ABOUT SAILMAKER
ROLLY TASKER
THE SAILMAKER FOR THE WORLD
OF CRUISING SAILS
Rolly Tasker Sails, sailmaker since 1949, operates from the world’s largest, purpose-built sailloft in Phuket, Thailand, exporting to all “corners” of the globe wherever boats and yachts are being sailed.
Accordingly, you will find a local Rolly Tasker Sails loft or representative in almost all major yachting areas around the world, from Norway to Australia and from California to Israel. You can order and buy all your sails directly inline from this website, or choose to contact your nearest local dealer, who can, of course, also help you with all your queries. In any case, your sails will be crafted to the highest quality standards in our state-of-the-art sail loft in Phuket. Rolly Tasker Sails is truly the global brand of top-quality sails with many local contacts to help you choose the perfect set of sails for your boat.
We strive to deliver sails of the highest quality at very competitive prices. We can deliver fast and reliably anywhere around the world. Our highest goal is to meet, and exceed, even your highest expectations. Happy customers are the best, rock-solid foundation of our business and the most credible ambassadors for Rolly Tasker Sails worldwide.
GLOBAL MARKET LEADER
SAILMAKER IN CRUISING SAILS
Delivering this exceptional quality at very reasonable prices guarantees best value for money for you. This has always been the core driving force at Rolly Tasker Sails and is probably one of the reasons that has made us the global market leaders in cruising sails with more than 2.6 million sails made and delivered so far.
Boats and sailing yachts of nearly every description are powered by Rolly Tasker Sails around the globe. Be it for inshore, family pottering fun; for competitive club racing events, for reliably cruising or even for the longest and most demanding ocean passages.
Performance cruising sails by Rolly Tasker Sails will always get you there. Fast enough to win races, reliable enough to cross oceans.
All our sails are made to ISO Standard Quality Control.
OUR SAILLOFT
The current Rolly Tasker sailloft was initially opened in 2006 but the production facilities are constantly upgraded and modernised. This is advanced sailmaking with the perfect balance of cutting-edge technology and highly skilled, traditional craftsmanship on the other hand. Blended together for the best possible quality in advanced sailmaking.
Our sailloft is purpose built, designed for the best working environment in sailmaking. This includes a modern building with an economic, eco-friendly air condition system and first-rate facilities for our staff. It also means an always open door to welcome our local customers, who can enjoy a snack and a coffee whilst taking in the atmosphere, talk sails and actually see our sailmakers at work.
Our sailloft in Phuket, Thailand, is right at the heart of the South East Asia region’s marine business. Phuket is also one of the world’s major hubs for long-term cruising and voyaging yachts of all nations and offers a truly excellent yachting infrastructure and services. It is also easy to reach with daily flights from Phuket International Airport to worldwide destinations. Exporting our sails to more than 60 countries worldwide could not be easier.
Our computer-aided sail design is optimized through the state-of-the-art 3D sail design software SMAR Azure. This is sailmaking in the 21st century with the highest demands in sail shape efficiency, but also maximum production effectiveness for the minimum in environmental impact. To this end, we also use a modern autonesting software for the most efficient use of sailcloth panels, thus reducing fabric waste to a minimum.
HUGE SELECTION
OF SAILCLOTH
Different types of sails and designs need to be made from different types of sailcloth. We always have a large selection of premium sailcloth from the world’s leading suppliers in stock, on about two kilometres total length of shelving. We always have the perfect type of sailcloth for each of our carefully designed sails available.
For example, for our popular inshore, coastal and offshore cruising sails, we use Premium Dacron sailcloth such as Marblehead, Newport High Modulus, Warp Drive, or Fastnet.
The best fabric for offshore performance cruising or tougher club racing are cruising laminates such as Contender CDX Pro in White or Cool Grey.
Even more demanding performance cruisers or racers might choose Dimension Polyant Lite Skin Polyester or Aramid for best shape holding, while at the same time being tougher and more durable than most membranes.
The classic Spinnaker nylon used by us is made by Challenge Sailcloth or Bainbridge.
For canvas work, sail covers, UV strips and similar use we stock the formidable UV protection Sunbrella fabric. To ensure best UV resistance we also use UV treated sewing threads.
EFFICIENT SAILMAKING
For us as a modern sailmaker, efficient sailmaking governs the entire production process: From ordering to delivery. It begins with purchasing sailcloth and other materials in bulk, made possible by the high turnaround and the huge storage capacities at our purpose-built loft in Phuket.
As a very large sailmaker, we produce much more than just the sails in house. Most of the necessary sail hardware and fittings are made with our latest plastic injection moulding machines. Even the ropes that are used for leech lines, luff tapes and many other purposes are produced on our own rope braiding machines. And for maximum efficiency, we standardise the sail construction details as far as possible. Parts such as luff-tapes, batten pockets and many more are pre-produced by our experienced sailmakers and then fed into the production process.
For our vision of modern and efficient sailmaking, we use the latest technology wherever it makes sense to do so. This includes state-of-the-art laser plotting for the highest accuracy when cutting the panels, or computer aided design. This is not only for the best possible sail design and shape, but also for the most efficient nesting of panels to reduce fabric waste. Smooth sail production is also guaranteed by reliable, heavy-duty sewing machines to the highest industrial standards such as Adler, Pfaff or Solent.
Our wide range of ready to sail, pre-fabricated sails is another obvious way to increase efficiency and pass on reduced production costs to our customers. We can efficiently produce some sails in large quantities for our stock, such as versatile Code C reaching sails, ready-made spinnakers, and storm sails. Whilst there is no compromise in overall quality, the standardised production process for these sails makes it possible for these sails to offer unbeatable value for money
Finally, even the waste does not entirely go to waste. We use remaining offcuts of sailcloth or sunbrella canvas material to make our sail-bags. After all, as passionate sailors we really do care for our environment!
FINEST HANDCRAFT
The quality of a sail is also determined by the sum of the detailing. In this respect, we are a very traditional sailmaker as we pay immense attention even to the finest detail. All of these will have to stand up to harsh conditions and, maybe, rough handling at sea in all weather and this is where the fine craftsmanship by our very experienced and skilled, long-term sailmaker staff members really pays off.
WORLD-WIDE SERVICE
Our sails are delivered world-wide through our ever-growing export business. In many of the world’s yachting centres, we have representatives who will be happy to assist you and answer any questions in sails, rigging or deck hardware.
DISCOVER THE HISTORY
OF ROLLY TASKER
Rolly Tasker was born in Victoria Park, Western Australia in 1926 and was introduced to sailing at an early age. His hobby as a young boy was building model yachts and aeroplanes. By the time he was 6, with the help of his father, he built his first siling canoe and then at 10, his first sailing dinghy. Sailing then replaced these hobbies and quickly became his life-long passion. As a result of determination and a willingness to learn he went on to design and build 26 racing yachts, personally manufacturing the sails, masts, rigging and marine hardware for all of them. His name became synonymous with high quality, affordable, trouble free equipment which was available worldwide. In over 60 years of competitive sailing, Rolly Tasker has not retired from a single race as a result of sail, spar or gear failure and has won over two thousand races without an insurance claim. By the year 1990, Rolly held 16 long distancesailing records worldwide. This and many other sailing achievements have earned Rolly Tasker worldwide respect and given him unrivalled knowledgeof his sport and profession.
2 years after Rolly Tasker opened his sail loft in Claremont, Western Austrlaia, Malcolm Scott (pictured) teamed up with Rolly to sail in the Melbourne Olympics in Falcon IV which finished first or second in all 7 races. They lost the Gold Medal for disqualification on Port and Starboard ruling in Race 7. Falcon IV was the only home built yacht.
Ian Palmer and Rolly Tasker teamed up to sail in the World Flying Dutchman Class Championships at Lake Attersee, Austria. Ian Palmer, a 16 year old school boy from Perth, was also new to this class of yacht and they were competing in another home built yacht, Falcon V, but still convincingly won the world Series beating 47 yachts from 24 countries.
It was a bold decision to open a sail loft in Hong Kong, he was half a century ahead of his time however Rolly Tasker could clearly see the benefits of moving to a country where technology and labour were infinitely cheaper than in in Australia. His natural entrepreneurial skills and his capacity for hard work facilitated this risky move and made this loft a success and by the end of 1963 he was receiving regular orders from the US for various popular boat classes including ocean going yachts.
Rolly Tasker bought and re-designed the 21 year old yacht Kirribilli and turned her into a magnificent 50ft ketch, called Siska. She was either first or fastest in scores of events mainaly on the Australian south-west coast. The 576km Fremantle to Albany race proved to Rolly that he could build not only strong and durable yachts but also winners. After encountering severe weather conditions for 26 hours without a lull Siska crossed the finish line with line honours and in one peice. Siska also famously survived the horrors of the 1979 Fastnet Race where 30 yachts floundered or sank. Siska was the 3rd boat to cross the finish line despite suffering a snappped main boom.
In 1992 Rolly Tasker Sails opened their first loft in Thailand. There would be 3 more after this one before the current set up in Phuket which today employs more than 100 staff.
Rolly Tasker designed and built sail loft no. 12 on Phuket Island, March 2006. He fitted out the interior layout of sail cutting floors, sail design tables and engineering machinery by June 2007. The floor area is 100,000 square feet and employs 155 sail staff – 6 sail design specialists, riggers, spar manufacturers, rope makers, engineers and office workers, exporting a suit of sails every 7 minutes to 60 countries. On February 2nd, 2007 he exported his 2 millionth sail to Norway.
Rolly died at 86 years of age. During his racing career he covered some 340,000 nautical miles.
He funded and established the Australian Sailing Museum in his home town of Mandurah, Western Australia, containing records of the history of Australia’s most successful sailors since 1861. He was inducted into Australia’s Sports Hall of Fame for his sailing achievements and named as Western Australia’s Best Ever Yachtsman only recently.
Rolly said that when he died he wanted nothing to change. His greatest wish was for the company to continue growing, supplying high quality products.
“We have supported Rolly in life and will continue to do so now he is no longer with us. He is going to be remembered as being a great sailor, entrepreneur, businessman and sailmaker by many. To those who he allowed to know him intimately he was also an outstandingly loyal and personal friend.”
Today the company continues to go from strength to strength. Earlier this year the loft installed a new Solent extra long, high arm sewing machine enabling production to move into much larger sails. The completion of an Offshore mainsail and Genoa for an 85ft catamaran and a 170m2 Genoa for a Camper & Nicholson 91 this year is testiment to the standard of production that the Rolly Tasker team are capable of.