RIGGING & TUNING
The best way to optimise your boat speed and handling is to get out on the water and sail your Musto Skiff whenever you can. This will likely involve some tuning to find the best rig settings for the way you like to sail your boat.
Not sure where to start, or keen to try something different to see where the gains are? View a range of Musto Skiff rig settings from some of our top sailors from over the years, as far back as 2003.
MUSTO SKIFF RIG SETTINGS DATA
Tune your boat for optimum speed and handling
View the rig settings of the top performers in the Musto Skiff class, including the sailor data and the title won at major Championship events. The rig setting data is presented in date order, with the latest data shown first.
Unless otherwise stated, all rig setting data from 2024 onwards is based on the square top mainsail.
Andy Tarboton (RSA)
2025 World Championship (1st Place)
DETAILS | Data / SETTINGS |
|---|---|
Weight | 87kgs |
Height
| 176cm (5' 9") |
Rake (mm) | 7270 |
Shroud Tension | 31 |
Lower Tension | 10 |
Spreader Length (mm) | 410mm
|
Spreader Deflection (mm) | 90mm |
Mast Foot: | 3rd hole back (small gap to front of base, the std hole, not the fwd position) |
Rob Richardson (GBR)
2025 World Championship (2nd Place)
DETAILS | Data / SETTINGS |
|---|---|
Weight | 90kgs |
Height | 185cm (6' 1") |
Rake (mm) | 7210 |
Shroud Tension | 31 |
Lower Tension | 12 |
Spreader Length (mm) | 410 (max) |
Spreader Deflection (mm) | 110mm |
Mast Foot: | Standard |
Sam Pascoe (GBR)
2024 UK National Championship (1st Place)
DETAILS | Data / SETTINGS |
|---|---|
Weight | 84kgs |
Height | 188cm (6' 2") |
Rake (mm) | 7240. |
Shroud Tension | 29 |
Lower Tension | 9 |
Spreader Length (mm) | 4.5 holes showing
|
Spreader Deflection (mm) | 85mm |
Mast Foot: | Normal mast foot hole |
Jon Newman (AUS)
2024 AUS National Championship (1st Place)
DETAILS | Data / SETTINGS |
|---|---|
Weight | - |
Height | 189cm (6' 2") |
Rake (mm) | 2155. (Referenced 1m up from top of top gooseneck. Which is 7255, I think) |
Shroud Tension | 29 |
Lower Tension | 12 |
Spreader Length (mm) | 375mm |
Spreader Deflection (mm) | 70mm |
Mast Foot: | - |
Bill Maughan (GBR)
2023 UK National Championship (1st Place)
DETAILS | Data / SETTINGS |
|---|---|
Weight | 94kgs |
Height | 188cm (6' 2") |
Rake (mm) | 7220 |
Shroud Tension | 29/30 |
Lower Tension | I started day 1 at 10 on the lowers but went up to 12 from day 2 onwards as I felt I was losing the leach too soon. |
Spreader Length (mm) | 395mm (same as Bruce Keen spreader set up) |
Spreader Deflection (mm) | 100mm (same as Bruce Keen spreader set up) |
Mast Foot: | Mast foot a pin hole forwards from base, which I think is as far as it can go. |
Jamie Hilton (GBR)
2019 UK National Championship (1st place)
DETAILS | Data / SETTINGS |
|---|---|
Weight | 88kgs |
Height | 182cm (5' 11.5") |
Rake (mm) | 7240. |
Shroud Tension | 30 |
Lower Tension | I vary the lowers between 9 and 14 |
Spreader Length (mm) | 385mm long (3 1⁄2 holes showing) |
Spreader Deflection (mm) | 110mm |
Mast Foot: | Standard. |
Jon Newman (AUS)
2018 Worlds Championship (1st place)
DETAILS | Data / SETTINGS |
|---|---|
Weight | 85kgs |
Height | 189cm (6' 2") |
Rake (mm) | 2155. (Referenced 1m up from top of top gooseneck. Which is 7255, I think) |
Shroud Tension | 29 |
Lower Tension | 12 |
Spreader Length (mm) | 375mm |
Spreader Deflection (mm) | 70mm |
Will Phillips (AUS)
2018 Worlds Championship (2nd place)
DETAILS | Data / SETTINGS |
|---|---|
Weight | 86kgs |
Height | 185cm (6' 0") |
Rake (mm) | 2155mm (Referenced 1m up from top of top gooseneck. Which is 7255, I think.) |
Shroud Tension | 29 |
Lower Tension | 13 |
Spreader Length (mm) | 355mm |
Spreader Deflection (mm) | 75mm |
Bruce Keen (GBR)
2017 UK National Championships (2nd place)
2017 Worlds Championship (2nd place)
DETAILS | Data / SETTINGS |
|---|---|
Weight | 87kg |
Height | 186cm (6'1") |
Rake (mm) | 7255mm (referenced by measuring 6110 to top of gnav fitting) |
Shroud Tension | 29 |
Lower Tension | 12 |
Spreader Length (mm) | 395mm (same as 2010 settings) |
Spreader Deflection (mm) | 100mm (same as 2010 settings) |
Andi Lachenschimid (GER)
2016 Worlds Championship (1st place)
DETAILS | Data / SETTINGS |
|---|---|
Weight | 86kgs |
Height | 186cm (6'1") |
Rake (mm) | 7300mm |
Shroud Tension | 30 |
Lower Tension | 18 |
Spreader Length (mm) | 395mm |
Spreader Deflection (mm) | 100mm |
Frithjof Schwerdt (GER)
2016 German Open (1st place)
Kieler Woche 2016 (1st place)
DETAILS | Data / SETTINGS |
|---|---|
Weight | 80kgs |
Height | 186cm (6'1") |
Rake (mm) | 7290mm |
Shroud Tension | 30 |
Lower Tension | 19 (3mm lowers) |
Spreader Length (mm) | Max out (5 holes visible) |
Spreader Deflection (mm) | 110mm |
Mike Palfreman (GBR)
2014 UK National Championships (2nd place)
DETAILS | Data / SETTINGS |
|---|---|
Weight | 70kgs |
Height | 179cm (5'10.5") |
Rake (mm) | 7220mm |
Shroud Tension | 29 |
Lower Tension | 10-12 (I tweak the lowers slightly depending on conditions, but would start on 10 and leave it while you get used to the boat. I don't think it is worth going lower as the mast is very stiff low down so it probably wouldn’t make much difference anyway.) |
Spreader Length (mm) | 385mm |
Spreader Deflection (mm) | 110mm |
James McIntosh (GBR)
2011 UK National Championships (1st place)
DETAILS | Data / SETTINGS |
|---|---|
Weight | 83kgs |
Height | 181cm (5' 11") |
Rake (mm) | 7210mm |
Shroud Tension | 29 |
Lower Tension | 12 |
Spreader Length (mm) | 395mm (from the mast - measured from the nearest point of the mast tube at the bracket) |
Spreader Deflection (mm) | 115mm (from back of the mast track) |
Bruce Keen (GBR)
2011 UK National Championships (2nd place)
DETAILS | Data / SETTINGS |
|---|---|
Weight | 83kgs |
Height | 186cm (6'1") |
Rake (mm) | 7255mm (referenced by measuring 6110 to top of gnav fitting) |
Shroud Tension | 29 |
Lower Tension | 12 |
Spreader Length (mm) | 395mm (same settings as 2010) |
Spreader Deflection (mm) | 100mm (same settings as 2010) |
Mike Palfreman (GBR)
2011 UK National Championships (3rd place)
DETAILS | Data / SETTINGS |
|---|---|
Weight | 73kgs |
Height | 179cm (5'10.5") |
Rake (mm) | 7200mm |
Shroud Tension | 29 |
Lower Tension | 9 |
Spreader Length (mm) | 390mm (I have started to reduce spreader length (by dropping down to next available hole) once the breeze is above 12-15 knots depending on sea state. For Mounts Bay, I stayed on the 390mm setting throughout because on the windiest day the offshore breeze meant the sea was pretty flat.) |
Spreader Deflection (mm) | 100mm |
Daniel Hendersen (GBR)
2011 World Championships (1st place)
DETAILS | Data / SETTINGS |
|---|---|
Weight | 74kgs |
Height | 183cm (6' 0") |
Rake (mm) | 7210mm |
Shroud Tension | 29 |
Lower Tension | 11 |
Spreader Length (mm) | 378mm from the mast (measured from the nearest point of the mast tube at the bracket) |
Spreader Deflection (mm) | 80mm from back of the mast track |
Bruce Keen (GBR)
2010 UK National Championships (1st place)
DETAILS | Data / SETTINGS |
|---|---|
Weight | 83kgs |
Height | 186cm (6'1") |
Rake (mm) | 7255mm (referenced by measuring 6110 to top of gnav fitting) |
Shroud Tension | 29 |
Lower Tension | 12 |
Spreader Length (mm) | 395mm |
Spreader Deflection (mm) | 100mm |
Rick Perkins (GBR)
2007 UK National Championship (1st place)
DETAILS | Data / SETTINGS |
|---|---|
Weight | 82kgs |
Height | 180cm (5' 11") |
Rake (mm) | 7250mm |
Shroud Tension | 30 |
Lower Tension | 12 |
Spreader Length (mm) | 390mm |
Spreader Deflection (mm) | 120mm |
ADDITIONAL RIG SETTINGS
Additional rig settings of more sailors in the Musto Skiff over the years, as far back as 2003, can be viewed in the following class tuning guide links (PDF formats):
RIGGING AND BOAT SET UP
Whether you’re new to the class or you’re already familiar with your boat, it’s important to take time to check your boat before every sail to ensure your boat is correctly rigged. For additional information on rigging your boat, rope cutting guides, and more, see our ‘Boat Set Up’ page.
