Kelly Bailey of Doyle Sails Newport has two roles, her job description “Office Manager” and herself appointed job description of “it’s my job to make everyone else’s job easier.” Kelly is a real team player, an attribute repeated by anyone who has worked with her.
Moving into sailmaking was a decision Kelly made 30 odd years ago to keep the summer marine work dream alive; “I had been working on an old schooner for a summer and wanted to continue working on boats. I didn’t want to be sanding fiberglass hulls, so I needed a ‘land job’. I knew how to use a home sewing machine, and I am a creative person, with a degree in photography, and had previously worked for a pottery company” says Kelly, “I found a friend who knew a sailmaker, and I went to the loft and spoke with the manager, and basically showed up every day until they gave me a job. They had said that they might, but they were waiting for an answer from another sailmaker. Then one day I didn’t show up and they called the next morning and said I could have the job if I still wanted it.”
Kelly’s sailing journey began in Long Island Sound, Connecticut, and later around New Bedford and Martha’s Vineyard. Her father rebuilt a wooden Lightning sailboat in their driveway, sparking the family’s sailing adventures when Kelly was 12. “We spent a summer or two vacationing on the Lightning before upgrading to a 24-foot sailboat. A few years later, we moved to a 26-foot boat, which felt huge at the time,” Kelly recalls.
In her early 20s, Kelly transitioned into racing, participating in J24s, Etchells, and Interclub Frostbite events in New Bedford and Marion, Massachusetts. Her sailing experiences also included voyages to the Caribbean on a 125-foot wooden schooner and delivering several 65-foot sloops.
Today, Kelly has shifted her focus from sailing to martial arts. She holds a 2nd Degree Black Belt in Kempo Karate and a Black Belt in Krav Maga. While sailing is no longer her primary pursuit, she cherishes her memories of family sailing vacations and two-handed deliveries with her dad along the New England coastline. “My fondest yachting memories are those sailing vacations with my family and the two-handed deliveries with my dad. I’ve formed lifelong friendships through my wooden schooner sailing, racing, and sailmaking experiences,” says Kelly. She recalls a memorable moment when a friend, spotting the tall mast of the schooner she was working on, called her while she could only see ocean around her. The captain approached her with a laugh, saying, “There’s a call for you!”
Kelly’s career in sailmaking has been remarkable, with major events and interactions at Doyle Sails’ loft in Newport, Rhode Island. As a key figure at one of the main hubs for Superyacht and Grand Prix yachts, Kelly exemplifies the Doyle Sails ethos of ‘by sailors, for sailors’ and maintains a high standard of personal investment and expertise.
ABOUT DOYLE SAILS // Doyle Sails strives to deliver success through high-performance, high-quality, custom sails that continue to redefine the boundaries of sailmaking technology and innovation; whilst connecting sailors to inspire, support and encourage sailing.
Our obsession with sailing takes us to every corner of the world and onboard every yacht. We become part of teams, share in the adventures of friends and families, sharing our knowledge and experience with those with the same passion. Sailing is in our DNA, and we are the custodians of a legacy that has been supporting sailors for four decades and counting.