Mast Insert To Keep Lugs In

[Merilintu]

Does anyone know of a mast insert that will keep the sail lugs from popping out when raising/lowering the main? West Marine sells a track clamp, but it would need to go above the gap in the track, and my entire main on the 22D fits below the gap when furled.

Thanks in advance for any ideas!

[Sea Hunt Video]

Roger:

These may be what you are looking for; not sure.

http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs/st ... sNum=50111

[Gary M]

I use a "sail stop." (I believe it is called.)

As you said, I place it at the top of the opening. When the sail is lowered it stops at the stop.

I can flake the sail like that or I can take the stop out and slide the slugs to their lower position where the sail flakes more neatly.

I move the slugs to their upper positing and install the stop before raising the main.

I have to remember to remove this stop before reefing.

Cheers

Gary

[Steve Laume]

What you are looking for is a sail or mast gate. I checked rig rite and they list it but give no information. Sail stops are meant to do something else. The gate hinges into the open slot and is pinned in place. The slides then travel the entire track without popping out. If you want to remove them, you open the gate and they come right out.

I found the gates but not directly through the Rig Rite site.

http://www.rigrite.com/Spars/MetalMast_ ... Gates.html

You could also make up a small plate and screw it in place. You would only need to remove it when you wanted to remove the sail from the mast track. This is typically done only once a year so removing a couple of screws would not be a big deal.

Having all the slides fall out would be a much bigger PIA, Steve.

[Merilintu]

Mast Gate...that seems to be the key term I need. Thanks for the links!

Sadly, I am headed to the yard tomorrow to haul the boat for winter. We're experiencing a gorgeous patch of almost summery weather, but I don't want to push my luck. It's been a great first season with the boat, and surprisingly few problems, considering her 12 years previous on the hard.

Happy winter, everyone! I'll be lurking.

[tartansailor]

I'm confused.
If the slugs are below the slot, how then can you raise the sail with a gate in place?
Dick

[sharkbait]

You can get a hinged or screw on plate that covers the gate but does not block the track. Or, if you are good you can make your own.

[TY375]

It's actually quite easy to make a cover for the slot - I made one for my Ty out of some aluminum scrap after a first season of trying to keep a plug fastened above the slot. I think I actually used a piece of flooring trim, so it already had a bit of a curve to it. Anyway, it's about 1/8th in thick and 1 in wide. I cut two pieces just a little longer than the vertical dimension of the slot, cut away the corners on one side to leave a tang as long as the slot, adjusted the side to side curvature of the aluminum to match the profile of the mast (no need to get too picky, you just nead for the aft-most edge of the tang to line up reasonably closely with the edges of the sail slot; you can do it with a flat surface and a hammer to take out some of the curve or a vise and a hammer to put more in), drilled two holes in the body of it for screws to attach it to the mast, then drilled and tapped matching holes in the mast. I put the sail on when I get ready for launch, then screw the gates on to each side and I'm good for the season; sail slugs slide past it with no problem. At the end of the season, I unscrew them (and try to put them somewhere where I won't forget where they are!) to take the sail off.

Total cost was the price of a 4 stainless machine screws, but then I already had the aluminum, a drill and a tap.

[Skeep]

Steve thank you for that link, an immense help in identifying the stuff. Their website is rather archaic to say the least. And the conversation on the sail stop is quite germane to the Ty since it is a sailor's nightmare to hoist or flake when sailing alone without any assists. I think the technical term for the nightmare is a cluster_____, supply your own wording depending on how frustrating it is for you. LOL