Solent Windship Co
Our Story
Our story began in 2016 with the ambition to design and build a modern interpretation of the Victorian Tea Clipper ships, to transport cargos by sail while providing life-changing sail training opportunities.
As the concept developed, Solent Windship Co. was born. It will be a "profit with purpose" company, securing financial sustainability and ensuring Solent Windship Co. can operate for years to come.
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Solent Windship Co. plans to design and build a fit-for-purpose modern clipper ship. By applying 150 years of sailing technology evolution, we will be able to transport cargos as sustainably and efficiently as possible, while fostering a strong community between producers, the company and customers. We will strive to ensure producers are paid a fair price for their products so that they can continue to operate in a sustainable and environmentally conscious way.
The Team
Charles Hardy
Founder & CEO
Charles, born in Hardway, Gosport, has been passionate about sailing since childhood. His father - a Lieutenant Commander in the Royal Navy - played a significant role in Charles' love for yacht racing, particularly his participation in the 1989-1990 Whitbread round the world race and the 1997 Sydney Hobart yacht race.
Charles decided to pursue a career in boat building, naval architecture, and marine engineering, gaining a wealth of experience in all disciplines of the industry. His passion for tall ships grew during this time, as he worked on smaller tall ships for sail training organisations. Between boat building contracts Charles applied his skills across domestic carpentry projects, which eventually led him to establish and run his own successful businesses in the building trade.
His father's unexpected passing in 2014 however, had a profound impact on Charles, leading him to re-evaluate his priorities to pursue his passion for tall ships and the sea.
Charles began volunteering for the Cutty Sark 2Sail Foundation, which aimed to recreate the ship to sail. Charles' passion for tall ships however goes beyond the beauty of tradition. He believes in the possibilities tall ships provide to not only ship fair trade cargos emission free, but provide sail training opportunities and to harness technology to make the ship as efficient as possible.
Charles founded the concept for Solent Windship Trust (now the Solent Windship Co.) in 2016, with the vision to design and build a modern clipper ship that will provide sail training and eco-tourism opportunities while carrying specialty fair trade cargos.
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Rob Leighton
Naval Architect
Rob began designing ​yachts as a 10 year old boy, inspired by Nathaniel Herrshoff, Donald Mckay, WIlliam Garden, and Robert Perry. He is now founder and CEO of Leighton Yachts and has been actively involved in the yachting and marine industry since he was 14 years old. Rob is an avid sailor and US Coast Guard Licensed 100ton Master Captain. He has sailed half the world in his 46' ketch Windrush II.
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Rob not only designs and builds yachts, he has a diverse career in the mechanical engineering and aerospace industries. In 2006 Rob founded Leighton Engineering and Design, working with major US corporations including The Boeing Aeroplane Company, Superior Tape & Label and Nestle Foods, to name a few, and has accumulated more than 25 Patents.
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During his time with Boeing, he became a subject matter expert (SME) for directional carbon fibre laminate manufacturing of Airplane Structures, working on various projects including the Wing Structures group designing the outer wing box of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner and Engine/Fuel systems of the new Boeing KC-46 Air Force Tanker.
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​In 2015 Rob decided to resign from his successful career as a composite design engineer for Boeing and followed his lifelong passion of designing, building and sailing yachts, founding Leighton Yacht Design Inc. Since founding the company, Leighton Yachts has grown internationally from a base in Athens and a new manufacturing facility in Mindoro, Philippines.​
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Key Partners
Solent Windship Trust
Initially intended as a charity organisation, The Solent Windship Trust was conceived in 2016. It quickly became clear however that it would be challenging to succeed as a charity, particularly when seeing the struggles of other tall ship charities.
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We had our purpose however, and so the Solent Windship Co. was conceived to operate a "profit with purpose" company, while the Solent Windship Trust will exist as a bursary fund. The aim of the fund is to provide at least one bunk on each trip and will be funded from a percentage of operational profits generated from Solent Windship Co's operation and trading with sail cargo vessels.