8-9 inches for an M15 mast sounds like a bit much. Especially if you notice a fair amount of weather helm. Try shortening the forestay and loosening the backstay to bring the rake down to about 5 inches to start and then try sailing the boat. With the boat sailing fairly flat there should be almost no weather helm, that will increase as she heels over under more wind. Weather helm is a safety feature but too much requires you bring the tiller to windward to counteract it and that drags the rudder away from its most efficient water flow lines and slows the boat down. Good luck with your new sails. On Fri, Feb 21, 2014 at 8:53 PM, Daniel Rich <danielgrich@gmail.com> wrote:
Montypals:
Was out in the boat in the driveway yesterday making some measurements and a few adjustments on my M15 Kestrel. With mast up I raised a plumb to the top of the mast with the main halyard, Measuring from the back of the mast it looks like I have about 8-9 inches of rake aft. Is that too much? My boat has a fair amount of weather helm, but I now have new sails, and have not yet had a chance to sail with my beautiful new main. I suspect my new main will reduce weather helm. Thoughts about the mast rake?
Daniel Rich M15 #208 "Kestrel" danielgrich@gmail.com