SLAM is a proud sponsor of the Australian Sailing Team, Yachting Australia, and Yachting New Zealand. These groups will be attending the 2012 London Games. We wish them well and look forward to watching all teams perform this summer in London.

GEAR UP FOR SAILING SCHOOL

With June comes activities for kids to take part in on the water. New sessions of sailing school will be starting up soon. Be sure to outfit your kids with the proper sailing gear so they can stay on the water and protected from the elements all day long. We have everything you'll need from footwear and eyewear to smocks and rash guards. Be sure to look for the pieces that are made from UV protected fabric.

ADVENTURES OF "LINDISFARNE"

Annika Koch and Björn Christensson began their journey sailing many years ago. They both started sailing dinghies and since then have been exploring the world with their evolving love of sailing. Their journey with "Lindisfarne" began in 1998 and has gotten them through until recently.

Follow them through their many explorations from one continent to the next.

SPF (Sun Protection Factor) is used to gauge how much time a person can be exposed to the sun before getting burned. If you burn in 10 minutes without sunscreen and you apply a liberal dose of sunscreen with an SPF number of 30, you should be protected from a sunburn for 300 minutes. A way to determine your protection rate is by taking the SPF number and multiplying it by 10. In this case 10 x 30 = 300 minutes. This is a generalization and varies based on the complexion of each individual's skin type.

Note that SPF sunscreen with identical numbers gives equivalent protection for UVB rays but it does not block out all UVA rays. Although UVA protection may be advertised, the current SPF standard doesn't measure accurate amounts of UVA protection.

UPF (Ultraviolet Protection Factor) indicates how much of the sun's UV radiation is absorbed by the fabric. The higher the UPF number, the greater amount of UV protection the garment offers. A fabric with a UPF rating of 50 only allows 1/50th of the sun's UV radiation to pass through to the skin. This means that UV radiation exposure to the skin will be reduced by 50 times, 98% UV block, in areas covered by the fabric. UPF measures the effectiveness of the fabric against both UVA and UVB rays.

SPF measurements are performed on human subjects while UPF measurements are tested with a spectrophotometer equipment.

UVA - Causes premature skin aging, wrinkling and potentially skin cancer. Has the ability to penetrate the skin during all hours of daylight as well as penetrate through clouds and untreated glass. Penetrates the skin deeper than UVB rays.

UVB - Causes sunburn as well as contributes to premature skin aging and has the potential to cause skin cancer. Between the hours of 10 am to 4 pm is when these rays cause the most impact. Ability to penetrate clouds but not glass.

Service Manuals:

Harken Winches - Quick Service
Lewmar Winch Service Manual

Spare Parts, Kits and Lubricants:

Andersen Winch Spare Parts
Harken Service Kits
Lewmar Winch Spare Parts