I will copy the e-mail Skip Elliot sent me when I asked for this info. But it relates to the MX sailplan.

In Rick's book there is a whole chapter on the original sail plan by Randy Smyth. I think he said he put the rake at 8" in front of the rear beam using the trapeze wire to measure. Then the rudder rake is set to provide desired weather helm.

As I said before I sailed it for years with original equipment using only the guidance in the owner's manual which is still available on the performance cat web site. With all due respect to Mr. Murphey, I would buy a different boat if it were necessary to do all he has done with his. I have been too lazy to reinforce my main beam or my rudders.

Hi Robert,

The way I set up The Prindle 19 mainsail with the mast.
Start by setting the spreader back behind the mast 2"
This is with a straight edge set from wire to wire and measuring the distance to the mast groove.
The next is to set the tension on the wire so the mast has a perbend of 1" measure at the spreader with the mast set side way so the line from the top of the mast to the gooseneck will sag only to the ground and not to the mast. The line need to be tie to the groove at the top and bottom.

This is where I would start and from. If you are sailing light and need to flatting the sail start first by putting on more tension or the wire. so that you have more prebend

Now if you are sailing with more weight you may take out some prebend with looser wire tension. or you could take out some spreader down to 1.5"
When it come to the spreader rake be carefully of putting in too much in
This will make the mast bend too much in the middle and make the upper part fall off and the boat will not point up wind very well. This will start start to happen when you get past 3"

Keep a record of what you set the mast too and only change on think at a time. In this way you will know if the change was good or not and will be able to go back and try another setting.


Good sailing.

Skip