Pearson Yachts Forum
Pearson Boats - Common Systems => Standing & Running Rigging and Fitting/Tuning => Topic started by: burcham on October 20, 2011, 12:42:10 PM
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I would be grateful to anyone who knows how much, if any, mast rake is appropriate
to the Pearson 323. I am planning to buy new sails and my sail loft has asked this question.
I have checked all the lit I have rec'd and don't see any recommendations.
I appreciate any help. Thanks and good sailing, Jim
reply to: james_burcham@hotmail.com
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The best information I have found on mast rake from Pearson is from the paper written by Bill Shaw:Tuning the Rig (http://www.pearson323.com/documents/RigTuningbyBillShaw.pdf). First he recommends using the figure on the Sail Plan drawing, which I cannot discern from my copy. But Bill does go on to say that for a cruising boat 6"-12" rake is a good rule of thumb. And he is the man for Pearson cruising boats.
Typically you want enough rake to get 3-4 degrees of weather helm in close-hauled sailing under moderate conditions and flat water. But it depends on the luff curve of your current mainsail (kind of a catch-22). The rule of thumb is to put in 1-3 inches of pre-bend and establish base settings for the rig tension. Then you will want to fine-tune your rig to sailing conditions with rig tension and mast rake. This is when you can establish the slight weather-helm you are looking for.
My experience with my P323 (not much sailing time, I have been working on it as a project boat since I got it), is that the boat does not have any weather helm as it is currently set up, which indicates that I should add more rake. I am an absent owner so I can't measure the mast rake right now. Keep us posted on the progress of your new sail design. (who is the sailmaker?)