Sale Track Mod

[clohman]

Sail Track Mod

After replacing the sail slides on my main sail, the “stack” of sail slides is now about 6” higher up the sail track. By removing the sail slide stop, I can drop the “stack” of sail slides lower on the mast. Is anyone aware of a part that can fill the access slot on the sail track so that the slides – now below the slot – will ride up the sail track without jamming?

Please see the below photo, before the small sail slides were replaced.

Thanks,

 

[Seth]

It is possible

Chip,

I have seen many of these "gates", but most are custom-machined (so many different track sizes)..If you know a local machine shop, you might buy the guy lunch and bring him to the boat to check it out-can't cost much.

The reason this happened is that your new slides are the longer, lower friction type-MUCH better than the old ones-they are probably "All-Slips"-but because they are longer, with more surface area, the DO stack higher....

So, if the issue for you is the stack height for the purpose of the sail fitting inside your sail cover, then this is a good solution. The slides can slide lower-below the gate, and fit in the cover. However, if the problem is that now you can't get the reef tack down to the reef hooks, I would have the sailmaker install a "jack line" on the luff-up to the 2nd reef point. This will allow the sail slides to stay in the track, yet let you pull the tack (the reef tack) away from the mast ansd down so it can reach the hook. In fact, if this problem is the result of the new slides, you can probaly get him/her to do it for free... If this had not occurred to you yet, you might want to test it-you might find you can't reach the hooks anyway-even if the slides go lower-in which case you will need the jack line anyway..

Cheers,
S

 

[clohman]

Thanks Seth. I did buy the Allslip #A109s that ride the lip, rather than scrape along the inside of the track. And yes, they are each 1/4" longer resulting in an increase in the overall stack. One loft responded that they routinely build their own custom gate door, using a Shaefer chafing bar (see image) and an hour or so on the grinding wheel. My plan is to either get help bending the piece so it fits flush, or using two pieces, welded together with the lower piece fitting inside the gate and the upper piece serving as the mount.

As for the reefing grommets - my loft made 2" web extensions with rings to reach the gooseneck horn.

Thanks again!

 

[Seth]

Voila!!

There you go-problems 100% solved! If you can, please do as much documentation and take as many pics as you can for the rest of us knuckleheads-so the next E-owner will not have to re-invent the wheel!

Happy new year!!