Our History at MAURI PRO SAILING

As we approach our 20th. anniversary we want to start a series of small postings about how we got here and who helped lead us to this point. Obviously we will need to start with the company founder Juan Mauri, but not before mentioning that Mauri Pro Sailing has grown from a guy selling sails to pay his way to regattas to a Multi-national network of sailing websites and stores with customers, friends and affiliations worldwide.

About Juan Mauri 

Juan is a passionate sailor, always looking forward to talk with other sailors about sail trim, deck layouts, racing techniques and more. He is the President and Business Director of Mauri Pro Sailing and active supporter of many US and international one design classes and sailing organizations.

Juan Mauri is a world-class one-design sailor and our racing guru. He has been a sail consultant since 1991 for several sail makers. While living in South America, Juan won over (??? Read contest below) national titles in IMS, J-24 and Lasers. He represented his native country Peru in the Pan American Games and won the South American Match Racing Championships. In 1999, he moved to the United States. Since then, he has won many International, North Americans and NOOD Regattas. Using the techniques he developed as the MPS formula for success and the 1% approach to sailboat racing, Juan lead several teams to winning campaigns and successful businesses. Juan remains active running seminars, sail testing, and working on brand development. He also enjoys doing crazy things like: Shark Diving, getting rid of his car racing/driving bug, and going over and over about trekking all the way up to Mount Everest Base Camp (plus who knows what else).

From the business point of view, Juan is tireless about searching for new, better ways to serve the sailing community and sailors worldwide. We are sure that the Mauri Pro Sailing websites reflect that effort, and that the crew of Mauri Pro Sailing keeps pushing forward every day to become an even better team so that we can deliver the best Technical Support and e-tools available to sailors worldwide. 

Note: Juan's background in industrial & textile design and e-commerce focus has helped him on the analysis of better sails, trimming techniques, sail hardware, and deck selection guides. Juan is not only a creative sailor, but also a natural teacher. He is available to take your questions at any time. 

Contest: Guess how many National and International Regattas Juan has won over the last 33 years and win a Offshore Sailing Jacket. Guess how many times he place 2nd, and we will add the trousers.

NovaSail NS START: GPS Instruments Made Easy

From the Mauri Pro Sailing Technical Department

NovaSail has recently updated their line of GPS Sailing Instruments to add improvements and streamline your options. The line now consists of two clear options, the NS START and the NS360 Wireless. No longer are the NS100 and NS360+. The NS360 Wireless is the current flagship model with the longest feature list. NovaSail designed the NS START as a complement to the NS360 Wireless for those not requiring a magnetic compass or the waypoint and route management functions.

NovaSail NS360 Wireless and NS Start

The NS START offers a simple interface with two modes and hands off operation once you've entered the start sequence. In Start mode, dedicated boat and pin end buttons make it easy to set the line to give you distance to the start, and the timer is always ready to go at a single button press. When the clock hits zero the NS START automatically switches over to Run mode, giving you boat speed and heading. You can run and entire race with just three button presses.

The simplicity of the NS START should not be mistaken for a lack of options. It still functions as a data loggger, storing up to 400 hours of racing which can be downloaded to your computer for post-race analysis. The LCD backlight allows for use day or night. Speed and Course data can be set to three different damping levels to make it easy to read in highly variable conditions like when sailing in high seas. Pressing the boat and pin buttons together displays the current latitude and longitude in case you need to give your position in an emergency. All that rolled into a compact, waterproof and ultra robust package that runs for over 30 hours on a single AA battery.

The NS START package includes the unit itself, wireless interface and cable for downloading data, dovetail bracket for mounting, tether string, screws, operating manual and a pair of NovaSail stickers.

NovaSail NS Start Box Contents

You can find more information on the NS START including detailed specifications and the product manual by visiting the NovaSail Store on Mauri Pro Sailing.

Let us know if you have any questions or requests for future articles by posting in the comments below.

Max VMG,
Jonathan - Mauri Pro Sailing Technical Staff

Product of the Day: New Harken Carbo Pivoting Lead

This week, we will be highlighting some of the new Harken Products that just recently hit the shelves. Today, we're reviewing the new carbo pivoting lead block: 

Key features: 

• 25% lighter than previous model
• Replaces metallic version (mounting points match old version)
• Comes in Carbo-Cam and Cam-Matic versions
• Available in 2 sizes- 29mm and 40mm 
• Cams can be mounted upside down

All-New Carbo® Pivoting Lead Blocks are up to 25% Lighter

Racers can trim even more weight off their mast and boom with the new Harken Carbo Pivoting Lead Blocks—these high-strength, glass-reinforced composite blocks are up to 25% lighter than the Classic version they replace. With maximum working loads up to 136 kg (300 lb), they're perfect for sheets and halyards on small boats and control lines on larger boats.

"I was psyched to install the new Carbo Pivoting Lead Blocks on my F-18," says product designer Graham Walker. "I use a 40 mm for the spin halyard and two 29s for the cunningham on my rotating mast. I was able to switch out to lighter blocks that have the same working load and same mounting hold pattern, and now I don't have to worry about corrosion between stainless bases and my aluminum mast."

Pivoting Lead Blocks allow free mast rotation while still allowing cleating and control from the cockpit. They're also ideal as boom-mounted mainsheet blocks for converting old systems where the skipper has to reach aft to trim the sheet.

Carbo Pivoting Lead Blocks feature the same hole spacing and rivet size as Classic Pivoting Lead Blocks for easy upgrades. An integrated reversible cam cleat allows you to swap the cleating or uncleating direction—up or down on mastbase configurations and fore or aft on horizontal installations. The high-load ball bearings, sheave, and sideplates are all corrosion proof and UV-stabilized for maximum weather resistance. Carbo Pivoting Lead Blocks are available in 29 mm and 40 mm sizes with aluminum or Carbo Cam® Cleats.

New Product Harken T2 Doubles

Harken announced just last week new products!  Between this week and next week, we will be featuring a new item each day. Follow us daily to see what each of these products offers. You can find all these new products at our Harken Store

The Harken® Soft-Attach T2™ Line Sees Double

Harken has updated its patent-pending T2™ Blocks with double versions of the 18, 29, 40, and 57 mm sizes, giving sailors the ability to build an even greater array of systems. Harken T2 Doubles share the same styling and all-composite construction as other blocks in the line. The 29, 40, and 57 have no rivets, fasteners, metal parts, or shackles, making them some of the lightest blocks on the market.

"We're working hard to grow the T2 line with the lightest blocks possible without compromising the strength and reliability we're known for," says Harken engineer Matt Schmidt. "With these new T2 Doubles and Ratchamatics, you can build complete systems for your boat that can take the load without the weight of metal shackles."

T2 Blocks have received rave reviews from Olympic and world-class sailors for their reliability and smooth operation. Single and double configurations can be tied, spliced, or lashed to almost anything. Double blocks feature composite line guides in the block head to prevent capsizing. Composite sheaves spin freely on Delrin® ball bearings with curved bearing races for low-friction rolling under high loads. All T2 Blocks are lashed or spliced through the load-bearing center of the block, decreasing sideplate loads and providing extra security. T2 Blocks range from 18 to 57 mm and are ideal for traveler controls, mainsheets, vangs, cascades, and other applications that require small and extremely lightweight blocks.

View all New Harken T2 Double Products

Coutts Quarter Ton Cup

Check out this great video of the Coutts Quarter Ton Cup! Its great to see that this class is thriving very well.




Go to http://www.quartertonclass.org/ for more information on this great class.

Gill Pro Smock Top

Gill Pro Smock Top

The summer is coming to an end, cooler weather is around the corner and the intercollegiate and interscholastic sailing seasons are kicking off. It’s the perfect time to start preparing with the right cold weather sailing gear. One of the most important and versatile pieces in a dinghy sailor’s gear bag is the dinghy smock, popularly referred to as the spray top.

The Gill Pro Top Smock is the perfect top layer for dinghy sailors. It keeps sailors dry in a wide variety of sailing conditions. It can be worn with a rash guard and sailing shorts in moderate weather or over a hiking suit and a fleece layer in the coldest weather. Gill engineered this smock for unrestricted movement allowing sailors to quickly move across the boat without feeling cramped.

The Gill Pro Top Smock is designed with comfort, breathability and waterproofing in mind. It is waterproof with adjustable seals at the wrists, neck and waistband. The neck seal is unique in its ability to unzip which helps a lot on those sweaty downwind legs.

The Women’s Version of the Gill Pro Smock Top is designed with a more flattering line and is available in a variety of colors including Purple and Berry. The Berry version is especially popular with college sailors. Our friend and college sailor Ataly Asher has been wearing hers for a year now and says that it is very durable and still looks like it did the day she bought it. She also commented that they fit true to size and that the Women's fit is great. 

Gill Smocks and spraytops: http://www.mauriprosailing.com/us/category/4-Gill-Smocks-Spray-Tops.html 

Zhik on the new Nacra 17

Take a look at how Zhik is being used on some of the new Nacra 17's. This video features  future Australian Olympians, Jason Waterhouse and Lisa Darmanin discussing the benefits of the Zhik Superwarm Skiff Suit and the T2 Harness. 

The Zhik Superwarm Suit

If you sail in cold water then get this suit. As a long john suit it has flexibility to be combined with the technical tops for various temperature conditions. In the super cold, combine it with the SuperWarm top. This may eliminate the need to ever wear a dry suit again.

The new ZhikSkin SuperWarm material is specially made for the Zhik suits, and it is quite simply the ultimate in neoprene available. We have combined the water repellent Hydrophobic high quality outer shell with a super stretchy neoprene, and layer of titanium and a layer of MicroFleece. All four layers build the total solution of weather protection, temperature insulation, reflective inner layer and thermal base layer. All in one material. 

If you need to take a pee between races, then bust open the Loo Rip. No need to take the suit off and freeze to death. This Loo Rip feature works in both the mens and ladies suits. 

Zhik Superwarm: http://www.mauriprosailing.com/us/category/1-Zhik-Wetsuits.html

T-2 Harness

The evolution continues with Zhik's latest generation trapeze harness. 

Stretch Crotch
Respect your junk, the most comfortable ride now has multiple layers to distribute loads. 

Contoured Fit
3D contoured shape, engineered for enhanced movement and increased strength. 

T2 Spreader Bar
Super strong 316 stainless spreader, now padded for ultimate riding comfort. 

Heavy Duty Construction
Reinforced construction with reduced point loads and multiple layers in key areas. 

2d Velcro Adjustment
25% more contact area & optimised adjustability for that perfect fit. 

Lumbar Support 
Fully adjustable lumbar pad provides comfort and support to ride harder & longer. 

Zhik T-2 Harness: http://www.mauriprosailing.com/us/category/1-Zhik-T2-Trapeze-Harness.html