March 2021 Newsletter

Updated Website

We have just finished a major update to the website, using a completely new e-commerce platform designed to provide a better customer experience, particularly for mobile users and international customers. 

The new website features shown in the top right are:

Local currency support:  The website can show prices in the following currencies – GPB£, US$, CAN$, € EURO, SFR, NOR KR and SWE KR. 

Search Facility:  Requested by our customers this makes it easy to find the part or news article you are looking for.

Account facility: If you are a regular customer and want to set up an account then you can. This is entirely optional.

The other major changes are:

Tax Free Pricing:  You now get tax free pricing if your delivery address is outside of the United Kingdom.  The product prices include tax, BUT when you enter your delivery address, if that address is outside of the United Kingdom, the checkout will be updated to show the tax free price that you will pay.

Payment Options:  We have broadened the range of payment options.  To pay in US$, CAN$, EURO, SFR, NOR KR and SWE KR, use the credit/debit card option as PayPal payments are only in GBP£.

Intelligent shipping options:  Shipping is now automatically calculated based on the weight of your order, and the appropriate options are shown.     

We hope you like the new website!   We have tested it extensively but if you see any ‘bugs’ or problems please let us know!

Success for Chapman Petersen

Southeast Sailboats customer Chapman Petersen, who sails out of Lake Geneva Yacht Club/Lauderdale Yacht Club, is having a great start to the 2021 season in the ILCA 6 (Radial), winning both of the US Open Olympic Class Regatta events at Clearwater and Ft. Lauderdale.

Photo Credit: US Sailing Team | Allison Chenard

Chapman loves our solutions, and his exclusively Harken based systems include Southeast Sailboats unique ‘double puller’ outhaul elements; Harken 18mm clew block with toggle; Harken 29mm FLY high-load vang components; and numerous other parts.

We wish Chapman success at the ILCA 6 Youth Europeans in Croatia in June, and Youth Worlds in Arco, Lake Garda Italy in July.

Traveller Wear Protectors

Our traveller wear protectors are proving very popular with over 500 pairs sold!

Based on our own design concept these class legal traveller pads have been turned into reality by dinghy fittings company Allen.  Our protection pads are injection moulded for durability. They also feature three distinct features:

• No overhang over the gunwhale that could otherwise get snagged. Our neat design clips into place and the traveller line itself ensures it can’t get dislodged.
• Minimal 2mm thickness to keep the traveller and block as close as possible to the deck level whilst providing durable protection.
• A smooth transition from deck level to ensure that the traveller block rides over the pad easily.

The traveller wear protectors are available by themselves or a part of a cost saving wear protection bundle.

Start of Season Checklist

While it probably doesn’t cover everything, you may find the following ten point checklist useful to get your boat in top shape for the season.

1 – Check your gudgeons for signs of wear…. Replacement gudgeons are just £5.95 each
2 – Check your traveller for wear, especially at the edges where it rubs the alloy traveller eyes. Our spliced Dyneema traveller is still just £17.50.
3 – Has your centreboard brake seen better days? Replace it for just £1.95
4 – Protect the front top of your centreboard slot from wear with our wear protect pad. It also provide increased friction at the front to help keep your centreboard down.
5 – Check your control lines for wear, especially where they pass through the cleats. Also check where they rub up against the kicker fitting as this can also wear away your lines. Most control line ropes have an outer cover and a core, and the cover can suddenly give way when it is excessively worn. The signs of impending failure are a ‘fluffing up’ of the cover where it has been subject to wear in the cleating area, or where it has snagged. We have a wide range of pre-cut control lines for your outhaul, downhaul and kicker, as well as rope by the metre.
 

6 – Have a look at your tiller extension universal joint for the first signs of any cracking…
7 – Mast wear – reduce wear of both your boat and mast with mast wear strips and mast step protection disk.
8 – Check your kicker key for signs of distortion/cracking where the flat top disk meets the shaft. The MkII rig is especially tough on kicker keys. We sell stronger kicker keys from both Harken and Allen from just £4.95
9 – Check your downhaul primary line for signs of excessive wear.
10 – Often neglected as it is a bit hidden away – have a look at the small black fairlead on your kicker assembly and look to see how grooved it has become. Turn it around to get more life out of it, or buy the new one which is made by Harken with a slightly harder plastic for just £3.60.

Allen 30mm High Load Based Downhaul

We have just added two new downhaul configurations using the new Allen 2030Tii High Load blocks.  These amazingly free running blocks have stainless steel sheaves and bearings to make your downhaul work like a dream.  Available to pre-order now in both 6:1 and 8:1 configurations, they will be delivered from mid-March. 

Shipments to the European Union

As a result of BREXIT, on the 31st December 2020 the United Kingdom left the European Union single market/customs union.  Sales to the European Union are, until the 1st July, now free of the 20% Value Added Tax (VAT) that is within our web pricing. 

However, as a result of the purchase price being tax free,  you may be liable for taxes/charges when your package reaches your country.   How this is being done, and the time it takes, seems to vary from country to country, and will also depend on the order value.  Some shipments are getting to European customers in as little as 3 days, others are taking around 5-15 days depending on the destination country. Tracked shipping enable both us and our customers to see exactly where packages are.  If your shipment is urgent you can contact us before ordering to get our best assessment of delivery dates based on our tracking and monitoring of recent shipments.

On the 1st July 2021 as a result of the impacts of BREXIT on e-commerce, the European Union is implementing a new system for web-shops such as Southeast Sailboats to add the appropriate VAT for the destination EU country to enable more rapid delivery to customers. This will mean that for orders up to Euro150, you will pay a taxed price (as you did up to 1st January 2021), and packages will be ‘fast tracked’ as they will be tax paid and not subject to customs clearance on arrival in the destination country.

ILCA 4, 6 and 7 Sails in stock - contact us for some great deals!

Getting ready for the 2021 season?  We have ILCA 4, 6 and 7 sails plus numbers and country codes all in stock for immediate delivery.  Email us for special sail prices and sails/sail service package deals. We ship sails worldwide.   

ILCA 6 Carbon Lower section in stock - UK delivery only

The new carbon lower section for the ILCA 6 (Radial) is now available and class legal for events.   Contact us for pricing.  Please note that due to the size we can only deliver this item in the UK Mainland/Northern Ireland.

Popular upgrades

The following continue to be some of our most popular upgrades....

Harken 29mm bolt-on deck blocks.  Easy to fit, these blocks instantly improve your Laser. Available as the blocks by themselves or as an assembly including the block plate.

Our signature 8:1 downhaul/cunningham system.  We have built/shipped hundreds of these systems to sailors all over the world.  An essential upgrade if you are using the MKII standard sail, and also if you are struggling to pull on enough downhaul on your Radial or 4.7 rig.  Each system shipped is custom made using blocks from Harken, Allen and Ronstan, with options including rig type, termination and secondary lines types/colours. 

Transform your kicker/vang system with our range of great free-running block/key assemblies using blocks from Harken, Allen and Ronstan and stronger kicker keys.  Whether you are using a 15:1 or 12:1 setup, lower friction in your system makes it easier to pull on, leaving you with more energy to focus on sailing/hiking! 

Southeast Sailboats 'Away Dates'

Southeast Sailboats competes at events in the UK and in Europe.  As a result, occasionally the 'away sailing' banner is put up on the website.  With a lockdown in the UK continuing it looks like we will be staying at home until May at the earliest.....