Record year for Allen
Allen Brothers dog bone is available in a range of colours
Allen Brothers is enjoying a record year, with many product launches at the RYA Dinghy Show and more due at METSTRADE.
As with many companies, Allen Bros uses feedback from sailors to produce new products and innovations.
“We have introduced a lot more colour to our product lines for a start,” explained MD Liz Adams. “The freshly launched range of deck bushes, thimbles and dog bones match the colours you can find on our A4298, A4698, A4798 and A4898 tiller extensions and our market leading A2030XHL block.”
The through deck bushes are also now available in the same colours as the company’s XHL blocks, thimbles and other bushes.
Dimensions and sizes of standard bushes have been maintained with the addition of a threaded design for ease of fitting in double sided applications.
“This gives you the very real benefit of being able to identify multiple rope systems by colour coding,” added Mrs Adams. “Ovington 29er and 49ers use this system, with colour coding for the sails replicated in the control lines and anodised through deck bushes.
“These are combined with coloured leach panels on the sail to help identify the rope system.”
The system is used on the Team Allen 49er and 49er FX of Dylan Fletcher / Stuart Bithell and Charlotte Dobson / Saskia Tidey.
When it comes to hatches and hatch covers, Allen Bros has taken feedback onboard and redesigned its product along the lines of the classic look and usability of the company’s older hatches but with the benefit of a modern internal seal.
In other developments, Allen has custom developed a traveller track for the International 14 together with a tie on traveller car with Torlon balls for smoother travel and increased strength.
The Allen A2069 and 2169 Quint mainsheet system was developed for the Olympic foiling Nacra 17 with the help of Chris Rashley, but is also suitable for fast cats such as the F18 class.
“A 10:1 purchase arranged to prevent ‘capisizing’ the block means a combination of power, feel and robustness which is necessary at the very top level of elite sailing, but is also priced for the club sailor,” explained Mrs Adams.
And the company is also working with rope manufacturers to develop products to work with low stretch Dyneema.
“The demands upon the hardware have increased exponentially and blocks designed purely for light weight are no longer suitable,” said Mrs Adams. “We are currently experimenting with the effect of different sheave scores upon Dyneema, as the traditional v’d or radiused scores do not always promote the best performance.”
She added: “This has led us to some very interesting designs with which we hope to challenge the norm.”