The RigONE sail is strictly designed for the Reduced Diameter Mast, RDM, for the obvious drag-saving reasons. For optimum performance, we recommend the Windwing RigONE 100% carbon RDM masts. Especially if you’re racing. More than saving weight, the 100% carbon mast has a higher reflex value than a mast with lower carbon content. This becomes notable if you’re racing; a higher reflex on a big sail means a faster reflex response to drive the sail, countering the pressure of the wind.
This does not mean RigONE sails will only work with RigONE masts; any RDM mast will work at their carbon level.
RIGGING PRECEEDURES
1: Once the sail is rolled out on the starboard side of the sail. (All Windwing sails are rolled on the starboard side). Insert the mast into the mast sleeve, threading it through and over the two Stubby cambers. Once the mast tip reaches the top, make sure the mast plug is firmly seated into the mast tip. Rigging the sail for the first time, it is best to provide extra guidance to firmly connect the mast plug and the mast tip. (After the first rigging, the tip plug will set in place and will fall in place easily.)
2: Secure the sail tack pulley to the extension base. Do not tension the downhaul at this point. Just enough to hold the mast in place.
3: Attach the boom at the base of the boom opening. Once attached, extend the boom extension and tension the clew to pre-bend the mast.
4: Once the mast is pre-bend by tensioning the clew to the boom, go to the mast sleeve and push in the cambers. They are called Stubby’s because they are not your normal cambers that have steep sides. These cmbers use the mast sleeve to contain them in place. (They do pop off when there’s not enough tension.) When that happens, a camber spacer needs to be installed.
5: Stubby’s are easy to pop on the mast but the downhaul tension must be just right. Too much tension and you can’t pop them in. Too little, they will not stay. Best way is to give try pushing them in at this point. If they will not pop in, it means too much downhaul. If it pop in but will not stay, a little more downhaul will solve the problem.
6: Once the cambers are in, it’s time to fully downhaul the sail. The amount of downhaul will determine the amount of wind. The following are three downhaul setting based on the wind strength. It should be noted that approximately half an inch of pulley lines should be exposed when fully downhauled in each setting. This means raising or lowering the mast extension by 2 or 4 cm between each setting. The sail’s tack line needs to be close to the base of the extension.
High Wind: Consistently above 25knots: Downhaul sail until the 4th batten sleeve is less than 45 degrees from the mast. (Sail should look almost flat.)
Average Wind: 10-25 knots: Downhaul sail until the 4th batten sleeve is past around 45 degrees from the mast.
Low Wind: 10-15 knots: Downhaul sail until the 4th batten sleeve is greater than 45 degrees from the mast. Always away from the mast. Never touching.
Once the downhaul is set, make sure the clew is free, not held tight by the boom before tensioning the M-TIP.
7: Wrap the straps at the foot of the sail around the base of the extension. Unsling a RigONE extension is easy because of the built-in M-TIP strap hook. But using a regular extension is also easy if you make sure the straps are grasping the edge of the extension and the universal. For those using regular extensions, it is best to have the universal already attached to the extension.
8: Start tensioning the M-TIP by pulling and pushing each against the other. Meaning — pulling the strap on one of the stop buckles while pushing the other forward to provide tension to set the buckle being pulled. Then reverse.
9: The amount of tension will depend on how much power is required. Finally, set the third M-TIP strap around the base and tension to equal the tension for all three or combine all three to add more tension.
10: Secure the residual straps into the foot pad or tied them down out of the way. Go to the clew and secure the boom to the clew with a slight tension. More to secure the boom to the sail than tensioning the clew to the boom.
11: Go to the front of the boom and adjst the hight of the boom head. It should be noted that the boom operating position of the RigONE sails can be lower than any other sails. Because the power is below the boom rather than above, the boom does not need to be high to leverage against the pressure of the sail.
12: Once you sail the RigONE, you will feel your comfort level and discover that the sail is fast and efficient without leveraging against the wind pressure. The more relaxed and upright the operator stands, the faster the sail goes. Having the boom lowered also means the sailor can hook into the harness lines sooner and more easily. In addition, there is no need for longer harness lines.
TROUBLE SHOOTING
Sail Feels Heavy: Not enough downhaul.
Sail Feels Gutless: Too much downhaul and not enough M-TIP tension.
Camber Will Not Stay On The Mast: Long Term Solutions: Easiest is to add one camber spacer and tighten batten tension during next rigging session. Quick Solution: More downhaul.
FINAL WORD