I've been out of racing for about 12 years (kids!) and am thinking about getting back in. I understand there have been some real changes/modifications to the 14 in that time. What are those changes, and how important are they?

Biggest change is... we havn't built the 14 in about 10 years or so.

Thanks for your reply on the 16 Matt. I had heard of a couple of those things. I'll be at my local dealer soon and look at a new boat to see those things up close & personal. Regarding the 14, I'm actually more interested in those changes. I know they haven't made any new boats in the last decade (I have an 83), but I have heard that there may be some significant modifications in recent years that racers are doing to the boats and I want to understand them. I believe they may include mast rotation and mast rake - somehow letting the mast rake radically forward on downwind legs? Thanks.

Folks have been adding the TheMightyHobie18 rotator arm, easier to grab the arm than putting your foot on the boom.

Add a line from your bridle/forestay intersection to a cleat on the front beam. Pull up the rig slack when you round the weather mark (mast rake forward) and don't forget to release before you head back up wind.

Thanks John, great info. That makes sense with a pic I saw recently where there was a block on the front crossbar with a line through it attached to the forestay adjuster. Interestingly, there were 2 forestay adjusters, are people sailing these days with that much rake? There was also quite a bit of line wrapped around the mast base and front crossbar - is the rig so loose that you need that kind of connective reinforcement? And finally, why put your foot on the boom, to rotate the mast max for downwind legs? Thanks for any info.

We put two 7-hole adjusters on my son's 14 and that wasn't enough!! But we were also limited by longer (read older) shrouds and had them in the bottom hole. A new set of standing rigging will get you on your way, but do you have low-profile blocks? Lots of rake, like the H16, is the way to go.

All that "extra" line is typically the remainder of the main halyard, cleated off and then looped around the crossbar to main cleat.

Foot on the boom to keep the sail out as far as possible. Sail the 14 damn near DDW (dead down wind), sailing a higher course and gybing (ala Hobie 16) is not the fastest way from the windward to leeward mark.

Once again, thanks, great info. Do you know how long your shrouds are? I actually just got new ones a couple weeks ago. When I put them on I ended up using one forestay adjuster and actually brought the forestay down to the 3rd hole from the bottom - I needed to straighten the mast that much to clear the step link. I'm guessing that maybe I should remove the step link when not stepping, and rake back as far as I can. I wonder, is it possible that my mast base is further forward than newer boats (mine is a 1983)? I seem to remember that on the 16s they rotated the mast base back a bit years ago when it became known that more rake was better on the boats. (Matt?) It's interesting that you talk about low profile blocks, I'm obviously not anywhere near that with my current setup, when I went out last weekend I couldn't believe how much space there was between the boom and traveler - and I'm using the original high profile blocks. Thanks for any info. Flatlander - it sounds like you're at the Nationals right now. Enjoy!

MBounds is still at NAC's (we were there for 14's only) so here goes with what (little) I know.

No , but suspect they're same length as your originals. Please compare your new length with your '83 length.
agreed
Possible, but not sure. There was a '94 at NAC's but I didn't notice/check if the position was further aft (drat). IIRC, MBounds has a new mast step base, and again IIRC, the newer base is made slightly different to position it further aft on the beam.

It's raining in Clear Lake today, with t'storms forecast, maybe Matt (or MMiller) will hop online and help us through this.

hijack on// I have a fresh ('79 w/nice black anodize) non striker beam and all new dolphin post, rod and undrilled mast step. My question is the geometry of all this. Do I position the rear of the step with the rear of the beam and drill through the center of the step? Or does the striker rod need to be closer to vertical, requiring drilling through the widest part of the beams minor axis, and consequently farther forward in the step? hijack off//

Thanks again John. I'll measure the shrouds & compare. Also try to rake back & see how that goes. Also get a cleat for the front crossbar and try out the forward rake downwind. Take care.