RS Feva User manual

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OWNER’S MANUAL
Version 5
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CONTENTS
1. INTRODUCTION
2. RS FEVA TECHNICAL DATA
3. COMMISSIONING
3.1 Preparation
3.2 Unpacking
3.3 Rigging the Mast
3.4 Stepping the Mast
3.5 Rigging the Boom
3.6 The Daggerboard
3.7 The Rudder
3.8 Hoisting the Mainsail
3.9 Rigging the Jib
3.10 Rigging the Gennaker
3.11 Completion
4. SAILING HINTS
4.1 Introduction
4.2 Launching
4.3 Leaving the Beach
4.4 Sailing Close-Hauled and Tacking
4.5 Sailing Downwind and Gybing
4.6 Using the Gennaker
4.7 Reefing
5. MAINTENANCE
5.1 Boat Care
5.2 Foil Care
5.3 Spar Care
5.4 Sail Care
5.5 Fixtures & Fittings

6. WARRANTY
7. GLOSSARY
8. APPENDIX
8.1 Useful Websites & Recommended Reading
8.2 Basic RS Feva Tuning Guide
8.3 RS Feva Gennaker Pole System
8.4 RS Feva Life Cycle
8.5 Three Essential Knots
8.6 RS Feva Logbook
All terms highlighted in blue throughout the Manual can be found in the Glossary of
Terms.
Warnings, Top Tips, and Important Information are displayed in a yellow box.

1. INTRODUCTION
Congratulations on the purchase of your new RS Feva and thank you for choosing
an RS product. We are confident that you will have many hours of great sailing and
racing in this truly excellent design.
The RS Feva is an exciting boat to sail and offers fantastic performance. This
manual has been compiled to help you to gain the maximum enjoyment from your
RS Feva, in a safe manner. It contains details of the craft, the equipment supplied or
fitted, its systems, and information on its safe operation and maintenance. Please
read this manual carefully and be sure that you understand its contents before using
your RS Feva.
This manual will not instruct you in boating safety or seamanship. If this is your first
boat, or if you are changing to a type of craft that you are not familiar with, for your
own safety and comfort, please ensure that you have adequate experience before
assuming command of the craft. If you are unsure, RS, your RS dealer, or your
national sailing federation – for example, the Royal Yachting Association – will be
able to advise you of a local sailing school, or a competent instructor.
Please keep this manual in a secure place and hand it over to the new owner if
you sell the boat.
For further information, spares, and accessories, please contact:
RS Sailing
Premier Way
Abbey Park
Romsey
Hants SO51 9DQ
Tel.: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
E-mail: [email protected]
For details on your local RS dealer, please visit www.rssailing.com

2. RS FEVA TECHNICAL DATA
Length Overall (LOA):
3.64 m
12’0”
Beam:
1.42 m
4’ 8”
Hull Weight:
68 kg
136 lb
Reefing Mainsail:
5.5 m²
57sq ft
3 Batten Mainsail:
6.5 m²
68sq ft
Jib:
2.1 m²
22sq ft
Gennaker:
7.0 m²
73sq ft

3. COMMISSIONING
3.1 Preparation
Your RS Feva comes complete with all the components necessary to take the boat
sailing. In order to commission it, you will need the following tools:
•Pliers, or a shackle key
•PVC Electrician’s Tape
You may require other tools later, should you wish to make any setting or tuning
adjustments to the boat or the rig. You will also need to tie some particular knots,
such as a bowline and a figure of eight. If you are unfamiliar with the knot, please
see Appendix 8.5 Three Essential Knots.
Whilst your RS Feva has been carefully prepared, it is important that new owners
should check that shackles and knots are tight. This is especially important when the
boat is new, as travelling can loosen seemingly tight fittings and knots. It is also
important to check such items regularly prior to sailing.
3.2 Unpacking
Having unpacked your RS Feva, you should check that you have all of the items
listed below before throwing away any of the packing, as there may be some small
items still wrapped:
•1 x RS Feva hull
•1 x mast top section
•1 x mast lower section
•1 x boom
DO NOT use a knife or other sharp object to cut through packaging containing
parts – you may damage the contents!
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•1 x Foil Pack consisting:
o1 x rudder
o1 x rudder stock (fitted to Rudder blade)
o1 x Tiller arm
o1 x tiller extension
o1 x daggerboard
oSelf-tapping screw
•1 x main sail (S reefing mainsail or XL 3-batten mainsail)
•1 x Jib
•1 x Gennaker
•1 x Rope pack – consisting of:
o1 x mainsheet
o1 x Jib Sheet
o1 x Gennaker sheet
o1 x main halyard
o1 x Jib Halyard
o1 x Jib Halyard Block Strop
o1 x Boom Strop
o1 x kicker boom tie
•1 x Boat Pack – Consisting of
o1 x kicking cascade
o1 x Jib Halyard Block
o1 x Bobble
o1 x daggerboard retaining elastic and Clip
o1 x Spare Dacron Patch (For Gennaker Chute Mouth)
o1 x Inglefield clip
•Optional Race Pack – Consisting of
oRace Outhaul
oVelcro Clew strap
oRace Downhaul
oHercules Ring
oRace Kicker
oInstruction sheet

Picture 3.1 RS Feva Equipment
Picture 3.2 Feva rope pack
Mainsail
Mast Lower
Section
Jib
Spinnaker
Rig Pack
Foil Pack
Boom
Mast Top
Section
Mainsheet!
Gennaker!
Chute!
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Hull!
Trolley!
Righting!Line!
Rope!Pack!
Main!Halyard!
Jib!Halyard!Block!
Boom!Strop!
Jib!Sheet!
Outhaul!
Downhaul!
Outhaul!Elastic!
Gennaker!
Sheet!

The Jib Pack and Gennaker pack are provided as standard with the RS Feva XL,
and are an additional option with the RS Feva S.
If you have ordered the Race Pack it should look like this:
3.3 Rigging the Mast
To complete this section, you will need:
•The mast top section
•The mast lower section
•The main halyard
1) Place the mast top section and mast lower section on the ground, in line with each
If you have the Jib and/or Genneker Pack, please refer to Section 3.9 Rigging the
Jib, and Section 3.10 Rigging the Gennaker before stepping the mast in the boat.
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Package!
Instructions!
Hercules!Ring!
Tack!strap!
Race!Kicker!
Outhaul!
Downhaul!

other.
2) Slide the inner sleeve of the mast top section into the end of the mast lower
section (see picture 3.5).
3) Push the two mast sections together (see picture 4.6). The angle of the join
should ensure that the mast track on the two sections aligns.
Picture 3.3 Joining the Mast
Picture 3.4 A joined Mast
4) Uncoil the main halyard
5) Thread one end through the bullseye at the top of the mast (see picture 3.5).
6) Run both ends of the main halyard to the bottom of the mast and tie in
place (this prevents them from disappearing back up the mast!).
Please note, top and bottom mast sections are matched, they are not
interchangeable so if you have more than one boat you should consider
marking the sections to identify which go together.

Picture 3.5 Threading the Main Halyard
Now the mast is ready to be put up in the boat, or ‘stepped’.
3.4 Stepping the Mast
The Mast-Gate Pin
The mast-gate pin is already fitted to your Feva. The pin has a locking nut on the
bottom to prevent it from falling out.
To close the mechanism (see picture 3.6):
1) Push the Pin through the gate
2) Screw down the knurled nut until it is tight.
REMEMBER
If you are rigging the Jib and Gennaker Packs, you need to read Sections 3.9 and
3.10 before stepping the mast

Picture 3.6 The Mast-Gate Pin
Stepping the Mast
1) Remove the mast gate pin from the hole and open the mast gate (see picture 3.7).
2) Lay the mast along the boat with the mast foot in the mast well (see picture 3.8).
3) Stand the mast up. The mast foot should slide down the mast well and sit
comfortably in the mast cup. The lip on the lower mast collar should be under the
foredeck, to enable you to close the mast gate.
4) Close the mast gate, ensuring that you have not trapped any ropes in it (see
picture 3.9).
5) Push the mast-gate pin back into the hole and close the mechanism (see picture
3.7).
Picture 3.7 The closed Mast Gate

Picture 3.8 The Mast Foot in the Mast Well
Picture 3.9 The Mast Up With the Mast Gate Closed
3.5 Rigging the Boom
To rig the boom, you will need:
•The boom
•The kicking cascade
•The kicker boom strop
1) The standard outhaul will come rigged on the boom, if you have the Race pack,
refer to the instructions included within to rig the race outhaul.

Picture 3.10 The Aft End of the Boom
Picture 3.11 The Front End of the Boom and the Gooseneck
2) Take the kicker boom strop and tie a figure-of-eight knot in one end.
3) Thread the other end through the small metal eyelet on the top of the boom,
about 50 cm from the front end.
4) Thread the end through the metal loop on the top block of the kicking cascade.
5) Finally, thread the end back through the eyelet on the boom, in the opposite
direction to the other end, and tie a figure-of-eight knot in the end (see picture
Rope Clew
strap
Outhaul
Clew hook
Boom

3.12).
Picture 3.12 The Kicking Cascade Attached
3.6 The Daggerboard
To complete this section, you will need:
•The daggerboard
•Daggerboard retaining elastic
•Daggerboard retaining clip
Thread one end of the daggerboard retaining elastic through the daggerboard
handle, and tie a figure of eight. Tie the daggerboard retaining clip on to the other
end of the daggerboard retaining elastic using a knot on a knot.
Picture 3.13 The Daggerboard Handle
Kicking
Cascade
Kicker Boom
Strop

3.7 The Rudder
To complete this section, you will require:
•The rudder
•The rudder stock
•The Tiller
•The Tiller retaining screw
•The Tiller extension
1) Remove the rudder assembly from the foil pack and locate the components- the
self-tapping screw is in a small bag, in with the tiller arm.
2) Slide the Tiller into the stock and fix it with the self-tapping screw.
Picture 3.14 Rudder Fitted in the Stock
3) Tie the rudder downhaul block onto the rope from the Rudder blade.
4) Attach the Tiller extension to the Tiller.
Rudder Stock
Rope
Tiller!extension!

3.8 Hoisting the Mainsail
To complete this section, you will need:
•The mainsail (either the Feva S reefing mainsail, or the Feva XL 3-batten
mainsail)
•The Inglefield clip
•The mainsheet
1) Take the mainsheet and thread one end through the large block in the centre of
the boat.
2) Next, thread the mainsheet through the block in the middle of the boom, leading it
towards the back of the boat.
3) Thread the mainsheet through the webbing strap (with the outhaul), and through
the block at the back end of the boom.
4) Thread the mainsheet through the block on the mainsheet bridle. Lead the
mainsheet back up to the end of the boom, and thread it through the metal eye
on the end of the boom to which the block is attached. Tie a single overhand knot
in the end of the mainsheet.
Picture 3.15 RS Feva 2:1 Mainsheet
5) Unroll the mainsail.
6) Take the end of the main halyard that comes down the mast from the bullseye
(not from the cleat), and tie it to the top of the mainsail using a knot on knot.

7) Put the top of the mainsail into the opening at the bottom of the mast track, just
above the gooseneck mast collar.
8) Holding the sail in line with the mast, pull on the other end of the main halyard.
9) Pull the mainsail up to the top of the mast. To make hoisting the mainsail easier,
keep it in line with the mast, especially when passing the batten pockets.
10) When the mainsail is at the top of the mast, lead the halyard tail that you have
been pulling around the outside of the shroud, and pull it forward.
11) Pull the halyard towards the back of the boat, until it locks in the cleat at the top
of the mast.
12) Once the halyard is cleated, bring it back around the shroud.
13) Take the Inglefield Clip and thread the end of the halyard through the hole.
14) Clip the Inglefield Clip on to the one attached to the elastic by the mast gate.
15) Pull the halyard through the Inglefield Clip until all the slack has been taken up.
Tie a figure-of-eight knot here to keep the clip in place.
16) Finally, coil up the halyard and stow it in the halyard bag.
Picture 3.16 RS Feva Halyard Bag
17) Push the gooseneck onto the gooseneck mast collar.
18) Hook the clew of the sail onto the hook at the end of the boom (see picture 3.17).
You may like to use the black webbing strop on the clew as a handle to pull the
sail into position, making it easier to hook the mainsail clew hook onto the sail.
The Inglefield Clips stop the halyard flopping around when the mainsail is
hoisted. To lower the mainsail, release the Kicker, outhaul and downhaul
and unclip the two clips, pull the halyard out of the cleat at the top of the
mast, and pull the mainsail down.

Picture 3.17 The Mainsail Clew Hook
19) Take the downhaul rope and tie a large figure-of-eight knot in one end.
20) Thread the other end of the downhaul up through the gooseneck mast collar, on
the port-hand side of the mast.
21) Pass the end of the downhaul through the bottom eyelet in the tack of the
mainsail (the Cunningham), and through the cleat on the starboard side of the
mast (see picture 3.18).
Picture 3.18 The Downhaul
Mainsail
Clew Hook
Strop
Outhaul
Gooseneck
Mast Collar
Figure-of-Eight
Knot
Downhaul

22) Now connect the cleat on the kicking cascade to the Shackle on the mast (see
picture 3.19).
Picture 3.19 The Kicking Cascade
If you are not fitting the jib or the gennaker, move straight on to
Section 3.11 – Completion.
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