The sails

The sails of the sailing ships were woven in Galaxidi or brought from abroad. Specialized workers, the sail-makers, designed them, cut them out and
sewed them according to the type and size of the ship. This all took place outside or, in the winter, in the upper floors of the houses which were not partitioned into rooms – they were open, averto. The sails were sewn or mended with packing-needles and waxed twine. To make a hole in the thick cloth, they pushed the packing-needle with a seaming palm.

This was made from thick leather or canvas, like a glove without fingers, and they wore it on the palm and thumb of the right hand. On the side of the palm they fastened a piece of metal, the size of a large coin, so that pushing the needle would not hurt the hand.

Many hundreds of metres of rope of suitable thickness, length and braiding were used for sailing and for other jobs on the ship. The sailors made various nautical knots and whippings that had their own specific names.