I have a vintage solo 4150 , can anyone tell me best settings considering forward bulkhead position and being unable to rake mast to anywhere near new boat mast rake.
Is there a recommended settings for the vintage boats please
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I support Ian's wise advice here. I know 3733 (Red Alert) from when it was new! sad i know. I've built a couple of boats too, my first one had the bulkhead at 3060, the second a little further forward. It also depends on the centreboard position and leading edge when vertical (maybe a couple of degrees forward), the pin position matters when it comes to balance and upwind performance.
The other issue is mast step height, there is significant freedom here and wooden boats can often raise the heel to the minimum - it is measured from the sheerline. This will give more rake but less 'grip' on the lower mast. My own instinct is I prefer more 'grip' and a low step. My trade off is a short leech sail but a lower C of G in the rig by a small amount. This is personal and opposite to where most of the Class has gone.
If you have a bulkhead at 3060 you almost certainly will be able to get a decent mast step position that works.
My second boat works with a front mast position of 3055 which leaves me at least 10mm of feedom futher forward but not needed at the moment. Personally not found much tuning needed with different sails other than shrouds and forestay with different masts. The base heel stays in the same position once found. Second boat took quite a while to get right with cut outs on rear of mast required etc but good balance in the end.
Nigel, I have Solo 3733 and have managed to get a measurement of 3060mm from the front of mast to outside of transom. The mast is right up against the front bulkhead and I've drilled a hole through the mast foot tenon and pinned through the mast step with a drop pin, works ok for me.
Not wishing to play top trumps, i can't adjust the rake on my solo #66...
There are not too many answers to your question Nigel, perhaps because it is a controversial subject, one that Solo sailors debate over a drink or two late into the night. On my Solo blog I have a tuning guide which starts with links to all the expert tuning guides (P&B, North etc) I know about before my recommendations from a non-expert club racer point of view. So it might help you: https://soloscribbles.blogspot.com/p/solo-tuning-guide.html
I have 3685 (Thresher hull) and the same question.