We’re Heading to BOOT Düsseldorf 2026 with Lindemann
We’re pleased to be attending BOOT Düsseldorf 2026, taking place from 17–25 January, one of the world’s leading watersports exhibitions, where we’ll be showcasing a selection of our performance sailing hardware on the Lindemann stand.
You’ll find our products on display in Hall 10, Stand C76, giving visitors the opportunity to see the latest developments from Allen Brothers up close.
Our Sales Representative, Simon Potts will be attending the show for the first weekend, while Nic Tolhurst will be on hand during the final weekend to discuss our products, applications, and upcoming developments. Throughout the middle of the week, the knowledgeable Lindemann team will be available to answer any questions about the Allen Brothers range.
We look forward to welcoming customers, partners, and new contacts to the Lindemann stand and continuing to strengthen our presence in the European sailing market.
Welcome to The Hardware Handbook, 2025 Recap Issue. In this edition, we’re sharing a mix of product news, behind-the-scenes engineering, and updates from the wider Allen sailing community.
You’ll find highlights from recent projects, including new and specialist hardware developments, insights into boats and classes using Allen gear, and the latest news from our Team Allen sailors. We’re also showcasing some of our newest products and giving a glimpse into the processes and thinking behind them.
Whether you’re a racer, boat builder, or weekend sailor, we hope there’s something here to inform, inspire, and help you get the most out of your time on the water.
So, grab a cup of tea, sit back and find out all the highlights from an amazing 2025 season.
The Zenith is a single-person hiking dinghy made by Hartley Boats and equipped with Allen Hardware. It features a ballasted centreboard, providing the boat with stability and self-righting capabilities.
In this video, we send Ben to take a first look at the boat, rig it up and go for a sail.
Video Chapters
Unboxing: 01:00
Mast Rigging: 03:40
Hoisting Mainsail: 07:04
Fully Rigged: 11:00
Launching: 13:00
Upwind: 14:00
First Tack: 16:44
Downwind: 21:15
First Gybe: 21:30
Sail Hub – A5866 Review
Chris from Sail Hub swung by the Allen stand at METSTRADE to take a closer look at our brand-new High Performance Swivel Cleat – recently nominated for a prestigious DAME Award.
Although the cleat didn’t take home the top prize this year, we’re incredibly proud to see our engineering and design innovation recognised on the global stage. It’s a great motivator for the team and a reminder of why we continue to push the boundaries of performance sailing hardware.
Watch the video below to hear Chris’ thoughts and get an up-close look at the cleat in action.
We’re excited to return to METSTRADE 2025, the world’s leading marine equipment trade show, in Amsterdam from the 18th to the 20th of November. You’ll find us in Hall 1, Stand 516, where we’ll be showcasing our latest innovations in performance sailing hardware – all designed and manufactured in the UK.
This year, we’re introducing an exciting line of new products that highlight our continued focus on strength, efficiency, and user-friendly design for sailors and boat builders.
A Behind-the-Scenes Factory Tour with Yachts & Yachting
We recently had the pleasure of welcoming Mark Jardine from Yachts & Yachting Online to our factory here in Essex. Mark came to take a look behind the scenes at how we design, manufacture, and assemble our products — all under one roof.
During the visit, we gave Mark a full tour of our facilities, starting with our design and engineering departments, where every new product begins its journey. From there, he saw how our components are CNC-machined, assembled, and quality checked, before heading over to our spar workshop to watch our team taper and heat-treat masts.
Based on the former Olympic ‘Tornado’ class, the Hurricane 5.9 was designed by Reg & Robert White in Brightlingsea, Essex. The design aimed to make high-performance catamaran sailing accessible to a wider range of sailors. Now, almost 40 years later, the class has modernised with an asymmetric spinnaker, square-top sail and self-tacking jib, but maintains the same welcoming and accessible ethos, still providing close one-design racing and incredible value for money to a strong fleet around the UK.
Below is a full-fitting guide from Ben Harris – 2023 Hurricane 5.9SX national champion and Team Allen sailor.
The Melges 15 is quickly becoming a popular dinghy class worldwide. It was designed to be both accessible and exciting, offering a stable platform for learning while also delivering high-performance racing for more experienced sailors. The boat is responsive, fast, and simple to rig, which makes it a favourite among sailors of all levels.
If you are looking to upgrade or replace the hardware on your Melges 15, it helps to know exactly which fittings you need and what their role is on the boat. Below is a breakdown of the fittings used across the major systems, based on a complete Allen Brothers fit-out, along with some tips on upgrades. After that, you will also find a clear summary of tuning advice to help you get the most from your rig and sails.
This week at the Flying Fifteen World Championships in Weymouth, Mark Jardine and team put the spotlight on one particular boat, Charles Apthorp’s Allen-fitted Flying Fifteen, featured in the video below.
As a day sponsor at the Worlds and a long-time supplier to the class, we wanted to pull back the curtain and show exactly why this particular fit-out works so well, and in the video, you can find out exactly what Charles thinks. The Worlds at the Weymouth & Portland National Sailing Academy are the class’s premier event this year and the perfect place to show the kit in action.
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.
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