Lake Minnetonka Couple Turns 'Upcycled' Sails into Boathouse Bags

by Danielle Brown

Bill and Kathy Tomlinson have always enjoyed sailboat racing and cruising, and are now taking their interest in sailboats to a new level. 

Using donated sails, Bill and Kathy have turned their passion for sailing into a sustainable endeavor called “Boathouse Bags.” Opened in 2012, Kathy designs and Bill makes the cuts for various sailing-inspired products ranging from small purses and beverage carriers to large beach totes.

Boathouse Bags’ materials are all “up-cycled,” or as Bill says, it’s “creating a ‘retirement life’ for materials that cannot be recycled into their original uses.” 

All products are “semi-custom,” created using one pattern but unique raw materials to create an up-cycled creation out of each individual sail. Almost everything going into the products would otherwise end up in a burner or a landfill.

The Tomlinson’s have many products to offer, such as messenger bags, wristlets, “Growler Bags,” wine carriers, zip-top and open-top beach bags, custom-order pillows and more. They are thinking of adding a variety of new products including “a dop-kit type piece that can also carry a notebook computer, duffle bags, a yoga mat carrier, a ski boot bag, pannier bags for bicycles, shower curtains and garment bags.”

The development time between design and market is the same regardless of the size of the bag, says Bill. 

“It takes two to four weeks to get a prototype produced, and then it is a function of adding it to the website, letting retailers know we have it and getting orders to produce to," he said. "Most of our products can be produced and shipped within a week, maybe 10 days once they are a production item.”

A unique feature of the Boathouse Beach Bags is their convertible nature from dual-handles to a single shoulder strap, which can be easily accomplished by slipping the rope handles one way or the other.

The Tomlinson’s expect to get some of their sail donations through the Lake Minnetonka Sailing School, and can arrange tax deductible donations towards that “or any other qualified sailing school of the donor’s choice.”  

Other sail donations come in exchange for a bag or other product made from the donor’s sails possibly capturing a sail number or fleet graphic.

Besides spotting the Boathouse Bags at the Excelsior Farmer’s Market each week, a full spectrum of products can be found at Sun & Ski in Wayzata or the Cottagewood Store in Deephaven, with a limited offering available at Brightwater in Excelsior, or the Excelsior Brewery.  Or alternatively, at the company’s Website: boathousebags.com.