RS Vareo Quick start guide

Sail it. Live it. Love it.
RIGGING GUIDE

CONTENTS
1. INTRODUCTION
2. COMMISSIONING
2.1 Preparation
2.2 Rigging the Mast
2.3 Stepping the Mast
2.4 Rigging the Boom
2.5 Hoisting the Mainsail
2.6 Rigging the Gennaker
2.7 Completion
3. SAILING HINTS
3.1 Introduction
3.2 Tacking
3.3 Gybing (mainsail only)
3.4 Sailing With the Assymetric Spinnaker
4. MAINTENANCE
4.1 Boat Care
4.2 Foil Care
4.3 Spar Care
4.4 Sail Care
5. WARRANTY
6. GLOSSARY OF TERMS
7. APPENDIX
7.1 Useful Websites and Recommended Reading
7.2 RS Vareo Gennaker Pole System
7.3 Three Essential Knots
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 Vareo, 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 Vareo 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 Vareo, 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 Vareo.
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.
For further information, spares, and accessories, please contact:
LDC Racing Sailboats
Trafalgar Close
Chandlers Ford
Eastleigh
Hampshire SO53 4BW
Tel: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
Email: [email protected]
For details of your local RS Dealer, please visit www.RSsailing.com
Please keep this manual in a secure place and hand it over to the new owner if you sell
the boat.

2 COMMISSIONING
2.1 Preparation
Your RS Vareo 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 or a figure-of-eight. If you are unfamiliar with the knot, please see
Appendix 9.3 Three Essential Knots.
Whilst your RS Vareo 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.
2.2 Rigging the Mast
Your RS Vareo mast will come almost ready to step with:
•The main halyard threaded.
•The shrouds fitted.
Therefore, all that is required is to thread the gennaker halyard (Competition Rig).
Take the gennaker halyard from where it exits on top
of the mast bridge and thread it through the swivel
block that is at the point where the shrouds attach to
the mast. Run the gennaker halyard back down to the
base of the mast.
DO NOT use a knife or other sharp object to cut through packaging containing parts –
you may damage the contents!
TOP TIP
As with all boats, it is a good idea to tape up any shackles and sharp objects that may rip the
gennaker.
!

2.3 Stepping the Mast
Before you step the mast, check that the main halyard and gennaker halyard ends
are at the base of the mast and that the shrouds are securely attached and not
twisted (especially where they are attached to the mast). Also, check that the bottom
of the mast well is free from any debris and stand that will cause premature wear of
the mast well.
The RS Vareo mast only requires one person to step it. However, if you are stepping
it for the first time, or if it is windy, it would be wise to have another person with you
in case of any difficulty.
1. Stand the mast upright beside the boat.
2. Lift the mast up and pass the base of the mast through the hole in the mast
bridge.
3. Align the kicker attachment eye near the base of the mast up with the cut out
at the front of the mast bridge hole.
4. Pass the mast down, until it reaches the bottom of the mast well. Now the
mast will stand up by itself.
5. Clip the shrouds on to the u-bolts on the gunwhales.
2.4 Rigging the Boom
First, shackle the kicker cascade to the rope strop on the forward-most eye on the
boom, and attach the lower end to the short rope strop, supplied in the rope kit. This
needs to be passed around the mast and through the metal eye on the front.
To thread the mainsheet:
1. Lead the mainsheet through the centre jammer cleat and ratchet block
(making sure that the rope is threaded through the ratchet block the correct
way, so that it ‘grips’ the rope when the sheet pulls out and runs freely when
you pull the sheet in).
HINT
To make the shrouds easier to clip on, pull on the main halyard to bend the mast.

2. Lead the mainsheet through the block in the middle of the boom.
3. Thread the mainsheet into the boom through the forward slot on the
underside, and back out of the boom through the aft slot on the underside.
4. Lead the mainsheet through the block at the aft end of the boom, and down
through the top block on the mainsheet bridle across the stern of the boat.
5. Finally, pass the end of the mainsheet through the lacing eye at the end of the
boom and secure with a stopper knot.
The boom will then fit onto the gooseneck. Simply line the pin on the gooseneck up
with the hole in the forward end of the boom and push the boom on. It may be a tight
fit at first but the boom must be pushed all the way flush with the welded washer on
the gooseneck.
2.5 Hoisting the Mainsail
To hoist the mainsail:
1. Unroll the mainsail and tie the clew to the boom using the clew strop rope tied
around the boom.
2. Feed the outhaul through the clew of the mainsail and tie it back onto the
bullseye at the end of the boom.
3. Tie the main halyard to the head of the mainsail, using a bowline.
4. Hoist the mainsail by pulling on the end of the main halyard that runs down
the front face of the mast.
5. When the mainsail is hoisted to the top of the mast, cleat the main halyard in
the cleat located on the front face of the mast at the top.
6. Clip the Inglefield Clip on the tail of the main halyard to the Inglefield Clip
attached to the piece of shockcord on the deck near the base of the mast.
This will hold the tail of the main halyard tight and stop it flapping around.
7. Finally coil up the tail of the main halyard and stow it in the small pocket sewn
onto the gennaker chute.
TOP TIP
Only hoist the mainsail when you are ready to go afloat, as this will prolong the life of your
sail and prevent any possible damage occurring while you are away from your boat.

2.6 Rigging the Gennaker
To rig the gennaker:
1. Take the tack line that emerges from the end of the bowsprit, and tie it to the
tack of the gennaker.
2. Tie the end of the gennaker halyard that runs from the top of the mast to the
head of the sail.
3. Take the tail end of the gennaker halyard that runs through the gennaker
chute to the forward end, and pass it:
oThrough the first eyelet that is attached to the lower patch in the middle
of the gennaker
oThen through the middle eyelet that is sewn onto the middle patch of
the gennaker
oFinally tie the rope off to the loop of webbing on the top patch of the
gennaker
4. Find the middle of the gennaker sheet by folding it in half.
5. Pass the middle of the gennaker sheet through the metal eye in the clew of
the gennaker.
6. Pass the rest of the gennaker sheet through the loop and pull tight.
7. Thread the gennaker sheet through the blocks on the side decks and tie the
two ends together.
8. Using the gennaker downhaul, pull the gennaker down into the chute.
HINT
It may be useful to tie the gennaker sheets together behind the mainsheet jammer base. This
ensures that they are always within easy reach of the helm. If you are sailing with a crew, tie
the gennaker sheet ends together forward of the mainsheet jammer, within easy reach of the
crew.
TOP TIP
Although it may be tempting to leave the gennaker in the chute, it is better if it is left to dry
and folded properly if stored for long periods of time.

2.7 Completion
Rudder
The rudderstock simply drops on to the pintle and gudgeon on the transom. Ensure
that the rudder-retaining clip has located properly; it will ‘click’ in place. Check that
the rudder is fitted correctly by simply lifting the rudder to see if it lifts off. Hold the
rudder in the up position and tighten the rudder bolt to hold the rudder in position.
The rudder may be stiff at first; this will ease up with use while still maintaining a
positive, non-sloppy feel. When you have launched the boat, loosen the rudder bolt
and pull the rudder down a fraction using the rudder downhaul line. Sail off into
deeper water. You will not be able to sail the boat hard as this will damage the
rudder. When you are in deep enough water, pull hard on the rudder downhaul line
and cleat it. Tighten the rudder bolt to take any play out. As things start to wear in,
you will not have to ease off the rudder bolt.
Daggerboard
The daggerboard simply slides into the daggerboard case. Take care not to damage
the tip of the daggerboard by hitting the bottom of the case. When the daggerboard
has been lowered fully in deep water, clip the daggerboard retaining elastic onto the
rope handle, this will prevent the daggerboard rising up or being lost whilst sailing or
in the event of a capsize or inversion.

3.SAILING HINTS
3.1 Introduction
The RS Vareo is a new breed of single-handed dinghy with an asymmetric gennaker
– it will feel different to sail compared to many other boats. It will be a challenge to
learn to sail the boat to its full potential, let alone handling the asymmetric gennaker.
Therefore, you will find it a lot more enjoyable if your first few sails are in a moderate
breeze to enable you to concentrate on sailing the boat and not just trying to survive.
Most importantly, it will take you time to get used to the boat, as with any new boat.
So, take your time and just enjoy your exciting new boat!
3.2 Tacking
Tacking the RS Vareo is much the same as any single-handed dinghy. Some tips to
bear in mind are:
•Make sure that the boat is level and sailing as fast as possible before initiating
the tack.
•Be prepared to ease the mainsheet enough as the boat comes onto the new
tack so that the boat does not heel or is blown head to wind.
3.3 Gybing (mainsail only)
Always gybe with the boat sailing as fast as possible. In breezy conditions the
helmsman should steer back into the gybe as the boom comes across, so that the
boat is travelling straight downwind as the mainsail fills with wind on the new side.
3.4 Sailing with the Asymmetric Gennaker
Sailing with an asymmetric gennaker is where all similarity to existing single handers
ends, and where the real fun begins! Don’t be too hasty to get the kite up – it makes
sense to have familiarised yourself with the boat and the angles of sailing downwind

when hoisting or dropping the kite. For the first trial, the wind should be no more than
10-12 knots.
Hoisting the Gennaker
To hoist the gennaker, bear off onto a broad reach and ensure that there is plenty of
room to leeward. Ease the mainsheet right out, so that the boom is nearly touching
the shroud, and ensure that the kicker is eased as usual for downwind sailing. In
most conditions, you should be able to stand up in the boat and steer with the tiller
between your legs. Pull on the gennaker halyard to hoist the gennaker as quickly as
possible. Once the gennaker is all the way up, sit back down on the windward side
deck, pick up the gennaker sheet and pull tension on so that the wind fills the
gennaker. Head up slightly to gain speed. You will probably need to grip the
gennaker sheet in your tiller hand while you pull the mainsheet back in to the new
point of sailing. For those of you familiar with asymmetric sailing, you will remember
how important it is to ease the kite as far as possible, so that the luff is constantly on
the verge of curling. An over-sheeted kite is such a killer to speed. Conversely,
nothing will drop you in the drink faster than a collapsing kite – so forget the mainsail
and stay sharply focused on the luff of the kite!
Gybing
To gybe the gennaker, bear off while continually easing the gennaker. Put the
gennaker sheet in your tiller hand and reach in to uncleat the mainsheet. The quicker
you do this the better, as the boat will have slowed down and the mainsheet will
have loaded up – you’ll get to know this feeling and react to it faster each time! While
sailing on a broad reach, pick up the windward gennaker sheet with your front hand
and pull it in. This ensures that you are able to initiate the gybe as you bear off and
while the gennaker is slightly hooked to windward at the clew. The gennaker should
still be filling normally and helping to speed the boat into the gybe. As you initiate the
gybe, step across the boat, pulling the new gennaker sheet in as far as you can to
ensure that some wind remains in the gennaker throughout the manoeuvre, and
avoiding a collapsing gennaker. Once you are on the new gybe, pull tension on the
gennaker sheet, head up slightly, and pull in the mainsheet.