Marblehead's Hood

Sails move continuously through Ted Hood's sail loft, from cutting and sewing rooms upstairs to finishing and storage rooms below. Similar patterns repeatedly form on the large wooden floors as workers unfold and spread out the sails to measure, cut and apply serial numbers to them. Designed in part by computers, the sails are made from special cloth manufactured by the Hood company in Marblehead and Fall River. This tightly woven cloth maintains sails' shapes without the customary use of resin which can disintegrate under stress and weathering.

More than 100 people are employed in the sail loft in Marblehead. They work a four day week and meet every two weeks with management to learn what sails have been ordered, and how sales are going. Ted Hood, the company's head, is recognized as one of the world's greatest sailmakers and yachtsmen. On a freezing cold and rainy day last winter he was out with his crew testing a new jib for the Courageous, the 12-meter boat he will skipper in the America's Cup races this summer. The lower right photograph shows the result of this particular test.