Today we’d like to introduce you to Chuck Skewes.
Hi Chuck, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I started sailmaking in 1983 in Seattle, Washington. I had been sailing and racing sailboats all my life, when a job opportunity came up for a sailmaker. About 8 years later, I purchased the sail loft in Seattle. After 911, I sold my business in Seattle and moved to San Diego, where I worked for the same sail loft franchise that I owned in Seattle (Ullman Sails).
I purchased Ullman Sails in 2019 here in San Diego and have grown it into what it is today. We purchased a building in Mission Valley and moved in May of 2025.
I have been professionally sailing for over 30 years and have completed 13 Transpacific sailing trips (12 racing and one cruising), winning in 2015.
I also attend and help run the Baja Haha, a cruisers’ rally of boats from San Diego to Cabo San Lucas every fall. We guide between 100 and 200 boats into Mexico and show them the ease of sailing to the tropics.
I have won 4 North American Championships and One World Championship in sailing.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It is never a completely smooth road, but things, for the most part, have worked out well. Knowing your product and the business of sailing inside and out helps. I have very loyal customers and friends that have made things a bit easier.
We have worked hard on finding better solutions for sailors’ needs, especially in cruising. Since sailing is many centuries old, it is sometimes hard for sailors to adjust to change.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
We make and service sails for all types of boats, from racing to cruising. We have the highest quality cruising sails around. Our motto is that we want the customer to enjoy their sailing without having to worry about failures and issues.
We really specialize in offshore cruising sails for the most part. With me and others on the staff taking part in events like the Baja Haha, we get a better look at what is needed for a successful offshore cruise than others in our industry. This really sets us apart, where most other sailmakers focus almost exclusively on racing, we turn our main focus to the growing part of sailing that we feel has been underserved, so we have taken this on.
Our Endurance Series and Voyager Series have been engineered and designed by taking sails that return from long cruises, and evaluating what should be improved upon to make a better sail. This took years, but the results have been great. We also incorporated Gore Tenara thread into these series of sails, making an incredible product.
What are your plans for the future?
We have a few new things in the pipeline for the near future, but not quite ready to release. The biggest change is the younger people we have had join our group to keep the momentum going forward.
We are getting a bit more involved in events that promote the use of sailboats. Many boats sit at the dock too often. We will spend the next few years creating ways to safely and more enjoyable ways to use your boat.
Contact Info:
- Website: http://sandiego.ullmansails.com
- Instagram: @ullmansails_sandiego
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ullmansailssd
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chuck-skewes-3361b01a9/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/UllmanSailsTV
