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Technology


Unstoppable


Doyle Sails has become a global leader in sailmaking by working with some of the most successful sailors in the industry. So when CEO Mike Sanderson was deciding what the next phase might be with Doyle Sails’ US presence, he called Tony Rey. For most of his career, Tony had been “agnostic” about sailmaking brands, but coaching and racing with Doyle programmes had impressed him with their sailors-first approach. ‘Owners decide what sails to buy. What they're actually buying is the people who are going to help them,’ Rey says. ‘I love that we're a small entrepreneurial company. Very much owner-operated, and all the partners have a little skin in the game.’ As a Rhode Island local, Newport made sense for him and Rey set up an office at Newport Shipyard just in time for the 2019 summer season. ‘It's the obvious place to be in the US for Grand Prix and Superyachts,’ Rey points out. ‘The sailing's great, you can jump off from a European crossing or from the Caribbean. And why wouldn't we start with an office at the Newport Shipyard? It’s where the big boats come in. We're taking care of Doyle boats that come to town — or any of the big yachts. Because as soon as you do a nice job with service, you’re part of that captain’s inner circle. It's all about


64 SEAHORSE


Doyle Sails’s high speed journey to the top of the sailmaking industry continues unabated. No wonder one of the most successful yachtsmen of the modern era renounced his agnostic stance to join them for the ride... building that trust.’


Early in 2020, three more Rhode Island natives came aboard as partners in Doyle Sails Newport: Rob MacMillan and his brother Dave, as well as Alex Clegg. ‘These guys all have a really solid handle on the local market,’ Rey says. (He’s “only” lived in Rhode Island since 1990.) Rob MacMillan, who’s been a Newport sailmaker for more decades than he cares to admit, says the Doyle opportunity came at the perfect time. ‘It's a group of people I really enjoy sailing and working with, and a really good fit locally. We’re not selling razors; buying sails is an emotional investment. People want to have security that they're buying whoever's working with them as well and that they’ll become part of their team. And that's what we've always tried to do.’


Local service and manufacturing With an office at Newport Shipyard and a new 23,000 sq ft full-service loft five minutes from the harbour, the new partners are excited to offer real customer convenience. ‘Now we're five minutes away, which is great, because most captains are super hands-on.’ He smiles. ‘And we have a nice coffee machine.’ The ability to service large sails locally is a huge deal, MacMillan


Above: Tony Rey is one of the worldʼs most talented and success- ful sailors. Since the start of 2019 heʼs been the head of the Doyle Sails Newport loft in Rhode Island, USA. Doyleʼs stellar success on the grand prix and superyacht racing circuits in recent years has been founded on a strategy of recruiting pro sailors of the highest calibre.


Owners who choose Doyle are buying a lot more than just sails


adds. ‘It's not an insignificant task to take a 500kg triangle off a boat.’ They can also build sails locally and the partners plan to hire 12 to 15 people to cover both service and production. ‘The Doyle Sails group is set up very well with interloft agreements so we can flex on the most efficient place to build,’ MacMillan says. ‘If the boat's here, we'll build it here. We've got more than enough floor space to do multiple projects at the same time.’ Owners and their representatives will be able to watch a sail being manufactured, which he believes leads to a better product. ‘Rey will probably be the first to admit that operating a sewing machine is not necessarily his forte, but he'll be able to oversee the sails for his projects being made,’ MacMillan says. ‘A lot of US production has shifted offshore. But you actually get cost efficiency building locally, because every boat’s a little bit different. And that little bit is what clients notice, that orientation towards detail. If you’re shipping sails all over, that gets lost’. MacMillan still really enjoys sailmaking—even as he jokes that his knees are already hurting, just thinking about more hours crawling around the loft floor. ‘That's really satisfying; “We made that sail today”. And customers love that. It’s nice to


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