Slugs and Single-handing

[Bawgy]

You should be able to get one that fits . MY boat came with it from the dealer so I dont know which size it is . Was the slug to big or the threaded post . You could just file the threads away where it goes against the sail track

[c130king]

The slug was a little too big to fit into the slot. It was difficult to get it lined up as the goose neck was in the way and since the boat was on the water I didn't want to disconnect it. I will get it in...just need to apply a liitle muscle power to a screw driver.

I will pull the boat out in a few weeks and will figure it out then.

Thanks,
Jim

[berjim]

Sorry I took so long to get back to my own question! I appreciate the comments about the slugs, but I trailer my boat so the mainsail stays on the boom and is stowed inside the boat while not on the water. That means that I have to re-feed the slugs to raise the main each time which means someone has to be on top the cabin to raise the main so "lines run aft" would be meaningless.

Am I missing something??

[jasper]

I bought a Davis #2351 Sail track Stop this morning, before seeing the posts. I thought that because the slugs are not round, this would be right one. In retrospect, I have to feed the first foot or so of the luff cord into the groove before the first slug and of course the luff cord its round.
As I haven't tried it in the groove yet, should I change it for the #2350, or will this one be ok?
One other quick question. I picked up a 5/16" Halyard Shackle with captive pin to use instead of a snap shackle. Does anyone else use the Halyard Shackle with captive pin for the main halyard? is it better than the snap shackle?

[johnnyonspot]

Sorry I took so long to get back to my own question! I appreciate the comments about the slugs, but I trailer my boat so the mainsail stays on the boom and is stowed inside the boat while not on the water. That means that I have to re-feed the slugs to raise the main each time which means someone has to be on top the cabin to raise the main so "lines run aft" would be meaningless.

Am I missing something??

You don't raise the sail at the dock do you? I would think you would get the slugs fed into the mast slot, and insert the stopper prior to leaving the dock so once you get out and raise the sails there would be no need to have anyone go up on the cabin top. Perhaps I am missing something.

Or get a cotter pin to fit through a hole you make at the bottom the rail and secure it with a small line.

Cheaper, easier and works great.
Eric

That sounds like an excellent solution if I am correctly interpreting your post. You mean drill a small hole all the way through the mast just above the wide part of the mast slot where you put the slugs into the slot, and then after putting all slugs in insert the cotter pin, which would then stop the slugs from dropping out??? I used the stopper this weekend and must not have tightened it up sufficiently the first try because it fell out and, luckily, did not roll off the deck and into the drink.

[eric3a]

..

[berjim]

We normally raise the sails after we are away from the dock and headed into the wind. We could probably raise the mail about half way and get all of the slugs in with the stop thingy (technical term) in place then let it down again to turn the boat around and head away from the dock.

Thanks

Jim

[tangentair]

I sailed my M for the first time this weekend, I also trailer, so the boom was added just prior to launch. The main was feed into the mast just prior to launch and left in the "bunched around the boom" condition till we cleared the harbor and turn up wind. then using the lines aft we raised the main, skinny men or women might need the winch but we didn't. A little later after the wind built and puffs pushed us over near horizontal a couple of times, we reefed the main to see if it really sailed faster reefed - it didn't for us this time - we got 7 3/4 full out main and jib on a close haul/reach and 4 1/2 to 6 reefed with full jib) anyway, the slugs and slug stop did not interfeer with raising or reefing. That may be because Bill puts them on in the right place/spacing. There are a number of previous threads on that.

[berjim]

We are headed to the lake in about 30 minutes so I will give it a try with pre-feeding the slugs before leaving the dock.

Thanks all!

[berjim]

Well, my mast had one of those mast stops on it which I had never paid attention to before. I fed all the slugs into the mast and fastened the stop at the dock. I have never had such an easy time raising the main. Life is good!

Jim

[johnnyonspot]

I actully used mine with newly installed slugs last Sunday and the slugs did bind up a little bit but not much. I suppose I could get some sailkote to spray in the bottom portion of the slot to slicken things up a bit.