I'm refitting an old Tornado, and now I need to make the new standing rigging, do anybody knows the amount of rake the mast should have?

Hi Ulrich,

It has been a long time, but this is one that I do remember. When measured with the trap line under normal wind conditions you should be within 4 inches of the front of the rear beam. If you have a light crew or are sailing in heavy air, you should increase rake, but do not go beyond the middle of the rear beam (measured at the end of the beam).

Rich

My problem is that I'm redoing the whole rigging so I have no trap line yet. Actually how long should these be? Any other way to measure rake? If I would use the main halyard as a plumb line for example... what distance from the mast?

The Tornado class association should have the length of the trap wires, but it really doesn't matter since you have to extend them to measure the rake.

Tie a piece of line to the trap line (or the hound if you don't have a trap line). Take the line forward to the top of the gunwhale of the inside of the hull at the point where the bridle joins the hull.

Take the line to the stern and the point at which the mark touches the boat should be about 4 inches in front of the rear beam.

Classic Tornados do not carry a lot of rake when compare to boats like the H16. The rake is important, but n ot as much as prebend. Luckily I sailed with a skipper that knew a lot more that I will ever know.

Keep in mind that I haven't sailed a Tornado since the mid 90s.