Rigging tips by Chris Pressler
It's probably happened to everyone that you've been to the beach and seen someone who doesn't rig their equipment properly (maybe you're unsure yourself). One person who knows their equipment is Chris Pressler. Here are some tips from him on how to optimize your equipment.
Chris, many people don't pull down enough on their sail. Can you give us some advice on how to do it?
The first thing to do is look at the numbers on the sail. They are not always 100% correct, but they give you a hint of how long the luff is, and it is enough.
Set the extender to the correct length and make sure the line runs parallel as you thread it through the sail and back down to the extender. Start by pulling down just a bit. This makes it much easier to put on the boom. Make sure the mast sections are 100% together and that the top of the mast fits the cup at the top of the sail. Pull the outhaul and finally pull the sail down as close to the extender as possible (this order applies to many camber sails)
How much downhaul should you have?
The luff (mast pocket) should have a nice tension and it should not be wrinkled anywhere. The leech (back of the sail) should be loose, depending on how much wind it is and your own preference. No matter what, it should be loose. If you don't have enough, the sail will not perform as it should and you will not be able to use it in the same wind range it is designed for. If the leech is not loose at all and there are wrinkles at the bottom, then you definitely have too little downhaul. Grab the sail at the top, lift it up with one hand and push down on the top plate with the other. If the sail feels taut throughout the leech, then the downhaul is good.
If you have too much downhaul, you can't tighten the leech by pushing down on the top plate. You can also see this when you look at the sail lying down. The mast's bend curve looks unnatural and the leech is simply too loose. The sail would be loose on the water even when you have full pressure in it. You can't get enough wind in it to twist properly. Of course, there are different types of sails and masts on the market and they all need different trim. These tips are more general so you know how it works.
Another problem is that you see sails that have either too little or too much outhaul. Can you describe what to consider?
The correct tack is not that difficult to find out. One important thing is that sails rigged on an RDM mast require around 2 cm more tack than sails rigged on an SDM mast. So sometimes the pressure on the sail is RDM, and sometimes SDM. The tack is done once and should not be changed if the conditions require it. The tack, however, should be changed: in lighter winds you should have a deeper profile in the sail.
The sail can move the boom away from the suspension lines and back under pressure. As the wind increases, tighten the luff more to get a flatter profile of the sail.
When is there too little outhaul?
Keep an eye on the area near the back of the boom when rigging. There should be no “wave” in the sail. If there is, you will need to extend the boom a few inches. Never pull a sail too flat. It can feel stiff and will not work well anymore.
Some people experience spinout. Often due to the fin not fitting properly in the box. Can you give us some tips on how to do it?
The fin should fit in the box exactly. There are different fin box types in different boards. Deep tuttle/tuttle, US or Powerbox. Clean the box, this applies to all types, before you place the fin in it. There should be no sand or pebbles in it. The fin should also be clean. If the fin does not fit, use some sandpaper. If it is slow when you push in the fin, you can use some sunscreen in the fin box. It helps. The alternative is, as I said, to polish where it receives. You can often see on the fin where it is needed because it will leave a mark in it.
A good tip for the tuttle and deep tuttle fins is to remove the rubber washers from the screw. Without them you can tighten the screw much more tightly in the box.
In the US box you can move the fin back and forth. Start by placing it in the middle of the box. A distance of 3 fingers to the back of the board is quite adequate. By moving the fin forward you get a livelier board and by moving it further back you get more speed. Experiment with different sizes. A small fin can cause spinout. Fins that are too long create too much lift and inhibit top speed. Different disciplines require different fins. In freestyle, the pros use relatively short fins around 14-22 cm and in formula 70cm is needed.
Scissors star-board.com