Garry, hi!
I'm going to start my response by writing my usual - relax, go sailing! Don't overthink this.
I'm feeling a bit guilty... I suggested that you look at the North Sails guide as a rough idea of what to think about, not a "Bible" on exact setup. For everything you tune in your rig, you need to understand WHY you are doing it, and that comes with a bit of reading and a lot of experience (go sailing!). For rake specifically, that affects your helm balance, so your ability to point and your speed. Forestay tension affects your prebend, so your ability to respond to gusts. Yes, you can rake the mast via forestay tension, but that will affect bend. Better to move the foot of the mast or somehow shim it (I use washers). And it changes with wind strength, you need more rake in lighter airs. The DS rules don't let you change the rig as you sail (you can do it in other classes, adds a ton of expensive complication) so you do your setup before you launch. This is really more of a consideration if you race... For us shlubs, who cares if you are a tenth of a knot faster or slower? If you're racing in a true one-design (Daysailer only) regatta, then an extra 1/2 degree of rake can win or lose for you! Anyway, read this:
https://www.quantumsails.com/en/resources-and-expertise/articles/what-you-need-to-know-about-rig-tune-performanceIgnore what they say about raking via the forestay, it's different with our fractional rigs. In my life, with an old-fashioned hinge-and-pin tabernacle hinge (the pin is vertical, in front), I put an ordinary washer over the pin to rake the mast, does the trick. I did it after one year of sailing and noticing that I wanted a bit more weather helm. That's for LIGHT air days. On days with more than 10kts wind, I don't need it, the balance is fine. So, go sailing, get a good feel for your helm, take notes, then decide if a bit of rake works for you. Nobody but you can tell. Also, you'll have to figure out how to put the rake in on your own, it's very dependent on the exact structure of your keelson, how easy it is to adjust your forestay, etc. Anyway, take it slowly. And whatever you do, you absolutely don't want the mast to rake forward or bend forward. Take baby steps and you will get what works for you.