Backstay tension.

[bitman]

Westerly 33

isn't allan (the originator of this thread) talking about a Westerly 33 and not about a 40+ what ever boat?

 

[jason -and the arguenauts]

46 feet surely? ;-) I would measure the mast rake to a fixed object such as the aft end of the cockpit - but if you need to make comparisons with other boats, you have to replicate whatever measurement they've used. If that includes replicating other external factors such as ballast, unfortunately that's what you have to do.

Ah, never thought of that. I've always tried hanging a plumb bob down from the masthead to measure the rake at the gooseneck, hence the question. My suspicion is that my boat is high at the bows and down a bit at the stern which would give an exagerated rake figure my way of measuring. But I'm none too sure how you could actually measure your way in practice. The difficult one is going to be the stern to the mast base horizontally. I'll have to try.