After fifty years in the sailmaking business, Geoff Meek and his partners at North Sails Cape Town, are taking a well-earned retirement and handing over the leadership of this storied sail loft to a new generation.
Younger guns
With backing and strategic support from Dale Wood, the new CEO, Mike Pammenter, and the new COO, Dave Rae, bring a wealth of experience to a loft that commands a unique location and role within the North Sails global network. Geoff, alongside his partners Etienne Van Cuick, Rick Nankin and Vikki Mitchell, will all stay on as consultants for North Sails Cape Town to manage a smooth ownership and management transition to Mike, Dave and Dale, ensuring a controlled handover for the new leadership, staff and clients through the coming year.
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- Etienne van Cuick, Geoff Meek, Mike Pammenter, David Rae, Dale Wood, Rick Nankin, Vikki Mitchell
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- The old guard: Etienne van Cuick, Geoff Meek, Rick Nankin and Vikki Mitchell
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- The new guard: Mike Pammenter, David Rae and Dale Wood
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- Dale Wood, David Rae and Mike Pammenter in the North Sails loft Cape Town
Geoff Meek concluded, “It has always been a privilege to look after all the North clients that have come via the Cape, from round-the-world races to adventure cruisers. We’ve had a great time and made good friends. We have been a North Sails loft for 35 years and you really do feel part of a family, which is not a simple thing to achieve when it’s a worldwide company. I’ve got a huge amount of confidence in the future of North Sails Cape Town – we picked Mike and Dave to take over because of their pedigree and commitment to sailmaking and sailing.”
Accomplished new leaders
Mike Pammenterr, a two-time Volvo Ocean Race sailor and seasoned big boat racer, studied finance and economics before building a successful career on the water. Dave Rae, who has been in the sailing industry since school, has worked at the North Sails Cape Town loft for more than a decade. He also boasts impressive racing credentials, competing onboard Shoshaloza in the 2007 America’s Cup, claiming two One Design World Championships and is a regular on the competitive TP52 circuit.
Mike Pammenter, new North Sails Cape Town CEO, commented, “It’s a proud moment to take over the premium sailmaking brand in South Africa. Geoff, Etienne, Rick and Vikki have built such a successful operation in Cape Town, so for Dave and I it’s all about business as usual. There’s strong demand from a vibrant local market and the boat building industry in South Africa is growing, which is really exciting. And with the new SuperYacht installation planned at the Waterfront in Cape Town, we’re looking forward to welcoming travellers and races, delivering the high standards for products and service that North clients have come to expect.”
The offering
The North Sails Cape Town loft services the entire South African market with a loft floor exceeding 2,500 square meters. It is one of the few lofts in the North Sails independently owned network with production capabilities for manufacturing panel sails on-site, combined with direct access to the North Sails owned production capabilities from One Design and OEM sails through to state-of-the-art 3Di sails and technologies.
The loft meets the needs of a full range of clients, from dinghies through to superyachts and grand prix offshore racers. With a staff of just under 50, Cape Town holds a critical geographical position to service North clients transitioning between the Atlantic and Indian oceans. The loft has equally had unprecedented success in powering over 95% of local race victories over the last three decades.
Dave Rae, new North Sails Cape Town COO, noted, “It’s exciting and it’s a massive challenge. Our goal is to make sure North Sails remains successful, building on the hard work and fantastic legacy of Geoff and the team, and also bringing in some new ideas. I have a huge amount of respect for Mike and think the two of us will be good together – our skills complement each other. We’re pretty busy down here on the tip of Africa and being part of the North Sails global network is such a positive.”
Paul Westlake, North Sails’ Executive Vice President concluded, “We’re delighted to welcome Mike, Dave and Dale to the North Sails family. From everyone at North Sails, we would like to thank Geoff and his partners for their dedication over the years and we wish them well in retirement – although we know they will never be too far away as the new team continue to build the business. Mike is set to be a huge asset for North Sails and Dave has already been such a key part of the success in Cape Town. They are a dream team and we are confident that the loft will go from strength to strength under their stewardship.”
Pictures: Matt du Toit
