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Image credit: Spinlock 

It’s a breeze-on day, you have rounded the top mark, set the kite and everything is just about under control. The bowman, now providing ballast at the back of the boat, calls in the gusts. As the pressure reaches the boat you expect to accelerate and start surfing the next wave but instead you hear a zipping noise as the halyard runs through the clutch and the belly of the kite billows out in front of the boat, just above the water. Anyone who has experienced this knows the nightmare of a slipping clutch. If you are lucky, you might be able to keep the boat under control and winch the spinnaker back to the top of the rig. If you are less fortunate, it’s easy to broach or turn the kite into a trawling net. In this blog we look at some of the possible causes of a slipping halyard and how these can be resolved. 

© Antal

What is the pit?

The pit is the nerve centre of a yacht, or at least all aspects that relate to sailing. The majority of lines on deck lead to the pit, including halyards, reef lines, tack lines, vang, outhaul and Cunningham to name some of the most common.

(Image Credit: Berschi)

Created as a lightweight alternative to traditional metal clutches, the Cousin Constrictor® is a great bit of kit for reliably holding rope under load with great longevity when properly maintained.

Image Credit: Ronstan

When it comes to purchasing new sailing hardware, there are a plethora of options available. However, whilst some hardware has a clear place and purpose on a boat – such as hanks, locks and blocks – when it comes down to choosing between a cleat, clutch or jammer it can be hard to know which to go for. The following blog will examine cleats, clutches and jammers in turn, to enable you to determine the best option for securely holding a line on your boat.

At some point in our lives, we have all experienced the vice-like grip of the 'Chinese finger trap'; when pulled, the cylindrical, woven braid is designed to contract and constrain the finger. It is this mechanism that forms the simple premise behind the Constrictor® Textile Rope Clutch.