I am sure this ones been on the forums before....
I have just got some formula equipment and I know the cams need force to rotate - but is kicking them (hard) necessary or is my sail (05 severne ssr 11) mast (KA -550) match wrong? Are their lubricants available to help?
The bottom cam seats nicely and rotates (with kicking) on the shore, but within 10 minutes of sailing skews on the mast and pops off (cue laughter from my 4y.o.)
Any help would be appreciated as I fear I am about to make a trip to the sailmakers for a hole in the luff sleeve
Doesn't sound right to me.I've got a 10 Overdrive on a 520 Severne Formula and an 8.5 Overdrive on a 490 PX and once set up they rotate easily every time.
It may be a mast compatability issue.
Are they snap on cams or push thru type cams.
I had issues with another brand sail and their push thru cams that had me that angry before sailing that it wasn't worth going out. (Its really easy to lose it when your finger is stuck under the cam.
)
Once it was rigged it rotated just fine though.
All cambered sails should rotate without having to kick them unless you are a flyweight and dont have the weight to snap them thru as they rotate.
This is the voice of inexperience speaking but they should rotate easily.
)
Ben , I use to run a KA 550 on my 05 Severne SSR 11.8 and from memory it was really well matched. I am pretty sure I always had the kick the bottom cam over, at least most of the time, even on my 11.0 which I rigged on the correct Severne mast.
Cams popping off is often a sign of insufficient downhaul. Are you pulling enough on? Big Formula sails need alot.
Mr love - I got the rigging guide from the Severne archive and have downhauled it to what I think is the correct measurement 563cm - and I think I have the shape in the head of the sail that it should but there are a few thinks in this sentence and little facts
I will experiment with some extra downhaul 
thanks for the tip
As its meant to rig on a 530/34 and i have a 550 /36 what effect will this have to the shape / dynamics of the sail
BTW full moon they are snap on cams
mr love is probably spot on. Downhaul or the lack of it does seem to affect the bottom camber first. Have you got the correct amount of spacers between the batten end and the camber?Is the luff pocket loose at that point? The luff pocket should be a neat fit around the mast,not too tight and not too loose.
I still have issues with kicking thr bottom cam/batten to make it rotate properly.
All our overdrives from 10 to 5.5 rotate without kicking them and we use Severne,Powerex,Challenger and North masts.All rig differently, some not perfectly but they all rotate properly.
It can be frustrating doing the initial setup but once done its done for good.
There may be a bit of an issue with the mast. I'm not sure but I thought Severns were 12% curves and KA 14%. If so the KA will be a little stiffer in the bottom than ideal. Can you adjust the cam pressure at all?
I got the Ka 550 so that I could rig my 2005 Severne 11 on the correct Severne 2005 530-34 and the 11.8 on the KA. I experimented with both masts. The KA was definitely stiffer overall and maybe marginally more flex top( but bugger all in it) In my opinion both sails set perfectly on the KA if not better.( By better I mean marginally fuller down low which is how the new generation of Formula sails set, the 2005 SSR 11.0 is a fairly flat sail compared to newer Formula sails)The discaimer here is I think the KA 550 is a bit too stiff for the 11.0.
I had a look at the www.peterman.dk website where he has measured bend curves. The only 2005 Severne Race mast listed is the 520 which has a bend curve of 14.3%. My experience with the other 2005 Severne Race masts would also suggest to me that the bend curves were more in the 14% range than the 12%. Severne may now be using true Constant Curve on the Redline masts, you would have to ask them.
Whether this bend curve difference is causing issues--?????? but I did have to kick my bottom cam around on the 2005 SSR 11 and Severne Race 530 most of the time. Never had them pop off though.
Thanks for the advice - i wont get the chance to test the advice for a few weeks
but i feel happier about kicking the cam over once the popping is fixed
Full moon - yes the tension on the luff pocket could be tighter at this point (compared to the rest of the luff)
Mr love - after 10+ years out of sailing the draught on modern sails is frightening compared to my old KA Stealth II's - I just kept downhauling waiting for the sail to flatten as I had always felt that reducing downhaul tension to give you "power" was wrong (you were just holding more drag). The mismatch in sail / mast is a result of budget cuts from the boss and wanting to make sure formula racing was what I wanted to do - I am hooked after one racing afternoon so Santa might be bringing a KA 10.7 to our house this year to match the mast - thank you for your research / insight into the compatibility
Thanks full moon - the issue was around the cam spacers (or lack thereof)
Will have to either make some up in flexibile traffolyte, or try and purchase some to suit this '05 sail
