve just had and they really feel part of it. It is an amazingly unique event. 📸 Claire Matches / St Barths Bucket The 2019 entry list has 36 superyachts signed up. Knowing the scale of these yachts, 36 seems like a massive number. How do the event organizers manage traffic on the start line and around the race course? The superyacht racing rules are written for the safety of the boats and their crew. There are two things; one you don’t have a fleet start, so there’s only one boat on each start, and then you have a 40-meter rule – which means that if you go within 40 meters of another boat, it’s considered a collision. That said, 40-meters is essentially a boat length and exceptionally close in real life when you’ve got 200 tons going towards another 200 tons! But there is also respect and an understanding that this is a Corinthian event. So the racing, although hard, it’s still comfortable, and there are different levels of participation. Some people push quite hard but the majority enjoy sailing around the island seeing how they fare against other similar boats. North Sails has set up a pop-up service loft for the past few years. What does this level of support mean for our clients and the event? In the old days the local sailmaker would bring his sewing machine down to the dock, and then guys like me would work all night getting a sail fixed. But the reality is that since putting the service facility in, with everything being in one place and organized, it has made it a much nicer experience for the owners and boat captains. One of the great things about North Sails is that it’s big enough that we have the resources to put a pop-up service loft on the island for the event. If you imagine the logistics of putting in a service facility that can deal with sails that weigh over 200 kilos, it’s no easy task but we really believe it gives our clients the best possible service. North Sails is really the only company that has the horsepower to be able to do that, and we are proud to offer it to our customers. So you really look at it and go, “Oh, thank goodness North is there.” 📸 Michael Kurtz / St Barths Bucket READ MORE