Fireball Tuning Guide

Tuning Matrix for North Sails
Wind (Knots) 1-4 1-4 5 - 9 5 - 9 10 -15 10 -15 16-20 21+
Crew Weight Crew to leeward Crew to leeward Crew in boat- semi trapezing Crew in boat- semi trapezing Full - trapezing Full - trapezing Over powered Survival
Sea State Flat Choppy Flat Choppy Flat Choppy - -
MAST RAKE (mm) 6860 6910 6910 6910 6860 6860 6810 6780
Jib Luff. Kgs
Loos PT-1M
180
29.5
180
29.5
180
29.5
180
29.5
180
29.5
180
29.5
180
29.5
160-180
x - 29.5
Shroud 39 39 39 39 39 39 39 39
Kicker Zero Zero Snug Snug Moderate tension – top telltale stalling 30% of time Moderate tension – top telltale stalling 30% of time Tight – to control twist and blade out main Tight – to control twist and blade out main
Cunningham None None None None None None Some Tight
JIB CAR
Up/down
fairlead up fairlead mid fairlead up fairlead down fairlead mid fairlead down fairlead down fairlead down
Jib car from centre line(mm) 250 250 250 250 250 250 - 270 275 - 300 275 - 300
JIB SHEET TENSION Normal Ease 5mm–10mm Normal Normal Normal Normal Ease 5mm–10mm Ease 10mm–20mm
STRUT 0 to max fwd (bend mast to flatten main, open leech) 0 0 0 0 0 to 15mm aft
(straighten mast, power up)
0 0 to 20mm
fwd
(bend mast, depower)
JIBB LUFF TENSION Wrinkles Wrinkles Wrinkles Wrinkles No Wrinkles No Wrinkles Tight Tight
CENTREBOARD POSITION Forward Forward Forward Forward +25mm
(leading edge vertical)
+ 25-50mm
(trailing edge vertical)
+ 50–100mm +100-125mmTight
OUTHAUL Tight Ease 40mm Ease 20mm Ease 25mm Ease 10mm Ease 15mm Tight Tight
HEEL Leeward Leeward Flat Flat Flat Flat Flat Flat

Jib tack height: from top of deck to bottom of jib (i.e the edge of the cloth) centre eyelet 35mm - 50mm.

Static Set-up (ashore): Attach tape to halyard. Cleat halyard such that measurement to top of gooseneck black band is 5715mm. Set mast rake to 6860mm, measuring to centre of where deck meets transom. Set jib luff wire tension to 180Kgs, (31 on Loos PT-1M gauge). Set spreaders to induce zero pre-bend, i.e. mast dead straight. Mark neutral strut position on deck. Mark position of top of jib halyard hook, mark appropriate chain plate hole for shroud. Change to rake 6910 and mark neutral position. Repeat for 6810mm. These are the light medium and heavy settings respectively. Note that the mast will invert slightly for 6910mm rake, without the main up. When the main is hoisted this inversion will disappear.

Spreader Length: Spreader length is set to 405mm for Proctor Cumulus mast (this is the shortest setting we can get!)

Fireball sails


Copyright © 2005 North Sails UK Ltd.
Tel: 02392 354800

Revised: Tuesday, April 4, 2006