I have an aluminium one-piece mast, and usually sail with a slightly cut-down genoa (John Howard&#039;s old one).<br /><br />In anything of a real breeze I get considerable back-lifting of the main when sheeted in and going upwind. Would more mast rake help cure this? And in any case, what&#039;s the optimum mast rake for a Heron?

I can&#039;t tell you the correct mast rake.&nbsp; So why am I replying you wonder...?&nbsp; Well I went to find what the Australians had to say on subject because they seem to know about these technical issues.<br /><br />I could only find something on an archive of the NSW Association Site (they&#039;ve moved site and deleted their tips) about gaff rigs.&nbsp; It seemed to suggest that there should be 12-15mm gap at the halyard point and that this should increase to 25mm when actually underway with the kicker in tight.<br /><br />But then they also seem to have a load of other variables such as sails, wind and kicker...<br /><br />Because the page no longer exists you&#039;ll need a web archiver to retrieve it - try this link:<br /><br />http://web.archive.org/web/20030522124835/http://herons.freeyellow.com/tuning.html<br /><br />I&#039;ll try contacting them and see if we can maybe host some of their older content that was deleted - it seems a shame to loose useful information.<br /><br />Do you have a copy of the Heron Handbook (I don&#039;t) but I&#039;d expect an answer in there.&nbsp; Or have you spoke to John Howard - he would almost certainly know.<br /><br />Final option - try increasing the rake and see what happens? (Be sure to post back the result)<br /><br />But is this definitely a mast rake issue and not a kicker issue?&nbsp; I thought as well as giving shape to the sail kickers were their to stop the boom rising up?

Thanks Calum - I&#039;ll take a look. <br /><br />No, I don&#039;t have the handbook - I didn&#039;t know there was one....<br /><br />Previous dinghies I&#039;ve had (Albacore, OK) had starting-point measurements mast-tip to transom and mast-tip plumbline to gooseneck as rake reference points. That&#039;s what I&#039;m looking for for the Heron.<br /><br />I&#039;ll do as you suggest and give John H. a ring later today....<br /><br />How I enjoy all this tinkering!

John should be able to give you a pointer to where you get the handbook... it might be him or Verna?<br /><br />Its written by the Australians and is quite old from what I gather, but since the basic design hasn&#039;t changed that much mostly relevant to the UK sailor.&nbsp; I really should get a copy some time.<br /><br />The method most commonly described that I&#039;ve seen involves a plumb line from the mast tip and a measurement from the mast (? gooseneck) or (?step) to give rake in inches.<br /><br />Calum