MacGregorSailors.com

c130king wrote:Ellen,

Check out this thread for more info on sail slugs including the size for a 2005 .

I have some questions about what happened to your slugs. How were yours connected to the sails? With grommets or just screwed through the material behind the bolt rope? And where did the nylon/plastic piece break or did they rip out of the sail?

Inquiring minds want to know.

Good Luck,
Jim

I saw in your link that you purchased 3/8" slugs for your 2005 26M. Is that the size I need to order? If I order 20 will that be a few extras?

The slugs were the nylon kind inserted into the mast with a nylon loop that sticks outside the mast. The sail has grommets and is attached to the slug with a plastic snap-in shackle. The loops that are outside the mast is what broke off, the rest of the slugs remained inside the mast.

I read something on the linked thread that could have been the problem. I don't think the captain had put the sail grommet nearest the reefing point around the reefing hook attached to the mast. Could this have caused this kind of experience? Thanks, Ellen

Alway carry AT LEAST a half dozen extra Sail Slugs - - -

Rick

First Mate Ellen wrote: The sail has grommets and is attached to the slug with a plastic snap-in shackle. The loops that are outside the mast is what broke off, the rest of the slugs remained inside the mast.


Thanks, Ellen

My sailmaker tied them on with strong thread wrapped a few dozen times and tied tight. I believe this is a solution to the weak plastic loops.

FWIW.

My slugs are screwed right through the sail material, behind the bolt rope. No grommets. Never had any break. Not sure about your question regarding location and relationship to reefing.

I think I have 16 slugs on my current sail. Have not installed my new slugs on my new sail yet. They are in the US...I am in the UK for another year or so.

Jim

c130king wrote:My slugs are screwed right through the sail material, behind the bolt rope. No grommets. Never had any break. Not sure about your question regarding location and relationship to reefing.

I think I have 16 slugs on my current sail. Have not installed my new slugs on my new sail yet. They are in the US...I am in the UK for another year or so.

Jim

I was referring to this comment in the linked thread:
by parrothead on Sat May 31, 2008 11:03 am

Some sail slug kits employ grommets [creating holes in the leading edge of the sail], some do not.

No slide is installed at the reef point, since it gets slipped over the reefing hook at the side of the gooseneck, becoming the tack of the reefed sail.

Since the captain did not hook the sail at the reefing point over the reefing hook, could this be why the slugs broke? Ellen

First Mate Ellen wrote:Since the captain did not hook the sail at the reefing point over the reefing hook, could this be why the slugs broke? Ellen

Quite probable that this caused a chain-reaction. If the Reef tack is not secured to the mast via grommet and hook, or grommet and reefing line, the reefing line on the reef clew will pull against the first slug up the track. If the wind shifts and the wind adds stress to this slug, it could snap and as the wind tries to fill the unsecured sail, it could have a zipper effect on up the mast. The slugs are designed to share the load and not bear it one at a time.

This seems likely to me anyway. Anyone else see this happening?

~Rich

Sounded like Ellen said it wasn't the slugs that broke, instead it was the loops which attach the slugs to the sail. Maybe they were the wrong type, got some brittleness to them (U/V maybe?) and broke. I think mine are more like little plastic shackles IIRC.

Hamin' X wrote:

First Mate Ellen wrote:Since the captain did not hook the sail at the reefing point over the reefing hook, could this be why the slugs broke? Ellen

Quite probable that this caused a chain-reaction. If the Reef tack is not secured to the mast via grommet and hook, or grommet and reefing line, the reefing line on the reef clew will pull against the first slug up the track. If the wind shifts and the wind adds stress to this slug, it could snap and as the wind tries to fill the unsecured sail, it could have a zipper effect on up the mast. The slugs are designed to share the load and not bear it one at a time.

This seems likely to me anyway. Anyone else see this happening?

~Rich

Maybe some folks actually take their reefing line over one of the slugs to pull down the main for reefing versus taking it through a reinforced reefing grommet? That would definitely stress a slug.

Jim

You nailed it Ellen

If the reef point isnt on the hook, the halyard (pulling the sail up the mast tight) is pulling against the bolt rope in the foot of the sail instead of directly UP along the line of sail stops...Im sure these were then relatively loose in the mast, and when you gybed they got shock loaded and fail......

By the way, Women sailors on this Board are Admirals by default, not First Mates...

By the way, Women sailors on this Board are Admirals by default, not First Mates...

Always was a smooth talker....

LOL

G

Hi, It's me again. I would change my user name to Admiral Ellen, but not sure how to do that.

Anyway, I got the new sail slugs and was going to install them. We have the plastic snap-in shackles and can't figure out how to open them up without breaking them. Any suggestions? Or if they not reusuable, any suggestions for replacement shackles?

I have previously used the plastic-covered handle of a pair of pliers: it fits well in the shackle and I pried them open pretty easily. Just jiggle the handle gently and apply moderate pressure. Then used the pliers to snap them back in place. No sweat--if that's indeed the same type of shackles you have