Rigging Guides & Transporting Your Boat

Rigging Guides

Here are some pdf files to download –

Simple 1 Page Rigging Guide

Basic Rigging Guide – 5 pages

Optimist Rigging Guide – 3 pages

Optimist Rigging Guide – 9 pages

Parts of the Optimist diagram

Mast Rake

Below is a table which has suitable sail and mast rake combinations according to weight. These
may vary slightly depending on the conditions and skippers skill level but will serve as a good
starting point:
Sailor Weight (Kgs) – Mast Rake (metres)

Less Than 40kg – 2.79m

40-45kg – 2.80 – 2.83m

45-50kg – 2.83 – 2.84m

More than 50kg – 2.84 – 2.85m

In +20 knots, rake aft 2cm for all weights.

Remember this is only a guide and all mast lengths vary slightly which will affect your rake. Also
make sure your mast is a firm fit in the collar and there is no sideways movement so energy is
lost, fore and aft movement is good because it helps rake the mast the correct way to improve
performance.

Once you have found a rake you like mark the mast step so you can repeat the setting and also
check to see it has not moved. Some of the good sailors have two rake settings a heavy and a
light setting which I think is a great idea because of the increased mainsheet tension you need to
run in the breeze.