Mast Rake/Jib Question

Having a mainly full scale sailing background, I was curious if mast rake is as prevalent a factor boat performance and sail shape? I havent found many RC pics that give a vantage point to where it would be visible. The reason I ask is it is on pretty much every racing sailboat from wednesday racers to round the worlders. The next question is, for the jib what are the disadvantages of having either the jib boom or a batten at the base from the tack to the clew, with the deck fitting directly under the tack. I see a lot of fittings that are a little ways aft of the tack and was curious why. Thanks for your time.
Andrew Miller

Certainly mast rake is important for all of the same reasons that it would be on a full size boat. For tuning to make sure that the boat tracks as perfectly as possible with little to no helm required.

When would the jib club be a disadvantage, well… almost all models use a self-tacking jib which doesn’t allow the jib to fully impact the main. The swivel (attachment) fitting being aft of the tack a bit (becomes the fulcrum) allows you to use your jib luff tension and forestay combination to pull the clew of jib down, giving you the option to trim your jib in that manner as well. The greater the backstay tension at that point, the more downforce on the jib clew. (pulling up on the tack end of the jib club causes downforce at the other end)

This is a critical adjustment for wind conditions.[:-angel]

www.LudwigRCYachts.com

Larry,
Thank you very much for that help. My other question now becomes is it possible to have an overlapping jib on an RC boat. I am currently building a boat that as of now does not fit into a category as it “might” have a canting keel and is longer than 1m. That being said I do not plan on building for adjustability for performance gains and would like a fairly scale effect. I was thinking either a regular jib that has a little over lap, or putting a batten inside the bottom edge of the jib to act as the boom without adding to the look. Thanks again.
Andrew Miller

As soon as you are a little off the wind the overlapping jib is almost useless because you can’t keep the leech pressure. It may look nice but a self tacking jib club will work at all points of sail even to wing and wing.A lot of work, line and servo’s to bring it from on side to the other. There are topics and drawings somewhere if you still want to try.

Hi Andrew,

as a matter of fact we are building prototypes of out genoa winch at this time, trying to get the size and weight where we want it. If you check the website you will see a pic of a HalfMeter back in 1983 running a 120% genoa and a picture of Ranger with a 130% Genoa (6000 sq in sail area… about half the sail area of a Sunfish)using one of the new winches. The power generated by these sails is enormous.

I have never had a mechanical failure with one of these winches in all the years that I have used them, and they will be class legal on the AC class and the J class boats.

www.LudwigRCYachts.com

Millrtme-

instead of going with an overlapping jib, which would mean more winches and weight, why not add a bowsprit? I have been trying to figure out a Code Zero type sail on my boat currently under construction which will have a jibboom. This will allow it to stay efficient well off the wind. If you do that though, you will want to have very strong backstays and masthead, as the sail will exhert a much more powerful force on the rig than a conventional blade jib on a club. You might also want to go with a deeper rudder than you think neccasary, in case the boat broaches with a big headsail set.