Professional BoatBuilder - December-January 2018

DECEMBER/JANUARY 2018 15

he developed and patented the technology that led to 3Di,

which he sold to the North Sails Group. In the last issue of

Professional BoatBuilder, No. 169, page 16, we reported on

North  in Ply Technology (NTPT), which Kessi helped

found in 2001, and later it made the black carbon sails for

2007 America’s Cup victor Alinghi. Currently, it manufac-

tures an Automated Tape Laying machine to spread

untwisted  ber tows into  at, unidirectional tapes that are

super thin.

Back to the In ated Wing Sail. It’s a double-skin fabric

forming a symmetrical airfoil in ated by fans located inside

the leading edge.  e “mast” is a retractable, freestanding

metal structure.  ere are no stays. Bene ts listed on the

company’s website include: NACA airfoil; symmetrical

shape means no trimming required when tacking; aero-

dynamic center “stays stable in every wind condition”; and

remains balanced “to place itself in the best position to

maximize the driving force.”

A study of the drawings, photos, and video on the com-

pany’s website quickly reveals the absence of control lines—

with the lone exception of the mainsheet—and deck hard-

ware.  ere are no compression forces, no leech tension,

and no local stresses. One can jibe by letting the sail rotate

360° in front of the mast (what happens to the mainsheet

isn’t clear; Kessi did not respond to requests for an explana-

tion).  e prototype was installed on an 18' (5.5m) sailboat

and tested on Lake Geneva.

Next Technologies, CH-1162 St-Prex, Switzerland, tel.

0041 79 413 35 40, e-mail [email protected],

website In atedwingsails.com.

—D.S.

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e ective treatment,

which brings us to

weird fact #2. “ZPT,”

writes Barrett, “has

been used for over

50 years to effectively treat dandruff and has become the

most common material for that purpose, e.g., Head &

Shoulders shampoo.”

COURTESY APV ENGINEERED COATINGS

The pink stain

sometimes seen

on white-vinyl seat

cushions is caused

by Streptoverticillium

reticulum bacteria;

the stain can’t be

scrubbed off, so

preventive measures

are recommended.

Propspeed® is effective on:

Propellers | Rudders | Shaft struts | Trim tabs | IPS drives

Thrusters | Keel coolers | Underwater lights (clear coat)

Any underwater metal surface

Boat owners and captains around the world put their trust in

Propspeed® to protect their precious underwater metals

http://www.oceanmax.com

More speed, less fuel

Rovings170-ADFinaldig.indd 15 11/2/17 2:57 PM