Making old sails ‘Oarsome’ again

Sailing into the Clipper 2023-24 Race merchandise collection are the incredibly unique tote bag, wash bag and laptop sleeves which are being sold in aid of UNICEF and making use of decommissioned Clipper Race sails.

The limited-edition range, designed by Oarsome Chance Canvas Works expert, Pablo Madrid, has already been on an incredible journey. The bags are made entirely from sails and rope that have faced some of the toughest weather conditions on the planet and assisted Race Crew as they battle the epic 40,000nm circumnavigation around the globe.

Image: Oarsome Chance product range

Supporting bringing this project to life is Oarsome Chance. A charity organisation based locally to the Clipper Race, Oarsome Chance bring about change for disadvantaged young people in the Portsmouth, Gosport, and Havant areas by using the powerful incentive of sport in combination with vocational training.

Oarsome Chance offer non-curricular programmes for young people who are disengaged from mainstream education, offering an inclusive community to give them the skills and learning to find their potential, build self-worth and open opportunity.

And one incredibly special programme they have been running is the creation of this bag collection. Working with Canvas Works, the sale of the bags will support the charity work done by Oarsome Chance, as well giving the young people involved the opportunity to learn more about product design and technical skills involved in such projects.

Image: Production in action

The materials used to create this bag collection have primarily come from the Clipper 70’s racing fleet reusing what was once the racing sails. The eleven Clipper 70 yachts carry a sail wardrobe of eleven different sails: including a Mainsail, Staysail, Windseeker, Yankee 1, 2 and 3, as well as a heavy, medium, and lightweight spinnaker. 

The bags have been made using a combination of Yankee 1, 2 and 3 sails. On board, this sail serves as an upwind sail and forms an integral part of the yachts sail wardrobe and is used in an array of wind conditions.

The handles are made from the robust, yet sustainable Marlow Ropes who have been an Official Supplier to the Clipper Race for the past 10 editions, spanning over 20 years.

Image: Marlow Ropes handles

The purchasing of new materials has been kept to a minimum, with this unique product range giving a new life to materials that would otherwise not be used again.

Products made from the current editions of sail cloth will be available for the crew, supporters and public to purchase. The products won’t be available until after the race...as the 11 teams still require all 11 sails to complete the race. To be added to the mailing list for when these produce are available for ordering please email [email protected] .

The profit from the sale of these items goes to the Clipper Race UNICEF fundraising target with all monies going to UNICEF UK as unrestricted funds, funds going to wherever the need is greatest for children across the globe.