rigging Mistral Ventura LCS

Question
QUESTION: Just picked up a used board, sails, rigging,etc. here in Vermont. It's been about 20 years since I had or rode my old Mistral lake board. The guy that sold this one to me wasn't able to walk me through the rigging assembly. Thought I'd remember, but this board is a little more advanced than my old one. So, 2 issues. First, can't figure out how to rig the sail foot to the mast base. Secondly can't figure out how to rig the boom to mast. Spent about an hour on each and gave up. Even had an old wise sailor friend try to help me and he was perplexed. Can you help? Can't find any online manuals, illustrations or videos. Let me know if you need some images.
thanks for your time.

ANSWER: Hey Scott,

Some pictures would help as you don't mention whether it is a clamp on or tie on boom. I'm away from my home computer until Monday so send pics and also check some of the other questions sent to me. I've walked a few folks through rigging recently. Will answer more in depth in a couple of days.

Thanks for your patience.
Keep on sailing,
Windlover

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Windlover,
here's the images to help with the rigging questions. I have a few more related questions that have come up since my first query, if you don't mind. What is the purpose of the black canvas attached to the black rubber bottom of the base. When I snap the red cleat into the board it is well connected but loose and sloppy..Is that correct? What is the purpose of that blue sleeve that has all the serrated notching? I have a second one of those as well. don't know where that goes. What do I do with the rope that is coming out from the rope pulley on the adjustable slot for the mast..on the board. Does that tie to the mast base to function as a leash? Secondly, can you explain how the adjustments affect the sailing?

Regarding the boom..Is there a top and bottom or right side up? I think I've figured out how to connect the clue? to the other end of the boom.

Finally, can you tell me the proper order for rigging and setting up? Does everything go on the mast, then on the board? etc. When to put in the masts?

Thanks so much for your help,
scott
p.s. not in a huge hurry, won't be sailing for awhile...but my sailing buddy (sails tall ships!) will be here for another week and is very curious about this.

Answer
Hey Scott,

I've looked at your pics and I'll start with the mast base. The blue sleeve is a mast protector that will go between the mast and the boom. It is only 3/4 around so that it will slip onto the mast. The black canvas/nylon strap is a safety leash if the rubber u-joint breaks. U-joints have been known to break but usually start with some cracking. Be sure to inspect your U-joint regularly. The rope coming out of the slot on the board should be elastic and will tie onto the front hole of the red piece on the base. This keeps the base pin positioned forward so that the mast will stay attached to the board.

On your base, the two blue pieces on top and bottom of the U-joint don't really serve a function for USA usage. In Europe, they used to require a safety leash from the mast to the board. An elastic rope would tie to the blue piece and then to the steel bar in the small depression at the nose of the board.

The rope routing is a little off. It should go up through the sail grommet, back down and up through the pulley and then back down through the cleat. There should be enough space for the rope to go behind the pulley into the cleat. This is the downhaul. It affects the shape of the luff (area near the mast) of the sail. Should be snug for light winds and more downhaul for heavier winds.

The boom should be placed so that the adjustment pins at the clew end are facing down. This allows water to drain out of the tail piece.

Order of rigging;  Sail on mast, mast base into mast, rig downhaul line and add some tension, mast protector on, tie or clamp boom to mast, rig outhaul line, adjust downhaul and outhaul to get proper shape for sail. De-rigging, opposite order.

Hope this helps.
Keep on sailing,
Windlover