Red List Comment Submission

Commenting on: Sail making

Section one - About you

Section two - Description of the craft

If you are commenting on an existing craft, please select it here and skip the next two questions

Please enter the name of the craft you would like us to add here.

If this is a new craft type please select the most suitable category

Please identify country, region, county or town

Please identify country, region, county or town

Please identify an era/century/approximate historic period.

Heritage Crafts uses a system of four categories of risk to assess the viability of heritage crafts. A heritage craft is considered to be viable if there are sufficient craftspeople to transmit the craft skills to the next generation. For more information on definitions see http://heritagecrafts.org.uk/redlist/categories-of-risk/

Section three - Current numbers of those practising the craft in the UK

People earning their main craft income from this craft (selling, commissions, conservation/ restoration and/or teaching).

People practicing this craft commercially (selling, commissions, conservation/restoration and/or teaching) but as less than half of their income.

People acquiring skills in order to become a professional in this craft, they probably have to work under supervision even if they are earning money while training.

People whose knowledge and ability is at a level of the most skilled practitioners of this craft.

People who do not intend to practice this craft professionally or at the highest level.

Section four - Issues affecting the viability of the craft

Existing content:
  • Technology: Sail panels have been sewn together with machines for 150 years. The majority of hand-sewing involves the edging and other details on the sails. Even where the sails are sewn by hand machines or by hand the design is usually computer-produced and sent to a computerised cutting machine. The parts come back as a jigsaw to be sewn in whatever way is decided. Apart from individuals making the odd sail, there are no firms dedicated to hand-made sails.
  • Market issues: Many people would like to have sails made traditionally, but very few are willing to pay the price of someone working eight hours a day hand-sewing. The exception might be a restoration project financed by public or charitable funds. The future will depend on builders and restorers of traditional boats being willing to spend the extra money for authenticity.
  • Training and skills issues: There are still people able to make sails by hand, but they are not being replaced as they retire. There is virtually no training, although some traditional sail making is taught as part of boatbuilding courses, usually by visiting tutors. A young person wanting to start in traditional sail making would need to join a mechanised firm that might have a branch doing traditional work, or find one of the few ‘old boys’ who still know the craft.

e.g. lack of qualifications, funding for training etc.

If yes, please describe the issues below

e.g. lack of demand for products/skills etc.

If yes, please describe the issues below

Tick the box if there are difficulties with the supply of raw materials, allied materials or tools

If yes, please describe the issues below

i.e. issues around running any small business, not just crafts

If yes, please describe the issues below

Is the main workforce made up of people who are approaching retirement age?

If yes, please describe the issues below

e.g. legal restrictions on materials, health and safety etc.

If yes, please describe the issues below

e.g. Brexit, Covid-19, conflict

If yes, please describe the issues below

Please describe any other issues

Section five - Current Initiatives to preserve craft skills

Please describe any UK projects or schemes

Section six - Main players in the craft – please tell us who you know about

Please list any known practitioners of this craft — add a row item for each person or business and complete the fields to the best of your knowledge. To get started click the `Add practitioner` button below.

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Add practitioner

Section seven - Optional additional information

It may include when and where the craft developed, how it has changed over time, etc.

e.g. festivals, religious celebrations, agricultural practices, music, dance etc.

e.g. religious, ethnic, social class. Please give an overview of the techniques involved in the craft.

This may involve different materials, techniques, styles or finished products.

e.g. books, websites etc.