| This rigging guide has been provided by Isthmus Sailboards USA. |
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Parts that come with Start Boards:
| qty |
part |
| 4 |
Footstraps |
| 8 |
Stainless Footstrap screws |
| 8 |
Stainless oval toothed washers |
| 2 |
Phillips head bolts for Daggerboard-fin
(short bolt front, long bolt rear) |
| 2 |
Hex head bolts for rear fin/skeg (short bolt front, long bolt rear) |
| 4 |
Stainless Washers = 1 for each fin/dagger bolt |
| 4 |
Rubber Washers = 1 for each fin/dagger bolt |
| 2 |
Blue foam squares w/1-hole and velcro - for fin bolts (done after rubber washers) |
| 1 |
Brass t-nut - for mast bases used on Start!
(It will be necessary to use this slightly longer t-nut to be able to attach your starfoot base to the Start due to added thickness of full padded deck!). |
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Vent Screw Installation:
You will find the vent screw inside the bubble wrap in the mast box slot on the board. It is a short fat screw with a rubber o ring. The vent is the hole in front of the mast box slot towards the nose of the board. Install the screw being careful not to cross thread it -it should tighten almost effortlessly. Once snug the vent screw should only be opened if the board is going to be subjected to large pressure/temperature differences ie: plane travel, sitting in a hot vehicle.
Before Sailing: Always make sure Vent Screw is installed and tightened to a snug fit. Do not sail without the vent screw in place and tightened! |
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Mast Base Installation:
There is a brass T-nut supplied with the footstrap hardware that looks identical to the brass T-nut that has been installed on the base. Remove the brass T-nut on the base and install the one that was with the hardware. Although it appears identical it is slightly longer to accommodate the padded deck on the board. To make installation as easy as possible unscrew the brass T-nut so that it is barely on the first thread. It should be in an upside down 'T' position or with the widest point down and the narrower point up to allow the highest thread count, slide it into the track and push the base towards the nose. If you have difficulty, remove the large round plastic washer on the base and double check that the brass nut is as loose as possible then reinsert. Apply downward pressure and try to wriggle the base forward at the same time. Tighten the base down firmly by turning the wings clockwise. |
Center Fin Installation:
The center fin is the white football sized fin. There are four long bolts of different lengths in the hardware. Select the two shortest ones for the center fin. Put a stainless washer on first then a black rubber washer. The holes for the center fin are located inside the carrying handle on the top of the board. Note that the base of the fin is angled, the thicker portion goes towards the nose of the board and insert the fin into the bottom of the board. The shortest of the two screws corresponds with the thicker portion of the base so that goes in towards the nose or front of the board. Tighten the bolts clockwise evenly so that the base seats properly. |
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Rear Fin Installation:
The rear fin is the black rectangular fin. Note that the two longer bolts are different in length. Install the washers in the same manner as the center fin. Install the shorter of the two bolts towards the nose of the board and tighten evenly. Check that the fin has seated evenly into the base. |
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Footstrap Installation:
If you are a complete beginner we advise that you leave the footstraps off the board initially, the deck of the board will be completely unobstructed allowing you to concentrate fully on sail handling skills. When you are confident of your sail handling skills and balance you can install the straps to the 1st time user position. To install the straps pull back the neoprene cover on the ends to have easy access to the screw holes. Put the oval washer on the screw with the ridged side facing down and tighten screws into the footstrap screw holes in the board. |
Footstrap Positioning:
1st Time Footstrap Users: Use 3 straps. Forward and towards center. (The front strap inserts are located next to the mast box, while the rear strap inserts are just behind daggerboard well on the center line of board)
Intermediate Footstrap Users: Use 4 straps. Set front straps behind daggerboard well and rear strap towards the tail end of board in the center line area. Set the strap position further aft as skill and comfort level
Advanced Sailors: Set the front straps in the out bound positions (towards the rail of the board) . Set the straps in the forward position of the inserts to start, and move aft as skill level and comfort increases. Set the rear straps in the outbound positions toward the rail and tail of board. Once again, place the straps in the forward insert positions to start, then |
| Rigging The Sail |
| Find a Area that is out of the wind to lay out your rig components. The components necessary to rig the sail are the mast, boom, mast extension and sail. |
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Roll the sail out flat w/ bottom of sail closest to the wind . Take the top half of the mast (the smaller diameter section) and start sliding the tip up the front sleeve of the sail called the Mast Sleeve, leave a small portion of this mast section exposed out the bottom of the mast sleeve. |
| Now insert the bottom half of the mast into bottom of top section and be sure to check that the bottom section of the mast is fully inserted into the top section before continuing. |
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Continue to slide the mast up to the tip of the sail where you'll find a top cap. Inspect the top cap to be certain it is secure to the tip of the mast. |
Downhauling The Sail:
Insert the extension (the part with the pulleys on it) into the bottom of the mast. Thread the rope through the grommet on the sail, then back through the roller closest to the cleat. Then thread through the grommet a second time being careful not to cross or twist the rope. Thread the rope through the cleat and apply a little tension. Once again check to be sure the ropes are not twisted before pulling the rope down until there is no gap between the cleat and the bottom of the sail.
NOTE: If you purchased a 6.3 Superlite sail the extension that comes with the rig package will be adjustable. Extend the collar on it to the top position, then insert it into the bottom of the mast. |
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Mounting The Boom:
Once the sail is assembled on the mast w/ down tension, it is time to attach the boom to the mast. At the front end of the boom you will find a clamping mechanism called a clamp-on. It has a lever attached to it that hinges open and closed (flush w/ the boom front) and contains a small aluminum cleat. the front end also has a corresponding cup shape opening designed to secure to the outer diameter of the mast. Attached to this cup, It also has hindging backing plate that completes the mast cup to create a secures to the back side of the mast by way of a rope called the inhaul. The inhaul rope hooks onto to a half circle fitting near the opening of the backing plate. To attach the boom to the mast; open the lever and release rope from the half circle fitting. Next Position the boom around the bottom of the sail and draw the front end up to the boom opening in the mast sleeve. Attach the boom front end by opening the lever and pulling the mast into mast cup on the boom. Thread the inhaul rope around the notch, then close the lever on the front of the boom. The length of the rope determines how tight the boom is on the mast. It IS possible to over tighten it. It is correctly tensioned when it takes medium pressure to close the lever. If you really have to muscle it, it is too tight and can possibly |
Measure The Length Of The Boom:
Measure from the inside of the front of the boom to the inside of the rear of the boom. The length of the boom is adjusted by snapping open the black plastic pieces near the back of the boom-then the rear part can be slid in and out to the appropriate length. |
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Outhauling:
Prior to this step, set the boom to the length indicated on the sail bag. See "measure the length of the boom" if you have not yet done this. Take the rope at the back of the boom (called the outhaul) and thread it through the grommet on the rear corner of the sail called the clew, then loop it back around the end of the boom. Repeat this process a second time in the same direction, but finish by pulling the outhaul throught the cleat of the boom. Tension the outhaul so their is minimum to no gap between the clew of the sail and the end of the boom.
NOTE: It will take some tension to do this and you may find it easier to alternate between tensioning at the bottom of the mast and the end of the boom. |
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Attaching The Uphaul:
There is an opening in the front part of the boom where it contacts the mast. Insert the non stretchy end of the uphaul through this opening, then feed the other end of the uphaul through the loop and pull it tight. |
| This shows what it will look like when you are done. |
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Put the stretchy end around the cleat assembly at the bottom of the mast before you snap it onto the cup that is already mounted on the board. This will prevent the rope you use to pull up the sail from getting in your way and it will always be right there to grab to pull up the sail. |
