Sailcloth for Tall Ships and Classic Yachts

Surprisingly there are a lot of sailcloth options for us who prefer a classic look and a softer hand.

Lately most people have been requesting Oceanus made by North Cloth. I like it. It lasts well doesn't stretch too badly, and seems to really hold up to UV. Duradon made in Scotland is another choice, really for the big boats. This cloth has a good hand, but doesn't hold up as well in the sun and initially some of the finish will rub off. Clipper Cloth is nice, I haven't used it as much, but really enjoyed working with it, and the customer was happy with the result. These cloths all are trying to emulate cotton for a traditional look and feel.

Now a note about the above cloths. For some reason, in all of the cloths listed above, the color lots can vary drastically. So if you think you want a full suit, buy all the cloth of the same weight at once. I have seen cream colors look pink, green, latte(my favorite) and yellow.

In the type of modern sailcloths more people are familiar with, the typical woven Dacron polyester, (the above traditional sailcloth materials are woven polyesters too) cream, tanbark and white are available and other colors by special order. My current favorite supplier is Contender. The hand is nice and the weave is tight. I have seen sailcloths that were over finished cut themselves going through a sewing machine. Let me tell you the woman sewing that sail was pretty upset!

You probably would have some idea of what you would want. Your sailmaker should have samples of everything. When I quote on sails, I try to send an example of all the sailcloths that I would be happy using.

Lots more to follow about cloth.

Fair Winds and Following Seas,
Heidi Sawyer

Related Tags: sail, cloth, sailcloth, sailmaking, sailmaker, oceanus, duradon

New Tall Ships ropes course in England!

Hey isn't this cool? I have been reading in other blogs about tall ship training, and doesn't this seem like a great skill if you are going the big boat route?

LAND-LOCKED Upton Warren could become one of the best places in the country for young people to gain the skills that will earn them their sea legs.

Worcestershire County Council's Upton Warren Outdoor Education Centre, off Worcester Road, will officially open its poles course today (Wednesday).

The course is designed to replicate the challenges of a tall ship's mast and will give anyone that tackles it a similar experience to tackling rigging.

The initial design work was done by Mike Forecast, who has many years' experience of designing and building ropes courses, while the poles were imported from Finland. Central Networks erected the poles for the cost of materials only, donating its time and expertise to the project.

Following the erection of the poles, Mike and a small team of instructors rigged the elements and the entire structure was then surveyed by Challenge Course consultancy - a commercial ropes course company to validate its construction and adherence to best practice in its operation.

Centre head Phil Ascough said: "The design of the poles course is in keeping with our sailing heritage and the main pole, at 22m, is probably the tallest single wooden pole in the UK of its kind. It was certainly the largest challenge that Central Networks has undertaken and we'd like to thank them for their input."

He added: "As a self-help project, the entire construction cost a fraction of that which it would have, had it been built commercially."

Centre Goes Up The Pole (from Bromsgrove Advertiser)

Now this particular photo doesn't show a "tall ship" ropes course. I found this photo on a general "ropes course" web page.

I think it would be alot of fun.

PS: KW Kerr here. Just wanted to throw in my two cents on this because I, too, think it is really neat. I wonder if there is any such course planned in the US. I'm sure there are many people who could attend such training here, but couldn't afford to travel to England for it. I will keep an eye out for photos of the course. I'm dying to see what it looks like with trainees swarming up the rigging!

Related Tags: tall ship, training, ropes course, poles course

More Tall Ship News, Oct 11, 2006

More tall ship news today. The Bermuda Royal Gazette announces a lecture on the building of the tall ship, Spirit of Bermuda:

Sloop Foundation to lecture on building the Spirit

The Ministry of Community Affairs and Sport has joined forces with the Bermuda National Gallery to sponsor the popular Wednesday Lunchtime Lecture series for 2006-2007.

The weekly lecture series highlights programming related to current BNG exhibitions, as well as other topics of interest, and features both local and international speakers.

The lectures include slide presentations, art-related videos, poetry, dramatic arts and panel discussions.

The next lecture in the series is today when the Bermuda Sloop Foundation will tell the story of the building of the Spirit of Bermuda, the reproduction of a traditional Bermuda-built sloop which recently completed its maiden voyage from Maine to Bermuda.

The Bermuda sloop was world famous for centuries as the fastest ship in the world, and Spirit is now an icon of Bermuda’s maritime heritage and a sail-training vessel for the Island’s youth.

“Although the Lunchtime Lecture Series has been in place for a number of years, this is the first time we have had a sponsor and we are delighted that the Ministry of Community Affairs and Sport has generously agreed to do so.

“The Ministry is a very appropriate sponsor as the Lunchtime Lectures is a series which invites the community to both attend and to present.

“It aims to spread the word about art and making it relevant to people of all ages, as well as sharing community projects, such the Bermuda Sloop Foundation,” BNG director Laura Gorham said.

Minister of Community Affairs and Sport Dale Butler said the Ministry was “excited” about its continued relationship with our National Gallery, and “encourages everyone to take advantage of this opportunity”.

Lunchtime Lectures are from 12.30 to 1.30 p.m. Admission is free for BNG members and $5 for others.

Royal Gazette

Wish I could go; but, darn it, I'm not in the neighborhood.

KW Kerr for Heidi Sawyer

Related Tags: tall+ship, spirit+of+bermuda

Tall Ship News, Oct 11, 2006

A couple of fun things happening this weekend. The Amistad will be in Poughkeepsie Thursday through Saturday. And on the Chesapeake, the Great Chesapeake Bay Schooner Race will start on Thursday just south of the Bay Bridge.

Here comes the Amistad -
A replica of a 19th-century schooner set to dock in Poughkeepsie Thursday will put Dutchess County in touch with its history of slavery while attempting to promote interracial cooperation. The Amistad saga dates to 1838, when 53 West Africans were kidnapped, brought to Cuba on the ship, then rebelled before the Amistad was seized off Long Island. The West Africans were jailed, but successfully defended in the U.S. Supreme Court, resulting in the return of 35 survivors to Africa. The reconstructed Amistad was built by Amistad America Inc., a national, nonprofit education organization based in New Haven, Conn. This vessel is on a tour of the Hudson Valley that will stretch over a week and include a stop in Kingston. The Amistad — the original was the subject of a 1997 Steven Spielberg film — will be docked at Waryas Park in Poughkeepsie Thursday through Saturday, then sail to Kingston before returning to Poughkeepsie Oct. 19-20. Scheduled for the ship's stay in Poughkeepsie are tours of the vessel, along with theater, concerts, lectures, a symposium and many other activities set for venues throughout the city. Admission to all events is free.

PoughkeepsieJournal.com - Here comes the Amistad

BALTIMORE - Tighten the main sheet. For the 17th time, the Great Chesapeake Bay Schooner Race will launch Thursday just south of the Bay Bridge and make a 126-mile journey to Norfolk, Va. The race was started in 1990 as a personal challenge by Lane Briggs, a captain from Norfolk, to the Pride of Baltimore II and was sailed between Baltimore and Norfolk because of the rich sailing history the two cities share. “A big part of it is to recognize the maritime heritage of the bay,” said Nan Nawrocki, the vice president of Great Chesapeake Bay Schooner Race, Inc., and chair of the Maryland Racing Committee. The race is a partnership between the Friends of the Chesapeake Bay in Portsmouth, Va., and Baltimore, an organization that educates students about the bay. The race donates the excess participation fee funds to the Chesapeake Bay Foundation.

Great Schooner Race launches Thursday - Examiner.com

K W Kerr for Heidi Sawyer

Related Tags: tall+ship, Amistad, schooner

Your Choice of Sailmaker

I have been thinking about those of you who purchase sails, canvas and rigging. The recent article in Cruising World was informative, but did anyone notice it was only about the "big boys"? There are so many local sailmakers that it would be hard to include us all, however....not even one?

There are many to chose from, racing, cruising, traditional, the do-it-all lofts, canvas only and rigging only. At this point I should say I don't shop at Walmart. The do-it-all lofts, buyer be wary. Is the person you are talking to a sailmaker? Are they a canvas worker, sailmaker wannabe? Are they a rigger? None of this is bad, but you should know who you are talking to. Do they sail? Race? What experience do they have? Are they a salesperson who doesn't hit the loft floor?

The kind of sails you are buying should determine who you buy from. However, you may get just as good of a deal from your local sailmaker for a sunfish sail as online. Classic boat? Put a lot of time into it? Traditional sails with traditional patches, cloth, and finishing. Cruising sail? Well built, turned edges, handsewn rings on the clews(they really do last longer). Racing? Performance cloth, cutting edge design, modern patching, titanium hardware.

Racing isn't my thing, Doug Pope up the road from my loft builds a wonderful sail at an amazing price. I referred a friend to him and they were thrilled. Another friend put a lot of miles on a Pope sail and couldn't say enough good things about him. He is a small local loft who has raced well and the whole community was paying attention when he was in the Bermuda race with his son.

Wooden Boat magazine had a great article a few years ago about traditional sails and boats. It really is a shame to see the incredible yachts with such modern and incompatible sails. Some would say that they are faster. Maybe. I have a customer with a racing yacht with a famous sailor trying to buy it every year they race. My customer will win every race. Old boat, traditional rigging and sails. Go figure.

My family has just acquired yet another boat. We have alot of work to do before she is cruise ready. Sadly she needs a dodger. I just don't do dodgers! I have, and I shouldn't have. In this case I will probably have to part with some money and buy one from John at Gemini Canvas. He is also up the street. I have worked all over the US and he builds really pretty dodgers. Some of the nicest I have seen.

I am lucky to have worked in a lot of lofts. This gives me a perspective of what is being done "on the cheap" what works and who makes what sails where. The other interesting thing is that there are sailmakers you will never hear of. Either they are tucked away in a storage space or they are the loft sailmaker and the owner just never lets it be known how valuable that sailmaker is.

Sorry about this ramble, but consider calling your local sailmaker. You may be pleasantly surprised.

Related Tags: sailmaker, sailmaking

November ASTA in South Carolina

Hey everybody, the ASTA is coming up. We at HA Sawyer sailmaker have had staff attend in the past and hope to again. We have made some of the sails that are on the USCGC Barque Eagle and it would be exciting to hear Captain Sinnett.

The theme of this year’s conference is “Measuring Success” and there are lots of exciting prsentations scheduled including an opening keynote by Captain Christopher Sinnett, the Commanding Officer of the USCGC Barque EAGLE. Professional sail trainers, marine educators, students, teachers, vessel ownver, Tall Ships festival organizers from the US, Canada, Australia, Denmark, India, Ireland and Poland will be in attendance. There will be something for everyone.

ASTA Annual Conference on Sail Training and Tall Ships is just a month away! « Tall Ships Today!

H A Sawyer Sailmaker

HA Sawyer Sailmaker - We are a small loft in midcoast Maine, specializing in traditional sails for classic sailboats of all kinds. In our dealings with customers we believe in honesty and integrity. Communication with customer is of the highest importance as we build a custom sail.

In the past year, we have built sails ranging in size from 47 square feet to almost 2300 square feet. The boats run the gamut from a 14' wherry to the USCG Barque Eagle. We are very proud to be the chosen sailmaker of owners of boats of the highest caliber, and as a result we are anxious to make the best possible sails for them.

The materials we use are premium. Never anything less. We want your sail to last, look and perform the best. Because of that, most of our bronze is custom cast, using manganese alloys (stronger than stainless), our ropes are European, and the sailcloth is the best we can buy. We currently use Contender Dacron, Oceanus, Duradon and cotton duck.

In our loft, we may floor loft your sail in the traditional fashion, or we may computer design and plot it; it really depends on the sail. Construction is well thought out, and we use time proven methods that will enable the sail to last without compromising sail set.

Schooner Lois McClure - Canal System in '07

This summer the canal schooner Lois McClure drew the attention of 30,000 visitors to the Hudson River. Perhaps next summer she can work the same magic for the 524-mile New York State Canal System.

A canal boat that drew 30,000 visitors when it toured the Hudson River this summer will sail on the New York State Canal system in 2007 to draw tourists to businesses in canal towns. The "Lois McClure," a replica canal schooner, was built by the Lake Champlain Maritime Museum in Vergennes, Vt.
...
The Lake Champlain Maritime Museum is committing the "Lois McClure" to the 2007 tour because the museum's educational mission includes teaching the public about the importance of the canal system in the region's maritime history, said museum director Arthur Cohn. Canal schooners were designed to sail from New York City up the Hudson River, be towed by a mule through the Champlain Canal, and then sail up Lake Champlain to a final destination, Cohn said. These boats were the long-haul trucks of the 19th century.

Boat will promote tourism along 524-mile canal system - The Business Review (Albany):

The news was announced at the 2006 New York State Canal Conference last weekend. The Lois McClure is an 88 foot two-masted schooner, a replica of a sailing-canal boat. Take a look at the Lois McClure website for information about the Louis McClure, canal schooners in general, and the remainder of the 2006 schedule (look for her in Grand Isle, VT, and Plattsburgh, NY)

K W Kerr

technorati tags: tall+ship, schooner, Lois+McClure, NY+Canal+System

Windsor, Ontario - The Tall Ship Fair Jeanne Is Coming!

The residents of Windsor, Ontario will have the chance to sail on and tour the Fair Jeanne this coming weekend, before she continues on her way to the Caribbean.

Sep 29, 2006 to Oct 2, 2006 - The famous Tall Ship from Ottawa, Ontario named The Fair Jeanne will be docked at Dieppe Gardens Sept.29-Oct.2nd for tours and to pick up passengers for trips going to Chicago and all the way to the Caribbean!

.....

The Fair Jeanne will be docked in Windsor at Dieppe Gardens for the weekend of September 29th to October 2nd; Sailing from Windsor to Cheybogan October 2 to October 6th; and from Cheybogan to Chicago October 9th to October 13th. Please refer to the website for the stops along the way to the Caribbean!

Voice of Windsor - Independent News in Windsor, Ontario » Square-Rigged Tall Ship Sailing

The Fair Jeanne is a 110 foot A-Class brigantine based in Ottowa. She was built on the Ottowa river in Captain Fuller's backyard, and has logged over 150,000 miles since she was competed in 1982.

Check out the ASTA video, below. I can see the Canadian flag on a ship at the front of the group -- the Fair Jeanne!!



Fair winds & following seas,
K W Kerr

technorati tags: tall+ship, brigantine, Fair+Jeanne

Tall Ship News - Schooner Amistad Coming to Poughkeepsie

Tall ship fans - mark this on your calendars. The Schooner Amistad will be in Poughkeepsie for two weekends in October. Along with ship tours, there will be lots of other exhibits and events. Check it out at the Poughkeepsie Journal:

Dutchess County's role in the Underground Railroad and its history of using slaves on farms will take center stage next month when a replica of a ship that has become a symbol of slavery in the United States visits Waryas Park in Poughkeepsie. A replica of the 19th-century schooner Amistad, a ship that in 1838 was the site of a slavery rebellion, will dock at Waryas Park Oct. 12-14, then sail to Kingston before returning to Poughkeepsie for another stay, from Oct. 19-21.

PoughkeepsieJournal.com - 1800s slave ship coming to valley

Thank you to John W. Barry and the Poughkeepsie Journal for telling us about this.

Fair winds & following seas,
K.W. Kerr

Related Tags: tall ship, schooner, amistad

Tall Ship News - Schooner Meerwald in Delaware

Hi, K W Kerr here -

I'm helping out Heidi with posting vintage yacht and tall ship news links here from time to time, and for the past week I have been watching the news about the tall ships in Lewes, Delaware. The Sail Lewes Festival is part of the Lewes 375th anniversary celebration. Five tall ships gathered in Lewes over last weekend, giving tours Friday through Sunday.


Today a great article was published in the Delaware Coast Press, highlighting the A.J. Meerwald. It was nice to see an article with some history, some crew comments, and good photos. The history of the vessel in particular was well covered:

After being restored, the A.J. Meerwald was launched in 1996 as an education vessel. The Meerwald was no longer sailing the Delaware Bay in search of oysters, but as crew member Cheyenna Weber explained to curious passengers, it does have a rich history in that industry. According to Weber during the 19th and early 20th century oysters were not considered the delicacy they are today. "They were kind of like French fries," Weber said. From 1928 to the early 1940s the Meerwald made its way around the bay hunting for oysters. In 1942, Weber said, the vessel was commandeered by the Coast Guard in order to assist in World War II efforts. Most of the Meerwald's sails were removed and it was used to fight fires. After the war was over the Meerwald was given back but it had no sails. Weber said it was used as an oyster dredge under power until 1957 when a parasite struck the oyster industry. "It devastated the oyster population," Weber said. "The oyster industry was completely out of luck." In 1959 Weber said the Meerwald was sold and was converted into a clamming boat. Unfortunately the Meerwald was not meant for this type of work and became damaged. In the 1970s the A.J. Meerwald was retired until it was donated to the Bayshore Discovery Project in 1989. Through the project the A.J. Meerwald was historically restored, much of the work done by volunteers. In 1996 the boat was ready to sail the seas once again and began its work as an educational vessel. In 1998 New Jersey named the Meerwald its official tall ship.

Tall ships commemorate 375th anniversary - Delaware Coast Press - delmarvanow.com

Thank you to Adam Donnelly and the Coast Press for this article. The Meerwald crew gave 47 passengers the chance to experience sailing on an oyster schooner.

The five tall ships participating in the festival were the A.J. Meerwald, the Alliance, Marland Dove, Kalmar Nyckle, and Virginia.

Classic Yacht News - Vintage Sails at Imperia

Vintage Sails is the fourth stage of the Panerai Classic Yachts Challenge 2006 Circuit. News just in the third day of the event finally resulted in good weather and a beautiful race. I have been looking at photos, and there are so many gorgeous classic yachts, I hardly know where to begin. I have posted here this nice photo of Moonbeam and Mariquita (click the link for the giant version). Thanks to Franco Pace and the Panerai Classic Yachts Challenge for that photo.

Sun, mild eastern wind, rough sea and finally a beautiful race, for the third day XIV Edition Vintage Sails, fourth stage of the Panerai Classic Yachts Challenge 2006 Circuit. Along the Porto Maurizio’s wharf movements since morning, ready the crews to set sail thanks to the good weather. The Comitato di Regata chose a coasty route with the bowline buoy in front of Capo Berta and the stern one in front of San Lorenzo al Mare. The finishing line has been set between a buoy and the harbour wharf. The race start has been at noon, with 8-9 knots of wind, going increasing until 10-12 knots along the day. The rough sea with southern roller made difficult the regatta for the 132 boats: big work on board, uneasy tactics choices, sailing close to the wind with unusual glides on good waves, wide rate with a lot of pitch against the waves.

http://www.bymnews.com/new/content/view/35311/48/

Thank you to Fabio Colivicchi for this article reporting the third day of racing. Dennis Connor is there in Cotton Blossom II. The big news is the contest between Cotton Blossom II (15 meters) and Bona Fide, 13 meters with gaff rig, built in 1899

I have found a fantastic page of photos of Liguria, Italy. Scroll to the bottom for lots of great pics of the classic yachts from the 2004 Panerai. Take a look also at the Panarai website. Many great classic yacht photos there as well (I don't speak Italian though).

K W Kerr

technorati tags:Vintage-Sails, classic-yacht

Welcome to the Classic Sailmaker blog!

Good morning fellow sailors! Welcome to the Classic Sailmaker blog, this is the place where I want to share information about traditional sailmaking, ships, schooners and sailboats of all sizes.