Welcome to the Why We Did What We Did issue of At The Front, a quarterly digest of top news and stories from the world of Harken®.
As companies go, Harken is a pretty open book. Make no mistake, we have intellectual property we don’t share. We’re certainly competitive. But we’re also collaborative—we share by nature. What other company has a product assortment named after what’s in the founder’s desk drawer? Fact is, occasionally there’s a well-known history behind a product origin. But most times there isn’t. So in this issue, we went looking for some back stories.
IN THIS ISSUE:
- WHAT TRIGGERED THE LITTLE WHITE BALLS THAT LAUNCHED A COMPANY?
- ROBOTS? WHERE DO WE USE ROBOTS?
- WHY DOES THE AIR® WINCH LOOK LIKE NO WINCH EVER?
- WHY DOES ZIRCON FEEL LIKE...ZIRCON?
- HOW DOES HARKEN FRANCE INSPECT EQUIPMENT?
- THE FIRST CONCRETE POUR AT THE HARKEN ITALY FACTORY WAS FOR SOMETHING CALLED A 'TEST TRENCH'. HUH?
- WHY ARE THERE 66 BALL BEARINGS IN A SINGLE CAM CLEAT?
- WHY DOES HARKEN USE INJECTION MOLDING?
- HOW CAN A CRUISING WINCH WORK SO WELL FOR RACING?
The new product is delivered. It’s installed...
and the first reports come back: it works as intended…much better than the previous generation. It’s so tempting to say all went according to plan. But remember, before there was a plan, there was nothing. Nothing but a request, a first idea, and why we did what we did.
By Michele Cazzaro - Director of Engineering, Harken Italy
In my engineering role at Harken, I supervise a group of excellent engineers and manufacturing engineers. At Harken Italy, we design and build many of Harken’s most expensive and most sophisticated products, including our largest capacity captive reel winches, our most high-performance deck winch products, and an expanding array of flush-mounted retractable mooring products. Regularly, we devote our time to extending the application of our key products, making them lighter or changing them to fit the specific needs of a design specification. We expand our available size ranges so we can offer improved performance to the crews of smaller and larger boats. We work with our HarkenLab colleagues, creating tests to validate the new designs thoroughly, as this is both good business and also in our DNA as Harken.
Then regularly, maybe every couple of months or so, a customer, a project manager, or a member of the customer’s team will request a proposal that will require us to do something never done before. Where perhaps we must challenge two aspects of the industry’s conventional product forms at the same time. For instance, how can we make a winch significantly lighter while increasing drum circumference by say, 25% or more? Or, how could manual grinders on an AC boat continue to always turn the handles at the same speed in the same direction, as the application of their power output is moved from winch to winch or to multiple hydraulic systems or the pressure accumulator? This type of challenge is what we enjoy most. The outcome is uncertain, and we need a big idea. Projects halt. Lots of times, project priorities change. But these are the biggest challenges, and this is the type of inside story we’re trying to bring out in this issue. Why did we do what we did next?
I hope you enjoy this ‘Why We Did What We Did’ issue. Please understand, the stories are not all epic. And frankly, they’re not close to as important as the results achieved with our products. But we hope you think the stories are worth the time. Harken is a unique company, and we’re lucky to work here. Our products speak for themselves. But they don’t tell the whole story of how we systematically develop and test the concepts... or just noticed a bounce that started it all.
Why did Peter Harken put plastic balls into sailboat blocks?
Let's start where it all began...with the bounce of a plastic ball. There is no better way to answer the question 'why did we do...what we did?' than to hear from Mr. Harken himself.
Why are there robots at HARKEN ITALY?
Harken Italy's factory is filled with cutting-edge technology, including robots. This robot, in particular, is responsible for the setup and production of winch drums. Harken Italy's Operations Manager, Massimiliano Marelli, gives us the inside scoop.
why does the air® winch look like no winch ever?
Harken Italy's engineers approached their winch designs from a completely new angle and perspective. Why did they do that, and what was the result?
Michele Cazzaro, Director of Engineering at Harken Italy, shares the story behind the Harken Air® winch.
why does zircon feel like zircon?
When we introduced the Zircon block as the most efficient small boat block we've ever made, it came in two sizes: 57mm and 40mm. They were so effective that sailors asked us to make them for more than just trimming. That's when the 29mm range was introduced for control lines, along with expanded options for 57mm and 40mm.
So, what makes Zircon so effective at overcoming inertia? Harken engineer and Zircon mastermind Matt Schmidt dives deep into the Zircon line.
Why does Harken France inspect every detail after the finish line?
Some Harken gear cruises on weekends. Some of it sails every day. And some is pushed to the limit nonstop around the world. No matter how it’s used, regular inspection is essential, and no one understands that better than Harken France.
They diligently inspect gear brought in by teams after large races, such as the Vendée Globe or the Arkea Ultim Challenge - they're looking at all the small details. Hear from Laurent on the Harken France team:
Q: After races like the Vendée Globe or Arkea Ultim Challenge, how does Harken France approach the inspection of the gear used?
A: Welcoming teams allows us to maintain a general view of the evolution of our equipment over time, which is very enriching, both for Harken and for our customers. We welcome teams with their equipment to check the dimensional and kinematic characteristics of the systems (winches/pedestals/bevels), which allows us to see the wear and tear on our equipment, and also what has held up nicely. Without a post-race inspection like this, we wouldn't be able to see all of these details.
Q: When examining equipment like this that has endured extreme conditions, what do you focus on?
A: We're mainly looking for signs of abnormal wear, such as deformation, cracks, etc. But also, to determine the overall wear level of the systems. The first thing we look for is deformation of the parts, possibly due to temporary or general overloading of the system, which will result in plastic deformation. We can see this here in La Rochelle.
Q: Beyond visual checks, what specialized methods help reveal hidden weaknesses in high-performance gear?
A: Most of our high-performance customers also utilize Fluorescent Penetrant Inspection (FPI). While we don’t carry out FPI at Harken France, we do recommend it by independent experts, like the Harken Italy Tech Team, who also conducts FPI.
It is a process where fluorescent dye is applied to the surface to detect any defects. FPI makes it possible to take an instant photo and see where the material stands. It can detect the beginnings of cracks before they become critical and potentially break the part. The idea is to anticipate as early as possible the life cycle of parts to avoid breakage during a race. Given the evolution of speeds, peak loads are becoming increasingly brutal and repetitive, so fatigue is a new factor to contend with.
Here in La Rochelle, we conduct visual, even microscopic, inspections of parts, enabling us to detect deformations and cracks that are slightly more advanced than FPI, thanks to our team's expertise and good eyesight. Like the image below:
Q: What insights does this inspection process provide — both for Harken engineers and for the teams who rely on the gear?
A: For Harken, this means we can verify that our products are reliable in the long term and well-suited for real-life team use, backed by objective data. In our analysis reports, we can see the small cracks, which in this case had no negative consequences on the boat's performance up to the finish. We expect a few defects, which is normal after races like the Vendée Globe. It tells us where the part is fatigued before it fails. The result of inspecting this closely is positive and technical. It shows us we're on the right track, and to replace the part as quickly as possible after detecting imperfections, before equipment breaks.
Having the chance to check out a sizeable panel of systems enables us to anticipate the future, keep our gear reliable for sailors, and stay At The Front.
Always collaborating, always learning, always pushing.
The first concrete poured at the Harken Italy factory was for something called a 'test trench'. Huh?
Sometime back in about 2006, drawings were being done for a new Harken Factory in Limido Comasco, Italy. The factory was to be modern and forward-looking and much larger than our previous versions. As the design phase moved into construction planning, the first phase of excavation and concrete pouring began. Among the first pourings was a basement trench to be used for product testing.
Our capabilities have expanded. Our production plan has evolved. But we still use the first concrete for exactly the reason it was first intended.
Why’d we do that?
Why are there 66 ball bearings in a single cam cleat?
The Cam-Matic...you can find them on almost every boat, from small dinghies to foiling offshore racers and megayachts (actually, we've seen them in plenty of non-sailing applications, too!). A seemingly small piece of gear with very specific design qualities.
In this oldie but goodie video, the ageless Chuck Lob offers hard-earned wisdom about one of our most venerated designs.
Explore the features, add-ons, and different sizes of Cam-Matics available here!
why does harken injection mold?
Kevin Blok (yes, Kevin's real last name is "Blok" and we think that's very fitting) takes us through one of our most important processes. There are eight different kinds of beads in our injection molding system....why?!
How can a cruising winch work so well for racing?
Recently, Harken introduced new DynaDrive™ winches — our first line designed to be power-driven, from the very first sketches.
DynaDrive’s epicyclic design locates a two-speed gearbox on the upper part of the winch. This space-efficient design requires less area within the drum for gearing. This creates vertical space within the drum for the motors, which live almost completely within the drums. This saves headroom below deck, which is very attractive to designers of large boats with cruising as the primary mission.
PETER'S DESK DRAWER
Sailors are creative people. We get TONS of suggestions for products we should design or adapt and sell. “That block is great. But if you could just replace the center rivet with a clevis pin, I could rig up faster.” We listen. And over the years, we’ve built a bunch. We’ve started putting them in a collection we call “Peter’s Desk Drawer.”
They’re not custom, so they’re not more expensive. Sometimes they’re not a big deal…and sometimes they’re exactly what you need. Have a unique rigging challenge? Look in the drawer.
This month’s featured product
The 491SP is a special version of the 491 offshore Cam-Matic, featuring two extra springs and a backing plate, both of which increase the reliability of the fitting. Our more common stainless 491 has proven to be very reliable; this product provides additional margin for voyages where maintenance will be difficult to perform regularly.