180 Sails | Powered by Evolution Sails | Chicago Nobody wants to talk about the end of the season in August. We are not here to make you. We are here to point out that the best time to buy sails is right now, while you are still pretending summer lasts forever. Every April, our […]
The story of a well prepared boat fumbling it at the two yard line at this year’s Bayview Mackinac Race, plus a little on how ORC actually works. I’ve written before about the JPK 10.80 Smokeshow. It’s a very cool French designed and built short handed boat, and the owner, Jake, agreed to let us […]
Why Mess With a Classic? Changing an icon of one-design racing is considered blasphemy. The J/105 has had a strong, loyal following since the first boat launched in 1991, with over 600 boats built and active one-design fleets across the country. It was revolutionary when it was new: the first production boat to come standard […]
You’ve got a boat. Maybe it’s brand new, maybe it’s new to you, and maybe it came with sails that have seen better days. Or perhaps the boat is ready but you’re realizing it’s missing something: a spinnaker for those light downwind days, or a code zero to make the most of reaching angles. Either […]
You’ve got a boat. Maybe it’s brand new, maybe it’s new to you, and maybe it came with sails that have seen better days. Or perhaps the boat is ready but you’re realizing it’s missing something: a spinnaker for those light downwind days, or a code zero to make the most of reaching angles. Either […]
Before anyone talks to you about materials, construction methods, or price, there’s one question that matters more than all of them: how do you actually use your boat? It sounds simple, but the answer shapes every decision that follows. A sail built for weekend day sailing is a very different product from one built for […]
When you request a quote for new sails, your sailmaker needs to understand the geometry of your rig in order to size the sails correctly. The way we do that is through a set of standard measurements that describe the key dimensions of your boat’s rigging. These measurements are referred to by the letters I, […]
Once you have a sense of how you sail and what sails you need, the next step is working through the options that go into each one. Every sail comes with a range of choices, some of which have a big impact on how the sail performs and how long it lasts, and some of […]
If there’s one decision in the sail buying process that has the greatest impact on how your sails perform and how long they last, it’s materials. Get this right and you’ll have sails that hold their shape, handle the conditions you sail in, and serve you well for many thousands of miles. Get it wrong […]
By this point in the guide you’ve thought about how you sail, where you sail, what options you need, and what materials make sense for your plans. Now comes the part where you pull it all together and make a decision. That’s what this article is about. Bringing It All Together The questions we’ve walked […]
Hi, my name is Andy Camarda, and I am the founder of 180sails.com.
I started sailing before I could walk 30 years ago, and have been working for major sailmaking brands in the industry for over 8 years.
I have been a part of a team that has won every major event in Chicago including the Chicago to Mackinac, the Verve, and the NOOD.
