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Charleston South Carolina
Loft Info
3 Lockwood Dr.
Charleston, South Carolina 29401
843 722 0823
Specialties
Certified Service, New Sails, Sail Repair
North Sails Experts
Tripp Fellabom
Office Manager, Sail Expert
tripp.fellabom@northsails.com
843 722 0823
Rich Bowen
Sail Designer
rich.bowen@northsails.com
843 722 0823
Sail Loft Services
New Sails
North Sails is regarded as the premier sailmaker for all racing and cruising sailboats. Since the founding of our first sail loft in 1957, we have been the number one new sail choice for world-champion racers, superyachts, one-design sailboats, catamarans, trimarans and casual cruisers. New sail options range to cater to any sailing adventure or budget. North Sails is the only brand in Charleston, South Caroline and throughout the Charleston Harbor region to offer sail built with 3D design and production. Contact our experts to learn more.
Professional Sail Repair
Our sail loft services are dedicated to providing South Carolina with professional sail repairs, maintenance, and upgrades in a timely manner. We know that whether you’re dedicated to racing or cruising, your sails are a major investment, and we’re committed to helping you maximize their performance and lifespan. We recommend an annual inspection of your sail inventory to make sure you are maintaining the intended performance and protecting your investment.
Contact
Local News
As part of our continued partnership with Southern Ocean Racing Conference as the Official Performance Partner for the 2022-2023 edition, North Sails is offering measurement days across our South East lofts. These measurement days will …
North Sails is pleased to announce its continued partnership with Southern Ocean Racing Conference for the 2022-2023 edition. The series consists of four distance races that draw a fleet from across the country and includes …
Get the lay of the land before things kick off at Charleston Race Week with our North Sails experts at our Charleston loft welcome party. Connect with our North Sails experts, get expert tips and …
Thinking about battens? Preparing for a new season is something that is on everyone’s mind. Whether you’re staging your boat to launch, planning an extended cruise, or hoisting your sails for a weeknight club race, …
A: Because a multihull does not heel and release the wind load when the pressure hits, multihull sails must be able to handle higher wind loads than monohull sails. This means every aspect of multihull …
We’ve teamed up with our friends at X-Yachts and are excited to release an all-new 'How To' video series aimed at every type of cruiser. All seven videos are now live and available to watch …
The 6th of September and the end of Kiel Week 2021 marked the beginning of the ninth edition of the longest offshore race in the grueling Baltic Sea, the Nord Stream Race. Sailing the 1000 nautical …
North Sails cruising experts Jeremy Smart, Bob Meagher, and Ridgely MacKenzie join World Cruising Club’s Andrew Bishop to discuss sail selection for offshore bluewater sailing and ARC Preparations. This webinar is a particularly beneficial watch …
Nicolas (Nico) Cohen-Addad’s J/122 Jinn captured the attention of the North Sails team in Hong Kong after winning a host of recent regattas, including the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club Summer Cup (IRC) and the …
Not every day was easy for the smallest boat, a Melges 24, competing at Storm Trysail Club Block Island Race Week. Still, Laura Grondin's Dark Energy was well seasoned to take on the PHRF 2 …
We are excited to get back out racing again, and we wanted to reshare some of our favorite articles and webinars before you head to Annapolis for the J/70 North American Championship. This Tool Kit …
You can imagine the future or you can be a part of it. Lowell North decided to be a part of it-- and lead it. When he started North Sails, Lowell North’s philosophy was simple...get …
With the help of smarttune load sensors from Cyclops Marine, North Sails One Design Expert, and J/70 World Champion Charlie Cumbley explains how the dynamic balance of upwind performance hinges on forestay load. Click here to …
After waiting two years since the last edition of Charleston Race Week, the VX One fleet was ready to leave it all on the water in the 2021 edition. Twenty-five teams from around the country …
The 2021 edition of the Charleston Race Week was a great success for North Sails clients in one design and ORC. The overall vibe from sailors was excellent, and everyone was thrilled to be back …
The MOD70 Trimaran PowerPlay, led by Peter Cunningham and skippered by Ned Collier Wakefield, has set a new Fastnet record. The team completed the original Fastnet course of 595 nautical miles in a new world Fastnet …
When it comes to downwind sails, there are a dizzying array of choices for today’s sailor. There are even two types of spinnaker: asymmetric and symmetric. So how do you decide what would be right …
The J/70 class attracts sailors who demand the best, and North Sails continues to upgrade and improve an already successful inventory. New for 2021 are two designs added to the North class line-up; the XCS-4 …
Catch your local teams live 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 you get …
North Sails is excited to introduce the Helix Furling Gennaker, a new sail type for the cruising community. The structured luff Helix Furling Gennaker eliminates the heavy cable needed for traditional furling and is the …
Last week we announced the launch of our new Performance range of foul weather gear that will be available in Spring 2021. Each week, until launch, we’ll unpack how our team conceived the range, the …
Team owner and helm John Brown did a great job managing thin lanes, which allowed us to execute our strategy in every race. We had light to medium breeze, with flat water, so we used the …
Tom Fortner lived most of his life in Prescott, Arizona, but set his sights on moving to Florida to buy a boat and begin his next life adventure. He took ownership of the Island Packet …
Bonanni is a five-time National and North American Champion, including the 2015 E Scow Nationals, and brings extensive experience in the E Scow class as the North Sails one design representative. An active racer in …
John Bowden started sailing very young and was a competitive youth sailor in Texas where he grew up. He started working for a sailmaker at 16 in Austin, TX. He went to college at the …
North Sails Expert Tom Davis is particular about sail storage. He’s shared his best tips below to ensure your sails remain in top shape for next season. Given how strange 2020 has been in many respects, …
It wasn’t flashy imagery or action sports videos that got Steve Calder, North Sails designer, interested in kiting. His love for the sport began when his son decided he wasn’t interested in sailing optis while …
Pros at the top of the fleet share how the North 9DSX Moth sail takes them through the range of conditions and their personal tuning tips. Shop Moth Sails
Making a name for himself in the fiercely competitive Optimist fleet is 14-year-old British sailor Santiago Sesto-Cosby. Having sailed the Optimist for an astounding 10 years, we were eager to find out about his journey …
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 …
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 …
Steering off the wind, on reaches and runs, requires a coordinated effort between helmsman and spinnaker trimmer. The spinnaker trimmer often has as good a feel for performance as you do while driving, and together …
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 …
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 …
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 that focuses on cruising, so …
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 …
Ervin Grove from North Sails in Charleston shares how they are helping local sailors get back out on the water safely and within government guidelines. For many of us “racers” our sailing style could be defined …
By Tom Whidden One of the goals for our book, The Art and Science of Sails, is to connect the theoretical with the practical. An understanding of the physics of aerodynamics will help us better trim …
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 …
"What a great team at North Sails Charleston! These guys are so much more than just sailmakers. In addition to giving expert advice on new sail inventories and making timely repairs, they make themselves available …
Experts Brian Hayes, Zeke Horowitz with Special Guest Greg Fisher lead a Q+A interactive session, open to all topics. Viewers brought questions and experts shared their answers and expert tips with the group. https://youtu.be/LdlxDxT3wos
Personnel, lofts, clients, and friends of North Sails are navigating this global crisis together. Many of our local Certified Service Centers have taken the initiative in their areas to build masks when possible and support their …
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 …
No matter where you are in the world, you can prepare for your next event or be ready for when sailing season picks up again by knowing what to look for when it comes to …
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 …
Lightning Class Expert Brian Hayes and special guest Greg Fisher share tips on how the top teams change gears and keep the boat going fast in this interactive live session. https://youtu.be/oj2LtS3WW3M
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. …
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 …
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 …
To me, buying sails - and especially buying sails for an early hull number boat where there is bound to be lots of experimentation and trial and error - is as much about the people …
Paul Ward, Ruairidh Scott, Ben Saxton, and Mario Trindade teamed up to win the 40-boat J/70 fleet at the 2020 Bacardi Cup Invitational, posting only one score deeper than seventh in the eight race series. …
I’ve been working with the team at North Sails Charleston for over five years. Besides providing latest technology, super fast racing sails for my 1D35, they rate “5 Stars” for service, support and knowledge. John …
The team at North Sails Charleston have helped us to maintain our sail inventory in racing shape. Rich Bowen developed a crossover spinnaker for point to point racing that filled the gap between a code …
As you know, we bought our J/105 in the fall of 2015. It came with those off-brand sails and one North Sails kite that had won at the Marblehead NOOD's. The off-brand sails looked ok, …
I was in the market for new sails for my Tartan 345, wanting a better sail than the standard Dacron. I decided on purchasing a new set of 3Di Nordac sails plus a Gennaker from …
SHOP SAILS REQUEST A QUOTE 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 …
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 …
On Friday, North Sails Sponsored a practice/tune up for visiting schools competing in the Southern Collegiate Offshore Regatta. Teams ran through practice starts for an hour while acclimating themselves to their borrowed equipment. All teams …
Onboard since its inception, North Sails Charleston is ready for another year of the 2020 Southern Collegiate Offshore Regatta at Carolina Yacht Club. The North Sails team in Charleston will be on hand to lend …
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 …
Jeanneau America announced today that world-renowned American yachtsman and North Sails President Ken Read will campaign the new Jeanneau SunFast 3300 in the double-handed division of the 2020 Fort Lauderdale to Key West race along …
North clients took two podium spots in the Open Division at the 2019 Melges 24 North American Championship in Traverse City, Michigan. Travis Weisleder’s Lucky Dog/Gill Race Team scored only one race out of the …
There was a distinct shift in the vibe at Block Island Race Week this year. The new title sponsor Margaritaville injected the 28th edition of the weeklong regatta with a new energy, impressive onshore activities, …
One week after finishing the second leg of the Bermuda 1-2, Jonathan Green, owner of the Class 40 Privateer, is still grinning. The unique race takes a fleet of singlehanded sailors across the Gulf Stream …
The Bermuda Race Organizing Committee announces the North Sails return as the Official Performance Partner for the Newport Bermuda Race in 2020, which will include running a number of the hugely popular ‘Performance Seminars’ that …
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 …
Charleston Race Week is just around the corner. Our experts created this Tool Kit to help your team prepare for racing in one of the most challenging places on the East coast. For a big event …
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 …
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 …
"The sea is relentless, you never know when it's going to come out and bite you. You simply have to be prepared. The more prepared the better." - Ken Read, North Sails President Let's face it, with …
2018 SCOR Regatta 📸 Priscilla Parker The North Sails team in Charleston will be on hand to lend support to all teams in preparation for the the upcoming SCOR Regatta. Taking place February 15 - 17, …
Charleston delivered excellent VX One sailing conditions for the North American Championship the first weekend of November. Strong breeze, flat water, and of course a little bit of that Charleston current. The southern hospitality offered …
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 …
First, position your camera(phone) at the mid‐foot area of your sail. Angle your camera to catch all three draft stripes from luff to leech. Usually the bottom stripe will have one end in a corner …
As we come to the end of the sailing season and head into winter, the North Sails global service team is gearing up for a busy period - from helping clients prepare for the Caribbean …
A solid finish to a week in Charleston, SC at the 2017 ICSA College Sailing Nationals! North Sails is proud to sponsor the 2017 College National Championships consisting of Women’s Semifinals/Finals, Team Racing, and Coed …
The ICSA College Sailing Nationals kicked off on this week in Charleston, SC with the Women's semi-finals, where 32 universities competed for the top nine positions in the Eastern and Western conferences. Nine races in …
Charleston Race Week 2017 saw 213 boats registered, which made for a fun and exciting week of racing! The J/24, J/70, and Melges 24 fleets were the largest this year with a lot of familiar faces ready …
Newport, RI (April 11, 2017) - North Sails is pleased to extend its global network to a new location in Charleston, South Carolina. With the addition of local experts John Bowden and Tripp Fellabom, the …