2012 Racing Blade Trim tips
The mast recommendation, and boom length numbers printed on the Racing Blades is the start. Should the rig give the rider a feeling of being overpowered, apply 1-1.5cm more downhaul. Underpowered- release the downhaul 1-1.5cm. For overpowered conditions Racing Blades should be set with hard trim (at max numbers- maybe even beyond!); the leech will show evidence of release forward to the mast pocket between the top two battens (not including the Sensitip) and down to the boom. For light wind conditions soft trim is best; leech release will be concentrated in the upper leech and will be evident forward 70-80% from the leech edge (between the top two battens). Racing Blades are equipped with The Loft’s exclusive Tekcam system that allows both rdm and sdm mast compatibility. Large Tekcams (sdm) are mounted while the Reduced Tekcams (rdm) are in the sailbag. Also included: 6 Tekcam spacers. One spacer is 3.7mm while two spacers extend Tekcams forward 7.4mm. It is not recommended to place more than 2 spacers. As there are many masts on the market with many diameters, no spacers for first rigging is recommended. For Racing Blades 2012s usually one Tekcam spacer is best at the cams on either side of the boom for both mast types (sdm & rdm masts). Drop shape masts may require various combinations of Reduced and Large Tekcams and spacers. Adding more spacers tends to load the mast directly from the batten tensioner, which will tension the mast pocket (+ stability), and will drive in more difficult rotation. Too many spacers, and rotation becomes hard, and risks zip damage when closing. Light batten tension for the upper 3 battens- best applied BEFORE the mast goes in.