These neat and compact aluminium, low-friction, sheaveless blocks have a multitude of uses. The smallest, weighing just 2g, will take lines of up to 5mm and has a breaking load…
£10.99
Reviews
HUBi Solar Hub 10k
In the face of it this is a great back-up system – a 10ah lithium battery pack/connection hub with ‘intelligent charge electronics’, plus a 20W solar panel and two bright…
£179.99
Tested: Pip Hare tries out five of the latest weather routeing packages
Every discerning sailor will carry out some sort of weather routeing before going out on the water. The extent to which we are able to predict weather patterns and assess…
Dazcat 1495 boat test – a cutting edge catamaran with a need for speed
Is this the catamaran equivalent of a monohull cruiser-racer like those from J-Boats or X-Yachts? The Dazcat 1495 differs from other modern fast cats in that, as well as being…
Atlantic gear test – Pip Hare tests kit on a 5,400nm crossing
Varta High Optics 3C Flashlight – 9/10 Used: every night of the race for sail trim, sail changes, rig checks and problem solving. This handheld torch allowed me to pick…
Hanse 315 boat test – packing a lot into a small space
Winner of the Family Cruiser category of the European Yacht of the Year Awards 2015. Read more here What do Tesco Metro, iPad Mini and a Hanse 315 all have…
Tested: AIS MOB devices – help your crew to save your life if you should go overboard
In a safety briefing for the double-handed Transat Jacques Vabre race, a French search and rescue pilot told us just how hard it is for a spotter plane to see…
RM1070 on test: the plywood family cruiser that dares to be different
Everyone stops to look when an RM sails by. I like to put it down to their individuality and character – traits not easily achieved on a typical volume production…
Grand Soleil 46LC boat test – a cruiser with class
Winner of the Luxury Cruiser category of the European Yacht of the Year Awards 2015. Read more here Cantieri del Pardo, based in Forli in Italy, has built nearly 4,000…
Zhik ZMerino Thermals
I wore these Zhik thermals during the 2015 Fastnet Race, in a three-layer combination system with midlayers and outer layers. The top was worn for about 75 per cent of…
£72.30
SunGod Classics2 sunglasses review
I like sunglasses and have accrued a growing collection of assorted pairs. Rarely do I part with much money for them however, as I see little point when I know…
£45.00
Seabung review
Sometimes products come along that make you question why no one has thought of them before. And that was definitely my first impression when I got hold of a Seabung…
£49.99
Nautitech Open 40 boat test – this cat will make you purr
Space, stability, performance and even safety, if you’re a monohull sailor you will be familiar with the key points of the arguments that multihull advocates present for having two hulls…
Oyster 475 and 545 boat test – two polished Oysters
Creating a second great album, bestselling book or blockbuster film can be far harder than the first. Boats and cars are no different, but there are some that have succeeded…
Henri Lloyd Elite Therm mid layer jacket and trousers
I used these midlayers during the 2015 Fastnet Race, and although it was not a particularly cold event, these were the best piece of kit/clothing I brought with me. I…
£134.95
Xc45 Next Generation boat test – a sailors’ boat
Are rebranded ‘Mk II’ models just an elaborate marketing exercise? Occasionally, yes. But a number of well-respected boatbuilders adopt the practice, including Hallberg-Rassy, Oyster and Discovery – in fact, HR…
Solaris 50 boat test – when style meets substance
Winner of the Performance Cruiser category of the European Yacht of the Year Awards 2015. Read more here Production yachts are rarely referred to as trendsetters. Like a mainstream saloon…
Pontos four-speed winch
How frustrating it would be to have a car with just two gears! Yet most sailors still rely on standard two-speed self-tailing winches for all winching applications. The self-tailing winch…
£1,033.00
Maxi 1200 boat test
Before this test, when I thought Maxi, the words that came to mind were ‘traditional’, ‘sturdy’ and ‘homely’, but the new Pelle Petterson-designed Maxi 1200 is anything but. The Maxi…
Flipbelt
Although designed as a comfortable place for runners to hold their iPod or phone, the Flipbelt is also a useful way to carry money, keys or phone securely in warmer…
£25.00