Boltrope or slugs?

[Guest]

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I see what you're saying, Nigel. A line through the luff reefing cringle would bear down on any slugs stacked up beneath it. That would be the same with our setup. I sort of feel there ought to be some solution. I'd love to be able to reef from the cockpit, but having cockpit controlled lines then having to go to the mast to pop the slugs in or out defeats the purpose. I need to fiddle around with some arrangements once we're back in commission.

By the way, how to you run your clew reefing lines?

I have to admit to a stack-pack sail cover - a bit chequebook-sailorish, but it makes life easy which is what I need right now. That covers the untidy bit at the front where the slugs pile up like in your second picture.

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How ? Its simply a line about 6mm braid that is passed through and halved ... ends taken back to original boom end fastening and then back to cringle to pass under boom to hold it down. Actually I do it different each time .. but that's the gist ... first it pulls back to tighten sail horizontally .. then down to clamp to boom.
Tack is same but passed under and round gooseneck ... nothing fancy at all. The lines are never left in sail either .. only used when reefed.
No blocks, no cunninghams, no special fittings at all.

I am considering removing the gate next time .. I have a plate about 4 in long and 3 in wide that has a thumb screw and elongated hole to allow it to move out of way for slugs to exit ... but its not been used much by previous or myself. So needs cleaning up. That way I can possibly start to clean up the stacking / reefing bit.

I was going to add an SBC style Lazy Jack DIY system ... jokingly called Lazy-Jims .. after my mate Jim prompted me to sketch one up for him ... total cost about a fiver ! Never got round to it ... maybe one day !

 

[Guest]

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........ I drilled a small hole through the mast and put a homemade restrictor in place (similar to a gate, I guess though I don't know what a gate looks like) to keep the slugs in place when dropping the main........

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That is a gate .... in closed position, which prevents slugs coming out - (my mast is off boat at moment, its laying horizontal and its dark out there - explains the strange picture !)

Gate in open position to insert / take out slugs ... note the elongated hole that thumb screw fits through allowing gate to slide out of way ...

Here I've wedged the gate askew to be able to see the cut-out in the mast slot.

If you go back to my two pictures earlier in the thread - the first one - if you look closely shows the gate ... about 1 - 2ft above the gooseneck ... and also that it doesn't stop the slugs travelling all the way down the mast. There is no pin across to stop them - not necessary as the gate has closed of the slot to same as rest of mast.

A normal boltrope mast with feed slot is same as mine in fact ... as mine was converted by previous owner to slugs. The gates were machined and shaped .. the mast drilled and tapped either side of the slot and the gates put in position. He unfortunately used a flat head screw on one side which is now "permament" .. and so only one side is useable now with the thumb screw. But I think you can see the idea now.

I'm not in favour of the pin idea ... as it holds the sail high before even the slugs have bunched up ... at least with mine - the slugs slide as low on the mast as they can ... bottom one literally to the booms gooseneck.

 

[explores]

look in the december issue of pbo page 66 there appears a brilliant idea for boltrope sails.I have made one and will try it out when my boat is back in the water.No need for sail ties.

 

[alant]

With a boltrope, the sail when lowered, obviously falls directly onto the deck. Whereas with slides, one end is captured, so you can easily flake from the boom end.

Any breeze getting into/under the sail when trying to flake a boltrope, is chaotic.

 

[Dipper]

Another alternative to a pin, gate or home made restrictor is to use a sail track stop such as these made by Davis Marine:

I have one on my boat.

 

[Guest]

[ QUOTE ]
Another alternative to a pin, gate or home made restrictor is to use a sail track stop such as these made by Davis Marine:

I have one on my boat.

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But still this will sit above the entry / exit bit of track ... meaning luff is stopped higher up the mast than mine with the gate. With the gate system as mine - the slugs can slide all the way down to bottom without fear of falling out. Pins, stopper as you show etc. all are physical stops set into the track.