Viper mast

[i550sailor@aol.com]

A little info for those of you planning on using a Viper mast, APS has almost anything you need to get it going : http://www.apsltd.com/search.aspx?SearchTerm=viper+640

Also a question,,,,,, being as we have so many variations of the i550 out there, cabin tops, mast suppliers, builder interpretation, etc. the forestay length could be slightly different from boat to boat. my question is, what should the mast rake be from base of mast up? (if I were to use the main halyard as a plumb bob, what would the measurement be at the base of the mast?).

[jray]

A lot of mast rake or pre bend if we're talking the same thing, depends on how your main is cut. I am running 5 to 6 inches of pre bend.

[Chad]

I've got somewhere around 12" of rake, which is around 2 1/4 degrees. The mast starts just about dead plumb at the bottom, and due to the bend (about 3" in my case) the tip ends up a ways aft.

[micah202]

A little info for those of you planning on using a Viper mast, APS has almost anything you need to get it going : http://www.apsltd.com/search.aspx?SearchTerm=viper+640

Also a question,,,,,, being as we have so many variations of the i550 out there, cabin tops, mast suppliers, builder interpretation, etc. the forestay length could be slightly different from boat to boat. my question is, what should the mast rake be from base of mast up? (if I were to use the main halyard as a plumb bob, what would the measurement be at the base of the mast?).

...as you say,,,many variables involved. I doubt there'll ever be a stock rake measurement. Most boats in the west keep their rigs very (prolly too much) adjustable so they can keep searching for the sweet spot. Personally, my mast starts reasonably well aft of vertical, but my only adjustment is the forestay crank,,,though I'd recommend a reasonably fixed forestay, and ~10:1's on the shrouds.

[noemar]

To all i550 sailors using a Viper aluminum mast are you using the same single set of spreaders ? Where do your chain plates end up? Would it be reasonable to add a second set and if so what would the lengths be?
noemar