When a superyacht sail reaches the end of its usable life, what happens to it? Manufacturers have been wrestling with this for years, considering millions of square feet of sails don’t get repurposed. An intriguing, and inspiring, solution is resulting from Doyle Sails partnering with Sail to Shelter. Now, the sails transform into sturdy protection for communities around the world.
Sail to Shelter is a non-profit in the United States. Angela Abshier, the founder, came up with the concept without ever having a sailing or boating background. In fact, she was working in the fashion industry, addressing deadstock. Deadstock is surplus fabric from mills and clothing brands that goes unused. Abshier was invited aboard a racing yacht one day and, in looking at the powerful sails, wondered, “What kind of deadstock is there in sail material?”
Interestingly, Abshier fell in love with racing. Equally important, her questions continued. She realized many sails didn’t go into the trash at the end of their lives. Furthermore, among elite racing yachts, most sails don’t eventually end up on other boats. Indeed, Doyle Sails points out that some elite racing sails don’t hoist more than a dozen times. Furthermore, with yachts commissioning custom designs, there’s really no secondary market.
Inspiration truly struck Abshier, however, during the pandemic. She lived in Los Angeles in a loft apartment in the infamous Skid Row neighborhood, which has a significant homeless population. The notion of “shelter in place” during the pandemic hit her as being meaningless for the homeless. Therefore, the leftover sails could create some type of shelter, and therefore some type of assistance. Sail to Shelter was born. It has gone on to expand its horizons, literally and figuratively. Currently, sailmakers, textile engineers, and other specialists transform the discarded sails into sturdy shelter for humanitarian needs globally.
Doyle Sails partnering with Sail to Shelter means a few things. First and foremost, sails stay out of the garbage, and landfills. Secondly, sails see upcycling. Additionally, Sail to Shelter uses resources from regions closest to the particular crisis whenever possible. Doyle Sails has more than 55 lofts around the world, opening new doors and new possibilities.
Owners and crews can pitch in, too. Contact Doyle Sails if you wish to donate your sails to the cause. Donations are tax deductible.
Doyle Sails doylesails.com
Sail to Shelter sailtoshelter.com
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