RS Feva Tips and Tricks
Bob Adam – Zim Sailing – June 2022
Rigging the Gennaker
- Attach tack, clew, head, and tag line with bowlines
- Be sure the spin blocks are forward and inside the shroud
- Always hoist the gennaker on land to be sure it is rigged properly
- When dowsing the Gennaker, try to pull up tag line slack prior to releasing halyard. This will provide a direct entry into the tube
Rigging the Jib
- Tie the tack line around the main bar with half hitches to get the jib as low to the deck as possible.
- There will be a small tail left which will be tied off with half hitches around the small loop on the bar
- Use a bowline at the head
- Use a ring (preferred) or trucker hitch to create purchase a purchase on the halyard
Setting up Mast Rake
- Use the position of the mast within the partner to determine where it is set for light, medium and heavy air.
- Do not use a tape measure to determine rake from one boat to another. All rotomolded boats are different. Unlike Fiberglass boats!
- The only consistent parts of the RS Feva from one to another is the mast step and mast partner.
- Light air setting will have the mast touching the front of the partner, with an inverted mast. Medium air will have the mast just able to push off (by hand) the front of the partner and the mast will be straight. Heavy air will have the mast hard against the aft of the partner and the mast a little prebend.
- The main will be fuller in this light air setting and flatter in the heavy air setting.
- Have enough rig tension to keep the jib from too much luff sag.
- Medium air setting will typically be achieved by just easing the jib halyard a tad.
- Heavy air setting will require pins to be adjusted down on the adjuster. This will likely need someone to pull down on the main halyard. Be sure to ease the jib halyard prior to pulling down on the main halyard.
- When in the heavy air setting, it is good if the rig tension is 10 on the loose gauge.
Pro Tips
- Be sure the rudder is in the full down position and tie off the rudder down line.
- Tape the shroud pins.
- If you are racing, use fine tune shroud adjusters, pro kit outhaul and vang.
- Never loosen the outhaul more than a sideways fist.