More sailors are jumping onboard with performance enhancing marine electronics than ever before, and we’ve had an influx of enquiries since adding nke Marine Electronics to upffront.com.

The popularity of flying a code zero or asymmetric sail increased tenfold in 2018, with the trend set to soar in 2019 as more and more sailors take advantage of these high performance sails.

PROtect Tapes produce a broad range of protective tapes for racing, cruising and super yachts, and have been providing effective solutions for chafing, abrasion and wear since 2008.

Take a glance at upffront.com, and you’ll see we’ve got a brand-new category: ‘Steering Systems’.

In the future, this category will be stocked with all things steering – such as wheels, rudder blades and complete steering systems (coming soon!) – but to begin, we’re kicking off with some terrific tiller extensions.

Image Credit: Andersen Winches

Andersen Winches are a big name in the boating business. Designed and manufactured in Denmark, Andersen Winches have earnt a reputation for building first class, high quality winches.

 

What are lifelines?

Although often overlooked and forgotten, lifelines are one of the most critical safety components on our boats. Whilst they are something to lean against whilst cruising, or hiked from when racing, their most important role is to act as the last and final attempt to keep your crew member safely onboard your boat.

When it comes to furling cables, custom top-down cables (for loose luff, asymmetrical gennakers) and bottom-up cables (for code zeros and staysails) can sometimes be expensive. For small to medium sized racing and cruising sailboats (up to 45ft), torsional rope can often be a viable and cost-effective alternative for performance furling systems.

Image Credit: PROtect Tapes

Plastic pollution is no secret - and its impact has been particularly damaging for our oceans and sea life. This can feel especially hard to stomach in the sailing circle: as ocean lovers, it is hard to admit that our racing or cruising might be having a negative impact on the environment.

Image credit: Karver

BY ANDY RICE, INTERVIEWING BJARNE LORENZEN

In part three of this blog series, Bjarne Lorenzen of sailmaker Doyle O’leu explains the benefits of top-down furling, one of the big developments of the past decade which has trickled down to the cruising scene from the Volvo Ocean Race.

Florence based Ubi Maior Italia are breaking boundaries with their patented Jiber Furling System – a structural furling forestay system with the benefits of a traditional furling system.