Kit Guide

More boat bimbling...and 29mm Harken Ti-Lite block Ebay Offer!!

Like Steve, I and quite possibly the vast majority of Solent based sailors, spent the afternoon of Sunday 10th April tinkering with our boats as opposed to the far more preferable activity of sailing them. For me, my main achievement on this windless afternoon was identifying the source of a subtle creaking from my mainsheet system the previous day, not too dissimilar to the floorboards in the average haunted house (admittedly minus the considerable fright factor!). Sadly, after many years of great service the Harken 40mm Ti-Lites in my mainsheet system had finally worn out and I have had to bite the bullet and purchase new ones. Sadly, I can't find the 40mm blocks on special offer anywhere. However, for all the other bargain hunters out there I thought I would mention that the Harken 29mm Ti-Lite blocks are currently on offer on the Rooster ebay site at £10 each (normally £15.74)!! I should mention that this offer does not include the fastening string, but from past experience I have found that the standard string supplied with ti-lites wears out extremely quickly, usually within 3/4 months. As a 'top tip' I would strongly recommend using part of the money saved on the offer to purchase some 2mm Excel Racing to secure the blocks which will last longer than the standard string provided. Excel Racing provides the extra strength of a dyneema core should the outer wear through. This is available at £0.78/metre which bumps the overall price up a bit but still works out at a almost £5 cheaper than the standard package and with the added security of the upgraded rope you significantly reduce the likelihood of a potential race ending breakage... ...hope that helps! Cheers