Ireland's sailing, boating & maritime magazine

We developed a new design for the Shannon One design class at our Cork sail loft. Once we were all happy with the design which we sent to top guys in the class so they could review it in real…

UK Sailmakers Ireland is delighted to have Andrew "Hammy' Baker join our team in NI. Hammy has tons of experience and is well-known locally. Andrew grew up on Strangford Lough sailing in a family cruiser and as part of the…

We have had a very busy winter period getting your sails serviced, repaired and ready for 2024. Over 800kg of sails and covers sent to laundry are now back. We were delighted to get so many sails and covers this…

The UK Sailmakers Ireland sail loft in Crosshaven, Co Cork, has been a sail service centre for over forty years. Thousands of sails have been on our floor, and we rarely see something we haven’t encountered before. We can spot…

Wear and tear can destroy almost any part of your sail. You pad and tape the lifelines and put chafe guards on. You put covers on spreader tips. All these things protect your sails, but your sails can suffer from…

A-sail design principles are often misunderstood. Top sailmakers explain... To explain the thinking that goes into designing asymmetrical spinnakers, UK Sails Ireland interviewed three sail designers from UK Sailmakers: lead designer Pat Considine, UK Sailmakers Chicago; Geoff Bishop, UK Sailmakers…

It has been a busy summer here in UK Sailmakers Ireland with Dun Laoghaire regatta and other regattas. We are pleased to report that we were up to the challenge of getting sails made and ready on time despite the…

Earlier this month, we ran a successful training day in Dun Laoghaire for all cruiser racers leading up to the busy Dublin Bay Sailing Club season. Kenny Rumball from the Offshore Racing Academy was on hand to coach along with…

When it comes to reducing the area of your headsail (HSA) as a way to improve your IRC rating, Barry Hayes from UK Sailmakers Ireland has the low down. you’ll learn how complicated while also straightforward the process can be…

Last month, UK Sailmakers Ireland announced the addition of two more sailmakers to their team, reflecting the increase in the loft’s business: Kenny Rumball and Liam Glynn. Following-up on that announcement, UK Sailmakers Ireland was delighted to report that Kenny…

The clearest indication that a business is succeeding is when one sees growth and expansion in that company’s staffing and operational footprint. Such is the case here at UK Sailmakers Ireland, led by renowned sailmaker and yacht racer Barry Hayes.…

We hope you had a great sailing season, and we are looking forward to next season. It’s coming up soon and UK Sailmakers Ireland want you to get the most of your 2023 season. So get in early and get…

Sure, your sailmaker may know how to use a computer to design a sail, but does your sailmaker know how to make that design software perform at a level comparable with winning that F-1 race, making a living playing backgammon,…

After ten races, the J/24 European Championship hosted by Howth Yacht Club, concluded in a tie at 65 points, with the third-place team only one point back. That third-place team was made up of six junior sailors from the Kinsale…

It has been a busy summer here in UK Sailmakers Ireland with Cork Week and other regattas. We are pleased to report that we were up to the challenge of getting sails made and ready on time despite the obstacles…

UK Sailmakers Ireland celebrates One Design sailing success this season with a stunning 1,2,3 at the 1720 European Championships at Cork Week in July. The loft is also celebrating title wins in July's Ruffian National Championships and August's Beneteau 31.7s National…

Kerry County Council approached McWilliam Sailmakers in Crosshaven to build and design new windmill sails for the Blennerville Windmill on Tralee Bay. Restoration works on the windmill have already seen new wing frames built by Cedarlan Ltd, which has its…

Barry Hayes from UK Sailmakers Ireland gives us the ins and outs of forestay sag and how it affects your sail so you can get the best out of your headsail shape and rig settings. Regardless of if you’re cruising…

Congratulations to Finbarr O'Regan and his J/109 crew that won Class Zero and One IRC overall in the Axiom Private Clients Race at Kinsale Yacht Club on Saturday. Finnbar was using a brand new UK Sailmakers Ireland headsail to our…

Code zeros are all the rage; choosing between masthead or fraction code zeros can be tricky writes, Barry Hayes of UK Sailmakers Ireland. The code zero is a reaching sail to be used between 45 and 110 degrees apparent wind angle,…