Welcome to the March issue of At The Front, a monthly digest of top news and stories from the world of Harken.

Contents:

• Opening Thoughts by Neil Evans, Manager Harken Tech Team
• Harken Launches Element Block Line
• Lift Off at the Foiling Week / Harken Kidz Trials Miami
• Harken Tech Team Asked & Answered: Underdeck Furling
• DrSails Appoints Harken as U.S. Distributor
• Self-Tacking Jib Systems

Winter in Pewaukee...Gets Put to Good Use

If you follow Harken on various web and social media platforms, you’ll see pictures of our staff members ignoring cold temperatures and using clear flat ice to its best advantage. We have world-class ice sailors walking the halls that hold responsible staff positions. We have several good ice skaters too, and they’ll strap on the blades and hit the pond out front over lunch. I’ve even heard some have plans to put their kite-boarding skills to work on snowboards…but I haven’t seen any obvious broken bones, so I don’t know if those plans have been carried out. Winter can be a lot of fun.

We put February and early March to good use here, even if there’s too much snow to iceboat or skate. Each year, during the last week of February we schedule Harken University. What’s that you ask? Offered for over 25 years, Harken University is the best opportunity for the sales, service, and repair people from our Harken dealers to get training and updating on Harken products.

The sessions include subjects like: Technical Features and Correct Applications of Harken Winches; Mainsail Handling Systems—Technical; Travelers …Technical Features and Selling Points; and Design and Technical Updates—Harken Hydraulics. The sessions are professional grade. They start out technical and get more technical. There are a lot of questions…some of which require overnight research to answer. There’s ample sharing of insight between people from different companies. There is a lot of pragmatic information on display born from years of experience. There is a final exam and a commencement ceremony as participants become certified Harken University graduates. And oh, since this is Harken, there are three good dinners and lately, at least one micro-brewery tour.

As much as it drags on up here, the depths of winter do get put to good use. Skills improve. New product information gets out there. And it’s been our experience that the sailing season starts off a little more effectively when our graduates return home. Harken University: We look forward to you every year!

And we hope you enjoy this month’s edition of At The Front.

-Neil Evans, Manager Harken Tech Team

Harken Launches Element Block Line

Harken design, engineering, and build quality—priced for sailors.

Lift Off at Foiling Week / Harken Kidz Trials Miami

Harken invited eight youth sailors from every corner of the U.S. to Miami for two days of immersion in the heart of the foiling movement at the Foiling Week / Harken Kidz Trials. Working with coaches Reed Baldridge and Jorge Madden, they learned the ins and outs of the Waszp and its control systems, as well as fundamental foiling techniques. Through no shortage of capsizes and nose-dives, each sailor repeatedly worked to refine their new set of foiling skills. Eventually, everyone was taking to the sky!

Harken Tech Team Asked & Answered: Underdeck Furling

Harken Tech Team’s Oakley Jones gives tips on effectively managing your underdeck furler.

DrSails Appoints Harken as U.S. Distributor

The DrSails line of revolutionary adhesive repair products is now available in the U.S. at your favorite Harken dealer.

Self-Tacking Jib Systems

Self-tacking jib systems are popular on many new builds, but are also a great way to retrofit an older boat. Learn how with the Harken Tech Team.