Sail Design

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We strive for the very best blend of empirical data and innovative use of new and exciting software, coupled with interaction of real sailors to drive our design process. Empirically, our system is driven by our now huge data base of sails that we have manufactured for years and years. This database tracks not only design/results information, but even for example, manufacturing details down to the very smallest and number of grommets used, cloth weight and specification and sewing thread type. All this information is cross-linked for reference in a variety of ways, including warranty use, design replication and shape evolution. To this end, we are fanatical in our attention to detail.

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Our current sailmaking software includes several packages from Autometrix, including the very latest (we are an official beta tester) version of SMSW Version Six. This Win95 platform sailmaking design software provides us with logical and consistent design. Computer molding is a direct approach to shaping 3-dimensional sails. We have complete control over sail shape, seam locations and concise finishing details and the software then mathematically computes the resulting panel shapes for the sail we describe. The shape that we design on the computer screen will be what you measure on the flying sail, as the math model incorporates every design parameter that affects sail shape.

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Final output of the designed sails is run through a corner patch development software, PatchTool. This program allows us to develop a wide variety of patches in many styles and configurations that is then coupled with the innovative PatternSmith software and PlotterPilot software (both from Autometrix) allowing us to edit freely (as in the use of special graphics on sails) and to "nest" the sail/patches for computer driven cutting.

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Efficient, effective and precise.