Rigging vs. Tuning
As racing sailors and parents, we need to understand the difference between “Rigging” and “Tuning”. Rigging is the basic set up of the sails and spars so that you can go sailing.
Tuning is the fine adjustment of every adjustment – sail ties, the sprit, vang, outhaul, preventers, and mainsheet – making tiny adjustments to all the possible points of adjustment with a high level of attention to detail based on the current conditions (sea state and wind pressure). We tune to increase speed and handling ability in current conditions. Rigging happens on land. Some tuning can happen on land based on the conditions that are predicted, but the final tuning happens out on the water before the race begins during practice, during racing, and between races.
Tuning is the reshaping of your boat’s “wing” for your own weight, technique, the current conditions, etc.
- Rigging is a skill every sailor learns before going to the first regatta.
- Tuning is a skill that sailors of all ages continue to learn as long as they sail. Tuning is part of becoming a mature sailor.
Parts of tuning happen when you go out on the race course and sail alongside your team members and make trial and error adjustments one at a time during practice to see what is working best in the current conditions. We call that “tuning up” with your team.
Optimist Sails Tuning Guides
Each Sailmaker will have different sizes and shapes of sails for sailors of different weight and skill levels. You may choose to go with a different sail based on your sailors skill level and weight – possibly even a different sailmaker.
- For a heavyweight, skilled sailor, I like the J Sails Black or the Olympic Race Large.
- For Lightweight, beginner sailors I like the North Radial Cut sail rated for their weight.
Each sailmaker publishes a tuning guide for their sails. These are recommended ranges of tuning base don the design of the sail and the estimated weight of the sailor and the expected conditions. I strongly recommend reading the Olympic Tuning Guide even if you have a North or J Sail because it is very thorough and reads like a textbook on sail shape and the goals of your tuning for different wind/sea conditions. The big concepts apply to the other sails and just the specific measurements will differ.
Click the Image or name of the sailmaker below to go open tuning guide of the manufacturer of your racing sails.
