3
RIG ASSEMBLY
1. INSERT THE MAST
Pull the sail down the mast in sections using the tack handle and working the mast tip to the top of
the luff before pulling the tack of the sail all the way down to the base of the mast. Try to keep the
battens all rotated to the under-side of the mast. Check that the headcap is seated completely onto the
mast and that the two-piece coupling of the mast is joined properly before downhauling.
2. INSERT THE MAST BASE
Estimate the amount of mast base extension needed by subtracting your mast length from the luff length
of the sail. Your downhaul pulley system should have 6:1 purchase and enough line to make lacing easy.
Lace the downhaul line through the tack grommet. Keep the line looping in the same direction each time
you feed it through the grommet and through your base pulley. We recommend coming up through the
grommet and lacing counter clockwise through your base pulley. Try not to cross the lines, as this
increases friction and will make the downhaul harder to pull. Do not fully downhaul the sail yet - leave
the downhaul just “hand-tight”.
3. ATTACH THE BOOM
Adjust your boom to the length specified for the sail. If you are in doubt where to set the boom, attach it
at the middle of the opening and re-adjust it after the sail is fully rigged. Be careful not to attach your
boom too high in the boom opening - you must account for the sail to be downhauled further. Also be
careful not to pinch the mast sleeve under the boom clamp. Lace the outhaul through the clew grommet,
and pull the outhaul completely so the sail is flat using the recommended boom length.
4. TUNING THE DOWNHAUL
The downhaul controls the sail’s shape and performance. Discover its effect by pulling and slowly releasing
the line. Use an easy-rig or downhauling tool so the line is easier to pull hard. Watch the change in
depth and tension of the leading edge (front 1/3 of the sail), and the flattening and loosening of the
head area (upper leech) as more downhaul is pulled. Also notice the change in the angles, or twist, of
the battens; the top batten should open to leeward the furthest-called “progressive twist”. Twist is cut
into the sail, but is ultimately controlled by the downhaul tension. More downhaul induces more twist;
less downhaul allows less twist. Twist improves sail efficiency by lowering the center of effort and
making the sail easier to control.
The optimum downhaul setting gives a tight luff and a lean (not full) entry, and the leech area between the
top two battens should become loose (see Revolution SR4 Settings Chart on pg.5/6). A good reference point
is the curved leech seam between the top two battens. If the looseness stops at this line, you have the
medium or optimal downhaul setting. If the looseness falls about 5 cm short of this seam from the leech
side, you will have the minimum setting. If the looseness extends forward past the seam, you will have the
maximum setting. This looseness is normal and is necessary to allow the sail to twist open properly.
Once you’re familiar with the correct downhaul setting, re-check the headcap length vs. mast base
height. If necessary, re-adjust these so that the tack grommet sits very close to the mast base cleat, and
the amount of mast extending out the top of the mast sleeve is minimized by lowering the mast base.
5. TENSION THE SBT’S (Streamlined Batten Tensioners)
The battens are tensioned using the hex-key tool found under the
strap above the tack handle. Insert the hex-key into the cap screw
inside the SBT at the leech end of
each batten. Turn the hex-key to the
right (clockwise) to tighten. Tension
the battens JUST until the wrinkles
across the batten pockets disappear.
Look for a continuous smooth shape
to the sailcloth next to the batten
pocket (see photos). You should see
a smooth reflection, with no wrinkles in the sailcloth alongside the
battens. CAUTION: DO NOT OVER-TENSION THE BATTENS - POOR
ROTATION, EXCESSIVE FOIL DEPTH AND DAMAGE TO THE SAIL CAN
RESULT. Replace the hex-key tool back in its pocket above the tack
handle. Once the batten tension is set, it’s not necessary to adjust
it for each session. Set it, forget it!
6. BALANCING THE OUTHAUL SETTING
Release any outhaul tension and allow the sail to relax naturally. Pull the outhaul a minimum of 3.0 cm
(1 1/4") from this neutral position. Check the foil depth by pushing on the sail area under your harness
lines or standing it up in the wind. Under pressure, the sail will increase in depth as the battens pull
back from the mast. When luffing or without pressure the sail will flatten. Less outhaul will make the
sail fuller and more powerful for reaching, but it will also be harder to control when over-powered or
sailing upwind. For upwind sailing or over-powered conditions, more outhaul tension will improve
performance by making the sail flatter and tighter.
TUNING TIPS FOR CONDITIONS AND RANGE
(please refer to REVOLUTION SR4 Optimum Settings Chart pg.5/6)
CONDITIONS
• In side shore, side-off shore waves or bumpy conditions, where you need a lot of recovery
balance, you won’t want the most powerful setting. Set the downhaul a little tighter than the
optimum setting, and the sail will feel smoother, softer and more controllable over the bumpy
conditions (much like tuning the sail for stronger wind conditions, allowing the sail to twist more).
• For wave riding and pulling fat moves, where you will be sailing at some extreme reaches off
the wind, you will want to reduce the chance of getting back-winded. So, you can increase the
amount of outhaul to flatten the sail. At this setting, the batten just above the boom clears
the mast without touching it.
• On flat water, the downhaul can be eased up to give the sail more power, and you can use a
little less outhaul tension, moving the draft forward in the sail. At this setting, the batten just
above the boom should touch the mast (lean entry), but should not extend forward of it. This
will let the sail fill up with wind when under power, because the battens will have enough slack
to pull away from the mast, giving the sail a deeper foil.
WIND RANGE
• More downhaul induces more twist, which is good for overpowering conditions; less downhaul
allows less twist, which is good for light wind and makes pumping more efficient. Recognize
twist by noticing the rotation of the batten tips around the mast in the head of the sail and
the looseness in the leech between the top two battens.
• Outhaul controls the depth of the foil. Less outhaul for less wind creates more power by
allowing the sail to be fuller. In stronger winds, more outhaul will flatten the sail for more
control. For upwind sailing, or overpowered conditions, more outhaul tension will improve
performance by making the sail flatter and tighter. This setting suits a sailor who likes to
attempt transition tricks and
other slick maneuvers, allowing
the sail to luff and re-power faster.
• Whenever you increase or release
downhaul, keep in mind that
you changed the outhaul
tension, as the two are closely
inter-related.
Note: These are general reference
points to aid you in rigging your
new Revolution SR4. But, your
best test for the optimum setting
is to rig it and go sailing! Use the
above as a starting point and try
different settings until you find
what works best for you.
Experiment with over-downhauling
by about 2 1/2 cm (1"), and
releasing tension to get the
downhaul to the setting you want. 4
Needs more batten tension
Correct batten tension
