|
More mast rake will allow the boat to point higher into the wind, but it comes at a cost, namely increased weather helm. I found the weather helm too strong when I had the mast raked to the full back position. On 3 hours sails in moderate winds I found myself both tired and sore from pulling too hard to keep the boat on course.
Tilting the rudders slightly forward would have reduced some of the weather helm, but with the Getaway's EZ-LOC rudders there are no adustments, so I would have had to add spacers between the hull and the rudder gudgeons to make any adjustments. I didn't want to do that.
This season I decided to start with the mast fully forward (shortest forestay) to see how the boat felt compared to the mid and far back postitions. So far I've found the boat to be much more balanced and more comfortable to sail, and the reduced upwind capability has been negligible. I may drop it down one notch, but for me that will probably be it unless the winds are really light.
If you do decide to increase your mast rake by using a longer forestay, keep in mind that a longer forestay means shorter shrouds. You may have to replace them as well if the shrouds have too much slack.
|
Login
Register
FAQ
