Sailmaking - From Traditional to Modern Methods

Join us for our 2021 Spring Working Skills Series, as we offer 3 video discussions on practical nautical skills.  In the last event, Sailmaking - From Traditional to Modern Methods, we focus on the traditional skillsets that were used to make sails and follow the craft of sailmaking into the modern era. Susannah Winder will take the participants on a video exploration of traditional versus modern sails, how they are made and constructed. Various tools and machines involved in the process will be discussed.  After the video, Susannah will stick around for a live Q&A.

About the Presenter:

Susannah grew up sailing the coast of New England in any boat she could get her hands on from dinghies to schooners. This led her to Maine Maritime Academy due mainly to the Schooner Bowdoin, on which she sailed and worked for five years as she studied Marine Science and Vessel Operations. After leaving Maine Maritime she sailed on schooners such as the Schooner Adventure as a deckhand and educator, finding a wonderful community in Gloucester, MA. While coming ashore and continuing work as an outdoor educator and captain of the Lewis H. Story, she completed a Master’s degree in Emergency Management from Massachusetts Maritime and finished her thesis project just as the pandemic took hold of the world. Since then she has been doing consulting work for ships and working for organizations such as the Women’s Sailing Foundation as well as the Schooner Adventure. These days you can find her up a mast as a rigger on the North Shore of Massachusetts.

This program is supported by a grant from the Bridge Street Fund, a special initiative of Mass Humanities.