Nelson Sails In Foreign Waters

Yachting is a New Zealand sport that is growing in popularity in leaps and bounds. Many yachtsmen make their own craft, but the making of their sails they leave to the craftsmen. Ron Nalder and his two assistants, George and Malcolm Dickson, are three of these. Ron, who has been sail-making for 18 years, commenced his own business two years ago and he is, now recognised as one of the top (if not the top) craftsman in the business. He has rigged yachts throughout Mew Zealand and many yachts scudding along in overseas waters have the distinctive Nalder Sails trademark on their sails. He has completed sails for the Tauranga class (requiring 7 1/2 yds of 36 inch cloth) and for big keelers, like the one he has just completed. This took 700 yds of 18 inch cloth and enough thread to stretch the eight miles from Nelson to Richmond. We called on Ron and his team recently to get for you this picture story of sails in the making.

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The finished products in their natural element.

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A job starts here, on the drawing board, where Ron and George study a sail plan designed and drawn by George for an Auckland A class keeler.