What does it mean when we say "rig" our boat and how it affects its performance 

When we say that we "set up" a boat we mean the overall study that we have to do for the selection and adjustment of the boat's equipment, with the ultimate goal that the boat has the maximum performance and the best behavior in the weather. Admittedly it is a difficult task that requires attention to detail and great skill.

 

Bearing in mind the properties and behavior of our hull, we continue with the selection of the engine (or engines) and after choosing the appropriate one, it is time to install it on the boat, i.e. to decide on the installation height, and the suitable propeller to enjoy the maximum performance in speed, stability, comfort and fuel economy.

 

The question that arises is whether we can set up our boat so that we have at the same time the maximum speed, the best accelerations, the maximum stability and comfort, and the maximum economy. The answer is simple and can be summed up in the phrase "unfortunately we can't have it all at once". The choices we make about our engines, their setup, and the propellers we use are subject to the golden ratio, since the factors that affect the boat's final behavior are numerous, conflicting, and interact in opposite directions.

 

By making our choices regarding the mounting height of our engine, the type of propeller (three-bladed or four-bladed, diameter, pitch, rake, cup), we simultaneously influence the position of the hull in relation to sea level, with the result that we are always faced with dilemmas such as more speed or better acceleration, performance or better handling in big waves, fuel economy or speed.

 

Fortunately, evolving technology has given us many options for setting up the boat's equipment, with power lift engine height adjustments, adjustable propeller pitch, adjustable pitch propellers, and many other adjustment technologies that we can adopt. These settings allow us to choose in real time different "settings" depending on our preferences and the weather conditions at that moment.

One of the adjustment possibilities available to us, which is also one of the most active, complements and supports the rest of the adjustments, is the continuous adjustment of the vessel's geometry (position) in relation to sea level or in simple words how we want our boat to "sit" on the water. In other words, the option we are given to adjust (a) the angle of the longitudinal axis of the boat or otherwise pitch and (b) the inclination of the vertical axis of the boat roll, always in relation to the sea level.