Hecla Sails first opened along the North Coast of California
in 1980, sewing sails for those owners and builders of small
boats interested in instilling in their sails the same traditional
values they had built into their boats. Those values included having
sails made of the finest Egyptian Cotton Sailcloth and Tarred Hemp
Cordage available, as well as having all grommets, cringles, eyes and
roping etc. sewn or worked by hand. Hecla Sails prided itself in
offering truly traditional sails in both materials and workmanship. In
the 80's it was difficult but still possible to find the good quality
sailcloth and cordage needed, but by the time the 90's rolled around
the era of finding good quality materials to continue offering
traditional sails was past. As I was not interested in pursuing
sailmaking with the newer synthetic materials Hecla Sails went the way
of the sailcloth and rope I'd been using.
I am very pleased that
soon I will once again have access to Egyptian Cotton Sailcloth that I
expect will be of higher quality then my previous sailcloth. This has
spurred me on to search the US and abroad for sources of good quality
Tarred Hemp for Boltroping which has also proved to be successful.
UPDATE: March 25th 2008
I still do not have a date for when I will have the Egyptian Cotton Sailcloth. All I can say is that it is still in process and as soon as I know more I will post it here.
