Best sail tie!

[pcatterall]

Hopefully this is not one of those 'best anchor threads' !!
I guess we need to consider something better than old lengths of chopped up line when we get our new mainsail fitted. We were happy with the bits of line on the old sail but feel that a webbing line might limit the possibility of 'nipping' the fabric on the new sail ?
I know you can get webbing with buckles but adjusting them and working them 'one handed' would seem an issue. I used to use the single loop webbing; getting the end through the loop was usually easy though the final fastening was less so. Perhaps we could just use wide-ish soft webbing and tie a knot? I say 'one handed' but I guess in our case its usually one and a half hands with one arm crooked over the boom!
What is your preference?

 

[colind3782]

Wide (seatbelt width) webbing with Fastex plastic buckles. Easy to attach and adjust.

 

[bbg]

If you wanted really simple - webbing with a loop sewn into one end and velcro stitched onto the webbing so you can put the end through the loop then fix the velcro back onto itself.

Personally I would use the standard webbing strap (without velcro) with a loop then secure it with a slip half hitch. So quick and easy.

 

[Topcat47]

My ties are webbing, with a bowline in one end. Pulled tight with a "blood knot", I've not had one work free in fifteen years. I do pull the reefing pennants tight tho' so the ties just keep the sail wrapped.

 

[Lucky Duck]

Every mainsail I have bought has come with sufficient sail ties from the sail maker, the type with a loop at one end which has always seemed to be perfectly satisfactory.

 

[johnalison]

I'm probably the last person on earth to use cord. My sail comes down into lazyjacks, so it is just a matter of tidying up, and cord means only one thing to hold or carry. I have some shiny line so that the slip knot at each tie can be pulled out for a quick and easy job. It suits me but I only do it from tradition.

 

[davidmh]

Agree with little Grebe. Webbing with single loop and a slip hitch. Easy to do even single handed

David MH

 

[Martin_J]

As others have said... Webbing with a single permanent loop.. and a slip hitch tied after passing around the sail..

I get new ones every few years as I replace and chop up the old webbing jackstays...

 

[PlankWalker]

1 inch polyester tube webbing with a 6 inch loop sown in one end, make 2 sizes long and short, if your right handed, put your left hand through the loops in the short ones first followed by long ones, go up to the mast, do the buiseness, and you've got 2 hands free, putting your left arm under the boom and flaked sail pulling of a sail tie with right hand, put end through loop and finish with a half hitch.

Plank

 

[pcatterall]

Ta guys! webbing with loop it will be!

 

[Hydrozoan]

Ta guys! webbing with loop it will be!

A good choice IMO, as others have said. A slight enhancement in my case is to use two different colours, one for the longer ties near the mast and another for the shorter ones aft.

 

[aidancoughlan]

Whatever your choice of sail tie or knot used... the previous owner of our boat had an simple, ingenious mechanism for keeping the lot neat & tidy. The set of sail ties (webbing in this case) were stitched to a rubber bungy cord the length of the boom - stretched along it and attached fore & aft on the boom with a hook at each end. Blue ties fore, red ties aft - all measured to the right length. Makes it very handy - just hook it on and start tying the webbing ties. Should work with velcro etc, whatever.

 

[Lucky Duck]

So far I have been content with different lengths of 'tail' on each sail tie rather than having each one cut to length

 

[Hydrozoan]

So far I have been content with different lengths of 'tail' on each sail tie rather than having each one cut to length

I simply have two equally long ones at the forward end of the boom for the bulky bit, and the rest equally short. The difference in length is so great that it was a nuisance and slowed tying to have all of them long. Two colours makes it easier to have the right one to hand. It's probably just me!

 

[prv]

Ta guys! webbing with loop it will be!

My choice too. But don't rush out and buy/make a load just yet - as Little Grebe says, most likely the new sail will come with a set.

Pete

 

[John the kiwi]

Having tried individual sail ties, I made a set of tied ties.
First a 25 mm webbing with a plastic hook at one end and a short length of bungee with a plastic hook at the other end. This lies under the boom an hooks into an saddle eye at the forward end and a small slot at the aft end. (Didn't want a saddle eye on the boom where it could crease my skull!)

Stitched at right angles and spaced appropriately are 6 webbing sail ties.
I could have used simple loops as discussed above but chose to use the plastic buckles as found on lifejackets etc.
Before lowering sail the whole thing is fitted to the boom with the ties hanging below.
Lower sail and flake on the boom and reach around to find both ends of a a captive sail tie in the right place and with the length already set. Cant be dropped or lost overboard!
To raise sail squeeze the buckles to release each tie, then after the sail is hoisted, unhook the whole assembly from the boom and stow it. (its kinda like a garter belt, but not sure if this makes it more or less attractive!)
Easy to use and well worth the effort of sewing it up with my "Sew all" one winters evening.

 

[Skylark]

Do you also use the sail ties to tidy the reefed bunt, if so, presumably there'll be a limit to their width such that they can pass through the pennants.

 

[John the kiwi]

Do you also use the sail ties to tidy the reefed bunt, if so, presumably there'll be a limit to their width such that they can pass through the pennants.

I don't use the sail ties for tidying the reefed bunt.
I have conventional slab reefing with maybe 6 mm eyelets for reef pennanst and the sail ties and buckles would not pass.

 

[awol]

Just make sure they are a different colour to the sail.

 

[pcatterall]

I simply have two equally long ones at the forward end of the boom for the bulky bit, and the rest equally short. The difference in length is so great that it was a nuisance and slowed tying to have all of them long. Two colours makes it easier to have the right one to hand. It's probably just me!

I like it !!! Yes, I like to have reasonable lengths in my hand. perhaps the two shorties one colour and the longer ones another?