Bundeenabuoy said..
What do think is the best angle for speed and drift?
Does it change depending on the point of sail?
Does it change for different boats?
Does keel design effect this angle?
1- Depends on the wind and the boat.
2- Yes; generally aft for upwind, forward for downwind. For a while when I was a kid we had IOR boats with approx 3ft long hydraulic rams on the backstay AND forestay, so you could move the masthead several feet forward and aft - aft upwind until it got windy then the rig would move forward to reduce weather helm; forward downwind.
3- Yes; for example J/24s tend to get lee helm in light airs so have the greatest rake allowed under the rules in such conditions. Some boats increase rake in strong winds as the stay/mast gate geometry then increases mast bend. Others reduce mast rake in strong winds at times because they wind on the forestay to increase rig tension. Some British dinghies have one string that eases back the forestay AND tightens the sidestays at the same time.
4- Yes; the J's keel is too far forward. Flying 15s have an inefficient keel so if I recall correctly, use aft rake to load the rudder (like Hobie 16s) to ensure that it develops lateral resistance efficiently.
In summary - research the class to find out what works
