Sail slides

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CreakyDecks

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I am thinking of adding slides to my mainsail because, sailing single handed, it is quite awkward to raise and drop. Dropping it is especially awkward if it decides to lift itself back out of the cabin where I generally dump it! There seem to be two commonly used methods, either putting eyelets in the sail and using clips to attach to the slides or sewing on fabric tape that passes through the slides. Can anyone advise me of any pros and cons. It is a Jaguar 21.
 
I modified the sail on my leisure 17 to have slides. (published in PBO readers tips) I put brass eyelets near the existing bolt rope and fixed the slides with plastic shackles - both items from our local chandlers. Worked a treat. The only problem was getting the slugs to fit the mast slot - I had to file them down to fit. Yours, being a larger boat will probably accept a standard size.
 
Try the silicon Teflon spray route first, Spray all the luff of the sail itself the hoist and lower,it will make a world of difference raising and lowering.
Even if you do add sliders I'd still lubricate these with the spray, but it may be unnecessary if you try spraying the sail first.


ianat182
 
Thanks for the replies.
I will try the silicon spray, although I'm not sure that will solve all my problems. When lowering it's not so much the difficulty, it comes down quite easily, it's what to do with all that sail when I'm single handed and heading towards the mooring. I feel if was still attached to the mast it would be much easier to quickly tie it to the boom. This sail is pretty knackered, so I can experiment with the various methods over the summer. Then when it comes to ordering a new sail I'll know what suits my needs.
Ian, do the shackles seem to make things easier? I would imagine it flakes more easily.
Has anyone any experience of attaching the slides the other way, particularly on a sail with a bolt rope? (I'm not interested in racing, so if not using the bolt rope makes me 1% slower I can live with it!)
 
This shows what I did rather well. The sail stays attached to the boom rather than dropping onto the deck where it can be neatly stowed with a couple of elastic ties.
 
ghostlymoron said:
This shows what I did rather well. The sail stays attached to the boom rather than dropping onto the deck where it can be neatly stowed with a couple of elastic ties.
Click to expand...

Thanks for that video, it shows both choices very clearly. The eyelet/shackle method looks a bit irreversible but it does look neater and more flexible.
 
Before you go too far check that your boom is long enough. If the sail is to set properly you will need to install a longer shackle at the tack to allow for the luff of the sail being perhaps 20-30mm back from its original position , the clew of the main will consequently be the same distance further aft which may use up more of your foot outhaul scope than you would want.
 
Here's an alternative I've not seen mentioned, but it's how our boat is done.

The sail slides are "sewn" directly to the sail with many wraps of whipping twine round the bolt rope. Simple and effective.

I've never seen it recommended to do that, but that's how ours is. Can anyone tell me why it shouldn't be done like that? what impending danger do I face by continuing to use it like that?
 
ProDave, yours is a method shown in one of my 'Sailmaking' books. Nothing wrong with it at all provided the sewing is strong. The advantage with the plastic shackle method is that it requires no skill whatsoever (provided you can use a hammer for the eyelets) that is why I chose the method I did. The 'tape' option requires some skill and a decent sewing machine.
Ken McCulloch, good point but its not usually critical to within an inch or so.
 
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Something that has occurred to me is whether it will cause any problems if I want to put a reef in. Do I need to put plates on to close the wide part of the gap or do the slides sit well clear? Is it worth doing that anyway so that I can drop the sail right down and put a cover on it?
Ken, the boom has about six inches of spare so I don't think that will be a problem.
 
CreakyDecks said:
Something that has occurred to me is whether it will cause any problems if I want to put a reef in. Do I need to put plates on to close the wide part of the gap or do the slides sit well clear? Is it worth doing that anyway so that I can drop the sail right down and put a cover on it?
Ken, the boom has about six inches of spare so I don't think that will be a problem.
Click to expand...

I have always resisted using sail slides for this very reason that I can reef and unreef from the cockpit with the aid of a guide for the bolt rope. For use with just a single reef then slides might be OK if the bottom slides were omitted. ie when reefed the bottom slide is still in the mast slot. The tack reefing line will need to pull forward as well as down to support against the outhaul when reefed.
And as said you will need a sail cover sculptured to cover the sail in the mast. If that is how it is stored.

I always sail up to my swing mooring so main is lowered when mooring is attached. But it really is a difficult job to stow the big main single handed. (like yours) I guess I usually sail with crew.

Yes I would attach the slides with whipping twine and a needle. Use thicker whipping twine with less holes in the sail cloth. Many holes from multiple turns of thin twine could weaken the cloth theoretically.
good luck olewill
 
If you consider this sail lowering a major problem perhaps this might work.

Purchase some plastic press stud slider shackles say 5off;10 small plastic carabiner -type clips(as for dog leads)


Hoist your mainsail and mark 5 positions along the boom length more or less equally spaced, starting from the clew end say,18" apart.
Note where the topping lift enters the pulley at the mast and lower the topping lift.

At this position mark off 5 equal positions along the length of the lift with a felt marker; check that these positions match vertically with those on the boom, or adjust if necessary. If OK lower the topping lift and fit the shackles into the lay of the topping lift and tie thin cords thatare just long enough to go beneath the boom. Tie a plastic clip on each of the ends for each shackle position and link each pair beneath the boom with the clips.
You will now have 4 or 5 vertical cord pairs that will support the sail when dowsing the mainsail,y ou will be able to flake the sail as it drops and sail tie the sail as required.

After you next hoist the sail remove the topping lift and release lower clips and secure all at the mast out of the way.

I still can't get my scanner to work properly to copy here,but imagine a right-angle triangle with 4-5 vertical lines from the hypotenuse to the base!!


ianat182
 
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