Rated 4.9 out of 5 on Trustpilot
Rated 4.9 out of 5 on Trustpilot
5 Star Rated by Sailors
Trusted For 12 Years
Over 50,000+ Orders Shipped
90 Day Risk Free Returns
Price Match Promise
Fast Dispatch and a 5 Star Rated Service You Can Count On
October 30, 2017 3 min read
Winter is coming and now is the ideal time to give your boat a check over, not only if you are sailing through the winter but also if you are packing down for the colder UK months head.
Checking your boat now gives you time to think about any issues you might find and means you won't be rushing a fix in March when you are about to hit the water again.
Harken pulley systems are generally very good, but as with other kit items such as salt water can stop them working.
We took a customers boat for a blast a couple of months ago because he was having a few teething problems that he wanted our advice on. Since we had the same sort of boat it made sense.
In this case it was the sheeting angle of the kite and also the internal mainsheet system which contained a Harken pulley system allowing a 8:1 purchase.
As soon as we hit the water and starting going upwind it was clear to me that it wasn't working as it should, sheeting in the main was much more painful than it should be. One simple fix we made was switching the ratchet block on, now that's a bit easier! However there was still a fundamental issue meaning the loads were much higher than they should be, especially when sheeting from the trapeze.
When we got back to shore we started working through the system looking at one block at a time. We then came across the blocks at the back of the boom system which were totally ceased up. These were the metal high strength wire blocks which had 3mm 12 strand dyneema running through them. This was going to be the problem, they were not moving at all meaning the dyneema was being dragged around the turn rather than running smoothly round the corner.
Steps to try and resolve the issue:
Fortunately this worked and the Harken pulley system was back up and running again.
The customer was happy and the boat was working just as it should, but then we had a walk over our boat. The mainsheet pulley system worked in the same way, apart from the additional purchase it had. We sail a high performance catamaran as a mixed team, so we have upgraded our system to be a 12:1.
After the discussion with the customer we then supplied an additional Harken high strength 38mm block and another with a beckett attached. A little bit of 3mm dyneema later and he was off to change his system from an 8:1 to a 12:1.
This is a scenario we see quite a lot, especially where we sail on a salty estuary. We are obviously on hand when at events to advice but here are some top tips to prevent this from happening.
If you would like any help or advice related to any of the products we sell then just give us a call or drop us an email.
These are excellent launching trolley wheels. Much better quality than the cheaper 'knock-off' ones on eBay! It took a couple of minutes to take off my old ones and fit these
Recently bought these as a birthday present for my dad. Order arrived super speedy (even with a treat of love hearts in it). The fit and quality is great, he really loved them
Great service
The wheels are exactly what I ordered. Delivery was immediate from the store and they arrived exactly when promised. 100% - job well done!
Excellent fast service from this company. Very good price for the Parka & free shipping. As a Motorhome & dog owner I bought the Parka to use when these activities frequently get cold & wet! I haven't had cause to use it yet. I've tried it on & it's just what I needed. It's a good long length (I'm 5ft 8") & does away with the need for waterproof trousers. Very handy zipped pockets & I like the fact that you can tighten up the wrist cuffs. I'm very pleased with my purchase & would certainly recommend Sailing Chandlery. Thank you.
Good quality product and easy to fit.
Not used yet but known it will be perfect. Excellent customer service from sailing chandlery as usual.
Great service and a great price. Order delivered in a timely manner.
Would definitely recommend and use again, the next time something on the boat inevitably breaks :)
I had a difficult repair, with a part of the sail that har ripped off. I used the tape to cover a large darn, taped it on both sides, and oversewed it for additional security. Easy to use, decent adhesion, probably no need to oversew.
This is exactly what I wanted. It’s super easy to charge, it’s convenient to store and carry but most importantly, it’s incredibly loud!!
A very reliable cleat Will not accidentally re-cleat.
It’s great- love it for my open water swimming.
Fits everything in.
Super fast delivery and friendly
Sticky back peels off easily and glue seems strong. Quite possibly this is the same product as supplied in the pre-cut kits for the ILCA mast bottom sections?
Makes a lot of sense to use sacrificial strips to slow down wear on the mast and gel coat.
Better value to buy several meters of this one and with care and a sharp blade you can cut desired lengths by wrapping around the mast and cutting neatly.
Replacement laser block arrived very quickly. Part was exactly the same as the original and I was back on the water without missing a weekend. Great service.
Very good quality cover, should protect my granddaughter’s boat for many seasons to come, thanks.
Save up to 40%on your next order.
