Menu

Ireland's sailing, boating & maritime magazine

Displaying items by tag: Block

Leading global supplier of marine deck hardware, Barton Marine, unveils its brand new Barton Block Range, which will showcase at the Euopean Marine Trade Show, METSTRADE, for the first time, in November.

Crafted by sailors for sailors, the new Barton Block Range is manufactured in the UK, and developed with the same design endurance and bullet-proof reliability that Barton has built its reputation on over the last 70 years. The new range combines high-performance engineering and contemporary design, available from Series 0 to Series 7 inclusive, designed for mariners who appreciate sleek styling and demand technical excellence.

Designed for low friction and longevity in harsh marine environments, the new Barton Block Range is smaller and lighter, but exhibits greater strength and performance for overall reliability. The “new look” range gives sailors the chance to have good looking, high N3631performance hardware on-board, from a name they know and trust.

Suzanne Blaustone, Chief Executive of Barton Marine, comments on the new and innovative block range, “Our aim is to provide an appealing new Barton block range that ticks all the boxes for today’s sailors: sleek and racy design that is well engineered, stronger, lighter and provides the same longevity and performance Barton is known for. There has been extensive investment in this new line, and we are pleased with the outcome and feedback.”

Available with plain bearing or ball bearing grey sheaves, the new exterior styling displays dark slate side plates made of glass loaded nylon, which enclose a continuous stainless-steel infrastructure for continuity, strength and durability throughout the line.

The new Barton Block Range has been shared with the firm’s group of trusted distributors, and has been well-received globally. Jackie Kennedy, UK Sales Manager at Marathon Leisure Ltd, comments that her customers have given overwhelming approval of the range and quotes Kenneth Rennie of Duncan Yacht Chandlery in Glasgow, “The new range of blocks gives a fresh look to the time served, reliable Barton range. The reduction in attachment options allows retailers to focus on a more compact stock in greater depth. They are pure magic!”

Barton’s introduction of classic wooden blocks, the Victory Range, has also been expanded to include doubles and triples with an array of heads and shackles to meet the needs of classic sailing yachts up to 47 feet. The robust wooden block range is designed in ash wood, and has plain or ball bearing sheaves, with a removable fastening bolt for servicing or re-varnishing.

Barton is available in Ireland from leading chandleries including CH Marine and Viking Marine.

Published in Marine Trade

The Half Ton Class was created by the Offshore Racing Council for boats within the racing band not exceeding 22'-0". The ORC decided that the rule should "....permit the development of seaworthy offshore racing yachts...The Council will endeavour to protect the majority of the existing IOR fleet from rapid obsolescence caused by ....developments which produce increased performance without corresponding changes in ratings..."

When first introduced the IOR rule was perfectly adequate for rating boats in existence at that time. However yacht designers naturally examined the rule to seize upon any advantage they could find, the most noticeable of which has been a reduction in displacement and a return to fractional rigs.

After 1993, when the IOR Mk.III rule reached it termination due to lack of people building new boats, the rule was replaced by the CHS (Channel) Handicap system which in turn developed into the IRC system now used.

The IRC handicap system operates by a secret formula which tries to develop boats which are 'Cruising type' of relatively heavy boats with good internal accommodation. It tends to penalise boats with excessive stability or excessive sail area.

Competitions

The most significant events for the Half Ton Class has been the annual Half Ton Cup which was sailed under the IOR rules until 1993. More recently this has been replaced with the Half Ton Classics Cup. The venue of the event moved from continent to continent with over-representation on French or British ports. In later years the event is held biennially. Initially, it was proposed to hold events in Ireland, Britain and France by rotation. However, it was the Belgians who took the ball and ran with it. The Class is now managed from Belgium. 

At A Glance – Half Ton Classics Cup Winners

  • 2017 – Kinsale – Swuzzlebubble – Phil Plumtree – Farr 1977
  • 2016 – Falmouth – Swuzzlebubble – Greg Peck – Farr 1977
  • 2015 – Nieuwport – Checkmate XV – David Cullen – Humphreys 1985
  • 2014 – St Quay Portrieux – Swuzzlebubble – Peter Morton – Farr 1977
  • 2013 – Boulogne – Checkmate XV – Nigel Biggs – Humphreys 1985
  • 2011 – Cowes – Chimp – Michael Kershaw – Berret 1978
  • 2009 – Nieuwpoort – Général Tapioca – Philippe Pilate – Berret 1978
  • 2007 – Dun Laoghaire – Henri-Lloyd Harmony – Nigel Biggs – Humphreys 1980~
  • 2005 – Dinard – Gingko – Patrick Lobrichon – Mauric 1968
  • 2003 – Nieuwpoort – Général Tapioca – Philippe Pilate – Berret 1978

Featured Sailing School

INSS sidebutton

Featured Clubs

dbsc mainbutton
Howth Yacht Club
Kinsale Yacht Club
National Yacht Club
Royal Cork Yacht Club
Royal Irish Yacht club
Royal Saint George Yacht Club

Featured Brokers

leinster sidebutton

Featured Webcams

Featured Associations

ISA sidebutton
ICRA
isora sidebutton

Featured Marinas

dlmarina sidebutton

Featured Chandleries

CHMarine Afloat logo
https://afloat.ie/resources/marine-industry-news/viking-marine

Featured Sailmakers

northsails sidebutton
uksails sidebutton
watson sidebutton

Featured Blogs

W M Nixon - Sailing on Saturday
podcast sidebutton
BSB sidebutton
wavelengths sidebutton
 

Please show your support for Afloat by donating