General Interest

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When flying the chute is it best to keep the sheets in your hand and play it as much as possible?  Or is it better to cleat the guy whenever possible?

I agree with you on cleating the guy in bigger breeze. In lighter winds, or anytime the crew can hold and control the guy I like to see him hold and play it. To me it's like the sheet...we want the leading edge of the spinnaker to be in exact right attitude to the wind much like the trailing edge/leech. Constant movement fore and aft is key...so I like to see him hold it out of the cleat when he's flying the spinnaker. That is, UNTIL the breeze is up enough that he can't hold the guy efficiently and the pole ends up sliding forward in every puff. At that stage I'd like to see the guy cleated more often...but still constantly adjusted when the breeze changes direction.

Answer by Greg Fisher

1. The wind that the luff of the sail “sees” is some degree further aft than that at say the top of the mast (indicated by the mast fly) because of upwash right? The wind as it is entering the front of the sail is bent aft? How can you figure out how much? Will the difference between the real (unaltered by sails) apparent wind angle and the upwash wind angle change as the boat’s speed increases?

2. Does the upwash angle change from top to bottom of the sail? I.E., is there more upwash at the top of the sail where the wind is going faster?

3. The other thing I think is interesting is how the path that the wind takes over the surface of the sail has to change radically as the boat heels. What happens to the shape of the airfoil the wind sees as the boat is heeled over? Becomes longer and deeper? I can’t quite visualize it.

The apparent wind angle seen on the mast head fly includes the affect of the tip vortex. That is due to air flowing around the top of the sail from windward to leeward (higher pressure to lower pressure). When you add that component to the freestream flow component, the flow around the top is at a higher angle than on the sails. Because of this, generally upwash increases in angle moving upward along the sail toward the tip.

Maybe the two images above can help. The wake is following a path that indicates the flow direction downstream of the sails. You can see that there is also a significant vortex around the bottom of the sails. The colors on the sails are the pressure difference across the sail (pressure on the leeward side minus the pressure on the windward side at that point). The color range has red being less difference and blue being higher difference, with black being the most extreme. Upwash is caused by the low pressure on the leeward side sucking more air around to that side. Since the pressure differential is lower toward the top of the sails, the upwash will be larger toward the top.

So far these explanations relate to how the sails are influencing the flow through the pressure changes that they produce. Another change in direction that occurs moving up the sails is that because the true wind speed increases moving upward, the apparent wind angle is more aft. You can see this by adding a true wind vector of a given length to a boatspeed vector (remember to draw the boatspeed vector toward the boat in the direction of the wind created by the boat moving) and then drawing a longer true wind vector. This is because the boatspeed is the same all the way up, but the true windspeed is not. Thus, the apparent wind angle is higher where the true wind speed is higher. This is the twisted flow that occurs due the boat moving through the sheared (merely in velocity) flow near the earth's surface.

There are also interactions between the main and foresail, such that the upwash is increased on the forward sail due to the addition of the upwash from the main, and the upwash is reduced on the mainsail due to the downwash behind the foresail.

Maybe another way to think about heel is that the sail shape is the same, but as the boat heels, the apparent wind angle is reduced. This is obvious if you consider an extreme heel angle like 90 degrees where the sail would probably luff. As the boat heels, the flow probably moves more along the spanwise direction of the sail then when the boat is more upright.

Answer by Paul Bogataj

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How do I use the leach tell-tale on the jib?

The telltale indicates when the jib is overtrimmed by stalling (fluttering). When it flows it means the slot is open and the trim is proper. A rough guide is to trim until the telltale starts to stall and then ease back out slightly.

Answer by Greg Fisher

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How can North analyze the shape of my sail?


Take a picture of your genoa, trimmed the best you can and e-mail it to us so we can see what shape your genoa is in. Take the picture lying down on your back looking up at the sail. Your head will be to leeward
and you want to get the head of the sail in the center of the picture. Try to get as much of the sail in the picture as possible. You will need to angle the camera so the that the luff is in one corner and the clew is in the other.

Answer by Chris Snow

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How to install draft stripes on a sail, for better analizing its shape?


Draft stripes are actually pretty easy...

1) Fold the sail over tack to head and make a mark
2) Fold the sail over clew to head and make a mark
3) This will give us the middle draft stripe position.
4) Lay the sail out very flat
5) Place one end of the draft stripe material on the luff mark, just even with the edge of the luff tape ( not too close to the rope) and peel the back off the length of the stripe all the way to leech...don't let the sticky hit the sail yet.
6) With very little tension, try to keep the tape straight and lay it down across the sail placing the it down at the mark on the leech. It may be a good idea to practice once or twice without the backing peeled off. Eyeball that its pretty straight and then smooth it down. If need be you can lift it up and try again....usually you can down it three times and then the tape is shot.
7) Trim the end off leaving about a 1/2" fold around the leech.
8) Fold the head down to this mid draft stripe on the luff and make a mark
9) Fold the tack up to this mid draft stripe on the luff and make a mark
10) start the tape at these two points and repeat the process across the sail eyeballing that the tape on the upper 3/4 and the lower 1/4 is pretty close to parallel to the middle stripe...the actual angle of all three is not as critical as that they are parallel.
11) Take pictures from the middle of the main and try to include the very edge of the boom and/or foot of the sail. This is helpful for determining the twist. Take shots hopefully, in different conditions under different trim. We will average the draft and depth positions so 6 or 7 shots is great.
12) do the same with jib...

Answer by Chris Snow

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I have a keel boat with severe weather helm. I have been advised by various friends to rake the mast a lot further back. It was raked forward when I purchased the craft and is now slightly back.
Assuming sail trim is about right is raking the mast back the way to go?


NO! Raking back will add weather helm! To reduce weather helm rake the mast further forward until the boat has neutral or slight windward helm.

Answer by Chris Snow

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What is shy reaching?


Shy reaching is another name for sailing a on a really tight reach. Some of the Olympic classes like the 470 use a trapezoidal course with a really tight reach at the top and bottom of the course.

Answer by Chris Snow

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How do I remove mildew from my sails?

There are a number of opinions on how to remove mildew from sails. The following method has been proven to work very well. Read the warning first, though.

This method uses Clorox (diluted sodium hypochlorite). Clorox should never be used on:

• Aramids (Kevlar, Twaron). If you aren’t sure, these are of generally yellow or brown color and will always be used in a laminated construction.

• Nylon. This is the lightweight, often colored material used in almost all spinnakers. It was used many years ago for very small colored sails for boats like the Sunfish.

Also, there is some possibility of fading or discoloration of dyed fabrics. Do a test on a corner before committing the whole sail.

Clorox is absolutely safe on all other sail fibers including polyester (Dacron), Spectra/Dyneema, Pentex, carbon, and Vectran. In soak tests using full-strength Clorox over several weeks, we have found no measurable effect on the strength or appearance of the materials. It does not affect the film or the adhesive used in laminates. This is supported by all published manufacturers’ data.

To remove mildew:

1. Fill a tub or tank with fresh water. There has to be enough water that the sail may be fully immersed.

2. Add Clorox or other chlorine bleach to the water in a ratio of approximately 30 to 1 (30 parts of water for one part of Clorox.) A higher ratio may work a little faster, a lower ratio a little slower. Since Clorox is a 5.25% solution to start, the final mix will be about 0.15% to 0.2% sodium hypochlorite.

3. Place the sail in the bath for at least 48-72 hours. Cover the tank to minimize evaporation. Soak longer for really bad, deeply set cases. Make sure the sail is fully submerged, weighting it to keep it from floating. Force out air pockets so the material is fully wet out.

4. At the end of the period, take the sail out and give it a quick look. If not sufficiently clean, put it back in for a bit longer. It may take longer to get at places where the mildew is buried under several layers.

5. When the sail is clean, take it out and rinse thoroughly in fresh water to remove the Clorox. Hang or spread to dry.

The long soak period is essential to the process. By the time mildew is recognized as a problem in a sail, it has worked its way in among the yarns and fibers. The Clorox works by killing the mildew and bleaching it out. Scrubbing and even power-washing work on the surface and do not get to where the mildew is living.

This method does not require Clorox. There are some cleaners based on non-chlorine bleaches that seem to work as well, and credible sources report that a somewhat concentrated salt water solution will work too. In every case, the key is soaking for some period of time.

Answer by Chris Snow

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I think I'm fast but how can I tell? Seems like the boats are always going the same speed to me.

The answer is not as easy as it might appear. In One Design racing the assumption is that the boats are the same and so generally will go the same speed. Being able to judge whether you are fast or slow is a key skill to develop yourself and more importantly with your crew so everyone can judge how the boat is going and react accordingly. If your boat is slow you'll want to make changes to your sail trim and set up. If you are fast you will want to note your settings for future reference. Some of the characteristics of a "fast" set up.

The boat is easy to steer. The helm is light and you can drive up and down around waves without excessive heel and pressure on the helm. The boat feel lively.

Off the starting line you can hold your lane and are not required to tack shortly after the start to keep your air clear.

Your tactician is a magician and every shift seems to go your way. You can tack at will (almost) on each shift.

To develop the skills needed to know immediately during the race the helmsman, but more importantly, the tactician and trimmers need to work on their powers of observation. Constantly watch and report the speed and angle of your boat relative to the boats around you. Take time to let exchanges with other boats play out and see who comes out on top.

Don’t reach immediate conclusions after making a change to sail trim, especially in keelboats these changes take a few minutes to play out.

Sailing in waves makes it even more difficult to judge relative speeds. Often boats around you will miss a few waves you hit and and look like they are going fast. Like with changes made to sail trim don’t reach conclusions too fast. Watch the boats over the course of a couple of minutes and you will be able to see some differences. While you are watching your speed and angle check how the boats around you are set up. How are the telltales on their main flying relative to yours? How much in the main backwinding? Is the luff of their jib always lifting or is it firm all the time? Where is their main traveler, jib lead, outhaul set. All these things can give you clues to things you are doing right or wrong.

Above all work on being objective about how your boat is going. If you are continually struggling, check your set up relative to the faster boats. Ask questions and go over your set up again from scratch. Keep a positive attitude and the rest will usually follow. The neat thing about sailboat racing is that it can never truly be mastered and there is always, always stuff to learn!

Answer by Chris Snow

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What type of one design class should I sail?


The answer to this is a bit like the answer to "what type of car should I drive?". In the U.S we are lucky that there is a class for almost every budget, lifestyle and personality. Some might say there are too many choices!

Look for classes that have strong local fleets in your area. Those are the ones that likely will have lots of local racing and allow you to hone your skills in smaller weekend and weeknight races before heading out onto the "circuit". My best advice here would have to be make absolutely sure you can afford to buy the best boat and equipment that the class suppliers have. There is nothing more frustrating than having inferior equipment and like it or not our sport of sailboat racing is a very equipment intensive sport. Having the best equipment
eliminates a lot of variables and allows you to concentrate on the game of sailing rather than worrying about whether your boat is as good the top part of the fleet.

Answer by Chris Snow

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How can I tell if my sail is too old?


Dangerous question to ask a sailmaker! Actually there are a bunch of ways to judge this. First and foremost would be looking at your race results. Are your scores slipping a bit, are boats that you normally beat keeping up with you? Then it could be time for a new sail.

Generally sails age by getting rounder in the back and and flatter in the front as they get older. The highly loaded back end of the sail tends to stretch over time and the front, which get s very little load tends to shrink forcing the draft aft in the sail. What you will usually see is a real deterioration of performance when the wind
comes up, this is when a sail with a rounder back end is really going to be slow, it has too much drag. Oftentimes a sail with many miles on will be quick in light air and especially chop just because it is round in
the back.

The best way is to take a picture of the sail when it is new and then another when you suspect the sail is slowing down. A quick comparison of the two pictures provides a great reality check on the actual shape of the sail.

Answer by Chris Snow

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How can I tell if a boat is on my air downwind?

As with sailing upwind, it is critical to keep your air clear going downwind. The easiest way to tell if your air is clear is by looking at either your or your competitor's windex and see where it is pointing.

If your wind indicator is pointing directly at your competitor's chute he is definitely affecting you and you need to take action to get clear air. I like to have my tactician tell me what my fastest move is to clear air (up or down) and then I will work that way all other factors being equal.

Answer by Chris Snow

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I just can't seem to get a shift to go my way, how can I get better at tactics?

The reality is that good tactics are a direct result of good boatspeed. If you don’t have good speed relative to the other boats in your fleet then there is no way you can implement your strategic plan and even get to the point where good tactics are going to help you.

I usually answer an inquiry like this by really finding out what the sailor/customer thinks went wrong during a race. Generally I find that there is a critical point in the race (and I have had this happen to me many times) where the boat in question is forced to tack or jibe away from the favored tack because a boat close by is affecting it. This is usually a sign that the boat concerned is not quite up to speed with the rest of the fleet and needs to go back and look carefully at how
they are setting up and trimming their boat.

Answer by Chris Snow

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The telltales on the leech of the sails - how often should I be looking at these and what do they tell me?

Your jib trimmer should glance at the leech telltale quite often as it is a quick indicator of overtrimming. If the telltale is at all stalled then you must ease right away. We trim most jibs to the stalling point and then ease a bit. As the wind velocity changes so should your jib trim.

On the mainsail the leech telltales will flow maybe 50% of the time in moderate conditions. These telltales again help to prevent over trimming of the mainsail. In the light air - "when in doubt, let it out" applies. Ease the main to get your telltales to flow and bring power into your sail plan. Overtrim of the main is a common mistake in the light air. When the breeze is up (10mph or more) the telltales will flow regularly - especially when you have boom vang applied.

Answer by Andy Burdick

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Can a North guy bring my new sails to a Regatta?

Yes, we can bring your new sails to a regatta, ship them via UPS or you of course can pick them up at the local sail loft. Whatever works best for you. Picking the sails up at a regatta is nice though because we can spend time with you there reviewing your boat before the racing begins.

Answer by Andy Burdick

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If I buy new North Sails will a North guy come over to my boat and review my tuning settings with me?

A North Representative is always open to reviewing tuning notes, checking your rig and if time allows going for a quick "tuning sail" with you. North Sails wants you to have the best quality, fastest sails possible. But also, we want you to improve in your sailing and we will help you do this.

Answer by Andy Burdick

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What comes with my new sails from North?

All the new North Sails come with battens, personalized bags and your sail numbers on - choice of sail number color - Red, Blue, Black or Green. A speed tuning guide is supplied as well so that you can bring your boat up to maximum speed right away.

Answer by Andy Burdick

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Can I change my sail number, how?

Yes, you can change the sail numbers on your sail if you need to. Remember to mark the location of the numbers. The number peels off and there may be a glue residue left behind. Simply take acetone with papertowel and wipe off the remaining glue. Then place the new numbers that you get from North Sails in the same position.

Answer by Andy Burdick

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How do you remove sail numbers without damaging the spinnaker?

Soak the number from the backside with Laquer thinnner. Acetone works fine if used a little more sparingly. This will help loosen the loosen the glue up..Then peel the number off. Scrap the glue off with a rag soaked in laquer thinner or acetone. When pulling the number off, pull gently and mostly in the direction of the yarns in the weave (ripstop) and it'll be very easy- the number will come right off.

Answer by Greg Fisher

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Can you tell me more about tell-tales on my jib and how they work best?

Generally all headsails, genoas, jibs will have some luff tell-tales and usually you will see leech tell-tales also. They are used for two very different reasons. The luff tell-tales are used by the skipper as a general guide for steering when close-hauled. By keeping both the windward and leeward luff tell-tales flowing aft the boat is probably going through the water at a close to optimum angle. Placement of those luff tell-tales can be adjusted slightly or moved to a sweet spot where they seem to flow best. If your boat is set up properly and you are doing the basics correctly when sailing upwind the luff tales work pretty well. Now the leech tell-tales are a whole other story. These tell-tales are used to help adjust the final upwind trim of your jib or genoa. When your sail is trimmed properly and has good flow moving across both the windward and leeward side of the sail you will generally see the leech tales flowing aft in a straight and horizontal position. Like the luff tales when flow is not good you will see a nervous tell-tale spinning around in circles or straight up or down in a stalled position. Make sure you read your class tuning guide to see where the class leaders are putting their tell-tales.

Answer by Eric Hood

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My jib is new and my main looks good, I think. How can I tell when my mainsail’s racing shape is not what it should be?

As all sails age the draft or maximum depth of the sail tries to find its way to the middle of the sail between luff and leech. In most classes this area is very close to or in some cases on the inboard tips of the mainsail battens. When the sail was originally built it had a fair curve from luff to leech. This shape more than likely had its maximum depth or draft somewhere between 30% and 40% aft of the luff. The sails shape eventually gets flatter as you move aft towards the leech. What happens when the sail cloth or fabric starts aging or breaking down is that the high load area of the inboard tips of the battens actually takes that original fair , flat shape and actually makes what we call a hinge effect right in that area. On a sail that has broken down you will actually see a big shape change now just in front of the inboard batten tips. Also, you will see larger amounts of what we call crazing or fabric stress in these same areas. This is very visible. Once a sail has reached this point it has now become a practice main or chicken and beer mainsail. Recutting is not an option that produces good results for the cost spent.

Answer by Eric Hood

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Should I use any special lubricant in the groove of my mast or boom to facilitate easy and quick sail adjustments.

Your best bet is too have a luff and or foot rope free of lubricants. Most lubricants attract dirt, girt and anything else they can grab onto. Keeping your mast and boom tunnels clean with fresh water is the best bet. If you do use a lubricant the only one we have found to work really well is McLube which comes both in liquid and spray. We still recommend fresh water. If in an older class that has wood mast and or booms then you may consider beeswax on the luff and foot ropes. Generally beeswax is used on wire halyards that have to go over fixed phenolic sheaves which are quickly becoming a thing of the past.

Answer by Eric Hood

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In our one design class we are allowed to use jibs with mylar films. Can you change the shape of jibs that are made with mylar films by changing luff tension?

Generally speaking the best thing to do is go wrinkles out on the luff and sail with the designers shape. North Sails designers have selected the best fabrics for that sail shape both from a weight and range perspective. Sailing with scallops or wrinkles or sailing with a tighter luff does not really change the sail shape in sails that have mylar films incorporated. With Dacron sails you can in fact move draft fore and aft by manipulating the luff tension.

Answer by Eric Hood

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What is the best technique for steering a boat in big waves and heavy air?

Many of us were taught to steer up the face of the wave and down the back of it in sailing classes and in books we've read. Back in college my sailing coach gave me an idea I have kept in the back of my head for years, "steer so you don't hit anything". By that he meant be sure to steer around the big waves if at all possible.

The most important thing to remember in all boats is that you have to keep the boat flat to go fast in waves and breeze. Hitting a wave while heeled over is really bad as the boat will almost certainly take a big step sideways in the wave. After you have the boat set up to sail flat start watching the water 5-6 boatlengths ahead so you can anticipate what waves are coming. If it looks flat for a while sheet in slightly and try to sail higher for a few lengths. If it looks like big waves are on the way, sheet out slightly in advance of the waves and get the boat rolling, keeping it flat to power through them.

Answer by Chris Snow

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How can I get the most life out of my new North Sails?

Avoid long periods of luffing and keep your sails out of the sun when not using. Luffing is the number one enemy of a sail. U.V. damage is another major concern you should have. If you get caught in extreme wind conditions then sail of the back half of your sails. By simply doing this you can really prevent damage in the batten areas of your sail. The infamous batten ridge forms when the sailcloth ages out at the forward or luff end of your batten pockets. Luffing for long periods of time eventually breaks the cloth down in this area first. Store your sails out of the sun when not sailing.

Answer by Eric Hood

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How should I store my sails when not sailing for long periods of time?

Rolled, battens out and hopefully in a cool - dry area. Heat is a enemy as is moisture. That is a sail that has been stored in a wet condition.

Answer by Eric Hood

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For small tears in my sails what kind of tape should I use for repairs until I can have North Sail One Design repair it properly?

We like to supply customers with a 2" 2.2 ounce Dacron tape that has a pressure sensitive adhesive . Easily applied and usually only needs to be applied to one side of the tear. Please do not use duct tape as this really makes it hard for the repair team to clean up and fix when doing the loft repair of that tear. The tape is inexpensive , just call your North rep today, have several feet sent to you and keep it with your sailing supplies.

Answer by Eric Hood

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What should I do with my battens when not sailing?

When not sailing for long periods of time you should remove your battens completely so the elastic on the inboard end of your pocket can relax. Leaving battens in for the weekend is fine. When storing your battens , tape them together and lay flat so they will not have a chance to warp. Most of our mains have battens perpendicular to the leech so make sure you always do a leech roll when rolling your main up and the battens will then parallel the roll of the sail.

Answer by Eric Hood

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I am having trouble hoisting my main and cleating or locking it in . What is wrong?

More than likely your luff rope has shrunk. This can happen to new sails or older sails at anytime. Unfortunately we must use polyester ropes in our luff so they can stretch with mast bend, application of Cunningham and of course changing wind conditions. There is an easy fix. At the bottom of most luff ropes you will see where the rope has been seized by straight stitching right through the luff tape which covers the luff rope. You will see this in the bottom six inches of the sail. By removing this stitching and stretching the sail out very hard you will usually see the luff rope slide up into the luff tape. In extreme cases you may have to hand sew or machine sew a new piece of luff rope on the bottom so that the sail does not float away from the tunnel of the mast. We resew or resieze the luff rope because this helps prevent seams being pulled apart or stressed when the Cunningham is applied. We only add additional rope if the shrinkage is more than six inches. Causes for this shrinkage are moisture like rain, tipping over and also sails that have been rolled up for long periods of time.

Answer by Eric Hood

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Why put permanent marks on my jib sheets and main sheet?

Often the difference between right and wrong sail trim can be inches on a jib and usually no more than a couple of feet on a mainsail depending on your mainsheet purchase/travel. Put permanent marks on several inches apart for the jib and maybe every 6" to 1' over say a 3' spread on your mainsheet. Build a mental database of what works good and what does not work over the entire wind range. If nothing else it will keep you very close to proper trim and you will have better results more often.

Answer by Eric Hood

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I have black oil stains on my sails is there anyway to get this off?

Probably no way to get off completely but if you try using MEK methyl ethyl ketone you should be able to get alot of it off. Please let me know if you have any questions. MEK is a lower powered acetone and will not damage the sail cloth. Use in a well ventilated area.

Answer by Chris Snow

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Speed is very good in light to medium air, but when we look at the competition it seems that we are not point as well as they are. Speed we got, point we need. Any suggestions to improve point?

I'd guess the culprit is the main trim. Its strange but 90% of good pointing comes from the main trim in a boat with a smaller jib like the ten or a J/22...I'd keep the end of the boom close to centerline and have the sheet trimmed tight enough that the last 24" of the top batten ( or the chord of that curve) is parallel to the boom. When set this way the actual batten will appear hooked. When its light and lumpy or you're coming out of a tack, then its time for a good sheet ease and a bit of driving off.....

As far as the jib if you're close to Heidi's tension that's good...jib luff break even is a good rule to live by until its breezy..then back a couple inches. I'd keep the jib luff a bit looser to allow the draft to move aft a bit....trim until the middle batten is parallel to centerline..unless accelerating ..then ease a bit. It sounds like the jib may be a little undertrimmed for top speed/pointing in ideal boat speed conditions...

Answer by Greg Fisher

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Are there such things as light air, medium and heavy air battens?

Some people switch out the top to stiffies in a breeze ( battens that is...) but not me. I use the same stiffness all the time. The bottom three stay the same. see you at Edenton!

Answer by Greg Fisher

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Is it possible to go too tight on the jib halyard when you pull the mast back, which would reduce pointing ability?

Absolutely...remember at the Nationals how we'd ease the halyard off a little bit to make the jib shape better, smoother...I think if a jib entry is a little too flat it can knock a boat's ability to get in, stay in gear and therefore rob its ability to point.

When we did a little Thistle testing once we found that Ched's jib, when it was fuller than ours, actually pointed better than ours...ours is fuller now!

In addition I'd maybe ease the outhaul and still keep the mast prebent to point. You want to round up the lower leech to point not necessarily make the whole sail deeper...making the entry of the main deeper by pulling it aft can close the slot and shut down the upper leech as well....instead ease the outhaul and stand up the lower batten.

Answer by Greg Fisher