Jemima Nichols – OSTAR 2009

This is a letter of appreciation and commendation for you personally and your company and I will be very happy for all or any part of it to be used as a testimonial by yourselves.

My 1983 yacht has been fitted with Westaway sails since the mid 1990’s, her former owner and world famous racing yachtsman having selected your loft as his preferred supplier. Prior to my purchase of the yacht in 2002, she was used extensively as a charter yacht and entered by her then owner, for a series of arduous racing schedules such as the 2 handed Round Britain and Ireland Race, Three Peaks Race and the 2000 Europe 1 New Man Star single handed transatlantic race. She also completed numerous other challenging passages such as single handed to the Azores and back and Biscay crossings in the years around the centenary. I purchased her in late 2002 and sailed her down Biscay in very heavy winter weather and have cruised the Western Mediterranean quite extensively. All these voyages and multiple charter weeks were undertaken on Westaway Dacron sails (fully battened mainsail, roller reefing yankee or genoa and staysail), most of them on the same physical sails and all without significant defects to them. These sails are not high tech racing gear but simply cruising sails designed to be heavily used.

In 2009 I entered the yacht for another major event, the OSTAR 2009. Being based in Spain caused me to cover a total of 9000 nm during the season, getting the boat to Plymouth, completing the Race to Newport and returning her to East Spain as soon as OSTAR completed. Race conditions included wind speeds of over 60 knots true. In preparation for the Race and following consultation with you, I ordered a new staysail, delivered as promised to QAB during race week preps. This has proved to be a stunningly good sail with superb shape and stability and apparent "bullet proof" strength. It had a very serious test during the double Atlantic crossing and apart from mild wear to the upper hank, it hardly has evidence of being used! The mainsail and genoa plus yankee were overhauled by yourselves days before the race. They apparently required very little work, despite being already at least 10 years of age. They were dirty (always the case on Mediterranean based yachts) but structurally sound. These sails survived the whole double crossing without requiring a single stitch of maintenance enroute.

I would like to say that the service offered and provided by Westaway Sails during my OSTAR preparations was absolutely second to none and provided efficiently and with a smile, all during a period of intense other activity in the loft. You in particular were instrumental in ensuring I was ready for the start of the Race and for this, I would like to express my appreciation.

In addition, I would like to say that my decision to embark on such an undertaking last year with the largest sails being around 10 years old and already heavily used, was not made lightly. In the event, I decided to go ahead with these sails because of the good reputation of your company and my belief the sails were so well made they would be up for the challenge. I was not to be disappointed and the fact that they took us in total, 9000 nm, speaks volumes for the longevity of the material and build quality of the sails themselves. Well done.

I am a professional yacht surveyor with many opportunities to see other makes of sail at work. I also undertake RYA examinations at sea schools around Europe, where fitted sails are frequently struggling with the intensive workload. My experiences of last year confirmed for me that Westaway Sails are the tops for quality, service and longevity and I will not hesitate to recommend you to other skippers. Many, many thanks.

With kind regards and wishes for a good 2010 season.

Andy Petty

Hurley 22 sail cover

Just wanted to say thank you for the sailcover which arrived safely yesterday.

It's excellent. We are very pleased with it; colour, quality of fabric, shape and style. All look first class. Please convey our gratitude to your sail (cover) makers.

Regards

John & Janet Evans

Prout Quest 33

I have pleasure in enclosing my cheque in respect of the attached account and wonder if I could trouble you to sign and return the account to me.

Can I add that the service that Westaway gave me was excellent and I cannot speak more highly of Jamie who was first rate.

Yours faithfully

Richard Stockman

Mainsail for Sadler 29

You may remember that you made a new, fully-battened mainsail for my Sadler 29. We are now well on in our second season with the sail and are happy to report that it has performed very well indeed. We particularly notice that it is much easier to balance the main with the genoa: on Sunday last we sailed close-hauled in 10 knots apparent wind for several miles without having to touch the tiller at all.

I thought you might like to receive this encouraging report from a satisfied customer.

With kind regards

Alan Ward