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EASY TUNING CHECKS & CALIBRATION!
Through the winter and while racing at the local club with limited time it is easy to get into the habit of not checking your rig is set up correctly. Recently I have had the chance to get back in my Merlin Rocket which I have only been in a handful of times this year, often out with different crews and with limited time in the boat it has been feeling quite alien, trying to remember how to sail the boat is enough of a challenge without having to worry about pulling strings to the right settings.
It’s really important to keep on top of your rig settings, making sure nothing has moved and that you have all the important bits calibrated for easy reference. Lacking speed in a race only to find your mast was on the wrong rake or the rig wasn’t square is never enjoyable. Having a way of recording settings for easy reference is one of the most important things, this way if you have a few weeks off you can refer to this and know straight away you are going to be up to speed. Beyond this if your boat is set up and you do monitor settings, a change is normally a result of something starting to fail. Identifying this early can save you a lot of problems later.
So run through this short list pre-launch as often as you can;
Rig tension – Check this every time before you sail, if it is higher than expected then are your shroud pins in the right holes? If less than you expect then something may have moved or stretched and it is worth checking your rake. Use the gauge recommended in your sailmakers tuning guide but 99% of the time the Loos Pro Gauge is the one to have.
Square rig – Sight the rig from the deck up to make sure it has no sideways bend, it’s a reasonably crude method but the luff track will show up any curve or kinks. A quick and easy way to check the spreaders are square is to stand at the side of the boat with the shroud plates in line, if you sight through the shroud closer to you and the spreaders are in line then the far shroud should be hidden. If the spreaders aren’t in line then the wires will be running at different angles and you need to adjust the spreaders accordingly, this is a quick method which I have found to be accurate without needing to role the boat on its side.
Rake – Check regularly but know the differences between your jibs if they have fitted luff wires, not all jibs are the same and it’s a costly mistake to make the assumption the same calibration marks will be correct.
Pre-bend – A handy pre-bend gauge can be quickly pushed up the mast to make sure you have the right pre-bend.
Check the jib car settings – Make sure they are set for the rake setting you plan to launch on, calibration and easy reference is a must here.
In all, this will take you less than 10 minutes and will guarantee no surprises on the water. After sailing I always try to record settings to make sure nothing has been adjusted incorrectly and so I know exactly what the rig was set to the next time I’m rigging up. Keeping a wet notes in your tool box to document each sail and settings you liked will mean you have a record.
If you have any questions on tuning then our team are on hand to make sure you are on the right track. Why not take advantage of the off season and get your boat into P&B South for a full tune up and calibration?
CHRISTMAS WISH LIST & STOCKING FILLERS!
We have some great offers currently in store and some new arrivals. The newest product to hit our shelves is the new range of watches from Gill which will be straight on the list of must have items for any dinghy racer this Christmas! With all the great functions you need for your sailing along with really easy to use buttons and the clearest display on any watch on the market it is a brilliant product to help you get the best starts in 2015!
Other than our continued deal on Gill casual wear (while stocks last) we also have a great in-store offer of a free 60L Gill Tarp Barrel bag when you spend over £200 on Gill product.
Visit us in-store or call 01489 577748 for more information.
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CALENDARS
FROM £7.50
Get organised for next year with one of our 2015 calendars. Available in various sizes these calendars are a great stocking filler! |
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COVER & SAIL SALE100
P&B'S Sail & Cover Sale is back...
Get 15% OFF P&B Sails and all P&B covers until the 19th DEC. Secure your discount with a 30% deposit today and pay the rest on delivery. |
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GIFT VOUCHERS!100
Stuck for gift ideas...
then why not get some vouchers, starting from £5 and any multiples of 10 there after! |
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