Sails Designed to Perform, Built to Last
Hood Sailmakers specialise in building high-performance, long-lasting sails for serious cruising yachts, classic yachts, short-handed racing and one-designs that mandate woven sailcloth. Hood are the only sailmakers who weave their own sailcloth and, for more than 50 years, Hood sailcloth has been renowned for its quality and performance. Hood polyester sailcloth is distinguished by its use of high-tenacity yarns, tight weave and a minimum of finishing. Hood Vektron™ sailcloth incorporates fill Vektran® yarns giving performance equivalent to laminates but with superior durability and longevity. Today Hood sailcloth is woven in Clonakilty, County Cork, Ireland and supplied exclusively to Hood lofts in the USA, UK, France, Germany, Japan and Australia.

In 1995 Hood launched Vektron™ sailcloth, a breakthrough in sailcloth technology, utilising Vektran® fibre to weave a higher strength, lighter weight woven fabric with superior durability and longevity. Vektran® is the trade name of CNA, a liquid crystal polymer fibre which is underwoven with super high tenacity polyester. This process which has a worldwide patent, has been pioneered by Hood Textiles in Ireland. Because Vektron sailcloth is fully woven not subject to the delamination and handling problems inherent in laminate construction. Since 1995, This unique product has gone from strength to strength, having supplied yachts worldwide from 24' to 146'.