Performance, technology and tailoring: with Remi Aubrun (All Purpose), Bona seeks the perfect sail

One mainsail, three genoas – solent, trinquette and tourmentine, to put it in French – two gennakers and three spinnakers. Nine sails to be made, combining technology and tailoring. Well underway, the project for IBSA Sailing into the Future. Together is being carried out a few kilometres from the Trinitè Sur Mer shipyard, in Carnac, where All Purpose has one of its lofts. Remi Aubrun, a partner of the shipyard since 2003, was called to draw, design and make them. Despite its name, All Purpose has a specific DNA, specialised as it is in the production of oceanic sails, which must withstand continuous loads and stress, must be resistant but at the same time performing, and – in this case – must be moved on deck, hoisted and lowered by a one-man crew.

The relationship between designer, sailor and sail maker is something unique: “Our philosophy” – explained Remi Aubrun – “is to be very close to our solo navigators, to follow them one-to-one with great attention. In this context, one cannot standardise anything and, above all, one must always innovate, and in the right way at that”.

Remi Aubrun’s experience is specific to the Class40 and other ocean sailing classes, the Mini 6.50, but also the Imoca: “You need to be very innovative, both as regards the materials and the shapes of the sails. And we make ours, first of all, by discussing with the designer and the sailor”.

Three strategic choices: materials, design, type and quality of manufacturing: “On the design, I work personally; as for the type of production, we use the Trilam method, developed with the French company CLM; in this case we will use materials such as Dyneema and aramid”.

The sails must be reliable, but also innovative, capable of becoming almost a secret weapon: “We will propose something innovative for the J1, the largest genoa: the sail will have an original and innovative load distribution, that will have the task of making the difference in terms of performance. Also for the spinnakers, thinking in particular to the Mach 5, we worked on specific shapes, always with the aim of giving a competitive advantage in terms of speed and manoeuvrability”.