Right, well as you rake forward you increase the load on that very spot. Like forward swept aircraft wings. Ever go canoeing? Ever sit up front and stick your paddle out front to bow steer? So does it make sense to remove material from that spot?
I'd be only grinding in the area where the rudder touches the casting - essentially cutting a slot in it. That part of the rudder should never be in the water, at least on a Nacra 5.8.
I suggest you experiment a little before you start grinding. Try spacing the top back and see what happens. It's easy to go back.
The way I see it there is three ways to to rake rudders forward. Grind the lower part of the casting or rudder, move the pivot point or space the top back in relation to the bottom. What's the easiest?
Rudder rake is a feel thing. It won't fix a lee helm problem.
I understand that. I also understand that actual lee helm on a cat with a spin can't be fixed - you're putting a whole butt load of extra sail way up forward. What I want is for my boat to feel like the factory spin cats.
Changing the pivot axis relative to the boat but not relative to the rudder blade itself won't make any difference in the feel of the helm. I think Jake's diagram settled that question. If anything it would increase the load on the rudder slightly by moveing the center of lateral resistance slightly forward.
Just wondering, does your jib overlap? Have you tried rolling up the jib with the chute up, if it does?
The boat has a self-tacker and a fully battened jib. So no roller furling.
