New from Harken: Snatch blocks with automatic opening

A snatch block is extremely practical, proven and well-established for rigging a barber haul, for example on a gennaker or code zero sheet, or for temporarily laying a centre of gravity. As they can be opened, they can also be clipped onto a loaded sheet. No wonder that almost every fitting manufacturer has corresponding products in its range. Depending on the design and working load, the bearing of the pulley, the locking mechanism and the material composition differ. What they all have in common, however, is that they are difficult or impossible to open and close with just one hand.

This is where the two new blocks from Harken promise a decisive improvement. The smaller version is called the Twing Block and is part of the Carbo-Air series. It has a 40 mm disc and a working load of 275 kilograms. To open it, a safety hook at the top of the block is activated, causing the sides to fold open, driven by a spring, and the snatch block can be hooked onto the sheet. When the cheeks are closed, the locking mechanism engages again and the block is ready for use. Another special feature of the twing block: the stop point is designed as a rotating sleeve. When used as a barber hauler, the trim line can therefore be sheared 2 to 1. Price: 110 euros.

For larger yachts, there is the one-tonne snatch block with a working load of one tonne and more complex bearings including a composite sliding bush and Torlon balls. This snatch block can also be opened with one finger, but swings open sideways. Price 490 euros. Distribution via Peter Frisch.

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