Blog | upffront.com

A bowsprit is now an almost inevitable feature of a racing yacht or performance cruiser and there are also a number of off-the-shelf retrofit options available. The uptake is due in part to the popularity of asymmetric downwind sails which offer ease of handing, particularly when sailing with reduced crew. But even for a predominantly symmetric spinnaker boat, a bowsprit is necessary for flying a code zero or other specialist reaching asymmetric. In this blog we look at how to best setup a bowsprit to suit your sail inventory. 

Retrofitting a bowsprit, to allow the use of code 0 and asymmetric sails, is an increasingly popular performance upgrade for both cruisers and offshore racing sailors. A big consideration for installation is the setup of any existing hardware on your bow. In this blog we look at specialist retrofit bowsprit manufacturers, Trogear, and the variety of installation methods available to cope with different bow layouts.

Here at Upffront, we talk a lot about asymmetric sails and code zeros, and with good reason! Faster and more manageable, these are a popular choice among many sailors, with one caveat, they require a tack point for the drum forward of the forestay, which preferably means a bowsprit.

While most modern, performance sail boats have permanent bowsprits attached, many older boats require modification to install a bowsprit and get those precious few extra feet on the bow.

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.

Trogear Marine Products are the freshest addition to the Upffront portfolio. 

Formed in 2012 by development engineer Jindrich Dokonal, Trogear are creating a buzz around their Trogear Adjustable Bowsprits. Tried and test for many years – and patented in 2012 – the bowsprit is popular with racers, cruisers and single-handed sailors.