Mast out of plumb (Mac 25)

[Piotr]

It all started with lose rigging (still dealing with the after effects). Then I remembered the mast is slightly out of plumb (see my "Update to Loose Rigging" post). It's about 3.5 inches at the boom height. No obvious causes, shrouds are actually slightly looser on the "leaning" side. I do not believe it had anything to do with the rigging tension, as I noticed it last season. In fact, it could have always been there and I just never noticed it.
Mast does not have a bend, it is straight in the mast gate, the deck is not deformed. I'm of the mind to just keep sailing it.
Any opinions?

 

[Squidd]

Sit on the other side of the boat

 

[Piotr]

Sit on the other side of the boat

LOL. can't. that's where the enginge hangs.

 

[Joe]

Sounds like your boat is listing, rather than the mast not plumb. Try moving things around... Learn to sit forward in the cockpit on the windward side, rather than at the very back, which puts all the weight on the stern.. makes the boat "squat" and creates more drag, affecting speed.

 

[justsomeguy]

Sounds like your boat is listing, rather than the mast not plumb.

This is a very possible scenario. Except for the uneven shroud tension, I dunno, I just wanna show up at his boat and start messin' with his rigging.

 

[Ron20324]

For various reasons, boats can have a "favored" tack, meaning it will sail better on one tack than the other. If your boat has been sailing okay for a long time, I'd say go with it, and figure out the favorite tack. That's not to say it should not all be in alignment.

 

[Piotr]

Sounds like your boat is listing, rather than the mast not plumb. Try moving things around... Learn to sit forward in the cockpit on the windward side, rather than at the very back, which puts all the weight on the stern.. makes the boat "squat" and creates more drag, affecting speed.

Nope, I checked. of the boat is listing, it would be to port where the engine is located.

 

[Piotr]

This is a very possible scenario. Except for the uneven shroud tension, I dunno, I just wanna show up at his boat and start messin' with his rigging.

That's what I've been doing. Nothing works....

 

[sailnewbie]

Can you put it on the trailer and level the boat up then measure, I know every time I try there's always a breeze of some sort and blows my line around

 

[Piotr]

Can you put it on the trailer and level the boat up then measure, I know every time I try there's always a breeze of some sort and blows my line around

Nope. No trailer. But I can sight the deck vs the dock plus the waterline.

 

[sailnewbie]

Sighting is good, but with a 30' mast millimeters off will equal inches real quick, maybe beach it on a level surface then re-check or put the longest level you have on it and stand on dock and hold level and see where the plum lands at bottom

 

[Joe]

Maybe the boat is not square.

 

[topcat0399]

Maybe the boat is not square.

Mine certainly isn't...

 

[Tsatzsue]

Plumb bob from the topping lift. Gravity never lies. I also run the topping lift line to the stays to get my side to side even. All when boat is level. Egyptian method of measuring but it works!!

 

[caguy]

Plus 1 on the plumb bob or any kind of weighted object. The rake from the top of the mast using the halyard or topping lift should be 3". Changing the rake did not make a noticeable performance difference. To prevent the boom from rubbing I took mine to plumb because I like to sail with the top up.
I did the geometry on it a few years ago and posted the affect of rake change on the clearance.
Here is a link to that post.
http://forums.sbo.sailboatowners.com/showthread.php?p=678229&highlight=caguy rake degree change