Martin Heard

Will Sutherland talks about QBE’s charismatic sailing boats

The boats look after themselves [...] and the boat looks after the crew.”
— Will Sutherland on why pilot cutters make the perfect boats for teen sailing

Several years ago, QBE founder and director Will Sutherland sat down in the galley of one of his boats to talk about the history of pilot cutters and how his two, Marie Claude and Yseult, came to be built. The video was not staged—people were coming and going—and there were a few technical “glitches.” But keep in mind It was just a kitchen table conversation that somebody captured on their video camera. Production imperfections notwithstanding, it’s an informative and interesting clip. What comes through loud and clear is Will’s impressive experience and deep expertise. The video is 10-minutes long.