Sail Care

• Starling sails are made from Dimension/Polyant 160 B MT fabric.
• Luff: 4040mm; Foot: 2115mm (max outhaul 2125mm from mast); Leech: 4370mm.
• Always roll sails for storage—remove or release battens before rolling.
• Wash salt off every 3–6 weeks with a hose, and dry sails after rinsing.

Sail & Rig Setup

• Fit the tack about 25mm from the mast for a smooth setup.
• Raise the sail as high as possible on the mast for optimal performance.
• Max mast length: 4480mm. Adjust luff tension for wind conditions using halyard strops.
• Ensure the boom allows full outhaul tension without overextending the sail.

Battens

• Use standard Starling battens; consider a heavier #2 batten for stronger winds, especially for lighter sailors.
• Insert battens with the stiff end at the leech (back), bendy end forward.

Outhaul

• Use a 4:1 purchase for precise adjustments and add calibration marks for repeatable settings.
• Avoid easing the foot too much—vertical wrinkles mean it’s too loose.
• Experiment with outhaul settings for your weight and wind conditions.

Mast Rake

• Following is a formula for working out the correct mast rake for your hull. Because there is a variation in the older wooden hulls, there is no correct rake to suit all boats.  There is a correct rake for your individual boat and you should have a record of this and of the rakes you try. Another way to find a starting rake is to level your hull alongside a top boat. Then sight the masts and set your mast up to the same angle.

  Measure this from a mark permanently etched on your mast to a mark on the stern. This is your rake.

  The following system will give you a good all round rake. You should feel free to use this as a starting point and experiment slightly forward and aft of this point.

  1) Measure up 2.8m from the deck and mark the back of the mast – this is the new rake measuring point.

  2) Measure up 100mm from the deck on the back face of the mast track (project the track down if necessary). Measure from this point to the stern and mark the stern point.  The distance is ‘deck’ in the formula.

  3) Calculate the correct rake for your hull.

   Use metres in the formula.

  Rake =                  SQRT (7.84 + deck^2  – 0.4101 x deck)

  Rake for Mackay Starlings is   3.445m

Sail Shape

• Regularly check your sail shape, especially the top batten, to optimize mainsheet and vang usage.

Rig Tension

• Use firm rig tension: just tight enough to connect the forestay shackle by pulling the mast forward.
• Loose rigs allow more rake adjustment but can wear faster; inspect your gear often.
• For rotating rigs, use a slightly looser forestay and a Teflon washer for smoother rotation.

Masts

• Forestay: near 2800mm (min); sidestays: near 2950mm (max).
• If over 60kg, consider a mast stiffener to prevent breakage in strong winds.

Vang

• Vang controls leech tension after traveler limits are reached.
• In light wind, keep vang eased.
• Apply vang as you start easing the mainsheet in gusts to keep the boom moving out, not up.
• Adjust vang to maintain consistent top batten ‘twist’ across conditions.

Cunningham

• Use cunningham last, after vang and outhaul, to depower in heavy air.
• More cunningham tension moves draft forward and opens the sail leech.

Centreboard

• Forward and down increases power; rake or lift the board as wind increases to reduce helm pressure and drag.
• In strong wind, lift up to 150mm for a flatter, faster boat. Lower again in lighter wind for pointing ability.

Rudder

• Set rudder so its leading edge is square to the water; fine-tune in 10mm increments to achieve a light ‘feel’.
• Eliminate any play in the rudder system for best control.

Calibration

• Mark your settings for outhaul, cunningham, vang, and mainsheet for consistency and learning.
• Use thread or marker for clear, durable calibration marks.