Harken

{{Short description|Sailing equipment manufacturer in Wisconsin, US}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2018}}

{{About|the sailing hardware company|the company formerly named Harken Energy Corporation|HKN, Inc.}}

{{Infobox company

| name = Harken, Inc.

| logo = Harken-logo.svg

| image = Harken, Inc..jpg

| image_caption = headquarters

| type = Private

| foundation = 1967

| location = Pewaukee, Wisconsin, U.S.

| area_served = Worldwide

| key_people = Peter Harken, (Chairman)
Olaf Harken, (Chairman)

| industry = Sailing
Commercial marine
Work at height
Utilities
Access and rescue
Wind power
Architectural
Stage and theater
Contract Manufacturing
Canvas

| founders = Peter Harken, Olaf Harken

| website = {{URL|www.harken.com}}

}}

Harken, Inc. is an international manufacturer specializing in performance sailing hardware, headquartered in Pewaukee, Wisconsin, United States.{{cite book

| title = Popular Science

| publisher = Bonnier Corporation

| first = Daniel

| last = Albert

| date = November 1991

| url = https://books.google.com/books?id=sP7ag1e4tzEC&pg=PA83

| access-date = February 12, 2018

| page = 83 ff

}} The company was founded in a 60-foot trailer in 1967 by brothers Peter Harken and Olaf Harken.{{cite book

| last1 = Badham

| first1 = M.

| last2 = Robinson

| first2 = R.

| title = Sailors' Secrets

| publisher = McGraw-Hill Education

| year = 1999

| isbn = 978-0-07-134869-0

| url = https://books.google.com/books?id=t_lUsj1yvEoC

| access-date = February 12, 2018

| page = 276

}} Originally, the brothers manufactured sailboats under the name Vanguard and kept the hardware business separate so they could sell to competing boatbuilders.{{cite book

| title = Yacht Racing & Cruising

| publisher = North American Publishing Company

| issue = v. 24

| year = 1985

| url = https://books.google.com/books?id=MmtWAAAAMAAJ

| language = nl

| access-date = February 12, 2018

| page = 30 ff

}} Gary Comer, founder of Lands' End clothing company, advised and helped them distribute their first blocks by placing them in the Lands' End catalogue.

In 1986, Vanguard Sailboats was spun off to Stephen Clark in Rhode Island so that the brothers could focus on hardware.{{cite book

| title = Nautical Quarterly

| publisher = Nautical Quarterly.

| issue = v. 35

| year = 1986

| url = https://books.google.com/books?id=3nFWAAAAMAAJ

| access-date = February 12, 2018

| page = 73

}} Harken hardware has been a dominant force in the racing segment for many years, making its Olympic and America's Cup debuts in 1976 and 1977, respectively.{{cite book

| title = Economic Problems of Small Business in the Midwest: Hearings Before the Select Committee on Small Business, United States Senate, Ninety-fourth Congress, First Session ... Milwaukee, Wis., October 14, 1975, La Crosse, Wis., October 15, 1975

| publisher = U.S. Government Printing Office

| year = 1975

| url = https://books.google.com/books?id=ILHBFsvTtigC

| access-date = February 12, 2018

| page = 314

}}

Harken's primary manufacturing plants are the Pewaukee headquarters and the Italian office in Limido Comasco, Como. Harken has sales and service offices in USA (Rhode Island, California, Florida), France, Japan, Poland, Slovenia, Sweden, Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom.{{cite book

| title = Yachting

| date=October 1992 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=Z0tjfh8_8-YC&pg=PA16

| language = nl

| access-date = February 12, 2018

| page = 16

}}

Harken equipment may be found on racing boats as small as the 7-foot Optimist (dinghy) to mega yachts and ocean racers.{{cite book

| last = Commerce

| first = United States. Department of

| title = Business America

| publisher = U.S. Government Printing Office

| year = 1990

| url = https://books.google.com/books?id=cTNO9eBA7lsC

| access-date = February 12, 2018

| page = 21

}}