drummer63 wrote:
the additional chainplate also allows for increased mast rake on the older hobies
Sorry, but how? My understanding is that Mast rake is controlled by the Jib Halyard tension (and where you have the pins located on the chainplates). This extra chainplate on the forestay only comes into play when the Jib isn't up. Even then, I'm not sure you'd want to be sailing with that much rake if you're sailing bare headed.
If you look at Matt's pic (and assuming that he has as much rake as anyone'd desire) the jib is still being shackled on to the lower chainplate.
I have an older hobie (an 83) and am running with current length standing rigging with no problems. I can only assume that an earlier owner switched out the mast base, or that the boat has gone through some upgrades over the years. I don't have the second chainplate and am wondering what benefit (other than getting the forestay off of the jib) it brings.
Cheers, PT.