35 years ago on the 10th September 1990 I started as a trainee sailmaker @kempsails in Wareham.
In 2021, I became self-employed giving me the opportunity to pursue my own sail making interests.
This has included working as a freelance sailmaker which includes measurement, new sails and repairs , working with museums on sail projects as well as teaching sail making and repair courses with @boatbuildingacademy and @hambleschoolofyachting
Traditional Sailmaking is on the @heritagecrafts Red List of Endangered Crafts and I am passionate at passing on sail making skills through my teaching.
Moving forward I have some exciting projects and ideas over the next year and look forward to sharing them here...
Great to be back teaching the Sail Repair and Maintenance Course @hambleschoolofyachting
This one day sail repair course is part of a 5 day Yacht Maintenance course run by Hamble School of Yachting.
📸 thanks to Julia Knie
Another great week of teaching the Sailmaking course @boatbuildingacademy
This was the first group of students who are on the 40 week boat building course. During the week the students learnt skills from floor lofting design and cutting panels to the use of industrial sewing machines, patching, edging and finishing.
A gaff main, hank on jib and sprit mizzen were completed for an 18' Lyme Bay Crabber that the students will build during their 40 week course.
BBA Sailmaking tutor Mark Matthew’s gives PBO readers a few tips on how to put shape into your sails.
Have you ever tried your own shaping (or should we say, sticking…)?
#sailmakers #sailmaking #boatbuilding #yacht #yachtdesign
Yesterday I was back at Kemp Sails where I started my career as a sailmaker.
I'm an official RYA measurer and I was asked to measure a Swan 42 racing headsail for IRC certification and a suit of Mirror sails.
Fortunately after successful measurement I signed off the sails with an RYA certification sticker.
If anyone wants their sails measuring please do get in touch.
Ever seen how a sail is made from start to finish?
Watch students on the BBA’s Modern Sailmaking short course cut, shape, sew, tape, stick, stitch and more to make a jib over the course of a week!
During the course, students also learn all about sail repair and maintenance, including how to carry out repairs on different kinds of sails.
We sent our writer Viv to check it out and pick up some sailmaking tips… stay tuned! ⛵️
#sailmaking #heritagecrafts #sailinglife #yachting #sew
Traditional hand finishing on a modern sail...
I have made a staysail this week and it's so good to do some hand sewn rope and leather work to the corners
#sailmaking #needleandpalm #handsewing #traditionalskills
🔊 sound on!! 🔊
Nothing quite like the sound of sharp scissors slicing through fresh Dacron…
Our writer Viv was at the Boatbuilding Academy in Lyme Regis to check out the Modern Sailmaking course, where students get hands-on experience making a sail from start to finish.
Here, they’re cutting panels before shaping them for use in a jib!
Stay tuned for more sailmaking behind the scenes 🪡🧵
#sailmaking #boatbuilding #sailinglife #craft #yachting
The most efficient (or at least the most fun…) way to check your spinnaker for tears!
Students learn all about sail repair and maintenance on the Modern Sailmaking short course at the Boat Building Academy in Lyme Regis, including how to carry out repairs on different kinds of sails.
We sent our writer Viv to check out the course firsthand and learn what sailmaking is all about ⛵️
#sailmaking #boatbuilding #sailing #yacht #yachtlife
It was great fun running a Sail Repair and Splicing Workshop for @oyt_south
A brilliant group of Ocean Youth Trust South volunteers learnt what to look out for on their sails that may need repairs and got hands on with some basic sail repairs with the use of a needle and palm.
In the afternoon everyone got to work through and make a soft shackle and have a go at an eye splice.
#sails #newskills #sailrepair #sailtraining
Christmas has arrived early... It's always great ordering and receiving ropes and accessories from @kingfisher_ropes
Kingfisher Ropes are my chosen supplier of modern ropes.
On order was some 3 strand Pre-Shrunk Polyester, dyneema and polyester leech lines for some Sonar sails I will be making in the new year. Also included were some Sailmakers Needles and Braided Twine for sail repair courses in 2026. The 3 Strand Hempex is for some roped grommet handles I will be fitting to a wooden chest for a customer.
👏Huge thanks to Mark Matthews for his insightful talk on “More Than Just a White Triangle” at our recent open day.
⛵️Mark delved into aerofoil shapes, Coker Canvas, and the intricacies of sails, curves, warp, and wheft. He truly illuminated the art and science of sail design.
#DawesTwineWorks #sailing #somersetcool #openday
@mmsailsolutions
