Our History. four centuries of yacht sailing (since 1730).

My father, a Master sailmaker, took grandfather's interest in sailing, and his firm, F.Parsons, Sailmakers and Yacht Outfitters, in Ship Street (and after the War in Duke Street), Brighton, commenced making full size sails in 1932, and for many an ocean racer in the 50's from the 'new' works in Duke Street. The firm were also Contractors to the Admiralty and amongst other things we manufactured white canvas covers for Navy armament! We also started making cotton model sails for the Brighton & Hove Model Yacht Club before the war. My father made my first yacht in bread & butter construction with Egyptian cotton sails and I sailed her on the Hove boating lake in the 1950's at the age of eight, just as my father had done with his model yacht around 1920.
Our first coloured Terylene sails were made in 1966 priced at under 40 shillings and I have now been making model sails for 56 years! In the early 1970's a Marblehead yacht was kitted at around £35; I don't believe there were any complete racing yacht kits manufactured at that time in the UK, we must have been the first. The GRP hulls were made by the late Tony Abel and commenced with the M-class "Moonraker". There were a series of articles in Model Boats during 1974 on building this yacht. The Moonracer and Challenger followed later. We had a very fruitful business relationship with Tony for 30 years and became firm friends. Tony operated out of his home near Salisbury. We also produced/kitted Tony's Ten Rater the Pacemaker; it was then followed by the Scimitar. A new Marblehead followed in 1981 which we designed and manufactured, named the "Royalist", this was followed by the "Pirate" and in the later 1980's the "Gypsy" was produced. With Tim Fuller we produced/kitted his Ten, the "Nooky Bear" which we also sold as a plan for the timber version. For a time we also moulded and kitted Roger Stollery's 36"R "Taxachun". In collaboration with Vic Smeed we designed a 36"R the "Djinn Fizz" (Vic�s choice of name), it was a simple hard chine design and was also available as a plan for building in plywood. I desgned various yachts over the years, making the plugs and moulding the GRP hulls before sail work had to take priority. I then put out hull moulding to a highly experienced moulder, Robin Whitmarsh (Kingston Mouldings) and Robin moulded hulls for us for over 30 years before retiring a few years ago.
Our machine shop turned out many thousands of fittings for racing yachts from 1967 onwards. Today much is made by automated CNC machines. We also marketed our own sailwinches in the 70's, they were somewhat larger than those available today! Cotton sails gave way to coloured Terylene in 1966, but we are making cotton sails again (since the mid 80's) for vintage yachts such as the Stars, Alexanders and Bassett Lowke etc. Our old Singer sewing machine, and our later Berninas are all so much history now and we currently use modern machines giving absolute accuracy, which, coupled with the finest materials and a keen eye for detail make our sails known the world over for the very highest quality. Between 1966 and 1991 we operated from Fordingbridge, firstly from a small workshop in Park Road, then at larger premises at 118-122 Station Road and later from my large garage at our cottage. Many of my older customers remember us from those days. My father sadly passed away in 1981 having suffered with worsening health. Until 2002 Nylet operated from our Bournemouth shop but we now operate our modern eCommerce business in the ancient medieval City of Salisbury.
Model yachting embraces many diverse types of yachts, from the classic pond yachts such as the series of "Star" yachts, vintage timber constructed pre-war racing vane yachts, models of fishing vessels, luggers and gaffers etc. Now there are modern racing yachts which are about as hi-tech as you can get. As ever (remembering the MAP plans service) there are plans for the scratch builder and GRP hulls are also available, many from Sarik. My name is Frank Parsons, my father Frank, a Master Sailmaker, commenced making full size and model sails in 1932, and this year I mark my 56th year of sailmaking. I am lucky enough to have enjoyed immensely every single minute of that time and meeting with many likewise minded enthusiasts for whom the art of sailing and building model yachts is totally absorbing. I hope you will enjoy this wonderful hobby (and sport) as much as I have, and still do.

Frank Parsons

Customer comments -
Dear Frank, Just received my glorious suit! Magnificent! The tablings..... marvellous!!!..., the eyelets, the foot sleeves, the stitching lines, the overall shape, every detail, all very beautiful indeed! I can't tell you how delighted I am. You must understand, the wind has always held a magical place in my heart and the thin membrane with which we apply our feeble human attempts to have it do our way over an equally mysterious sea.....alchemy indeed. I hold this suit in my hands and it all comes alive again. You sir, are a Wizard of Dacron. Thank you for your brilliant work! Roger, U.S.A.
Hello Frank, I finally finished the Victoria refurb, set up and sailed first time last Sunday, she sails brilliantly! Fantastic sails, thanks, the boat runs like a greyhound! Colin. Notts.
The IOM sails are absolutely fabulous. Alan, Derby.
The sails look great, lovely job and I cannot wait to sail the boat. Malcolm. Herts.
Frank! The new sails are "ring-a-ding-dong dandies!" I am a happy customer. Thanks again. Rey. Canada.
The Starlet sails are a perfect match, many thanks. Jim. Norfolk.
Just to let you know that both parcels arrived yesterday. Lovely work too. Thank you very, very much. Arthur. Australia.
. . . to let you know that the (IOM) sails you provided me with a few years ago proved to be so good that I have had to make virtually no adjustments since, regardless of wind strength or direction. Taunton.
I tested the new suit of sails yesterday and was very impressed by the difference it made to both the appearance and the handling of the yacht. Thank you also for the very quick turnaround time on my order and the high standard of workmanship. I think that was excellent service. Colin. Christchurch.
I just wanted to say a really big thank you for the lovely suit of (Dacron Heritage sewn) sails you have made for my vintage 4 foot model J Class sloop. I have put the sails on the spars and they look superb! They are beautifully made as I expected them to be, but in all fairness it is actually better than I had even hoped for. John. Preston.
Just to let you know that my (Heritage sewn Dacron) sails arrived at 10.00 am this morning. Absolutely perfect Frank, the workmanship and quality is faultless and the accuracy to the originals is superb. All I have to do now is to continue with the restoration to the same high standard. Julian. Dorset.
Hi Frank, sails arrived today as you predicted ... thank you again for another perfect job. Rod, York.
I have received the Victoria sails in excellent condition, thank you very much for making them so quickly, a very happy customer. Mike, North Devon.
Thanks for your message that the (One Metre) sails have been posted, they arrived 15 mins ago, they look excellent, a good job well done. Iain, Oxford.
Once again my heartfelt thanks for your advice and the marvellous sails you have provided. Rob, Wiltshire.
I had various recommendations of who to get sails from but the other day I saw a yacht with your sails and it just shone out, the shape looked beautiful, so I decided there and then to contact you. Gordon, Sussex.
Thank you yet again sir, A gentleman. The diagrams and pics (relating to the One Metre rule) spot on "a picture tells a thousand words" so very helpful!!! I had some measurements, like mast height sail sizes, hull dimentions etc, already, but not sidestay securing point, but as you say that isn't set in stone. The H/king Phantom is much modified and developed from original first hobby boat item, to the point where Ian who wins nearly all the yacht racing (Nylet Thesis kit) and Geoff also a Nylet customer, came 2nd to Ian in championship last year.
Thank you Frank, first class service, sails arived safely this morning. John, Staffordshire.
Hi Frank, sails (Nottingham J class) arived safely this morning, very pleased, they are very well made and look beautiful. Merry Christmas. John (happy customer since 1973).

NYLET ~ Fine products ~ Finely finished handmade sails ~Quality First ~ 91 years.
J.Parsons & Son ~ F.Parsons ~ Nylet. 1832 ~ 5 generations ~ 191 years of manufacturing.
Silk Mercers, established in London 1772 ~ 251 years of working with fine cloths ~ 8 generations.
1620. Clockmakers, Goldsmiths. 402 years of Artisans. 403 years of tradition.