"gap" in the mast

[rogerroger]

My mast has a gap about 1cm wide by about 6cm high about a foot above the boom - obviously to allow the sail sliders to come out to take the sail completely off.

But keeping the sliders in when raising or lowering the main sail is a real pain.

What do I need to "plug" this hole so I can pull the sail straight up or down without having to giude the sliders in each time ?



Roger Holden
www.first-magnitude.co.uk

 

[WayneS]

Re: \"gap\" in the mast

Hi Roger

I have seen 2 solutions

One was a small hole drilled in the track into which you pushed an unbent splitpin. This was enough to stop the sliders coming down and could easily be removed if need be.

The other was a small stopper that I saw in a chandlers (I cannot remember which one but may have been Aladins Cave in Bursledon) which looked a bit like a slide but had a thumb-screw on it which could be tightened to prevent it coming out. Again, put below the last stopper.

Cheers

Wayne

 

[vyv_cox]

Mast gate

http://www.geocities.com/Yosemite/2358/f_rigging_tips/f07.html has a system that could be made without too much trouble. Your mast manufacturer will almost certainly be able to sell you a mast gate which is a spring-loaded device made specifically for the purpose.

 

[rogerroger]

Cheers Wayne

Thing is I dont want to stop the lower sliders (I'm sure they're not actually called that?) coming down - the first 4 or 5 need to live below the gap with the sail down.

I think I already have what you describe - a screw on stopper. If I screw this on at the top of the gap the the sail won't sit low enough on the boom when dropped, looks stupid and I can't get the sail cover on ! I then have to remove it to pull up the sail thus exposing the gap and the sliders come out !

I might actually get 2 metal rulers and some self tapping screws so the track is a continous width.

Roger Holden
www.first-magnitude.co.uk

 

[rogerroger]

Re: Mast gate

OK - now we're getting somewhere ! Cheers.

I think my mast is a "National" - didn't they go out of business?

Roger Holden
www.first-magnitude.co.uk

 

[WayneS]

Re: \"gap\" in the mast

Ha, that is just what I have. A couple of pieces of stainless that screw onto the mast which extends the track right down to the boom. Just unscrew on to remove the sliders.

One warning though, just had to repair a tear in my main because the sliders sometimes bite at the meeting point of the track and this removable piece causing your rapid raising of the sail to come to a sudden stop with all the strain being taken on this one slider. I have to look at this next week cos, not only is it irritating, but it is damaging my sail.

Cheers

Wayne

 

[bryantee]

Re: \"gap\" in the mast

Mine has two gates,Really two bits of Z shaped aluminium which are on studs screwed into the mast section and tightened up with wing nuts.would reccomend having two bolts/screws on each section,as a single centre bolt allows the z shape to pivot and jam the slides.radius the end of the z shaped peices, so the slides pass over the joint smoothly. good luck

 

[kgi]

Re: \"gap\" in the mast

if you can go with vyv coxs idea and see if you can get a mast gate from somewhere, and dont forget if you have slab reefing the strain on the lower sliders could be considerable when reefed cheers keith

 

[LeonF]

Re: \"gap\" in the mast

Contact Selden Masts. I have an older Kemp mast witha mast gate which is spring loaded- its a very simple system using a small piece of rubber. You can be selective about which of the lugs you want to stay in the track and which ones need to come out. I have a fully battened main with ordinary lugs for the intermediates and it's childs play to use the thing. I'm almost certain that they still make the gate.
Leon

L.A.R.Ferguson

 

[rogerroger]

Re: \"gap\" in the mast

do you have a number or web site ? or do you know where they're based ?

cheers



Roger Holden
www.first-magnitude.co.uk

 

[VMALLOWS]

Re: \"gap\" in the mast

Roger,
Surely YOU can use a search engine!

 

[rogerroger]

Re: \"gap\" in the mast

Not if they don't have a web site ! Try finding National Masts on the web!

Roger Holden
www.first-magnitude.co.uk

 

[Whiskey2]

Re: \"gap\" in the mast

Hi, I am sure this is one of those silly sailing names that i have been trying to learn over the last few months. I don't have my book with me but are not your 'sliders' really called 'slugs' Mel.

 

[rogerroger]

Re: \"gap\" in the mast

Hi

Yes, I later found that out too! - think I'll stick with "sliders"...

Roger Holden
www.first-magnitude.co.uk

 

[kgi]

Re: \"gap\" in the mast

Roger, i could not find national mast, the only one that may be relevant is www. seldenmast.com, i used a search engine called ixquick which i find pretty reliable and it could not find it, how about the boat breakers out towards Southampton they may well be worth a try, cant for the life of me remember the name of the place keith

 

[vyv_cox]

Re: \"gap\" in the mast

I'm not sure of my facts here, but I thought that the cylindrical barrel type were called slugs and the T-section ones were sliders. My mainsail has two slugs on the headboard and all the rest are sliders. Sometimes a lead slug is put on the headboard and all the rest are plastic.

 

[LeonF]

Re: \"gap\" in the mast

If you do a search for Selden masts you will find a list of dealers. On the East coast they are at Foxs in Ipswich, on the South coast they are in Brighton. I have found a chap called Craig at Selden at Fox's in Ipswich to be particularly helpful even for small items of gear. If you get no further send me a private e-mail with a fax number and I will send you some info.

L.A.R.Ferguson

 

[rogerroger]

Re: \"gap\" in the mast

Cheers Leon - I found their web site so will give them a call at the weekend.

I'll take you up on your kind offer if I have no joy...



Roger Holden
www.first-magnitude.co.uk

 

[bazam]

Re: \"gap\" in the mast

I made a delrin plug that was screwed into the gap but let the slides pass smoothly, The only problem comes when you need to reef as the plug has to be removed to free the slides. My solution now is to use a split pin and move the slides above this when I set out but drop the bottom 6 below the pin when I stow the sail.