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Image credit - C-Tech

A snuffer is a simple, reliable method of dousing an asymmetric spinnaker. Despite advances in furling technology, snuffers remain the first choice for many offshore race yachts such as Class 40 and IMOCA. In this blog we look at how to select the correct length of snuffer for your sail, why snuffers dominate in short-handed offshore racing and where a furling asymmetric might be preferred. To help answer these questions we sat down with Nathan Steffenoni, co-director of OneSails GBR South. As you might expect, the considerations are very much case dependent, so Nathan was keen to caveat many of his responses. 

Image credit: Calanach Finlayson 

A fiddle or violin block is a twin-sheave block with a difference. Typically cheaper than a standard double block of equivalent size, its low profile makes it ideal for on-deck purchase systems. In this blog we explore the pros and cons of fiddle blocks and where they can be put to use.  

Image credit: RORC 

Reducing mainsail area effectively is an essential aspect of depowering the boat as the wind strength increases. For offshore racing or cruising it is particularly important to be able to do so quickly and safely and this becomes even more critical when sailing shorthanded. Without weight on the rail, the need to reef comes earlier and the ability to deal with a situation is reduced. A mainsail reefing system should be reliable, quick to operate and produce an adequate sail shape once reefed. In this blog we discuss 4 options for taking a slab in the main. 

In this blog we take a quick look at what is new and/or interesting in the sailing block world in 2023.

Photo © Marjolein Rueter via Harken

Harken have long been a popular choice for winches due to their quality, with their winches aboard everything from the smallest sportsboats to the largest mega yachts.

When it comes to electric winches, Harken have an excellent range for both cruisers and racers with varying features to choose from, including 1, 2, and 3 speeds, horizontal, vertical and compact motor configurations, ‘shaped grip’ or ‘sandblasted grip’ and a rewind feature.  

© Andersen Winches

You’ve chosen to upgrade from a manual winch to an electric winch. Now, you need to decide on motor placement. This is a critical design decision which largely depends on your boats available space below deck. Ask yourself: ‘What is going to fit, and what is going to be the least work?’.