The Ensign was designed in 1962 by Carl Alberg as a family daysailer and one-design racer. A development of a previous Alberg design called the Electra, this 22.5 ft fiberglass sloop features a big, deep cockpit, generous displacement and 1,200 lbs (544 kg) of internal lead ballast. Although you'll never see an Ensign planing around the buoys, an overlapping genoa and large spinnaker make this 'little big boat' a responsive tactical racer. From the beginning, Class officers have worked to keep the Ensign as close to the original design as possible, with equipment modifications kept to a minimum. As a result, these easy-to-handle boats have held their value and still win races, keeping the class vital and strong.
Harken part numbers link to Harken on-line store.
Mainsheet Traveler
The stern-mounted traveler features 3:1 controls that lead forward under deck to a Cam-Matic® cleat for precise, fast trimming.
Mainsheet
This 4:1 mainsheet system features two 57 mm Carbo fiddle blocks with high-load ball bearings for low-friction operation. A pivoting exit block mounted on the boom directly above the trimmer provides powerful two-handed sheeting.
Vang
The vang features a 6:1 cascade inside a 2:1 purchase for a 12:1 mechanical advantage. This system pivots, allowing crew to adjust tension on either tack.
Cunningham
The cunningham is a cascaded 4:1 system (2:1 inside a 2:1 purchase). A pivoting exit block allows access to the cunningham control line from either side of the boat.
Links:
Link Name: www.ensignclass.com/
Copyright© 2008 Harken, Inc. All rights reserved
If you would like to link to or reprint this article please contact Brownie Lewis
