"YOU MAKE HISTORY BY LOOKING AHEAD."
In 1957, North Sails founder Lowell North set out to make the best and fastest racing sails the world had ever seen. He succeeded, and went on to reshape sailing forever. Today, whether it’s for an America’s Cup winner, a Vendée Globe champion, Olympic superstar, or weekend day-sailor, every sail we make is born from a champion spirit and pure dedication to the sport we love.
Lowell’s enduring legacy is the combination of leading-edge technology and high-performance materials, which also shaped the first North Sails Apparel collection that launched in 1989 and North Sails Actionsports that followed.
"You make history by looking ahead." — Lowell North
SAILMAKING
SHAPING SAILING SINCE 1957
You can imagine the future or make it. Lowell North went one better—he led it.
When he started North Sails, his philosophy was simple: Get the best people and commit yourself to making the best product. Be clear, creative, methodical, and competitive in spirit. Go beyond your wildest imagination.
For over six decades, teams powered by North Sails have achieved remarkable results. Along with sailing's most prestigious podiums, our successes—from offshore to inshore to one design—highlight 100s of projects powered by collaboration between our designers, manufacturers, and sail experts worldwide. We all benefit and we all learn, as do the people who choose North.
You can imagine the future or make it. Lowell North went one better—he led it.
When he started North Sails, his philosophy was simple: Get the best people and commit yourself to making the best product. Be clear, creative, methodical, and competitive in spirit. Go beyond your wildest imagination.
For over six decades, teams powered by North Sails have achieved remarkable results. Along with sailing's most prestigious podiums, our successes—from offshore to inshore to one design—highlight 100s of projects powered by collaboration between our designers, manufacturers, and sail experts worldwide. We all benefit and we all learn, as do the people who choose North.
WHERE WE STARTED
SHAPING THE INDUSTRY SINCE 1957
We are a unique sailmaker, built on a champion spirit. Our story began as a small sailmaking company in a room at San Diego's B Street Pier. The space was a little dusty and dirty but big enough for Lowell North to build a Star boat mainsail. Six decades later, North Sails has grown into the world’s leading sailmaker, with seven wholly owned manufacturing sites in six different countries, 2,000 employees worldwide, and tens of thousands of sails hoisted on harbors and oceans around the globe each year.
Founded in a decidedly scientific approach to sailmaking, North Sails remains rooted in the core values that led Lowell North to success: in-house analysis and development of materials, performance-led design, quality craftsmanship and customer service. Dive into these stories that bring back memories and inspire the next generation of innovators
WHAT MAKES A MASTER SAILMAKER? WHAT IS THE GREATEST STRENGTH OF NORTH SAILS? THE ABILITY TO BUILD FAST SAILS.
LOWELL NORTH
A SHARED STORY
NORTH SAILS & THE AMERICA'S CUP
The fastest boat consistently wins the America’s Cup, and we’ve consistently kept the secrets and built the sails that give teams the confidence boost of superior boat speed.
The fastest boat consistently wins the America’s Cup, and we’ve consistently kept the secrets and built the sails that give teams the confidence boost of superior boat speed.