Tornado Class: One-Design sails key facts
www.tornado-class.org
——–
INTRODUCTION
A vote was held for members of the International Tornado Class Association to implement
the Ullman Sails Italy One Design.
The one Design tender had the following criteria:
Sails must fit the current class rules
100% one design (one file, one cloth)
Guaranteed Pricing
Cloth availability for the entire quadrennial
Consistent Quality
Distribution to the ITA Membership
Proven Performance
The process that followed was that 10 valid tenders were received and shortlisted to 3 and
presented to the ITA Committee. Whilst the final 3 were all very good proposals and could
service the class well the Ullman Sails Italy tender was voted unanimously as the favorable
tender.
The proposal is as follows:
Ullman Sails Italy manufacture/service/support and distribute Tornado One Design sails.
Mainsail: file “PLR4” (Cascais World Champion). This file has been used as well with a wide
range of crew to gain major results.
Jib: File “TOD37929”. This is the shape of the most produced jib in the last three years
(Echavarri-Qindao “Olympic Gold”). The panel layout has been slightly upgraded for ideal
window visibility keeping the aim of durability.
Spinnaker: file “TKOD37914” is an upgraded version of the one used by Echavarri in Qindao
“Olympic Gold”. Exit and leech roach were upgraded in order to give a more stable exit and
longer life.
Sailcloth – For the mainsail and the jib is agreed to be Contender Apen09-2mil in clear/white.
Sailcloth – For the spinnaker we would go for Nylon Contender Superkote80/Superkote75,
basic colours. Special colours on request according to availability.
Battens will be one design supplied by Fibrefoam. One Standard set + additional supplied
top 4 heavier battens.
Ullman sails have supplied the following information:
Product quality is granted to be the same high standards that were used through the last
years of Tornado production.
Sails will be produced in bulk and stocked.
Sail numbers will be stick by owners.
The loft will grant continuous availability
the loft will grant service to delivery/collect/support sails and assist the sailors at major
regatta/events.
Sail Pricing
Excluded Tax
Including
20% Ita
VAT
Tornado OD mainsail, no battens € 1.150,00 € 1.380,00
Tornado OD Jib € 550,00 € 660,00
Tornado OD Spinnaker € 750,00 € 900,00
Existing sails will be grandfathered.
From the first Race of the Tornado Worldchampionship 2012 all Tornado Teams must use
One Design Sails at future Olympic- and Pre-Olympic Games Regatta, World- and
Continental Championships, ISAF Sailing World Cup Series Events, National/International
Olympic Qualification Regattas.
Ullman sails will also supports a one-design sail to suit the Grandfathered Aluminum mast
for club sailors.
PROS
No advantage for Professionals who have their own sail designs. All sailors have the same
sail material to win races.
No expensive sail develop programs for Olympic sailors.
No more extreme sails designs for light or heavy wind locations.
No more surprises we had with Code Zero sails at the China Olympics.
Better quality of Sails, longer lasting sailcloth.
Proven all round Sail Designs (from World- and Olympic Champions), which are made for
medium weight teams.
Price reduction
Knowledge transfer between the sailors of all levels. The top-secrets are over, able to supply
a standard tuning guide on the website.
CONS
Sails development locked for 4 year, Tornado performance supremacy at risk
No longer be the continual improvement with new technology.
Second hand sail market effected initially
Potentially effect extreme range of crew weight