DRS disrupting technology
Years ago, when I was working for Fraglia Vela Riva, we had a large pool of talented sailors, all coming directly from the sailing school. This allowed us to teach them all the sailing techniques from the beginning.
At that time, we had a collaboration with a boat manufacturer that kindly offered us the opportunity to select a couple of sailors and have custom hulls built for them. I chose two sailors with the same experience and speed in all conditions, but with two different styles of handling the boat, even though both had been taught in the same manner. My assumption about that difference was based on the differing personalities of the sailors.
On the day I met the boat manufacturer in Riva, we discussed the type of settings we wanted for the two boats. We first decided to understand the characteristics of their hulls before making a decision. After testing the hulls using the seesaw technique, we discovered that they were completely different from each other. One hull had its center of gravity set maximally forward, while the other had the center of gravity centered. This difference defined the handling of the boat; when one sailor had to press and lift the bow, the other only had to press to achieve the same result.
At that point, a question came to my mind: Is the gear defining the way of handling the boat? Nowadays, the market offers a wide range of gear that can be adapted to the sailor. Hulls, daggerboards, and spars are customized to fit perfectly with the sailor at each stage of their development. Coaches and parents provide sailors with all the necessary tools to feel comfortable while sailing, eliminating variables that could affect performance. The higher the level, the more attention is paid to detail, often resulting in two sets of masts, three sprits, two daggerboards, and two sets of ropes used according to the conditions.
I don’t view this phenomenon negatively; I have helped develop most of the gear available on the market and support all kinds of evolution in this sport. In my opinion, the current situation gives coaches and sailors more freedom to decide which handling techniques to apply, and this adaptability comes from being able to customize gear to fit the sailor perfectly.
However, from a purely educational point of view, are we depriving our sailors of the ability to adapt to different tools? That nuanced feel allows sailors to recognize the limits of their handling—what movements can be executed and which cannot. For a straightforward example, if you sail an Optimist upwind without the daggerboard, you must listen to what the boat is telling you: “Ease the main, send me fast, now you can pull the main—too much.”
Changing the gear and adapting handling should be key skills for sailors to master. This especially applies to those competing internationally, as it is not always possible to sail with one’s own boat. The Argentinian Worlds last year is a prime example; sailors had to adapt not only to the Atlantic conditions but also to charter boats from an unknown manufacturer. Those who were able to, despite the significant financial investment, brought their own gear and gained a notable advantage.
What if the sailor has to adapt to the gear to perform? We can look at the DRS case. The revolution of the year has a name: DRS by Claudio Demartis. It is evident that the launch of this model in 2024 gave a boost to the sailing community. Even during the testing period, the sail performed outstandingly at the Europeans in Italy and the Italian National Championship.
The development of the sail began in January 2024 as an idea from Demartis, an old visionary who lives for this sport and meticulously analyzes every detail of the sails he produces. Manufacturing this model takes more time due to the diagonal panels, but it can be adapted to the sailor's weight. Essentially, the DRS model is the culmination of meticulous research into sail shapes, designed to achieve optimal performance, representing the best solution from numerous tests carried out first at the sail loft, assembled and checked by Demartis, and then on the water under the supervision of some of the best coaches in the world.
During the Optimist World Championship in Argentina, the DRS, sailed by Artur Back, nearly clinched victory. The top Brazilian sailor was literally flying in all conditions.
Power is nothing without control. The main quality of the DRS can also be its biggest handicap: shape stability. It is the perfect sail for the weight range that aligns with anatomical performance models. If you are a sailor within that range, you need to sail the DRS; it's a fact.
But what does "shape stability" mean? The advantage of the radial cut prevents alteration of the lower part of the leech, reducing heeling to leeward and nullifying speed loss. To maintain this advantage, the sailor must ensure the stability of the rig by choosing a stiffer mast, a stiffer sprit, and a stiffer boom. This setup will require handling the boat with strong pressure from the quadriceps, gluteus, and core. If the sailor is not strong enough, it is better to choose a different model, such as MEDIUM or POWER, which allows for more flexibility with the softness of the mast and sprit.
DRS requires the ability to adapt
DRS Handling
The key is to maintain the stability of the sail with small trimmings and strong pressure on the boat, never pinching the luff while keeping the sail full and pressing. If you are used to playing with the mainsheet—opening and closing it over wide ranges while using the rudder as an oar—then this approach will not work. This is the main difficulty faced by athletes using this model; they struggle to adapt their technique to what the sail requires.
During one of the recent test events in Spain, I received insightful feedback from one of the top sailors in Europe. He tried the sail for the first time and struggled with the handling. However, he didn’t give up; with each run, he began to understand. He had to change his way of sailing the boat, listening to what the sail was asking him to do.
The handling was much more physically demanding. He clearly wasn’t able to perform at 100% the entire time, but when he did, he was fast. The position on the straps should allow the boat to sail as stably as possible, with the hips in the hiking position over the deck line, shoulder blades adducted and depressed, maintaining the lumbar curve in lordosis. It may be difficult, but it is effective in terms of connection with the boat.
On a reach or downwind, the stiff sprit plays a significant role in preventing the opening of the leech, enabling the sailor to maintain power and decompress only by using the mainsheet.
In Conclusion:
Adapting to different gear is a fundamental skill for an athlete. Recognizing the differences between brands and models is the first step for personal development as a sailor. We are at the beginning of an experiment that will lead us to uncover new aspects of our discipline. The DRS represents the start of a new era.