Mizzen mast rake?

[Sea Simon]

Started a new topic so as to try to minimize any confusion.

Noted my mizzen mast is raked aft much more than my main. No idea of numbers, just by the look of the boat.
Is this normal?

As i have not yet managed to sail in company of another raider of any sort, no idea of my boat on boat speed.
Maybe next year???

[Matthew P]

Hi Simon

Adjusting the mizzen mast rake has never even occurred to me. In fact you may have noticed from my recent post on "Lee Helm" that I adjust (crudely) the main mast rake to be parallel to the mizzen - so I hope the mizzen rake is correct or they will both be wrong!  In practice I have not noticed any change in boat behaviour with mast rake adjustment which either confirms a) it's not critical or b) my insensitivity on the helm (most likely), or c) both.

One point I do take notice of is the bracket locating the foot of mizzen mast on my GRP Bayraider is held by a couple of screws, some sort of glue/sealant, hope and habit.  All of which have proved secure over 10 years use.  Some of my sailing companions have gently commented on my ability (aided by my 100Kg weight) to test the breaking point of most things but I've not broken this one yet. BUT I am extremely wary of leaning on the mizzen mast when furling or for any other reason because mast breakage or displacement would at best be a comedy-moment and at worst fatal if furling in circumstances where a POB is not easily recovered. 

Matthew
BR20 Gladys

[plasticpaddy]

My Mizzen has slight play with in the bracket, does anyone else suffer this or do you use a chock of some sort

[Llafurio]

The mizzen mast has a slight play in its bracket, by design. Its rake is defined -and limited-  when  the mizzen sheet is hauled in and the mizzen mast  rests on its rear support. No chock required.

[Llafurio]

What I said there above, that the mizzen mast rake is "defined and limited" by the rear support is not quite correct.: Because the Mizzen mast is somewhat whippy and can be bent aft through increasing the sheeting force.
However, this effect cannot be achieved with the standard sheeting arrangement which is not using the optimum lever and purchase.

[Sea Simon]

Thanks for all the info and ideas fellas.
Not that I think I have a lee helm problem, but...

My mizzen is raked aft considerably more than my main mast. As by eye.

I know my rudder is ok (checked recently,  wrt recall for cracks) and clearly is  fully down.
Will check my board, while water is relatively warm, before boat trailered for the winter.

Will then try to obtain some definitve rake readings with a tape, as well as an inclinometer of some sort.
Will post here any figures I am able to get.

[Graham W]

I'd say that by eye, my mizzen is only raked a little further aft than the mainmast - photos below.

I suffered clonking mizzen mast misery as it shifted around in its socket while I was at anchor.  So I installed a large diameter shrink sleeve around the mast base where it exits the socket and this deadens the noise significantly. It's still doing its job years later.

[Peter Taylor]

Hi Graham,
looking at your photos the lowest part of your mizzen mast appears to be in line with the main mast and, to me,  the extra "rake" is simply the mizzen mast bending (or whatever the technical term is!).

When I first got Seatern the mizzen mast clunking around was annoying and at night I used to tie it back to the boom gallows that I have on Seatern in order to sleep undisturbed. However, when I created a drum furling system for the mizzen ( http://seatern.uk/2015/06/7th-9th-june-mizzen-furling-system/ ) I wrapped chafe tape around the lower part of the mizzen mast to reduce the friction and that got rid of the clunking too! Similar to your shrink sleeve I suspect.

Peter