A Dynamic Day on the Water

Mark Jardine

Dynamic Press Day

Cowes, and the UKSA, the leading sail training establishment which is based on the Isle of Wight, proved to be the ideal setting for Henri-Lloyd to demonstrate their new Dynamic Sailing Range to the media.

Journalists come in all shapes and sizes, ranging from the petite to Tom Cunliffe, who has shoulders wider than some well-established oak trees, and dedicated female and male sizing has been a particular focus for the Henri-Lloyd team. Remarkably, everyone was kitted out in well-fitting gear, ready for an afternoon out on the water aboard one of the UKSA’s Farr 65 yachts.

Knut Frostad is the CEO at Henri-Lloyd and has travelled over 320,000 miles at sea. He knows a thing or two about how sailing kit needs to perform, what features it should have, and what shouldn’t be included. The Dynamic Sailing Range has been his passion for the past two years, and the excitement was written on his face as he showed off elements of the design.

Responsible clothing is in everyone’s interest, and Simon Payne, CCO at Henri-Lloyd, reinforced that the main goal is to make kit that lasts the test of time. Dynamic has been designed to meet every future regulation that is known to be coming on fabrics and coatings, while maintaining the very best performance. All packaging is now compostable and Henri-Lloyd offer a repair service to extend the life of kit.

Knut’s favourite features include the Breeze Clip, a mid-height fastening inside the zip which stops a jacket flapping in the wind when open, meticulously designed and positioned pockets with built in drains, cuffs designed to accommodate a wide range of wrist sizes, hi-fit foot openings that adapt to those who wear trainers as well as boots, and, his absolute favourite, the strongest hangers in the business, both inside and out. He knows from experience just how annoying it is when a hanger breaks.

Henri-Lloyd’s Ross Partridge described the stretch characteristics of Dynamic, with the fabric aligned at 45 degrees on the back panel to maximise flexibility. This stretch means you don’t have to compromise by going oversize on a jacket to maintain flexibility. We each had a go on the coffee grinders while trimming on the Farr 65 and it didn’t feel like Dynamic was constricting at all.

My favourite features on the day? The articulated and stretch fabric padded knee pads were a revelation and made packing the genoa at the end of the day a comfortable experience, rather than something I usually dread.

Sometimes it’s the simple things which can prove to be the best, and the thought which has gone into the smock pocket is extraordinary. With openings either side beneath lifejacket height, the size and positioning meant I could carry my phone and handheld GPS easily while not having to twist to access either. This alone made me fall in love with the Dynamic smock.

Feedback from the racing teams who have been testing the Dynamic Sailing Range has been overwhelmingly positive, with the combination of dry top, smock, jacket and light jacket proving a winner from the bow team at the front to the tactician at the back.

Wear Dynamic, sail in Dynamic, and you’ll understand why Dynamic is so exciting.