The rail is an important part of the Wiebel design.
The rail is an important part of the Wiebel design.
It allows the mastfoot to move from left to right. The mastfoot is a slider which slides along the rail. This makes it possible to change tack by jibing. A winch is provided centrally on the frame with which the sailor can move the mastfoot from left to right and vice versa. In this way, fast jibing is possible. During the jibe, the boom swings over the bow like a windsurfer does. The difference with windsurfing is that the mast foot moves from left to right along the rail during the jibe. This sliding mast foot allows a lift force to be created by the sail on both left and right tack.
