NORTH SAILS BLOG

Practical offshore cruising guide: boat prep, sail choices, safety essentials, routing tips, and gear for a successful ocean sailing adventure. READ MORE

The Rikki programme feels like a blueprint for re-energising the sport of sailing. It’s a programme built on the belief that sailing should prioritise fun and camaraderie, whilst giving young sailors a pathway to offshore experience on bigger, faster boats. READ MORE

Ken Lawson shares how NPL RENEW sails support fast, durable family cruising—fueling a lifelong passion for sailing across generations on the open water. READ MORE

An expert-led youth programme, the RORC Griffin Offshore Pathway gives 18–30 year olds access, coaching and North Sails equipment, culminating in the Round Britain and Ireland Race to develop elite offshore sailors READ MORE

After fifty years in the sailmaking business, Geoff Meek and his partners at North Sails Cape Town, are taking a well-earned retirement and handing over the leadership of this storied sail loft to a new generation. READ MORE

Matija Succi wins the Richmond Award, honoring young talent at North Sails for leadership, innovation, and passion for sail design and elite sailing. READ MORE

Bellino, a Sun Fast 3600 raced by Rob Craigie and Deb Fish, showcases how expert preparation, teamwork, and advanced North Sails technology drive consistent offshore racing success. READ MORE

This International Women’s Day, we’re spotlighting a few of the women within our North Sails and North Actionsports communities who are raising the bar – and the teams that stand with them. READ MORE

North Sails brings Dave Hughes onboard as the new North American One Design Manager. A multi-time Olympian, World Champion, and longtime North Sails collaborator, Hughes brings unmatched experience and passion to the role. His journey with North began at the San Diego loft over 20 years ago, and now, after decades of racing and coaching at the highest levels, he’s back to help shape the future of One Design sailing.  READ MORE

Beginning in 2026, North Sails will have two hugely experienced leaders at the helm of the Gosport loft in the UK. Dave Lenz and Jeremy Smart are furthering their decades-long relationship with the world’s leading sailmaker by stepping into the role of General Manager and Sales Manager, respectively.  READ MORE

North Sails is pleased to announce a new leadership structure: Thomas Normand takes on the role of Global Sales and Service Director while Marine Derrien becomes Managing Director of North Sails France. READ MORE

North Sails Apparel partners with sailor Francesca Clapcich and 11th Hour Racing, providing performance gear for her 2028 Vendée Globe campaign. READ MORE

After more than four decades with North Sails, Tom Pease is setting his course toward retirement. His journey with the company has been marked by dedication, innovation, and—most importantly—lasting relationships with colleagues and customers alike. READ MORE

Honored, humbled and still at full speed. The Sailing Hall of Fame recognizes his lifetime of achievement—but Ken’s story is still being written. READ MORE

After decades of dedicated service to the Pacific Northwest sailing community, long-time North Sails expert Jack Christiansen is passing the torch.  North Sails Seattle will transition to the capable hands of Tim Scanlon and Alyosha Strum-Palerm, marking an exciting new chapter for the loft.  READ MORE

Abbiamo collaborato con l’artista Sophie Scott per una t-shirt in edizione limitata dedicata alla Rolex Fastnet Race 2025, che cattura lo spirito di questa iconica regata d’altura. Disponibile presso lo stand North Sails nel race village di Cherbourg-en-Cotentin — e presto anche online. Scopri la storia dietro al design nella nostra intervista a Sophie. READ MORE

Allen’s journey through recovery, racing, and rediscovery leads him to the 2.4mR World Championship.  READ MORE

North Sails proudly names Simone Ricci as Optimist Class Leader, bringing global coaching expertise and a deep commitment to youth sailing development. READ MORE

Anaïs, Elliot, and their dog North, also known as The Salty Cruisers, recount stories from their recent journey between Annapolis and the British Virgin Islands. READ MORE

On June 2nd, 26-year-old Jazz Turner set off to become the first disabled sailor to complete a solo, non-stop, and unassisted circumnavigation of Britain.  READ MORE

Il Griffin Youth Project del Royal Ocean Racing Club rappresenta un faro per i giovani velisti ambiziosi, offrendo un accesso strutturato e raro al mondo impegnativo della vela d’altura. READ MORE

In a testament to a remarkable career defined by dedication and innovation, Hafzal Haniffa, Head of Logistics at North Sails Sri Lanka, has been honored with the prestigious 2025 Richmond Award.  READ MORE

Ellie Driver ha partecipato per la prima volta alla Rolex Fastnet Race nel 2019, a soli 18 anni, appena uscita da una campagna nella classe 420 – una regata offshore di più giorni era un concetto completamente diverso. Sapeva di poter condurre una barca velocemente su un percorso di regata, ma sarebbe stata in grado di portare la sua Sunfast 3300 con la stessa velocità in una delle regate offshore più celebri al mondo, per oltre quattro giorni consecutivi, senza sosta? Da quella prima esperienza alla Rolex Fastnet, Ellie ha collezionato una serie impressionante di risultati, tra cui: ⭐ Campionessa europea EUROSAF Offshore in doppio femminile (2023) ⭐ Vicecampionessa mondiale World Sailing Offshore in doppio misto (2023) ⭐ “Sailor of the Year” secondo Yachts & Yachting (2022) ⭐ Skipper più giovane a partecipare alla SEVENSTAR Round Britain and Ireland Race (2022) ⭐ Secondo posto al Défi Paprec (2024) Ellie Driver Nel 2023 Ellie è tornata a gareggiare alla Rolex Fastnet, questa volta in doppio con suo padre, veterano della regata con otto partecipazioni alle spalle. Ellie ammette che nella sua prima Fastnet aveva “navigato il percorso”, assorbendo tutta l’esperienza che il padre le trasmetteva. Nel 2023 invece, afferma di aver “gareggiato davvero, anche con il meteo estremo”, concludendo 10ª tra le barche in doppio, 2ª skipper donna e 2ª skipper under 25 nella classifica generale. La partenza dell’edizione 2023 fu brutale: la flotta lasciò il Solent affrontando un burrascoso vento da sud-ovest. Le condizioni non migliorarono: Ellie e suo padre si trovarono ad affrontare “tre burrasche e una bonaccia – furono quattro giorni d’inferno”. Ma Ellie e Jim non si ritirarono, e proprio quell’esperienza ha ispirato i cinque consigli chiave di Ellie per gli equipaggi che parteciperanno alla Rolex Fastnet Race 2025: “A meno di un guasto catastrofico della barca, i ritiri avvengono perché o la barca o l’equipaggio non sono pronti ad affrontare le condizioni.” I CINQUE CONSIGLI DI ELLIE 1. Non rimandare la manutenzione: inizia subito. Fai subito tutti gli interventi necessari. Controlla la barca da prua a poppa, sostituendo tutto ciò che mostra segni di usura. Fallo ora e rifallo nel mese precedente alla regata. Io controllo costantemente la mia barca per assicurarmi che nulla si rompa per cause evitabili durante la regata. 2. Pianifica i ricambi. Durante i prossimi quattro mesi di ispezioni, se noti che un componente si deteriora più rapidamente del previsto, porta con te i pezzi di ricambio specifici. 3. Cura la tua forma fisica quanto la barca. Più sei forte, meno rischi di farti male e più energie avrai durante la regata. Questo ti permette anche di affrontare ogni manovra con il 100% della forza: manovre più veloci, meno rischi di danni alla barca, vele strappate o cadute, e meno infortuni personali in condizioni difficili. Vai a nuotare, corri, vai in palestra – la preparazione fisica dell’equipaggio è prioritaria. 4. Pianifica i turni prima della regata. Fondamentale per il doppio, ma utile anche con equipaggi più numerosi e diversi per esperienza. Sette giorni prima del via, inizia a studiare il percorso e le perturbazioni in arrivo. Adatta il piano dei turni in base alle previsioni: quando si potrà riposare, quando serviranno tutti a bordo, e quando dovranno esserci i timonieri più esperti al comando. Continua ad aggiornare il piano man mano che arrivano nuovi bollettini meteo. 5. Il mio ultimo consiglio: canta! Anche con la preparazione migliore, ci saranno momenti in cui sarai esausto ma dovrai continuare a spingere. In quei momenti, io e mio padre cantiamo per restare svegli e mantenere alto il morale. I pezzi degli ABBA sono i preferiti a bordo! Seguendo i consigli di Ellie per garantire che gli equipaggi iscritti alla Rolex Fastnet Race di quest’anno siano adeguatamente preparati, abbiamo incontrato Steve Coles, Race Manager del Royal Ocean Racing Club.  Steve Coles, Race Manager del Royal Ocean Racing Club Gli abbiamo chiesto su cosa dovrebbero concentrarsi le imbarcazioni con posto confermato alla Rolex Fastnet Race nei prossimi quattro mesi. Ecco cosa ha consigliato Steve Coles, Race Manager del Royal Ocean Racing Club: APRILE Verifica che i dettagli della barca inseriti nella tua iscrizione siano corretti. Puoi iniziare ad aggiungere i membri dell’equipaggio nel tuo crew locker su www.sailracehq.com. Ogni membro dell’equipaggio dovrà creare un account per inserire i propri dati. Ricordati di indicare anche la taglia della maglietta. Invia la proposta di miglia nautiche. Almeno il 50% dell’equipaggio (ma non meno di 2 persone), inclusa la persona responsabile, deve aver completato 300 miglia nautiche di regate offshore RORC a bordo della barca iscritta alla regata. Le miglia devono essere completate entro i 12 mesi precedenti l’inizio della Rolex Fastnet Race. Sono accettate anche regate non RORC, ma devono generalmente essere di almeno 150 miglia nautiche e includere una notte in mare. È possibile combinare più regate per raggiungere il requisito delle 300 miglia. La Rolex Fastnet Race è una regata di Categoria 2. Devi completare la checklist sulla piattaforma di iscrizione e prima completare anche quella di Categoria 3, altrimenti il sistema non permetterà di procedere. Le imbarcazioni potranno essere ispezionate prima della partenza per la verifica della conformità OSR.  MAGGIO Verifica se è necessaria una revisione del piano di costruzione. I monoscafi con data di serie successiva al 2009 e una lunghezza inferiore a 24 metri (78’9”) devono essere progettati, costruiti e mantenuti in conformità con la norma ISO 12215 Categoria A e possedere un certificato di revisione emesso da un organismo riconosciuto da World Sailing. Ordina il tuo tracker. I tracker sono obbligatori per la Rolex Fastnet Race e per tutte le regate RORC. È disponibile un contributo economico su richiesta scrivendo a racing@rorc.org. GIUGNO Se hai completato i requisiti di miglia, informa il RORC immediatamente. Approfitta delle giornate più lunghe per allenarti. Questo è il periodo ideale per sessioni di addestramento prolungate in condizioni reali. LUGLIO Inserisci l’elenco finale dell’equipaggio sulla piattaforma di iscrizione. Tutte le barche non provenienti dal Regno Unito devono compilare il modulo C1331 prima dell’arrivo. Può essere fatto online al seguente link: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/submit-a-pleasure-craft-report#submit-your-report-online Verifica che il rating sia stato richiesto. La scadenza è il 4 luglio. Leggi attentamente le Istruzioni di Regata (Sailing Instructions). Ordina ora l’abbigliamento personalizzato del tuo team per la Rolex Fastnet Race 2025. READ MORE

Per Ellie Driver, Ambassador North Sails, e suo padre Jim, la vela non è solo uno sport – è una passione che coltivano insieme da oltre vent’anni, fatta di sfide impegnative, successi straordinari e crescita condivisa, dentro e fuori dall’acqua. Scopri la loro storia nel nostro ultimo blog post. READ MORE

"He’s a great competitor. He’s one of the best bowmen in the world. He's got the skills, he's got the racing focus, he's got the drive to win, to do better, to improve every day. And being a bowman and working within North Sails is kind of unique because he brings a different skillset to the feedback he provides." READ MORE

With a constant drive to innovate, sail designer Max Tringale explains how sails and performance evolve throughout an America's Cup campaign.  READ MORE

Cup veteran and business leader Tom Whidden shares his experiences working with top sailors like Dennis Conner and how his sailing career inspired his work at North Sails. READ MORE

Burns Fallow, the lead sail designer for Emirates Team New Zealand, offers an exclusive look into the world of high-performance sailmaking at the America's Cup. READ MORE

Step inside the base of America's Cup team INEOS Britannia with sail designer JB Braun, where the boundaries of sail design, and sail technology like North 3Di, are constantly pushed to their limits. READ MORE

Italian sailor Giulio Desiderato is widely recognized as one of Europe’s top one-design sailors. He’s now taking his skills and applying them to Grand Prix sailing.     READ MORE

The next generation of North Sails designers play key roles on yacht racing's grandest stage. Each of them has a North Sails mentor that they’re working with, seasoned experts younger designers coming along. READ MORE

Hailing from Port Townsend, Washington, Vilage, 28, brings the same qualities to her work in the loft at Portsmouth as she does as part of some of the finest one-design crews in North America. READ MORE

The Palma-based superyacht sail designer has gone from a junior designer to working on significant North Sails projects in just a few short years. READ MORE

Rightfully known as “the champions among us,” the North Sails One Design roster is a remarkable collection of world-class sailmakers. It was Gillard’s single-minded pursuit of excellence that caught the attention of Paul Hobson, the head of the One Design squad at North Sails. READ MORE

The North Sails family and sailing world mourn the loss of Gautier Sergent.  Gautier personified North Sails—an absolute expert who drew from his experience to relentlessly advance our competitive edge.  READ MORE

North Sails strengthens its global sales and service team with Tony Rey, one of the most highly respected sails experts. Few sailors have such a diverse career and broad enthusiasm for racing and cruising. READ MORE

Ruaridh Wright is the recipient of the inaugural Richmond Award. North Sails introduced this award in memory of our colleague Sam Richmond, who passed away after a tragic yachting accident. READ MORE

THOMAS NORMAND JOINS THE TEAM A New Operations Manager at North Sails France Thomas Normand, former director of Mer Concept (sailor François Gabart’s ocean racing team), is joining North Sails France as operations manager. He will be responsible for the operational strategy within the three French sites in Vannes, Lorient (Brittany) and Mouans Sartoux in the South of France. He will support the management team, which includes managing director Gautier Sergent, manager and sales director Philippe Touet. Thomas Normand (36 years old) will have as main missions the management of the teams, the optimization of processes and products, as well as the implementation of methods and projects. Reporting to the general management, he will act as coordinator and administrator between the different teams of the company, both nationally and internationally with the North Sails group. He will take up his position early December 2022. “We are delighted to welcome Thomas Normand to our team,” said Gautier Sergent. His skills and experience will complement and strengthen our current capabilities. We are confident in his ability to maintain a smooth and positive development of the organization. And like all of our team members, Thomas is driven by the same passion for sailing and for excellence.” “We have a great team that performs well whether it be commercially, technically or productively,” adds Philippe Touet. And Thomas will support this team with the objective of operational efficiency.” “I am proud and excited to join the North Sails France team,” says Thomas Normand. “After four great years with Mer Concept, I wanted to get away from the world of sponsorship and broaden my horizon. The North Sails proposal came at the right time. It is a company with a strong reputation and a long history in the sailing world, especially through prestigious events such as the Route du Rhum, the Vendée Globe, the America’s Cup or The Ocean Race, races that have made me dream since I was a child. North Sails is also the reference in terms of advanced technology and a research and development unit placed at the center of the organization’s strategy. My role as Director of Operations will be to understand and deal with the problems and issues of each other in order to move forward. Another aspect and not the least, Thomas is a sailing enthusiast. “Continuing to work and exchange with the sailing teams will allow me to stay in touch with this magnificent sport.” Thomas Normand holds a state sailing diploma, a master’s degree in sports management and recently a Goldman Sachs University Diploma from Essec. He began his career as a professional sailor in Mini 6. 50 and Figaro (Mini Transat 2011, 2nd in the prototype category and Solitaire du Figaro 2012, 14th and 1st Rookie) within Jean-Pierre Dick’s Absolute Dreamer team before putting his university education into practice at CapGemini engineering, a world leader in the engineering services sector, where he was head of the Energy department for four years, and then at Mer Concept as General Manager from 2018 until today. READ MORE

Get To Know Your Local Sail Experts Ben Saxton (far right) winning Round 2 of the Cape 31 Race Circuit at the RORC Vice Admirals Cup 2022. 📸RORC/Paul Wyeth/pwpictures.co North Sails are very proud to not only be one of the industry’s leading brands but also having some of the world’s best sailors working in the team. The Gosport loft prides itself in having several of these sailors working and sailing at a high level. The “Young Guns” series will introduce you all to the team over the next few months. We begin with Ben Saxton – Olympian, World Champion and North Sails Sail Expert. How long have you been sailing, and how did you get started? I’ve been sailing all my life. My grandad was a water engineer, and he built the dam at Grafham Water, which is where I learned to sail. All my family loves sailing. Since then, I progressed through the British Sailing Team and have raced 470’s and Nacra 17’s in the Olympic fleets. I have won European medals in both classes, including winning the Nacra Worlds and the Europeans twice. I have sailed many yachts and sportsboat classes from 52 ft’ers Farr 45’s Cape 31’s and many sportsboat classes. What boats/classes do you sail? Mainly the Cape 31, it is a great boat, and the fleet is epic! This year I also won the Bacardi Series in Miami in the J70. I have also been trimming main and doing tactics for the legend that is Lawrie Smith in an Etchells; we came third at the Etchells World Championships in Cowes in September. We also won the National and European Championships. I really enjoyed the Fastnet race on the CF-520 Oystercatcher last year too. I enjoy match racing, team racing, and fleet racing. I have raced most sports boats, medaling at the worlds and winning four national titles. I still jump in a dinghy occasionally but love the teamwork on bigger boats. What’s your favorite thing about sailing? I really like the racing and the comradery; I like making boats go fast and seeing people enjoying it. My time racing in the competitive Olympic class fleets has taught me how to develop, optimize, and tweak boat settings to your advantage. Another big part of success in these tightly-packed fleets is knowing how to perform well under pressure. Now that I’m becoming more involved in Grand Prix racing, I love working as part of a bigger team and being able to share victories with all the crew onboard. What’s your best sailing achievement? I won the Foiling Nacra 17 World Championships and the Europeans a few times. I also went to the 2016 Olympics in Rio. What made you want to join North Sails? They’re professional and the best. I love the sport, and North Sails is the place everyone wants to be. With 3Di, North Sails scientifically has the best product. I really enjoy racing and performing on the day, but I really enjoy developing sail packages and making boats go faster. I now have the opportunity to make the boats I race on and our customer’s race go faster. What do you like most about being part of the North Sails team? Everyone that I get to work with. I enjoy learning and sharing knowledge in order to make North Sails more and more dominant. Individually I am good at making boats go fast, so I’m very happy to be in a place where everyone else appreciates that and wants to do that too. It is a dream come true to work within the sailing industry. It is what I have the best expertise in, so it makes sense. After Olympic sailing, I did work in a Tier 1 Bank for a while, but I quickly realized that I was happier around boats. Where will we see you sailing next? Inshore and offshore. Miami in sports boats, the Cape 31 in the solent, and hopefully all over the world soon! Favorite place to sail? That’s a hard one, either Hamilton Island or Porto Cervo. I have been lucky enough to race in World Championships in both venues. They both have great wide areas of wild water to race in, but they also have difficult local tactics too. They are both great places onshore too. Best person to sail with? My twin brother, Tim. There is something special about racing with your family, and racing with your twin is even better. Tim is really good too. When I raced the Moth, I quickly worked out that I prefer building and performing as part of a team rather than experiencing all the highs and lows as an individual. What is your favorite sail? 3Di RAW 870 – subtly seeing the structure and tape layouts in the smooth sail look so smart. North Sails 3D one piece racing sails do not need any covers over them to stop the wind blowing through them because, uniquely, we split the tapes down into individual filaments. This also makes the sails stronger and lighter. These are the tape structures that you can see. READ MORE

AUSTRALIA’S JOHN BACON – FROM 5.5M SAILOR TO IRC RACER Taking on the World With North Sails World Champion yachtsman John Bacon has arranged many successful racing programs together, and his next few months of sailing is no exception. With a range of sailing projects on the go, John’s also contesting two exciting regattas in two vastly different racing yachts on two continents in the next month: the 5.5m World Championships in Hanko, Norway, and the Rolex New York Yacht Club Race Week in Rhode Island, USA on his new Dunning 44. Stepping Up in Sydney Growing up on the water, John had always sailed with his family and friends. However it wasn’t until a change of scene to Sydney’s Pittwater that gave the yachtsman a push into the racing side of the sport, and after crewing on various yachts, he realized it was about time to pull together his own team. “I enjoyed crewing, but I really liked steering – and I thought the only way I’d do any steering is to buy a boat. So, I started with a little boat and began to upgrade and work my way up through a series of different boats and ended up at the Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club (RPA). I was happy doing keel boat handicap racing and had a pretty nice Sydney 39 and it was a pretty good IRC boat where we did really well in that. That’s where I started to get involved with North Sails, with getting better sails and crew with that boat. I’ve used North Sails from the get go in all my campaigns, and now, it’s never a question of using anything else.” Jumping into One Design racing with a McConaghy 38, John knew the next step was to assemble a competitive program to race against the best. “I got to know David Sampson and Cameron Miles, and although we knew each other already, we got to form a really tight-knit team together at RPA, and just loved it! We’ve had a great relationship with Norths through the MC38 program and it was never a question of using anything else. We sailed that boat for 10 years everywhere! We did every regatta, and I think we won one nationals and came second a few times.” The Challenge of 5.5m Sailing The 5.5m development class all race on the same start line, however the fleet is scored in three divisions according to their age, as Classics, Evolutions, and Moderns. The Evolution is where John saw his next pursuit as the world championships were coming to his home waters in Australia. “As my time started to free up I was doing less work, I got interested in the 5.5m. I really loved the concept of 5.5ms and was really drawn into it. The boats are all different, it’s all in a box rule. They’ve got different designers, different sail plans, as one boat may be good on a Swiss Lake, whereas another one is really good at the Baltic. They’ve all got this character of their own.” “We bought an old Evolution boat in Europe, in the 1973 to 1993 division, and we thought we’d go sail it and do the German Open Regatta, but the poor boat was a wreck, so I got a mate of mine over in Europe to completely restore it for the worlds in 2019 in Helsinki as a bit of a practice. Terry Wetton, James Mayjor and I formed this really nice team, and we ended up winning both regattas, it was just amazing.” “After the 2019 worlds, we brought the boat back to Australia, and RPA was hosting the worlds in January 2020, so instead of trying to win it at our home club we had to defend our title. And we did! From Evolution to Modern John’s decided to level up and compete in the main Modern division for the upcoming 2022 5.5 metre World Championship in Hanko, but the change in division is all the same racing for him and his team. “Everyone’s on the same start line. You’ve got boats that could be up to 70 years old on the line with new modern styles. So within the fleet, it’s actually a really interesting strategic point of view among the divisions, as the speed differential between the divisions is not that much. With 5.5ms it’s actually about the equipment.” When discussing the North Sails inventory, John’s vision for the development of his team includes tweaking and recutting the North Sails designs to suit the racing conditions he expects. “We’ve done some fantastic work with Darren Jones, our coach, working with Alby Pratt and the designers on coming up with some really nice sails. We’ve gone away a little from the One Design sails, and we’ve got a full wardrobe of 3Di sails. But we’ve looked at some light air paneled sails as well as an option, which is a work in progress that we’re going to look at in Hanko.” When asked about how quickly the class progresses, John’s passion for the project shines through. “There are a couple of new sails turning up for us, and the good thing about 5.5m is that it’s a development class. You get to push the development of the class further each time you make a change, and I really like that. It’s good and when you turn up with something a bit different and it works for you, it’s fantastic!” Where John has spent the most time developing are with his spinnakers, optimizing the inventory for the class minimum and maximum wind speeds for racing, between 4 and 25 knots, allowing him to extend the crossover of the larger spinnaker and remove the smaller spinnaker completely from the boat. “North Sails has been amazing and we’ve got a great relationship. It’s fundamental to what we’re doing with the program, so we’ve got some nice new sails meeting us when we get over there and we’re looking forward to getting out there on the water.” New Project for Race Week in Newport Racing his Dunning 44 at 2022 Rolex New York Yacht Club Race Week fits perfectly into the packed schedule John has planned for this year, but he hasn’t yet seen the boat he plans to race with his international crew of mates looking to have fun. “We had an opportunity to buy a Dunning 44 in Newport, Rhode Island, called The Edge. And I love it there. We haven’t travelled for the last couple of years, and the Rolex New York Yacht Club Race Week regatta is on in July this year, originally we didn’t think we could fit it in, but it fits perfectly as it’s the week after.” “It’s going to be a bit of a scramble, and somewhere we talked Ken Read into doing tactics for us, and Suzy Leech is navigating too. So I’m going to be surrounded by all these absolute legends. And then we look at the entry list, and it’s the who’s who of big boat racing.” “I am where I am in sailing because of the relationships I’ve got with people, and I really respect that and am really grateful for it. And I am a North Sails customer, but you get more than the sails, you get everything. The development, the help with that development, the backup, the support, and you know if we blow a spinnaker up in Norway, I guarantee you we can get it fixed.” “So we’re working with the North Sails loft in Newport for the Dunning 44. The boat’s brand new, it’s only done two regattas. The sails that are coming with the boat are okay, but we want to keep moving, so we’ve ordered another North Sails spinnaker and a medium jib, and we’re doing a recut of the main to a more specific design that Ken Read has been part of. The boat’s got lots of potential but it’s going to be another massive challenge to sail against some of the competition we’re up against, but we’ll see!” Offshore Sailing on the Horizon John also played an integral part in the launch of the first Farr X2, owning the first of the newly designed short handed yachts to Australia to help get the project underway. “The Farr X2 is going well. We recently sailed it from Sydney Harbour up to RPAYC in Pittwater. For me, I really love the projects, and I got involved with Bret Perry and the guys, and I thought this was a project that needed to start happening.” However, John isn’t planning on sailing the Farr X2 himself in the short term, as he’s given it to two young female sailors to launch their double handed offshore racing campaign. “I’d done a two handed campaign with David Sampson before, and then Alice Tarnawski came to me and said she wanted to do some two-handed female sailing, and the timing for the Farr X2 to be built worked out well. It was something that was a really cool project to do, and Alice and Clare Costanzo have teamed up and are one hundred percent into it!” “I’ve got a lot on myself so I’ve kind of said to the girls it’s their project, and they’re going to race it in the Sydney to Gold Coast race, so we’re doing everything we can to get them to Hobart. In the meantime I’m looking forward to doing a bit of offshore sailing in it for sure, but the main program is to get Alice and Clare to Southport and then get them on the start line to Hobart on Boxing Day.” READ MORE

NORTH SAILS ROSTER BOLSTERED WITH BOUWE BEKKING One of the Sport’s Most Experienced Sailors Joins North Sails 📸 Jesus Renedo / Volvo AB North Sails is proud to announce that Bouwe Bekking has joined the brand to support their Grand Prix division. Bekking is considered one of the world’s most accomplished and experienced sailors. The Dutch sailor has participated in eight around-the-world races, his first being the 1985-86 Whitbread onboard Philips Innovator and his most recent as skipper of Team Brunel during the Volvo Ocean Race 2014-15. His experience has earned him the moniker “Volvo Ocean Race Legend.” Beyond endurance ocean racing, Bekking has extensive sailing experience on various boats. Bekking is a six-time World Champion in multiple classes and has claimed dozens of European and National titles. His name is also in-demand within Superyachts, where he was recently named tactician to J-Class Svea. “Bouwe is an undisputed opinion leader in our sport,” says Ken Read, North Sails President. “He is highly respected amongst his peers and a familiar face to the global sailing audience. His expertise is a huge advantage to North Sails and our clients. As a result, Bouwe is uniquely positioned to add immediate value to our business. His input will play an important role in ensuring North Sails remains the leader in our sport.” “Direct feedback from the field is critical to advancing the performance and application of our products,” explains Paul Westlake, Grand Prix Leader, and North Sails Executive Vice President. “Bouwe is actively using North Sails products across a wide range of boats and conditions. His candid and direct feedback is guaranteed to impact future product developments.” “I have worked with the North Sails team at various points and with numerous projects throughout my sailing career, explains Bekking. “Whether flying off 40-foot waves in the Southern Ocean or inshore day racing, I’ve seen the evolution of the products. Product development and innovation are of particular interest, and I’m looking forward to working closely with a team who shares my ‘let’s give it a go’ attitude.” Bekking will maintain his robust professional sailing career while supporting North Sails within Grand Prix sailing. He will work closely with his sailing peers, the North product development team, and sales leaders. The “Volvo Ocean Race Legend” himself recently sat down with Ken Read and master sailmaker Nathan Quirk for Episode 4 of Loft 57, the North Sails Podcast. Collectively, our guests’ experience includes hundreds of thousands of offshore racing miles; Bekking onboard as a sailor, and Quirk in the sail repair loft. Subscribe to the Loft 57 podcast via Spotify, Apple Podcasts or connect with the North Sails community on Facebook and Instagram. Loft 57 is a North Sails production. 📸 Jesus Renedo / Volvo AB READ MORE

LETTER TO MY YOUNGER SELF 13X Sydney Hobart Sailor, Nick Beaudoin Reflects On How He Became A “Great Race” Veteran The sailors and designers in the world of North Sails are some of the most inspiring people on the water, and we’re hoping to share more of their story with you. “Letter to my younger self” is a series told from our North Sails ambassadors. In each article we bring to life their advice and personal journeys centered around the question: if your “now-self” could give your “younger self” advice, what would it be? Dear Younger Nick, I’m writing to you on the eve of my 14th Sydney to Hobart. This year (in 2021) I’m sailing in the 76th Sydney to Hobart on board the boat JV62 “Whisper.” I’m going to be short and simple with my advice to you, but that doesn’t mean it will be easy advice to follow. Here we go: nothing happens overnight. Be patient. Keep at it. I know! If only it was that easy but trust me on this one; having patience and trusting that it will happen will get you further than you can imagine. How far you’re wondering? Well, what if I told you that one day you’d be racing in the Sydney to Hobart regularly. And, not just sailing “The Great Race” on your average boat either, but winning it on a 100’ Super Maxi. How does a boy from Canada, sailing on the Detroit River with his dad, get all the way to Australia and then go on to win the Sydney to Hobart? Well, I wish I could say it would be smooth sailing (no pun intended) but it won’t be an easy path, in the end though, the goal was met (and then surpassed). The journey all starts in 2006 when you move from Canada to Sydney to do “The Great Race” – your big sailing goal at the time. Later that year you’ll begin working for the world’s best sail maker, North Sails. One of the most important things that I have learned over the years, especially in offshore sailing, is that a solid work ethic and dependability will carry you through. Over the years, I’ve created a motto to live by: “do the thing you said you were going to do, when you said you were going to do it.” Whether it is in your working career or your sailing career, stay true to this motto. A bit of words from the wise, young Nick… the Sydney to Hobart is the biggest race on the sailing calendar in Australia. You talk about and prepare for it all year. If you are not looking forward, you are always reminiscing about the race. That said, the Sydney to Hobart is definitely “type 2 fun.” Meaning, it is not fun while you are doing it, but it is fun to talk about when it’s over. It’s a character builder. I do have to thank Micheal Coxon, the former Managing Director of North Sails Australia for giving me many opportunities over the years. Micheal hired me, sponsored my Visa to stay in Australia and put me on the right boats to build a career on. Without him and his support over the years, I would not have had the experiences that I have had. For that, I am grateful to have a mentor like him. Best of luck over the years, keep your head up, sail safe and don’t forget to share your love for sailing, READ MORE

LETTER TO MY YOUNGER SELF Peter Warrer, Team Denmark’s Skipper for the 2021 Nord Stream Race, Shares his Life Lessons 📸 Nord Stream Race / Felix Diemer The sailors and designers in the world of North Sails are some of the most inspiring people on the water, and we’re hoping to share more of their story with you. “Letter to my younger self” is a series told by our North Sails ambassadors. In each article, we bring to life their advice and personal journeys centered around the question: if your “now-self” could give your “younger self” advice, what would it be? Dear 15-year-old Peter, You are a fantastic Optimist sailor, a two-time world champion! 43 years from now, looking back on life while skippering Team Denmark in the Nord Stream Race, you will see how this early success set a high standard for all the years of sailing that lie ahead. Here are a few things you should know: Your wild-child hippie lifestyle will temporarily divert your focus from sailing. You will eventually realize that to achieve your sailing goals, you must sacrifice your non-sailing life. Understand where your weaknesses lie and focus on improving them. For example, you will discover that your natural talents include tactics, helming, and sail trim. Technical areas will prove more difficult, but in this future world, it will be very important to master those skills too. View this post on Instagram A post shared by North Sails (@north_sails) Seasickness will prevent you from venturing offshore, but this will subside as you get older. You have to be there when you get the chance, but you also have to look for the chance. A good network helps hugely with this. Listen to your mentors, even if they are family members. Let yourself be inspired by your two-time Dragon Gold Cup-winning father. And dare to imagine a future that includes an Olympic gold medal-winning son, who will actually be a mentor for you too! But the most important thing I want to tell you, my 15-year-old self: have fun with your sailing. Jump on different boats and get involved in various campaigns; don’t be single-minded or focus too much on one class. Also, try to enjoy some cruising too. Sailing is a wonderful sport, and it will help you live a happy life. I have a lot of fun sailing and racing the ClubSwan 50, M32, J/70, and cruising on the X332. Of course, you will face obstacles… but overcoming them will be a large part of your joy. PS Peter, 68 doesn’t feel as old as you might think! 📸 Nord Stream Race / Marina Semenova 📸 Nord Stream Race / Marina Semenova READ MORE

7 OFFSHORE SAILORS YOU NEED TO KNOW We’d like to introduce you to seven names we have our eye on right now Sailing is a multi-faceted sport, but nothing matches the salt-sprayed challenge of racing offshore for days on end. Sailors willing to test their own limits (mentally and physically) often compete well away from the limelight, so we’d like to introduce you to seven sailors we’re watching right now—and will continue to watch. Each of these seven came to offshore sailing for different reasons, which reminds us of the range of opportunities within this challenging and exciting sector of the sport. Keep your eye out for more on these guys and gals, both here and on their own platforms. Justine “JuJu” Mettraux 📸 Amory Ross / 11th Hour Race Team Justine, a Swiss native, hails from Lake Geneva but she’s got more offshore miles than most. Now living in Lorient, France, her backyard is one of the most prestigious bodies of water for offshore training. In 2013, JuJu finished second, overall, in the Mini Transat. After this success, she (and her sister) rounded out the all-female squad on Team SCA in the Volvo Ocean Race 2014-15. More recently, she helped Dongfeng win the Volvo Ocean Race 2017-18 becoming one of the first women to have their name on the trophy. This summer season she’s sailing as a co-skipper with Simon Fisher on 11th Hour Racing after having finished second in The Ocean Race Europe. Next up for the Swiss sensation? You won’t be too shocked– her dream is to sail the 2024 Vendée Globe. To be honest, we’re not quite sure what impresses us more about Justine “JuJu” Mettraux– a CV that is enviable amongst the best in the sport or that she grew up in the mountains and is now out most in the sport . Who says you need to be sailing offshore before the age of five to be considered one of the most elite offshore sailors in the world right now? Francesca Clapcich and Jesse Fielding View this post on Instagram A post shared by Francesca Clapcich (@francescaclapcich) Clapcich is a one-design champion who is quickly becoming a top female offshore sailor. Born in Italy, she represented her country at the 2012 and 2016 Olympics (Laser Radial and 49erFX crew). After Rio though she began to shift her attention and focus to the big blue. In the Volvo Ocean Race 2017-18, Francesca joined Dee Caffari’s Turn the Tide on Plastic team. From this moment on she hasn’t looked back. Francesca’s co-skipper is Jesse Fielding, an already established American offshore sailor. Jesse has been involved with some of the more well known offshore programs out there, including the Roy Disney (senior) project: Morning Light. After the Morning Light program, Jesse went back to school to graduate from the University of Rhode Island. He did a stint in finance in New York City but the sea continued to call his name; after a couple of months, Fielding hung up his suit and tie and put all his focus into his real dream: sailing around the world. In 2020, when Francesca joined forces Jesse, they set their sights on becoming a strong American doublehanded team (Francesca emigrated to the United States in early 2020). This Italian/American duo have their own Beneteau Figaro 3s for this season’s solo races and then team up for the doublehanded events. Together, the two have gotten some pretty solid miles under their belts in the US and will soon start the infamous Solitaire du Figaro. Conrad Colman 📸 Aiste Ridikaite/ Ambersail-2 Colman holds dual citizenship (NZL and USA), but he has lived in France for more than ten years as an important member of the offshore racing fraternity. As you can imagine, he’s not your average offshore sailor. Like the others, Colman has a bit of a unique backstory which includes a mountain biking business, a single backpack filled with his worldly possessions and a dream to sail solo around the world (ideally without fossil fuels). And so, in 2007, his offshore sailing career began. It was a bit wild to say the least, taking many opportunities that would leave any seasoned professional with their jaw resting comfortably on the ground. “Business consultants would call these years extreme team building but I’d lay awake at night, despite crushing fatigue, hoping it wouldn’t end in disaster,” Colman once said. But, the risks of his youth (like saying yes to the Barcelona World Race five weeks before the start) led to some incredible adventures and (eventually) the realization of his dream. His three circumnavigations include winning the Class 40 doublehanded Global Ocean Race; completing the IMOCA doublehanded Barcelona World Race; and finishing the 2017 Vendée Globe sans fossil fuels. Probably one of the best words to summarize Colman is “resilient.” On the eve of his Vendee Globe finish, he dismasted—but instead of dropping out and starting his engine, he set up a jury rig, dug into his liferaft’s ration bag for sustenance, and pushed on. Colman sailed the remainder of the race under the jury rig and finished 16th overall. He is the first Kiwi to compete in (and now complete) the Vendée. Most recently, Conrad competed in The Ocean Race Europe as navigator for Ambersail. Clarisse Crémer View this post on Instagram A post shared by Clarisse Crémer (@clarissesurlatlantique) Crémer is a young french star who had the great opportunity and responsibility of being the Banque Populaire skipper for the 2020-21 Vendee Globe Race. She was a formidable race rookie who set a new solo female around the world record when she finished the race in 87 days 02 hours and 24 minutes. Her smart and sensible approach paid off, besting Ellen MacArthur’s 21-year monohull solo non-stop record for a female skipper of 94 days 4 hours which placed Ellen in second during the 2000-2001 Vendée Globe. Born in Paris, Clarisse now lives in Brittany, where she first caught the sailing bug. If you had asked her ten years ago, even Clarisse might not have imagined her record-breaking finish. That’s because in 2013, she tacked away from a path in the business world, “quit her day job” (as they say), and headed to Brittany for her next adventure as an offshore sailor. While the Vendée Globe put her on a world stage, Crémer has been building an impressive collection of podium finishes. She finished second in the 2017 Mini Transat, a race that opened her eyes to the incredible freedom of solo sailing. From there, she went on to participate in the circuit familiar to many young French sailors; Offshore French Youth Championships, Rolex Fastnet, Défi Azimut, and the Transat Jacques Vabre. She recently helped LinkedOut finish third overall in The Ocean Race Europe and win both inshore races. Yann Riou Riou is no stranger to our world. He is one of the industry’s most well-respected Onboard Reporters on the water these days. The age old saying goes “if it’s not on camera, did it even happen?” Well, Riou makes sure to prove “it” happened. As a result, the Frenchman has sailed around the world more than most, being a part of two winning Volvo Ocean Races and two World Record attempts. Riou is not fixed on around the world sailing though, also been onboard for several offshore record-breaking runs like Comanche’s dash across the Atlantic in 2016, an experience later showcased on CNN’s “Great Big Story.” But, Yann is not just hired by these elite offshore sailing teams because he brings the world of offshore sailing to your laps, the man can also sail– and sail well. Yann can sail so well that he’s continuously included in around the world speed records. When racing for records offshore, a team can’t sacrifice weight so they need everyone to multi-task. Although he was limited to content creation during the Volvo Ocean Race, skippers feel confident with Yann’s onboard capabilities– the last thing a skipper wants when sailing offshore is a cameraman who doesn’t know port from starboard. Fortunately, Riou knows his stuff. Jean Le Cam 📸 Vendée Globe Le Cam is affectionately known as Le Rio Jean (King Jean), a nickname he earned due to ruling the leaderboard during his Figaro days. Le Cam is a fan favorite known for his navigational prowess, colorful personality, and passion for sharing the experience with both sailors and the general public alike. A fierce competitor, Le Cam holds stories that are the stuff of ocean racing legends. Four decades ago, he was onboard with Éric Tabarly, France’s best-known yachtsman, during the 1981 Whitbread Round the World Race. King Jean has completed the Vendée Globe five times and finished second to Vincent Riou in 2005. In addition, he won the Barcelona World Race in 2015, and finished fourth in the 2020-21 Vendée Globe. And while his CV is indisputably impressive, it’s the stories from the 2008 and 2020 Vendée Globe that will see this 61-year old around-the-world sailor into the history books. In 2008, 58 days into the Vendée Globe, Le Cam’s Open 60 lost its keel bulb and capsized 200 miles from Cape Horn. Vincent Riou sailed his PRB back upwind to rescue Jean from a capsized boat. The dangerous and challenging rescue mission took Riou four attempts before safely recovering his fellow competitor. In 2021, King Jean returned the favor when he rescued PRB-sponsored Kevin Escoffier after Kevin’s boat folded in half amongst strong winds and big seas 840 nautical miles SW of Cape Town. In a post-recovery interview, Escoffier was quick to mention his confidence in Le Cam; “as soon as I had seen Jean, I was sure I would be saved.” All together now: Yes We Cam! READ MORE

You’re familiar with the phrase if you know, you know, right? For over three decades, North design expertise and sails have been onboard with every team to capture the Auld Mug. When the Defenders and Challengers built their winning teams, they knew who to call: North Sails. READ MORE

As one of North Sails cutting edge designers, Gautier Sergent worked with INEOS TEAM UK in the 36th America’s Cup. As someone who strives constantly to push the limits and refine new design, Sergent is never satisfied with average. “In the sailing sense, the America’s Cup is the Holy Grail of the technology and the performance,”. READ MORE

Joining North Sails in 1988, Burns Fallow is the lead sail designer for Emirates Team New Zealand and has been at the forefront of sail design for the Kiwi team ever since. He’s seen it all from hoisting sails mid-race in the IACC boats to hard wing sails on 72’ cats; for the 36th America’s Cup, Fallow was one of the central figures in bringing to life the twin skin mainsail concept. READ MORE

Gautier Sergent is a behind the scenes force within the North Sails family and the name attached to many of our sport’s most influential projects. He is our Head of R&D and is often a skipper’s first call for bouncing (what seems like insurmountable) ideas around until they together find a way for them to become a reality. READ MORE

FORCE OF NATURE: JOSIE GLIDDON Josie Gliddon Works for North Sails as an Accountant by Day, But On the Weekends, She’s a Powerhouse Paving the Way in the Moth Class. On the starting line with some of the top sailors in the world, Josie Gliddon is making a name for herself in the Moth class, and encouraging other women to join her on the racecourse. During the week, you can find Josie at the Gosport, UK loft in the accounting department. We caught up with Josie at Moth UK Nationals to talk to her about her career at North Sails, trialing new Moth sails and her time on the water. Watch the video to learn. READ MORE

INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY AT NORTH SAILS Introducing Patricia Rios: Vacuum Consolidation Lead In celebration of International Women’s Day, we examined the inner workings of the North Sails 3Di manufacturing facility in Minden, NV. Patricia (“Patty”) Rios is the Vacuum Consolidation Lead and a leader and role model in her department, enjoying every aspect of North’s unique sailmaking process. October marks Rios’s 12th year with North Sails. Before beginning her tenure with the company, she was a stay-at-home mom taking care of her young son. Her siblings worked at the North Sails and told her about a job opening, and she thought she would apply. Patricia (“Patty”) joined North Sails when 3DL was at the forefront, first drawn in by curiosity about sailmaking—and building them in the desert. Now that manufacturing has progressed to 3Di; she oversees a team of five who preps and produces vacuum bags to lock in sail shape. Rios explains, “The films department produces two vacuum bags that encase the sail while it is on the mold. Like building a carbon boat, heat and vacuum pressure are used to consolidate the filaments and resin. The bags and the sail membrane sit on the mold in the flying shape intended by the sail designer. It’s a fast operation to prepare the sails for consolidation. Even minor hiccups have a ripple effect, and any hold-up affects the most important part—shipping to the client. Rios’s worklist is based on the daily molding schedule. “There is only one shift for my department, so when I number the pieces, the team needs to follow the order. From my team, I assign each of my team members the role of creating the vacuum bag and securing it onto the mold (seen below). Before the sails are ready to be cooked, I double-check that the bags are airtight and empty of air, so the chemical reaction kick-off heat is applied.” The sails then spend at least seven days on the curing floor before they are finished and shipped off. Patty prepping the vacuum seal for consolidation of 3Di. Rios says that the films department would not be everyone’s number one choice and that’s because it is the fastest moving department. But she embraces each challenge and takes pride in the importance of thinking ahead and doing her job right the first time. “My team is fast and efficient because quality is important to us. We don’t make mistakes, and that’s because we stick to a strict procedure.” Although I am the lead, my team is working towards a common goal. If they need me, they know they can ask for help. It’s 100% a team effort. This job is more than a one-person job, so we have to communicate well.” When Patty Rios arrives to work each day, she discusses the day before with her team before moving on to the next project. She likes the flexibility of her job, and she appreciates the confidence her supervisor, Jessie Barnes, places in her. “Jessie knows that I am good at my job, and she trusts me to get it right. I like that I’m given that initiative. It helped me build confidence as a leader in my department, and that helps my team feel confident about their individual roles.” “Patty is a long term employee. She’s a quiet hero that keeps her films team tight and efficient.” – Per Andersson, 3D General Manager Before coming to work at North Sails, Rios did not have any sewing or sailmaking experience. Over the years, she’s gained more understanding of the process and how she can streamline her techniques to keep the workflow efficient. Although the sailmaking process has evolved from 3DL string laminates to 3Di, she still took some of her early skills back to motherhood. “I can make my son’s Halloween costumes now, which is really cool. Although our manufacturing process has changed, my new-found sewing skills have come in handy!” Rios enjoys learning other areas of the manufacturing process too. “My supervisor Jessie Barnes has taught me a lot, for which I will be forever grateful. She is unbelievably patient, and I’ve learned from her how to become a better leader in my department.” READ MORE