Advice, Inspiration, & Tours, Regatta
WASZP FRENZY IN FRANCE
WASZP FRENZY IN FRANCE! It's a summer full of foiling and Blockheads are jumping around from regatta to regatta getting their fix in. Most recently, Harken France stopped by the 2025 French Waszp Nationals in Carnac, France. Twenty-nine competitors from
Advice, Inspiration, & Tours
Tour a 13-foot Skiff!
Meet the team behind the Harken 13ft Skiff, Heidi Bates (16, skipper) and Orlando Sadlik (18, crew). Heidi and Orlando are just off the back of winning the 13ft Skiff Australian Championships! Last year, they finished third and they have
Advice, Inspiration, & Tours
Harken Blockheads Comes To France
Viva La Future! Harken has provided equipment At The Front since 1967. But designing and building world-class hardware is only part of what we do. As a company of sailors, we want to pass our love of the sport to
Advice, Inspiration, & Tours
What is Match Racing? Zac West Breaks It Down!
Meet Zac West, winner of the 2023 Harken Youth International Match Racing Championship that was held out of Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club in Australia. Zac and his team of Jameson Prescott, James Hayhoe, Emily Keg, Brooke Wilson represented Royal
Advice, Inspiration, & Tours
Rules Expert Dave Perry in Pewaukee
Renowned sailing expert Dave Perry visited the Inland Lake Yachting Association (ILYA) at Harken HQ in Pewaukee, Wisconsin, with his extensive rules knowledge and latest book, Understanding the Racing Rules of Sailing, where he taught valuable lessons to Harken Blockheads from
Advice, Inspiration, & Tours
Tour a Merlin Rocket!
C'mon along with Phil Hodgkins of Ginger Boats for a Blockheads Boat Tour of the Merlin Rocket, filmed at the 2023 RYA Dinghy Show.
Advice, Inspiration, & Tours
Tour a Naples Sabot!
C'mon along with Mesa Uliasz for a Blockheads Boat Tour of the Naples Sabot! Want more Sabot content? · What’s the Sabot class like? Watch the video. · I want to watch the Instagram Story from Nationals! Tap
Advice, Inspiration, & Tours
Tour a Finn!
Blockheads Boat Tour with Olympian Luke Muller Like most Finn sailors, Luke Muller is a tinkerer and a hard worker. The athlete representing the US Sailing Team in the upcoming Tokyo Olympics brought Blockheads along for a virtual tour of
Advice, Inspiration, & Tours
Tour an Olympic Nacra 17
Meet Riley Gibbs and Anna Weis. The pair will be headed to the Tokyo Olympics next year. Come take a tour of their Nacra 17 and learn about the different systems onboard.
Advice, Inspiration, & Tours, Regatta
Ask A Rockstar
Today, they are some of sailing's rockstars. At the front. Foiling, Skiffing, Podium—ing all over the world. But just a few years ago, they were junior sailors. Maybe just like you. How did they do it? What were they like
Advice, Inspiration, & Tours, Regatta
Big Regatta Opti-Village: What’s Going On Over There?
It takes a village to bring hundreds of Opti kids together for an event. What happens when a sailor forgets a critical piece of equipment? We caught up with the people in the trailers -- supporting youth sailing. Why do
Rigging, Tuning, & Splicing
How to Whip a Line
Learn how to finish a splice or tidy up the end of a line by tying a whipping. This video is a follow up to Making a 12-Strand Eye Splice. Whipping is an essential process for securing the tail of a splice
Rigging, Tuning, & Splicing
Upgrading the Opti Sprit Halyard
The sprit halyard is one of the most important sail controls onboard an Opti. The more you can actively adjust the halyard tension to match conditions, the better your boat will sail. This is why it’s super important to have
Advice, Inspiration, & Tours
How to Get into Offshore Ocean Racing (and What Snacks Hit Home)
Solo offshore sailing is a full-blown test of endurance, problem-solving, and how long you can function on short naps. In La Rochelle, France, Ollie Hill and Ellie Driver share what it’s really like racing alone across oceans with no outside
Advice, Inspiration, & Tours
Ellie Driver and Oliver Hill on the French Offshore Scene
Two British sailors navigate the French offshore system, transitioning from double-handed partners to individual Figaro competitors, while aiming for the highest level of ocean racing. Meet Ellie Driver and Oliver Hill!
Advice, Inspiration, & Tours
WASZP Class Gains Traction in Pensacola, FL
Hear from North American WASZP Class Manager, Tyler Bjorn, on where the WASZP class is headed as foiling gains traction in Pensacola, Florida.
Advice, Inspiration, & Tours
E SCOW Grant Opportunities
Are you an Inland lake sailor but don't own a boat? Or perhaps you crewed for an E Scow last summer and instantly fell in love and want to take the helm, but owning a boat and registering for
Advice, Inspiration, & Tours
Sara Stone on How to Start Navigating
Meet Sara Stone Sara Stone is a professional sailor competing at the top level of the sport, both inshore and offshore. Inspired by the all-female Team SCA in the 2014–2015 Volvo Ocean Race, she shifted her career path
Advice, Inspiration, & Tours
Want To Improve Your Knowledge Of The Rules? Ask The Rule Rockstar!
Dave Perry is perhaps the country's leading authority on the rules. He's so good, he even wrote the book... Racing Rules of Sailing. And he's willing to help you. Got a rules question? Or just want to go into the
Advice, Inspiration, & Tours, Maintenance & Repair, Rigging, Tuning, & Splicing
@SailBriggs on Optimist Setup
Briggs Kossman — also known as @SailBriggs on social media — spent time with Harken Blockheads to share his fine-tuned Opti rigging and setup for racing. His current rig setup has taken years to perfect. In this video, Briggs walks
Maintenance & Repair, Rigging, Tuning, & Splicing
Ice Boating: How to Sharpen Your Runners
Harken Blockheads Ella Bowers, Maggie McGary, and Lily Olson show how to sharpen iceboat runners to get ready for winter iceboating. In this video, they explain when to sharpen your runners, how often to maintain them, and what tools are
Advice, Inspiration, & Tours
Harken Blockheads Downunder in a 13ft Skiff
Heidi Bates (16) and Orlando Sadlik (18) are into their second season together on the 13ft skiff. They are currently sitting in first in their club championship, which runs over the course of several weekends. Last year, the team finished
Advice, Inspiration, & Tours
Spectrum Sailing’s Mission to Get More Kids Sailing
Like a lot of successful organizations Spectrum Sailing was born modestly—out of necessity in Charleston, SC. Founder Scott Herman was looking for a sailing program for his son who is on the autism spectrum. Like a lot of successful organizations
Advice, Inspiration, & Tours
Inside an AC40 Simulator with Harry Melges IV
Harry Melges IV welcomes us to Barcelona! Harken Blockhead Harry Melges IV gives us an inside look at life in Barcelona as part of the American Magic America's Cup team. He walks us through the AC40 simulator, explaining its purpose
Advice, Inspiration, & Tours
Blockheads in the America’s Cup!
You read that right—Harken Blockheads are sailing in the America's Cup! One of them is Riley Gibbs, a self-proclaimed 'advanced Blockhead.' We caught up with him and Andrew Campbell, both crew members on American Magic at their base in Barcelona,
Advice, Inspiration, & Tours, Rigging, Tuning, & Splicing
The Optimist: What Gear Goes Where?
Do you need to replace or upgrade a part on your boat? There can be a lot of options to choose from, but we've got a resource to help you out! This infographic shows you exactly what part goes where
Advice, Inspiration, & Tours
Leeward Mark Rounding Advice from Sam Whaley
On our Instagram stories, we asked the Harken Blockheads what they would do coming into the leeward mark on the outside of two boats. We got a lot of great responses and different strategy ideas! British Sailing Team's ILCA 7
Advice, Inspiration, & Tours
Olympians in Pewaukee Starring Steph Roble
When Olympic sailors are in Wisconsin, we hope they stop by. When they were born in Wisconsin, we wondered why it took so long!
Rigging, Tuning, & Splicing
3D Print FREE Parts – Harken Line Guard
At Last! 4 Free Harken Parts Right Here—Just for Being a Blockhead. (Yep. They really are free. And yep, there is a catch…in fact, there are lots of them!) We Harkenites have bunches of new ideas for equipment to
Advice, Inspiration, & Tours
Blockheaded Advice from Hattie Rogers
Blockheaded Advice from Hattie Rogers: Especially when you're starting out, say yes to every opportunity. Keep enjoying your sailing. Otherwise, what’s the point? Remember: You have time! There’s no rush. Build a good foundation in your technical knowledge first. Hattie
Rigging, Tuning, & Splicing
Literally and Figuratively, Riley Gibbs is a Blockhead
He’s a great sailor! If it foils, Riley sails it. Moths. A-Cats. Nacra 17s. SailGP F50s. He’s an Olympian. And now he’s Helmsman with American Magic. Over the years, Riley has become a critical part of the Harken/Sailor new product
Advice, Inspiration, & Tours
It’s 96 Degrees in the Shade…Time to Think Iceboating!
Ice waits for no one. Harken Marketing Intern Samuel Bartel is obsessed with ice sailing. To him, hard water yachting is the pinnacle of fun. Candidly, he’s more than a little bit obsessed. There’s one thing he really regrets: not
Advice, Inspiration, & Tours, Regatta
Respect the Leeboard
Photo by Bronny Daniels Harken Blockheads took to Junior Sabot Nationals to give sailors the tools, skills, and confidence to take charge of their own sailing. We learned all about the leeboard lifestyle and the Southern California phenomenon that is
Advice, Inspiration, & Tours
Tour Harken!
Hey MTV, welcome to our crib! We thought you blockheads would enjoy seeing where the magic happens. C'mon in....but HUSTLE!
Advice, Inspiration, & Tours, Regatta
Sabot Nationals Photos
We took tons of photos. And we're making them available to you. We have no plans for them other than that. Open the gallery. Find your sailor(s). Download. Print. Send to Grandma. Simple. Open the gallery right here: Want more Sabot content?
Advice, Inspiration, & Tours
I Love the Naples Sabot
by Riley Gibbs Alamitos Bay Yacht Club’s junior program started at age six. They wouldn’t let me in early, so my parents brought me to a traditional summer camp. When the camp counselor brought out the crayons and told us
Rigging, Tuning, & Splicing
Naples Sabot: What Gear Goes Where?
Ever wonder how to replace a part on your boat? We've got a helpful resource for you! This infographic shows you the ins and outs of Naples Sabot equipment. The red numbers show the Harken part numbers of the blocks
Advice, Inspiration, & Tours, Regatta
No Tears!
The first-year sailors of the Inland Lakes Yachting Association gathered on Lake Beulah on Monday for the 'No Tears' regatta — This is an event for the most inexperienced sailors in the region. For many, it's their first regatta! Forget
Advice, Inspiration, & Tours
Blockheads Lightning Youth Worlds
45 blockheads from all over the world duked it out on the freshwater race course of Sheboygan, Wisconsin this July. Harken Blockheads was on site spreading the good word about rigging, tuning, and boat maintenance as well as providing media
Advice, Inspiration, & Tours
A Note on Leadership & Character
by Gordy Bowers The following checklist and suggestions should get you started thinking about what it means to be a great leader in school and on the water. Rate yourself on a scale of 1–10. Leadership is a life skill
Advice, Inspiration, & Tours, Regatta
29th Harken Youth International Match Racing Cup
“The Harken,” as it is known in youth match racing circles worldwide, stands out as one of the premier events for youth sailors on the international match racing calendar. For 29 years, it has served as a launchpad for a
Advice, Inspiration, & Tours
Boats We Love
Hello. My name is Schmichter (when I say it, it sounds like “Shmik-ter”) and I’m a Blockhead. Guess you could say I’m THE Blockhead since Harken dreamed me up in Pewaukee and reverse-engineered my likeness into the Blockhead logo. Gotta
Advice, Inspiration, & Tours, Regatta
2022 Harken New Zealand National Secondary Schools Keelboat Championship
Video by Live Sail Die The 2022 Harken New Zealand National Secondary Schools Keelboat Championships after movie is here! This year's event was a fantastic 3 days of sailing out of the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron, showcasing the talented
Advice, Inspiration, & Tours
Tour a Waszp!
Blockheads Boat Tour with Sam Whaley 25-year-old Sam Whaley is campaigning full-time to represent Great Britain at the Olympics in the ILCA Dinghy. He's also a Waszp National Champion and chairman of the UK Waszp Class. He brought Blockheads along
Advice, Inspiration, & Tours
No Experience Needed To Dive Into A Marine Services Career
The ‘unknown’ is something we often fear and are wary of. We often find the familiarity of our comfort zone safe and secure, but what happens when you step outside of the lines and stretch what you thought you were
Advice, Inspiration, & Tours, Rigging, Tuning, & Splicing
Laser Vang Walk-Through with Olympian Paige Railey
When you take care of your equipment, your equipment takes care of you. Laser Radial sailor Paige Railey from the US Sailing Team is headed to the Olympics for the third time this summer. Come on along for a tour
Advice, Inspiration, & Tours, Regatta
Let’s Talk Tokyo
In less than a month, the curtain opens on the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. We sat down with 470 World Champs Silvia Mas and Patricia Cantero of the Spanish Sailing Team to discuss the venue. What are the conditions like? Does
Advice, Inspiration, & Tours, Rigging, Tuning, & Splicing
Innovation At The Front
Every quad, Cup, round-the-world race, and major world championship, Harken is listening — We’re on the docks chatting with the athletes about what’s working and what’s not. We want to know: How are the systems performing and underperforming? We ask
Advice, Inspiration, & Tours, Rigging, Tuning, & Splicing
Club 420: What Gear Goes Where?
Ever wonder how to replace a part on your boat? We've got a helpful resource for you! This infographic shows you the ins and outs of Club 420 equipment. The red numbers show the Harken part numbers of the blocks
Advice, Inspiration, & Tours
Iceboating: Before it all melts…
When was the last time you clocked in at 100 mph in your sailboat when the breeze was a steady 20 knots? Not recently? Let's chat with Harken Director of Engineering Steve Orlebeke. He brought his freaky fast Class A
Rigging, Tuning, & Splicing
Get a Grip!
Slipping is no fun. You're going to perform better if your feet stay where you put them. That's where Harken Marine Grip comes in. It's a thin, nonabrasive grip tape used to prevent slipping on deck or on dock. This
Advice, Inspiration, & Tours
Iceboating: Getting Started
Blockhead Samuel Bartel is brand new to the DN class. He's a twenty-something university student that got a ride on a friend's Nite and was instantly hooked. He wanted in. It didn't take long for Samuel to find a group
Advice, Inspiration, & Tours
A Day in the Life of an 11th Hour Racing Team Intern
https://youtu.be/53u5YGWQH90 Cullen Zelenka joined the 11th Hour Racing Team for eight weeks as an intern from Oakcliff Sailing. Led and co-skippered by American offshore sailors Charlie Enright and Mark Towill, 11th Hour Racing Team's mission is to win The Ocean
Advice, Inspiration, & Tours
Tour an America’s Cup Base
Follow INEOS Team UK Grinder Graeme Spence through the team’s base as they attempt to be the first to return the America’s Cup back to where it all began. Watch more episodes of Spence Sense.
Maintenance & Repair, Rigging, Tuning, & Splicing
Lubrication 101
You've probably heard of McLube. Maybe you use it on your Opti because Coach tells you to. But what does it actually do? When it's lubricated, almost anything that moves on your boat works more efficiently, runs more smoothly,
Advice, Inspiration, & Tours, Safety
Rescue at Sea
For any sailor, catastrophic hull failure is bad enough. But when you're in the middle of the ocean in rough seas—sailing alone—with no help around for miles....it's life or death. On November 30th, 24 days into the 2020 Vendée Globe
Advice, Inspiration, & Tours
How does an inventor tick?
A CONVERSATION WITH THE INVENTOR OF MARKSETBOT, THE WORLD’S FIRST ROBOTIC SAILING BOUY Kevin Morin is the first person to come up with the first fully automated sailing buoy. Now, he and the MarkSetBot team have gone even further and
Advice, Inspiration, & Tours
Spence Sense
Step inside the world of an America's Cup grinder, Graeme Spence. In these exclusive interviews with Graeme Spence of INEOS Team UK, we learn what life is like as a professional sailor at the sport's highest level. Episode One In
Advice, Inspiration, & Tours, Regatta
Keeping It Fair and Square
Before most major international one-design class championships, competitors’ boats must pass a measurement check to ensure it complies with the Class Rules. This official measurement procedure is used by World Championship and similar-level regattas to enforce fair racing, where all
Contests, Maintenance & Repair
What’s Your Favorite Boat Maintenance Task?
We were curious...We wanted to know what your absolute favorite boat maintenance task was...so we asked you! You had a lot to say! Here are the results: Looks like Blockheads love splicing! Check out some of the responses on the
Advice, Inspiration, & Tours, Regatta
Harken Blockheads Day
Pure happiness. That's what happens when a group of Blockheads gets a chance to sail on a VO65 that raced in the Volvo Ocean Race 2017-2018. Harken Blockheads Polska and Sailing Poland came together to give these young sailors the
Advice, Inspiration, & Tours
Advice from Peter Harken
Hi Blockheads, You are in one of the most physical and brain-challenging sports including patience and perseverance, but most of all, FUN sports in the World! To become a good racing sailor you need to be equally good at all
Advice, Inspiration, & Tours, Rigging, Tuning, & Splicing
How to Rig a Swedish Match 40
Calling all rigging nerds! Remember our friends at Oakcliff Sailing Center in Oyster Bay, New York? They have a fleet of Swedish Match 40s and host a dozen match race regattas every year. In this video, they walk us through
Rigging, Tuning, & Splicing
How to Customize the Engage Point on Your Ratchamatic Blocks
Did you know that you can customize Harken Ratchamatic blocks to better suit your strength and sailing style? The magic of ratchet blocks is they allow you to hold loads with little effort and ease loaded sheets with good control.
Advice, Inspiration, & Tours
Liftoff for Kōtare
The brand new AC9F Youth America’s Cup yacht, Kōtare, is flying high in Auckland! Purpose-built for the event, the foiling monohull was up on the foils straight away and pushing speeds of up to thirty knots. Imagine that! The Youth
Advice, Inspiration, & Tours
THE GRINDHOUSE RULES
In the America’s Cup, it’s mission-critical to maximize efficiency in the AC75 cockpit - both in aerodynamics (how the air moves around the boat) and ergonomics (how the boat's design impacts the athletes' performance). How does a deck layout come
Rigging, Tuning, & Splicing
New knot skills…If knot now, when?
Know your knots! A solid knowledge base for knot tying will help you rig better and sail safer. There was a huge response to our most recent trivia contest about the sheet bend knot, so we thought you'd love this
Advice, Inspiration, & Tours
What We’re Learning: Youth Sailing During Uncertain Times
Blockheads visited the Chicago Yacht Club Sailing School to learn about their response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Hear from CYC On The Water Director Skip Dieball, Sailing Director Dave Gerber, and Sailing Programs Coordinator Sarah Sullivan. Learn about some of
Advice, Inspiration, & Tours
Ask A Rockstar: Paige Railey
Paige Railey is one of the most accomplished Laser Radial sailors of all time. The two-time Olympian, two-time Pan American sailing champion and record five-time world championship medalist has her eyes on the 2021 Olympic Gold Medal for the US
Advice, Inspiration, & Tours
Getting Creative in Quarantine
Most are not on the water right now, but Blockheads are a creative bunch who absolutely love sailing. There's no stopping them. We're getting reports of the many different ways Blockheads are staying active in sailing - Optis & Lasers
Advice, Inspiration, & Tours
Sailing Activities For Social Distancing
It's a beautiful day in the boatyard! Welcome to Mr. Childers' Boat House! Coach Chris Childers from US Sailing's Seibel Sailors Program posts videos each week to introduce kids to the wonderful world of sailing with skills instruction and life
Advice, Inspiration, & Tours
Ask A Rockstar: Kyle Langford
At just 30 years old, Kyle Langford is an inspiring all-around sailor with a massive amount of high-end sailing under his belt. As a kid, he was named Australian Youth Sailor of the Year and won world championship titles at
Advice, Inspiration, & Tours
Ask A Rockstar: Bianca Cook
Bianca Cook is a certified powerhouse. She's logged over 70,000 offshore miles in recent years, racing all kinds of offshore boats and megayachts, most notably in the recent Volvo Ocean Race with the Turn The Tide on Plastic team. Now,
Advice, Inspiration, & Tours
Try eSailing
Still have the unscratchable itch to go sailing? It might be a good time to try eSailing. Play now on Virtual Regatta, World Sailing's official platform. You can race offshore in boats like the Ultim, IMOCA, Class 40, the Beneteau
Advice, Inspiration, & Tours
Stuck at home? Try these America’s Cup projects.
Stuck at home? Need a project? Ask your parents about this STEM learning project from INEOS Team UK, the America's Cup Challenger from the United Kingdom. These digital lessons on design, technology, and human performance investigate questions like 'How do
Advice, Inspiration, & Tours
Ask A Rockstar: Rome Kirby
Rome Kirby is one of the best sailors of his generation. He’s leading a talented team of young guns on the United States SailGP Team competing for a million-dollar prize. On top of that, he's raced in multiple Volvo Ocean
Advice, Inspiration, & Tours, Regatta
Harken Youth Match Racing World Championship
Australian James Hodgson and his crew of Harry Hall, Louis Schofield and Nick Rozenauers, have been crowned HARKEN 2020 Youth Match Racing World Champions after defeating American Jack Parkin three-nil in the final. https://youtu.be/NQT396DGU4I The Semi-Finals were poised at one
Advice, Inspiration, & Tours
Ask A Rockstar: Jason Waterhouse
Olympic Medalist Jason Waterhouse seems to be everywhere these days. Last week, he was on the podium at the Nacra 17 World Championship. Now he's in Sydney racing the flying F50 catamaran with the Australian SailGP team; they're looking to
Advice, Inspiration, & Tours, Regatta
28th Harken Youth International Match Racing Cup
The next generation of match racers is active, passionate, and ready for battle. The Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron is hosting back-to-back weeks of top-tier youth match racing. Sailors under 23 years old duked it out at the Harken Youth
Advice, Inspiration, & Tours
Ask A Rockstar: Kinley Fowler
Kinley Fowler worked his way up to rockstar status. After years of successful racing, his professional career was launched, starting as a volunteer shore crew member with Oracle Team USA. His hard work paid off and he earned himself a
Advice, Inspiration, & Tours
Oakcliff: Meet the Fleet
Oakcliff Sailing Center owns 105 boats. Nacra 17s, 49ers, beautiful wooden boats, Waszps, Swedish Match 40s, Melges 24s, powerboats, turbo-charged Farr 40s, and more. Oakcliff’s mission is to develop leaders in the sport. One of the ways the organization instills
Rigging, Tuning, & Splicing
Why do some knots hold better than others?
This special kind of fiber changes color when it's under strain. Scientists are using it to study the stability of knots and how force is distributed. 👉 Listen for more details: Want to see? Strain On A Figure-Eight Knot
Advice, Inspiration, & Tours
Two Oakcliff Pathways
There's something for everyone at Oakcliff. Cat Chimney and Ethan Johnson came to Oakcliff in very different ways. Oakcliff is helping both of them chase their ambitions. This is the third video in the Harken Blockheads series at Oakcliff
Advice, Inspiration, & Tours
Under the Hood: Tom Johnson’s Moth
In the Moth fleet, weight matters. Over the years, the Moth class has been a great testing ground for innovative new Harken products. It's where the Harken Fly block was born. Designed to provide strength beyond mass, Fly blocks provide
Advice, Inspiration, & Tours
These students want to design the world’s fastest sailboat
This group of students is on a mission to make the world's fastest sailboat. They aim to claim the world speed sailing record. "SP80 is a team composed of EPFL (École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne) students and alumni that passionately
Advice, Inspiration, & Tours, Regatta
Monaco International Optimist Team Race
Some of the best Optimist racing teams in the world just wrapped up the Monaco International Optimist Team Race. In this format, a team of four boats races against another team of four. The team with the lowest score wins
Advice, Inspiration, & Tours
5 Reasons Why All Kids Should Sail
There might be nothing in the world that packs as many life lessons as the activity of sailing. It teaches teamwork, engineering, history, patience, oceanography, ecology…all in one fell swoop. Because of this, we believe every kid should learn to
Advice, Inspiration, & Tours
Advice for Making a Living in Sailing
Even if you're not an America's Cup level tactician or grinder, there is a career path possible for you in the sailing industry. Oakcliff Sailing is a hands-on career development pathway, training sailors both on the water and off. In
Advice, Inspiration, & Tours
Pep Costa Vlog — Part Three
Three months ago, Pep Costa left La Rochelle, France and begun his journey on the Mini-Transat. We interviewed him before he left (Watch Part One) and we showed you his vlog from the first leg of the race (Watch Part
Advice, Inspiration, & Tours, Regatta
The Draw of Offshore Racing
Beau Geste, a MOD70 Trimaran, blasted to a new race record in New Zealand's PIC Coastal Classic coastal race this year. Onboard -- and in an important navigation role -- was 16-year-old Carrington Brady. “Offshore sailing. That’s what I’m drawn
Advice, Inspiration, & Tours
It’s a bird! It’s a plane! No, it’s a new flying boat!
It's a bird! It's a plane! No, it's the flying 10ft Pocket Foiler! Some have called it the "Optimist 2.0" - it's a boat designed for sailors who weigh about 80-180 lbs. With the ability to sail in displacement, planing,
Advice, Inspiration, & Tours, Regatta
OAKCLIFF: A Blockheads Documentary
Oakcliff Sailing is on a mission to build American leaders through sailing. What is Oakcliff? A nonprofit, a sailing facility, hands-on job training, and an accelerated pathway for sailors aspiring to the America's Cup, the Olympics, and the around the
Advice, Inspiration, & Tours, Regatta
27th Harken Intl. Youth Match Racing Championship
“The Harken,” as it is known in youth sailing circles worldwide, stands out as one of the premier events for youth sailors on the international match racing calendar. For 27 years, it has served as a launchpad for a number
Advice, Inspiration, & Tours, Regatta
Watch Solo Sailor Pep Costa’s Mini Transat Vlog
A few weeks ago, we introduced you to Pep Costa, a 20-year-old singlehanded offshore racer who raced in the Mini Transat across the Atlantic Ocean in his Mini 6.50 Class sailboat. Well, Pep's Mini Transat story has just come to
Advice, Inspiration, & Tours
Laser Equipment Walk-Through with Robert Scheidt
Robert Scheidt, Olympic champion, shows us the Harken hardware and setup he uses on his Laser.
Advice, Inspiration, & Tours
What’s an OBR?
Dubbed ‘the toughest job in sports media,' the Onboard Reporter (OBR) is a position that’s unique to sailing’s iconic race around the world, the Ocean Race (formerly the Volvo Ocean Race). OBRs are the storytellers of the race; they are
Advice, Inspiration, & Tours
Boat Yoga…It’s a Thing
When the breeze drops to zero, a lot of sailors head for the docks, but Coach Willie McBride and the Skiff Squad have found that hours on the water can still be productive in super light conditions if they’re spent
Advice, Inspiration, & Tours
Meet Pep Costa—Solo Sailor
Published October 28, 2019 Pep Costa is a singlehanded offshore racer who dreams of someday competing in the Vendée Globe. Right now, the 20-year-old is racing in the Mini Transat and testing his limits as he races across the Atlantic
Advice, Inspiration, & Tours
Iceboat Racing—Explained
The folks at Waterlust produced this video in 2015 on Lake Baikal in Siberia, the largest lake in the world. It’s a drone-footage guide for how an iceboat racecourse is set up and how the iceboats start, race, and finish.
Advice, Inspiration, & Tours
Meet Olympic hopefuls
Meet US and Canadian Olympic hopefuls in this new video from Oakcliff Sailing. The Oakcliff Triple Crown Series is a three-stage circuit held in five Olympic classes – 470W, 470M, 49er, 49erFX, and Nacra 17. Up for grabs is a
Advice, Inspiration, & Tours, Regatta
Catching up with the Youth Match Racing World Champions
Learn how to prepare for success from the 2019 Youth Match Racing World Champions -- Tom Grimes, Jess Grimes, James Hodgson, and Harry Hall. Tom and his team traveled from Australia to Russia to race against the world's top young
Regatta, Rigging, Tuning, & Splicing
Blockhead Advice: Regatta Prep with McLube
Blockhead Advice: Before every regatta, Madeline Torrey always does one thing. She cleans, polishes, and protects her boat with a fresh coat of McLube HullKote.
Advice, Inspiration, & Tours
Step Up to the America’s Cup Test Bench at Harken
Mechanical Engineer Drew Kosmoski brings Harken Blockheads up to speed on what his job entails today: improving the America's Cup traveler system.
Advice, Inspiration, & Tours
America’s Cup STEM Principles
The America's Cup is a technology race. Find out why the grinders will be so important and learn about the STEM principles behind the AC75 race boat in this video from INEOS Team UK.
Advice, Inspiration, & Tours, Regatta
Opti Green Fleet Experience
What's it like to get started in the Opti? USODA Executive Director Genoa Fedyszyn shows Harken Blockheads what the green fleet lifestyle is about: learning, friends, and just plain fun.
Advice, Inspiration, & Tours
Meet Harken the Dog
Meet Harken. She's a dog. Harken knows what to do when she hits the mark. Watch her do a penalty turn. Her guardian, Graceanna Dixon from Lauderdale Yacht Club, has taught Harken some pretty cool tricks. What other sailing tactics
Advice, Inspiration, & Tours
Life Lessons from Sailing
Harken Blockheads celebrates kids who are into rigging, boat maintenance, tuning, and using tools -- for gains, both on the water and off. "Sailing teaches you stuff you’ll use forever. I used knots I learned on the water to tie
Advice, Inspiration, & Tours
Crossing the Atlantic on an IMOCA 60
Greta Thunberg is an inspiration! The Swedish 16-year old crossed the Atlantic with Team Malizia II onboard their solar-powered and wind-powered IMOCA 60 foiling monohull and reached New York in August, after 14 days at sea. Greta described the journey
Advice, Inspiration, & Tours, Regatta
Blockheads Do Opti Nationals
The Blockheads Team was boots-on-the-ground at the 2019 USODA National Championship dishing out rigging tricks & tips, getting to know what makes our Harken Blockheads members tick, and proudly displaying the ever-famous, fan-favorite 'FREE STUFF' sign. Hear from sailors like
Advice, Inspiration, & Tours, Maintenance & Repair
Take It From A Blockhead: Gustavo Alonso
We caught up with Gustavo Alonso, a Harken Blockheads member from Key Biscayne Yacht Club, during the 2019 USODA National Championship. Gus has good advice for Opti sailors. He knows from experience. Watch the video to hear the Gus Tip.
Advice, Inspiration, & Tours, Regatta
First Blockhead to the Island
Step onboard with Aiden Martin, the first Harken Blockhead Member to the Island. At age 14, Aiden is the first place champion in Section 1 (!!!) of the 2019 Chicago Yacht Club Race to Mackinac®. Aiden's team finished in 1
Advice, Inspiration, & Tours
Blockheads like the O’Pen Skiff because…
...well, just because IT’S FUN! Formerly known as the O’Pen Bic, this boat is long on great times…and short on the time it takes to rig. It’s so easy, we challenged sailors at the Pewaukee Lake Sailing School near
Advice, Inspiration, & Tours, Regatta
Pre-Regatta Postcard from Poland!
Gdynia welcomes the world’s best youth sailors for the 2019 Hempel Youth Sailing World Championships For more info, check out the Events page
Advice, Inspiration, & Tours
A Blockhead Tours Harken
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Advice, Inspiration, & Tours
Part Science. Part Art. Producing Custom Parts at Harken
Small Boat sailors think of Harken for parts like ratchet blocks and travelers and cam cleats. But we also build parts for boats that will be well over 100 feet long. Those parts can be as beautiful as they are
Rigging, Tuning, & Splicing
The Rigger’s Craft—Into the Eye…of an Eye Splice
An eye splice works just like an Asian finger trap, capturing the tail inside the cover. To be sure it works right, how long should you make the tail?
Rigging, Tuning, & Splicing
The Rigger’s Craft—Precision Cutting
Pro tips for cutting line properly, use them to prevent unwanted core and cover unraveling.
Rigging, Tuning, & Splicing
The Ins and Outs of Ratchet Blocks
Explore the ins and outs of ratchet blocks and how they work with Chuck Lob, Harken Senior Engineer. This is a follow up to our previous video: Ratchet Blocks Give Your Hands a Break.
Rigging, Tuning, & Splicing
Inside the Rigger’s Tool Kit
Peak inside the tool kit of professional rigger Kristian Martincic, to learn about the essential tools of the trade.
Advice, Inspiration, & Tours, Regatta
Blockheads Do Sarasota Youth SailFest
The Blockheads team visited Sarasota Youth Sailing's 32nd Annual SailFest regatta to spread the good word of rigging and repair self-reliance.
Advice, Inspiration, & Tours, Regatta
Olympic Insights for Blockheads
Hear about the journey of Polish 470 sailors and Blockheads Ambassadors Agnieszka Skrzypulec and Jolanta Ogar as they re-team in their attempt for gold at Tokyo 2020. Watch part two and three of our interview below. Part 2: https://youtu.be/hqkR3l4EsiQ Part
Rigging, Tuning, & Splicing
Rope Stretch: Constructional vs. Dynamic
When should a line stretch, and when should it not? Join Kristian Martincic of Chicago Yacht Rigging to find out.
Rigging, Tuning, & Splicing
What Does a Rigger Do?
Learn about the job of a professional rigger, and how they turn rope into line using specialized tools and techniques. Featuring Kristian Martincic of Chicago Yacht Rigging.
Rigging, Tuning, & Splicing
Rope Materials & Construction Methods
Not all rope is created equal. Learn about the different material types and methods used to construct the lines on your boat. Featuring Kristian Martincic of Chicago Yacht Rigging.
Advice, Inspiration, & Tours, Regatta
¡Hola desde Chile!
¡Gracias a nuestro increíble socio Windmade, Harken Blockheads se lanzó oficialmente en Chile en el Campeonato Nacional de Escuelas de Vela este fin de semana pasado! Los jóvenes navegantes chilenos pueden unirse a Blockheads hoy mismo a través de una
Advice, Inspiration, & Tours, Regatta
Hello From Chile!
Thanks to our awesome partner Windmade, Harken Blockheads officially launched in Chile at the National Sailing School Championships this past weekend! Chilean youth sailors can join Blockheads today through a new Spanish language version of the Blockheads website by clicking
Advice, Inspiration, & Tours, Regatta
26th Harken Intl. Youth Match Racing Championship
The 26th Harken International Youth Match Racing Championship is in the books! Four days of intense competition culminated with defending champions Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron besting the local team from the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia. "The Harken" as
Advice, Inspiration, & Tours, Regatta
O Canada!
Tucked away along the mountainous coast of British Columbia is the West Vancouver Yacht Club, host of the Pumpkin Bowl Regatta presented by Harken and Pro-Tech. A must-attend on the annual BC sailing circuit, the Pumpkin Bowl prioritizes a fun
Advice, Inspiration, & Tours, Regatta
Fly-By at Put-in-Bay
The Blockheads team visited Put-in-Bay, Ohio for the 63rd Junior Bay Week to see just what this famous regatta is all about.
Advice, Inspiration, & Tours, Regatta
Blockheads Do The Dinghy Race
The Dinghy Race is unlike any other youth sailing event. Throwing out the typical windward leeward playbook, the event aims to be an offshore adventure that presents juniors with new challenges and experiences. Setting out from Niantic Bay Yacht Club
Advice, Inspiration, & Tours, Regatta
Build It and They Will Come
Most sailors dream of building their own boat. What would it look like? How would it sail? What crazy appendages could I add? Very few ever realize this dream. One group of engineering students, however, has built two C-Class catamarans
Advice, Inspiration, & Tours
Peter Burling on His Youth Years
The Blockheads team caught up with Olympic gold medalist, America’s Cup champion, and two-time World Sailor of the Year, Peter Burling, while in Newport for the Volvo Ocean Race stopover. In this chat, Pete reflects on his early years and experiences that
Advice, Inspiration, & Tours, Regatta
Blockheads Do Newport!
The sailing capital of the U.S. knows how to put on a show, and this week was no exception. Two lucky winners of the Harken Blockheads Volvo Ocean Race Newport VIP Experience Sweepstakes and their guests joined the Harken team for
Maintenance & Repair, Rigging, Tuning, & Splicing
On The Water Fixes for the Club 420
You’ve properly inspected, rigged, and tuned your 420. Despite this, Murphy’s Law will eventually strike, and something will break. In this video, learn what can be fixed while out sailing, and what you will need to make it happen!
Maintenance & Repair, Rigging, Tuning, & Splicing
Spare Parts Essentials
Carrying the right spare parts is essential for making quick fixes when you’re on the water. Learn what to bring along in your life jacket or dry bag that can help avoid day-ending breakages, featuring Taylor Martin, director of Pewaukee
Rigging, Tuning, & Splicing
Tuning Tips for the Melges 14
Learn how to apply the Harken Blockheads tuning decal on the Melges 14 to create repeatable settings next time you hit the water. Featuring John Pearce, US Sailing Youth Director.
Advice, Inspiration, & Tours, Regatta
Youth Sailors Take Flight in Sydney
A group of eight Australian youth sailors spent two days learning the ins and outs of foiling from some of the best in the world at the recent Foiling Week / Harken Kidz Trials. The event kicked off with Andrew McDougall,
Rigging, Tuning, & Splicing
Tuning Tips for the Laser
Follow along as John Pearce, US Sailing Youth Director, applies the Harken Blockheads tuning decal on a Laser to create fast, repeatable settings.
Rigging, Tuning, & Splicing
Why & Where to McLube Your Laser
Laser sailors know that active control line adjustment is crucial to fast sailing. As a result, it’s important to identify and address potential friction points in the control systems that can lead to reduced efficiency and performance. In this video,
Rigging, Tuning, & Splicing
Tuning Tips for the Club 420
Follow along as John Pearce, US Sailing Youth Director, applies the Harken Blockheads tuning decal on a Club 420 to create fast, repeatable settings. You can use the photos below to supplement the video: I. Jib Trim: A. Tie a line
Rigging, Tuning, & Splicing
Opti Tuning Tips
This is the first episode in a new video series that teaches you how to use a Harken Blockheads Tuning Decal to create repeatable settings for your dinghy. In this episode, John Pearce, US Sailing Youth Director, applies the tuning
Advice, Inspiration, & Tours, Regatta
25th Harken Intl. Youth Match Racing Championship
In a first for a Japanese representative team, rising match racing talent Leonard Takahashi and his crew claimed the 25th anniversary 2017 Harken International Youth Match Racing Championship convincingly and in unique style on finals day, Sunday November 26, 2017. North-easterly
Advice, Inspiration, & Tours
Blockheads Gear is Here!
We're pleased to introduce this collection of unique gear and accessories that will keep you looking good on the water. Place your order by December 15th for guaranteed delivery before the holidays. Blockheads gear on harken.com is for sale within the
Advice, Inspiration, & Tours, Regatta
Hobie Days at the 32nd Piñata Regatta
Each October, as Harken HQ prepares for winter, Hobie sailors from Tucson Fleet 514 hitch-up their trailers for the annual Piñata Regatta. Hosted in the small Mexican beach town of Puerto Peñasco, crews are welcomed by friendly people and the
Rigging, Tuning, & Splicing
How to Rig an Adjustable Laser Hiking Strap
Learn how to ease and tension your hiking strap to adapt to changing conditions quickly. Move just one knot and you can go from loose and a full hike, to tight and in-touch with the boat.
Advice, Inspiration, & Tours, Regatta
Teamwork Makes the Dream Work
Follow the journey of Annie Samis and Peter Barnard, two awesome Blockheads. They went from true-blue Opti sailors, to learning how to wrangle a double-handed boat, to racing in Bermuda during the America's Cup!
Rigging, Tuning, & Splicing
Securing Bungee with a Hog Ring
Bungee line is popular on dinghies for uses such as keeping hiking straps taught and tidying up lines. Installing bungee can be tough however, with knots often tightening too much or slipping out over time. Thankfully there is a great
Rigging, Tuning, & Splicing
Making a 12-Strand Eye Splice
Splicing can often seem like a daunting skill to learn. When done well, it more closely resembles art than a functional rigging application. Everyone, however, needs to start somewhere, and the 12-strand eye splice is an easy first project to
Rigging, Tuning, & Splicing
Opti Boom Vang Upgrade
Check out this video for a few quick tips on upgrading your Opti boom vang.
Advice, Inspiration, & Tours, Regatta
Blockheads Go The Distance
This summer, five local Chicago yacht clubs teamed up for the first ever Chicago Junior Race Week. The event brought together teams from across the country for three days of close racing. Unique to the regatta was a distance race
Maintenance & Repair, Rigging, Tuning, & Splicing
Rigging a Quick-Release Opti Mainsheet
In search of awesome rigging upgrades for their Optis, Blockheads Jack Goggins and Chapman Petersen joined with professional rigger Olli Lubker for a trip to Harken World Headquarters one cold day in snowy Pewaukee, Wisconsin. First on the list was
Advice, Inspiration, & Tours
Words of Wisdom from an Olympic Icon
Few sailors have enjoyed such a long and successful career as Robert Scheidt. Claiming 12 world championships and five Olympic medals, he is one of the most successful small-boat sailors ever. In twenty five years however, Scheidt has only changed
Rigging, Tuning, & Splicing
Ratchet Blocks Give Your Hands a Break
Peter Harken first designed the now iconic six-sided Hexaratchet® block in 1971. With a 17:1 holding power ratio, this meant that the trimmer had only to exert one (1) pound of force to hold 17 pounds of load. This leverage
Rigging, Tuning, & Splicing
The Small & Mighty 150 Cam-Matic
Harken Blockheads is a community of young sailors passionate about rigging, tuning, and boat maintenance. In the Blockheads community, they not only gain skills but also confidence and independence. Who knows, one day they might be competing in the America's
Advice, Inspiration, & Tours
The Tiny Rocket Ship
The Mini 6.50 is small, fast, and one of the most cutting-edge classes in the world. Measuring just 21 feet in length and sailed by one (crazy) person, the Mini is a popular and cost-effective way to jump into the world of
Rigging, Tuning, & Splicing
Old School Rigging Aboard the Pride of Baltimore II
Pride of Baltimore II is a replica Baltimore Clipper topsail schooner that operates as a living example of what shipbuilding and crewing was like for sailors over two hundred years ago. The crew learn and employ a combination of old world
Rigging, Tuning, & Splicing
Laser Rigging Tips
In this video, Brian Swingly, Head Coach at the US Coast Guard Academy, John Pearce, former Head Coach at George Washington University and now Youth Director at US Sailing, and Krysta Rohde, the 2007 ICSA Singlehanded National Champion, offer a
Advice, Inspiration, & Tours
Ice Boating: Sailing on Hardwater
At Harken HQ in Wisconsin, if the water is hard, we still go sailing! This video features Steve Orlebeke, Harken Director of Engineering, racing the Honeybucket XIV on Lake Kegonsa. Honeybucket is an "E Skeeter" class ice boat, considered the
Rigging, Tuning, & Splicing
Parts of a Block
Blocks have changed a lot over the years, and so have the terms used to describe their parts. Use this infographic to help remember the different parts of a block!
Advice, Inspiration, & Tours, Regatta
Blockheads at the Orange Bowl Regatta
Offering a little bit of everything, the 2016 Orange Bowl Regatta at Miami's Coral Reef Yacht Club was a great success for sailors on and off the water! The conditions covered the spectrum, beginning with two days of steady breeze
Maintenance & Repair, Rigging, Tuning, & Splicing
McLube Hullkote: How to Apply
Regular cleaning and polishing of your boat’s hull can be one of the habits that gives you that extra speed through the water. McLube Hullkote is the go-to speed polish for all sailors wanting a clean and fast race-ready bottom
Advice, Inspiration, & Tours
Storming Through The Southern Ocean
Ocean racer Alex Thomson rockets through the remote Southern Ocean. This was the first time that boats racing in the Vendee Globe were filmed this deep into the South Pacific, one of the most remote locations on Earth! The Vendee
Advice, Inspiration, & Tours
Opti Launches Off Wave
An Opti achieves maximum velocity surfing down a big wave. Video by the Club Maritimo de Canido in Vigo, Spain.
Advice, Inspiration, & Tours
Old Dog, New Trick
With some foil modifications, this Laser hits over 19 knots of boat speed! Nowadays, people are converting all types of boats into fast foilers. Some sailors are using kits like this, while others are crafting DIY foils at home! Tag photos and videos
Advice, Inspiration, & Tours
It’s a Trap!
In this great article for Sailing World, US Olympian and 470 crew Dave Hughes dives into the fine details of building well-balanced trapezing technique. > Each spring, my attention to trapezing is recaptured with two events: the J.J. Giltinan Regatta in
Maintenance & Repair, Rigging, Tuning, & Splicing
Check Your Lines
We use lines to control almost everything on a sailboat. These lines are often under a lot of stress and if not kept in good shape, can break when you least expect it. A bad line can ruin a day
