User guide

Hobie Tiger Tuning Guide - 2006 Edition - Mitch Booth 15/03/2006
vertical. I recommend very loose rig tension in light winds under 8 knots and slowly
increasing as the wind does (loose means that the wire is straight not flopping
while on the beach).
MAST RAKE
The mast rake using the trapeze measurement method (taking the trapeze to the
forstay bridle fitting and then swinging it aft to a point on the rear deck) . The range is
somewhere between the from of the inspection hatch and 10 cm down the transom. For
light winds further forward and heavier wind more aft. The crew weight is also a factor
and for light crews further aft and heavier crews generally a little forward.
RUDDER ALIGNMENT
Most common advice is to set the rudders up parallel however this may not be
the fastest. Most boats sail with some weather helm on the rudders and subsequently
you have to pull on the tiller slightly to keep the boat in a straight line going upwind, this
means you could have a few degrees of turn on the leeward rudder that is fully loaded,
however the windward rudder that has very little load will only cause drag if it is not in
line with the windward centerboard. The best way to assess what amount of toe in you
require is to sail upwind double trapeze under maximum load and watch the water flow
around the windward rudder.
When toeing in any rudders keep in mind that it should be the bare minimum as
excessive toe in will harm downwind performance when both rudders are not loaded and
close to parallel is fastest (see diagram 3).
Helm is directly related to rudder rake and if you have too much weather helm (pull on
the tiller) then the rudder may have to be kicked under the boat more and if you have
neutral helm it may need to be raked aft.
Attached diagrams:
2 – Rudder set up
1 – Mast spreader rake