Clew burst out of the track - what have i done?

[jaminb]

After a sporty squal this afternoon I noticed that the slider attached to the clew of the main sail (loose footed )has burst out the groove. It is an alloy slider in aluminium boom. There is slight damage to the groove. Any ideas how this has happened and how to prevent happening again? Thanks

 

[ashtead]

What happened to the outhaul line -is it a selden boom as if so they might advise or which manufacturer made the boom?

 

[AnnaMac]

In the process of having a new mainsail made, loose footed, and have specified a longer than standard stainless slider together with a dyneema pennant to secure the clew down and around the boom.
Sailmaker said that tough velcro doubled around the boom can also be used.

 

[escapism]

A squall, you say. Was the main reefed at the time? If so, I would think any excessive loads would be taken by the reefing line.

 

[awol]

I had the same problem with my Seldén boom. The sailmaker supplied slug pulled out so instead I just relied on the outhaul car which runs on 4 rollers inside the boom. That was 3 mains and 20 years ago.

 

[alan_d]

Sailmaker said that tough velcro doubled around the boom can also be used.

I had this happen several times shortly after I acquired the boat, with no evidence of damage to the slot on the boom. |I asked the sailmaker to replace the slug in the boom with a fatter one, but instead they supplied a velcro strap and I have had no further problems.

 

[thinwater]

I had this happen several times shortly after I acquired the boat, with no evidence of damage to the slot on the boom. |I asked the sailmaker to replace the slug in the boom with a fatter one, but instead they supplied a velcro strap and I have had no further problems.

This. Go with a clew strap. Better in many cases anyway. Common on race boats and should be more common on cruising boats.

 

[dunedin]

Another vote for the Velcro strap. 16,000 miles so far with ours

 

[Chiara’s slave]

We don’t have a strap, but our clewcattachment looks at first sight like something off a 12M yacht. it’s a loose footed sail with adjustable foot tension, the adjustable car is seriously chunky, and runs on a SS track of suitable dimensions. It makes you realise just how much load is on the clew of a loose footed main.

 

[thinwater]

BTW, it does not have to be Velcro. I've used webbing, a buckle, and Nautos low-friction tape. Dydneema rope is also used, closed with a soft shackle. Just make sure it is slippery and that there is nothing on the boom to snag as it slides.

 

[William_H]

As said velcro works well around the boom and through the clew eyelet. I currently us a bit of 6mm rope around twice. It must be able to slide along the boom for when adjusting outhaul. One advantage on my little boat is that the rope/velcro pulls clew right down to the boom so raising the boom a little. (heads) A slug and track may provide a space between clew and boom. ol'will

 

[Praxinoscope]

My new loose footed main arrived from Kemps a couple of weeks ago (too late to try this year as boats are now on the hard) but it came with a Velcro strap already fitted, so it would appear that sailmakers are aware of this and have adopted counter measures.

 

[jaminb]

Thanks all. Velcro strap it is