Why do you paint sails?
Because sails are always white or black, and I personally find that a bit dreary. Why can’t sails just be colourful?
So how does the painting process work?
Most sails are made of polyester fabric with very smooth fibres. This is why the material requires careful preparation, highly pigmented acrylic paints and UV protection.
Who on earth would want a Van Gogh like that in large format?
Customers who value aesthetics, individuality and good design. The boat should reflect their character.
Which artists do customers want?
Most people come to us with a particular style in mind – not necessarily a specific artist – and we develop an interpretation based on that. But not every motif is suitable either.
Which designs are not allowed?
The finer the detail, the harder it is to make it stand out on the canvas.
Would an Otto Dix painting appear on a mainsail?
It’s a matter of taste. If you like the colour scheme and the designs, we’ll sort out the licences.
Which wish would impress you?
That reflects my personal taste in art …
Go on, then!
I think a Tom Sachs design would be fitting, eye-catching and playful. Shantell Martin with a one-line design would work too. That could strike the perfect balance between art and timeless elegance.
Hundertwasser?
I’ve given it a go. It’s very jumpy.
He actually painted sails for a boat show once.
Interestingly, many artists have them. We were at the Miró Museum in Mallorca, and there are two large sails painted by him on display there.
You don’t make promotional sails. Not even if the fee is right?
No, no. We develop every project on a case-by-case basis. We take the time to work with our clients to develop and bring their vision to life. It’s not about mass-produced goods, but about a work of art.
A 100-square-metre sail costs around 10,000 euros. And the art?
A surcharge of around 100 per cent. But there are no fixed prices.
Which would you prefer: a large sail or 20 Optimist sails?
Have you seen the latest Jacquemus fashion show set in Corsica? There’s a letter on every Optimist. I’d always go for the Optimists. But with Matisse.
Book recommendations
Yacht design is dedicated to the great designers of classic sailing yachts and their designs. This illustrated book combines portraits of designers such as William Fife III, Charles Nicholson and Henry Rasmussen with historical photographs of yachts. It provides the design context for the views of the painted sails: how lines, proportions, materials and attention to detail shape the appearance of a boat – and why design on the water is always an expression of one’s own attitude.
Dream Yachts presents 18 classic sailing yachts through more than 350 photographs and their stories. The focus is on famous vessels such as the ‘Manitou’ and the ‘Germania Nova’, their owners, the regattas they have competed in, and their distinctive presence on the water. Unlike the historical approach to design taken by “Yachtdesign”, this illustrated book presents the yacht as a visual work of art in its own right – a fitting complement for readers who regard the sails and rigging as part of a boat’s distinctive identity.
Painting sails instead of leaving them white or black: do you think that’s a sensible way to personalise them, or is it more a matter of personal taste?
Nils Theurer
Freier Mitarbeiter, Südkorrespondent
