Neil Pryde Sails Owners Manual
Contents
1. maximum wind range possible For the designer of the sails the task is to produce sails which will respond to the sailor s adjust ments with an overall goal of versatility Sails are made up of flat panels of sail cloth Their three dimensional shape the airfoil is produced by cutting the panels narrower at each end than the middle see figure 7 In addition the curve of the sail s leading edge the luff curve is cut to match the curve of either the forestay sag for jibs or mastbend for mainsails By carefully controlling these two variables it is possible to produce almost any shape in a sail Although each sail is a separate entity when used together they are highly inter related They should be thought of this way both on the design computer and when considering sail rim Figure 6 At Neil Pryde we make a full range of cruising and race sails Each is meticulously developed Furled Genoa using the CDT design system program CDT allows us to describe sail shape in a numerical format so that sails subject to size and aspect ratio can be scaled up and down and transferred from one boat type to another with consistent results The computer imagines the designed mould and literally drapes the panels in the defined layout over the mould Those areas where the fabric overlaps are plotted and cut by a computer driven cutter By literally cutting off the eier overlap from the cloth it is possible after joining the panels to re cr2. sailor following the principles of full or flat sails excellent performance can be achieved over a wide variety of conditions The following graph which shows when to trim for wither power or pointing and basic characteristics of each can be used at any stage of a day s sailing You might even find it useful to keep on deck UPWIND SAILING GUIDE Wind Extremely NORMAL CONDITIONS Extremely Heavy 22 30 Condition light drifting 0 4 Light 4 8 Moderate to Heavy 8 22 Trim Goal Keep moving Accelerate Head Closer to Wind Foward motion by reducing through rough drag sea Trim Pointing Power Pointing Power Style Sail Shape Smooth Rough Water Water Flat Figure 7 Graph 1 Graph 1 Special situations for each trim style Power Pointing acceleration when at max speed upwind disturbed airflow clean air out of tacks during gusts Cosma eh Tough water flat water Panels are cut so that after hitting waves shaded area is removed broadseaming which This graph shows how the power pointing relationship changes as the wind increases The left hand side TWN He cal of the graph represents lightest wind Moving across the pages show how trim should change as wind speed increases Note how the trim in light air should be very different for smooth or rough water Also note how once you have heavy air over 20 knots the pure pointing mode must be modified slightly to power as the increasing
3. OWNERS MANUAL Pa NEILPRYDE SAS ei Introduction his user manual is designed to help you to get the most from your Neil Pryde sails Whether you are a cruising or racing sailor investment in sails is an important aspect of your sailing program We want you to have all the information you need to get top performance Neil Pryde operates from a centralized loft We rely on an extensive worldwide network of sail consultants to service our customers needs Our consultants will help you get the most from your relationship with Neil Pryde If after reading this booklet you have further questions please don t hesitate to contact either your local Neil Pryde consultant or the International Design and Sails Office at Neil Pryde Sails 354 Woodmont Road 18 Milford Conn 06460 U S A Tel 203 874 6984 FAX 203 877 7014 Neil Pryde Terminology I this discussion we use many technical terms with very specific meanings While most are standard terms other sailmakers sometime use alternative terms Glossary of Terms Halyards and cunninghams Halyards are lines used to pull the sails up and to adjust the position of the draft sail camber curvature Figur e1 or fullness fore or aft in the sail They don t significantly alter whether the sail is more full or less full x yx More tension on the halyards brings the draft of the sail forward less tension drops it back figure 1 Cunninghams are down hau
4. by hand until they are just firm Then hoist a tape measure or use the main halyard itself to measure down from the mast head top to the chain plates where shrouds attach to deck Compare one side to the other If equal this will tell you the top is in the middle of the boat If not adjust the relevant shroud to pull the top over The mast must of course be in the middle of the boat at the deck level On most cruising boats the base position is permanently fixed but double check just in case Next tighten both cap upper shrouds a few more turns then move onto the lower shrouds We will assume at this point that you have only one set of spreaders Tighten the lower shrouds until they are just past firm At this point you are ready to go sailing Sheet on the sails upwind in moderate air Sight up the front face of the mast and look at what is happening to the top If it appears to be standing up straight then the cap upper shrouds are right If it is leaning to leeward the cap shrouds need to be tightened up Tighten the leeward shroud first then tack over to unload the rigging and Use upper shrouds to repeat the procedure on the other shroud figure 10a adjust top of mast When the top looks right move to the back face of the mast again and sight up If the middle is sagging to leeward the lower shroud needs to be wound up If the middle section is being pulled F
5. ck near the bow and then to a cleat or winch somewhere near the cockpit The tack will initially fly approximately five feet above the deck so allow this amount of slack in the line Before hoisting bear away onto a square run then pull up the spinnaker in its dousing sock behind the mainsail In this position it is not being subjected to much wind and is easy to keep under control during hoisting Don t forget to attach the sheet before you do so You will now be sailing on a dead run with the spinnaker nicely under control inside the dousing sock You then hoist the sock to the mast head using the continuous line system provided This exposes the sail to the wind so it fills gently with wind To drop the spinnaker bear away onto a run again so the sail is blanketed from the wind behind the mainsail Then pull the sock s continuous line system in the opposite direction to pull the sock down form the mast head and over the sail completely enclosing it The whole sausage is then lowered by dropping the halyard Leave the spinnaker in the sock when not in use so it is ready for the next time you want to hoist it Parrel Beads Neil Pryde provides this system for the cruising sailor who wishes to use a cruising asymmetric spinnaker with their genoa in it s furled state The Nylon balls are threaded onto a wire strop and the entire system is then wrapped around the furled genoa to form a controlling collar The snap shackle at the tack of t
6. d return this back to our International Design and Sales office We will then register your purchase We have a very thorough system for tracking design manufacturing details against your registration number Our warranty covers workmanship and materials under normal use We reserve the right to withdraw warranty 1f we feel the sail has been abused Satisfaction Guaranteed At Neil Pryde Sails we aim to give our customers complete satisfaction If after you have used the sail there is any reason you are at all unhappy please do not hesitate to contact either you local Neil Pryde sail consultant or the International Design and Sales office We guarantee your complaint will be investigated guickly and the appropriate action taken Let s Hear from You The response from our customers is vital if we are to continue to develop the finest sails avail able You impression of our company and our products will help us to give you even better products and better service Change of Address Should you change your address please advise us so that we can continue to inform you of the latest happenings at Neil Pryde We wish you good sailing Bon voyage Neil Pryde Sails 354 Woodmont Road 18 Milford Conn 06460 U S A Tel 203 874 6984 FAX 203 877 7014 o NEILPRYDE Neil a Sails Int 354 Woodmont Rd 18 Milford Conn 06460 U S A
7. eate the defined shape This cutting is known as broad seaming and is applied to both the cross cut horizontal panel and radial shaped sails Pn Parrel beads keep the Upwind Sail Trimming tack of the Spinnaker close to the center line of Basic Principles nn iz Me people assume that there is an ideal trim setting for every given sailing situation This is theoretically true but involves balancing many factors according to conditions and perfor mance goals The constant changes in wind and sea the relative disturbance of the air and even the tactical position in a race can affect the sail trimmer s goal at any one time We ll see later that ideal trimming can go beyond perfect looking sails In order to simplify matters let s begin by generalizing that the majority of upwind trimming situations fall into one of two categories power or pointing Power means trimming for acceleration and generally involves fuller more twisted sails Point ing is trimming to flatter less twisted sails once you have attained higher speed and want to head closer to the wind The only time when these principles do not apply are in very light almost drifting conditions when acceleration is improved not through additional power from the sails but through reduction of drag This is achieved by flattening the sail the wind will flow more easily over the flattened surface less drag than over a rounded surface For the cruising
8. en under way Downwind it is relatively easy because the shortest distance between two points is a straight line Optimum performance is therefore the attainment of a maximum speed which can be measured by instruments When your destination is directly upwind however you are attempting to improve your VMG Velocity Made Good Although sophisticated electronic systems will give you some guides towards your VMG the very best guide to over all performance is helm balance the ability of your boat to maintain a smooth course on its own without excessive load needed on the wheel to Figure 9 keep the boat from turning This is optimum because it involves the lease amount of drag from the rudder Sail trim must at all times take into consideration helm balance In general the trim style we ve referred to as power eguates to increased weather helm boat turning to windward pointing produces less weather helm and in light wind can even produce lee helm boat turning to CENTERLINE leeward TILLER For really good performance on the race course the trimmers both main and genoa must be constantly talking to the helmsman so that each is aware of the helm balance at any time The The angle of the rudder helmsman should be aiming for a few degrees of weather helm but not too much load turning shuld be 3 4 degrees to windward of the centerline for best pressure on the wheel figure 9 The trimmer especially the mainsail trimm
9. er should be making sure that this load does not become excessive if there is a sudden gust or change in wind performance when direction The result could be a seriously over balanced boat l sailing upwind Don t forget if everything looks perfect to you as a trimmer but the helmsman says the helm is unbalanced or you re going slow relative to your competitors then your sail trim is definitely wrong The whole trimming sequence should start with an evaluation of the wind condition more on to the function required either pointing or power then to achievement of sail trim through careful control and then be completed with an analysis of the resulting balance and efficiency Basic Rig Tuning Mast Adjustment Sz the words rig tuning and most sailors assume you re entering one of the most compli cated areas of performance control This is not the case For any sailor except those at the very top levels rig tuning should be a fairly simple exercise For the cruising sailor the goal is complete rig stability even in the wildest conditions In rig tuning the racing sailor is seeking a mast that doesn t bend sideways but bends fore and aft in a controlled manner Later in the text we will go into one or two adjustments that the racing sailor might make for different conditions but let s start with the basics Figure 10a First check that the mast is not leaning to one side To do this tighten all the shrouds
10. ery precaution to allay these factors Sunlight is particularly damaging to Kevlar and mylar sails Sails should always be covered or stowed below preferably dry when not in use Chafe should be avoided by taping all pins be they on the mast or the shrouds Stanchions and pulpits should also be carefully checked to ensure there are no points of wear Mylar genoas should be fitted with spreader patches where the leeches hit the spreader ends In many cases they require similar patches at each stanchion the sail will come in contact with as well This is absolutely vital and even on woven cruising sails a sail patch or extensive padding on the spreader end will lead to significantly increase life in you sails The sail s other enemies are salt and flogging Flogging is particularly detrimental to racing sails and can lead to delamination of laminated materials or the destruction of the finish on very hard Figure 13 racing cloth Do whatever is possible to reduce flogging although obviously in the minutes leading up to the start of a race some flogging is unavoidable Salt accumulation must be dealt with as often as possible On a dinghy or small daysailor it should be possible to wash the sails in clean fresh water at least monthly while a large cruising sail should be overhauled and washed at the end of each season Although it can be expensive it really will add dramatically to your sail s lifespan Washing sails It i
11. form which means the Kevlar yarn is glued to a film of plastic like material Kevlar mylar Technora Spectra Describes a fabric which has Spectra yarns for extra strength in critical directions Spectra is a man made fiber with the hightest modulus of any of the fibers mentioned Spectra has incredible tear strength and very good U V resistance The material is generally found in laminated products Mylar Polyester Film aa MW NN f Fairlead back tightens Any fabric which gets its strength from a backing of plastic film This material can be either single sided te Toot film on one side only or can be a scrim style material plastic film on both sides with a strength bottom third of the sail giving weave of threads sandwiched in between and letting the leech Laminate raise up more twist Fairlead forward creates Parrel beads a fuller sail but pulls A wire strop covered in plastic balls used to attach free flying sails to the forestay over a roller furled the leech down reducing sail Figure 6 twist Oz USA Figure 5a At Neil Pryde we use the industry s standard measurement of weight the American sailmakers yard 36 x 28 Some sail lofts use English ounces per square yard although this is becoming increasingly uncommon Standard European units are grams per square meter Multi Track Foam Luff Neil Pryde s innovative foam luff tape system that promotes shape flattening of head
12. he outhaul or the flattening reef In order to simplify this matter we have created a reference table below in graph 2 These additional factors must be considered together with either power or point condition never separately Figure 8 Now let s examine each of these extra factors SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC TRIM POWER POINTING Entry Round entry camber forward REQUIREMENT TRIM RESPONSE Ease backstay TRIM RESPONSE 1 Tighten backstay Flatten Sails mu Straight fine entry 2 Ease main outhaul 2 Outhaul on harder 3 Ease genoa sheet 3 Sheets on harder Entry gets finer as camber moves aft 4 Move jib fairlead fwd 4 Move jib fairlead aft Increased Twist 1 Ease mainsheet Decreased Twist 1 Tighten mainsheet 2 Lower traveller down Round Entry 1 Tighten halyard or Flatten Entry 1 Ease halyard cunningham Rounder Exit 1 Traveller up main Straighter Exit 1 Traveller down to centerline 2 Ease outhaul 2 Flattener on 2 Traveller up Graph 2 Helm Balance a final consideration of sail trim let us review the objective Be it cruising or racing the final aim of trimming is optimum performance But optimum performance is not necessarily the result of having what looks like perfectly trimmed sails Rather the sails are trimmed to complement a number of other factors which altogether produce optimum performance How do you gauge the level of your performance wh
13. he spanker is fastened through the eyes at the end of the strop The whole procedure allows the spinaker to be attached around the forestay for maximum control while still allowing the tack height to be adjusted figure 12 on following page Figure 11 To close bag start with zipper car on one track at either end of bag Connect tracks into zipper and run it to the other end of the bag leaving it about 7Omm from the end of the bag To open the bag run the car the final 70mm to the end of the bag letting the tracks come undone opening the bag Figure 12 Furled Genoa Line to Cockpit Parrel beads connect the tack of a free flying sail to a forestay with a furled genoa on it Plastic balls roll harmlessly over furled genoa avoiding chafe and friction Tips of the Trade O a few years certain amendments to the basic procedures prove their worth time and again Below for you convenience we ve listed a few of our favorites Get the jib fairlead right The tell tales are a good guide for ensuring you have the jib fairlead in the correct position Sailing upwind in a moderate breeze sheet the Jib on until the leech is 2 from the spreader ends Gently luff into the eye of the wind and check where on the luff the telltales are breaking first If the telltales up high stall out firs then move the lead forward a little if the telltales at the bottom of the genoa stall first move the lead back a l
14. igure 10b to windward of the top then the lower shroud needs to be eased off figure10b In some configurations two sets of spreaders are put on by the designer or builder to control the mast more accurately The rig tuning procedures then get more complicated but in principle the cap shrouds maintain tip control and the lower shrouds control overall side bend All other shrouds are used to maintain a straight mast in local areas Some Race Adjustments A racing sailor may find that his competitors are getting an edge by adjusting their rigging for different wind conditions This particularly applies to fractional rigs which use only one set of swept back spreaders In such a case the standard procedure is to tighten the upper shrouds and loosen the lower shrouds for light or moderate wind and reverse the procedure for heavy winds A simpler approach is to get a shroud tension for the uppers which you are happy with and then adjust only the lowers Ease off some turns in light winds add on a few in heavy winds EN EE ET io Potential Problems adjust middle of mast The main problem to watch for is excessive side bend or reverse bend fore and aft We have already discussed side bend and how to deal with it Once the rigging is set it is necessary only to watch it carefully in heavy winds Reverse bend is sometimes found in cruising boats where two sets of lower shrouds are used When tuning is important to ens
15. ittle Once you have established this medium position move the fairlead back a couple of holes in heavy winds and forward a couple in light winds as previously discussed figure 13 Avoiding broaching Make sure the spinnaker sheet is always eased as much as possible When a gust strikes dump ing the spinnaker sheet two feet in a repeated jerking motion will tend to free up the rudder and give the helmsman a few critical seconds of control At this stage completely ease the vang allowing the boom to rise and the leech to twist off This will completely de power the mainsail and make the boat much easier to sail Reefing the mainsail Jiffy reefing remains the most popular system of shortening sails in strong winds It is a very reliable system 1f used properly Just follow this procedure Begin by tightening the topping lift if you have one if not be very careful because the next procedure if executed incorrectly can result in the boom falling into the cockpit Next drop the main halyard while a crewmember stands by the mast to attach the tack of the sail to the reef point It is vital that the luff is secured and the halyard pretensioned before you make any attempt to tighten the clew line Once you have tightened the main halyard and secured it you can move on to the clew line pulling it in tight When this is done re tighten the mainsheet so the sail fills When you have settled down have a crewmember tie in the reef across the point
16. l lines for fine tuning luff tension after the halyard is tightened and cleated me off It has the same effect on the draft as the halyard Leech Mast Mainsail outhaul aan Day Line used to flatten or make fuller the bottom third of the sail Tightening the outhaul flattens this part of draft forward and aft with little effect on how full the sail is the sail and makes the aft section exit or leech straighter Loosening the outhaul makes the sail fuller in the bottom so the leech becomes a rounder fuller exit providing more power figure 2 Main sheet Figure 2 Line giving control over the movement of the boom Upwind it is used to control sail twist tighter mainsheet reduces twist looser mainsheet increases it Downwind it is used to control the lateral I position of the boom in and out figure 3 Leech Mast Boom v Outhaul tension effects 00 ang how full the draft is with A line at 45 degrees from bottom of mast to underside of boom This adjustment is predominantly used little effect on it s when sailing off the wind to control sail tw st Tightening boom vang reduces twist loosening increases position forward or aft twist Figure 3 Genoa fairlead Block through which genoa sheet passes This has two functions which are interactive moving the fairlead aft will tend to increase twist and at the same time flatten the bottom third of the sail Moving the fairlead forward reduces twist a
17. nd makes the bottom of the sail fuller figure 4 Genoa sheet Increase sheet tension always reduces twist but and this depends on the position of the fairlead genoa sheet tension also has an effect on the fullness of the sail If the fairlead is a long way forward the sail will tend to get fuller as the sheet is tightened If the fairlead is a long way back the sail will get flatter especially in the bottom third Backstay The backstay is the single most effective adjustment on any boat except those with extremely stiff a masts Increasingly backstay tension flattens both the mainsail and jib simultaneously as follows It J pulls the mast top backward which flexes the middle of the mast forward thus flattening the mainsail This also makes the forestay tighter which pulls the jib body forward flattening it as well especially in As the mainsheet is the entry figure 5a and 5b tightened the boom is lowered and the the twist Woven materials is pulled out Any material that is made up of individual yarns woven together to form a fabric It can be finished to different levels of stiffness through the addition of a coating of hardener Tetoron Dacron polyester Nylon and other company trade names Kevlar Describes a fabric which has Kevlar yarns for extra strength in critical directions Kevlar is a man made fiber of incredible strength and lightness This material is made only in laminated
18. s especially if you are passage making or expecting stronger winds On a racing boat you can leave the loose fold of cloth free if you think you will be taking the reef out shortly If you do use individual points don t tighten them up too much Remember they are only there to tidy things up not to take any load AND IMPORTANTLY remember to untie them when you take the reef out Using the telltales The mainsail has telltales down the leech They are a good indicator of the amount of twist you have If you have the correct amount of twist in most conditions then the top two telltales will fly cleanly backwards approximately half the time If they are flowing more than half the time then you probably have too much twist If they are always stalled out and hidden behind the leeward side of the sail then you haven t got enough twist The telltales on the front of the genoa are indicators of your heading relative to sail trim If you are sailing upwind in moderate winds and the genoa is approximately three inches off the spreader you can sail by the telltales If the windward telltale starts to flutter then you are sailing too close to the wind if the leeward side starts to flutter you are sailing too far off the wind With correct sheet trim i e approximately three inches off the spreader ends both sets of telltales will stream aft when your heading is correct Sail Care A sail s worst enemies are chafe and sunlight You should take ev
19. s important to wash sails very carefully Warm water and detergent will get off the majority of dirt marks apart from rust and blood and a good final rinse down with cold fresh water is vital Never use any strong chemicals or bleach Storing sails Very firm finished racing fabric should be rolled wherever possible as folding will lead to If top telltale stalls first Jairlead is too far back If bottom telltale stalls sausage bags Cruising sails should always be folded or at least stowed on the boom in which first fairlead is too far creases which will not come out Laminated sails of Kevlar or mylar can be left stowed in their case they must always be covered forward While sails can be left wet it is preferable to dry them whenever possible This applies particu larly to spinnakers Do not however try to dry sails by either letting them hang from the mast which will cause irreparable damage from flogging or leave them exposed to bright sunlight which will ten to make the cloth very brittle Spinnakers are particularly sensitive to sunshine All sails can be subject to mildew if the right conditions exsist These include moisture lack of light and a food source A dry sail is your best bet against the possibility of mold and mildew Warranty y new Neil Pryde sail come complete with a two year guarantee In your owner s kit is a Customer Service Ouestionnaire and warranty card You should fill this out an
20. sails when using roller furling gear yet does not permanently distort with time as do solid foam luff systems Tightening the backstay Br oad seaming pulls the top of the mast Rounding the edges of sail panels to create 3 Dimensional shape backward and bends it Takeups shape Figure 7 forward in the middle This flattens the mainsail CDT in the middle Continuous Development Technique is the name of the Neil Pryde computer design system that creates Figure 5b a sail shape defined in numerical format mould tin plate Warp oriented A fabric that has its strongest threads and therefore its greatest strength running along the length of the cloth Used in the production of radial sails Fill oriented A fabric that has its strongest threads and therefore its greatest strength running along the width of the i Also as the backstay is cloth Used in the production of cross cut sails tightened the forestay Overlap L P Luff perpendicular pulls up and forward on Expressed as a percentage of J the distance from the bow to the mast this figure indicates the size of a GU 2 specific genoa Standard sizes are 1 150 2 135 3 105 4 80 well Design The Basic Principles and their Relationship to Sail Trim y ou ve probably read articles on trimming according to differing wind strengths The objective e is always to make his sails work across the
21. ure that the forward shroud is a little tighter than the aft lower shroud This will ensure that any bend in the mast means the middle is going forwards to bow It is a perfectly safe procedure Note that any bend where the middle of the mast moves towards the stern is dangerous Sail Handling and Neil Pryde Custom Fittings T following are some of the special Neil Pryde fittings which every boat owner should be familiar with Genoa Sausage Bags Neil Pryde Race and Premier Series sails are supplied with genoa sausage bags as standard These bags make repacking easier and quicker The bags have 2 full length zips on top of the bag which run forward and aft from the clew to the tack Before you attempt to put the sail in the bag make sure both sliders are at one end of the bag Then pack the sail inside and slide one zip from one end to the other Do not take it off the end of the bag You can then throw the bag around quite freely and it will not come undone When you wish to hoist place the bag on the foredeck and run the zipper off at the front The whole zip will then break open freely and the sail will be in position on the foredeck ready for use figure 11 Dousing Sock The dousing sock can be used with either a asymmetric spinnaker or a regular spinnaker To hoist the sail attach the halyard to the head ring on the sail and attach the tack downhaul line to the tack ring It should then be passed through a turning block on the de
22. windspeed will generate choppy seas Racing considerations T racing sailor has to consider three other primary trim factors They are twist angle of entry and vertical distribution of depth They may sound complex but they are in fact quite simple The Grand Prix racer will tell you that there is a fourth critical factor exit angle In this booklet we will avoid discussing exit angle because it s difficult to do anything about the shape of the back third of the sail using only the controls on the boat That s really a question of entirely re cutting the sail The little that can be done to alter exit angle will be mentioned in the third point vertical distirbution of depth Twist is the amount the top third of the sail twists to leeward relative to the bottom You want more twist in light air and less in heavy more twist in a choppy sea and less in a smooth sea Angle of entry is term which describes the roundness of the front of the sail A rounder entry often referred to as a fuller entry will create greater acceleration speed and a more forgiving sailing groove at the expense of some pointing ability figure 8 Vertical distribution of depth is carefully considered and manipulated at the design stage On board you really only have control over the bottom third of the sail This is good if you want to point closer to the wind or if you are overpowered The same effect is achieved in the mainsail by pulling on t
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