Mast rake, boom position/level/headroom ?

[leefrankpierce]

Question = Will a new mainsail typically bring the boom up higher compared to a blown out one? (presuming I am getting the sail as high up the track as it is supposed to go)
I have been considering ordering a new mainsail with 6 inches taken off the bottom.

Details:
I have no idea what my mast rake angle is, what I can say is I bought the thicker forestay from BY and have the adjuster all the way in, good shroud tension. I connected the pin with some help so it is not super tight, but tight for a MacX.
When under sail, seems my boom is low compared to others pictures on the site, however I am having issues finding pictures or videos of a MacX under sail.
What I would like is the boom to be high enough to easily clear our heads when sitting with a few inches to spare. This should clear the bimini also.
I am guessing this would give a up angle from Mast to end of boom.
I know my mainsail is old, possibly factory to the boat (2000).

Question 2 = Is the "factory" furling jib a 120%?
I think I am using a replacement sail, but it seems to long, like the boat is setup for shorter sail, like a 100%.
Been considering a 90%.

My biggest concern is ordering a new set of "stock" sails and finding they do not seem to fit properly vs. measuring and getting a set custom cut.
Of course if my boats rigging is right can be the other issue, which is why I have my forestay as short as it goes without moving the top mount higher up the mast.

[NiceAft]

When you mention that you’re concerned about the boom clearing you head; is the boom that low with your current mainsail?

A new sail will stretch over time.

(presuming I am getting the sail as high up the track as it is supposed to go)

If you have a topping lift, use it to angle the boom upwards before raising the main. This alleviates lateral stress on the slugs while raising the main. It works.

[leefrankpierce]

Actually I use lazy jacks, simular result.
To get any sail-shape, I loosen the jacks so that the mainsail has the tension on it, and yes, it swings through about forehead level.
I am able to balance the sails so it sails reasonably which makes me think the mast is in a "neutral position" for this boat, I think the book says 11 degrees rake.

How high does most peoples boom when under sail ?

[NiceAft]

I have an M. Someone with an X may have to answer the boom height question.

[Gordo]

Am I reading this to say the boom will hit you while you're sitting down? Mt sail is bone stock and definitely will no even come close to hitting me sitting down!

[Starscream]

I have a 2002 Mac26X, and we changed the original sails a few years ago. I chose to order a custom loose-foot mainsail from Precision Sails, and I am quite happy with the result. No changes to the original rigging were required, and the boom still clears the bimini just fine. As far as I know, all the rigging was stock (bought the '02 boat in '09 from original owner, who hadn't made any custom mods).

I ordered by measuring the original sails. Since the boat wasn't available to measure certain dimensions that they asked for, I used info from Sailboatdata.com, although I was pretty sure that it wasn't correct. If I remember correctly the original jib was something like 105%...but don't quote me on that.

Here is my order form, if that helps you.

https://1drv.ms/b/s!Ag0w1ybOLvphjvUU7FD ... Q?e=AKo091

[dlandersson]

See attached photo

[WinSome]

Here’s our boom clearance on ‘99X. Old blown out sails being used. Lots of clearance when seated. Boom clears the dodger frame and passes just in front of our tall Bimini.

[Dougiestyle]

I found out early that the Mast rake will control the amount af round-ups if it is set properly. Too far back and you will experience more round-ups. Too far forward it will push the boat leeward, which is undesirable. In the manual it say to have it raked back 4degrees, I used the diagram in the manual and made a cardboard cut out at 4, I can barely get 4degrees when my forestay is as tight as it goes Hmm. Some people on this forum use between 2 and 4degrees.
1.Set mast rake with Forestay, once set you should not have do it again.
2. Set tensions with sidestays.
3. Backstay is for bending the mast for other reasons, im not there yet?

When figuring mast rake. What we have is a 28ft mast and when 4 degrees is applied at the bottom the top will be 1.95437ft back from straight up. one degree = 0.48869ft (Acute Isosceles Triangle)
I think roger knew that it would readily round up (consider beginners) when you do the wrong things. Too much wind for a given situation.

When I got my . I had no idea what i was doing still don't STILL LEARNING always. I had my first round up the first time out , after searching this site and the manual I made a larger cardboard copy of the sketch in the manual. What I learned was my rake as about 6 degrees which is 2.93ft back from straight up which is where the PO had it.
1 degree is almost 6in.

I put this her to show that the top of my mast when first set up was almost 3ft back from 0. This may help some of your boom clearance if your rake is too far back. probably not a whole bunch?

[rsvpasap]

Generally speaking, sails were provided by dealers, not by the factory. The vast vast majority of 26X boats came with a 105 jib.

According to the manual, the mast rake on a 26x is supposed to be 94°. The manual suggests you can use a cutout of a piece of cardboard to determine the rake on your boat. Alternatively, you can download an app for your phone and use your phone's camera to determine the angle. I installed a 1.5 inch twisted shackle at the base of my forestay to accommodate putting an oversized Mantus anchor on a bow roller. Even after adding this, my mast rake is still between 94-95 degrees.

I've experimented a lot with the height and angle of the boom on my 2002 26X. In fact, for a while, I raised it 18 inches to completely get it out of the cockpit and allow me to stand under it without risk of getting whacked in the head (I'm 6'4"). There were two problems with this. First, it substantially changed the center of gravity of the boat under sail and made the boat noticeably more tippy. Secondly, because the X has a backstay, any reduction in the sail size has to come off the bottom of the sail rather than the top, thus losing a significant amount of sail area, (the equivalent of about half of the first reef.) So this wasn't going to work for me.

I have lazy jacks. If they are tight enough to hold up the boom, then they interfere with sail handling.

I also hang a Magma rock and roll stabilizer from the end of the boom at anchor sometimes and felt that using that in conjunction with lazy jacks and a topping lift was cumbersome.

The best solution turned out to be at Boomkicker.
https://www.boomkicker.com This allows you to precisely set the height of the boom but yet also use the vang when conditions call for it. I have now added solar panels immediately above the dodger and adjusted the boomkicker so the boom exactly clears the panels with pretty much no room to spare. It has taken a bit of experimentation, but it works well. The boom on my 26x clears the Blue Water Yachts dodger, bimini and the solar panels while providing a full range of sail shapes, or at least the maximum range you can get on a 26X since it doesn't have a traveler. (The video is from before I added the solar panels, but the effect is the same.)

[leefrankpierce]

Guess I will go measure my mast angle, could be my replacement forestay is just a bit too long.

[Dougiestyle]

I changed my original 1/8" forestay to a BWY 5/32" and still have the same problem (5/32 is a good recommendation if you don't have one). Measure twice, use different type of measuring instead of the cardboard cutout? I purchased the BWY plate that allows up to 6 pulleys under the mast step which raises the mast another 1/8". For right now I want to sail it more to see if I would maybe add another plate under the mast step. I'm looking to get it so i can adjust the rake to just under 96 degrees (Tom Foolery ran his between 92 and 93 and liked it). Right now I'm stuck at 96(if I squint my eyes) with no more adjustment available. I'm doing this to prevent excessive round-ups. Looking for all options.

I don't think this will help your boom height much at all.

[leefrankpierce]

Rake = boom height, yes may not have much affect, but looking under all rocks before I spend money on a new sail.
I am not sure, but I think the sail is original to the boat, title says 2000, so 24 year old sail.
I think the most likely thought is that the main-sail is just too stretched out to hold up the boom properly.

I have a couple of years sailing with a shroud adjuster in the forestay to help in setup (I was trailering the rig). This forced me to mount the top higher on the mast. The way I did it I had very little rake, the boat would turn away from wind when overpowered but I felt the boom was still too low but tolerable.
Now I have returned my forestay to stock gaining some rake and it feels more balanced even with the boom too low.

Given that I end up reefing up half the time, I guess having a main that is shorter would not hurt me and would ensure whatever is going on gets my boom out of my face.

Thank you for all the comments.

[StellanFoxworth51]

Question = Will a new mainsail typically bring the boom up higher compared to a blown out one? (presuming I am getting the sail as high up the track as it is supposed to go)
I have been considering ordering a new mainsail with 6 inches taken off the bottom.

Details:
I have no idea what my mast rake angle is, what I can say is I bought the thicker forestay from BY and have the adjuster all the way in, good shroud tension. I connected the pin with some help so it is not super tight, but tight for a MacX.
When under sail, seems my boom is low compared to others pictures on the site, however I am having issues finding pictures or videos of a MacX under sail.
What I would like is the boom to be high enough to easily clear our heads when sitting with a few inches to spare. This should clear the bimini also.
I am guessing this would give a up angle from Mast to end of boom.
I know my mainsail is old, possibly factory to the boat (2000).

Question 2 = Is the "factory" furling jib a 120%?
I think I am using a replacement sail, but it seems to long, like the boat is setup for shorter sail, like a 100%.
Been considering a 90%.

My biggest concern is ordering a new set of "stock" sails and finding they do not seem to fit properly vs. measuring and getting a set custom cut.
Of course if my boats rigging is right can be the other issue, which is why I have my forestay as short as it goes without moving the top mount higher up the mast.

For your mainsail, a new one should raise the boom slightly, especially if you're hoisting it to the top of the track. Reducing 6 inches from the bottom may help with headroom, but the overall mast rake and forestay tension will also affect the boom height. If your boom feels low, adjusting the forestay or mast rake could help raise it for more clearance under the bimini.

Regarding the furling jib, the factory size is typically 110-120%. If your replacement feels too long, it might be larger than expected. A 90% jib could help if you're aiming for better balance or a more manageable sail.

Custom sails are a great choice if you're unsure about fit, and checking your rigging setup before ordering new sails will ensure compatibility.