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  5. Owner's Manual

LDC Racing Saliboats RS 500 Owner's Manual

Summary of RS 500

  • Page 1

    1 owner’s manual ldc racing sailboats, trafalgar close, chandlers ford. Eastleigh so53 4bw, england tel. +44 (0)23 8027 4500 fax. +44 (0)23 8027 4800

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    2 contents 1. Introduction 2. Specifications and drawings 3. Safety information 3.1 design category 3.2 loading 3.3 safety equipment 3.4 capsize recovery 3.5 air tank 3.6 man overboard prevention and recovery 3.7 use of an outboard engine 3.8 towing, anchoring, mooring and trailing 4. Commissioning ...

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    3 6. Maintenance 7.1 boat care 7.2 foil care 7.3 spar care 7.4 sail care 7. Warranty.

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    4 1. Introduction congratulations on the purchase of your new rs 500 and thank you for choosing an rs product. We are confident that you will have many hours of great sailing and racing in this truly excellent design. The rs 500 is an exciting boat to sail and offers fantastic performance. This manu...

  • Page 5: Directive 94/25/ce

    5 ec declaration of conformity to directive 94/25/ce i declare that the craft described as: rs 500 bearing the hull identification number: g b l d c 5 0 0 6 sail number: conforms to eu recreational craft directive 94/25/ec as amended by directive 2003/44/ec annex 1 – sections 3.2 & 3.3 and annex 6 –...

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    6 2. Specifications and drawings identification. Your rs 500 can be identified by two numbers, one is the sail number and the other is the hull identification number. The sail number is the number by which you register your rs 500 with insurance companies, the class association and also when you sig...

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    7 rs 500 xl rig mainsail mylar 9.5m² 100sq ft jib mylar 3.6m² 37sq ft spinnaker dynalite 14.8m² 150sq ft.

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    8 3. Safety information personal preparation and owner’s responsibility. Before attempting to operate the boat, ensure that you have appropriate experience to handle the boat safely in the anticipated sea and wind conditions, that all the crew have sufficient boating experience and that they are fam...

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    9 3.1 design category. The rs 500 is a design category c boat. The definition of this category is: • design category: c – ‘inshore’ • description of use: designed for voyages in costal waters, large bays, estuaries, lakes and rivers. • wind force: up to, and including beaufort force 6 . • significan...

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    10 3.3 safety equipment. It is your responsibility to ensure that all necessary safety equipment is obtained for the type of sailing you are participating in and it is readily accessible on board while the boat is in operation. Hint we recommend that you sail in a location where there is adequate re...

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    11 the rya recommends that dinghy sailors involved in a capsize should always consider going straight to the centreboard to prevent inversion and then allow time and opportunity for any entrapment to be resolved by those involved or by patrol boat crews. You should be particularly aware of the dange...

  • Page 12

    12 warning if the mast is lying into the wind as you pull it up the boat will right quickly. Once the boat is upright and you are in the water holding the gunwale edge, you can either pull yourself over the gunwale, grab the toestrap and haul yourself in or go around to the transom and climb in over...

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    13 ! It is against class rules to add any fittings; you may have to replace fittings from time to time. Ensure that all fastenings are resealed properly using an appropriate sealant. If in any doubt, contact rs racing for details. 3.6 man overboard prevention and recovery. Working deck. The working ...

  • Page 14

    14 • the crew should board the boat via the windward gunwale with the help of another member of the crew. Or it may be easier to board over the transom using the rear toestrap to help pull your self in. Hint by completing a recognised sailing instruction course, you will learn how to recover a man o...

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    15 the rs 500 is not designed or equipped for anchoring and this should not normally be attempted. You should remain in control of the boat at all times. If there is no alternative to anchoring, the anchor line should be secured round the base of the mast (or wing tubes if mast has failed) and you s...

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    16 it is always a good idea to tie the boat down when it is left in the dinghy compound to prevent any damage to you boat, or any other, in the event of strong winds..

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    17 4. Commissioning 4.1 preparation. Your rs 500 comes complete with all the components necessary to take the boat sailing. In order to commission it, you will need the following tools: • pliers or a shackle key. • small, flat bladed screw driver. • pvc (electricians) tape. You may require other too...

  • Page 18

    18 • 1 x main sail. • 1 x jib. • 1 x spinnaker. • 1 x rope pack – consisting of: o 1 x mainsheet. O 1 x jib sheet. O 1 x spinnaker sheet. O 1 x rudder downhaul and block. Picture 4.1 – rs 500 equipment. Picture 4.2 – rs 500 rope pack.

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    19 4.3 rigging the mast. To complete this section you will require: • the mast • a flat bladed screw driver. Fitting the spreaders. It is worth taking time over this part to ensure it is correctly completed. Improperly fitted spreaders will result in strange sailing characteristics and may even resu...

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    20 check that both ends of the main halyard, jib halyard and spinnaker halyard are tied off at the bottom end of the mast so they are within easy reach when the mast is stepped..

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    21 vernier adjust spreader instructions 595-478-e date:16-03-25 attachment of spreader. Primary pin: fit down through the bracket’s primary hole and the fwd or aft spreader hole as required. Adjuster pin: fit down through a hole 1 to 4, and through a to c or through a hole 5 to 7, and through d to e...

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    22 4.4 stepping the mast. Before stepping the mast, make yourself familiar with how the “foot” (bottom end) of the mast will fit into the “step” (fitted to the boat). The mast foot has two rectangular blocks on the bottom, separated by a groove. Both these blocks will fit between the block at the fr...

  • Page 23

    23 it is easier to step the mast with two people, however it can be done single- handed. We will show you both methods. Stepping the mast single-handed. 1. Ensure the mast step area is free from any blocks or rope. 2. Lay the mast along the boat with the foot near the bow. 3. Attach the shrouds to t...

  • Page 24

    24 picture 4.6 fitting the forestay. Stepping the mast with two. This is a much easier way of stepping the mast, especially if it is windy at all. 1. Ensure the mast step area is free from any blocks or rope. 2. Lay the mast along the boat with the mast foot near the bow. 3. Attach the shrouds to th...

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    25 picture 4.7 raising the mast. Picture 4.8 raising into place. Now the final rig adjustments can be made. 1. Attach the lower shrouds to the mast. 2. Lower the main shrouds in the shroud adjusters to hole 4, this is a good starting point . 3. Attach the lower shrouds to the forward set of chain po...

  • Page 26

    26 you will need to let the rig tension off, adjuster the lower shroud position and try again. 4.5 rigging the spinnaker halyard. When the spinnaker halyard it is pulled it will hoist the spinnaker but also pull the bowsprit out too. This achieved by the spinnaker halyard running through a block tie...

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    27 picture 4.11 the spinnaker halyard cleat. Picture 4.12 the spinnaker downhaul block. . 4.6 rigging the boom. To complete this section, you will need: • the boom. • the gnav (“vang” backwards, as it is working upside) bar. 1. Connect the gnav bar to the slider at the front end of the boom (see pic...

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    28 picture 4.15 the gnav control line. Picture 4.16 the gnav fully rigged. Diagram 4.1 mast/gnav orientation..

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    29 4.7 hoisting the jib. To complete this section, you will require: • the jib. • the jib sheets. 1. Unroll the jib and connect the tack (lower forward corner) to the bow fitting using the tack tie provided (see picture 4.17). The height of the jib away from the bow is a tuning item and is covered m...

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    30 1. Tie one end of the jib sheet to the p-clip located between the jib fairlead and jib cleat. 2. Pass the other end through the clew of the jib and back through the fairlead and jib cleat. 3. Pass the jib sheet across the boat. 4. Repeat step 1 but in reverse this time, so going through the jib c...

  • Page 31

    31 5) refit the plastic wing nut and tighten. The nut should be tight enough to stop the rudder slopping about in the stock, but not tight enough as to make it hard to rotate the rudder. 6) tie the rudder downhaul block onto the rope that you threaded into the stock (see picture 4.22). 7) take the r...

  • Page 32

    32 4.9 hoisting the mainsail. To complete this section, you will need: • the mainsail (either s or xl ). • the mainsheet. 1. Tie one end of the mainsheet through the middle of the block at the end of the boom using a stopper knot (see picture 4.24). 2. Then take the other end through the block on th...

  • Page 33

    33 picture 4.26 1. Unroll the mainsail. 2. Tie the end of the main halyard that comes down the mast to the top of the mainsail (see picture 4.27). Picture 4.27 tying the main halyard. 3. Put the top of the sail into the opening in the mast track, just above the gooseneck. 4. Holding the sail in line...

  • Page 34

    34 6. With the sail almost to the top, slide the mainsail clew slug into the track on the top of the boom (see picture 4.28). 7. Pass the end of the outhaul rope through the corner of the sail and clip it on the end of the boom (see picture 4.29) 8. Ensure that the main halyard rope is in the cleat ...

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    35 3. Tie the end of the halyard to the head of the sail (see picture 4.32). 4. Take the spinnaker downhaul line (the other end of the halyard), which is rigged up the chute and with the spinnaker on the starboard (right) side of the boat pass the end through the ring on the sail from bottom of sail...

  • Page 36

    36 • take the other end of the spinnaker sheet and pass it around the forestay and into the block on the other side. Tie the two ends together. Picture 4.35 tying the spinnaker sheets. Picture 4.36 the spinnaker sheet block • pull the spinnaker from one side to the other, as if you were gybing, to s...

  • Page 37

    37 3) coil the main and jib halyards neatly and stow them in the velcro pocket fitted on the underside of the spinnaker sock. Now you are ready to go sailing in your rs 500!.

  • Page 38

    38 5. Sailing hints 5.1 introduction. The rs 500 is a very rewarding boat to sail, and to fully appreciate its handling you should be comfortable with the basic techniques of sailing small boats. If you lack confidence or feel a refresher is in order, then there are many fully recognised sailing sch...

  • Page 39

    39 as soon as you are deep enough, make sure you lower the rudder blade fully by pulling the downhaul hard. You know it is fully down if you feel a gentle ”thud” as the front face of the blade hits the front face of the stock. Cleat the downhaul and tidy it by winding it around the tiller, pull the ...

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    40 it is breezy. Sail to the jib tell-tails, keeping the leeward one streaming and the windward (nearest) one either streaming or lifting upwards. You should hold the tiller extension across your body – with a knuckle upwards grip, and you can then use one or two fingers as a temporary cleat when ad...

  • Page 41

    41 for your first hoist you should be sailing downwind on a broad reach, with the wind on your quarter. Your crew should stand astride the centre capping, and hoist the spinnaker from the right hand halyard block (see picture 5.1). Picture 5.1 hoisting the spinnaker. The halyard pulls the pole out a...

  • Page 42

    42 the chute. Dropping the spinnaker on tighter reaches is harder, requiring more effort on the downhaul (the end of the halyard that pulls the spinnaker down). Picture 5.2 dropping the spinnaker. Hint the spinnaker can “bunch up” when entering the chute, and this can be minimised by keeping some re...

  • Page 43

    43 6. Maintenance 6.1 boat care. The rs 500 is made of frp (fibre reinforced plastic), a fibre glass cloth and polyester resin. This is stiff and light, but will dent if subjected to point loading. The boat should be supported ashore on a recognised rs trolley, as the hull may distort if not support...

  • Page 44

    44 c) when using an undercover, make sure the cover has an opening in the bottom to prevent water draining from the cockpit and filling the undercover. Do not leave the undercover on for long periods. Wash with fresh water. Fresh water evaporates far quicker than salt water, so if your dinghy has be...

  • Page 45

    45 the foils are frp with a foam core. Look after them as you do the hull. Wash with fresh water regularly. Repair any chips as soon as possible. If you intend to travel a lot with the boat, then an rs padded rudder bag would be a worthwhile investment. 6.3 spar care. The mast, boom and bowsprit are...

  • Page 46

    46 4. If your sail is stained in any way, try to remove it using normal detergent and warm water. Do not attempt to launder the sail yourself. 5. Repairs should be temporarily fixed using sticky number cloth or sail repair tape and then returned to a sail maker for a professional repair. 6. Check th...

  • Page 47

    47 7. Warranty 1. This warranty is given in addition to all rights given by statute or otherwise. 2. Ldc racing sailboats warrants all boats and component parts manufactured by it to be free from defects in materials and workmanship under normal use and circumstances, and the exercise of prudent sea...