Built for performance, made for watersports adventures

I have owned an Aero for 5 years, and in March 2021 decided to take advantage of the Boat Show to buy a new boat.  Whilst setting up the new boat, I took a bunch of photos with the idea of documenting ideas on rigging and setup options.   The Aero is perfectly sailable as received from RS – simply follow the Rigging Manual (v6 at the point of writing, found here) and your boat will be good to go.  Everything you need to rig the boat is included, no need to buy additional parts, and all rope is helpfully labelled.   There are, however, rigging and set-up tweaks that you may choose to apply to your new (or existing) boat.  The RS Aero class rules (available on the World Sailing here) give some scope for modifications, the rules are updated from time to time so before embarking on any modifications/upgrades, it is worth reading the latest rules document to ensure that any modifications will comply.    As well as some rigging tweaks, I’ve included three boat checks that Aero owners (for new or old boats) may find helpful.   Note that the tweaks in the blog post are for the RS Aero with the 7 rig.  Whilst the principles will be fine for the 5 and 9 rig, some of the dimensions will need to be refined.    1.     Vang Upgrade:  Additional block and tapered vang line The vang is a principle control in any dinghy, the Aero is no exception.  Anything that makes the vang easier to use is to be welcomed.  The two modifications outlined here make the vang easier to adjust under load – the block on the gooseneck has less friction than the gooseneck pulley, and the dyneema of the tapered kicker is slippery through the blocks.   Note that some sailors in the front of the fleet don’t bother will these mods and adhere to the rigging manual. I can only assume they have stronger arms than me, maybe a few trips to the gym could be a viable alternative!   What kit is required? Harken 2698 18mm FLY Carbo T2 Soft-Attach Block - Open Centre RS Aero Tapered Kicker Control Line   What tools are required? None.   Description The class rules state the following: “It is permitted to attach to the gooseneck a block of no more than 20mm diameter using rope tied around the vang gooseneck block (the attached block being no more 60mm from the gooseneck block) and to lead the vang rope through that attached block rather than the gooseneck block.” The Harken block is ideal for this, and comes with a length of cord that can be used to secure the block to the gooseneck.  The end result should look like this: The Rooster tapered kicker comes with a pre-spliced loop, so it is simple to install on the boat – pass the loop through the becket on the harken block on the boom, and then pass the entire line through the loop.  As you thread the kicker through the blocks, do be careful to avoid ‘crossover’ of the rope.  You should be able to thread the kicker such that there are no ropes rubbing against each other.  Once rigged, the tapered kicker looks like this:   Additional Notes The Aero comes with a dyneema primary vang line, set up of this line is crucial to make sure that you have the maximum available travel on the secondary purchase.  In short, when you set up the vang, you need the blocks to be touching, like this:   After you have used the vang in anger you will find that the loops on the mast and booms are bedding in and that the dyneema has stretched, and the primary line will have to be shortened to compensate.  I left the vang on max for 20 minutes on my drive and then had to shorten the primary line by 10cm or so (that’s 4” for stateside brethren).  Before shortening it looked like this:   You should expect to keep adjusting the primary line as you use the boat, the objective needs to be to keep maximum travel in the vang.  I might be tempted to try ‘Rooster Zero’ to keep stretching to a minimum, but have yet to do so.   2.    Easier Controls:  Downhaul and Outhaul releases Imagine the following scenario.  You are using your new Aero in the Nationals for the first time, picked every shift on the first beat, and rounded the windward mark at the head of the fleet.  It is a solid 25 knots, and you have been using max downhaul for the duration of the beat.  As you approach the windward mark, you release the downhaul and outhaul, and just before the bear away you release some vang.  A little windward heel and glorious bear away, photographers snapping away from a rib, a tear in the eye of the jury boat as they witness flawless execution. A short way down the run you realise that the downhaul and outhaul are still on more than you would like – releasing the vang has allowed for more scope of release on the downhaul and outhaul.  But you are right at the back of the boat, and don’t want to shift weight forward to adjust.  In a light spot you decide to nip forward to release the controls further, but alas, a unforeseen gust hits the boat and you spin in a capsize to windward.  The fleet sail by, making helpful remarks on capsize recovery (they are all trying not to smile, but inwardly, they are all smiling and looking forward to post- race analysis). Downhaul and outhaul releases make it easier to release the control lines in a single action, rather than needing multiple passes as other controls are changed.  So you can release before the windward mark, and be confident that you will not be readjusting on the next leg of the course.  It is a relatively inexpensive upgrade that just makes the boat easier to sail. What kit is required? For the downhaul release: 1.5m of 6mm shock cord 1x spring hook For the outhaul release: 2m of 6mm shock cord 2x Medium Inglefield clips   What tools are required? None, but the following is useful (once you have used a hot knife for cutting rope you are unlikely to go back to a knife and lighter): Hot knife kit Also worth learning how to tie knots in shock cord, in particular the Zeppelin Bend   Description For the downhaul release, you need to thread the spring hook onto the shockcord, and then create a loop of cord attached to the upper downhaul block.  The Zeppelin Bend referenced above is a good knot to use to make the loop.  You then make a loop in the halyard tail – this is the attachment point for the spring clip.   Once installed, the system looks like this:   You can see the halyard loop and spring clip at the top of the picture, next to the ‘7’ on the mast, and loop of shock cord running down the mast to the downhaul double block.  If required, you want to adjust the length of the loop such that there is a very slight tension when the downhaul is on maximum release. The outhaul release is straight forward.  Pass the 2m length of shock cord through the clew, and attach an Inglefield clip to each end using a simple stop knot.  The shock cord gets taken either side of the boom mainsheet blocks to the first of the vang loops on the boom, and the Inglefield clips connected (on the right in the picture below).   Additional notes There are many different ways to facilitate the release of downhaul and outhaul, this is just one example.  I’ve used this set up for a couple of years with no issues, but have seen more elaborate systems on other boats. I did try using 8mm shock cord for the downhaul release, but found that this made the downhaul too difficult to pull on – 6mm appears to the be good balance. Minor point, if you make up your own system, be careful not to use a metal clip where it can abrade the carbon spars. 3.    Easier Controls:  Replacement of Downhaul double block   The aero comes rigged with a double block attached to the deck, to be used as the lower block in the downhaul cascade.  The Aero Class Rules (specifically C.6.1.3(v)) allow for this block to be replaced by two single blocks.  The use of single blocks in the cascade reduces friction, and so makes the control easier to use.  Worth noting that wear on the blocks is reduced as well.   What Kit is Required? 2x Harken 2698 18mm FLY Carbo T2 Soft-Attach Block - Open Centre   What tools are required? None, but a needle fid can make it easier to fit the blocks   Description This picture shows the double block to be replaced (centre), and the two singles to be installed (left).   The picture below shows the two single blocks installed.  I’ve used some Rooster Zero (UHMPE/Spectra) to attach the blocks to the deck, but there is no reason not to use the cord that comes with the blocks (I did this to match the Dyneema of the other blocks, a completely unnecessary attention to detail that must have cost £’000s over the years!).   4.    Easier controls – Easysplice for the downhaul and outhaul The standard RS rigging pack comes with downhaul and outhaul lines that are already cut to length, each line has a small loop at both ends.  Once the lines are threaded through the blocks, they are connected using a ‘lashing’ (see pages 19 and 15 in the rigging manual).  Whilst I have no doubt that RS have tested the arrangement to the extreme, I personally prefer a splice to join the tails of the control lines, I find it runs through the small diameter blocks very easily, and I can never quite trust the ‘lashing’ approach! Again, some sailors will be fine with the standard approach, but I note that a lot of sailors prefer the spliced rope solution.   What Kit is Required? For the downhaul secondary control line: 8m of blue/white EasySplice For the outhaul secondary control line: 5.5m of black/white EasySplice What tools are required? Splicing tools are required.  You could do worse than buy the full kit, makes this type of job very easy. Description Follow the rigging manual, but instead of lashing the ends of the control lines, use a splice.  For instructions already available on the Rooster blog   Other Small Stuff 5.      ‘Main halyard primary’ upgrade The Aero primary halyard is attached to the tail using a double sheet bend.  This arrangement can be frustrating as the knot can catch in the eye at the top of the mast, making the sail more difficult to hoist and drop.    An easy solution is to make a primary halyard using EasySplice, with a loop that is attached to the tail using a bowline.  This does not catch in the eye at the top of the mast, and makes hoisting and dropping just a little bit easier.  You can buy one off the shelf from Rooster, including the plastic bobble, here       6.      Mainsheet upgrade The standard mainsheet that comes with the Aero is 8mm Kingfisher ‘Braid on Braid’.  It is a rope that is ‘soft’ and easy on the hands.  The class rules allow for a mainsheet from any manufacturer, with a minimum diameter of 6mm and a maximum of 9mm. A couple of seasons back, I tried a 6mm Polilite mainsheet for light winds, on the basis that there would be less friction through the blocks, and Polilite does not seem to form knots whilst lying in the bottom of the boat.  After a few months trial, I now use 6mm Polilite as a mainsheet in all wind strengths – I do not have problems with sheet loading despite the relatively small diameter. If a 6mm mainsheet seems a bit too small, there is a 7mm option that is already cut to size and even 8mm if you are happy to purchase by the meter. .   10m of 6mm Polilite mainsheet 10m of 7mm Polilite mainsheet:  7.      JC Strap A JC Strap helps the boom move to outward from the boat, especially useful when bearing away from close hauled to a run in light winds.  It can interfere with the release of the downhaul, but not so much of a problem if you have an elastic downhaul release.  Many classes use a JC strap, they just make the boat a little easier to sail.   My JC Strap is threaded through one of the vang loops on the boom, to a block attached to the eye on the bow of the boat (there is a double block in the photo as I subsequently moved the downhaul elastic to this block, a single block for the JC Strap is equally as good).  I used 6mm shock cord which seems fine, and is the recommended diameter in the rigging manual.  Remember to rig it outside the downhaull! Parts required: 2x Medium Inglefield Clips 2m 6mm Shockcord 1x block of choice: HARKEN 224 22MM SINGLE MICRO BLOCK, or HARKEN 226 22MM DOUBLE MICRO BLOCK if you want the downhaul elastic and JC Strap in one block! 8.      Deck Protection Metal blocks seem to stain gelcoat – not sure why this happens, but it can make for an unsightly deck (which is triggering to those perfectionists among us).  I’m not sure whether the blocks can actual damage the gelcoat, as I’ve always protected the deck.  Easiest way to prevent the staining/damage is to use protective tape, cut to make appropriately sized patches.  The photo shows tape below the blocks of the downhaul.   Parts required: 2m of clear chafe tape   9.      Tape the Tiller Extension to the Tiller This only takes a moment to do, but saves enormous embarrassment when the tiller extension decides to part from the tiller mid- race.   And finally, some checks for those fortunate enough to be buying a new Aero: 10. Check the fit between mast sections The top and bottom mast should slot together with no gap between the sections.  On my new boat, the sections were separated by about 2.5mm – no great distance, but this allows the sections to rotate, resulting in a potentially misaligned mast track. The issue was the mast track on the bottom section – it was slightly overlapping the join.  A couple of minutes with a file and the mast track was aligned to join, and the sections slotted together with no gap.  So if you do have a gap have a close look at the mast track.   11. Check the screws on the hull fittings There are a number of hull fittings attach to the deck using stainless screws.  I checked all screws, the majority were fine, but three required tightening.  I’m not sure that any of these would ultimately have caused an issue, but for the amount of time it takes, a systematic check seems like a good idea.   12. Check for burrs on the trolley axles Very small point, but worth checking the holes for the lynchpins on the trolley.  Mine had burrs that (i) prevented my trolley wheels from being removed, and (ii) but my finger!   A few moments with a file sorts it out (but you would think the person drilling the hole could at least deburr it, and perhaps use a jig to get the holes aligned to the centre of the axle).

  The Pro Laced Boots (made from 4mm lined neoprene) have been developed to give the wearer ultimate support for hiking and trapezing. The wrap-around ribbed sole (also with 4mm lined neoprene inside) offers protection combined with superior grip, which blends over the top of the boot into a super grippy compound providing extra padding and hiking security where you need it most. We have used a large gusset to allow for greater ease when putting them on and taking them off. There are strong adjustable laces to accommodate varying ankle and calf sizes and also allow for some freedom of movement at the ankle. FEATURESEasiFit; made using proprietary 3D lasts giving a more stable platform and wider fit than the industry averageWrap-around ribbed, hard wearing solesWide neoprene gusset for ease of donningAdjustable lacesAdditional grip and support for hikingWill suit a wide variety of ankle size and foot widthWide removeable Velcro ankle strapCan be worn with Rooster Lace Tidy Boot Gaiters when ankle strap is removed.

(Previous Rooster Blog article from Oct 2015 - updated and restored) For those of us who have been using the new 15:1 kicker for sometime - we may perhaps think that everyone has one. Well interestingly, a Gold medal was won using the old style system in recent 15:1 history. Robert Scheidt I am sure was not restricted by a club rule that many of our clubs sailors have instigated - the less than £300 a boat rule. Well in case you have forgotten - or perhaps you fancy being a purist and are looking for a few grams of weight saving - here is our information sheet on how it should be done, together with the items you will need. Attach the first micro ball bearing block such as a Harken 16mm air block or the Ronstan RF20101 to the bottom of the top block using a loop of Rooster Spectwelve or a shackle (I suggest a 5mm sail shackle as you can tighten it with a flat blade screwdriver..). Attach the other micro block to the end of the 6mm main line (suggest the 6mm Rooster AllSpecPro) and feed over the top roller of the top block . Next pass the main line through the top roller on the bottom jammer; and then back through the top hanging block. Bottom Block then ..then through the block attached to the key block. Now the 3:1 part of the kicker needs to be fixed in order to enable us to make the unit 6:1 using only one line. This is essentially a neat knot around the bottom jammer block. Start by passing the tail of the line through the bottom hole in the cheek of the jammer. Pass the tail around and behind the line to start the locking action (when under load the tension secures the line). Next you need to replicate this on the other cheek of the block. Pass the rope around to the other side, and execute the previous move in reverse. Start by passing the line in between the cheeks and exit through the free hole in the side cheek. Ensure that as the rope tail comes out from the cheek you use it to lock the 'round the block' part of the line. From this point adjustments to the length of the kicker (max off position is when the block is at the top of the key block) are easily made: Now with the 3:1 locked, take the free tail of the line and pass it through the micro block at the top of the kicker... ...then down to the jammer... ...around the pulley and then OUT! Check the overall length of the kicker. We measure from the top of the Kicker Key to the pin on the swivel/base and set all our vangs at 63cm. This should be a basic setting that can be tensioned or loosened for windy and light settings. Note that the 63cm is the maximum off it should be able to go off - at this point, the little block is at the top of the key block. Now that the length is set you can start a rope handle. We do this by making a quick release loop, and then passing another loop through it and continue till you have 10 - 12 inches of handle, making sure not to let the tail through the loops till your finished. To finish and secure the handle off pull the rope tail through the last loop. Finish the handle by tying a bowline to make a loop. You should now have just enough tail left to tie to the centreboard handle - making the control line much easier to find when on the water.

    POST VIDEO NOTE:Please use a separate piece of line to attach the two blocks to the traveller eye.  see image below: This is to stop any chance of the two blocks and their 3mm elastic from tensioning the traveller in any way.  This was required by measurement at the 2018 World Championships. The story: During the recent RS Aero World Championships, it became apparent that if I wanted to release the controls downwind efficiently that I would need to change the control lines to over deck take up style. The old style tended to get a little tangled downwind:   I was inspired by Steve Norbury’s version that I had seen at the Aero Southern Championships which I knew was class legal. Obviously, I have put some of my splicing experience into the kit to fasten the two Ronstan Shock Blocks in place and used Rooster’s EasySplice™ Continuous Control Line as it’s just so easy! I used the Ronstan Shock Blocks as they can be colour co-ordinated and are very light – which I guess is nice as the boat is so nice and light. I also used Selden 30mm Loop Top Blocks for the take ups in the video and have recently changed them to Allen 30mm Blocks . Rooster has produced a kit with most of the splicing done, all you will have to do is ‘cow splice’ the Ronstan Shock Blocks onto a pre-made double loop 180mm line under the deck. We suggest you use 2mm Spectwelve (an SK78 12 braided Dynema) for the take-up tidies and Rooster 4mm Zero a super low stretch UHMPE 12 braided line for the traveller. You will also notice that I have adopted the Rooster colours which have been used extensively in singlehanded sailing with blue for downhaul/ Cunningham, grey for outhaul and red for kicker or vang. Feel free to take the parts and ropes in the colours you are used to. I used 5m of EasySplice™ for the outhaul system, although I did not have much line to spare so perhaps it’s worth taking 6m and losing a bit.  Our kit is now 5.5m so you will need to first ensure your outhaul is maximum off.   Then join the outhaul when it can just go in front of the centreboard case with a little movement. For the downhaul, I used 8m of EasySplice™, plus 1m of 2mm Spectwelve for the two side deck tidy’s and 1m of 4mm Zero for the traveller. Tools:I like my tools so I tend to try and use them all. But if you are keen to do the whole thing yourself then you will need: Serrated Scissors 2/3mm Pull Fid 4mm Push fid Rooster EasySplice™ Needle Fid (I use the super thin needle for the EasySplice™ Control Line splice). Needles and Waxed Whipping Twine (available on the Rooster website to finish off the joins in the control line.) If you purchase the kit, then you will only need the EasySplice™ Needle Fid, twine and needle, although I am sure you would still find the Serrated Scissors useful. Splicing TipWhen you cut the centre core out of easy splice, leave it as loose as possible.  This will enable the other line to pass into it easier.  Do not try and milk it to make it smaller as this will make it harder to pull the other end through it.    RS Sailing is the most forward-looking company I have ever been close to. I understand that they will be stocking these ‘Rooster’ upgrade kits in due course. I think it will make a significant difference to your Aero sailing enjoyment – if it could get any better!

2000 - an easy boat to sail, a hard boat to sail fast! This blog aims to pass on the tips and lessons learned whilst trying, and finally winning, a 2000 National Championships. If I have not bored you with the story of why Sarah and I became 2000 sailors, let me do it again. Sarah had ruptured her achilles whilst running for a trolley on the slipway at Rutland - watch out for the change of slipway width! When she had finally come out of the incline boot, the 2000 seemed to be a nice and safe environment to get back on the water. If you had asked me if I thought the 2000 fleet was tough and the boat was nice to sail before I had sailed one, the answer would probably have been no. I was wrong on both counts. The boat is comfortable and pleasing to sail well and the fleet has some very talented sailors. The Nationals this year were in North Berwick hosted by East Lothian Yacht Club, and it fitted with the many other plans this year. I had sailed the Solo Nationals at North Berwick and we had found it to be super welcoming so we had it planned very early in the calendar. The evening walks were definitely worth the drive. East Lothian Yacht Club excelled themselves again with a terrific team to ensure the event was the #bestregattaever! The race officer was excellent, a real seat of the pants sailor who could weigh up the tactics of the first beat to tease the sailors into some head scratching. But the reason for this post is not to sell you why East Lothian Yacht Club is the best regatta site ever, but to pass on some of our 2000 racing tips whilst they are still in my head. The most applicable phrase about 2000 sailing is that it is an easy boat to sail, but a hard boat to sail fast. We finally got it sorted and won the Championships, but it was never easy.  2000's can get exciting. Photo by Eric Robertson The lessons learned along the way: Never sit too far back downwind unless it's so windy you shouldn't really be racing. Some fast crews really do not leave the shroud. I know that is counter to normal sailing principles, perhaps it's because the hull is largely flat with a small kick up at the transom, so keeping forward uses the flat area to promote planing Tackline of the gennaker can by eased out in light winds by as much as 5 inches. Then heel the boat to windward to bring it from behind the mainsail.  You might like an adjustment on this line, tightening it as it gets windy Gennaker head can be eased out by as much as 5 inches in light winds and perhaps as little as 2 inches in strong winds. The gennaker is rather small so the further away from the rig it can get the better Centreboard should be able to go nearly flush with the top of the case. Replace the thick rope on the handle with some thin rope so you can achieve this. Do not push the board lower as this may damage the case. The science behind this is that the rig has been thrown over the bow of the boat to help speed up the downwind performance, so the centreboard then needs to move forward to promote some weather helm to help encourage you to keep the boat flat. No weather helm and you can be happy sailing heeled over, but that is very slow Downwind in light winds sit as far forward as you can and try to promote some windward heel. Ease the kite to allow the now eased tack and head to help the kite to float out from behind the mainsail and soak (nearly running) as much as possible. You can also pull the centreboard up too as long as you are far enough forward as the centre of effort of the boat will move forwards with your weight allowing you to pull the board up almost completely. In this situation the helm is the balance. I actually found it hard to keep the windward chine in the water and was asking Sarah to sit more away from the mast. I was on the centre line which felt quick Always use the jib on the most aft car position The mast rake of 6570mm worked for me, measured from the top of the aft top gudgeon but with a shroud tension of just 150lbs. See my notes below on mast set up Mast set up. There are three schools of thought on the mast set up in the fleet. My set up was based on Jasper Barnham's set up for the mast, apparently he was a Firefly sailor which makes sense. To add some extra downwind pace we raked further forward, my spreaders were out and forward from neutral position. I had to use the mainsheet to keep the jib luff tight upwind and was not worried when I had to ease the mainsheet and add kicker to keep the boat flat. We were using the old Holt Allen mast. Simon Horsefield set up; Selden mast, spreaders neutral so he can use more rig tension, but pushed out for more power. Richard Hudson set up; Selden mast, no deflection on spreaders, neutral both fore and aft and out. The advantage of this set up is that you can use lots of rig tension and still get gust response. Despite our three very different set ups we were all fairly similar speeds in the moderate winds. Modifications to keep the crew happy. Change the toe straps - see the related blog here. A pair of adjustable Selden Auto Ratchets - do adjust the tension they work at with the small Allen key, they are surprisingly light and work a treat One of the best Selden products Fit Harken 150 Aluminium Cleats on the jib sheet Consider fitting a 2:1 jib sheet for windy weather Fit a 6mm All spec pro Gennaker Sheet - you can take the centre core out in the middle to make a nice smooth loop to pass the Gennaker sheet around the forestay. Check out how to do a centre taper on All Spec Pro here, 9m should do it. The centre taper is passed through the clew - the sheet is then passed through the loop to make a tidy smooth clew knot. It looks like our 2000 is now sold. We are not sure if that chapter is closed for good as we do have access to another one should we be keen to come and play in the future, but for now we are going to put the time into the RS 800 and the RS Aeros, although a snowy weekend in January might change our minds as the 2000 is a warm dry boat with plenty of storage for hot drinks! I hope you enjoyed the tips and can add more of your own in the comments below. I am sure the class is going to go from strength to strength. Kev O'Brian is your new chairman and is open to new ideas to promote class membership and participation. The committee are keen to promote the training aspect of the class and Simon Horsefield has already been starting to give some excellent coaching tips each morning this year. Keep up the good work guys, I am sure we will be back soon. We are already planning to come back to East Lothian again for the RS Aero Nationals in 2019. We are certainly looking forward to seeing some friendly faces #bestregattaever!   Cover photo by Eric Robertson Save Save

So Lasers are one design? Well almost. There are build tolerances that make small differences to your speed from mast rake, spar stiffness and weight. Also having sailed a Europe dinghy very seriously, I also know the effect of mast rake on performance. In light winds, Europe sailors used to rake aft so that the sail kissed the aft deck with just the right amount of leach tension. Then they moved the mast forward for maximum leach tension as the wind increased. Then - well then if you had a bendy mast - further forward still to hold the leach - or if you had a stiff mast, further back to open the leach. The key consideration for the Europe was to keep the boom as close to the aft deck as possible. Europe and Finn sailors talk about edge effect, where the sail and deck can work together, but certainly from my experience in Laser Standard and Laser Radial sailing, the sooner I was able (when saying able - I mean using the sail controls to give best sail shape - but still the word is able) to get the main block to block, the quicker I was in the lighter conditions. I have sailed Lasers with the rake too far forward - It was slow in light winds, I tended to over bend the upper mast to get the boom to block to block. The boat would pitch or bob upwind in waves. Strangely with the mast too far forward, I also found the weather helm increase? That might sound strange but if you tighten the leech more and suck the fullness out of the luff - then the boat will feel heavier on the helm. To mitigate this, I would select a bendy lower mast (how to find a bendy one? ANS: weigh it or take some callipers to the section. Thicker wall or larger section = stiffer) My first laser had a very aft rake (3795mm). I won a few races at my first Standard Europeans and came 3rd in my first Laser Nationals in 1993 - I was a rocket ship in light to moderate winds - but pretty rubbish in a breeze - but that might have been me.. From my Europe dinghy experience, we used to push the mast forward for flat water and aft for wave sailing. Although we can't adjust our mast rake on the Laser - we at least can be aware of its rake and how to mitigate its rake with the spars that we have to choose from. So let's see how you could measure the mast rake on a Laser, then discuss the relative merits of some extremes, and by that I mean extremes as the builders are normally very good at keeping within a cm of what we would call a good mast rake.   To measure your mast rake you will need to attach a tape measure to the top of your standard lower mast (I use electrical pvc tape). Sorry if you are a radial sailor, you will have to borrow a standard mast. Make sure the lower mast is straight. Put the mast in the boat and then take the tape measure to the back of the boat - making sure the tape is not twisted and has a good lie to the transom. Where the tape kisses the back deck is where you measure your rake number. This one reads 3m 82cm - or if you are technical - it reads 3820mm. Give or take a couple of mm. In fact my tape measure is probably a couple of mm proud of the top of the mast so its perhaps really 3818mm. Good mast rakes: This depends on the version of Laser you are sailing: 4.7. After seeing the variance in lower mast bends (they should be 15 degrees) its perhaps hard to call this one. But if you have lots of lower mast bend - then more upright (less rake) or larger number might be better. Do check your lower mast bend though. If you have a section with lots of bend, you might want to change it if you are planning to sail in all conditions. It should be 15 degrees, my feeling is that less bend will give you more power in the light to moderate and too much power in the breeze. Radial. The problem with the radial is all the spars are stressed to (or even beyond) their elastic limit. Too upright (larger number) and the spars bend permanently, too raked (small number) and you have no leach tension. Spars have changed significantly. Lower masts can be bendy or stiff. Personally I prefer the lower mast to be on the bendy side and the upper mast to be about 2.85Kg. I find that when the upper mast gets too stiff, then the leach looses contact with the wind. I like a mast rake of about 3820mm - so I am pretty happy with this new ship. Standard sailors tend to like stiff upper masts. As a rather short 5'8" standard sailor I used to select lower masts that were rather bendy so I could vang on hard in the breeze. My first standard laser had a rake of 3795mm, which was great in the light but not competitive in medium or strong winds. Much more than 3830 and I feel that I could not get the boom block to block. Again - this depends on the spars you have to choose from. A very bendy lower mast might be ideal with a 3830 mast rake - but you would also need a very stiff upper mast to maintain the upper mast sail profile. I think 3835mm is a bit uncomfortable to sail a radial - as the weather helm gets hard and my biceps start screaming. Its also pretty hard to get to block to block. My charter boat at the Laser Worlds in Terrigal had a mast rake that was 3860mm. It was a pig. There was no fullness or power in the upper leach and the wind appeared to not stick to the sail through the wave pattern. This boat did not have a great pedigree. The Standard sailor who had podiumed at the Olympics the previous year, did not make the top 50 of these worlds. If you are going to get choosy about the mast rake, you have to know what spars are available. Aussie boats were traditionally further forward than European boats - but they also had super bendy standard lower masts and stiff upper masts - which gave them a further forward mast for going downwind and a more even curve over the two spars. Put UK spars on an Aussie boat (Aussie boats had a mast rake of 3830mm) and you have way too much upper mast bend which sucks the power out of the luff and opens the leach. The softer lower mast allows the upper mast to stay relatively powerful and hold its depth. I think that LP have achieved a great standard in mast rake at the moment with some super stiff upper masts for Standard sailors. As a radial sailor, I think I am looking for a more bendy upper mast than a standard sailor and as bendy a lower mast that I can find. Next job - fit a Rooster Pro Plus Laser Toestrap and Toestrap Adjustment Pack, New Rules. Then.. time to test the new ship for real....

After two years of racing our RS Feva some parts have worn out and we are suffering with more breakages. With the Worlds coming up this summer we have been making sure our Feva is ready to go and will not break down during the event. Recently, at the Itchenor Schools week, we had problems with our Gennaker. We soon realised one of the problems was that our halyard was twisting and kinking, so it was not running very smoothly and, after we took the foredeck apart, we found out that many of the blocks were worn out. Over the week we went out and bought four high quality ball bearing blocks and a new Gennaker Pole. Steve Cockerill kindly gave us a new Rooster Spinfast Gennaker halyard. We chose this halyard as it is does not twist or kink. We got together all our tools which included three different sized allen keys, one Philips screwdriver and a knife. We started off by taking the fore deck off and unscrewing all the blocks and getting rid of them whilst keeping the springs to hold the new blocks up. We then cleaned out the foredeck and left it to dry. One hour later we came back and screwed in all the new blocks with a touch of sika-flex to make sure they are secure. Then we threaded the new pole in and rigged the new halyard and re-attached the fore-deck. We decided to put the mast up and test it all out with our new spinnaker, it all worked smoothly and ran the best it has ever before which was very satisfying for Jamie. After flying the kite we thought the halyard was too long as there was a risk of it getting caught under the pole, so we measured how far the halyard would need to come out in light winds when the gennaker is fully let out. We cut around a metre off which meant we had a 13 metre halyard. (Note Rooster Feva Spinfast Spinnaker Halyards now measure 13.5m) We are looking forward to testing it out on the water on Saturday and are really excited to go to Spain for the RS Feva Worlds. Remove all the bolts and screws and store them safe. A very worn block   Remove all the blocks   Screw in all the blocks with a touch of sika-flex   Attach the halyard making sure it is rigged right   We take our halyard all the way to the back so if Jamie is sorting out a problem I can still drop the kite.   Double check the halyard is rigged right and then screw on the foredeck making sure it is secure.   Rig the mast and check the system works by rigging the kite and doing a few hoist and drops. Feva 4963 Louis Wright and Jamie Allen  

After Winning the Streaker National Championships 5 times, 4 of which with a Rooster OD Streaker Sail,  I am often asked for a tuning guide - so here it is: In the Streaker we have a rig that is a halfway house between an un stayed rig and a stayed rig with spreaders. With no spreaders to deflect or control the mast, the mast bend will depend on your settings of shroud and forestay and how much you are going to let the deck support your mast. I like to set up the rig so that the boom is parallel if not closing on the aft deck when sailing to windward in 12 knots with lots of sheet or vang tension. You should also note that your mast will behave differently when you are hanging out over the side of the boat in maximum power conditions, when compared to someone 3 stone heavier. If you are lighter then you will need a more forgiving set up to allow your mast to yield and give you acceleration. So I rarely share numbers to un-stayed rig sailors, instead I offer the following tips: Less than 5 knots. Beating. There is no difference in the set up here whether you are light, heavy, fit or unfit; unless you are expecting the wind to increase through the race. Primarily you will need to take out the bag of the sail near the mast - sail makers call this luff curve which is very useful when the wind gets up some more. But now in these drifter conditions, going to windward, this early bag in the sail shape is not desirable. Sheeting hard to take out the luff curve or sail cloth near the mast will hook the leach which is also not desirable. Ideally we would like to sheet with relatively light tension, paying particular attention to the top tell tail. Try to keep it just flying. But we still have the excess luff curve to manage. Managing the luff curve: 1. Pull on the outhaul - this sucks a little luff curve out of the sail. 2. Release the in-haul of the sail which can fool the sail that there is lots of low down mast bend - which again reduces the excess luff curve situation and allows you to get the wind to stick to the sail early on its journey across the sail. 3. Over release the Cunningham tension - or even halyard tension and encourage some small horizontal creases I your sail. This will help you take the draft aft (this is the reverse of Cunningham which pulls the draft forward) 4. If you are sure that the conditions will not change - you might consider easing the forestay which will allow the mast to bend more with the weight of the sail. However, if the wind increases by 5 knots you might regret this as you would quickly run out of power and luff curve. 8-12 Knots - Beating My basic rule is sail in 12 knots of breeze - if you are struggling for power and pointing ability - pull on the forestay tension - if you have too much power - then let the forestay off a bit. Now - in the higher gusts you can start to really work the wind - and suck out plenty of power using your leach. I use relatively tight forestay and slack shrouds. I use main sheet tension to gain the most power from the rig - as using the vang (often used by sailors to help take out the luff curve) unfortunately depowers the mast as it pushes the boom into the mast. This wind strength is often the transition between vang sheeting (if you have too much luff curve to remove with normal cheats above) and mainsheet sheeting which develops lots of power in the rig. A constant eye on the leach tell tails to ensure they are still breathing in the gusts whilst also being aware that too much tension can over flatten the sail and stall the tell tails. Constant sheet tension changing is required. 12 knots to 15 knots - Beating  Note: Ian Jones leeward shroud tension. Depending on your mass and your fitness levels - this area can be very different in set up. In these conditions it is normal for the wind to start to drag the fullness in the sail aft - causing heel and loss of speed. Those with a fitness or mass advantage are trying to keep the draft 35% back from the mast - without resorting to using Cunningham (as this also opens the upper leach which depowers the rig) So heavier sailors will support the mast by using more forestay tension (this reverse bends the mast at deck level and thrusts more fullness towards the mast). Lighter sailors will be happy to let the mast bend (sucking out fullness and sending the darft aft) which allows them to use more Cunningham tension to pull the fullness back to the mast - and in turn re establish the balance of the boat. In these conditions I might start to use vang to hold an average power - but over sheet with the mainsheet when I need extra power and leach closure. If you use vang, it will tend to pull the draft aft - so be prepared to use either more Cunningham or more inhaul to balance the low down mast bend. I use very slack shrouds on the Streaker. This has caused some consternation from many who consider themselves experts in the class. This set up means that I can run very deep downwind but it also gives me speed rather than height to windward. Running slack shrouds does encourage the leach to open as the mast bends sideways upwind. For those lighter weight sailors, this is a great set up for you. I compensate for the sideways mast bend by using lots of mainsheet tension to close the leach which gives me back the height. Personally I prefer the way the mast moves around with slack shrouds. 16-30 Knots Beating  Rig Set up in 12 - 15 Knots. (note closing on the aft deck) Mainsheet tension to help maintain height with some vang tension that holds the leach if I ease the sheet. Easy sailing - Lots of Vang and lots of Cunningham . The rig becomes a puppy - sheet loads reduce and she becomes a joy to sail. Don't pinch to depower, instead - ease the sail for speed and keep the boat flat. You will not achieve a flat boat by hiking alone - you MUST ease the sail - even if it flaps. 16-20 Knots Downwind: Remove the vang and the Cunningham for a fuller sail, but watch out for death rolls if you let the vang go to much - unless you like sailing by the lee. Check out the Rooster Boat Whisperer Downwind DVD for some standard corrective measures not listed in any books. I am sure that this so called tuning guide has sparked off more questions than answers. Everything else will follow if you use the rules and cheats above. I am always happy to help or advise so please feel free to either call me at Rooster HQ or comment below. Happy Sailing Steve Cockerill

Some great images and videos here for anyone planning to race hard in strong winds in a Graduate.  - Over 20 knots.  This quick guide should help you prepare for some strong breezes in future. If you are not a Graduate sailor - there is still some great tips. On Shore Preparation: Sails prepared to counter the draft being pushed aft by the wind: ©Nigel Denchfield/ Stewartby Water Sailing Club Jib Cunningham: (See image above) This is a more powerful control than you might imagine. Pull it on hard on the shore after you have applied your rig tension (My rig tension in this shot was 29 on my loose gauge on the shrouds with 3mm wire) which equates to about 400 lbs tension.) The tension pulled on the jib Cunningham should not only take out the wrinkles- but also make the jib lift slightly at the luff in normal conditions. It will look great once it has 20 knots over it, even if it is made with the heaviest of yarn tempering such as is used on our new Rooster OD Tri Radial Graduate Jib. Main Cunningham: I pulled about as hard as I could on the Cunningham even with its 4:1 purchase which again moves the draft forward to both compensate for the wind pulling it aft but also to enable me to use lots of vang to flatten and depower the mainsail. Centreboard position: In strong winds there is a high chance that despite all efforts that weather helm might take control - so I might not be quite so excited about getting the board all the way down - I might be happy with it a couple of inches up - but continue to monitor the feel on the helm when the boat is upright - or least when it feels upright.    Jib Cars: I moved the jib cars one hole aft from their maximum power position. I might have gone further, but we were never sheeting the jib in hard - so the leach would rarely hook. Technique: Crew Jib Technique: Attempting to control the power with the rudder is not fast, does not feel safe or inspire confidence. Boats should be trimmed with the mainsail, and then when the gust is too much for an ease of the mainsail,  then crew will also need to ease or dump the jib. However, the helm will also have to note that they must not sail to the jib tell tails when it is eased. Simply hold the same line as before and allow the luff of the jib to lift and let the power out of the slot with the jib eased. You can see in the picture that my jib tell tales are lifting - but the boat is reasonably flat and balanced and we are both hiking pretty hard. By easing the jib, we have opened the slot and allowed the main to be trimmed in again slightly so the sails remain balanced. Get yourself some marks on the deck to observe just how much jib is out. We used the foot of the jib as the mark position - when looking for height in less wind we were sheeting the mid foot of the jib to about 3 inches from the deck edge, in the gusts we were happy to have that mid foot position 2 inches beyond the deck edge. You can see in this short video that we came round the mark - experienced a large gust which meant I had to flog the main - then Harry eased the jib, we held our course and then both sails were then slightly lifting - but we had more balance and speed. When the gust went, Harry re trimmed the jib for more power. Thanks to Nigel Denchfiield for the use of his video clips. Try and  teach yourself and your crew that the water is the safe place. We had some fun on Saturday practising water starts - well almost. Get the crew to ease the jib and then head up a bit - to simulate a large header - ask the crew to lean out harder and pull the jib in to help bear away and power the boat up. Both helm and crew can act as floats preventing the boat from coming over on top of them. The helm also pulls in the main sail and bears away. The result is both of you come out of the water with smiles on your faces and the boat resumes its normal direction. Once you have done this a few times you can start to realise that sailing the boat flat is easy - even healed to windward is possible - and that the crew gains confidence that they are in control of the balance of the boat. The result is that you can sail to windward rather than spend your time falling over - it tends to make the boat sail higher and faster.  You can see this clearly in this video of Harry and I lapping the back of the Graduate Fleet.   Finally - watch this higher quality video of Harry easing the jib at mourn 1:20 - as the main was flogging - Harry had eased the jib to open the slot.   And remember that the boat sails with its sails - not the rudder - in strong winds this priority of concentration is a must, its what the original are all about. last but not least - Boat Trim on the Reaches - It is mentioned many times - but when not plane-ing - sit forward - when you are, or about to plane - sit to the back of the boat, but keep an eye out for angry water which indicates that the transom is sinking - and you will need to sit forward again. I hope this helps you to enjoy stronger winds. Happy Sailing

Winter is the time for fixing and upgrading your boat. It’s not always the most fun thing to do but definitely worth it when the season comes. We have recently been sorting our new RS200 for the year ahead and here are our key hints and tips for rigging a brand new RS200! Setting up the rig Deflection: The deflection of the spreaders is the key driver for setting the initial bend in the mast and is measured with no rig tension on the mast. The spreaders keep the mast in column with your desired set up by using the force through the shrouds to push on the mast. The deflection helps to induce bend into the mast to help mould the main into the correct shape and there are two ways of adjusting this; change the length of the spreaders or sweep them backwards by adjusting the inboard end. The length of the spreaders will also dictate the side to side stiffness of the mast, the longer they are the less bend to windward will be allowed, in theory allowing the rig to depower less through the “slot” between main and jib. The “sweep” will induce fore and aft bend, with more bend flattening the main sail and therefore depowering the sail. Measuring the length is simple, measure from the inboard end to where the shroud attaches to the spreader. Measuring the sweep is a bit more difficult. You measure the deflection at the midpoint of the straight line between where the two shrouds attached. The easiest way to do this is to tie a piece of twine between the two attachment points and then measure from the back of the mast track to the twine. The settings that we aim for is: Length: 385mm Deflection: 135mm A tweak that you can make is to have twist adjusting spreaders. These will allow easy adjustment and in some classes where you change all settings between gears you can adjust them on the water without having the issues of dropping pins. Mast rake The mast rake is how upright the mast is. This is measured by taking a tape measure from the top of the mast to the stern of the boat, in terms of a 200 to the highest point on the rear hatch housing. This must be done with the rig tension on. In order to ensure that the measurement that you take is replicated each time you need to make sure you measure the distance from the top of the mast to the black/white band by the gooseneck and make sure this is the same each time. For us the measurements are as follows (apologies for the change in units): To gooseneck band – 540cm Mast rake to top of back tank – 21' 9" Rig tension – 29 (loos gauge) We only sail with one setting and control the rest of the rig with the kicker as we are a slightly heavier team. Lighter teams tend to rake back when going through the wind range to as far as 21’6”. When the tension is applied you should find that the mast is slightly inverted before the mainsail is hoisted. Tweaks and tips Gybe Strop  The gybe strop hangs down from the inboard mainsheet block on the boom. It allows the helm to pull the boom over more effectively through the gybe by allowing them a 1-1 purchase. This is especially useful in breezy conditions where the boom needs an extra flick to bring it across. The gybe strop should be about 40cm long. It is worth noting that the gybe strop cannot be used to pump the boom and this is stated in the class rules. Mainsheet boom cover  This allows the mainsheet to run freely outside the boom, but it stops the mainsheet from hanging down at neck height through a gybe or tack when it goes slack. Obviously, this is a useful safety mechanism, but also a decapitated helm tends to lead to a capsize which is not fast. Continuous control lines On any boat you have sailed you are likely to have to go to a windward or leeward mark, needing to adjust the control lines, only to find that there is no slack left to allow you to adjust the controls. By making the lines continuous you will not have this problem. All you need to do is to run the lines thorough the whole system as per usual with enough extra line that you could sit on the opposite side holding it. Then you need to splice the two ends of the lines together. Rooster does a product called EasiSplice Continuous Control Line and they show you how to splice the ends in an easy to follow video here. I would recommend using the Rooster Easysplice, but if you have had the continuous lines completed by RS PLEASE CHECK!!! In my experience RS have tied the 2 ends together with twine and this will not hold when under pressure. Mainsheet bridle My preference on the 200 is to have a 2:1 mainsheet so that I have more control when playing the mainsheet and it is also much less tiring on my arms. It is however detrimental to pumping downwind but this is a worthwhile trade off in my opinion. The way to turn your mainsheet in to 2:1 is to put a block at the end of the bridals with the mainsheet running down through it, then back up and attaching to the eye at the end of the boom. You can attach the block with a simple adjustable splice in 12 braid Zero or Spectweleve depending on you colour and diameter preference as shown in Rooster's video. If you want to be really smart you can splice the mainsheet back to the block on the end of the boom. One tip is to make the mainsheet block “float”. By this I mean use elastic to take up the slack in the bridals when they go loose. This will stop the bridals getting caught up with the tiller at key moments. The best way to do this is to thread the elastic through the bridal about half way down on each side and tie off, with the elastic going through the block in between. Pro grip The sides of an RS200, especially when new, can be very slippery. This can make it hard for the helm to feel in control downwind especially in a breeze. We like to have pro grip in two places: 1) Back corner on the gunwhales. This ensures that the helm feels stuck to the hull during a wild downwind sleigh ride in a breeze. 2) On the thwart. This is actually most beneficial in light winds going through a gybe. It allows the crew to stay anchored to their position whilst the boat rolls through the gybe. This in turn means the heel of the boat is much more controlled as only one body (the helm) is moving and leads to a smoother gybe.   Water bottle holders In the new boats a water bottle holder is attached under the thwart. This is very useful and keeps everything out of the way. This can be done using glue or by drilling through the thwart. If you use the drill remember the thwart is quite flimsy so take care. In my old boat I used the clear space next to the string bag at the front of the daggerboard case. I put some large pieces of Velcro all around the area and then stuck the other side of the Velcro to the water bottles. This allowed the crew to chuck the bottle at the front of the boat and the bottle stayed there rather than rolling around our feet endangering our ankles! Forestay take up  One of my pet hates is a floppy forestay. This happens after you have pulled the tension on and generally leads to the forestay getting in the way of the tell tails but luckily this is easily sorted. There are two ways of fixing this: 1) Use a longer piece of rope for the forestay tie off. You tie one end to the eye on the bow, which is then fed up to the forestay, back down through the eye and then tie off the other end using a bobble so the mast doesn’t fall down. With the remaining tail after the bobble, tie a piece of elastic to this and then tighten and tie the other end of the elastic back to the mast foot. 2) Tie the forestay off as usual. Take a piece of elastic and tie to the end of the forestay and tighten and tie off to the eye on the bow. Either way should ensure that when you pull the rig tension on that the slack is taken up and the forestay follows the line of the jib luff. Elastic everywhere! Not really but there are some key pieces of elastic to have! (left to right, top to bottom)   1) Around the gunwhale at the shrouds. This allows the crew to tuck the spinnaker sheets under and this stops them going slack and falling over the bow upwind. 2) Take up on the bung. This stops the bung from falling back in to the hole once removed, however be careful not to make it too tight or you may not be able to keep it in the hole! 3) Centreboard retaining line. The centreboard has a habit of popping up when going downwind in a breeze which can lead to untimely capsizes. Tie a piece of elastic with a hook on round the back of the centreboard case, you can then clip this to the handle. The reason to use elastic is in case you run aground or similar the elastic will snap and save the board! 4) To help lift the toe straps. These can be tied anywhere but by lifting the toe straps it allows you to more easily get your feet hooked under after a manoeuvre. Gybe set assist This is probably one of my favourite hints. When you gybe set, the spinnaker can have a habit of getting caught inside the jib halyard and not getting all the way to the top. Tie some elastic or string from one shroud to the other, outside the forestay and jib halyard, but inside the spinnaker halyard. This should be done just below where the jib halyard comes out the mast.  As it has some major ware on the jib halyard, I would choose Rooster's Dyneema Elastic. Bobbles!  Everyone loves a bobble or rope stopper and they are important to make sure that knots stay the right side of loops and blocks. The key places to have bobbles are: 1) On the spinnaker retrieval line on the spinnaker side of the ring, if the knot pulls through then you won’t be able to hoist the kite cleanly next time round. 2) Top of the spinnaker halyard to ensure an enthusiastic crew doesn’t pull the knot into the mast. 3) End of main halyard to ease tying the halyard to the top of the sail. Just push a loop through the top then put the bobble through the loop, easy! Trolley markings  Personalise your launching trolley!!! We have all been to an event where you come in and there are lots of similar looking trolleys and it takes you ages to find yours. Why not paint/tape/write on your trolley to allow it to be easily distinguishable? Our preference is tape on the handles, very important!   Next thing to do is go sailing! See this link to my YouTube channel to see what we have been up to over the year. Hope you find this useful! Feel free to leave a comment if you have any queries or things you would like to add! Save Save Save

Hello! Following on from my last top ten tips from my time in the Topper National Squad, these are the next ten! Tip no.11: Topper introduced a new style sail with a webbing strap to stop the sail slipping down the top of the mast as the halyard loop stretches. However, these straps have a tendency to break – which is far worse. So I stuck to the more reliable halyard loop. The only new sails now available are those with the webbing strap but you can still use these with a halyard loop by just pushing the webbing out of the way: Don’t worry if you only have a new style mast crane for use with the new sails: there are two options: Change the masthead fitting to the traditional mast crane and use a halyard loop. Or Put a halyard loop in one of the jaws of the new mast tops and secure the bobble through the eye of the sail, so that if the strap breaks your sail will stay in place: Tip no.12: Ah, the long-debated question of where to put your tell tails. After talking to lots of coaches and top sailors, I have figured out where most people put them. The tendency is to have two or three at the front in a triangle (to be used upwind), one in the lower middle section (to be used on a reach) and a few near the leech at the top of the sail (to be used downwind, to see if you are sailing by the lee). This is where I put mine: Tip no.13: This is very simple but I cannot stress it enough…HAVE A SPARE KICKER ON YOUR BOAT! Even with the best rope and blocks in the world, Topper kickers have a tendency to break, and I certainly had more than my fair share of this last year! - I seem to remember going through three sets of kicker rope at Garda…If your kicker breaks in a race then it’s basically game over if you have not got a spare, but if you do then you could get away with only losing a few places. If your kicker rope is breaking a lot then a good thing to regularly check is whether there are any chips on the teeth or surfaces of your blocks: the rope can snag on these, wear and break. A spare kicker can also act as a back up downhaul. An easy way to store the spare is in a Sailing Solutions toe strap bag. They are easy to open and access mid race. Tip no.14: Mast rotation is important and there are various ways of improving things. I used chafe tape: Measure round the mast (16.5 cms) and cut a piece of chafe tape twice the circumference plus 0.5 cm 33.5 cms). Fold the strip in two and stick the two sticky sides together with a 0.5 cm overlap. Put this round the mast (where the mast gate touches it) like a collar and use the 0.5 cm overlap to stick to itself. Make sure the tape doesn’t stick to the mast – it must be free to rotate. It has the added bonus of filling in the gap between the mast gate and mast to reduce mast wobble. Tip no. 15: The rivet on the collar on the lower mast, that fits below the mast cup, can fail. As a back up I put rope round the mast just below the ring and wrapped amalgamating tape round to keep it in position. Tip no.16: Always put electrical tape around the joint between your tiller and tiller extension because if you jab the tiller with a little too much oomph then the extension can come off! Admittedly, this is rare but it’s better to be safe not sorry (and probably teased remorselessly!). Tip no.17: In order to prevent the mast cup wearing away, put a Teflon disc in. They are very inexpensive and work really well. Do look under the disc every so often as dirt and gravel can get stuck under them, which will cause more damage than not using a disc at all. I also stuck anti chafe tape round the bottom of the mast to help rotation and protect it from wear. Alternatively, arm yourself with a heat gun and a 500 ml plastic bottle. Cut the bottom 7cms off the bottle, cut a hole in the base of the bottle (important!) and slide it onto the bottom of the mast. Carefully and gently heat the bottle: it’s like magic as the plastic shrinks to fit the mast. The tricky bit can be the bottom of the bottle (particularly if you forgot to cut a hole there…) as this can bubble and warp when you want a lovely smooth base (so it doesn’t to eat into your mast cup). To achieve this use a straight edge and slide it across the bottom of the bottle as you heat it. Some suggest using a hairdryer but I have never found one hot enough to work. Tip no.18: Do you ever get in a fluster when your mainsheet seems to have a mind of its own, ties itself into knots and wraps itself around your ankles? A good tip is to tie the end of your mainsheet to either the front or back of your centre toestrap: this is personal preference so try out both positions when training and see which works best for you. Tip no.19: It seems to be seen as ‘uncool’ in the fleet to use a transom protector, but my advice is to get one and use it. Particularly in difficult launching conditions, eg. pebbles, steep slipways…because the transom is a real pain to repair as it’s a corner. You’ll be the cool one when your friends have big chips in their transoms – you’ll also be popular with mum and dad when it comes to resale value! Tip no.20: Use lubricant spray on the end of the boom (to help the clew strap slide), the top of the lower mast (to help the sail slide as you change control settings) and blocks. It’s all about the marginal gains! Thank you for reading! I hope you found this useful.   Save Save

Hello! As you may have gathered from the title, I'm going to share with you the many boat-prep tips and tricks which I've picked up during my time in the Topper National Squad. I do not claim ownership over these; the nature of the class is to help everyone and so many people helped me, so now it's my turn. Tip no.1: You can make yourself an emergency bailer in case yours breaks in a race. It is very simple and you don’t need to be a technical whizz (I asked my school’s DT department to use the laser cutter) :-D Get two bits of plastic (any kind, it really doesn’t matter) 13cm by 5.5cm Put a couple of holes in them Then pop some elastic through and thread on a bobble You can then insert this into the bailer hole if it breaks and tighten the elastic – no water will come in! Tip no.2: Last year, my UJ (the bendy bit which attaches the tiller to the extension) broke. Afterwards, I was advised to use a RWO R0842 Race Omniflex Joint With Rope Core which has a piece of rope running through the middle, which means that even if the plastic breaks then there is still the rope keeping the tiller and extension together. A few of my friends have broken theirs as well and honestly, it’s worth it for the sake of £15 because you would definitely lose a race or an afternoon sailing if it goes as it’s very hard to sail without a tiller extension – trust me, I’ve tried! Tip no.3: Take off the extra piece of rope at the top of your downhaul, and then thread the blocks with 2 metres of rope - either the Rooster Spliceable Dyneema or the Rooster Control Spliceable Polyester Control Line - I suggest the 4mm Rooster SDC rope. This allows you to pull more on. Tip no.4: Use a Rooster Topper Adjustable Toestrap. Honestly, this is a game changer. I feel that the need to adjust your toe-strap is not really stressed enough in Toppers, while in Lasers it’s hammered home. If you have a tight toe-strap downwind it makes it much easier to save death rolls, and a loose toe-strap upwind gives you that extra bit of leverage. Tip no.5: Have you ever experienced it when you’re approaching the windward mark and yanking your kicker off with all your might, but it just won’t release? Then it may be worth adjusting the angle of your bottom kicker block cleat up one or two notches. When you buy them they’re too low, which makes it easy to pull on kicker but a nightmare to pull off, and also wears the rope away quickly. I would definitely advise playing around with the angle a bit in training and finding what works for you. This is how to do it: Unscrew the screw (make sure you don’t lose the bolt!) Twist the circular bit up so the ball bearings realign Re-screw it Here is a picture of my kicker and the angle I found worked best: Tip no.6: The standard plastic traveller fairleads break very quickly and this can be really annoying. Therefore, I found that using the ALLEN A.282A ALUMINIUM FAIRLEAD  was much better and hardly showed any signs of wear after a year’s use. Don’t worry, I passed measurement at both the Worlds and Nationals last year with these – they are completely legal so why not use them?! Tip no7: Back. Up. Everything. Literally, Toppers break a lot because they were never meant to be raced – I mean, just look at the shape of the bow… I would say the most important back up is the mast webbing strap because as soon as they start to wear, they go – even if you check them in the morning, they could start to wear in race one and break in race two. If you purchase a Sailing Solutions Mast Webbing Kit then it already comes with a back up piece of Dyneema. Also, I would recommend using the Sailing Solutions one over the standard Topper one because they are definitely stronger. Tip no.8: In addition to the previous back up, I would suggest putting a back up on for the metal ring as well (in case the rivet comes out). To do this, just tie a piece of Dyneema or Rooster Spectwelve rope to the metal ring and tie the other end to the mast (below where it goes into the mast gate). This needs to be tight enough to ensure the ring does not end up halfway up the mast if it breaks, but loose enough to allow the mast to rotate. When rigging your boat, make sure that this rope goes OUTSIDE the mast gate (otherwise it wears away really quickly and prevents mast rotation). Tip no.9: The Rooster Sailing Solutions Boom Webbing Kit comes with a back up for the boom’s webbing strap (as shown below): Tip no.10: You should undo the webbing every three months or so to check for any wear underneath. This part of the boom is a weak point because there is a hole for the rivet. Maybe ask my fellow Topper Sailor Jake Bowhay about this one as he has bent many a boom… Thank you for reading this and I hope you have found it useful. Keep your eyes out because I will be posting another blog, with more tips, soon! Frances Fox