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Maine Sailing Partners was founded in 1983 on the third floor of an old wooden building on the Portland waterfront. Doing business as Shore Sails Maine we grew steadily, and in 1987 we moved to our present location at the Lower Falls Landing marine complex in Yarmouth. In 1996 we became MAINE SAILING PARTNERS Sail Company.
From the beginning we set out to raise the standards of excellence for a traditional craft, to create products of lasting value and to build an organization where people could challenge themselves and grow together, finding personal meaning from their individual contributions. Profit and growth have always been secondary to the goal of providing beautifully crafted and superior performing sails. The secret of achieving a consistently high level of quality rests in the spirit of the people who produce and the environment in which they work. Cleanliness, space, good lighting, a place where the focus is always on the sails, this is our workplace. It's a friendly and relaxed place, but there is always a preoccupation with detail.
Our company priorities are:
1) Safety (safe products, safe workplace)
2) Quality products (precision design, top materials, careful workmanship)
3) Efficiency (measure twice, cut once)
4) Profit (yes, we hope that this will come if we get 1, 2, & 3 right)
Design and technology
We have been deeply involved over the years in the development of computer-aided sail design and manufacturing. Early in our existence MAINE SAILING PARTNERS completely revamped the Shore Sails crosscut design program. Later we created Shore's "Spider" oriented panel design system from scratch. Working with Bill Shore, we established one of the country's first sophisticated design and laser cutting systems. We were also responsible for the sail shape development and tracking for the America³ Foundation's successful 1992 America's Cup defense. Now, at MAINE SAILING PARTNERS we are driving our own advanced plotter-cutter with state of the art 3-D sail CAD software.
Materials
For the sails we build, we select the best and most suitable materials from every sailcloth manufacturer in the world. Because we do not make our own cloth, there is no temptation to use materials inappropriate to the job or second quality goods. Our input has been instrumental in the development of many cloth improvements, from high tech laminates to cruising fabrics.
Workmanship
We build only one quality of sail - the best we know how to build. Our sailmakers never have to switch gears between the best they can do and the least they can get away with. Everyone here is a quality inspector, and everyone is urged to point out faults before they are made into sails. We see the next person in the production sequence as the customer. He must be satisfied with the workmanship that has come to him before he adds his value. The search for improvement is continual. Everyone is important -- there is no hierarchy when it comes to the integrity of the sails.
Price
The sails we build are neither the most nor the least expensive of sails. They are priced to cover our cost plus a modest profit. We believe they represent an excellent value to the sailor who appreciates performance and durability.
More
In addition to the sails we build we offer other products to enhance the enjoyment of our sailing customers. These include sail-handling gear like roller furling hardware, mainsail handling systems, and spinnaker gear as well as rigging and marine canvas. Of course, we also service everything we sell. We will continue looking for ways to serve you better. We will seek better ideas, better materials, better products. We look forward to continued growth, not just in numbers, but in resources we can offer. We hope all of you will come to think of us as " My Sailing Partners" - now and for years to come.
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