Sailmaker

A sailmaker is a person who makes and repairs sails for sailboats, typically working on shore in a sail loft. The sail loft consists of many other sailmakers as well. Large ocean-going sailing ships often carried sailmakers among the crew. The sailmaker maintained and repaired sails, and this required some knowledge of the sailmaker's craft and many of the tools of the sailmakers loft on shore.

Today, one of a sailmaker's most important jobs is to show his customers how to set and trim their sails to get the most out of them. Sometimes a sailmaker will accompany the client out on the water and adjust the sails. The modern sailmaker makes use of computer-aided design and manufacturing tools. Computer graphics can allow the sailmaker to produce a "lines drawing" of the sail. Once the design is complete, the sailmaker can now use a low-power laser to cut the material to the exact shape.

Sailmaker's tools

Fid, used to stretch grommets before inserting reinforcement;
Sail palm, an oversized thimble used to drive needles through heavy canvas;
beeswax, used on thread;
Benchook, to provide a "third hand" to hold sailcloth taut;
Seam rubber, to press folds in to fabric;
sailmaker's needles; and,
Sewing machine.

Translation of "Sailmaker"

German: Segelmacher, French: Voilerie, Swedish: Segelmakare.