rigging help northwave sails

[whitevan01]

Here's the story:
Back in 2008 I bought NW surflite 3.7 and 4.2 sails, along with 4.7 and 5.5 zx light sails. My bigger sails are Ezzys.

Anyway, I used them for about 3 years, but always had rigging issues with them as there are no real rigging guides and nothing printed on the sails, as Ezzys have. so, I went and got 2011 Ezzy Wave Panther III 4.7 and 5.5 sails.

Now that I am a little better than I was, I have decided to test the ZXL sails vs the Wave Panthers. The Wave Panthers are no brainers to rig. I know the Ezzys look alot different on the beach than the Northwaves do. I've just gotten real used to how the Ezzys look.

There isn't even any kind of rigging help on the Northwave website.

So, I was just trying to test rig the 5.5 ZXL. The mast specs are for a 430 RDM test (I have a nolimitz as they recommend) with 2 in or 15 cm (yes, that's what the rigging card says, I know it should 5 cm) with a 4 in or 10 cm extension.

(I remember contacting Northwave when I first got this sail, and IIRC, the reply was basically, you'll have to figure it out, the numbers on the rigging card are probably incorrect as it is a custom size. I would also like to support American manufacturers.)

Way too little downhaul. So, I found the book where I wrote the rigging specs for this sail that I found to be good (or so I thought at the time) which was 20 cm extension and 185 mast. This seems to much, more ext. than is called for on current 5.7 unless specs have changed since 2008.

So, I guess what I would like is some guidance as to what to look for when rigging this sail so that it is rigged properly. I know it is a custom size.

I will try calling them some time this week for help, as I have in the past, but would like some guidance from people who are familiar with rigging these sails in the meantime.
Pics are probably helpful.

thanks.

[whitevan01]

just to clarify and shorten:

"You need to downhaul until you see __________, then outhaul until __________"

please fill in the blanks. thanks.

[swchandler]

When contacting Northwave, I would ask to speak to Blake Richards, the sail designer.

[isobars]

Blake is a bit busy at his day job of designing RPVs ... drones ... for the government. Chris is usually at the shop and knows the product line just fine, having been involved with Northwaves and sail design for many years and talking with Blake often.

"You need to downhaul until you see _____A_____, then outhaul until _____B_____"

For the ZX line:
A = some slack maybe halfway across/into the top panel (i.e., between the top pair of battens) and a bit of slack in the leech edge of the next panel down. The bigger the sail, the farther into both panels the slack should go. Slack in the third panel is overkill except maybe a glimmer of slack in the very edge of bigger sails (maybe your 5.5) or for too much wind (i.e., when you expect to be overpowered at times). For example, if the wind surges after sunset and I don't have time to rig down, I may just over-downhaul it to dump the power I can't control. The sail still handles fine with a floppy leech even down to the boom panel, just with less power. You may wish to downhaul an aramid/technora leech a bit more than you would stretchier fabrics like Dacron, unless you LIKE the instant power hit of big gusts.

Ya sets all them centimeters/inches/holes/etc. wherever the heck they need to be to achieve those shape guidelines. Ya also notice the key word, "guidelines", as there's a LOT of room here (as on any sail) for preferences and conditions. The worst real mistake across the board in downhaul on most sails is not enough; a tight upper leech makes most sails feel topheavy or even like so much 1/2 inch plywood. Even a tight upper leech has its purpose if so designed, such as with the Hucker or any other sail designed for it: hang time at the expense of a high COE.

B = it's lightly snug. Pinch the sail's clew between your thumb and forefinger, pull the sail lightly outwards until you feel the easy slack go away, and cleat it off. I may set the BOOM one hole longer so I can tighten the outhaul offshore if overpowered, and I may slacken the outhaul up to an inch offshore if that helps me plane. Nominally, to check my outhaul setting, I'll kneel beside the boom head, place a hand on each batten above and below the boom, press the slack out, and look for the sail to contact the boom maybe halfway to the mast. I'll then eyeball the wind shadow again, loosen the outhaul more to help me reach the windline, then take that extra slack out once I reach the wind.

Use the lower clew grommet. The upper clew grommet changes the load distribution/force lines of the sail to tighten the leech and raise the COE for greater hang time or for snagging wind blocked by big waves. The top grommet raises the COE much more than its obvious couple of inches would imply; it's not for tall people, per se, nor is it for sailing down wave/swell faces powered up, as I do.

The Surflite probably likes a bit more downhaul and roughly the same outhaul. The ZX is designed to be run flatter for greater top end speed and draft stability. That sometimes means running another half-meter than you might in the same size of Surflite, but that's fine by me as the ZX/Featherlight line feels so light I consider their extra speed, range, and stability worth the occasional extra square feet. I try to sail and handle my 6.2s the same way I handle my 3.2s, whether they're Surflites, ZXs, ZXLs, or Featherlites (I've owned all of them), with good success considering my average innate abilities. The bigger ones just take more effort to spin.

[whitevan01]

Iso,
thank you. one additional question, after adding just downhaul, where should luff end of the batten near the boom in relation to the mast. I think someone once told me that the luff tip of that batten should be at about the middle of the mast. If so, is this before outhauling or after outhauling?

also, one thing I've noticed with these sails is that if I rig it on starboard, as downhaul is added, the battens "pop" as if the sail had wind in it on port tack.
Is this normal with Northwaves?

thank you, I appreciate the help.

[isobars]

I don't even look at the batten tips. If the rest looks good and my sail rotates freely, it's fine. No point in trying to complicate the process or trying to meet conflicting specs.

I assume you mean the battens stay on the proper side of (beneath) the mast, but bulge upwards in the middle. I've seen foot battens do that, but don't recall seeing any upper battens do it. Maybe I'm just not paying any attention to that part of the sail DURING the rigging process. If I can un-bury a complete rig, I'll go rig one and see how it behaves during rigging. (With no west winds forecast for September, as often happens, I emptied my vehicle into a heap for a project.)

[cgoudie1]

You might also want to consider that rigged, sitting on the beach, Northwaves
(even ZXs) look flat (especially when compared to Ezzys) even when
rigged for power, and they don't look nearly as floppy. Also, adding to
what Mike said, after the downhaul, and then outhaul, the leech will
tighten up a little, and require one more crank of downhaul to get the
sail to fall off correctly. If the top 2 battens fall off (they don't fall far,
but you can see where the leech is loose), you're in the ball park.
My 4.7 Surflite says it should rig with with 8 inches of extension on a 400
cm mast. That's about right. My 5.7 ZX says it should rig with about 3
inches extension on a 430 cm mast. Also about right.

I'll be interested to "hear" about your comparison. I've ridden both,
and I know an Ezzy owner that has also. Neither of us like each others
sails, even though they both have great range.

-Craig

[isobars]

[w8n4wind]

[LeeD]

I'm less science and more feel and look.
NW's rig really easy, just loosen the top a little for lighter winds (for sail size), add more downhaul down past 2.5 (battens from head) for totally maxed out sailing.
Flat static makes for the quickest sail flips, complete depower, and best handling.
Just the ultimate KISS sails. And bulletproof beyond reproach.