The essence of sailmaking is to produce a durable sail that will perform to the highest degree but be as light as possible.

Conventional sailmaking, by which I mean sails that are built up from a series of panels, are relatively heavy. The stronger the winds, and the more extreme the weather to be encountered, the heavier they get. In order to mitigate this, panel layouts were changed to a radial style and, with suitable fabrics, better able to manage the loads in the sail. This panel configuration also enabled different weights of fabric to be used, keeping the heaviest in the high load areas. This also had the benefit of reducing the overall weight but did mean that the sails were overbuilt in some places or under in others. A compromise that is not very scientific, particularly when you consider the level of sophistication used in the design and production of the modern sail. The alternative and more scientific approach is the membrane or string sail. These are sails built from a matrix of fibres laid out in a pattern to carry the loads in the sail and sandwiched between layers of Mylar film or taffeta. The individual fibres can be varied in their weight and density to match the loads in any part of the sail. This produces a very much lighter sail that is also much better at withstanding the loads imposed on the sail when in use.

Since the ending of the various patents preventing the manufacture of load path sails there has been an “explosion” in the number and variety of such sails. Until recently these sails have been the preserve of the large multinational sail lofts due to the expense involved in the development of the systems required to produce this type of sail.

Now however that has all changed. During the last five years, the Italian company FMG has pioneered a new breed of membrane called Spidertech™ which is available to your local sailmaker anywhere. Incorporating special bonding techniques the problems of the earlier laminate sails have been virtually eliminated. No longer are these membrane sails the preserve of the large lofts.

It is no longer necessary to put up with the compromise in sail construction that has been the case until now. Both racing and cruiser sailors can benefit from the latest developments in sailmaking, taking advantage of a lighter better engineered product.

This sophisticated sailmaking technology is now available to all sailors in the UK and France through authorized service centers.

In the UK Automated Cutting Services is the authorised Spidertech™ Service center, designer and stockist of Spidertech™ Blueline and Onedesign, Please contact them or your local sailmaker for more details.

Automated Cutting Services Ltd
18 Mitchell Close
Segensworth East
Fareham
Hants, UK
PO15 5SE
Tel: +44 01489 579144
Fax: +44 01489 575325
Email: info@automatedcutting.co.uk

In France RCX Découpe is the authorised Spidertech™ Service center, designer and stockist of Spidertech™ Blueline and Onedesign, Please contact them or your local sailmaker for more details.

RCX Découpe
8, rue de la Scierie
B.P. 3055
17031 LA ROCHELLE Cedex 1
Tel. : +33 (0) 5 46 44 74 83
Fax : +33 (0) 5 46 44 75 23
Email: rcx@wanadoo.fr

Orgoglio per il team di Spidertech™ per la sua prima volta alla Cork Week 2008, la più grande manifestazione velica internazionale irlandese. Un nuovissimo Corby 33, Blackadder ha partecipato in classe IRC2 con un nuovo set di vele progettate e costruite con tecnologia Spidertech™. Il piano velico è stato interamente disegnato da Denzil Williams della veleria Stephen Ratsey di Milfordhaven mentre la struttura delle membrane è stato progettata dal nuovo Velaio Autorizzato Spidertech™ per l’Inghilterra, Simon Verner di ACS a Fareham.

The Spidertech™ Team proudly took part in their first Cork Week, the 2008 edition of Ireland’s largest international sailing regatta. A brand new Corby 33 called Blackadder took part in IRC2 racing with a new suite of sails designed and built with Spidertech™ technology. The sail shapes were designed by Denzil Williams of Stephen Ratsey Sailmakers and the fibre-layout and membrane structure was designed by our new Spidertech™ authorized designer Simon Verner from ACS in Fareham. The suite of membrane sails were built in the loft in Milfordhaven.

Athens – Greece, LIBERTINE is World Champion at “The ORC World Championships” (20-28 June) after seven races sailed. LIBERTINE, the Comet 45 R owned by Maurizio Biscardi had Lorenzo Bodini at the helm and Francesco De Angelis calling tactics. Sails were made by Banks Sails Italy and designed with Spidertech™ technology. LIBERTINE won by two points ahead of George Andreadis’s MELITI IV. Five races out of seven have been sailed in line, all with strong winds, like the long distance race of 148 miles, divided into parts, which had all participant boats in difficulties with winds in excess of 25 knots.

A good performance as well from FRA’DIAVOLO, the Comet 41 R owned by Vincenzo Addessi, with Luca Simeone at the helm. Sails were also from Banks Sails Italy and again designed with Spidertech™ technology. FRA’DIAVOLO came third in the Corinthian Class 1.

The World Championship protagonists, LIBERTINE & FRA’DIAVOLO, will meet again at the Italian ORC International Championships which will take place in Punta Ala from 24 - 30 August.

Dal 20 al 28 giugno 2008 ad Atene si è svolto il Mondiale ORC International, sette le prove che hanno decretato campione del mondo, LIBERTINE, il Comet 45 R di Maurizio Biscardi con alla ruota Lorenzo Bodini e alla tattica Francesco De Angelis, con vele Banks Sails Italia realizzate con tecnologia Spidertech™, precedendo di soli due punti Meliti IV, il Grand Soleil 42R di George Andreadis. Delle sette prove svolte, cinque sono state prove a bastone disputate nelle acque antistanti ad Atene, tutte caratterizzate da vento medio forte, come la lunga di 148 miglia, divisa in due parti, che ha messo a dura prova gli equipaggi visto che i due terzi del percorso sono stati caretterizzati da un vento superiore ai 25 nodi. Buono il Mondiale anche per Fra’ Diavolo, il Comet 41R di Vincenzo Addessi, timonato da Luca Simeone che con vele Banks Sails Italia realizzate con tecnologia Spidertech™ si classifica terzo nella Classe 1 Corinthian.
I protagonisti Libertine e Fra’ Diavolo si danno appuntamento al Campionato Italiano Assoluto ORC International a Punta Ala in programma dal 24 al 30 agosto prossimi.

Dedicated to maximum performance, Spidertech™ sails won the MUMM30 World Championship last year but success did not stop there! During the current season Spidertech™ membranes have dominated the MUMM30 European Championship (Matrix, Montefusco Sails). Even in the ORC International Central European Championship held in Cres the winning yacht sailed with Spidertech™ technology (ShauaIII, Montefusco Sails). Recently, in the three most competitive Italian races like “Romax2” (Vento di Sardegna, Mura Sails), “Trofeo Gavitello” (in ORC FRAL 2, Banks Sails and in X35 Sberessa, Banks Sails) and “La Cinquecento” (Wanderlust, Ullman Sails) Spidertech™ sails have always reached the podium.

The winning secrets of Spidertech™ Integrated System are widely recognized abroad and the successes of our partners in France, UK, Spain & Sweden do confirm all the work carried out by the Research Team. In ORC at Giraglia Rolex Cup four yachts sailing with Spidertech™ were classified in the first three positions, also worth mentioning is the winning season of Spanish Xaloc (Banks Sails Spain), winner of the Barcelona Cup as well as Gilolo in France (Allard Voiles) that with a excellent Spidertech™ sail set has recently won the 120 miles d’Archachon. We are also proud of the exciting performance of A35 - Magic Roundabout (Kemp Sails) that won the King Sturge Triangle Race in IRCA.

Research and development are the key words that describe the work and the success of Spidertech™ Integrated System, created three years ago by the Italian company Fiorenzi Marine Group and now protected by a number of international patent. Spidertech™ Integrated System combines integrated sail design technology with production technology. A full Software package, called Spidertools, gives sailmakers a unique dedicated instrument helping them to make the best sail without renouncing their personal design experience. With Spidertech™ Integrated System in fact every sailmaker has the chance to use and enhance their experience, by adding new technical elements to a sail project.

The Spidertech™ Research Team follow sail designers on the entire path, from project design to production, by offering the most trustworthy laminate available on the market today.