New Sails for a New Chapter

Our Main and Mizzen sails have served Helen Mary R exceptionally well. The Mizzen, built in 2007, and the Main, completed in 2008, have carried thousands of young people across bays, channels, and coastlines. Season after season, they have endured far more strain than most sails ever experience; hoisted and reefed repeatedly, trimmed by enthusiastic trainees still learning, and left to slat or flog during essential manoeuvres. By the end of last season, both sails had ripped several times, a clear sign that, after years of loyal service, they had reached the end of their working life.

As Helen Mary R reaches the milestone of her 40th year, she needs us. Time and thousands of sea miles have taken their toll, and we are taking the first steps to preserve the vessel at the heart of our mission. Our Preserve the Legacy, Protect the Future appeal aims to raise £100,000 for essential refit work, and with your support, we are delighted to have ordered the first major items: a new Main and Mizzen.

Replacing these sails is far more than a routine upgrade. It is part of our commitment to ensuring that Helen Mary R remains a safe, capable, and inspiring platform for young people; a vessel ready to carry the next generation into challenge, discovery, and the joy of life under sail.

Replacing our complete sail wardrobe will cost around £34,000, and the new Main and Mizzen, together with running rigging, have cost around £10,000. Being transparent about these costs matters; it shows exactly where your support goes. Every donation to our appeal is directed entirely towards keeping Helen Mary R sailing and supporting the young people who depend on her.

Sail Shape

Choosing where to build our new sails was simple. Alan at Sail Shape is well known across the Fowey sailing community; his loft in Lostwithiel produces sails for Troys, Fowey River Dinghies, and yachts preparing for ocean passages. His reputation reflects deep knowledge, careful workmanship, and a thoughtful, patient approach.

Keeping this project local was important to us. Sail Shape not only does the design work but also cuts and builds the sails rather than sending the work offshore and badging them up. Morvargh is rooted in the communities around Fowey, and whenever possible, we want to invest in the skills found here in Cornwall. Working with Sail Shape strengthens this connection; it keeps specialist craft within the local economy and supports the people who help keep our maritime heritage alive.

Alan has guided us through every stage of the process. He understands the unique demands of Sail Training: constant hoisting and lowering, repeated load cycles, and the need for sails that behave predictably when young people are learning. His insight has been invaluable throughout the whole process.

Designing the New Sails

Designing a sail blends engineering and practical experience. Our brief was clear; the sails needed to be strong, predictable, and easy to handle, while supporting the balance of our ketch rig. A ketch is a two-masted sailing vessel where the smaller mast, called the mizzen, is at the back. The mainmast carries the largest sail, while the mizzen helps balance the boat and improve handling. For Sail Training, a ketch rig is handy; it spreads the sail area into more manageable sections, making evolutions safer and easier for young people to learn.

Alan translated this into a detailed design shaped around the realities of our sailing. The sail’s shape is fundamental. A flatter profile behaves well in stronger winds, while a fuller shape offers more drive in lighter airs. A training vessel needs both performance and control. The balance between the Main and Mizzen also supports steady steering and gives a young helmsman confidence.

Structural design matters just as much. Panel layout, seam placement, reinforcement patches, and batten pockets all need to cope with repeated raising, lowering, reefing, frequent manoeuvres, and occasional enthusiastic mistakes. A recent visit to the loft gave us great confidence in this process. The pictures below show some of the designs Alan and the team have worked on, and the first steps of the modelling process.

Choosing the Right Cloth

Selecting the right materials is one of the most important decisions. The cloth must withstand heavy use while keeping its shape. After reviewing our sailing programme, Alan suggested we use a high-modulus polyester Dacron for both sails, in a cross-cut panel layout, with the mainsail made from 10oz and the mizzen from 8 oz. This would give easy construction, fewer seams to wear, flexibility and softness for ease of handling and of course longevity.

To improve longevity, Teflon anti-chafe has been added to key wear areas. These protect the sail where it brushes against rigging, battens, and spreaders. Substantial reinforcement at corners, reefing points, and load-bearing seams will help the sails withstand the most demanding evolutions.

Choosing 9oz Dacron, combined with thorough anti-chafe protection and strong structural reinforcement, ensures the new sails are built for the realities of Sail Training.

A very exciting visit to the sail loft

At the end of October, we visited Alan at Sail Shape to see the progress of our new sails. Walking into the loft and spotting Helen Mary R’s sail number already attached to the Main was a proud moment.

Seeing the sails take shape reminded us that sailmaking remains a craft built on skill and precision. Each sail begins as a series of carefully measured panels cut on a CNC table and laid out across the loft floor. Once assembled, reinforcement is added to the areas that take the greatest strain, and Teflon anti-chafe patches are applied to protect against regular wear.

The edges are finished with bolt ropes or tapes to stabilise the sail, and battens are fitted to support the shape. Nothing leaves the loft until Alan is satisfied that it will withstand years of Sail Training. His care and attention have been exceptional.

What This Means for Morvargh

These new sails will make a tangible difference to every young person who steps aboard. They will help the boat behave predictably and make everyday evolutions smoother, safer, and more confidence-building. Hoisting the Main, balancing the rig, or reefing in rising wind all become safer.

Stronger sails also reduce maintenance and allow us to deliver longer, more ambitious voyages with fewer interruptions. These extended journeys offer young people the chance to build resilience, teamwork, and leadership in a purposeful environment.

Investing in reliable sails protects our future too. A strong, efficient rig lowers strain on other components and ensures Helen Mary R meets the high safety standards expected of a Sail Training vessel. Every equipment decision is ultimately about safeguarding opportunities for young people.

Our thanks and how you can help

Our thanks go to Alan and the team at Sail Shape for their exceptional craft and guidance. Their work reflects the best of local expertise and will support our trainees for many years to come.

We are also deeply grateful to everyone who has supported our Preserve the Legacy, Protect the Future appeal so far. These new sails are a clear example of how donations translate directly into safety, reliability, and improved experiences for young people.

If you would like to support this work and help us prepare Helen Mary R for the next forty years, contributions to our appeal are warmly welcomed. Every donation, no matter the size, directly funds essential projects like these sails and helps us continue offering life-changing opportunities at sea.

You can make a Donation Here