I pulled this info off of a couple of sites. Mast rake is how far forward or aft your mast is at its top. Mast rake is important, because it is a major component in the boat's balance and feel. If the mast rake is off, you may end up with your rudder always slightly turned just to maintain your boat's heading. A rudder that's slightly turned is never as fast as one that's almost neutral (not much pressure on it when sailing). When you tack, you push the rudder way over, which slows the boat down because the rudder creates resistance with the water in order to make the boat turn. If the mast is raked too far aft. This moves the center of effort of the sails behind the center of effort of the foils, causing excessive weather helm and the boat may want to round up. If the mast is raked too far forward, moving the center of effort in the sails forward of the center of effort of the boat's foils. This causes excessive lee helm and the boat to want to fall off. In light air, a looser backstay tension makes the jib luff sag and become slightly fuller. As the windspeed increases, increase rake to prevent the boat from getting "bound". If you are pointing too much and going too slow, increase rake and loosen the helm up. If you are fast but not pointing, decrease your aft rake. -----Original Message----- From: montgomery_boats-bounces+jaytownley=alamedanet.net@mailman.xmission.com [mailto:montgomery_boats-bounces+jaytownley=alamedanet.net@mailman.xmission. com] On Behalf Of John Butler Sent: Tuesday, December 26, 2006 4:37 PM To: montgomery_boats@mailman.xmission.com Subject: M_Boats: Re: M15's mast rake My #361 has a distinct rake aft. Is that normal? My shrouds go to the after hole in the chain plates. (The former owner had lifting hooks in the forward holes which I removed as catching hazards for the jib sheets.) Is a lot of rake normal, or should I move the shrouds to the forward hole? John Butler Do it now. You can't do it any younger! .--.-. ( ( )__ (_, \ ) ,_) | '-'--`--' \ _ / -== (_) ==- ^^ / \ ^^ | | /|\ / | \ / | \ /361| \ / | \ / | \ / | \ / | \ /________| \ _____|__ \_ ~^~_~^~_-~^~=~^~~_______/ ==== \_______/ ~^~-~^~_~^~=~^~-| /~^=~^~^~^ =`^~^`^~ ~^~ ~^=~^~_~-=~^-=~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~/^~_~^=~^~=~ ~^~-~^= ~^~ ~^=~^~_~-=~^~ ^ `--------------'~^~=~^~_~^=~^~=~ ~^~-~^= ~^~=~ ~^=~^~ ~^~^=~^~-~^~ ~^~=~^~^~ =~^~^=~^~^=~^~^ =~~`~^ ~^~= ~^~= ~~^~~`=~``^~^^~= ~^=~^~^~^ =`^~^`^~^=~^~-~~^ John Butler - Sailing again. Praise the Lord! _______________________________________________ http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/montgomery_boats