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The Karver range of furling units has come a long way in the last 10-15 years, with each aspect of the design seeing incremental improvements. Captive pins with quick release mechanisms are almost universal on furling drums and swivels these days and they too have seen considerable development. The quick release mechanisms rely on small springs which can get damaged and require replacement. This blog will outline the evolution of the Karver captive pin systems and help you identify the correct replacement spring kit for your Karver furler.

Image Credits: Harken

Blocks, winches, travellers and a whole range of other systems, Harken has been a market leader in the sailing industry for over 40 years and is a household name among sailors. They consistently deliver great quality products and are known for their extensive distribution network and customer service. However, despite their extensive product range, Harken didn’t actually release their own continuous line furling system until 2016.

Image Credits: @oceanrace.com

BY ANDY RICE, INTERVIEWING BJARNE LORENZEN

One of the great spectacles of the recent Volvo Ocean Race was seeing the VO65s charging along with a trio of headsails flying in neat formation in front of the mainsail. In the fourth blog post of this series, Bjarne Lorenzen of sailmaker Doyle O’leu describes the growing appeal of the staysail in both the racing and cruising scenes.

Image credits: Bamar

Hailing from Northern Italy, Bamar are over 40 years old and on a mission to create sleek, performance orientated furling designs that aim to ‘partially automate sailing operations’. In this blog we will take a look at Bamar’s RLG EVO range of continuous line, code 0 furlers, and their key features and benefits.

Image credits: Ronstan    ©Wauquiez

Lots of equipment onboard is load dependant and apart from length and ballast of the boat the primary driver is sail area. It is therefore unsurprising that a lot of hardware manufacturers use sail areas as a primary specification criterion.

This blog gives you the key rig and sail dimensions plus the formulas you need to calculate your sail areas.

Image Credits: The Rigging Company

There are many types of swivels used on board boats, several of which are mounted on halyards, however, the term “Halyard Swivel” is reserved for one specific application. In this blog we will explain what a halyard swivel is, what it does and then explain the options available, depending on the setup of your boat.