This page contains some notes from Dart Sails on sail setting, and below that a set of Sail Trim Tables, compiled by Nigel Lucas from Romper. Any tips of your own, send ’em in!
Thanks to Dart Sails for the below guide.
SAIL TRIM TABLES
These were compiled as a guide by Nigel Lucas from Romper.
LIGHT AIRS (0-8 knots), flat sails and open leeches (to avoid stalling).
| Mainsail Control | Upwind | Reaching | Downwind | ||||||||||
| Outhaul | 1″ from black band except in slight chop then 2.5″ from band | 2.5″ except when close reaching with spinnaker and experiencing backwinding | Ease to 1.5″ from band | ||||||||||
| Cunningham | No tension | No tension | No tension | ||||||||||
| Kicker | No tension | Very slight tension | Very slight tension | ||||||||||
| Traveller | 2-3″ above centre line | Halfway down track | Halfway down track | ||||||||||
| Sheet | Sufficient to keep boom on centre line | To give Desired boom angle | To give Desired boom angle | ||||||||||
| Genoa Control | Upwind | Reaching | Downwind | ||||||||||
| Halyard | Loose, puckered luff | Loose, puckered luff | Genoa furled | ||||||||||
| Barber Hauler | Inboard as far as possible without backwinding main | Outboard | |||||||||||
| Track | Eased to set sails some 4-5″ from spreader (make sure top and bottom tell-tales are parallel) | Trimmed to keep excessive twist out of leech. | |||||||||||
| Sheet | Depending on sea conditions; the foot should be just touching shroud in flat sea, but the foot should be up to 6″ off in lumpy sea. | Trimmed on tell-tales | |||||||||||
| Spinnaker Control | Reaching | Downwind | |||||||||||
| Halyard | 4-6″ off the mast | To mast | |||||||||||
| Pole | Lowered to match clew height | Lowered to match clew height | |||||||||||
| Guy/Sheet | Normal Guy position, use Pole downhaul to push pole forward as required. Try to keep sheet out of water. Easier to trim via Guy rather than sheet. | Pole as far aft as possible without having to oversheet; maximum projected area. | |||||||||||
| Rig Control | Upwind | Reaching | Downwind | ||||||||||
| Backstay | Tighten to take any vertical creases out | Release to allow mast forward | |||||||||||
MEDIUM AIRS (9-18 knots), full sails and tight leeches (to give power and pointing).
| Mainsail Control | Upwind | Reaching | Downwind | ||||||||||
| Outhaul | Out to black band | 2.5″ from band | Ease to 1.5″ from band | ||||||||||
| Cunningham | No tension | No tension | No tension | ||||||||||
| Kicker | Tension increasing as wind pressure builds | Adjust to prevent head falling off | slight tension | ||||||||||
| Traveller | Near centre line, dropping down the track as pressure builds | Bottom half of track | Bottom half of track | ||||||||||
| Sheet | Sufficient to keep boom on centre line and tighten leech of main | To give Desired boom angle | To give Desired boom angle | ||||||||||
| Genoa Control | Upwind | Reaching | Downwind | ||||||||||
| Halyard | Loose, puckered luff | Loose, puckered luff | Genoa furled | ||||||||||
| Barber Hauler | Inboard as far as possible without backwinding main | Outboard if possible | |||||||||||
| Track | Eased to set sails some 2″ from spreader (make sure top and bottom tell-tales are parallel) | Trimmed to keep excessive twist out of leech. | |||||||||||
| Sheet | Depending on sea conditions; the foot should be hard against the shroud in flat sea, but the foot should be loosely touching shroud in lumpy sea. | Trimmed on tell-tales | |||||||||||
| Spinnaker Control | Reaching | Downwind | |||||||||||
| Halyard | 4-6″ off the mast | To mast | |||||||||||
| Pole | Pole level with clew. The pole should never be higher than the clew – this prevents “hooking” into the main. | High as possible for maximum power without the clew drooping below pole height. | |||||||||||
| Guy/Sheet | Normal Guy position, pole must stay off the forestay. Ease sheet as much as possible. | Pole as far aft as possible without having to oversheet; maximum projected area. | |||||||||||
| Rig Control | Upwind | Reaching | Downwind | ||||||||||
| Backstay | Release to allow mast forward | ||||||||||||
HEAVY AIRS (19-28 plus knots), flat sails (to reduce power) and controlled leeches (to maintain pointing but reduce power).
| Mainsail Control | Upwind | Reaching | Downwind | ||||||||||
| Outhaul | Out to black band | Out to black band | Out to black band | ||||||||||
| Cunningham | Pull on to remove creases | No tension | No tension | ||||||||||
| Kicker | On Hard | Ease on bearing away. Ease kicker in puffs to de-power if required. | Remove twist on mainsail to prevent rolling. | ||||||||||
| Traveller | Play in gusts (dump) but try to keep as close to centre as possible – avoids backwinding from the Genoa. | Down track | Down track | ||||||||||
| Sheet | Hard in | To give Desired boom angle | To give Desired boom angle | ||||||||||
| Genoa Control | Upwind | Reaching | Downwind | ||||||||||
| Halyard | No Creases in luff | No Creases in luff | Genoa furled | ||||||||||
| Barber Hauler | If overpowered, or backwinding main then ease down. | Have Genoa as far outboard as possible. | |||||||||||
| Track | Eased to de-power in extreme gusts when overpowered. Normal setting should have leach 2″ from spreader. | Trimmed to keep excessive twist out of leech. | |||||||||||
| Sheet | The foot should be hard against the shroud. | Ease until tell-tales stall. Ease to spill when overpowered. | |||||||||||
| Spinnaker Control | Reaching | Downwind | |||||||||||
| Halyard | To Mast | To mast (reduces rolling) | |||||||||||
| Pole | Low to straighten luff and open leach (reduces back-winding) | Lower than maximum to avoid spinnaker swinging (reduces rolling) | |||||||||||
| Guy/Sheet | Trim as eased as possible | Trim for maximum projected area but sheet in when rolling starts. | |||||||||||
| Rig Control | Upwind | Reaching | Downwind | ||||||||||
| Backstay | Hard on | Eased to flatten main | Eased. | ||||||||||
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