New Deck boots a feat of dryness

by Media Services on 15 Feb 2007 Ronstan's new CL66 deck boots are guaranteed to keep sailors' feet dry in the harshest of conditions.

And one Ronstan staff member is especially willing to stand by that guarantee after taking the company's research and development of the CL66 boots to the highest level by wearing them in the 2006 Sydney-to-Hobart.

International Sales Manager Peter Dowdney says the high-quality waterproof, non-slip and durable materials of the boots passed the gruelling Sydney-to-Hobart test with flying colours.

Ronstan has developed the boots for recreational and crusiing sailors and inshore racers, but with a host of market-leading practical features they are equally suited to the demands of fishing too.

The Ronstan CL66 deck boots are three-quarter length cut with toggle lock strings for comfort, warmth and protection.

They feature tough neoprene linings for added comfort and warmth, rubber outers for increased durability, flexibility and waterproof qualities. They have removable inner soles for added foot support and quick drying, with reinforced toe, ankle and heel areas with bump protection for added safety and their grey and black designs match Ronstan's wet-weather range and dinghy neoprene gear. The Cl66's have non-slip and non-marking razor-cut outer soles for outstanding grip.

'Basically the essence of any boot is to keep your feet dry and it's no great secret that in 97% of cases that doesn't happen with other brands,' says Peter, who sailed his 10th Sydney-to-Hobart aboard the 42ft racing yacht Wedgetail. 'There are some very ordinary deck boots about.

'We at Ronstan went to the drawing board to develop a boot that would get the job done. We aimed to produce a boot that was not only economical but one that would do what it's meant to do; keep your feet dry.

'The boots are reinforced in the important areas and the razor-cut sole is excellent and very grippy. The CL66s are also very long-lasting compared to other boots on the market. The CL66 deck boots are available in sizes XXS to XXL through all Ronstan stockists.'

Sail-world talked to Ronstan CEO Alistair Murray about the company’s product development.

Alistair commented, ‘Ronstan is now one of the top three sailboat hardware companies in the world. We are currently in the middle of our biggest ever product development program.

'Ronstan believes that much of its success in product design is the result of a close relationship with elite sailing competitors. The demands of producing innovative, exceptional quality hardware for extreme racing conditions have lead to technical advances. These technical advances in turn drive improvements in mass manufactured products for the entire market.'

Alistair stresses the importance of sponsorship relationships to the company. ‘We associate ourselves with extreme sailing, high tech sailing, because we want to be known as a high quality, technical product. We’ve sponsored people like the Yellow Pages Endeavour, we sponsored Australia II, and we have a relationship with the Australian Sailing Team…We want to be associated with the opinion leaders, young people and the champions….We want to support them and they want to support us.’

'Ronstan continues its proud tradition of building both innovative products and strong relationships with people.'

www.ronstan.com