Quantum Sails STAR Quick start guide

STAR
TUNING
GUIDE

Quantum Sails is pleased to share tuning tips and ideas
from champion Star sailors. Our sails are constantly
evolving to bring you the best experience when it
comes to sailing the Star. This guide offers tuning and
boat setup tips that can help you be at the leading edge
of the fleet.
The Star is a challenging boat that is often
overpowered. Knowing how to use the controls
available to shape the mast for the conditions and
manage power in the sail plan can be the difference
between a satisfying day and a frustrating one. This
guide will help you get the basic setup right. From
there, fine tuning the rig for the day’s conditions and
your specific boat takes some experimenting. Good
luck, and we hope to see you out there. Feel free to
contact your local rep with any questions.
STAR

QUICK SETUP GUIDE
COMPONENT SETTING
Intermediates Set between 2⅞”-3” (7.3cm-7.6cm)
A good start is 2 15/16” (7.5cm)
Spreaders Medium to heavy air: 5” (12.7cm)
Light air: 5¾” (14.7cm)
Shrouds Uppers: 23-24 on the Pro Loos Gauge
Lowers measured at 29” (73.5cm)
Mast butt
14’ 9”-14’ 11” (450cm-455cm)
Older Folli’s prefer the aft position
Lillias, Mader, P-star, and newer Follis prefer the forward position
Rake 36.5”-37” (92.7cm-94cm)
Longer for newer boats

STAR / TUNING GUIDE
MAST CHECK
Set the mast on two sawhorses. The sawhorses should support the mast
at its base and right above the point where the intermediates attach to
the mast to ensure that the mast stays stable and will have a repeatable
bend when measuring intermediates.
FORESTAY
Connect the forestay and make sure that the rubber stopper is in and the
connection point is taped so the forestay stays connected to the mast.
Pull the forestay down along the front of the mast, and make a mark at
the top of the black band. This will be useful later when tuning the rig.
INTERMEDIATES
To measure the intermediates before the spreaders are attached to
the mast, pull the upper shrouds down along the front of the mast and
make a mark at the end of the shroud with a permanent marker. Then
pull the intermediates down and make another mark. The mark for the
intermediate should be 2 15/16” (7.4cm) above the upper shroud mark;
this is the recommended starting point but many sailors have found
success in the range of 2 7/8”-3” (7.3cm-7.6cm).
Check the intermediates by pulling them down to the mark you made. If
the intermediates are off the mark, tighten or loosen the locking nut to
get them in the right spot. If you’re sailing a new boat or one with new
standing rigging, be sure to check them periodically as the wires may
stretch over time.
PRELIMINARY MAST SETUP

STAR / TUNING GUIDE
ALTERNATE INTERMEDIATE MEASUREMENT
USING THE SPRING SCALE
You can also set the intermediates using the spring scale method. The
measurements are the same for this method, but the spring scale should
have only 18 pounds of pressure. Either method works. Here is a helpful
video explaining both methods.
When you’re on the water, a good method for checking whether your
spreaders are even is by pushing the mast forward at the deck to bring
the spreaders back to their stops. Check to see if they hit simultaneously.
The spreader angle tends to move over time so check them periodically.
If you’re looking for more mast bend, especially in lighter air, push the
spreader sweep back as far as or 5.75” (14.7cm) from the mast. At this
setting, you’ll need a little more lower backstay when the breeze comes
up. Make sure to check that the spreaders are even after making any
adjustment.
SHROUDS
Connect and tape the shrouds into place so that they stay attached to
the mast when the mast is stepped. Make sure that anything sharp is
properly taped to protect the sails.
BACKSTAYS
If you have a new mast, you need to cut the backstays. The goal is to get
the backstays to a point where you can pull enough on when it gets windy
and ease for speed in lighter air. We like to cut our backstays so that the
distance from the top of the black band on the rig to the bearing point of
the backstay is 6”-7½”.
SPREADER LENGTH
Next, connect the spreaders to the mast. Once these are installed, tie
a small line or shock cord between the tips that is even with the shroud
bolts and check the sweep of the spreaders. The measurement from the
back of the mast to the line between the spreaders should be 5” (12.7cm).
Check that the spreaders are even with the same line from tip to tip and
parallel to the top of the plug for your mast butt. You can check this by
laying a batten on the plug for your mast butt and sighting the batten to
the shock cord between the spreaders.
PART 1 PART 2
PRELIMINARY MAST SETUP

STAR / TUNING GUIDE
MAST STEP AND RAM
After stepping the mast, the mast butt location can be checked by
measuring from the back of the mast, just above the butt casting, to the
plane of the transom. To help you read the tape measure, we recommend
putting a non-tapered, heavy top batten (comes with the sail) vertically
against the transom.
If you have a new boat, start with the builder’s suggested mast step
location.
• On the older Follis, the standard location is 14’ 9¼“ (450cm) from
the transom-deck intersection to the center of the aft mast step
bolt.
• On the newer Follis, Lillia, P-star and Mader, the mast step
location will be more forward, up to 14’ 11” (455cm).
Pull on enough ram so that the mast pops forward into a positive bend
position and then take the ram completely off. If the ram is still on
when you’re measuring the shroud tension, the rig will be incorrectly
tensioned.
SHROUD POSITION
The lower shrouds should be set in line with the front of the mast. Attach
the upper shrouds to the deck in equal positions on each side.
RAKE
To measure the rake, start with the tape measure at the bottom of the
forestay where it goes through the deck, and measure up to the mark
you made when the rig was down. On a longer forestay, the number you
are looking for is 36” (94cm). To adjust your rake, use the stay master
under the deck or the purchase at the back of the barney post.
MAST TUNING, RIG UP
BACKSTAY
Take your backstays, set them in the upwind position, and pull on the
purchase evenly so that each has 5 units of tension on the PT-1 Loos
Gauge. This is the best starting point to move on to tuning the shroud
tension.
SHROUDS
Check your upper shrouds. Tighten or loosen them until they read 24
units of tension on the PT-1 Loos Gauge. This is the tension you want for
medium breeze conditions of 8-12 knots. In lighter breezes, 23 units of
tension allows the mast and sails to retain more power. In a stronger
breeze, 25 units of tension will help reduce the power of the boat and
increase the level of control.
For the lowers, measure from the top of the band at the gooseneck
up the mast 36” (91.5cm) and make a mark. From this mark, measure
from shroud to shroud, which should measure 29” (73.5cm). Adjust the
turnbuckles if necessary. Another way to quickly measure tension is to
hand-tighten the lower shrouds fully and then back off 1.5 turns. Lower
shrouds can be adjusted for power needs; pull them on for less power
and off to increase power.
Setting shroud tension be difficult to understand at first. To reinforce our
points visually, be sure to watch the tuning videos in the link above.

USING THE RUNNER WHILE RACING
In light air under 6 knots and with the crew on the deck, you are most likely wanting to go fast forward. Only a touch of lower runner needs to be used,
it is easier for the top batten to be hooked because of the weight of the boom so there is no need for the upper to be on.
In 6 to 8 knots of air and with the crew beginning to hike harder, the goal is to have the top batten parallel to the boom or 5˚ open with about 3” of
lower runner on. This will help to round out the mainsail behind the mast at the spreader window, which helps the boat to go faster with the increase
in breeze velocity. Speed and power will lead to better height on the racecourse. By pulling on a little runner, the sail plan has the ability to deliver the
ideal speed around the course.
Once the skipper and crew are fully hiked, the next step is to make an adjustment to increase speed forward while maintaining height. Do this by
flattening the mainsail with a firm mainsheet, taking a bit off the lower runner, and adding more twist. The upper backstay can slowly be added now
to keep the forestay tighter in the developing chop. Often you will see diagonal wrinkles across the window; this is typically a fast forward mode. If the
mainsail is smooth over the windows and there is no wrinkle across the vertical seam, you will likely be high and slow.
When the wind gets to 18+ knots, pull firm on the cunningham to bring the draft forward. The rake may be eased to help induce more twist. The upper
is pulled hard, and the lower is pulled firm to keep the sail from luffing in the puffs. The goal at this wind range is to give the driver the most balance
and control possible.
The exact mainsail shape and boat setup is different for each condition, so it’s best for a racer is to get to the course early for speed testing with other
boats to find the best setup for each day.
RUNNER TIPS
STAR / TUNING GUIDE

STAR / TUNING GUIDE
MAINSAIL
The mainsheet control is the most important control on the boat. The
mainsheet is something you should be adjusting constantly whenever
there is a change in wind velocity and water conditions and based on the
mode of the boat or when making a maneuver. Be sure to experiment to
find that right degree of trim for the day.
OUTHAUL
The outhaul should have a range of adjustments from the foot of the
sail touching the boom to about 8” off the boom for downwind. This will
give you a range for any condition and point of sail. The best guide for
the outhaul upwind is from 0-4 knots; the outhaul should be snug to the
boom. when you’re in 6-8 knots of air and trying to generate power to
hike against, ease your outhaul up to 1½”. In over 10 knots of air, tighten
the outhaul to flatten the sail and reduce power.
Downwind, the outhaul should be eased to make the sail full. Ease it so
that the shelf foot opens.
CUNNINGHAM
The trick with the cunningham is not to overuse it. Leave some horizontal
wrinkles in the main in conditions under 8 knots. Leaving these wrinkles
gives the main the power it needs to get through the softer air. As the
wind increases, use the cunningham to balance the boat. If the boat feels
slow, ease the cunningham to return the power to the mainsail. On the
downwinds, the cunningham should come off completely.
BACKSTAYS
The Star has upper and lower backstays. The upper is attached to the
same spot as the headstay and helps tighten your forestay and depower
TRIM GUIDE
your main, while the lower controls mast bend below the spreaders.
Both backstays change the amount of headstay sag. In light air under 6
knots, the backstays should be off or just snug. In over 6 knots of wind,
the lower backstay should be loose or about 1” from slack. When the
crew is just over the side, you want to pull on more lower backstay to
generate more power. When it’s windy, you’ll want to ease the lower
backstay to go faster forward. Tighten as needed to keep height and the
main quiet in the biggest breeze. The lower backstay also controls the
headstay sag and the slot between the jib and the mainsail. To reduce
power in the sails, pull on more lowers, and to increase power, ease off
the lower backstay.
The upper backstay controls the upper part of the mainsail. This control
is best used when the boat is overpowered. When the wind comes up,
the lower is the first backstay to go on. When you need more balance or
the boat is overpowered, the upper comes on to help flatten the boat. A
tighter backstay will help the boat go lower and faster in heavy air, and a
looser backstay will tend to make the boat point higher with less speed.
When reaching, the backstays should be eased to make the mast vertical
to reduce the helm.
When running, both backstays should be eased so that the mast can go
forward. In light breeze, the backstay should be fully eased so the mast
can get as far forward as possible. In heavy air, the backstay should be
eased, but be careful not to go too far forward (more than 15”-20”) or the
boat may become unstable.
The crew should check the leech at the top batten to make sure it is not
too tight. We define too tight as when the leech doesn’t move or is very
tight. You will find that you need very little vang on a run. The rule is the
same as trimming the leech upwind: Keep the aft end of the top batten
parallel to the boom or looser.

STAR / TUNING GUIDE
JIB
Start by pulling in the jib until the leech lines up with the mark on the
spreader. This is where the jib should be 95 percent of time when sailing
upwind. If your boat does not have a mark, you should make one that is
18” (458mm) from the side of the mast on both spreaders. The jib sheet
should be played almost as much as the mainsheet. The best way to look
at the effects of control lines on the jib is to sit to leeward while sailing
upwind, sight up the leech of the jib, and make the adjustment. Witness
what it does to the sail. The upwind sail shape you want is a matching
shape on the main leech and the jib leech. A match means your sails are
working as efficiently as possible.
JIB HALYARD
The jib halyard determines the height of the jib off the deck of the boat.
The recommended height is about 1” (25mm) off the deck. This height is
a good starting point and should be adjusted to fit the needs of your boat.
The goal is to get the jib low enough to where, at maximum trim and
with the leech well inside the spreader mark when the jib sheet is two
blocked. This method of sailing is just to check if your halyard is in the
right spot, not how you should sail upwind.
MAST FORWARD ADJUSTMENT AT DECK
When reaching, use only enough forward lever to keep the mast from
reversing. The less bend, the more powerful the rig. The crew should
check the mast to make sure that it is straight. Set up the forward
adjustment so it just barely goes loose when sailing upwind in light air.
This keeps the mast from reversing on a reach without having to pull any
forward puller on.
When running, pull on the forward puller until the mast is straight or
slightly inverted. A good way to judge whether you have the right amount
of forward puller on is to look at the windward spreader. The spreader
should come straight out from the mast. It may swing slightly forward in
the puffs and swing aft in the light spots, but normally it’s straight out.
SLIDING MAST BUTT
Many boats use a sliding mast butt that allows the mast step to slide aft
and ease the shrouds when running. This keeps the leeward spreader
from cutting into the main and reduces tension on the leeward upper.
When using the sliding mast butt, move the aft pin back in light air.
Remember to move it forward one or two holes in the breeze. By doing
this, the mast butt is always touching both the mast partner and the aft
bolt at the mast step, keeping the mast locked in place when it’s forward
for the run.
TRIM GUIDE

STAR / TUNING GUIDE
JIB LEAD POSITION
After jib sheet tension, the lead position fore and aft is the most important
adjustment. For the fore and aft setting, you should have some fullness in the
foot with the mid batten pointing straight back. If the foot vibrates or flaps, it’s
too tight, and the lead needs to go forward. The lead usually ends up at about
86½” (2200mm) from the headstay, but this will vary depending on the boat and
how high off the deck the jib is set. Start with the jib sheet at a 45˚-50˚ angle off
the deck. The sheet angle will be more vertical, up to 75˚ in light air to make the
sail fuller.
For an inboard/outboard location, the jib cars should be set at 14” (356mm)
from the center line. Unless you are over standing the weather mark or sailing
in puffy conditions over 22 knots (when you would move the lead outboard),
these leads do not need to change from inboard to outboard.
Downwind, the jib halyard should be raised so that the head of the jib is 12”-18”
away from the jib halyard sheave. This allows the boat to have the maximum
sail speed off the wind. Be sure to let the jib halyard back down before you get
to the bottom mark.
JIB TACK DOWNHAUL
Just enough tension to take out the wrinkles is the fastest setting for this
control line. When the breeze decreases, be sure to ease the line, and if you see
wrinkles starting to appear, pull on the line until they disappear.
BACKSTAYS AND JIB RELATIONSHIP
The backstays affect the jib by changing the headstay sag. Pulling on both the
upper and lower backstays will decrease sag and flatten the jib. The mainsheet
will also pull back on the rig and affect the headstay sag. Keep in mind that the
backstay and jib halyard have a symbiotic relationship: When one comes on, the
other should be pulled on; if one is let off, the other should be left off, too.
TRIM GUIDE

We hoped you enjoyed this Star tuning guide and learned a thing or two. Like all tuning guides, the techniques, numbers, and
settings shared here are just that: guides, not gospel. They have been developed to help you find the sweet spots and get you in
the right range. Superior athletes in every sport often have slightly different styles or techniques that work for them. Remember
that trim is dynamic. You can’t just set it and go. Learn what tuning and trim controls do by watching how they affect the sails.
Then you’ll know how to react and make changes in response to your performance at any moment.
Quantum’s class experts are your support team, providing you with real-time tuning data, sail trim, sailing technique, mast
setup, and tips. We’re here to help you enjoy your Star. If you have any questions, be sure to call.
We’ll see you out on the racecourse. Have fun!
QUANTUM CLASS EXPERTS
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