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• press releases
  • 2009 Press Kit
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  • 2008
    • All
    • By Category
      • Hardware
      • Sailing Gear
      • Harken Corporate
      • Harken Australia
      • Harken Polska
  • 2007 Archive
  • 2006 Archive
  • 2005 Archive
• speedteam sailors
  • Anderson & Hughes
  • Andrew Campbell
  • Andrew Murdoch
  • Anna Tunnicliffe
  • Barkow, Capozzi & Howe
  • Dan Slater
  • Echavarri & Paz
  • Hamish Pepper
  • Foerster & Burnham
  • Howard Hamlin
  • Horton & Nichol
  • James Spithill
  • Jonathan McKee
  • Maciej Grabowski
  • Murray & Palfrey
  • Paige Railey
  • Petitjean & Douroux
  • Phillipe Kahn
  • Seve Jarvin
  • Sibello Brothers
  • Silja Lehtinen,
  • Udi Gal
• interviews
  • Dean Brenner
    • Dean
      Brenner
      In this don't-miss interview, Dean Brenner discusses funding, support, selection trials and other plans for the development of the US Olympic team. Dean also discusses his initiatives for elite youth development. "We are taking a group of elite younger sailors and giving them access to Olympic-calibre coaching, giving them some funding, team gear and exposure to our Olympic athletes."
  • Seb Josse
    • Seb Josse
      Sailing aboard his Farr-designed Open 60 BT, a podium finish in this year’s Vendée Globe is the goal of this Vendée competitor.
  • Sam Davies
    • Sam Davies
      Sam is fulfilling a life-long dream as skipper of the Open 60 Roxie in the Vendée Globe
  • Rieupeyrout/Martins
    • Rieupeyrout/Martins
      Harken France Managing Director Patrick Rieupeyrout and Technical Service Manager Jean Martins discuss their role in the Vendée Globe
  • Dynamic Stability System
    • 
      
      
      
      
      
      
      Dynamic Stability System
      The brainchild of Hugh Welbourn and Gordon Kay, this revolutionary concept increases the stability and speed of a yacht without the risks of a canting keel. The DDS uses a retractable foil to generate stability and progressive dynamic lift on the boat's leeward side.
  • Grant Simmer
    • Grant Simmer
      Managing Director and Design coordinator of the America’s Yacht Alinghi expresses his views on improved winch efficiency, the rules on stored energy, and the development of a new AC class.
• racing
  • Mini-Maxis
    • 
    • Mini-Maxi Fever
      Mini Maxis are boats between 65 and 75 feet (20 m to 23 m) and, like the other Maxis, they are intensely future-focused yachts sailed by athletes who continuously chase higher efficiency and test out the newest high-performance technology.
  • America’s Cup
    • Conversation with Peter and Olaf
      Mini Maxis are boats between 65 and 75 feet (20 m to 23 m) and, like the other Maxis, they are intensely future-focused yachts sailed by athletes who continuously chase higher efficiency and test out the newest high-performance technology.
  • AC Trickledown
    • AC Trickledown
      All Harken customers benefit from our America's Cup research and development. The AC is a great opportunity to experiment with new products, materials, and manufacturing techniques, but the taxing conditions test the reliability of our hardware too. AC yachts sail more in a single week than maxi racers sail in a season.
  • Block Development
    • Necessity is
      the Mother
      of Invention
      Like many good ideas, Peter Harken’s decision to use plastic instead of steel ball bearings in his boat hardware was born of necessity. Follow the ups, the downs and the friends who helped him change the face of sailing.
  • Paralympics
    • There’s a Ramp to the Podium
      Your average Club racer, John Ruf turned a life-altering event into an opportunity to excel in a sport he loves. Read his story that begins with E-Scows on Pewaukee Lake, WI to representing the U.S. at the 2008 Paralympic Games in Qingdao, China.
  • Optimists
    • Optimist
      Why do over 400,000 junior sailors sail the Optimist? Learn why this 8 ft, flat-bottomed kid’s boat has become the first trainer for many of the world’s best. And why this unassuming dinghy has brought more new sailors into the sport than any other.
  • Morning Light
    • Disney
      Morning Light
      Roy Disney talks about his upcoming documentary Morning Light, an unscripted, full-length film that follows the selection and training of 15 young sailors for the 2007 Transpacific Yacht. Read Roy’s thoughts on the crew, the boat, and the race.
  • Chasing Records
    • Chasing Records—
      Matteo Miceli
      Join Matteo Miceli on his solo record-setting passage from Gran Canaria to Guadaloupe in his 6 m (20 ft) beach cat Biondina Nera. Learn how he prepared his boat, body and mind for this incredible accomplishment.
• custom yachts
  • Salperton
    • Salperton
      Barry Houghton wanted his sleek cruising sloop Salperton to have the luxury of a contemporary home along with the performance of an elegant race boat. Houghton has succeeded in his goals with his latest megayacht.
  • Turkish Gulets
    • Ibrahim & the Turkish Gulets
      Turkish Distributor Ibrahim Karatas follows his dream of designing and building boats: long-range cruisers and fast motoryachts. Today, his focus is on gulet-type boats with an eye to improving the performance of these lavish Turkish motorsailers.
• cruising
  • Pelagic
    • Pelagic Expeditions
      Join Skip Novak and Pelagic Expeditions for a voyage to the remote British Antarctic island of South Georgia. This “sailing to climb” adventure replicates the Shackleton Traverse, the 26-mile (42 km) mountainous passage across the island and final leg of Shackleton’s perilous journey to get help for his stranded crew. Great story, fantastic pictures and a not-to-miss link to Pelagic’s website.

Carbo Ratchamatic® Mainsheet Block
Automatically shifts from light air to ratchet mode Engagement adjusts to suit weight and sailing style. Fast Release!

Ti-Lite Block
Reeve Spectra® line through a snap clip to attach this trick block to the bridle. Use the same line to form a becket on which to deadend the mainsheet.

Opti Hook-In Halyard Block
The Opti hook-in block allows sailors to precisely adjust halyard tension. Glass-filled nylon shell saddles mast to keep block aligned. Free-rolling 16 mm sheave with stainless steel balls handles high loads.

Copyright© 2008 Harken, Inc. All rights reserved
If you would like to link to or reprint this article please contact Brownie Lewis
 

CLASS HISTORY
When the Clearwater, Florida Optimist couldn't run the Soap Box Derby program because of the city's flat terrain, they looked for a sailing alternative. In 1947 Clark Mills designed the Optimist Pram—a home-built plywood dinghy that cost less than $50. It caught on quickly. In 1958, Axel Damgaard brought the trainer to Denmark where it was modified and renamed the International Optimist Dinghy. Today, this eight-foot, sprit-rigged boat is the only international Sailing Federation approved dinghy for sailors under 16 years of age.

LINKS
International Optimist Class
Optimist Fever
Harken Dealers
McLube
Harken Canvas

BOAT SPECIFICATIONS
Length: 7 ft 61/2 in (2.31 m)
Width: 3 ft 8 in (1.13 m)
Weight: 77 lb (35 kg)
Sail Area: 33 sq. ft (3 m sq.)