Sails to Catch the Wind

Sail makers were in demand wherever sailing vessels were built, and the Dunn & Elliot Sail Loft and the Washburn Brothers Sail Loft were considered two of the best. In 1895, the sail makers at Dunn & Elliot stopped work to pose for a picture with Captain Jesse Wilson standing at the far right. An interior view taken at Washburn Brothers in 1890 shows the enormous lengths of canvas before the strips were sewn together into sails. Each boat carried spare canvas, extra heavy thread, and special needles so repairs could be made at sea, and sailors needed knowledge of many trades to run a tight ship.

Thomaston, Maine · United States