Newcastle Australia
Service, Sales
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2/91 Hannell Street
Wickham, New South Wales
+61 2 4961 1663
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Bend on / Bend off, Canvas, Certified Service, Sail Hardware Upgrades, Sail Inspection / Evaluation, Sail Measurement, Sail RepairHours
North Sails Experts

Matt Rhys-Jones
One Design Expert, Public, Sail Expert
Matt.Rhys-Jones@northsails.com
02 49611 663
0435 037 665
Contact
Local News
David Davenport’s North Sails powered TP52 Crush has added a third race record to their long list of achievements in 2023, with the latest line honors win taken in the Fremantle Exmouth Race and Rally …
Congratulations to John (Herman) Winning Jr, who skippered Andoo's 18ft skiff to victory in the 2023 JJ Giltinan World Championship alongside teammates Seve Jarvin and Sam Newton to add to the North Sails Victory …
April 21, 2023
Ben Kelly Brings Multihull Success To North Sails Brisbane
North Sails Expert Ben Kelly was destined to be a sail maker, first working in a loft at age 14, giving back to his junior Sabot sponsor by helping out in the loft during school …
March 8, 2023
Two Etchells States in a row for First Tracks
Long-time North Sails customer Peter ‘Billy’ Merrington, with his crew of Ian McKillop and Grant Simmer, claimed a second NSW State Championship in a row last weekend, with a convincing win in Gosford. With usual …
March 6, 2023
A Beautiful Blend of Cruising & Racing
Back into it for legendary sailors Vicky & Tom Jackson as they set out for the 2023 Two-handed Round North Island race (RNI). After settling into their first home together down in Nelson, the Jacksons …
February 2, 2023
North Sails success in Australian Sharpie Nationals
Honestly, it really is the most amazing feeling, there’s people out there that try their whole lives to win one of these, and for us to be able to achieve it so early in our …
November 19, 2022
North Sails Set to Power the 37th America’s Cup Competitors
North Sails, which has powered every America’s Cup winner since 1987, is proud to be the sailmaker of choice for all entries participating in the 37th America's Cup. The five teams signed up to compete …
August 17, 2022
Who We Are: Katie Spithill
I was born into a sailing family, living in Elvina Bay on Pittwater in NSW, so with boat access only I was sailing from about 5 years old. I started out in the traditional centreboard …
August 17, 2022
Who We Are: Rain Forbes
I started sailing when I was eight years old on Lake Eppalock, just north of Melbourne. I learnt in an Optimist and then progressed into a Sabre and then onto a 125. Recently, my focus has …
June 30, 2022
Australia’s John Bacon – From 5.5m Sailor to IRC Racer
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 …
June 27, 2022
Passion for Performance to Bridge the Australian Gap to Europe in the Doublehanded Scene
With the launch of the newest high performance short handed yacht, the Farr X2, North Sails Australia reveled in the opportunity to be part of something new, creating the sail inventory for the first Farr …
It’s with great sadness that we mourn the loss of one of North Sails Australia’s early leaders, David Forbes. A successful businessman and close friend of North Sails founder Lowell North, David embraced the position …
North Sails Sales Expert Andrew Wills is a 2 time World Maxi title winner and an Etchells class World Champion, in which he has also won North American and European titles. Wills has also claimed …
May 10, 2022
North Sails Winter Service
The Winter sailing season is coming. Count on your local service team to provide our signature Certified Service and get you ready for the next big event. Now is the perfect time to get your …
April 22, 2022
Making Waves For The Future
North Sails are proud to support the Australian National Optimist Class, including various state championships across all fleets, with more than 120 young sailors participating in the nationals earlier this year. “We see this as an …
March 31, 2022
Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race Navigation Debrief
Rewatch this live webinar with North Sails expert Mark Bradford debriefing the 2021 Sydney to Hobart Race with Black Jack navigators Alex Nolan and Kevin Costin. When Black Jack’s mast fell over the side during a record-setting run …
March 16, 2022
Australian Solaris 50 Salt Sets Sail
The newest Australian Solaris 50, Salt, embarked on her maiden journey from Sydney to Melbourne last month. Owner Ian Fankhanel gained first-hand experience of her performance with North Sails Melbourne’s Loft Manager, Aaron Cole, on …
January 3, 2022
What You Should Know About Battens
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, …
December 20, 2021
Rolex Sydney-Hobart Tool Kit
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 …
December 3, 2021
Sail Recuts & Alterations
We don’t hear much about sail recutting and alterations, although it is still a big part of the sailmaking world. Because sail fabrics have improved dramatically over the years with sail shape holding and chafe-free …
October 20, 2021
‘How To’ Video Series with Bouwe Bekking
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 …
September 21, 2021
Nord Stream Race Victory for Team Finland
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 …
September 13, 2021
ARC Preparations & Cruising Sail Selection for Offshore
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 …
https://youtu.be/F7nbRAE4-KM Having claimed victories at the 2021 Moth Italian Nationals and Foiling Week, both Jensen and Slingsby are at the top of their game in the class. Learn from this panel of Moth experts and look …
July 29, 2021
HIRW: Racing Preparations
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 …
July 23, 2021
Tokyo 2020: 8 Olympians to Watch
As athletes get ready for a much-anticipated Olympics, it’s even harder than usual to guess who will be stepping onto the podium this time around. The only prediction we feel completely safe in making is …
July 9, 2021
Unlocking the Potential of North Club Racing Sails
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 …
June 3, 2021
#NSVictoryList: Atomic Blonde Wins the SISKA Trophy
The JPK 10.80 Atomic Blonde placed 3rd overall in the recent Fremantle to Exmouth race, being also Division 2 line honours winner. Highly variable weather patterns ranging from drifting conditions to near gale force made …
April 23, 2021
This is North Sails: The Team, The Tools and the Technology
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 …
April 7, 2021
New Fastnet Record
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 …
March 23, 2021
Two-Handed Sailing Kicks-Off in Australia
"2021 looks to be a bumper year for two-handed racing in Australia", says Alby Pratt, NS Sydney Sales Manager. "New teams are meeting to plan their campaigns, and several new boats are hitting the water …
February 19, 2021
Asymmetrical vs. Symmetrical Spinnakers
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 …
February 10, 2021
North Sails J/70 Team Launch Two New Sail Designs
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 …
January 31, 2021
Your North Sails Team is Live!
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 …
December 10, 2020
The Best of Both Worlds
For Sydney sailor Jack Macartney, it’s all about apparent wind—whether he’s sailing an 18 foot skiff or a 100-footer. “The 100-footer is a giant 18,” he says. And both have very talented fleets, which creates …
December 6, 2020
Provisioning For Distance Racing
For many teams, preparing for any offshore race 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 your next …
December 4, 2020
Build, Test, Rinse, and Repeat
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 …
October 1, 2020
Putting Away Your Toys
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, …
September 25, 2020
Connecting Kiting and Sailing
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 …
September 20, 2020
Tuning Tips from the Top
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
September 2, 2020
Sesto-Cosby Makes Waves in the Optimist Fleet
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 …
August 28, 2020
Doublehanded Tips From Armel Le Cléac’h & Clarisse Crémer
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 …
August 18, 2020
Airlie Beach Race Week
Airlie served up challenging light air racing for the week-long event. In the IRC passage fleet, racing was very close between Team Hollywood, Mr Bojangles, Desperado, Black Diamond and Envy Scooters making it exciting and …
August 7, 2020
Building Sails for The IMOCA
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 …
August 6, 2020
Steering Downwind
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 …
August 6, 2020
J/122 Joss Makes Waves in 2019-2020 Season
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 …
August 5, 2020
How To Improve Your Tacks
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 …
July 17, 2020
New Sails For Summer On Swan 78 Kinina
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 …
July 10, 2020
Doublehanded Tool Kit
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 …
July 9, 2020
It Takes Two…
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, …
July 8, 2020
Doublehanded Dream
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) …
July 1, 2020
The Best Sails for Cruising
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 …
June 26, 2020
ClubSwan 36 Collaboration
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 …
June 22, 2020
Introducing DynaRig by Southern Spars
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 …
June 12, 2020
3Di OCEAN: Your Questions, Answered
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 …
June 9, 2020
Introducing the 3Di OCEAN Line Up
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 …
June 2, 2020
Things to Look for in a Good Sail
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 …
May 26, 2020
North Sails Partners With World Cruising Club
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 …
May 22, 2020
Sails, Service & Local Support
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 …
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 …
May 12, 2020
The Next Great Frontier
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 …
May 1, 2020
Are You Onboard?
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 …
April 17, 2020
Etchells Australian Setup Q&A
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 …
April 14, 2020
Let’s Talk Etchells | New Australian Setup
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
April 10, 2020
North 3Di: Innovative Sailmaking Technology
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 …
April 9, 2020
North Certified Service Spinnaker Sail Care
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 …
April 6, 2020
Let’s Talk Moth with Rob Greenhalgh | Session Two
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 …
April 4, 2020
Let’s Talk Moth with Rob Greenhalgh | Session One
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 …
April 3, 2020
We’re Here To Help With Answers
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 …
April 2, 2020
Navigate Material Options With Sail Finder
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 …
March 31, 2020
Cruising Sailors Tool Kit
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 …
March 31, 2020
Ken Read on Offshore Safety
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 …
March 31, 2020
Why Checking The Forecast Matters
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. …
March 31, 2020
Ready for the Etchells Worlds
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 …
March 30, 2020
Honda Marine Hangs Onto the 18ft Skiff World Title
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 …
March 27, 2020
Sail Care & Maintenance Tips
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 …
March 27, 2020
Roller Furlers & UV Suncovers: What You Should Know
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 …
March 25, 2020
North Sails Client Q+A
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 …
March 13, 2020
Cruising Sail Durability
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 …
February 25, 2020
What are the Best Sails For Club Racing?
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 …
February 21, 2020
The Difference Between Racing Sails and Cruising Sails
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 …
February 6, 2020
Sail Plan Dimensions
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 …
January 17, 2020
Magpie Wins Etchells Australian Championship
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 …
January 14, 2020
Kristian Nergaard Claims Tenth World Title
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 …
January 10, 2020
#NSVictoryList: Ichi Ban
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 …
December 30, 2019
Rolex Sydney Hobart 2019 Overall Winner
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 …
December 26, 2019
All Eyes Were On Sydney Harbour For Boxing Day
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 …
December 24, 2019
Katwinchar: Preparing for the Unexpected
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 …
December 23, 2019
Mark Richards on Wild Oats XI and North Sails
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 …
December 23, 2019
Onboard BlackJack for RSHYR Prep
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 …
December 21, 2019
Inside The 2019 Moth Worlds With Tom Slingsby
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 …
December 20, 2019
Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race Preview
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 …
December 18, 2019
Slingsby Dominates at Moth Worlds
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 …
December 5, 2019
Post-Regatta Sail Service
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 …
December 5, 2019
Slab Reefing Systems & Tips for Reefing
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 …
December 5, 2019
Watch Systems & Crew Management
For the majority of boats racing offshore distance, the crew size will be between 8-16. To get the best out of everyone while racing the boat hard around the clock, the skipper or sailing master …
December 4, 2019
Navigating The Rolex Sydney-Hobart
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 …
October 9, 2019
All New Elliott 5.9 Sail Inventory for 2020
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 …
September 10, 2019
Introducing Mark Robins
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 …
September 5, 2019
New Fleet of Extreme 40 Catamarans in Australia
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 …
August 29, 2019
#NSVictoryList: Hamilton Island Race Week
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 …
August 28, 2019
Exciting Announcement
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 …
August 6, 2019
B14 Skiff World Championships
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 …
August 5, 2019
HIRW Tool Kit
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 …
August 2, 2019
HIRW: Starting Strategy
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 …
July 29, 2019
HIRW: Racing Your Cruiser
HIRW is shaping up to be the main event with a total of 163 yachts registered in the Hamilton Island-class! Divided into six classes: IRC Class, Hamilton Island Class, Multihull Hamilton Island, Non-Spinnaker, Trailerable, and …
June 18, 2019
New S-5 Stealth Mainsail
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, …
June 14, 2019
Ben Kelly Joins The North Sails Brisbane Team
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, …
June 3, 2019
Dick Parker: North Sails Designer And Salesman
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 …
May 24, 2019
#NSVictoryList: Rolex Capri Sailing Week
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 …
May 16, 2019
One Design Advice From Noel Drennan
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 …
May 13, 2019
North Sails Clients Excel Offshore In 19/20 Season
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 …
April 25, 2019
Impressive Turnout For Sail Port Stephens
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. …
March 21, 2019
MC38 Australian National Championship
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 …
March 15, 2019
Etchells Success For North Sails In Geelong
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 …
January 24, 2019
Dragon Class Speed Reading
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 …
January 9, 2019
OK Dinghy Australia National Championship
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 …
January 2, 2019
2018-19 Australasian Dragon Championship, Pre-Worlds
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 …
January 2, 2019
Clients Led The Pack To Hobart
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 …
December 27, 2018
Line Honors For Wild Oats XI
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. …
December 20, 2018
St Jude: Back For More
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, …
December 19, 2018
Navigating The Sydney-Hobart
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 …
December 19, 2018
Rolex Sydney-Hobart Race Preview
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 …
December 7, 2018
A-Class Speed Reading
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 …
November 19, 2018
North Sails Welcomes New Team Member
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 …
October 23, 2018
New team members in Melbourne and Hobart
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 …
October 23, 2018
Racing Your Cruiser At Destination Regattas
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 …
October 17, 2018
Introducing Our 2019 3Di Product Line
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 …
September 19, 2018
Robert Greenhalgh Joins North Sails
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 …
August 30, 2018
Hamilton Island Race Week
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 …
June 27, 2018
North Sails Are Here For You
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 …
June 18, 2018
Etchells 2018 Australasian Championships
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 …
May 29, 2018
Successful Season for the Paper Tiger Fleet
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 …
April 29, 2018
Speed Reading: Onboard Communication
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 …
April 17, 2018
New Sales Expert in Sydney
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 …
March 8, 2018
Service Tip: Dealing with Corroded Zippers
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 …
February 6, 2018
North Sails Completes Shift From 3DL to 3Di Product Lines
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 …
January 25, 2018
Speed Reading : Offshore Racing
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. …
January 24, 2018
Sydney Hobart : Reflections
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 …
January 22, 2018
North Sails Brisbane Joins The North Sails Group
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 …
January 17, 2018
North Sails Claims SAIL Pittman Innovation Award
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, …
January 16, 2018
Magpie Dominate Etchells Australian Championship
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 …
January 15, 2018
Interview with B14 World Champion Nick Craig
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 …
January 9, 2018
Clean Sweep at 420 Worlds
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 …
January 3, 2018
Long Time North Customer Wins Rolex Sydney Hobart
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 …
December 28, 2017
73rd Sydney to Hobart: A Year Like No Other
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 …
December 26, 2017
And They’re Off!
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 …
December 23, 2017
Khaleesi: Ready For Racing
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 …
December 22, 2017
Pre-Race Preparations : Sydney to Hobart
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 …
December 19, 2017
Rolex Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race Preview
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 …
December 12, 2017
A Beginner’s Guide to Navigating Sydney-Hobart
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 …
October 11, 2017
Couta Boat Sailing on Sydney Harbour
"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 …
October 9, 2017
Opti Update
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 …
October 9, 2017
Sales and Service Staff Wanted!
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 …
September 8, 2017
Excerpts from Hamilton Island
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 …
May 16, 2017
North Sails Welcomes Binks Marine
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 …
May 11, 2017
Sail Port Stephens & NSW IRC Austrailia
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 …
March 4, 2017
Ron Jacobs report from Port Lincoln
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 …
February 23, 2017
MC38 AUS Championship – No barriers. Just fun.
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 …