Andrew Chapman - Chapman High Performance Sailing

by Frank Quealey on 21 Aug 2011 Andrew Chapman is a well known Australian sailing champion, coach and sail maker with a first class record in the sport.

His record includes national and NSW state titles in both Flying 11 and Cherub classes as well as first in the 29er Sirs in 2007 and fifth in the 2008 29er Worlds.

His coaching record includes three years as F11 Association coach and three years as winter training co-ordinator. He is presently YNSW Emerging Talent Squad Coach.

Following a campaign in the 49er class, Andrew joined the Australian 18 Footers League fleet for the 2010-2011 Season and skippered the Fisher and Paykel-sponsored skiff with consistent success throughout his rookie season.

Using the experience gained as a sail maker, he has now decided to go into business in his own right and has opened his new sail loft (Chapman High Performance Sailing) in Sydney, which he says will give him flexibility to operate and provide service to his customers.

Among the first of the new sails to come out of the loft will be for Andrew’s 2011-2012 model 18ft Skiff - Fisher and Paykel.

'The new Fisher and Paykel sails are made from Dimension Polyants D4 sail cloth and are 1.2m2 larger than our old ones'. Andrew said.

'Our Fisher and Paykel team have a much stiffer boat this year, which will be able to handle the larger sails', he added.

'I have spent the past six months setting up the business and understanding the new design software. I have been testing a new formula based on the size and weight of each boat to produce sails specifically for that boat – as no two boats are the same'.

Andrew’s new loft is also producing sails for other 18ft Skiff teams, Manly Juniors, Flying 11s, Cherubs, 13ft Skiffs and 16 Footers as well as yacht sails.

Andrew’s 2011-2012 Fisher and Paykel team is again Tim Baraclough and Ewan Duckworth.