Surfing, Kiteboarding, Windsurfing and Bodyboarding News Center. Breaking News, Surfing Games, Surf Movies, Board Size Charts, Surf Videos, Wind and Wave Forecasts, Surf Shop, Surf Spots, Surf Cams, Surf Travel.
How to rig a windsurfing sail
Saturday, 17 March 2012 11:29

Windsurfing sail: rigging is the secret to performance

Rigging a windsurf sail properly is a very important task. Whether you're hitting the waves, going freestyle or speeding upwind, it is crucial to get your sail fine-tuned. You'll only need an average time of five minutes to get your sail rigged, after the initial experiences.


Modern windsurfing kits offer customized settings and preferences for sizes and types of wind to help you get the most out of your equipment and experience. Stability, control and lightness in the hands can only be felt when a sail is properly rigged.

First of all, you'll need to gather the mast, the boom and the sail. Your mast length should be shorter than the luff length, so that with the mast extension you match both sizes.

Unfold your sail downwind in a gentle surface, like grass or sand. Then, slide your mast up the luff channel with both hands up and help it pass the middle section of the sail. Put the mast extension and tension the sail using the downhaul rope.

You can do this by pushing your foot against the mast base or even with a bar, grunt, wood stick or harness. Leave a couple of inches for future fine-tuning.

Now, attach your boom's frontend, shoulder-high, on the mast. The clamp should be tight and well positioned in the boom cut-out. Thread the outhaul rope at the end of the sail through the cringle.

Take a look at the sail battens. Are they tight? Can you spot crinkles along the batten pockets? If you need to correct it, use the batten tensioners so that more strength is applied along the batten's length.

A correctly rigged windsurfing sail is easily spotted. The entire sail structure is tight, not baggy, there aren't horizontal creases, the sail doesn't touch the boom's sides and the clew reaches the end. Always get the sail bottom as close as possible to the mast base. The boom should be tight to the mast and set between your shoulder and chin.

You're ready to sail away in up to medium-force winds. If you're experiencing stronger winds, the sail should be set flatter so that you don't get overpowered. If the sail is too big for the wind strength change it down. Enjoy windsurfing with a finely tuned sail.

Watch a video to learn how to rig a windsurf sail.
Also, discover how to fine-tune a windsurf batten and slalom sails for speed windsurfing.
Learn how to windsurf in two hours.


 

Join our surfing community in Facebook!   Get the top news stories in your Twitter account!   SurferToday.com on Google +   Follow us on Pinterest   SurferToday on Youtube

Check the Wind Forecast for your surfing region
The best anemometers in the world
The Beaufort Wind Force Scale
Wave Height Forecast
The best windsurfing spots in the world
How to make your own windsurfing sail
The best official windsurfing classes
Board & Sail Size Chart
The best freestyle windsurfing moves
The best surf watches in the world

SURFING

Tavarua barrels set for the Volcom Fiji Pro 2013
24/05/2013
article thumbnail

The endless spitting barrels of Tavarua are back in the ASP World Tour track with the Volcom Fiji Pro 2013, to be surfed between 2nd-14th June.
With 13-day waiting period which falls directly in the middle of Fiji's prime surf season, the best surfers in town are ready to repeat the epic 2012 event. "I'm so excited to be heading to Fiji for the first time in my career to compete. I've watched every event out there and have always wanted to be a part of it", says Dusty Payne, who returns afte [ ... ]


Things you didn't know about surfing
23/05/2013
article thumbnail

The history of surfing is very rich. There are multiple facts and figures surrounding the evolution of wave riding, through time. Some are strange, others are deeply bizarre.
From the innovative surf gear to maritime science, surfing has been collecting stories, records and achievements. Did you know that... 1. The Hawaiian Islands are the most isolated archipelago on planet earth.
2. The windiest surf city in the world is Wellington, capital of New Zealand.
3. The tallest tsunami ever record [ ... ]


+ Surfing News

KITEBOARDING

"Kite Surfer" is the new wind riding game for iOS
22/05/2013
article thumbnail

"Kite Surfer" is the latest kitesurfing game for iPhone and iPad.
Lemondo Entertainment has announced the release of its newest game, "Kite Surfer", an arcade kitesurfing game designed for both iPhone and iPad. "Kite Surfer" is an endless running game, in which players take control of a character by swiping on the display or tilting a mobile device.


Pudla Narapichit hailed Kiteboard Tour Asia 2012/2013 champion
21/05/2013
article thumbnail

Pudla Narapichit and Doque Delos Santos have been crowned the Kiteboard Tour Asia 2012/2013 champions.
With 120 riders from 30 countries, the final and decisive Chinese stage once again broke all records, at Pingtan Island, also known as Haitan Island. The spot is regarded as China's windiest location - regular wind speeds of over 30 knots are recorded over the winter monsoon season and all of the island's old traditional style stone houses need to have rocks placed on top of their tiled roo [ ... ]


+ Kitesurfing News

WINDSURFING

Dieter van der Eyken dominates the 2013 Belgian Wave Windsurfing season
23/05/2013
article thumbnail

Dieter van der Eyken is one step closer of being crowned the 2013 Belgian Wave Windsurfing champion.
Bredene, in the Belgian province of West Flanders, held an intense weekend of wave windsurfing action. On Friday, all sailors completed the single elimination of the competition, despite the medium size waves and light winds.


Delphine Cousin stands out in the 2013 French Windsurfing Championship
23/05/2013
article thumbnail

Delphine Cousin is shining a light in the 2013 French Windsurfing Championship, with a victory in the second stage, held in Brest.
Despite the difficult conditions - three days of disoriented and gusty winds - sailors were able to complete two races. The organization worked hard to try to get more races, but even if the windsurfing fleet had spent many hours on the water every day, nothing could be done.


+ Windsurfing News

BODYBOARDING

The story and legends of bodyboarding in "Born to Boogie"
23/05/2013
article thumbnail

"Born to Boogie: Legends of Bodyboarding" tells the story of the incredible sport of bodyboarding from 1971 to the modern days.
The pioneers, the champions and the underground chargers are all profiled, among them Tom Morey, Pat Caldwell, Ben Severson, Jay Reale, Mike Stewart, Michael 'Eppo' Eppelstun, Guilherme Tamega, Andre Botha, Ryan Hardy, Damian King, Ben Player, Jeff Hubbard, Mitch Rawlins and Pierre Louis Costes. "Born to Boogie: Legends of Bodyboarding" was written by the bodyboard  [ ... ]


Nuno Azevedo sweeps fourth Luso Galaico Championship title
22/05/2013
article thumbnail

Nuno Azevedo has conquered the bodyboarding division of the XV Luso Galaico Championship, a competition between Portuguese and Galician riders.
Up to 64 bodyboarders and surfers from the North of Portugal and the Spanish region of Galicia have competed at Cabedelo Beach and Arda Beach, in Viana do Castelo. With a mobile structure and a new live scoring system, the level of competition was high in the 2-4 foot waves on offer. Portuguese riders claimed four out of five titles at the XV Luso Ga [ ... ]


+ Bodyboarding News