Laser XD Outhaul and Inhaul Rigging

Here is how to rig the outhaul and inhaul on a laser sailboat

Laser XD Outhaul Setup 1 Laser XD Outhual Setup Clew Laser XD Outhaul Setup Inhaul Laser XD Outhaul and Inhaul Setup

Outhaul Overview

The outhaul and inhaul allow the shape of the sail to be adjusted for different sailing conditions. A properly rigged outhaul and inhaul will make adjusting the shape much easier. In strong winds it is usually desirable to have a flatter sail shape in order to reduce the pull to leeward. A sail that is too flat is inefficient and will result in a loss of may boat lengths. By tightening the outhaul the foot of the mainsail will become flatter and depower the sail. By Loosening the outhaul the draft will be increased on the mainsail and power-up the sail. If the sail becomes cupped because of too little tension on the outhaul you will also loose boatspeed. The outhaul trimmed for a propper sail shape for the given sailing conditions. If you can't trim the outhaul easily you will have a tough time racing and certainly loose a great deal of distance on the competition no matter how good a sailor you are.

Outhaul and Inhaul Setup

First, attach the clew strap or clew tie down. This is an essential part of the rig because it keeps the sail close to the boom increasing efficiency. The clew must be tight to the boom, if there is a large seperation from the clew to the boom you will loose boatspeed. Second, rig the inhaul out of a few feet of bungee cord by threading both ends through the boom cleat, then bring the ends through the loop and pull it tight. Run the ends of the bungee around the boom to create an X pattern, this will keep the inhaul from interfering with the sail and air flow. Take extra care so that you don't wrap the inhaul around the outhaul or main sheet. To finish the inhaul bring one end through the clew and tie a square knot. In order to make the knot hold you must tug from all four strands. The inhaul should be cut so that there is plenty of tension at the loosest outhaul setting you would use and not too much tension at the maximum outhaul setting you will use. The inhaul is important because it will quickly change the outhaul tension on the clew whereas without an inhaul the clew strap or tie may hold the sail in position even if the outhaul is loose. With the inhaul you can tune your outhaul from upwind to downwind in less than a second, without the inhaul it may take 50 boat lengths before the sail shap changes. Next, hook the clew hook or D-shackle on the clew and run the end of the outhaul line through the fairlead, around the block and then tie a bowline around the fairlead. Next, run the cleated end around the first mast block, back around the becket block then back to the other mast block, you can now tighten the outhaul to pull in more line. Hold the tension with one hand and with the other thread the line through the deck block, now pull up the slack from the deck block then pull the line through the deck cleat. It is important to tie a knot where you will set your outhaul for downwind conditions. This way you can just release the outhaul line at the windward mark. You can also put tape marks on the line to recall your upwind setting. It makes it easier to grip the outhaul line if you tie a handle on the end. I keep my outhaul on the port side since most of the time you will be starting on starboard tack and won't need to adjust the outhaul until the windward mark rounding. Good preparation goes along way, you're now on your way to picking off a few more boats in a large fleet.


Fairlead and Rivet Condition

When you're rigging your outhaul and inhaul it is a good idea to check the boom fairlead and the rivets holding it on. If it looks like the rivets are starting to pull out you might be able to fix them before its too late. You want to make sure that the boom hardware will hold up for your sail. Make sure everything is in good condition BEFORE you go sailing.