Beginning Friday, May 30 through Sunday, June 1, internationally renowned Canadian sailmaker, designer, and lecturer, Sandy Goodall, will present a weekend seminar on advanced sail design and trim at the Northwest School of Wooden Boatbuilding, Port Hadlock Heritage Campus. The three back-to-back sessions are designed for cruising sailors, racers, and sailmakers, alike.

Sandy Goodall

Sandy Goodall



On Friday, from 7 p.m.-9 p.m., Sandy will kick off the three-part series with an overview of the history of sailmaking, including many interesting examples from his own lifetime as a sailmaker. During this first lecture, entitled "The State of the Craft", he will discuss how different sail and rig types and materials have affected sailmaking methods and will talk about both old and new techniques for shaping, cutting, and finishing sails.

Drawing on trends he has observed over a long career, Sandy will suggest directions in which sailmaking may be heading. He will also talk about how to become a sailmaker and share personal insights, both from his work in large lofts and as a self-employed craftsman. This lecture is intended for all who are interested in learning more about the sailmaking trade in general and will improve both ones level of technical understanding and the ability to communicate with professional sailmakers. The material covered applies to all types of sailing craft.

On Saturday, from 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Sandy will present "Sail Design: Communicating with your Sailmaker". This second session is intended for those interested in learning more about sail aerodynamics and about how and why sails are designed the way they are. The information will improve the student?s ability to assess his or her own sails and to communicate with their sailmaker. Material covered will include: sail aerodynamics, appropriate sail areas, balancing sail areas, choosing sail shapes, designing sail shapes, choosing proper materials, matching sail design to rig , design, methods and tools, traditional design methods, modern design methods, examples of design process, nesting and cutting, corner reinforcements, finishing details, batten systems, furling systems, and sail design and trim.

On day three, from 9 a.m.-3 p.m., the topic will be "Sail Trim: Optimizing Performance". During this final session, Sandy will discuss sail aerodynamics, how and why sails work, and he will teach basic concepts such as heeling and righting moments, leeway, lift, and drag. Various rig and sail types will also be covered and participants will learn how trim affects horsepower, leeway, heeling, pointing, speed, and balance. Sandy will discuss the relationship between types of rig and sail shapes, and will explain how to match sail shapes to your rig, as well as what shape to choose for any given situation. You'll also learn how to achieve a chosen sail shape, trim for speed, trim to enhance affects on other sails, and how to trim for upwind for maximum performance. Sandy will explain how to measure and tune your rig for an excellent fit with differently shaped sails. This course will help you get the very best performance possible from your sails and rig, whether for racing or cruising.

Sandy has 29 years of experience in sailmaking for both traditional and modern vessels, including an apprenticeship under the Danish sailmaker Hans Fogh and, for 18 years, he was the technical director for Elvstrom Sails in Denmark. Since 1994, Sandy has been working as self-employed freelance sail design consultant, currently serving over 60 sailmaking clients worldwide. He is deeply involved in the ongoing development of sail design computer software.

The courses may be attended as a series or individually. To register, please call Gretchen at 360-385-4948. Course descriptions are also available at www.nwboatschool.org. The Northwest School of Wooden Boatbuilding is a non-profit educational organization, dedicated to "teaching and preserving fine wooden boatbuilding and other traditional maritime crafts, with an emphasis on the development of the individual as a craftsperson".