If you have a few minutes, try to wade through all this: http://www.msog.org/how-to/mastrake.cfm
Note the part about mast rake, loading the rudder, etc. Remember that a big part of raking the mast is to balance the center of effort of the sail plan to the center of lateral resistance of the boat. To really fine tune it is more feel than actual numbers, but I'd say it's more like 8 to 10 inches as a good place to start. Hang a weight from your main halyard and use that as a plumb bob and measure from the gooseneck. Best done on a trailer. Take a level and level the cockpit seats as a reference. Fore and aft, and side to side. This also helps center the mast if the boat is level. If the mast tilts to one side, so will the plumb bob. That gets you started, then take it to the water. Note that things like a traveler will affect how much weather helm you get. When single handing, I've developed some basic rules of thumb I use....like sitting to the lee side until the angle of heel approaches 10 degrees and/or boat speed approaches 4 knots. This also allows me to watch my telltales and get a good idea how my jib leads are set, with the right amount of twist for the wind conditions. I'm normally sailing water without much fetch, so wind and waves differ, but I keep my genny up until I start to notice whitecaps. By then, I'm at hull speed and the boat is active. If it looks like more is coming, depending on what I'm trying to accomplish, I'll switch to the 100% and/or start thinking about a reef. I mention it as all of it affects the amount of heel and is part of the mast rake equation. On Sep 8, 2008, at 10:34 PM, Joe Murphy wrote: > What is the concensus on any, if any, rake on a late model M-17. I > have a > 22' mast and have gotten some advice saying I should put in about 2-3 > inches > aft. Thoughts?? > Joe > Seafrog, M-17 > > > _______________________________________________ > http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/montgomery_boats > _______________________________________________ http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/montgomery_boats
