North Sails Optimist expert Brian Bissell and sail designer Garth Reynolds ran a Team BLUE Two-Boat Sail Test for several days in Miami, Florida. Christopher and Duncan Williford fresh off of a two-week long training session in Argentina skippered the Optimists during the testing. Christopher and Duncan just finished 1st and 2nd respectively (of 130 boats) at Semana de Mar del Plata in Argentina. The twins combined to win 5 of the 8 race series. We couldn’t ask for a better pair of sail testers; not only are they two evenly matched sailors, they have the same DNA!
The sail test was conducted on Biscayne Bay using the North Two-Boat Testing System (N2BTS), along with our brand new North Cross Cut. The Two-Boat test system utilizes Global Positioning System to track each Opti’s velocity (boat speed and heading). We also used an onboard camera system to photograph the sail while testing. The Optimist skipper has his hands full with driving, trimming, and bailing; so there is no way be able to take good sail shape photos too! The cameras were mounted on the sole of the Opti next to the dagger board trunk aimed up at the sail. The photos are taken ONE-PER-SECOND on board each Optimist and sent to the designer’s computer on board the chase boat. The Wi-Fi signal for the photos also allows Brian and Garth to view the Opti’s speed and track through the water during the testing. This is similar technology known as “Virtual Eye” shown in the recent America’s Cup matchup of the super-multi hulls. Wind instruments are mounted on the chase boat so that we always know the wind speed and direction during the testing as well.
Here is a photo of one of our many upwind lineups. Garth would follow closely in the motor boat aft of Duncan and Christopher. You can see the wind instruments atop the mast in the back of the motorboat.
Watch a video of the sail testing here - and read Garth's full report on the sail testing here.
For details and prices of North Optimist sails please see our class page.
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