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“The best distance-to-line tool ever”, the Velocitek ProStart boasts; compact, distraction-free and easy-to-use.

Velocitek – a leading performance sailing company – has created a device that is truly unique. The ProStart, suitable for dinghies and sports boats, is the result of customer feedback that demanded a straightforward, dedicated ‘distance to line’ device. Consequently, the ‘distance to line’ measurement is displayed on the digital interface in metres, updating twice a second, and depicted in large numbers that are easy to read at a quick glance.

Saltwater and dirt tears away at the fibres of the rope, shortening their lifespan. ‘Salty ropes’ are damp, thus collect more dirt. Ropes aren’t cheap and so proper maintenance will ensure you get the maximum performance out of your ropes.

Cleaning lines isn’t only a matter of cosmetics; clean ropes are easier to handle. This is especially the case for overworked ropes such as genoa and mainsheets. As a minimum, ropes should be cleaned properly at least once a year, at the end of the season.

Continuous line furlers, together with a torsional cable, is an alternative furling system for the main structural forestay. This is an increasingly popular, lightweight choice for both racing and cruising sailors.

Choosing a winch can be daunting. The main decision criteria may be size or power Ratio, but Style, Speeds, Material and Grip are also of a consideration. That’s without going into powered options (electric / hydraulic), and then an extensive range of winch handle styles and sizes! Winches are an expensive bit of equipment and an educated choice will save you from unnecessary spend.

Deck blocks are evolving. Bearings are constantly improving, as manufacturers endeavour to minimize friction in different load cases.

Types of bearings

Apart from number of sheaves, blocks can also be categorised by their bearings.

  • Plain bearings: Although the name itself sounds quite vague, these are smooth, solid surfaces that
move across each other. The sheave rotates across the central hub. 

Type in ‘how to service a winch’ on Google, and the results you will get are endless. There are two types of steps to take: those that are universal to all winches, and those that are applicable to specific models. In this post, we discuss minimum requirements for servicing.