All dinghies are slightly different in the way in which they rig and sail but many of the principles remain the same. I suggest that if you have just purchased a new boat or second hand boat that you should check to see if you can find a rigging manual from the internet. If not this simple guide should help you in the right direction.
All dinghies have a slightly different method of attaching the halyards to the sails e.g. bobble, shackles, knots etc.
- Attach the jib to the bow.
- Take the jib sheets though the fairleads and tie a figure of eight in the end ensuring that you leave a tail so that it can be held on to.
- Attach the jib halyard.
- Depending on the boat either thread the foot of the sail into the boom or attach the tack to the boom.
- Fasten the outhaul to the mainsail clew and tighten.
- Attach the main halyard.
Before continuing take the dinghy to your launching point. Depending on the boat and the wind direction decide whether to hoist the sails with the boat in or out of the water.
- Ensure the boat is pointing into the wind.
- Hoist the jib and secure (again the way in which this is done will vary for the different dinghies and you should consult your manual if unsure). Stow the jib halyard away so that it is not left on the floor of the boat to get tangled around things.
- Ensure that the mainsheet and kicker are slack and then hoist the mainsail to the top of the mast. Feed the top of the sail into the mast Ensure that the sail is continually fed into the luff track otherwise it may jam. Cleat the halyard off and stow the excess away neatly.
- In dinghies with a removable boom, pull it down so that it goes on to the gooseneck. If you put it on to the gooseneck first you will find that it is difficult to pull right to the top of the mast. The boom will as a result sit low at the back of the boat.
- Now attach the kicking strap and pull tight.
- Your dinghy is now ready to sail away.
