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Cybersteel Inc.
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San Francisco, CA 94102

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Have any Questions? +01 123 444 555
Have any Questions?info@istec.ag

#StartYourCrossing

with Parasailor

Are you planning your Atlantic crossing?


It’s time to give your yacht the ultimate upgrade: the New Generation Parasailor with the patented hybrid wing. This allows you to sail safely and comfortably downwind and save money and space on board. 

Because the Parasailor is an extremely versatile sail that can be used in a very wide angle range from 70° to 180°. So you can enjoy the advantages of a spinnaker and a gennaker at the same time with just one sail.

On approximately 2,700 nautical miles across the Atlantic, you can generally expect the north-easterly trade winds. That means you will be sailing with the wind from astern most of the time. Everyone should therefore ask themselves which downwind sail is best suited to their boat, their sailing skills and safety requirements, their crew and their individual sailing style.

Fitting out Genoa, use a butterfly, gennaker or spinnaker? There are many options, but Parasailor with its hybrid wing will get your boat up to top speed effortlessly and is easy to handle. Parasailor has also been developed to be stable and keep the boat calm. You can even sail your boat on autopilot.

A survey conducted by the English sailing magazine “Yachting World” among participants in the World Cruising Clubs ARC revealed that Parasailor is one of the most important pieces of equipment for an Atlantic crossing. In retrospect, the majority of sailors would have liked to have it on board.

What makes Parasailor so special for your Atlantic crossing?

Less rolling: Due to the righting moment of the Parasailor hybrid wing and the laminar flow* in the sail, caused by the opening in the sail itself, the sail and therefore the boat stabilize almost automatically. This leads to a considerable reduction in rolling and rocking movements. Anyone who has ever made an Atlantic crossing knows how important reduced ship movements are for a relaxed stay on board. 

CUSTOMER VIDEO:  We would like to thank our customer for the vivid video and for making it available.

 

Two sails in one: The Parasailor replaces two sails in one. Depending on the type of boat, it can be used from 70° to 180° (apparent wind incidence angle) and thus covers the range of use of a spinnaker and a gennaker. This saves much-needed space on board, reduces the number of sail wardrobe changes and is easy on the wallet. Another benefit for a relaxed Atlantic crossing. Here you can find a vivid presentation to this topic. 

Can be sailed with or without a spinnaker pole: The Parasailor offers you various sailing options. You can use it with a spinnaker pole, similar to a conventional spinnaker. Alternatively, you can also sail the Parasailor without a spinnaker pole by using two additional tack lines that run across the bow. Another option is to use a tacker, a sleeve that sits on the furled headsail.  Here you tack the Parasailor almost like a gennaker. This flexibility makes it possible to adapt the Parasailor to the prevailing conditions and get the most out of your Atlantic crossing. 

 

Parasailor Sheet Guiding PDF

Can be sailed with or without a spinnaker pole

Perfect for autopilot

 

Perfect for autopilot: The Parasailor has excellent self-trimming properties that cope very well with the steering movements of the autopilot. Due to its self-supporting stability and low tendency to roll, the Parasailor requires only minimal corrections from the autopilot. The ideal combination for long-distance sailing across the Atlantic. The buoyancy of the Parasailor hybrid wing means that the bow of the boat is not pushed into the water. Therefore the rudder is not lifted out of the water. As a result, the rudder remains fully effective, running out of the rudder is virtually impossible and the autopilot can do its job to the full.

Request individual sail

A must-have for every catamaran: For purely design reasons, the catamaran's predestined courses are downwind courses. This contrasts with the catamaran's mostly backstayless rig.

So the question arises of which is the ideal sailing wardrobe for downwind courses, because tacking downwind is uncomfortable, especially on long journeys. A wide opening of the mainsail is prevented by the usually strongly swept spreaders. There is also a risk of a patent jibe.

Parasailor offers the ideal solution here. The good-natured, colorful cloth can be ideally sheeted over the widely spaced bow tips of the catamaran. The buoyancy of the hybrid wing noticeably relieves the bow tips. The stable position of Parasailor ensures maximum comfort and safety, which no other downwind sail offers. Coupled with the wide range of use that Parasailor offers, it is the ideal sail for every multihull.

What is the hybrid wing and why is it so innovative?

 

The hybrid wing combines ram pressure and single wing elements in a unique way. This enables significantly higher performance and stability while sailing. The hybrid wing has a special wing geometry that generates noticeable lift through a larger angle of attack and increased wing camber, while at the same time lifting the bow of the ship.

In comparison, when sailing with a gennaker or spinnaker, the bow is pushed into the water and loses speed as a result. In contrast, the Parasailor takes the pressure off the bow, the boat performs better and it is virtually impossible to run out of the rudder.  

We have also optimized the projected wing area to simplify setting and recovering the Parasailor and to increase safety on board. The integrated mesh material and active valve flaps ensure efficient airflow and fast wing deployment. This unique design offers sailors more performance and stability even at very low wind speeds. This combination of performance and stability makes Parasailor the superior choice for demanding cruises such as Atlantic crossings and long distance sailing. For a detailed explanation of the wing design, click here. 

Why does the Parasailor not have the laminar flow of the spinnaker?

In this context, “laminar flow” refers to the way the wind flows around the sail. A conventional spinnaker, especially a symmetrical spinnaker, is a closed system where the wind enters the sail, swirls and then “spills” out over one side. This leads to turbulence, which can cause the spinnaker to rock back and forth and not remain stable in one position. This is extremely uncomfortable on a trip lasting several weeks, such as an Atlantic crossing.

Parasailor is designed to catch/channel the wind current and keep it free of turbulence. This is achieved through an opening in the sail, which is required for the inflow of the hybrid wing. As a result, the air flows through the sail gently and without turbulent eddies. The result is a more stable position of the sail and less tendency to rock back and forth, even at low wind speeds of 2-3 knots.

In other words, the laminar flow achieved by the design of the Parasailor sail, in addition to the lift of the hybrid wing, contributes to a smoother and more stable sail, even in changing wind conditions. The comfort and safety of sailing are noticeably improved.

 

What our customers say

Thanks to the Parasailor, we were able to master the challenges of our first Atlantic crossing without any problems.

For us as cruising sailors, the Parasailor has become an indispensable downwind sail. It not only offers safety and easy handling, but also incredible sailing fun and performance.

— The Thumann family
Cruising Sailors

"I would recommend the Parasailor to anyone.

You don't have to constantly work on the sheet and backhaul, which is great for a lazy crew. I often set the Parasailor without a spinnaker pole and just use it like a normal asymmetric spinnaker. I would recommend the Parasailor to anyone considering buying a new spinnaker.”

— Jimmy Cornell
Sailing pioneer, circumnavigator and author

"The Parasailor - a turbo for the sailing yacht.

Finally a sensible downwind sail for cruising sailors, the Parasailor - a turbo for the sailing yacht. It is not necessary to go to the helm. The Parasailor compensates for the course fluctuations of the steering system almost imperceptibly - perfect!"

— Bobby Schenk
Sailing legend, circumnavigator and author

"Never again without a Parasailor.

I'll never sail across the Atlantic without a Parasailor again. Everyone else has overtaken us and we've been sailing around with the genoa!”

— Matthias Maybach
Sailing school manager DHH Elba, ARC participant

The Parasailor is our “secret weapon”.

The big advantage of winged sailing, especially on the Atlantic: the Parasailor takes the motion out of the boat. And, importantly for us as a small crew, it is easy to set and recover.

— Jens Brambusch & Arzum Soylu
SV Dilly

I can unreservedly recommend this sail to everyone!

Apart from the fact that this sail stands up really well and is really calm, I was also really impressed by the workmanship of the whole thing, including the recovery tube and compression bag.

— Jacques Oberlé
Cruising sailor / Harbour master

Whether North Atlantic or Transatlantic

Many of you who are planning an Atlantic crossing for the first time are asking yourselves these questions

Which ship is suitable for an Atlantic crossing?

For an Atlantic crossing, we recommend a well-equipped cruising boat or a robust charter yacht. A robust downwind sail such as the Parasailor is ideal. It can withstand high pressure and tensile loads and the seams are glued and sewn. With the Parasailor sail, you are perfectly equipped.

What do you need to sail on the open sea?

To sail on the sea, you need a well-equipped sailing boat. The equipment depends on the size of the boat and the sailing area. If you want to cross the Atlantic, you should rely on robust equipment and also remember that you can sail in calm or light winds. The Parasailor with the Hybdid wing s also very effective in light winds. Its special design with the wing and moderate sail profile makes it easy to generate good propulsion even at low wind speeds. This is essential on long-distance crossings such as an Atlantic crossing, as not only strong winds but also a lack of wind could be challenging.

How long does it take to sail across the Atlantic?

The pure sailing time for an Atlantic crossing is around two to three weeks. You should therefore plan at least two months in order to have enough time for waiting times in the harbors and possible stopovers on the islands. Wind and weather conditions can affect the duration. Unfortunately, due to climate change, the times when you could reliably plan such a crossing with constant trade winds are over. This makes it all the more important that you have a good downwind sail like the Parasailor, which will reliably pull you across the Atlantic in nearly most conditions.

And if you come up with the idea of visiting the Caribbean again, you should plan extra time... ;)

What is the perfect route for an Atlantic crossing?

The route starts on the Canary Islands, preferably on Gran Canaria or Tenerife. There you are in an ideal starting position to catch the trade winds. From here, you sail about 800 to 1,000 nautical miles southwest to the Cape Verde Islands, especially to São Vicente, where you can opt for a stopover.

On the Cape Verde Islands, you have the opportunity to stock up on provisions, check your boat and rest before continuing across the ocean to the Caribbean. You can enjoy the local culture and explore the islands.

After the stopover, you will sail around 2,000 to 2,500 nautical miles further into the Caribbean, with Barbados, the Caribbean islands of Martinique, St. Lucia or Grenada as a possible port of destination.

When is the best time to start the sailing trip?

Usually, the best time is in the late fall and winter period, from November to End of January. During this time, you can expect stable trade winds that offer perfect conditions for downwind sailing.

Before you set off, it is important to prepare your boat thoroughly. Make sure it is in perfect condition and has the right equipment and safety precautions on board. Your crew should have sufficient experience in long-distance sailing. You should keep a close eye on the weather and use professional weather advice to find the best time to start. Don't forget to pack enough provisions, water and fuel for the entire trip. Essential: Check your safety equipment, including life vests and emergency equipment. And, of course, make sure you have reliable navigation and communication on board. And of course you should take a parasailor with a hybrid wing with you so that you can make rapid progress.

With the right preparation and planning, this Atlantic crossing will be an unforgettable adventure. Good luck and have a safe journey!

You're not ready yet and would prefer to sail the long route with someone else?

Maybe you're wondering how big an ocean is? How does it feel when you don't see land for such a long time and then arrive on another continent? If you don't have that much sailing experience yet, but you're excited about the experience, then a berth charter is a real alternative. It's a great opportunity to learn from experienced skippers and put your own skills to the test. Of course, seaworthiness and cooperation on board are always required.

Oh yes…, there was something else…
The best way tho get back after the Atlantic crossing:

 

If you want to return home quickly after your sailing trip, a charter flight is a convenient option. You can simply book a flight from your destination in the Caribbean to your home country. Most major airports in the Caribbean have international flight connections. You can have the boat transferred or you can take a charter yacht.

If you want to sail back to Europe from the Caribbean yourself, the ideal time to start is May. At this time of year, most of the strong spring storms have already passed and the hurricane season is not yet upon us. So why not include a few weeks of Caribbean vacation in your plan?

Another interesting option is to load your sailing boat onto a cargo ship, which will transport it back for you. This requires special arrangements and logistics. This gives you the option of travelling home quickly and comfortably by plane.

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