USS Constitution - alignment and rake of masts

[Usgecko]

I have tried to find an answer online but to no avail.

 

my question is are the three masts on the Constitution parallel to each other. Follow up would be is there a rake to the angle of the masts.

 

Thank you for any insights.

 

Stuart

[usedtosail]

Mast rake from my notes when I built the Connie:

 

2.5 deg fore, 3 deg main, almost 4 deg mizzen

 

I believe I measured these angles off the Model Shipways plans.

[JeffT]

Same as usedtosail. I just took the angles from the plans. Definitely not the same for all.

[Usgecko]

Thank you both

[trippwj]

As noted above the rake, while similar, was not identical. Nor, for that matter, was it fixed. The rake could be adjusted somewhat to improve sailing characteristics, and each captain had a certain leeway to adjust the masts to suit his preferences.

 

 

[uss frolick]

The experimental French 24-pounder frigates La Resistance and La Vengeance had huge jackscrews on either side of their fore and main mast steps, (but not the mizen), so that the rake could be altered while at sea. The experiment does not seem to have been successful, as it was not repeated.