Here - Allen Brothers

PERFORMANCE
SAILING
IN THIS ISSUE
Allen Magazine 03.2016 HOME AND DRY
- GIVING YOU
A COMPETITIVE
EDGE
PG 2
WHATS NEW
FOR 2016
FROM OUR
DESIGN TEAM
PG 3
GETTING UP
CLOSE AND
PERSONAL WITH
TEAM ALLEN
PG 4 & 5
STEVE’S
TECHNICAL
TIPS
PG 6 & 7
INTRODUCTION
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Prepare for Performance with Allen Hardware
Here at Allen Brothers we never stop thinking about how
to improve on performance, whether it be improving the balance
of our burgees, developing new blocks for extreme high load
applications, creating our own dry lubricant spray or developing
a web-based coaching platform.
We’ve put this brochure together to showcase some of our newest
innovations, and highlight some of the designs in our range which
Liz Adams, Managing Director
@allen_bros
Light, responsive and balanced
to give accurate wind direction,
the Allen Aerovane is available
in two styles. A..71 vertical
masthead mounting for use with
our A4066 flag clip, the A..71M
Lower Mast Mount allows for
horizontal mounting.
DRY LUBRICANT
Salt, sun, sand and mud all have
a degrading effect on the performance
of your hardware, keeping it in good
condition enables everything to run
smoothly and protects it from these
degrading elements. Rinse your fittings
well with fresh water at the end of the
season and use - Allen dry lubricant
spray on all mechanical areas.
@
A BLOCK OF EXTREMES
Allen burgees offer premium
quality with value for money.
For 2016 the balance has been
enhanced, Making it the most
evenly balanced on the market.
This improves wind indication
in light airs and looks good too.
40MM
TII BLOCK
• Repels water, dirt, salt & contaminants
APPLICATIONS
• Slider cars and tracks
• Spinnaker chute
• Sails, battens and telltales
• Engine lower units
• Propellers and bow thrusters
• Blocks and cleats
• Sail tracks, mast tracks and slides
• Hatches, drawers and sliding doors
2 Allen Magazine 03.2016 allenbrothers.co.uk
Bring Home The Silverware.
The ultimate solution for the competitive dinghy sailor is a combination of time
spent out on the water, tuning for speed with Allen performance hardware, then
optimising your race tactics using ProFiles analysis and coaching technology.
You can master new courses, test new tactics and learn from the experts. ProFiles
brings elite levels of coaching to weekend racers. Register now, free of charge,
at www.allensailracerprofiles.com
allenbrothers.co.uk
Flagship of the Allen range of blocks,
the A2030XHL is a new high load,
30mm block in CNC machined anodized
aluminium. Available in a variety of dazzling
colours and featuring a precision turned
stainless steel sheave, it was designed for
exceptional performance in classes such
as the International Moth where loads can
crush the bearing surfaces of traditional
blocks. This strength is delivered via a
new extreme high load bearing system.
Tested by Team Allen sailors, the
A2030XHL is the ultimate performance
block, designed for the most testing race
conditions experienced by today’s sailors
at the leading edge of technology. Capable
of withstanding a static load in excess of
one tonne and a dynamic working load
of 300kg these blocks are pushing the
boundaries of small block performance.
IT’S A FIRST
The A2059 and A2159 ‘Quints’ are
Allen Brothers’ first quintuplet blocks.
The Quints were designed particularly
for application on the main sheet of high
performance catamarans and offers cat
sailors a purchase of up to ten to one.
Available in 60mm sheave size, suitable
for the Olympic Nacra 17 class, F18 or
similar, and 50mm for a variety of racing
classes, the Quint is a specialist block
which pushes the performance envelope
in this highly competitive type of racing.
QUALITY THROUGH & THROUGH
A2121 and A2122; A2131 and A2132
are the new Allen Through Deck Blocks,
available in both single and double
formats and in 20mm and 30mm sheave
diameters. The blocks are light in weight,
yet strong and durable and offer high
wear resistance, due to the combination
of Allenite metal replacement technology.
The bespoke Allenite material is inert,
carbon friendly and the block’s smooth,
low profile ergonomic design and soft
edges minimises any risk of snagging.
Fitting into the deck is made easier
thanks to full round ends and flush rivets,
so you only need to drill two holes and
join them together for a neat installation.
Allen Brothers’ R&D team recognised the
latest single versions could also be used
to take the rig tension on certain dinghies
by replacing the dynamic bearing sheave
with either stainless steel or aluminium
for applications, where wire halyards are
being used.
HIGHER LOADS, LIGHTER WEIGHT
The new expanded Allen A..87 range
features a wider variety of colours and
sizes of high load alloy thimbles. The use
of such high load, low friction thimbles,
where blocks may have been used in the
past, has simplified areas of rig tensioning
such as for the kicker or the down-haul.
In conjunction with Dyneema® lines, low
friction thimbles allow far higher loads and
enhanced performance with a reduced
weight penalty. The new Allen range
of thimbles feature CNC turned 6082
aluminium, anodised, PTFE coated rings
with safe working loads of between 3001000 Kilos.
editor@allenbrothers.co.uk
Use Our Hardware.
Learn From Our Software.
• Long lasting
• Proven to reduce friction
• Reduces drag in water and air
• Inhibits corrosion and mildew
• Allows ease of use even under load
• Bonds to any clean, dry surface
• Dries completely in seconds
by Darren Elwell,
Design Manager
ALLEN_SAILBOAT
have proven to give the best results.
High Performance
What’s new from the design team
R&D MAINSHEET TRIMMING
As a sport sailing has never been adverse
to trying out new ideas and sometimes
these ideas are carried over from one
class to another. At the 2015 Fireball
World Championships one of the talking
points was the way James Peters and
Fynn Sterritt chose to trim their mainsheet.
Having come from the 49er class it seemed
logical for Fynn to trim and James to steer,
which on its own wasn’t necessarily a
significant point but when you consider
how they dominated the last two races it
was! Trimming the mainsail from the boom
isn’t a new idea, however, what became
apparent was the need to be able to switch
between boom trimming and standard
helm trimming, during races. Weathermark
Sailboats’ Dave Hall, discussed the concept
with our design team and between them
they came up with a prototype that will be
on show at the RYA Suzuki Dinghy Sailing
show, Stand C22.
from top to bottom:
A..87 Thimbles,
A2030XHL Blocks,
A2121 & A2122
Through Deck Blocks,
A2059 & A2159 Quint
Block, Fireball
Mainsheet Jammer.
allensailracerprofiles.com
CG
I
allenbrothers.co.uk 03.2016 Allen Magazine 3
Follow our sailors: allenbrothers.co.uk
Team Allen share
secrets of success
Dylan Fletcher
Age: 27
shire
Home: Northampton
As we go to press, there is a place
going in the British Sailing Team for
the 2016 Olympics. The 49er team
has yet to be selected and the rivals
are both Team Allen racers. Olympic
silver medallist Stuart Bithell and John
Pink are pitted against Dylan Fletcher
and Alain Sign to represent their
country. We caught up with the rivals
and their fellow Team Allen members
to find out what makes a top sailor.
Alain Sig
n
Age: 30
Home: Lee
-on-the-S
olent
Which famous sailor most inspires you?
Glenn Ashby. He has done it all. Multiple
dinghy World Champion, Olympic
medalist, Americas Cup sailor and ETNZ
skipper. More important than all of this he
is one of the most genuine, humble and
helpful guys in the sport.
TOM GILLARD
What classes do you most like to compete
in? 505/fireball/solo/streaker/Musto Skiff
are the main ones Or whatever I can get
my hands on!
Do you have any lucky charms or rituals?
Probably listening to music - chilled for
light winds - heavy/fast tempo for windy.
Polishing boats puts you in a good
mental place.
Biggest Influence? My Dad (Alan Gillard)
for helping me and teaching me everything I know. Thanks Dad!
CHRIS TAYLOR
@
SAM BREARY
Who inspired you to start sailing? Parents.
Biggest influence in your career to date?
Jonathan Lewis – Feva Coach.
What has sailing taught you? That there are
many things you can’t control so just focus
on what you can control and the rest will
fall into place.
Most memorable sailing race you have
competed in and why? 420s at Pwllheli in
30 knots managing to get both foils out
the water upwind and my crew ending up
in the back of the boat.
Career highlight? Winning Feva Worlds in
2008/Winning J111 worlds in 2014.
Best Advice? In all aspects of life and
sport there will be things that knock you
back but use these to help you move
further forwards.
When you are competing how do you
maintain your focus? I like to have time
away to properly switch off and not think
about or do anything sailing related.
This means when at the boat and on
the water all my energy is on sailing.
Christian and I will often try to do other
things such as a driving range, or go on
a hike or bike ride etc. When afloat, I try
to focus on each process as it comes,
and not focus on anything outside of
that. A sailing race as one complete thing
is huge and extremely complex. Broken
down into each bit it’s very manageable.
DYLAN FLETCHER
When you are competing how do you
maintain your focus? Keep it simple, its
only boat racing. Theres normally only one
decision, tack or carry on. Well at least
that’s what I try to stick to.
Do you have a specific exercise regime to
help maintain your fitness levels? I mix it up
in the gym, changing my program to keep
it nice and fresh. Most of it is just body
weight exercises focusing on explosive
strength.
If you could chose any sailing event, which
one would you most like to aspire to do and
why? Americas Cup! It is something I have
wanted to do since I was 16. Fast, super
high tech and close racing, its the ultimate
team challenge.
Which famous sailor most inspires you?
When I was a kid I always looked up to
Chris Draper and Simon Hiscocks along
with the other Olympic sailing greats of
that time.
ALAIN SIGN
Who got you into sailing? My Dad
Any advice to future sailors? Go out there,
have fun, if you’re not having fun then
there isn’t much point carrying on.
But always have fun and do your best.
Do you have any lucky charms or rituals?
I always put my left sock on first.
4 Allen Magazine 03.2016 allenbrothers.co.uk
Stuart Bithell
Age: 29
Home: Portland
John Pink
Age: 32
Home: Por
tsm
STUART BITHELL
Most influential person in
your sailing career to date?
My father
What is your biggest accomplishment in
your sports? Olympic Silver medal 2012
470 Class. Selection for the 2015 Olympic
test event in the 49er class.
What would be your ultimate achievement?
To be one of a hand full of crews to have
medaled in different disciplines at
the Olympics. Long term - a career in
the Americas cup.
Do you have any recommended resources
to share? Slaying the dragon, by Michael
Johnson.
JOHN PINK
Biggest influence in your career to date?
My mum.
My best moment in sailing?
49er Worlds Garda.
Most expensive sailing accident?
Helicopter & Life boat coming to rescue
us in the Solent.
Do you have any lucky charms or rituals?
Nothing green on boat.
outh
r
Taylo
Chris 1
es
2
Age: Stoke Pog
Home:
CHRIS RASHLEY
What type of sailing dinghy did you learn to
sail in and how old were you when you
started? National 12 at age 9.
Is sailing for you a passion or a sport? It’s
more than a passion or a sport its my life!
When you are competing how do you
maintain your focus? I try not to think
about winning the race or regatta I just
take one step at a time by focusing on
my processes and routines. I know that I
achieve these then I stand a good chance
at winning both.
Do you have a specific exercise regime to
help maintain your fitness levels?
I’ve always been very active, sailing
regularly and running but over the last year
I have focused on getting strong and
trying to stay injury free.
If you could chose any sailing event, which
one would you most like to aspire to and
why? The America’s Cup, it’s the ultimate
trophy to win and currently raced in the
fastest sailing boats!
Tom Gi
l
Age: 2 lard
6
Home:
Yorksh
ire
ashley
Chris R
Age: 27 uthampton
o
Home: S
Christian Birrell
Age: 27
Home: Knutsford, Cheshire
CHRISTIAN BIRRELL
When you are competing how do you
maintain your focus? I was definitely
the overly competitive kid at school, and
not much has changed, so I don’t need to
work very hard on maintaining focus!
Do you have a specific exercise regime to
help maintain your fitness levels? Select the
best athlete in the fleet to crew for you!
If you could chose any sailing event, which
one would you most like to aspire to and
why? It would of course have to be
the America’s Cup, which is currently
propelling our sport to a completely new
level and is attracting some real talent
from both inside and outside of our
sport. At a more realistic level, any event
that attracts 100+ one-design boats will
always grab my attention – slow boat, big
fleet racing is still the best part of our
sport in my mind!
y
reare
Essex
Sam B 7
lden,
2
Age: Saffron Wa
Home:
If you could chose any sailing event, which
one would you most like to aspire to and
why? Good question! I think for me
there are a few. The obvious ones of the
Americas Cup and the Olympic Games
go without saying, but the event in the BVI
which you get selected for if you win the
Endeavour trophy would be cool for what
it means in terms of being the champion
of champions in Britain.
Which famous sailor most inspires you?
I take a lot of inspiration from other sports
players such as Wales captain Sam
Warbuton and Jonny Wilkinson from
rugby, Joe Calzaghe from the world of
boxing, but sailing wise, I would say Sir
Russell Coutts has had a phenomenal
career, winning Olympic gold and the
Americas Cup multiple times!
allenbrothers.co.uk 03.2016 Allen Magazine 5
Steve’s Technical Tips Winners can rely on Allen hardware
Tiller extensions
Choosing a tiller extension is a fairly
personal decision, not only for the class
of boat you are sailing but for your own
technique, whether hiking or trapezing
and whether sailing an asymmetric or
symmetric class.
The ever popular aluminium range
is perfect for many sailors and comes in
7 lengths and 5 colours for the majority
of the range, with this year’s inclusion of
orange and purple in the smallest size
(the A4898). For the ultimate in extensions
the carbon range in standard and
telescopic forms are light and responsive,
providing accurate feedback.
High Load Blocks
Some applications on your boat handle
significantly more load than others,
normally the two areas which are subject
to the most load are the kicking strap
and mast ram/strut. While the purchase
system reduces the load on the final
control line to a level we can easily pull
don’t forget that the first block in any
cascade system is most likely subjected
Mainsheet Control
Having a mainsheet jammer that is set up
correctly is crucial to the performance of
your boat, it’s important to make sure that
the cleat is at the correct height in relation
to where the helm will trim the mainsheet
from. With this in mind we produce both
a compact and a standard version,
however if these heights
aren’t quite perfect they
can always be fine tuned
by using a longer/shorter
shackle. If you want to
have a second control
on the mainsheet jammer
along such as the kicking
strap there is also our
dual arm version.
Our mainsheet
jammers incorporate a
locating groove for the
bearing mechanism to
eliminate any play and
ensure that they will
Improved base and
bearing mechanism
6 Allen Magazine 03.2016 allenbrothers.co.uk
to 16x or possibly 32x this load.
With this in mind it is always good
practice to use a block capable of
handling these loads, we produce a large
range of high load blocks which will suit
your application, don’t forget that if you are
able to use a larger sheaves throughout
your system it will reduce the friction
dramatically but nowhere more so than the
most highly loaded point of the system.
always perform consistently, there is also
the ability to adjust the amount the cleat
rotates so if this isn’t perfect for your
setup don’t forget that you can change it.
Traveller cars
There are applications best suited to
using traveller cars, most commonly for jib
sheeting systems or mainsheet travellers
but also more custom requirements such
as mast rams.
We have a range of high performance
cars and complementary traveller tracks
carefully designed for most applications,
the majority of which can be customised
to suit your applications.
The re-circulating ball bearings used
in the traveller cars are a low maintenance
solution, all that is required to keep them
running smoothly is to rinse with fresh
water to clear any build up of dirt from
the bearings.
Ratchet Blocks
Most of us use a ratchet block on our
mainsheet which allows us to avoid using
a cleat and allows us to react quicker.
We produce three sizes of ratchet block
which are perfectly suited to anything
from a jib sheet, spinnaker sheet or
mainsheet. Don’t forget that it’s important
to choose the size of your block to suit
the application, a spinnaker sheet on a
505 is possibly going to need two 60mm
ratchet blocks, where as on a Mirror
spinnaker a single 40mm ratchet block
will be more than
adequate.
Fast Pins - A5005-8
To save fiddling around with clevis pins
and rings both on shore and also on the
water we manufacture a range of fast
pins, these are retained by a pair of spring
loaded balls so won’t come lose when the
rig tension is released.
To give you the ultimate setup they can be
used in conjunction with one
of our de-raker plates (A4772DR-KIT)
which means that
while you are adjusting
your rig settings the shrouds
are always held captive. Also for classes
where this is permitted if the wind drops
it means you can always remove the lower
fast pin on each shroud, re set your rig
tension and you can then change to your
light wind settings on the move. With this
in mind it’s always worth tying the fast
pins to the chainplate with a thin piece
of line to avoid losing them on the water.
Pump Action Cleat - A2077
Those of you with a spinnaker hoisted
from a bag are probably familiar with a
pump action halyard set up, however
recently it has become more common in
boats with spinnaker chutes again as it allows the helm to hoist the spinnaker more
quickly and also only using one hand
avoiding steering between your knees!
Central to a pump system is the A2077
pump cleat which needs to be used in
conjunction with a purchase system on
elastic to take up the slack once you have
hoisted the spinnaker. You can see the
system in action from the QR code.
Join the revolution in trapeze sailing
Introducing a system that revolution
ises trapeze sailing as we know it.
The dangerous hook, which can cause damage or worse after a capsize is entirely eliminated.
The Allen Keyball Trapeze System is a streamlined design with an aluminium handle to guide the ball into a 3D moulded socket, leading the way to a safer future for trapezing.
Keyball
by Steve Hall.
Mast Deck Chocks - A.473
Also critical to performance on boats with
hog stepped masts is the ability to control
mast bend at deck level, with this in mind
we have produced the A.473 mast chock
set which includes chocks in 10mm, 5mm
and 1mm thicknesses so that you can
really fine tune your mast bend. If you need
extras to what is included in the set then
these are available separately.
These chocks have been designed so
that the edges trimmed to suit the width
of your mast gate
easily by running
a knife down
the ridges
on either
side.
allenbrothers.co.uk
allenbrothers.co.uk 03.2016 Allen Magazine 7
DynamicBearingBlocks
Designed to last
They may look similar to some of
our competitors but take a closer
look at the finer details of their
design, the quality of the materials
and construction to fully appreciate
the difference. From the patented
high strength 316 stainless steel
line friendly ultra strap, to the soft
contours of the sheave and cheeks
moulded from advanced engineering
polymers, patented dynamic bearing
technology featuring twin rows of 316
stainless steel ball bearings, all held
together with a meticulously designed
stainless steel jacket, our blocks are
the strongest and best available on
the market. The HL has a stainless
steel sheeve for higher loads whilst
the XHL block is for extreme high load
applications and the Tii gives flexibility
where required.
A2030XHL
A2030HL
A2030
‘It’s the stainless steel balls running on stainless
steel rails that give Allen’s blocks maximum
performance’
Luke Patience
A2030Tii
HOW TO attach a tie-on block to the boom.
Recommended maximum line
diameters for blocks:A2020TII - max 1.5mm dia line
A2030TII - max 2mm dia line
A2040TII - max 3mm dia line
A2050TII - max 4mm dia line
Use sufficient line and trim
any excess.
3
2
Thread line through top side hole
and through stainless steel hole
in the top.
4
Thread ends of the line through
the middle and out either side
of the block. (Boom not shown
in loop)
1
5
Thread ends of the line back
up through top side hole and
out through stainless steel hole
in the top of block.
8 Allen Magazine 03.2016 allenbrothers.co.uk
Now tie ends together with
a reef knot.
Loop around boom and back
down through stainless steel
hole in the top and out through
the other top side hole.