It was not so many years ago that buying a new sail for your boat meant a pleasant trip down to your local sailmaker. You made a call (e-mail was not yet invented), set up an appointment and then spent a few wonderful hours looking at bolts of cloth, talking boats and settling ...read more
In-mast furling systems have come a long way. Forget the hollow-leeched, baggy triangles we first saw decades ago; a well-specced modern in-mast system can offer more sail area than a traditional slab-reefed mainsail, so the performance gap has narrowed significantly. ...read more
Learn more One year ago this month, North Sails launched a cruising revolution with the introduction of 3Di NORDAC. The product promised to deliver a better cruising experience for a market that had not seen true product innovation in over 60 years. Today we’re celebrating the ...read more
Despite your best efforts, there will inevitably be times when your sail gets damaged while at sea and needs to be repaired. First, no matter what the job, you will need to do a quick damage assessment, a task that requires a flat wooden surface, sharp scissors and a helping ...read more
Within the Volvo Ocean Race Boatyard sits a communal sail loft which provides service and repairs for all seven teams sailing in the 2017-18 edition of the race. The sail loft employs only five sailmakers who look after 56 sails in each stopover. If you’re thinking, “wow, these ...read more
Taking care of your canvas doesn’t just save you money, it’s central to good seamanship Knowing how to take care of your sails and how to repair them while at sea is an important part of overall seamanship. The last thing any sailor needs is to get caught on a lee shore with ...read more
The Aubert family indulges on their Mediterranean adventure aboard their Lavezzi “Gustave”, powered by 3Di NORDAC One couple, three young children, a catamaran, and six months sabbatical to make the most of the Mediterranean. That was the project in 2017 for Jérôme Aubert, 40, ...read more
Some of the best times aboard a cruising boat are in light airs—those quiet, relaxed sunny days with gentle sailing that just wouldn’t be the same if you were motoring. However, many cruising yachts are not set up to truly fullfill their potential in these kinds of conditions. ...read more
3Di Outlasts The Adventure Francois Gabart and his 30-meter trimaran Macif broke the solo around-the-world speed record in December 2017 with a 3Di mainsail that had 45,000 miles BEFORE the start of his record run. 3Di powered all three around-the-world speeds records currently ...read more
Many sailors embarking on ocean passages will take along the obligatory storm jib and trysail, with the vague idea that they may come in handy. Few sailors, however, have a real understanding of how and when to set them. It doesn’t help matters when we hear from seasoned sailors ...read more
North Sails has been making 3Di sails composed of layers of filament tape incorporating exotic high-modulus fibers for some time, and these have come to dominate performance sailing in such demanding venues as the Volvo Ocean Race and the Vendée Globe. Meanwhile, the default ...read more
In this Q&A, North Sails president Ken Read, a three-time veteran of the Volvo Ocean Race, talks about the sails the boats are using for the 2017-18 running of the event, and the role the company’s 3Di sails have played. Q: North Sails Group has been deeply involved with the ...read more
Sailmaking ain’t what it used to be, especially out in the Nevada desert Some years ago I visited the Bavaria factory and was amused at the thought of a powerhouse boatbuilder turning out its products smack bang in the middle of rural Germany, surrounded by fields of cows and ...read more
Today’s foul weather gear is great stuff but can be overkill if all you have in mind is a summer day sail. Enter the Men’s Windbreaker from North Sails Gear, a jacket that is as good-looking as it is comfortable. Available in navy blue or graphite, the jacket is waterproof and ...read more