Paneled Racing Sails

RACING SAILS
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Before introducing 3DL™ molded sails in 1992, North was the world’s dominant manufacturer of paneled racing sails. Today, North paneled sails continue to provide an unmatched combination of performance, durability, quality construction and value.

PictureNorth paneled sail designers use the same sophisticated design software used to create our dominant 3DL molded sails, and can draw from the world’s largest library of winning racing sail designs (“molds”). This remarkable resource means North can produce a competitive paneled sail for virtually any racing sailboat or sailboat class. North's worldwide design network allso allows our sail designers to instantly exchange newer, faster designs as soon as they are developed. A hot J/105 mainsail developed in Marblehead on Wednesday will be winning in Seattle a week later.

The worldwide success of North paneled sails is based on a philosophy of delivering consistent speed over a broad wind spectrum. Every element in the sail, from fabric to shape to hardware is carefully coordinated to produce a sail that is not only fast, but easy to trim.

THE RESULT: Speed that’s always turned on.
 

All North paneled racing sails are made with sail fabrics or laminates that are the leaders in their categories. Most use North’s NorDac NSP Series polyesters, NorLam Polyester/Mylar laminates or any of North’s Gatorback NorDac, Spectra or Aramid laminates. Each is engineered to deliver a combination of light weight, low stretch, durability and value that cannot be matched by any other sailmaker.
 

MAINSAIL STANDARD OPTIONS:

  • Maximum permitted roach (IRC, ORR & PHRF) with four tapered battens and Velcro closure pockets
  • 3 speed stripes for judging sail depth at top middle and lower girths
  • Stainless steel rings with strap reinforcement
  • Cunningham adjustment
  • Loose foot with skirt
  • Low-stretch Aramid leechline with aluminum cleat
  • Telltales
  • Drawstring duffle sail bag
  • Depending on your racing rule, full length battens or a combination of full length upper battens and IMS length battens can be added to your mainsail.
 

GENOA STANDARD OPTIONS:

  • Spreader patches
  • 3 speed stripes for judging sail depth at top middle and lower girths.
  • Stainless steel rings with strap reinforcement
  • Sail numbers
  • Low-stretch footline
  • Low-stretch Aramid leechline with aluminum cleat
  • Telltale window and telltales
  • Drawstring duffle or zipper turtle sail bag
  • Mylar genoas - pre-stretched leechline

 

MAIN/GENOA EXTRAS:

  • Sail Measurement
  • Reefs/Flattening reef
  • Spreader chafe protection (Mainsails)
 

CLOTH OPTIONS:

Soft NorLam (Polyester / Mylar laminate)
Taffeta weave, available in 3 weights, works well in large lightweight staysails for bigger boats. For club racers and PHRF boats in the 25'- 40' range, this cloth is often chosen for reachers and light-to-medium genoas. Light weight and low stretch make the sail easy to handle. 

Gatorback Aramids
Taffeta weaves, otherwise known as an "over/under" weave features high modulus aramid fibers with an offline reinforcement thread. Excellent for use in paneled mainsails, and high aspect ratio sails, such as #3s and #4s.

Gatorback XP
Scrim style with reinforcing polyester off-axis threads laminated between Mylar on both sides. Lighter weights are used in upwind sails and heavier weights can be used in the front of Aramid paneled mainsails. Scrim fabrics have unidirectional high modulus fibers laminated between Mylar layers. Off axis yarns add bias support.

Premium Nordac (NSP High Tenacity)
Whether the sail you chose is built from our range of tough woven Premium NorDacs or lightweight NorLam laminates, these are the “‘material of choice “ for those looking for superior long term durability and shapeholding. NOTE: Sails built with NSP NorDac fabrics feature a crosscut panel layout. Sails built with NorLam laminates feature a radial panel layout.

   
 

NOTES:

1. At North, an unusually wide selection of cloth types is available to precisely match your racing style and budget. In addition to offering our own premium fabric styles, North also purchases premium sailcloth styles from other manufacturers. You have more sailcloth options with North than with any other sailmaker in the world.

2. A number of variables will affect fabric choice for your particular boat. The loads generated by non-overlapping headsails used in classes such as the Mumm 30, for instance, differ greatly from sail loads on a heavier displacement boat with large, overlapping genoas. Your North Sails representative can provide you with expert guidance in selecting the sail material best suited to your boat, racing style and budget.