3 questions to Pieter Bijl

04/05/2022

For the past 3 years, Pieter Bijl, who has worked for NeilPryde and Gunsails in the past, has been working on the development of North Windsurfing sails with the aim of applying the famous 3Di technology to windsurfing sails. This is a unique and patented manufacturing process that allows for sails with a particular aerodynamic profile, the manufacturing process being based on a complex multi-axis network moulded in 3 dimensions. Speaking to Windsurfjournal.com, he looks back on this long process...

Windsurfjournal.com: When did you start working for North Windsurfing and what was the guideline for the development of these sails?
Pieter Bijl: All in all, it’s been a long time coming. At the end of 2019, we began the concept phase and feasibility study of creating the sails in 3Di. After gaging the feasibility of applying 3Di technology to a windsurfing sail and introducing such a unique product to the market at an acceptable price, we went full steam ahead into development. Making such a new product did have its challenges, and when the pandemic began, we faced a whole new level of difficulty with the consequences and travel restrictions brought on by Covid.

WJ: Because of the 3Di technology, what are the parameters that need to be taken into account during development compared to a traditional sail?
PB: We felt very strongly that we needed to do all Prototypes in 3Di as that allowed us to shape the whole skin of the sail, something not seen before in windsurfing. For R&D this was a lot more time-consuming because making a 3Di sail with curing takes a lot longer. As a result, the steps we took and the changes we made needed to be very carefully planned out. We didn’t just develop the shapes but also developed the fiber layout to fit because the feeling in a sail can really vary by changing the fiber layout. It required some new ways of thinking and I have really enjoyed learning how to apply this advanced type of sailmaking to a windsurfing sail.

WJ: You worked for NeilPryde and then Gunsails and you know the whole process of creating a sail. What do you think this technology applied to windsurfing sails brings to the everyday rider?
PB: A stronger, lighter, and more comfortable sail that delivers the power a little smoother and handles better than any other sail out there. North Windsurfing sails give more response and feedback. They are durable, last longer, and are a lot less fragile in the handling due to the minimal number of films we use. The 3Di material can withstand wrinkling during rigging, riding, and transport much better than film sails. As a result, the life span is extended and the sail will look better, for longer.