Step 1: 3D Virtual mold
Phantom is using some of the most powerful design softwares in the yacht industry. We first start to create a 3D virtual mold with the outline of the sail,its shape and twist. This mold represents the static shape of the sail which can be pretty different from the flying shape (dynamic shape with pressure and stretch of the cloth)

Step 2: Panel layout
The virtual mold has a 3 dimensional curvature and cannot be developed with a single flat panel. We have to position some panels and the mast sleeve on the virtual mold in order to get the final 3D shape of the sail when the panels are joined together. The panel layout is a cross cut design with a one piece mast panel on the luff. The combination of horizontal and vertical shaping offers a very good control of the shape while joining the sail.

Step 3: Batten layout
All the battens are positioned on the virtual mold with a very specific distance and angle in order to control the twist of the sail and be as close as possible to air flow.

Step 4: Primary scrim
A +-45° biax Vectran scrim is laid on the panels in order the hold the extraneous stress in the sail. This grid also works as a rip stop

Step 5: Yarn layout
Phantom sails are exclusively build out of membrane with oriented Twaron yarns according to the load paths. That allows to control the amount and the angle of every fibre in the sail unlike traditional monofilm or X ply sails. The yarns layout is designed according to the FEA (Final Element Analysis) calculations which give the trajectory of every fiber.

Step 6: FSE & CFD analysis
The FSI (Fluid Structure Interaction ) calculates the real flying shape with the aerodynamic pressure and stretch of the sail according the mast stiffness, battens and cloth specifications. This flying shape allows to run the CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) calculations to optimise the aerodynamic efficiency of the sail.



Step 7: Final product
All the sails are tested by professional and amateur riders in New Caledonia, Maui and Brittany.
