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A fine way of following the spirit initiated by the founder right from the start. Long before Paul Elvstrøm took the plunge into independent sailmaking, he was already showing ingenuity and using his vast experience to make changes, big and small, to make lightweight sailing better, faster and safer too.
A special focus on handling
Close collaboration with OEMs and shipyards throughout Europe has helped Elvstrøm Sails become a market leader in the field of furling sails. Cooperation with brands such as Hallberg-Rassy, Bavaria, X-Yachts and Quorning Boats, to name but a few, has been decisive in the development of particularly smooth and fast furling sails.
This has led to a series of innovative âeuros designs, many of which share, in one way or another, the idea of furling, whether they be furling mainsails in the mast or solutions facilitating downwind sailing.
More power and performance
At the center is the furling mainsail, which Elvstrøm Sails revolutionized with the invention of the fully furling battened mainsail. It combines the best of both worlds: the convenience of a sail that furls into the mast, combined with the stability, performance and handling offered by a fully battened sail.
Development continued with the introduction of the Fatfurl and Fatfurl XL. For the first time, a furling mainsail could be equipped with a âeuros head, doubling the surface area in the upper part of the sail. It set the standard for furling sails, and the Fatfurl XL enabled the use of an even larger head, ensuring a deeper leech in the upper third of the sail and providing even more surface area and power.
Easy handling
Another of Elvstrøm Sails' great innovations is the Furlstrøm âeuros, an idea that is still relevant today. Spinnakers are notoriously difficult to handle, especially when sailing single-handed or with a small crew. By combining the properties of a classic spinnaker with a furling system, the problem was solved.
In the same spirit of leeward sailing in light airs, Elvstrøm Sails has also developed inventions such as the cable-free Code Zero âeuros, whose lack of cable means the sail flies flatter and can be used on steeper angles. Another example is the Blue Water Runner, a symmetrical double canopy. Ideal for long downwind points of sail between 140 and 180° TWA, it can also be rigged as a light Reacher by combining the clew points on one side, conditions permitting.
Optimizing furling systems remains a key factor today, as many boat builders seek to make sailing ever simpler and more convenient âeuros and easy-to-handle sails will continue to play a central role.
From woven fabrics to the most advanced membranes
The search for stability has always been the driving force behind sail design. And while the design process has been greatly enhanced by computer technology, the same is true of the sails themselves.
EPEX is Elvstrøm Sails' patented membrane sail technology. Launched in 2008, it marked a major advance in design options and possibilities. For the first time, it became possible to produce a membrane in which the fibers were precisely positioned to support loads, while retaining optimal shape and performance.
The sail is assembled and laminated under vacuum, and from the outset, the idea was to create a sail without traditional fabric. The answer was the use of load-bearing fibers, enabling a considerable reduction in stretch. This also paved the way for the use of new, stronger materials such as Technora, Vectran and Carbon.
And in this constantly evolving technology, new milestones continue to be reached. The latest is XYLO, the name of our first sails using filament technology.
This evolution of EPEX is no longer based on wires, but on wider strips âeuros offering new possibilities in terms of design and layout, and above all providing a smoother surface âeuros improving precision and performance.
Enhanced durability
Alongside performance, Elvstrøm Sails is working intensively on a more sustainable future for sailmaking.
EKKO is Elvstrøm Sails' commitment to listening to nature and responding with a sustainable approach to products, materials and processes. A process in which the sailmaker is only one link, in cooperation with industrial partners sharing the same program.
In 2020, Elvstrøm Sails introduced the first recycled materials for sailmaking âeuros a world first, followed shortly afterwards by a major breakthrough with the eXRP Cruise, a high-end laminate whose main components âeuros film, taffeta and polyester fibers âeuros are derived from recycled polyester.
The eXRP Cruise quickly gained in popularity, and was also awarded a "Special Mention" for sustainability at the European Yacht of the Year 2022.
Elvstrøm Sails continues to look for new ways to integrate more recycling and energy optimization measures.
