RATSEY & LAPTHORN

Sailing Bags from the World’s Oldest Sailmaker

“There is only one standard of work in this loft and that is the very best”. T.W Ratsey exclaimed in 1833. And since 1790 Ratsey and Lapthorn have been making the world’s finest sails for some of the world’s finest yachts in Cowes on the Isle of Wight.

With all the skill and craftsmanship that goes into their world renowned sails they have started to put into their bags. Sailmaking fabrics and threads are utilised and age old techniques passed down through the generations in the Ratsey ‘Loft’. Each bag is individually made with the same expertise and craftsmanship that goes into their sails.

George Rogers Ratsey established Ratsey Sails established in 1790 and in 1800 they were commisioned to create the new sails for Lord Nelson’s HMS Victory. The fore tail sails remain at the Navel Musuem in Portsmouth. James Lapthorn established Lapthorn Sailmakers a few years later in 1825 in Gosport. From 1870 onwards both Ratsey and Lapthorn as separate companies vied to supply the British Americas Cup team with their sails. Seeing the advantage of working together Ratsey and Lapthorn merged to form one company in 1889. In 1902 they opened a sail loft in New York and began supplying both the British and American teams in the Americas Cup. But with the invention of synthetic sails and the complete change in Americas Cup yachts the New York loft closed in 1982 . With such a long history they are rightly proud to guarantee their bags for life.