Our Team’s Personal Touch

Barry started in this business in 1999, when we were McWilliam sailmakers in Crosshaven, making 1720 sails with Cleo and Marcie. He’s come along way since then. After working here in Ireland for 4 years, he then went to work in the New York sail loft making sails and racing on boats up and down America’s East coast. This included small boats to big boats and touring on the Swan 45 circuit and all sorts of regattas, from Newport, to Key West and everything in between.

After 5 years in the USA, Barry moved to Hong Kong where he began as a sail designer before moving to sales, then production of the Titanium system and ultimately loft manager. The Hong Kong loft is the main production loft for the UK group. So with a large amount of staff and many different types and sizes of sails being made, his knowledge and experience really is second to none. Barry’s record on the water is equally impressive. He has raced all over the world, in offshores and one design races from Maxis to small one designs.

Barry Hayes, Owner

Whether you are buying a new boat, or adapting a current boat, Barry brings a wealth of experience to the table, experience that will help you get your idea off the ground and onto the water.

He will guide you through every detail, from tweaking your boat’s performance, to designing your sails specifically to your hull, and giving you the help you need to complete the IRC cert and rating.

Cleo Watkin

Cleo has been a sailmaker at the loft since 1996. When she first started she made sails for 1720s – lots of them, as 1720s were in their boom years. Since then she’s seen it all, having built lots of different sails, from cruising and racing sails, to code zeros and spinnakers. Cleo has also worked in the Cowes loft in England as well as in Dublin, both making and repairing sails. She’s no stranger to the water either, having sailed on many different boats, from Imp to First 44.7 and many others.

Claire Morgan, Owner

Claire began her sail making career in 2017 but don’t let that short space of time fool you. Claire has vast sailing experience, having done the New Port to Bermuda race, as well as many others like Phuket King’s off the China coast. And she hasn’t simply participated, she’s won many a regatta aboard different boats, from A35s to Maxis. Claire’s main role in the sail loft is looking after the bag business and the all-important accounts but can be relied upon for help when we are under pressure for repairs and regattas.

Marcella O’Driscoll

Marcella has worked at the loft since 1990. Over the years she’s gathered an unrivalled level of sail-making experience, working on projects like Moonduster, Mustang sally, Crackling Rosey, Howth 17’s, Ruffians, Rankins, Mermaids… you name the type of sail, she’s made it, from scratch, here in the UK Sailmakers’ loft. She painstakingly sticks all the seams on the upwind sails or spinnakers and has the experienced hand to get it right every time. It’s safe to say Marcie’s knowledge and experience can’t be matched.

Kenny Rumball

Kenneth Rumball has been addicted to sailboat racing since he first sailed a topper dinghy aged 5 in Sutton dinghy club. Since then Kenneth has devoted much of his life to sailing, water sports and the professional marine industry. While expanding arguably the largest and most diverse sailing school in the British Isles, Kenneth continued to excel at international level in dinghy, keelboat and on a professional basis in offshore sailing. Presently Kenneth is a professional skipper, specialising in offshore for the last 8 years, including running Fast 40 campaigns and three seasons in the French Solo Offshore – One Design Figaro circuit.

Liam Glynn

Liam grew up sailing from Ballyholme Yacht Club – learning from a large group of peers and to travel around the Irish Topper circuit with them.
Always inspired by the home clubs racing pedigree (with 3 members going to the Olympics in 2012), Liam some three years later hit the limelight by winning The Topper world championship in France. Progression to the Laser Radials and inclusion in the Irish Sailing Academy, just the start of Liam’s journey with world championships and more recently campaigning for the Tokyo Olympics and winning the UCD Varsities in 2022.

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