The WASZP is a high-performance, single-handed dinghy that is surprisingly …Read More »
Silver for Charlie MacKenzie at the 2025 Topper World Championships
15-year-old Team Allen Sailor from South Devon, Charlie MacKenzie, delivered a remarkable performance at the 2025 Topper World Championships, held in Medemblik, The Netherlands, securing second place overall and firmly establishing himself among the best young sailors in the world.
Facing fierce international competition from over a dozen countries—including the USA, China, South Africa, and across Europe—Charlie rose to the challenge in a week marked by unpredictable and extreme conditions. From violent thunderstorms and gusts over 30 knots to complete windless drift days, the event tested every sailor’s resilience and skill. Through it all, Charlie remained calm, consistent, and determined.
Enzo Ballanger Crowned 2025 International Moth World Champion – Powered by Allen & XPO
In a spectacular display of skill, consistency, and high-performance gear, France’s Enzo Ballanger has claimed the title of 2025 International Moth World Champion. Representing Team Allen through its French distributor, XPO, Enzo sailed fully equipped with Allen hardware to a dominant victory at Fraglia Vela Malcesine.
A Flawless Week
Facing a fleet of 137 top sailors from 25 nations — including Olympic veterans, America’s Cup tacticians and SailGP stars — Enzo held his nerve through Lake Garda’s shifting conditions to finish 12 points clear of silver medalist Tom Slingsby (AUS) and with New Zealander Jacob Pye in third. His impressive final score of 15 points was built on commanding leads throughout qualifying and finals, reinforced by a strong 4th place in the final race.
Enzo himself reflected: “We’ve just wrapped up the Moth World Championship and I’m the new World Champion!… Winning this title was truly a lifelong dream… The boat was fast, everything went smoothly — just amazing.”
First-ever solo, non-stop circumnavigation of the UK & Ireland by a wheelchair user
Project FEAR, an extraordinary solo sailing voyage by Jazz Turner, has concluded successfully: she became the first disabled person – and specifically the first wheelchair user – to sail non-stop and unassisted around the UK and Ireland. Departing from Brighton on 2 June, Jazz completed the challenging 2,070-mile circumnavigation in 28 days, returning to Brighton Marina on 30 June 2025.
About the Voyage
Boat & Route: Jazz sailed her 1975 Albin Vega, named FEAR (Face Everything And Rise), through the English Channel, Irish Sea, Atlantic Ocean, North Sea, and around Shetland.
Challenges at Sea: She endured seasickness, extreme weather, and physical exhaustion, including a grounding off Folkestone on 29 June. She successfully refloated FEAR unaided at high tide and continued her mission.
Health & Adaptations: Living with terminal Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome—including seizures, fainting, and severe joint pain—Jazz overcame serious health obstacles and adapted her boat with wind generators, satellite nav, solar panels, and tailored sail systems.
Product Feature: A New Generation of Precision – The Acetal Pivoting Mast Step
At Allen, we’re always refining performance through engineering innovation. That’s why we’re excited to introduce the Acetal Pivoting Mast Step – a lightweight, cost-effective evolution of our popular Aluminium Pivoting Mast Step.
First developed as a breakthrough in the dinghy and small keelboat market, our original aluminium pivoting mast step was inspired by the ball-and-cup design commonly found on catamarans. However, instead of multi-directional articulation, our step offers controlled fore-and-aft pivot within the mast step channel. This allows for dynamic rig tuning on the water without compromising mast alignment or deck integrity.
Now, we’ve taken everything great about that original design and, in partnership with Jon Turner, we have made it even more accessible.
The WASZP is a high-performance, single-handed dinghy that is surprisingly simple to rig. Although the setup is fairly straightforward, it’s crucial that all the systems run smoothly and efficiently. Well-functioning control systems will make the boat easier to handle and noticeably quicker on the water. In this guide, we’ll take a look at some of the upgrades you can make to improve the usability and overall performance of your WASZP.
We’re Now a Full Distributor of Clamcleat® Products
We’re excited to share that Allen is now a full distributor of the complete Clamcleat® product range.
We’ve proudly stocked a selection of Clamcleat products for many years, but following the unfortunate closure of one of their distributors, we were offered the opportunity to take on the full range. It’s a natural next step in our long-standing relationship with Clamcleat and we’re pleased to be strengthening our partnership with another great British brand.
Team Allen sailor Ross “Rossgo” Banham brought his latest foiling craft, the SWITCH One Design by Element 6, to the Allen factory for a full refit. Working alongside Ben, Ross upgraded key control systems to reduce friction and enhance performance. Along the way, they shared some classic boat chat—check out the video below for a full tour and behind-the-scenes insights.
Below, we’ve compiled a detailed fitting guide listing all the Allen components used in the upgrades, along with alternative options to suit different budgets and needs.
Please note: At the time of filming, no class rules were in place. The hardware replacements listed are based on our alternatives to the OEM-fitted hardware, with a few exceptions where doubles have replaced two single blocks.
A Brummel splice is a strong and reliable way to create a loop in Dyneema rope, commonly used in high-performance sailing applications. In this guide, we’ll show you how to make a Brummel splice using 4mm Dyneema (TY4112) and attach it to a 2mm Tii-Shackle (A20120), which will then be used to secure a Dynamic 20 Tii-On Double Block (A2022Tii).
The A2022Tii— a dynamic 20mm tii-on block—is designed for soft attachment with thinner lines, up to 3mm is best. While a 4mm line can pass around the block, it can be difficult to rig due to the size of the opening. Instead, using a 2mm soft shackle simplifies the installation and provides a secure attachment point for the Brummel-spliced loop.
Another advantage of using a Tii-Shackle is that it helps maintain the block’s structural integrity under load. Thicker lines can exert outward pressure on the block’s body, increasing the risk of the top opening up under shock loads. A crossed Tii-Shackle ensures the load pulls inward, reducing this risk and allowing the block to operate at its designed working loads.
At Allen, we sell all the tools and components you need to complete this splice, including the rope, block, and splicing tools. Follow along with our step-by-step video and use this written guide below for reference.
You may have recently found yourself searching for replacement parts after a well-known manufacturer of marine hardware ceased trading. Whether you’re looking to restock essential fittings or replace worn-out components, Allen has you covered.
As a UK-based manufacturer with decades of experience in high-performance sailing hardware, we’ve been producing innovative and reliable products that sailors trust. Many of our existing products serve as direct replacements for those you may have sourced elsewhere, but with improved designs and materials to ensure better performance and durability.
To help you find the right solution, we’ve highlighted some of our key products below. These items offer the same functionality as those that have recently disappeared from the market but with enhancements to ensure long-lasting quality.
If you need a dependable replacement, take a look below to discover just some of the items Allen can help with to keep your boats and business running smoothly.
New Mast and Boom at the RYA Dinghy and Watersports Show.
We’re excited to announce that we will be attending the RYA Dinghy & Watersports Show at Farnborough International over the weekend of the 22nd and 23rd of February. You’ll find us on Stand 6, where we’ll be showcasing a range of innovative new products including our new dinghy mast and boom sections, alongside three fully Allen-fitted boats.
Ready to be unveiled to the dinghy enthusiasts of the UK are two brand-new sets of dinghy spars, one for the Solo dinghy and one for the new GOAT Aigos. Come along to find out more about these rigs and see the finer details which make them special.
