Sail Innovation: A Loft with a Mission

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Sail Innovation is making a name in the F18 . The Loft is now testing several platforms for next European season and 2010 Worlds in Erquy. Alex Udin , designer and responsible of the brand tell us more about his company.

Testing on the Wildcat, more pics HERE
“SAIL INNOVATION is specialized in the design, development and production of top of the range sails for boat builders and sail makers.
Our main markets are small racing catamaran, skiff ,D-boat and cruising boat. We are designing and making sails for famous boat builders (Hobie, Phileas Open 500, 570, Multi 23…) for commercial advisors (ORANGE, Banque Populaire, Bouygues Telecom…) and we also offer production solutions for local sail makers (ALL PURPOSE, Voiles Gautier…)
We have recently really intensify our sail development program on the F18 sails. Olivier Backes (Tornado Vice World champion in 2002, Vice European champion in 2004 and 4th at the Olympics in Athens) and Arnaud Jarlegan (Tornado vice European champion in 2008, and 3rd at F18 world in 2001 and 2008) joined our team in order to reach our common goal and get the world title in Erquy next summer.
The team is composed of 4 crews, Gurvan Bomptemps & Mathieu Marfaing who notably won the Eurocat long distance race and recently the Round Creolia in La Réunion, Benjamin Lamotte & Benjamin Amiot more specialized in the long distance races who finished 3rd at the Raid des Corsaires, Charles and Maxime Hainneville are the probably the next young guns who finished 4th at the French National, and Olivier and Arnaud.
All the crews are actually working hard on the testing several boats, rigs, appendices… We have sailed during the 2 last weeks with the Wild Cat and the new C2 comparing them with our actual Capricorn in order to choose the best platform for next year. “

  • The “VX” is a cross cut sails with a mast panel made of FLEX, it is really fast and easy to use and trim. Olivier and Arnaud were using this one at the Dutch national where they won half of races knowing they never sailing on the Cap before…
  • The “R” is a radial sails which is a little bit more stable and lighter than the VX but require more skill to trim it properly. It’s more sensitive to the main sheet tensions and Cunningham.
  • The “VXR “ is the fusion between a cross cut sails and a radial with curved seams. You get the really smooth shape off a cross cut sails and the light weight and stability of the Radial cut.
  • We have 2 type of spinnaker, one real racing one with 50 panels and a more standard one with less panels. They both have the same shape, only the construction and price are different.

For more info please contact Alex Udin: alex (at) sail-innovation (.) com

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