Fabricates and repairs sails and other articles from sailcloth.

Prepares sailcloth to design specifications, patterns and drawings; fabricates sails.

• Works indoors in workrooms or workshops.
• The work area will usually be adequately heated and ventilated and have large work spaces and tables with heavy duty sewing machines.

• Physical demand is medium to heavy.
• Standing is frequently required for marking out patterns on the sailcloth and gluing or sewing joins.
• Walking is frequently required about the work area to facilitate the use of a variety of tables, pieces of equipment and the selection of appropriate materials.
• Sitting is not required.
• Stretching up and across is frequently required to pull pieces of sailcloth up on pulleys or lay it out on the floor to mark out the required patterns and shapes.
• Squatting, crouching or kneeling is frequently required when holding mobile sewing or heat machines to sew up or weld the joints, or when marking out or tacking components together.
• Twisting of the body or neck is occasionally required when lifting and moving items.
• Contact with water or skin irritants is not typically necessary, although strong glues or adhesives may be used to seal joints.
• Lifting and carrying is frequently required and is likely to be of medium to heavy physical demand.
• Bending is frequently required for work over machines and products being marked out, cut or assembled.
• Repetitive movements of the hands and arms are frequently required for marking out, cutting and sewing activities.
• Driving is not required.
• There is a requirement for frequent use of a range of hand and electric tools and equipmentincluding shears or other cutting instruments or machines, heavy duty sewing machines or heat machines to seal joints, over-lockers and a variety of other hand tools such as eye-hole punches.
• Mental skills include problem-solving, measuring skills and organisation.

A New Zealand Register Level 4 qualification or at least three years of relevant experience (ANZSCO Skill Level 3). In some instances relevant experience and/or on-the-job training may be required in addition to the formal qualification. For entry-level positions on-the-job training may be sufficient.

There are opportunities for flexibility of movement but they are limited.