OUR TOP 10 RACE ESSENTIALS FOR COWES WEEK
Cowes Week is a key part of the British sporting summer with a great mix of competitive sailing and social activities. Staging up to 40 daily races for around 1,000 boats, it is the largest sailing regatta of its kind in the world. If you are interested in watching the racing or enjoying the festival atmosphere, there are loads of things to see and do. If you're competing, here's our top 10 Racing Essentials for Cowes - no boat should be without them...
1. Smooth Sailing....
No self respecting race boat should be without a can of McLube spray. Perfect for mast tracks, genoa tracks and mainsheet tracks, this spray is designed to allow things to move freely (and quickly!) and prevent things snagging and sticking. See the great video online
2. Deliver your best performance...
Helly Hansen Men's Pier 3 Suit
The Pier 3 Suit makes an ideal choice for any boating activity where you are looking for a trustworthy Performance Suit, packed full of great features designed to keep the wearer as dry and comfortable as possible.
3. Slim & compact VHF...
A slim, light, highly water resistant radio that floats if you happen to drop it in the water. Compact and easy to fit into your pocket with easy to use controls and USB charging - this is it a great handheld vhf to use on any kind craft of the water.A slim, light, highly water resistant radio that floats if you happen to drop it in the water. Compact and easy to fit into your pocket with easy to use controls and USB charging - this is it a great handheld vhf to use on any kind craft of the water.
4. Travel light...
The soft shackle revolution is here, and if you haven't tried them yet you don't know what you're missing! These are much lighter than traditional shackles, while being incredibly strong for their size. They can replace metal shackles in many applications, particularly where weight is undesirable such as when connecting sheets to sails. 5 Sizes available.
5. Hard wearing for hands
Experience dynamic movement and resiliant protection in these premium performance gloves. A gripflex palm ensures superior grip during those important moments. Available in two styles - long finger (with index/thumb open) and short finger for those who like a bit of extra freedom.
6. Ready to go...
WICHARD OS Knife - Fluorescent Blade
A top quality, glow-in-the-dark, sailing knife featuring a strong, corrosion resistant, serrated cutting blade for great cutting power on all rope types • Safety locking 8cm blade • One-handed opening • Soft grip handle • Wrist strap included • Glows in the dark
• In accordance with UK Law (Offensive Weapons Act 1996), we are unable to sell knives to anyone under 18 years of age.
7. Designed for Solent Racing...
Designed for racing in the Solent, this A3 size, laminated chart shows all the racing marks in a clear full colour format. Buoys are shown with life-like icons so racers can compare them to the buoy they’re heading for.
There's also an area to note down course and tidal information for the race. The back of the chart has a comprehensive list of the locations (lat/lon) of all the Solent buoys and local marks with their SCRA and local designates. Also available specifically for the Eastern & Western Solent.
8. Keep sails tiptop...
Kevlar Self-Adhesive Sail Repair Patch
We prepare, we train, we provision, then on the day a tiny tear brings it all crashing down. These repair patches are a proper life-saver. Designed specifically for laminate sails, they can get you out of trouble and keep you racing for the day - no race boat should be without them! Our spinnaker repair tape can come in handy too!
9. For winners...
Fenhurst 'Crewing to Win' Book
Working as a team, the crew is as important as the helmsman – to sail as fast as they can. All members of the team have different roles in the boat. Along with, trimming the jib and spinnaker, to helping keep the boat upright. They contribute to tactics, boat tuning, keeping an eye on the competition and so on.
Olympic gold medallist, Saskia Clark, defines what is required to become a top-rate crew, or a better crew at any level.
10. Marine Smartwatch...
Garmin Quatix 7 Pro Marine GPS Watch
You can take control anywhere onboard with this high performance smartwatch designed for the marine lifestyle. Enjoy comprehensive connectivity and remote control capabilities with compatible Garmin chartplotters, autopilots, Force® trolling motors, Fusion® audio speakers and more. This combined with updated marine apps like Sail Expodition Activity means you have the data to track and stay aware of activity on the water.
Happy Racing!
