Mast rake?

So I'm pretty new to cat sailing. Can anyone tell me if I have the mast rake set properly? Bought used and set it up with the wires it came with. Sailed it twice and it performed really well. Thanks

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I believe the rule of thumb is to rake it back as wind increases until youre running “block to block.”

What you show in the picture looks fine. If you want more rake, you can buy the 10-hole adjuster for the forestay (Google will find it). I think it's like many things... an average setup is fine for most people but getting that last few percent from the boat means playing with the rake (and probably other things) to get the most performance. I don't adjust mine - I'm an average person

BTW, the expression "block to block" means you have enough rake that when you sheet in tight for a close haul, the upper and lower blocks of the mainsheet system are almost touching. That's the maximum rake. I wonder if anyone with a Wave actually does that - I am not even close to that and I have a pretty good amount of rake.

Thanks. I can get my blocks about 10" apart with this setup

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youtube Victor Geoff.

My $00.02 Cdn.

Yes you have too much rake, and your rig is too tight.

Unless you sail in the trade winds all the time (and you don't) then this is what the Wave racing guys do. Note that as suggested they sometimes switch to a Hobie 16 10 hole adjuster.

Skipper weight Light to Moderate Wind Heavy wind
[ lbs.] [5 to 20 k/h] [20 to 50 k/h]
up to 165 10th hole 10th hole maybe with an extra shackle
165 to 200 7th hole 10th hole
200 to 240 6th hole 7th hole
240 up 5th hole 5th hole

Hard core racing guys have the rig so sloppy that you can grab a stay and turn your hand 45 degrees. That way the rig rakes upwind and blows forward for less rake downwind. But they have to put a piece of line from the front crossmember to the mast to make sure it doesn't fall off in a capsize.

I'd recommend loose but not sloppy enough to fall off.

On mine I just set the rake for me and then tape everything. ALL RINGDINGS MUST BE TAPED. Then it works for everybody I loan the boat to and with four adults. My rig is as sloppy as I dare, guessing it would stay on the ball in a capsize.

Great boat isn't it?

Interesting. This wave I purchased used (saved from a slow death in a backyard) and it did not come with any adjusters. The current setup has the shrouds attached directly to the straps with these scissor-like clips and the bridle attaches to the forestay with a shackle. So there is zero adjustability right now. I think that if I put adjusters on the shrouds then the forestay will be too long. It is a '96 and there's the possibility the stays have been replaced. The mast has the H14 style step as well not the ball. I had it out yesterday in some heavier winds and the boat sailed upwind beautifully but downwind not so great. Related to mast rake, rig tension?

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I hadn't noticed from the picture, but yours is a standard Wave not a Club model, so it doesn't have the adjusters. I would really just suggest sailing it and having fun. Racers may do all sorts of things, but unless you are intent on beating another Wave it's not a big deal.

I race all the time and I think you should buy new rigging right now. Somebody must have made that stuff if there is no adjuster. Call you Hobie dealer, get on Ebay or Saltydogmarine.com and get a complete set of rigging and 3 new adjusters (one of them a 10 hole as mentioned). It is waaay safer to have new rigging and something is wrong with the set up you have in my opinion.

Great article here on mast rake, weather helm and more for catamarans

http://catsail.com/archives/v2-i8/feature1.htm
Or
http://users.tpg.com.au/kkmiller/hobie/weather_helm.html

I have my mast raked back and find I often need to sit more towards the front, depends on the wind and the direction I am sailing of course. I may make myself a tiller extension to help

Owen

looking at your forestay it appears to be the standard 1996 stay. a three hole adjuster. Others were talking about adding a 10 hole adjuster which I have thought about but have never done. My 1996 set up is very competitive with the completion on the lake I sail on.