Rigging Checklist for Monohuls
- Brighton Sailing Club
- May 4, 2024
- 1 min read
Updated: Jun 27, 2024
Here is a guide to rigging a Laser and a Topaz at the Brighton Sailing Club. It includes where you will find the parts and a checklist of what needs to be done.
Finding Laser things
Fetch spars from the safety hut. Mast top sections are on the top rack. Full sized bottom sections are on the middle rack. Radials bottom sections are on the bottom.
Fetch a sail from the hooks on the wall next to the masts. Sail and bag are both numbered and come with battens in sails. (Radial sails are in red bags).
Rigging Lasers
Take a hull down from the top rack with help.
Check it is fully drained, then put the drain bung in.
Build the mast, preferably with the rivet oriented parallel to the line of the sail..
Slide the sail onto the mast.
Check there are no stones in the mast step (the hole). Put the mast into the hole. Get help if you feel a risk of the mast falling over.
Loop the mast retainer over the kicker/vang block and into the plastic hook
Plug the boom onto the mast.
Rig the boom
Attach the kicker loosely.
Attach the hook on the end of the outhaul to the eyelet in the clew of the sail. Make sure the bend in the hook goes down.
Put the clew strap on, sitting under the clew hook, and pull it tight.
Pull the outhaul elastic under the boom, through the clew eye, back under the boom and onto the plastic hook. Make sure it does not trap the outhaul lines.
Pull the outhaul tight and check that the clew is sliding smoothly in and out. Video for steps 8a - 8e
9. Set up the cunningham/downhaul.
10. Set up the main sheet.
11. Get a rudder and daggerboard from the green box behind the boat rack.
12. Take the boat down in a sled.
13. Check for stones in the daggerboard casing.
14. Put the daggerboard in. Take the bungee cord through the loop in the mast retainer and attach the clip to the small rope loop on the bow.
15. Attach the rudder, ensure the tiller is underneath the back traveller rope.
16. Push off and sail! (If it’s wavy get help launching).
Rigging a Topaz
A Topaz has multiple sail options
Basic mainsail
Racing mainsail
Optional jib
Locations of parts
Basic mainsails are wrapped around masts on the top rack in the sail arch.
Race mainsails are in three long black bags in the race hut, above the laser sails.
Jibs are all in a long white bag hanging vertically next to the laser sails.
Assembly
Slide a boat out, check that there is no water in the hull, then screw the bung in.
Take mast with mainsail from the equipment arch (top rack), carefully walk over to the boat, not hitting anyone (keep front low).
If using the race sail, either pick a mast without any sail or you'll have to remove the mainsail from a mast which can be done fully furled. Then put the race sail on the mast.
Take a boom from the bottom rack next to the door of the racehut.
If you want to use a jib,take it from the long white bag in the race hut.
Put the mast into the boat with the plastic lip facing the stern. Secure it using the metal mast retaining clip, which goes over the plastic lip.
If using a jib, attach it to the front of the boat with the carabiner. Then tip the boat on its side and thread the halyard through the eyelet on the mast.
Tip the boat back up, pulling the halliard through.
Cleat the halyard and ensure it is very taught (top-tip: pull the halyard sideways to get more leverage). There is a pocket most sails where you put the spare rope.
Hook the clew of the mainsail into the outhaul (through the silver ring in the sail - NOT to the securing loop)
Clear off the outhaul with the sail taught
Set up the mainsheet. Do not clear or trap. Tie a figure of eight knot in the end.
Attach the kicker.
Set up the jib sheets.Tie a figure of eight knot in the end.
Get foils from the box and attach to the boat. Make sure the rudder is firmly clipped in.
Drag the boat to the sea
Check for stones in the daggerboard slot
Push the daggerboard into the slot and clip the bungee cord to mast.
Push off and sail! (If it’s wavy get help launching).
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