NX Rigging Guide
NX RIGGING VIDEO
Designer Bruce Peterson explains the assembly and rigging of the NX cambered race sail.
NX RIGGING INSTRUCTIONSThe following description is for rigging the NX sails (2003~current) after the cambers have already been set up and properly shimmed. For the first time rigging of the NX and shimming the cambers see the “First Time Rigging” description below.
First Time Rigging - Setting the camber shims
- Follow the “Everyday Rigging” steps #1-17 as described above to properly rig the sail.
- Tension the battens with the hex key tool. Note that the batten tensioner at the leech end of every batten only tensions the batten across the body of the sail and does not tension across the mast sleeve.
- To tension the mast sleeve you must adjust the camber shims that are inserted between the camber inducer and the plastic batten stop that is riveted to the front of the batten pocket.
- Check the cross tension on the mast sleeve by pinching the very front of the mast sleeve directly in front of the camber. This slack in the mast sleeve is what the camber shims will remove.
- Estimate the slack at each camber and insert shims 2-4mm less than what you can pinch. For example, if you can pinch 10mm of slack at the camber, then insert a shim of 6mm or 8mm. This slack of 2-4mm will ensure the cambers can still rotate smoothly while filling out the extra sleeve width.
- Each batten will vary in the camber shims required due to the manufacturing tolerance and the variation in mast diameters. Check each camber and record the amount of shim required.
- De-rig the sail and remove the mast.
- Open the zipper ports in the mast sleeve to access the cambers.
- Remove the camber and add the appropriate amount of camber shim required.
- The camber shims are located in the sailbag with the rigging guide and come in three thicknesses, 2mm, 4mm and 6mm. The shims are stackable on top of each other to make 8mm, 10mm, 12mm, etc. shim thicknesses.
- Slide the camber shims over the plastic batten stop and then replace the camber.
- Re-rig the sail following the “Everyday Rigging” steps #1-17 as described above to check the mast sleeve tension from the camber shims you have added.
- Repeat the camber shimming step described here if additional shims are necessary.
- When properly shimmed, you should be able to pinch 2-4mm of sleeve material in front of each camber on a rigged ad tensioned sail. While it is possible to shim out the mast sleeve so that it is completely tight, this small amount of slack allows the sail to rotate smoothly and improves rig handling.
- If you change to a different diameter mast you will need to check the mast sleeve tension at the cambers and adjust the camber shims.
Everyday Rigging
- Roll out the sail with the zipper ports (starboard side) up. The zipper ports should all be closed to prevent the mast coming out the zipper port while rigging.
- Slide the mast up the mast sleeve, passing behind the cambers, but over the top of battens. Do not try to keep the cambers on the mast while inserting the mast into the mast sleeve.
- Feed the mast out the lower boom opening and back in the upper boom opening.
- Continue feeding the mast up the mast sleeve, passing behind the upper cambers, but over the battens.
- Pull the sail down the mast (the mast should now be running up the back edge of the mast sleeve) and seat the headcap stem into the mast plug at the tip of the mast.
- Check the top and bottom mast sections are to ensure that they are fully joined at the mast coupling.
- Lace the downhaul line through the sail pulley and pull the downhaul to about 50% maximum tension, or basically what is easy to pull by bare hands. The triple pulley on the NX sails works best 3.5~4.0 mm Spectra/Dyneema downhaul line. Lace the downhaul line, but note that some mast bases, like Streamlined, have pulley systems that are aligned with tack pulley on the sail. Other mast bases, like Chinook, have pulley systems that are 90 degrees opposed to the tack pulley on the sail. There are different downhaul line lacing methods for each base style to ensure that the sail pulley is drawn straight down and not twisted. Refer to the photos and video clips below for each downhaul lacing method.
Mast Base Downhaul Lacing Videos
Streamlined Inline Pulleys
Top View
Streamlined Inline Pulleys
Side View
Chinook Opposed Pulleys
Top View
Chinook Opposed Pulleys
Side View
- DO NOT FULLY DOWNHAUL THE SAIL AT THIS POINT. With the cambers off the mast, adding full downhaul now can force the cambers to poke hard into the front of the mast sleeve and potentially damage the mast sleeve.
- Attach the boom to the mast at your desired boom height.
- Lace the outhaul line through the clew grommet and pull the sail very flat with outhaul tension and cleat off the outhaul line.
- Pop the cambers onto the mast by first opening the zipper port at the camber for additional slack in the mast sleeve, then pushing down from above on the batten with one hand while pushing up from below on the camber with the other hand.
- If the camber will not stay on the mast then you need to add a small amount of downhaul and then repeat step #11.
- If the camber is difficult to pop onto the mast then you need to release a small amount of downhaul and then repeat step #11.
- Close the zips once the cams are seated on the mast.
- If the zippers are difficult to close because the mast sleeve is loose, don't force the zipper to close. Wait to close the zippers until after the final downhaul tension is set.
- Finish tuning the downhaul to your desired setting for the wind conditions.
- Release the outhaul tension and setup your adjustable outhaul system.
De rigging the sail
- Release the outhaul line.
- Un-cleat the downhaul line and slowly release the downhaul tension. The cambers will pop off the mast as the downhaul is released (it is not necessary to open the zipper ports and they should remain shut so the mast is easier to insert when the sail is next used).
- Remove the boom, and then remove the mast.
Downhaul Setting References
