Adelaide Australia
Loft Info
27 Byre ave
Somerton Park
South Australia 5044
+618 8294 6211
Specialties
Bend on / Bend off, Canvas, Certified Service, Sail Hardware Upgrades, Sail Inspection / Evaluation, Sail Measurement, Sail RepairHours
North Sails Experts
Sandy Higgins
One Design Expert, Sail Expert, Service Sailmaker
sandy.higgins@northsails.com
61 8 8294 6211
Contact
Local News
November 8th, the next edition of the Vendée Globe race is set to start from Les Sables d'Olonne, North Sails has designed the sails for the ¾ of the IMOCA fleet, 17 of which have …
The Offshore Racing Spring/Summer Calendar in Western Australia consists of 12 ORWA official events, & three club events (RFBYC & FSC) that combine with some ORWA races as Club Sponsored Offshore Series – A total …
The most important element of upwind boathandling is tacking, though every once in awhile an efficient reef or genoa change could also win you a race. Tacking seems like a minor thing, but the difference …
Calling all Australian sailors!* Book a one-on-one, real-time coaching session with the North Sails experts who will join you by RIB and provide sail trim tips. Let us know below when you will be sailing and …
In 2018, Mr. Enrico Bonatti purchased Kinina, a Swan 78. Why a Swan 78? “I prefer the best quality,” he said. “And the 78 is the right size for me.” Mr. Bonatti then met with …
Doublehanded sailing has gained momentum globally, as the gateway to getting back out on the water while remaining socially distant. It is also the latest event added to Paris 2024, so now is the time …
North Sails were lucky to have the two doublehanded experts Armel Le Cléac'h & Clarisse Crémer host a webinar for an in-depth masterclass. Best known as a singlehanded sailor with notable race wins in the Solitaire …
Owner and co-skipper, Catherine Pourre and co-skipper Pietro Luciani are the winning duo onboard Class40 Eärendil. Together, the pair are the reigning Class40 World Champions, have twice won the RORC Caribbean 600, The Atlantic Cup, …
With nearly 20-thousand miles under his belt, Sam Fitzgerald is no stranger to the challenges of going offshore, especially with only two sets of hands onboard. A naval architect and seasoned Class40 racer, with accolades …
In 2016, Ken and Liisa Bacco set sail from Newport, Rhode Island on December 1st during a snow storm onboard their Oyster 47.5 cutter rig, Altair, to meet up with the Oyster World Rally (OWR) …
A few months ago, North Materials Expert Tom Davis wrote an article titled “What are the Best Sails for Club Racing”. It only seems logical to have a companion piece to that, but with a …
The ClubSwan 36, which made its debut in May 2019, is seeing significant signs of growth. Despite a delay in sailing in 2020, the North Sails team has spent the first half of this year …
Southern Spars, a North Technology Group company, is proud to announce they have joined forces with Magma Structures to deliver a new generation of DynaRigs. The DynaRig concept has proven itself as an effective alternative …
A: 3Di OCEAN is the newest line of 3Di sails from North Sails, designed and engineered exclusively for cruising. A: 3Di OCEAN is for you if you are looking for a premium cruising product, providing high …
After an exhaustive research and development program, North Sails is thrilled to launch 3Di OCEAN 370, our latest innovative sail product that completes a line-up of 3D molded sails dedicated to cruising. This new product is …
You know when it feels right. It’s that moment when you could almost let go of the wheel and the boat could steer itself. A boat in perfect balance. Racing sailors will go to extraordinary …
North Sails announces an exciting new partnership with leading sailing rally organizers World Cruising Club. The aim of the partnership is to inspire sailors around the world to embark on a cruising adventure, using North …
It’s still a complicated time in many places around the world, and a huge thank you to our entire North Sails team, clients, and friends who have pulled together in a way that is quite …
Multihull cruising has become a lifestyle by even the most competitive racers. The east coast of Australia in particular has in recent years has seen a considerable surge in the popularity of offshore capable cruising …
Fast and fun off-wind sailing is what multihulls are all about. High speed, high stability and close wind angles require unique sail choices. Cruising multihulls in particular benefit from specialized sails that are versatile and …
The overall concept for conducting the North Sails Etchells Webinar, was to educate the fleet on the entire sail and mast package that Iain Murray (Havoc) and Graeme Taylor (Magpie) have been using, and to …
Fill your social feeds with all things sailing. Each day North Sails is curating our social media channels with content that showcases our passion for being on the water. We're collecting images that inspire us …
Catch your local teams live this week with our upcoming interactive webinar schedule. North Sails Class Experts from around the world have joined forces to bring you the best tips and techniques that will help …
Etchells sailors from all over the planet gathered online to watch North experts Noel "Nitro" Drennan, Eric Doyle, and Alex Curtiss talk about the new intriguing Australian setup for the Etchells. The setup that powered …
Class Experts Noel “Nitro” Drennan, Alex Curtiss and Eric Doyle discuss the new Australian setup and new sail designs for the Etchells Class. Webinar Chat Questions Answered https://youtu.be/V9GrYvcua_o
Lightweight, reliable, unique. North 3Di sails are engineered to minimum weight and maximum performance. By eliminating the use of mylar, 3Di will not delaminate. Each 3Di sail is precisely shaped on full-sized molds and built …
Moth World Champion Tom Slingsby and North Sails class leader Rob Greenhalgh talk us through the in’s and out’s of race day strategy, and provide tuning tips for the newly released 9DSX Decksweeper mainsail in …
Spring launch dates may be delayed but when it does arrive, you don’t want to miss a single second of the 2020 sailing season. We’re especially looking forward to seeing our harbors full of boats …
North Sails Moth Class Leader Rob Greenhalgh is joined by North Sails designer Ruairidh Scott and Chris Dixon from CST Spars for the second live session for the Moth class. https://youtu.be/13BJreAZRnw
Join Moth World Champion Tom Slingsby and North Sails class leader Rob Greenhalgh live on Wednesday, April 8th for the third session of Let’s Talk Moth. These two world-renowned sailors will take us through the …
North Sails Moth Class Leader and National and European titleholder Rob Greenhalgh gives his expert opinion on a variety of topics, and introduces key people within the class in the first of many live sessions …
North Sails President Ken Read checked in to give us an update on what’s going on at North Sails this week. Ken, like all of us, is working from his makeshift home office in Rhode …
Do you race, cruise or do both? North Sails offers a broad range of sail materials to meet a wide variety of needs. This can make navigating sail material choices daunting. Depending on whether you …
Our experts have created a variety of articles to help you gain confidence for your next getaway. Topics include battens, weather, safety, durability of cruising sails, and more. Whether you are leaving land behind or …
Hardcore ocean racers and coastal cruisers alike should all make safety at sea a priority. Practices from racing around the world, including the toughest conditions of the Southern Ocean, can apply to sailors of all …
Libby Greenhalgh has navigated around the world twice with the Volvo Ocean Race; she's a director with the Magenta Project and has an offshore resume that ranks her among the top sailors in the world. …
North Sails Etchells designs dominated four Australian events leading up to the 2020 Worlds in Fremantle in November: the state championships for Queensland, New South Wales, and Victoria, and the Australian Nationals. Graeme Taylor helped the …
After nine exhilarating races on Sydney Harbour, Honda Marine took the prestigious JJ Giltinan 18ft Skiff Championship title for the third year running. An equivalent regatta to a World Championship, the crew combination of Matt Steven …
There are many ways you can help prolong the life of your sails. Here are some pointers to keep you aligned with our sail care maintenance practices, which can be part of your regular routine …
What happens if you furl your sail the wrong way? - with the sun cover on the inside instead of the outside of the furl? Unfortunately, we see the effects of this in our service …
The North Sails teams around the world have received a bunch of calls and emails recently. A quick Q+A has been put together to help provide you with information on where we are at during …
Thinking about battens? Preparing for a new season is something that is on everyone’s mind. Whether you’re staging your boat to launch or planning an extended cruise, it’s important to make sure you’ve got your …
Cruising sailors demand durability. Yet, durability is not an easily quantified element of sail performance. Predicting durability is a tough challenge, because sails are subjected to so many different forms of use and conditions. That …
For some sailors, “club racing” means a casual jib-and-main evening race aboard a well-stocked cruising boat carrying roller furlers and its anchor and chain in the bow. For others, it means a no-holds-barred weekend race …
People with sailboats use them in many ways, but broadly speaking we define them as either cruising or racing. Cruising might be an hour-long daysail, with only one sail hoisted, or it might last a …
The basic rig dimension for a yacht are generally understood. However, there are some differences in how some sailors describe these dimensions. Here is how we define them at North Sails. I – Height of Foretriangle Elevation …
35 teams arrived at Royal Brighton Yacht Club in Melbourne to battle for the Etchells Australian National Championship title. North Sails clients claimed all top 10 positions overall, so we had to find out why …
In the 76-year history of the 5.5 Metre Class, only one skipper has won back-to-back titles in both the Scandinavian Gold Cup and the World Championship: Artemis XIV’s Kristian Nergaard. Kristian was excited to repeat …
North Sail experts Rob Greenhalgh and Dick Parker were onboard Matt Allen’s TP52 Ichi Ban, the 2019 Sydney Hobart overall winner. Here’s what they had to say about the importance of preparation and choosing the …
Longtime North Sails customer Matt Allen is once again hoisting the Tattersall Cup, in celebration of Ichi Ban’s victory as Overall Winner of this year’s 628 mile race from Sydney to Hobart. Matt also won …
The Rolex Sydney Hobart Race 2019 saw a fleet of 157 boats set off from Sydney and out to sea for the 628 nm trek to Hobart. It was picture perfect start conditions on Boxing Day …
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5-mDpt8Eu2E&feature=youtu.be For 75 years, the Rolex Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race has been a Boxing Day highlight for the sailing world. The race attracts a wide range of boats and sailors, from 30-footers sailed by family …
Wild Oats XI, under the leadership of skipper Mark Richards, is an undeniable success story. The program has collected Sydney to Hobart line honors on nine separate occasions and was the first boat to claim …
Super Maxi BlackJack skipper Mark Bradford spent the days leading up to the 2019 Sydney to Hobart running through a pre-race work list, which included putting the boat’s new North 3Di sails through their paces …
North Sails introduced a line-up of four new high-performance 3Di Moth sails in June 2019, including the Vi-8DS Decksweeper 3Di Mainsail which Tom Slingsby chose in his bid to be crowned World Champion. Tom Slingsby …
With more than 160 boats registered and more than 1,000 crew members ready to take on the iconic 628nm offshore sprint from Sydney to Hobart, excitement is now spilling onto the docks as we count …
When North Sails announced four new 3Di Moth sail designs six months ago, class leader Rob Greenhalgh said “I am confident Moth sailors will reap the rewards on the race course.” This week, Tom Slingsby …
The Rolex Sydney-Hobart is fast approaching. Does your team have what it takes to take on this 628nm race? Here is what you should know before you leave the dock. Created just for you, by …
For many teams, preparing for the Rolex Sydney-Hobart begins immediately after the finish of the previous edition. Here’s what Sarah O’Kane from Shorebase, a logistics company, says is important to properly provisioning for this race. Before …
North Sails Certified Service Experts in Tasmania are here to get your sails repaired overnight post Sydney-Hobart. Our service van will be onsite offering pick-up and drop-off to the regatta venue. Things can happen after …
Preparing successfully to compete in the biggest offshore races requires putting your attention to every detail. When sailing the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race (or a similar race that heads well offshore such as the …
Sailing in big breeze can be fun, exciting, maybe stressful, and sometimes expensive when things go wrong. Shortening sail quickly and easily when the breeze comes on is key to looking after your sails and …
For the majority of boats racing the Rolex Sydney to Hobart Ocean Races, the crew size will be between 8-16. To get the best out of everyone while racing the boat hard around the clock, …
The Rolex Sydney-Hobart Race is one of the classic yachting events on the annual race calendar, arguably the most famous and difficult race taking place in the Southern Hemisphere. Its reputation is well deserved, giving …
With the change to 3Di Raw 330 sails in the Elliott 5.9 class, we were eager to talk to the current New Zealand National Champion, Craig Satterthwaite about how his team achieved multiple victories using …
Mark (“Skid”) Robins, a Sales Expert based in Western Australia, has been sailmaking since the mid 1980s. He started with Elvstrom Sails WA; when that closed in 1992 he started Robins Sails, and quickly claimed …
Back in 2016, I joined the Extreme 40 catamaran Boatworks for some local multihull racing in Brisbane. After watching videos of boats crashing and capsizing in the Extreme Sailing Series, I was surprised to find …
Hamilton Island Race Week just completed its second-largest event in the race’s history, and both conditions and results were a sailor’s dream. 235 boats enjoyed several days of 25+ knots, and the race committee delivered …
Saturday, 25 August 2018, was a significant day for prominent Hobart yachtsmen Stephen 'Rowdy' McCullum and Stewart Gray, and for worldwide sail makers, North Sails. McCullum has joined Gray as principals of 42ºSouth Marine which operates …
30 boats met at the Yacht Club de Carnac for the annual B14 World Championships. With close competition all round, particularly for the top ten boats in the fleet, it came down to the last …
HIRW is shaping up to be the main event with a total of 225 yachts registered! Divided into six classes, it looks to be a fun and competitive regatta for sailors of all kinds. Get …
Hamilton Island Race Week provides plenty of conditions that provide challenging sailing for all types of boats. The wind swirls around the islands and the water funnels down passages and taking these local effects into …
Dent Passage is one of the world’s most picturesque start lines. Surrounded by the Hamilton Island Yacht Club, the Golf Club on Dent Island and the beautiful water the Whitsundays are famous for, it’s easy …
HIRW is shaping up to be the main event with a total of 225 yachts registered! Divided into six classes: IRC Class, Hamilton Island Class, Multihull Hamilton Island, Non-Spinnaker, Trailerable, and Multihull Racing, it looks …
The secret is out... the new and competitive North Sails Stealth S5 Mainsail can now been revealed having already been successful for top Paper Tiger sailors, Derek Scott and Hayden Percy. The sail helped Scott, …
Ben Kelly has been working with racing and cruising multihull clients for twenty-four years, but he grew up sailing skiffs and dinghies. "People always say, "Oh, you're a cat sailor," he explains."And I say, "No, …
Dick grew up in Hobart and lived in Sydney for 10 years, so "I’m pretty familiar with it." His English wife and two daughters, though, have had to adjust to "the spiders and snakes and …
The 2019 edition of Rolex Capri Sailing Week featured 120 entries and North Sails clients delivered commanding control of the scoreboard. Starting the week off with the Regata dei Golfi, Caol Ila R stole the …
With four decades in sailmaking, Noel ‘Nitro’ Drennan knows a thing or two about sails. A lifelong passion for sailing has made this Irish-born Australian one of the world’s best one design experts, and now …
After several years as the bridesmaid, Alan Stein in his GP 42 Dirty Deeds has won the coveted Siska Trophy (Overall Winner under IRC for the 6 race Blue Water Championship). Alan also won the …
The 100’ super maxi Scallywag added Helix to their sail wardrobe in early April, just in time for Les Voiles de St Barth Richard Mille regatta. With limited testing days from install to start line, …
North Sails mounted a huge turnout at Sail Port Stephens 2019, both in terms of clients achieving high-end results and staff crewing across the range of boats which made up two sets of record fleets. …
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 …
While the Etchells Victorian Championship regatta in Geelong, Australia last weekend brought mixed conditions, the results for Magpie, skippered by Graeme Taylor and his crew Richie Allanson and James Mayo, remained consistent. Finishing top of …
The Dragon World Championship in Fremantle kicked off the 2019 racing season on a high note for North Sails, with North customers making it a clean sweep on the podium claiming Gold, Silver and Bronze …
The famous dinghy club, Black Rock Yacht Club, in Melbourne, Australia held the 57th OK Dinghy Nationals. With a 40-boat fleet, Roger Blasse won with a series score of 12 points total, including seven first place …
It was quite a hard slog for the Turkish flagged team with the current World Champion crew of Andy Beadsworth, Ali Tezdiker and Simon Fry to ground out victory to win their first Prince Philip …
Finishing the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race is an accomplishment unto itself, but winning one of our sport’s toughest races is the pinnacle of an offshore sailor’s dream. North Sails clients found success across the …
Wild Oats XI took honours in the 74th Rolex Sydney Hobart Race, in what is one of the closest finishes in race history- with all four-100-footers within sight of eachother leading up to the finishline. …
Noel Cornish will be sailing his twelfth Rolex Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race this year, the eleventh on his own boat, St Jude. We caught up with Noel to ask about his boat, his crew, …
The Rolex Sydney-Hobart Race is one of the classic yachting events on the annual race calendar, arguably the most famous and difficult race taking place in the Southern Hemisphere. Its reputation is well deserved, giving …
World-renowned sailor Rob Greenhalgh joined North Sails a few months ago. Even after winning a Volvo Ocean Race and two world championships, the Rolex Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race is a highlight on this Brit’s …
Glenn Ashby still remembers his first A Class catamaran sail like it was yesterday. “It was 1995 and it was only a 10-minute sail on a lake,” he says. “I couldn’t get over how smooth, efficient …
Winning a World Championship could be considered a once-in-lifetime accomplishment. Not so if you're world class sailor, and multihull superstar Glenn Ashby, who has won this tenth (!) title in the A-Class Catamaran. Glenn posted …
Jeremy comes from a background in One Design sailing, having spent the last six years as a member of the Australian Sailing Squad competing in the Laser. During this time he has worked with some …
Jeremy comes from a background in One-Design sailing, having spent the last 6 years as a member of the Australian Sailing Squad competing in the Laser. During this time he has worked with some of …
It seems that taking your cruiser or cruiser racer yacht to a destination regatta in Australia is becoming a popular pastime if the most recent entry list for HIRW or ABRW is to go by. 150+ yachts …
Development of 3Di began ten years ago and has continued at a rapid and accelerating pace ever since. 3Di is the sum of multiple technologies exclusive to North Sails, making it the ideal platform for …
North Sails are pleased to announce that Robert Greenhalgh has joined the team. A key hire focused on sales and customer support, Greenhalgh’s notable achievements on the water over the last 15 years mark him …
North-powered multiple class victories at the 2018 Hamilton Island Race Week. North Sails experts were onboard to support clients in their quest to win one of Australia’s premier events. We checked in with the North …
North Sails are committed to designing, producing, delivering and servicing the best sails in the world, no matter what your boat or style of sailing. Within Australia, North Sails has a network of seven sales and …
The mid winters are always well supported and this year the added interest with 41 boats racing from four countries, numerous past class world champions, all driven by the upcoming Brisbane hosted Etchells World Championships …
The North Sails S-4 Stealth Paper Tiger Mainsail has dominated almost every event in the Paper Tiger Grand Prix Regattas in the 2017/2018 season in New Zealand. The wins also branched out to the recent …
By Reed Baldrige On board communication for racing yachts is a key factor for performance, no matter what type of sailing. However, when the number of crew increases, it becomes more and more important. Offshore one-design …
A sailmaker by trade, Halfie started his apprenticeship with Elvstrom Sails in 1980 and still considers meeting the great Paul Elvstrom as a major highlight. When Mike Fletcher went onto full time coaching, he sold …
To keep your zips functioning try these tips from our service manager Nick Beaudion: Rinse the zipper cars with fresh water after use. This will greatly extended the life of your metal slider. Using …
The beginning of 2018 marks a milestone for North Sails as the company completes a 10-year transformation from 3DL string laminates to 3Di molded composite sail structures. North Sails was at the forefront of the …
Billy Sykes joined Matt Allen for the 2017 Sydney-Hobart. Matt won this race 34 years ago, and just last year pulled off the overall corrected time win, where he was awarded the prestigious Tattersall Trophy. …
Clients reflect on their 628 nm race to Hobart from Sydney Australia in one of the most grueling yacht races in the world. Here's what they had to say about the race, their crew, and …
The North Sails Group is pleased to announce that North Sails Brisbane will become the latest loft to join the company. Founded in 1993 as Bradford Prentice, the loft set up by Mark Bradford and …
NEWPORT, January 17th 2018: North Sails 3Di NORDAC is already recognized as game changing cruising technology and has claimed yet another coveted prize. The revolutionary polyester sail, designed for small to medium sized cruising boats, …
The Swan River Etchells fleet in Fremantle, Western Australia put on a show with sunshine, crystal clear water, great racing conditions, and hospitality for the 2018 Etchells Australian Championships. This race track will be hosting …
After eight races, Nick Craig and Toby Lewis won the B14 World Championship with all bullets on the scoreboard. The event gave the 30 boat fleet a mixture of conditions, however in general on the …
The 420 Worlds in Fremantle, Australia, kicked off the 2018 season for the 420 class. The big breeze event with big swell made for exciting sailing conditions for the fleets. The Spanish teams came out …
Matt Allen, a long-time North Sails customer, first won the Rolex Sydney Hobart Race 34 years ago. In 2017, he finally repeated the achievement on Ichi Ban when they were named overall winner of the …
Months of preparation and weeks of anticipation culminated on Boxing Day for 102 yachts racing in the 2017 Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race. With wind speeds of 25-50 knots, sailors have to mentally prepare for …
The forecast at the start of the 73rd Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race was cloudy with a chance of rain and potential to break race records. This Boxing Day tradition in Sydney drew a spectator …
Andrew and Pauline Dally’s Khaleesi had a busy 2016, posting three second places before sadly breaking their mast during the Brisbane to Keppel Island Race. Since then, the team has notched up only one victory …
The Sydney - Hobart is a bit different to preparing for any other event, just due to the type of weather that boats will see in the race. So a big part of it for …
Be at the epicenter of the main event. Race villages are set up in Sydney and in Hobart to catch the beginning and the end of the race. Australia's Local Network 7 News will …
The SOLAS Big Boat Challenge on Sydney Harbour is always a spectacular preview to the Rolex Sydney - Hobart Yacht Race (RSHYR) . Are you surprised that Black Jack took the win over Wild Oats? It …
The Rolex Sydney-Hobart Race is one of the classic yachting events on the annual race calendar, arguably the most famous and difficult race taking place in the Southern Hemisphere. Its reputation is well deserved, giving …
Australian Etchells Class expert Ian Johnson interviewed David Clark (Clarky) after his convincing win at the QLD, Etchells State titles against a very strong fleet. Clarky teamed up with well known Western Australian sailors Ray Smith, Alan Smith and young …
"We sailed in the 3 day regatta with our new Radian Gaff mainsail and Radial Jib. We placed in a few races and the competition was tight". Wagtail was probably the most on form boat and …
With Optis we realised a large portion of the labour cost in the sails was simply sticking the numbers on. Surely we could offer the sails without the numbers! This would create savings to our youngest …
North Sails Australia has positions available for both sales and service staff. Join the world’s largest Sailmaking company With over 29 lofts and manufacturing facilities worldwide that build sails from One Design Optimist’s to 85 Metre Superyachts …
You would not think there was much in common with a foiling America’s Cup yacht and a cruising boat but you could be surprised. The technology used to help power these amazing craft to 40 …
North Sails is pleased to announce that we are the official sailmaker partner for the Australian Yachting Championships for the next two years. The 2018 regatta will be hosted by Sandringham Yacht Club in Melbourne from …
Steven Proud put together a fairly young team for the event. Leading up to the regatta we put on a larger mainsail to optimize the yacht for light air, as well as a new headsail …
North Sails is pleased to welcome Binks Marine in Somerton Park, Southern Australia, as an agent for North Sails. North Sails is presently celebrating 60 years of sailmaking, and Binks is not far from the …
A gap of good weather opened up for the record 114-boat fleet which gathered for the 10th anniversary of Sail Port Stephens, a classic event in Australia's New South Wales. It began with things calming …
I was fortunate enough to be invited aboard Kym Clarke's North Sails powered Sydney 47 CR "Fresh" which together with 47 Boats faced the starters gun for the 2017 Teakle Classic Adelaide to Port Lincoln …
When there are so many terrific things to talk about, it could be hard to find just one thing that shines brightest out of the MC38 Australian Championship. Was it that it was held in …