Inland Sails, Inc. -- MC Scow Tuning Guide

Inland Sails, Inc. -- MC Tuning Guide

Thank you for purchasing your new fast Inland Sail. I have written a few tips which I hope will help you properly sail the MC.
Table of Contents:

Adjustments to the Boat
Adjustments on the Sail
General Comments

ADJUSTMENTS TO THE BOAT:

Mast Rake: Should be vertical. Take tape measure, put it to main halyard. Hoist and lock in place. Then measure to center of the transom at the deck. Measurement is 28'4".

Medium Air: Should keep vertical or slightly aft 28'3 1/2".
Heavy Air: (About 16 mph and above) Raking aft is fast; from 1" to 2" is the adjustment range.

Sidestay Tension: Just taut with the mast at the 28'4" position. In very heavy air ease the sidestay 1/2" to 1 " to decrease power.

Upwind Board Position:

Light-Medium Air: Down all the way.
Heavy Air: 2" up. Pulling the board up helps to balance the boat's helm.

Boom Vang:

Upwind:

Light Air: No tension.
Medium Air: Moderate tension, use as soon as the skipper is in full hike.
Heavy Air: Maximum tension. This does 2 things:
1. Bends the mast down low which helps to flatten luff entry, and
2. Opens upper leech to help de-power the sail.
To achieve this right, sheet down hard, then apply the vang and ease mainsheet 2" - 4".

Downwind:

Light Air: Slight tension, be careful not to over vang.
Medium Air: Some tension. Look to make the leech an even curve.
Heavy Air: Maximum tension. Keep the crew alert or you may take an unexpected swim. Also, before heavy air jibes, ease boom vang 4".

Traveler:

Light-Medium Air: Centerline of boat.
Heavy Air: If constantly overpowered, try dropping car down in 4" increments until boat is more stable.

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ADJUSTMENTS ON THE SAIL:

Cunningham:

Light Air: No tension. Should have small horizontal wrinkles along the luff.
Medium Air: Slight tension only if overpowered. Should start to move draft forward, about 40% back is good.
Heavy Air: Maximum tension. EXCEPT in rough water, ease a little, if power is needed.

Outhaul:

Light Air: 1" - 1 1/2" from black band, just enough to remove any wrinkles.
Medium Air: 1/2" - 1 " from black band.
Heavy Air: Pull to black band. Should have fold in the cloth along the boom. In chop you may ease 1" or 1 1/2 " to gain more power.

Mainsheet Tension: Should always try to keep top batten parallel to the boom. EXCEPT - In very light air, ease main until top batten is 1" - 2" open. This prevents stalling. Also, you want to open upper leech in very heavy air to de-power the sail.

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GENERAL COMMENTS

Maintaining a constant boat heel is important. Boat heeling angle should be about 20 - 25 degrees. (Leeward rail 2" above water). EXCEPT - Downwind and light air windward beating: heel boat more (leeward rail in water). This reduces wetted surface which means less hull friction drag.

Medium and heavy air downwind sailing: reverse heeling is good. Pull up leeward board all the way, put windward board down one-quarter. Skipper should hike to windward. This will decrease rudder drag, boom end will not drag in the water, and sail will be up in clearer wind.

The order to adjust controls as winds increase is as follows:

Pull in Cunningham.
Ease out the traveler.
Apply boom vang and ease mainsheet slightly.
Add crew
Drop mast rake back.

Upwind, feather boat into puffs. Most important is to keep leeward rail out of the water. In most cases it is better to head up into puff, and ease mainsheet 6 - 12". Retrim after boat has headed up.

If you have any further questions with your INLAND SAILS, call David Koch or Charlie Miller at (414)691-1660.

GOOD SAILING!!!!!

INLAND SAILS, INC.

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