Like many good ideas,
Peter Harken’s decision to use plastic instead of steel ball
bearings in his boat hardware was born of necessity. Little did he
realize his invention would change the face of sailing.
By 1972, Harken blocks reigned supreme at the Olympic sailing
events—34 boats at the '72 Olympic Games in Germany, and 106 boats
at the 1976 Montreal Olympics. Harken became the Official Equipment
Supplier at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics and the ’92 Barcelona
Olympics. The blocks were strong, dependable and exceptionally
free-running. For many years, Small Boat blocks set the performance
standard for Olympic and international champions.