Ahoy Jim,
Fore and aft is certainly not in the center of the boat, exceptmaybe for an exceptional cutter. Certainly not for sloops, yawls, ketches and schooners.
One can adjust the weather helm a bit, taking it out by pulling the rig foreward and adding by pulling the rig back. Usually you have an idea as to where to start but when in doubt start either verticle or however the mast step and partners seem to force things.
Absolutely before tweeking the fore and aft trim of the rig, make sure the boat is trimmed correctly. Water is denser than air and it takes very little down trim at the bow to cancel lots of foreward trim in the rig.
I take the easy way to getting the masts straight athwartships. First, I use a hallyard to move from side to side, typically plunking down at port and starboard chainplates. If you're using the uppers and there are aft swept lowers, be sure you're not fouling the hallyard and getting a false measure. If the boom is already rigged, you may have to walk the hallyard behind the topping lift. Just look up and, as Brion would insist, have a fair lead.
The human hand is wonderfully sensitive and you'll easily feel when you have the same level of bounce at each side.
I double check visually even though the hallyard method is far better than my eye, even helped by a held out square. Remember when you look, you may be decieved by a subtle heel to the boat, background objects, and so on.
One final prejudice from a life with wooden boats. I really hate the nail polish mark or just ease one side approach to derigging in the fall and restepping in the spring. There is no reason the believe that the boat will go back together exactly the same way year after year. Actually, it makes good sense to check the tune at least monthly as the season goes along. Boats are living things and just as I take in or let out my belt a notch from time to time . . . .
G'luck
Ian
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