THE ARTFUL SAILOR

Ain' nothin' new about using sails as nautical billboards. The ancients painted all sorts of signs and symbols on their sails.

- Emiliano Marino

Ornamentation or promotion, sails are still painted or inlaid with the symbols and messages; everything from panda bears to the logos of sponsoring institutions.

Why would you want to turn a sail into something with the aesthetic appeal of a breakfast cereal box? Because a sail is an unregulated expanse for advertising and expression that is mobile and particularly conspicuous as it rises above the open water, high and clearly visible.

Not long ago the waterfront was festooned with sail signage promoting businesses and products: Maude's Hotel & Saloon, or Dr. Pill's Blood Purifier & Tonic. Workaday sailors could make a few extra dollars renting their sails for ad space. As long as the sail was hoisted, the ad was running!

Occasionally, these days one sees signage on sails promoting a marina or boat rental; but the most common form of sail signage promotes sponsorships such as First Federal's Sail Like A Girl.

We see small boat product promotion in logos like a Scamp lantern, or a sail loft; but, that's about it. Glance through this issue of SCA. D'ya see many sails with signs, messages or even ornamentation? Why so few, if any at all?

The Problems