TECHNICAL SUSTAINABLE SAILS
Sailing is a conundrum to me sometimes. We all love to slip the lines, with the cares and worries that go with life ashore, and surround ourselves with the majesty of a Sgood seascape. We wax lyrical about weather and wildlife, yet how often do we sigh crossly then fire up the engine for a knot or two more pace? And how much do we covet new gadgets and doodahs to fill up our boats?
Sails encapsulate this contradiction nicely for me. On the one hand they are the sustainable motors of our boats, turning wind into motion. They provide a constant challenge – willing us to trim and tweak for a slightly better aerofoil and a fraction of a knot more speed.
On the other hand, they represent nothing more or less than a huge sheet of plastic or, even worse, carbon fibre.
UPCYCLING
We rarely think about it, but where do these materials come from, and what happens to a sail when it’s too worn or too baggy to do its job properly? Well, a few of the more colourful ones get sent for upcycling into not-very-water-proof tote bags or jackets. That’s the story of Salcombe’s Quba & Co and a host of smaller brands and start-ups.
Before you turn the page thinking ‘that’s sorted then’, bear in mind that very, very few sails
