“If you take pride in having your yacht look and perform its best, Andersen Stainless Steel Winches® could be the upgrade you’re looking for.”
The double-handed Melbourne to Osaka Cup is a 5,500nm marathon of a race, spanning multiple climates and demanding conditions. Onboard their Najad 490 Fika, mother-daughter duo Annette Hesselmans and Sophie Snijders had to overcome several breakages and failures over the duration of the race. One piece of equipment they never had to worry about? Their Andersen Stainless Steel Winches®.
According to Sophie, one of the standout features of their grade 316L stainless steel Andersen winches was the Power Ribs™, which provide a controlled grip on the line whether trimming or easing and were much gentler on the lines than winches with an abrasive drum surface.
“We went through quite a few lines in high friction areas, but never had to worry where the Andersen winches were involved.”
After speaking with several race competitors before and after the race, one message was clear: equipment selection matters. Annette and Sophie certainly prepared as thoroughly as possible before the big race, but having now finished and taken time to reflect, it’s on to the next project (a sentiment that many boaters can relate to!)
Their next upgrade? A Ronstan mast track and car system for smoother reefing and fewer deck dramas. See a snippet of some of Sophie and Annette's journey here:
@SlimandSophSailingNakama
and explore the range of Andersen Stainless Steel Winches® here: https://www.ronstan.com/andersen-winches
