Sewing on Sail Slides

[Roach1948]

Finally, after much measuring the new mainsail is on order.

I will use/salvage as many of my old Imperial brass sail slides as I can. It seems silly going to the expense of posting my old mainsail off just for the slides to be removed, and paying for it to be re-couriered back to me sans slides. So I have decided to order the new sail without slides - just grommets - and I will sew the slides on myself (on the old sail it looks quite easy). Classic Marine is just up the road so I can replace any of my damaged ones as they stock off-the-shelf.

My question: Does anybody remember the traditional technique of sewing on a sail slide through a grommet. What thread should I order and what knot/knots should be used? Is there a minimum amount of turns for example.

I have looked at all my rigging books and (strangely) no joy!









PS. Sorry - another post from me, but I only have 8 weekends till launching and the pressure is on!

 

[nordic_ranger]

I have in the past whipped slides onto a fore sail for roller reefing. I just whipped them in the normal manner useing the full length of the eye in the slide with whipping twine.
I'm sure a similar way would work with your main.

 

[fluffc]

Keep the questions coming - it's joy to know and follow someone restoring a wooden boat. We're all here to help!

I don't know the 'official' way to tie on mast slides, but I rekon that the way wooden mast hoops are tied on might be a good starter.

Ideal rope is the really thin strong stuff you get on little reels in the chandler - about 2 - 3mm thick, from memory. Start with a fisherman's bend around the bolt rope and through the cringle (as a round turn and 2 half hitches, but the first hitch taken under the turns). Then follow round the track fitting and cringle several times, before finishing off with a Round turn and 2 half-hitches.

The important things to achieve I guess are the slides being tight to the bolt rope, and the track fitting being parallel to the bolt rope.

 

[Poignard]

If you find a copy of "Cruising Under sail" by Eric Hiscock, it tells you in there how to do it [with illustrations].

 

[mickandbee]

p344-345 Sailmakers Apprentice -I can photocopy and send if you like?
M

 

[fluffc]

Could you scan an post the image on here?

 

[mickandbee]

Neh lad! No scanner. I'll try to photograph it and post (need to read up on posting photo first......)

 

[Roach1948]

Would this be the first edition as I don't see a reference in my second?

 

[Roach1948]

I would be very grateful indeed! Sent you a PM.

 

[Poignard]

Please accept my sincere apologies for a couple of trifling errors in my reply yesterday. The book I referred to is, in fact entitled "The Complete Book of Yacht Care" not "Cruising Under Sail" and it's author was Michael Verney not Eric Hiscock. Apart from this I think I got it right. /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

 

[Mirelle]

I wouldn\'t!

I mean, I would not sew them on; they tend to jam.

It's better, as I recall (and I have not owned a bermudian boat with a mast track since 1977!) to use the special long narrow shackles. They allow the pull to come on the slide from the top when going up and the bottom when coming down.

 

[Roach1948]

Re:

Well this would save me a whole load of time too!

Looked at Moray's web site to no avail. Would you have an idea of a source for these "Special magic Shakles"?

 

[Roach1948]

Re: I wouldn\'t!

SV Hannah kindly sent me a photocopy of how to size sail slides and in there is a little para suggesting that its best to try not to use metal fittings on sails.... and then the photocopy cut-off before I could find out why!
So the Sailmakers Apprentice is another book on my list.

Maybe, though, I have the best of both worlds as my slides are attached to thimbles - this means the pull would be the same as you suggest (up when going up and dwon when going down), but without any metal fittings actually attached to the sail itself.