Designing for Speed: Behind the Sails of Magic Carpet E

"This is the kind of opportunity that comes around once a decade." For North Sails Head of Design Services Jeremy Elliott, working on Magic Carpet E – Sir Lindsay Owen-Jones’ latest 100ft Maxi – represents the leading edge of sailmaking innovation. Now racing at the IMA Maxi Europeans in Sorrento, Magic Carpet E is going head-to-head with the most competitive Maxi fleet in the world. After a warm-up in Palma, this week marks the team’s first full-on challenge. With windward-leeward races, long coastal courses, and a lap around Capri, every day demands something different, from the crew and from the sails. It’s also the perfect proving ground for the next generation of sail design. The latest Helix technology, refined during the last America’s Cup, is a key part of the program. “We’re able to put the shape in different parts of the sail, which gives it different flying characteristics and a wider range. That unlocks big improvements in performance,” says Elliott. At this scale, those improvements are measurable, and meaningful. Different inventories, evolving conditions, and design thinking at work. This is where the theory gets tested. Learn about Helix Technology: https://www.northsails.com/pages/helix Get a Free Quote with North Sails: https://www.northsails.com/pages/new-sail-quote #NorthSails #IMAMaxiEuropeans #North3Di #MaxiYachts #sailing