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LEADING EDGE DESIGN
Helix Structured Luff is a breakthrough sail design philosophy, focused on innovating the structural elements in a sail’s leading edge. Through a data-driven approach to sail design, the North Sails team uses Helix to create versatile sails that carry across a wider range.
Exclusive to North Sails, Helix pairs a structured luff with load-sharing sails to radically improve handling and control.
LEADING EDGE DESIGN
Helix Structured Luff is a breakthrough sail design philosophy, focused on innovating the structural elements in a sail’s leading edge. Through a data-driven approach to sail design, the North Sails team used Helix to created versatile sails that carry across a wider range.
Exclusive to North Sails, Helix pairs a structured luff with load-sharing sails to radically improve handling and control.
Essential Facts
Sails with Helix offer more versatility and change the way a sail behaves through a more balanced distribution of loads.
Helix Structured Luff exploits power-potential and control previously undiscovered in traditionally engineered luffs.
This leading-edge design philosophy is applicable for a wide range of sail materials and boat types. North Sails can provide a custom solution.
Features + Benefits
Further or faster with fewer sails. Helix sails extend your range, requiring fewer sail changes in varied conditions.
Helix Structured Luff sails enhance boat speed. Find a new gear and your power potential while reducing drag and heel.
A Helix Structured Luff activates a proactive, positive shape that responds to changes in wind flow while reducing reactive trimming.
Helix Frequently Asked Questions
Exclusive to North Sails, Helix Structured Luff is a new approach to upwind and downwind sail design with a special focus on the luff area of a sail, providing extended aerodynamic benefit, easier trimming and handling, and the potential to reduce loading on the boat and rigging.
Today, Helix incorporates a structured luff into a load sharing sail to radically improve its inflight range and effectiveness. Helix sails are engineered to distribute load more evenly between a sail and the cable, stay or mast at its leading edge.By activating Helix, a sail is more stable and efficient through a wider range of conditions.
Helix Structured Luff provides any sail:
- Extended Range
- More control
- Steady Power
Today, Helix Structured Luff is available for headsails, foresails and downwind sails. Helix design development in mainsails is well underway at the 36th America’s Cup.
Yes, Helix implemented in cruising sails focuses on reducing the need to constantly adjust the sails for optimum sail shape. For example, In a Helix Furling Gennaker the design prevents the luff from sagging to leeward and aft, while a specially engineered Helix cable re-distributes and shares load more evenly.
Helix for racing provides more control over a sails range and shape than ever before. One example of Helix in racing mainsail and headsail is that the cunningham becomes a more dynamic sail shape controller. Reaching or downwind sails achieve that “activation” using a specially engineered Helix cable to re-distribute and share load more evenly.
Helix Structured Luff is exclusive to North Sails and whether you are racing or cruising, each sail is custom designed and purpose built to suit your requirements. Talking to a North Sails expert is the right way to get the perfect Helix sail for your boat.