Talking Shop: Celebrating NNSY’s Sail Loft (Shop 89)

Photo By Troy Miller | Shop 89 Work Leader Denise Bowman is checking measurements on material to ensure all dimensions are correct. “My job is important because we make containment curtains and tents for all the shops that require them for them to complete their job successfully.”  

PORTSMOUTH, VIRGINIA, UNITED STATES

11.25.2025

Story by Troy Miller 

Norfolk Naval Shipyard

During the “Age of Sail,” roughly spanning from the mid-16th to the mid-19th centuries, sail lofts played a vital role in maritime communities, serving as crucial components in shipbuilding and repair. Sail lofts were the hub of sail-making, where sails for ships were created from raw materials like canvas. Although U.S. Navy tall ships have since sailed off into naval history, Norfolk Naval Shipyard’s (NNSY) Sail Loft still plays a crucial role for today’s Navy by protecting personnel, supporting nuclear work and assisting the workforce.
“NNSY’s Sail Loft is the Fabric Worker Shop (Shop 89), consisting of approximately 90 shipyard employees,” said Shop 89 Nuclear General Foreman Dallas Mabry. “The Fabric Worker Shop specializes in the fabrication, installation, modification, removal, and repair of nuclear and non-nuclear containments, tents, safety nets, and re-certification of inflatable lifesaving rafts to support U.S. Navy missions.”
The Sail Loft consists of four sections. The Life Raft Facility recertifies and repairs inflatable lifesaving rafts and ration bags. The Life Raft Facility is one of only three facilities worldwide that service inflatable lifesaving rafts for U.S. Navy warships. The other two are located in Yokosuka, Japan, and San Diego, California. Recently, the Life Raft Facility re-certified 17 life rafts to support the deployment of the Arleigh Burke-class destroyer USS Roosevelt (DDG 80).
 The Non-Nuclear Fabric Section designs, fabricates, installs, and removes non-nuclear containments, tents, weather covers, safety nets and other miscellaneous items. Recently, Shop 89's Non-nuclear Fabric Section, Fabric Worker Tammy Frandsen was recognized for outstanding contributions to safety for designing new carrying bags for gas-free detectors, which allow certified shipyard personnel to carry equipment and supplies safely and securely.
The Nuclear Refueling/Defueling Section and the Nuclear Overhaul Section both design, fabricate, install, remove, modify and repair containments to support naval nuclear work. The Nuclear Refueling/Defueling Section completed fabrication, installation and removal of the M-140 Facility and Refueling Area Enclosure and the Envelopes for the Modification and Reactor Facilities (MARF) prototype shutdown at Naval Nuclear Power Training Unit (NPTU), Balston Spa, New York.
The Nuclear Overhaul Section recently completed the fabrication and installation of nuclear containments for the execution of emergency core coolant pipe cuts for special emphasis jobs (Code 361 Special Emphasis at NPTU Ballston Spa, New York).
Although the days of sail are a thing of the past, those who work in NNSY’s Sail Loft continue its mission today to support NNSY’s and the U.S. Navy's current and future missions.

• Date Taken: 11.25.2025
• Date Posted: 11.25.2025 12:14
• Story ID: 552349
• Location: PORTSMOUTH, VIRGINIA, US