The fresco in the background represents the "Le Rose" workshop in Concarneau.
On foggy days, the sound signal allows the boats to warn of their presence. The triggering of the fog horn is left to the discretion of the skipper.
The Le Rose sail-making factory was created in 1883 by Théophile Le Rose. You have in front of you a reproduction of the only painting representing the interior of the sail loft, painted by Legout-Gérard.
A tuna mainsail measured 100 square metres and weighed 350 kilos; it was made of cotton weighing 870 grams per square metre.
Tanning of sails
On board ships, sails and ropes were tanned to combat the rotting of textiles, whether linen, hemp or cotton. In France, this operation was for a long time carried out using tan, ground oak bark that was boiled for a long time. In the Gulf of Morbihan, known for its red sails, crushed pine bark was used. From the end of the 19th century onwards, the tan made from local bark was replaced by cachou, which comes from Areca catechu, an exotic wood, which gave the sails their characteristic reddish-brown colour. In Douarnenez, for example, sailors used a higher dose of this wood than in other ports, which explains the darker colour of the sails of the boats in this port. Mixed tannings, based, for example, on tan and ochre, or using various local products, depending on the place, were also practiced. Smaller sails were tanned directly in large vats which usually belonged to the bistro where the crew stopped. Larger sails were coated with broom on the quay or on the dunes. Gradually, after the First World War, cachou was replaced by ochre powder, sometimes with linseed oil added, which gave the sails an intense brick colour and a velvety appearance.