Thanks for the kind words Phil.
I started on my advanced mast rake/tune degree when I acquired my first J-24.
I couldn't afford new sails for a little while, so I ended up with my rig
twisted up like a pretzel to be able to get any sort of shape out of my blown
out sails. One of my buddies looked at it one day after I beat him and asked me
if I'd used a tuning guide, I told him "sure, I average the North, Sobstad and
UK guides then did the opposite"!
When the penny jar got big enough I bought a set of "one regatta" North's. For
the first couple of races I was as slow as I'd ever been 'till I got the rig
sorted out. It still didn't look like most of the other's in the fleet but was
real close to the perennial fleet leader's rig and I was fast again!
Mark
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----- Original Message -----
From: Phil Agur
To: [email protected]
Sent: Tuesday, July 10, 2007 2:03 PM
Subject: RE: catalina27-talk: how much rack to you set in your mast?
Well said Mark.
I've been in one design fleets that try to pass all the exact rig settings
back and forth between the boats, and that's good until you want to finish
above mid-pack, after that it's unscripted.
Mast rake is indeed used to balance the helm but curiously I've found
prevalent recommendations for a heavy amount of rake in the C22 racing fleet.
On the whole it was observed the boats made better progress to windward in
heavy air with heavy rake. What was really happening was when hit with a puff
(in heavy air) the boat not the skipper reacted by feathering up (the start of
a round-up if you will) due to the heavy weather helm.
To understand why that would be advantageous you have to subscribe to the
theory that racing to windward is like climbing a ladder, so any motion (i.e.
like feathering in a puff) that moves the boat to the next rung is a huge
instantaneous gain.
The fleet winners compete with very neutral helms, since weather helm creates
drag throughout the leg, and manually feather up in the puffs thereby making
both gains. Wining is often just stringing a succession of small gains
together.
My last race boat would actually reverse to negative weather helm if you over
tightened the backstay. However, it would do a good imitation of a complete
knock down in that condition without rounding up. Cruisers (those who want to
sail comfortably without focusing like a championship racer) therefore should
leave in sufficient weather helm to avoid the uncomfortable down stay maneuver.
Phil Agur s/v Wing Tip
Secretary/Treasurer Call Sign WCW3485
IC27/270A MMSI 366901790
www.catalina27.org Vessel Doc# 1039809
-----Original Message-----
From: [email protected] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of
Sailor Chef
Sent: Tuesday, July 10, 2007 10:58 AM
To: [email protected]
Subject: Re: catalina27-talk: how much rack to you set in your mast?
Tom, Mast rake is used to "balance" the helm and is largely a boat by boat
thing. Some of the factors determining the amount of rake needed (or not
needed) are the size and type of sails, weight distribution in the boat,
primary wind conditions in your area and your sailing style.
Generally, if you have a lot of weather helm, you need less rake (more
straight), If you have no (or lee) helm, you need more rake (leaning back).
Hope this helps
Mark, "Gratis" (6115) and others
Want to keep your WHOLE PAYCHECK?
PLEASE VISIT http://www.fairtax.org
----- Original Message -----
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
To: [email protected]
Sent: Tuesday, July 10, 2007 11:44 AM
Subject: catalina27-talk: how much rack to you set in your mast?
I was reading an article on another board, and it caused me to wonder ...
how much rack do those of you who have tall rigs set up in your mast with the
backstay tensioner off? Mine has about four inches of aft rack, as determined
by where the main halyard crosses the boom. Does that seem about right?
Tom Monroe
6219 Different Drummer
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