Nothing is better than nice, new sails. Okay, few things are better than nice, new sails. One of the more innovative sailmakers in the business, known primarily on the Right Coast, and in some bigger foreign markets, is Halsey Lidgard Sailmakers. H/L now consists of more than twenty full service facilities in the US, New Zealand, Australia, UK, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, South Africa, Japan, and Chile. Of all the sailmakers, they've done the most development with Cuben Fiber, and have built some very successful sails utilizing this cloth technology.

Halsey's Mystic, Connecticut, loft has joined Sailing Anarchy as an advertising partner, and we couldn't be happier, for a number of reasons. First, we truly want to help generate business for people who have chosen us to help promote their products. As much as we might like to screw around in other areas, this is one that we take very seriously. We want these businesses to succeed, and it is people like you who can help make that happen. Second, they are the first East Coast sailmaker to advertise with us, and we are pleased that we have a solid audience there. Lastly, and for mostly selfish reasons, this furthers the credibility of Sailing Anarchy as a viable sailing site. We're in this for real.

Halsey Lidgard, with the advancement of cloth technologies such as the aforementioned Cuben Fiber, and the insertion of Carbon, have been asked by several large projects to use their design tools to push the limits of weight without sacrificing quality. These projects have allowed them to maximize the efficiency of their panel layouts to address the various loads, so that the sail's original shape is perpetuated throughout its life. For example, they have built leading edge inventories for mega yachts such as Rebecca, the Frers 140, out of both Spectra and Cuben Fiber. Their work with Cuben Fiber helped to develop sails for the Maxi Catamaran class. Cam Lewis had a Halsey Lidgard inventory on Team Adventure during his circumnavigation, and Steve Fossett has never failed to break a record on Playstation since he has had his new Cuben Fiber mainsail, which was built in Mystic. Also, the most recent TransPac was won with a full Halsey Lidgard inventory on the Sydney 40 Bull.

All of this technology has filtered right back into Halsey's local market. The cruisers have benefited from their advancements, and their racing customers have never been more successful. For example, while only three J-29 participants in Key West Race Week last year (a class of eighteen) carried Halsey Lidgard inventories, they placed first, second, and third.

So to those of you in the East, when contemplating a new sail purchase, do yourself (and Halsey and us) a favor, give 'em a shout and see what they can do for you. www.halseylidgardmystic.com

11/25/2002