Sailboats and ropes go hand in hand, from only a handful of control lines and halyards on smaller vessels to a whole array on larger racing yachts. However, all these lines would be of little use if we couldn’t secure them properly to hold the loads. Whilst on a dinghy you may get away with controlling the sheets by hand, but on bigger boats, this would be an impossible task.
© Antal
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.
Credit: Spinlock
Widely known as experts in rope holding, Spinlock is the go-to solution for many sailors when it comes to clutches and jammers.
We’ve been looking forward to the launch of their new product, the XTX Clutch ever since we got our first look at this sleek and modern design at METS 2019.
Credit: Spinlock
A simple and reliable rope holding solution, everyone is familiar with spinlock’s range of clutches and jammers on the coach roof. But, did you know that Spinlock sells upgrade kits for remote control operation?
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.
