Have you ever wondered how some of our Summer Sailstice supporters came to be involved in sailing?
We do. We decided to ask our sponsors and donors what got them into the business of sailing, and our first answer has come from SailorBags who are donating a Silver Spinnaker Cooler Tote to one lucky Summer Sailstice participant.
So how does a company like this find its foundations through sailing?
"We have SailorBags 'crew' who are active sailors and racers," said Michael Hess, one of SailorBags’ sailing enthusiasts.
As well as supporting the sport through active participation, SailorBags regularly contributes to a range of events, including Summer Sailstice, through sponsorship and supply. Among these are the upcoming US Sailing Leadership Forum 2016, Leukemia Cup Regattas and Hospice and National Hospice Regattas Championship over many years, the Rolex International Women’s Keelboat Championship, and in 2013, America’s Cup-associated events in San Francisco.
SailorBags Owner, Anne Zimmer (right) and SailorBags Crew, Michael Hess (center) at sponsored event at Rochester Yacht Club.
As for their prowess on the water? SailorBags' sailors are no slouches when it comes to hoisting a sail or cranking a winch. Many of the staff are regular sailors who also enjoy racing locally on Lake Ontario and other Great Lakes, the Finger Lakes, and other regional waters.
Michael Hess and crew competing in the Hopsice Regattas National Championship.
Still, we wanted more, so we put forward a couple of questions, just to get the nitty gritty on how their enthusiasm for sailing propelled SailorBags to create a “sailing business.”
Here is what they had to say:
SS: What was your first sailing experience?
SB: "SailorBags is a company of sailors and non-sailors alike – just like the people who use and enjoy our products. We have people who have been sailing since they were young kids, and others who have yet to try. It makes for a great, balanced approach to our products and marketing."
SS: What was your first sailboat & what do you sail now?
SB: "SailorBags’ “crew” have sailed everything from Sunfish to 40+ foot offshore racers, and a whole lot in-between."
SS: What was the catalyst for SailorBags?
SB: "Quite simply, founded on a love of sailing and all things nautical. Obviously sails themselves were the inspiration, and the ideal “medium” with which to keep sailing – and thoughts of the water in general – close at hand, even when ashore, even when landlocked, and even for people who have never set foot on a boat but love the spirit and the aesthetic."
SS: What is your favorite thing about sailing?
SB: "What isn’t? We love the freedom, the sights, sounds and smells, the camaraderie, the adventure. And sailing has always been an incredible canvas for the art of design – the shape of a hull, the efficient use of space, the innovative technology of sails themselves. As designers, we are endlessly inspired by these things."
Well, after reading about SailorBags background and their views on sailing, I think the creation of bags for sailors is in pretty good hands, don’t you?
SailorBags make all their products from their own custom-woven sailcloth, and what began as product designed to meet the “tough standards of sailors” has become a range of bags and accessories which appeal to people from all walks of life, both on and off the water -
“SailorBags are made from the same tough Dacron® material that has been used to make boat sails for generations. Our fabric comes new, off-the-loom for us, but we don't add the stiffening, crunchy resins that are used to finish boat sails -- so SailorBags are soft, light, and a pleasure to carry.”
As for fashion-appeal, the bags are created with a “simple, tailored look and classic nautical designs.” You can already see yourself with one or more in-hand can't you?
Although SailorBags are based in New York State, their bags find their way all over the country, and, if you want, the bags can be customized.
If you’d like to win the Silver Spinnaker Cooler Tote, make sure you Sign Up and post your sailing plans for Summer Sailstice 2016, and if you just can’t wait, take a look at the range of bags on SailorBags’ website. You just might find something you need "right now!"