Page 423 - Brion Toss - The Complete Rigger’s Apprentice

Today you can’t throw a chisel in Port Townsend SCHAEFER AND HARKEN
without – well you really can’t throw a chisel in Port
Townsend. It just wouldn’t happen. But we must I am listing these two together because they are both
have one of the highest concentrations of demon- domestic U.S. companies, both providers of blocks
strably masterful artisans in the country, and you and furlers, and both characterized by good, care-
can see the proof of this by perusing the member- fully-made gear, and competent, friendly service.
ship list of the PTMTA: They each have their strengths and weaknesses—I
tend to prefer Schaefer’s furlers and Harken’s blocks
Port Townsend Marine Trades Association —but they are alike in being straightforward, glad
http://www.ptmta.org/. to take time to explain things, quick to rectify mis-
takes, and they are even kind when describing the
competition’s products.
The point here is not just that I am recommend-
HAYN ENTERPRISES ing Schaefer and Harken, but that I am holding
them up as models of how I think good companies
Norseman and Sta-Lok are the established names should act. If your supplier bad-mouths the compe-
in the mechanical-wire-terminals market. Over the tition, or reflexively blames you if something is not
years there have been numerous attempts to com- right, or makes excuses about issues, find another
pete with them, but no one made any headway until brand, one you can trust, and enjoy working with.
Hayn introduced their Hi-Mod fittings. It was no Schaefer email: through contact page on web
easy task, as all the failed brands left riggers skep- site: schaefermarine.com
tical. I remember first hearing about Hi-Mod’s and
thinking, “Oh, here’s another short-lived attempt.” Schaefer Marine
But then I took a look at some independent http://www.schaefermarine.com/
destruction test and metallurgy reports, and saw 508-995-9511
that this terminal had a claim to reasonable effi-
ciency (about equal to Sta-Lok, and much better Harken
than Norseman). And then I tried one, and saw that http://www.harken.com/
it was significantly easier to assemble correctly than 262-691-3320
the competition. Prettier, too. But what really con-
vinced me was when I ordered a bunch for a large-
ish job, and got thrown into a very expensive delay NEW ENGLAND ROPES
when some of the components did not fit the wire.
No, that wasn’t a positive experience, but having the I have had the pleasure of working with some very,
owner of the company fly out from the East Coast very good ropemakers over the decades. Samson, the
to apologize, that was a very positive experience biggest, and probably the best-known, is not con-
indeed. Great design is all well and good; great ser- tent to rest on its laurels, and continues to make sig-
vice is a gift beyond measure. nificant contributions to rope technology. Likewise
Yale and Marlow have their own stables of talented
Hayn Enterprises, LLC rope geeks, who keep coming up with remarkable
http://hayn.com/ uses for old as well as new fibers and constructions.
sales@hayn.com But here I would like to single out New England
800-346-4296 Ropes, for their combination of consistency, mean-
ingful R&D, and what I can only describe as exag-

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