Sail Slugs

[aya16]

I went DLT'S route and ordered and installed the very same slugs he did.
I too have a few extra. This was two years ago and I have not seen any stress.. The screw from the shackle that is screwed into the sail is behind the bolt rope and the screw itself isnt much bigger than a sail sewing needle. All the pressure is on the bolt rope it seems and dont think it will rip the sail. another thing is doing it yourself, it takes minutes and you really dont have to take the sail off. I too had good dealings with sailrite and talked to a rep for a half hour before I took the plunge. They even emailed me a copy of my invoice a year later so I could show a memeber here exactly what I ordered...

[Mark Karagianis]

Wow, what a great bunch of posts, guys. Thanks so much for the information. I've been feeling more and more that I should have ordered this option; I was talked out of it by our dealer ("what do you need that for - you still have to go forward to release the mainsheet"). And after seeing all of the cool lines-led-aft mods in some of the local Macs here, I'm going have slugs and an alternate reef installed. Then I won't be fighting to tie up my sail. Thanks again!

Mark Karagianis

[aya16]

Hey Mark bring her down some sunday MDR we will knock it out. then go sailing.

[Dan B]

I went the DIY (i.e. cheap) way. Nylon slugs and metal shackles that screw the sail. It has been 3 years and no issues yet. I have had my boat in 25-30 mph winds several times and no apparent damage. However, it was only long enough to find cover to take the main down anyway.

[Diasan]

I really appreciate all the good advice , I knew this was the web site I neded to ask. I will go over all suggestions and post a message when I decide what to do and Pics when I'm done Thanks again John aka Diasan

[Bill at BOATS 4 SAIL]

I start at the the reef-point:

Down - 24"and 51"

Up - 18" and then every 24", until you get near the top. I also put one about 2", and 6" below the headboard.

I suggest putting in the reef-lines then. I use 5' of 3/16" line ( X 3 )

[Mark Karagianis]

Aya16 Mike thanks for your offer to help. Yeah, we'll do this some weekend soon. Is the hardware available at West Marine? Let's talk about this on our Catalina trip so we don't hog this thread. Thanks!

Mark

[aya16]

Mark order them from sailrite as westmarine may have 3 or four but I found they dont have enough in stock to do the job.....sail slugs


use DLT'S invoice he posted to order. Its exactly what I have.

[bwytodd]

Just a little FYI to the group.
1) No slugs are not a factory option.
2) the all plastic slides work the smoothest.
3) 3/8" is the best size for easy operation.
4) while the "traditional" thinking is that slides sewn on with nylon webbing is the best way to go, and they seem really great if you are used to a bolt rope sail, they don't work anywhere near as well on a Mac as placing grommets in the sail and using plastic shackels to attach the slugs. We put up with the webbing slides on the Pearl, because that is the way the sail came (part of it being a "high end" sial), but I will order our next sail with the "cheap" plastic slides because they work better.

[Diasan]

Finally got it together and called Sail-Rite. They were very helpful and I discussed all the suggestions I received from the members of this board. After all was said and done I ordered the slugs, shackles and stainless spur grommets. I also ordered the grommet setting tools but bought a set of assorted hole punches like the ones for making gaskets from Harbour Freight. Using a 1/4" hole punch with a 5/16" grommet worked perfectly. As for spacing I did place the first grommet at the base of the board at the top of the sail careful not to punch through any seaming threads. Then placed the grommets every 24 inches untill i got to the reefing point, it ended up being 22 inches below the last grommet above that point. I then measured the distance up from the clew and put a grommet about four inches above where the sail slugs enter the rope slot. Put the last three slugs at intervals down from the last one above the reefing point. the last two are a little close together but I dont think that will affect it much. Tried the sail up and down and it seems to work very well with the new sail track stopper.All together I only have about $60.00 in it. I cant wait till I get it in the water.

[Bobby T.-26X #4767]

Finally got it together and called Sail-Rite. They were very helpful and I discussed all the suggestions I received from the members of this board. After all was said and done I ordered the slugs, shackles and stainless spur grommets. I also ordered the grommet setting tools but bought a set of assorted hole punches like the ones for making gaskets from Harbour Freight. Using a 1/4" hole punch with a 5/16" grommet worked perfectly. As for spacing I did place the first grommet at the base of the board at the top of the sail careful not to punch through any seaming threads. Then placed the grommets every 24 inches untill i got to the reefing point, it ended up being 22 inches below the last grommet above that point. I then measured the distance up from the clew and put a grommet about four inches above where the sail slugs enter the rope slot. Put the last three slugs at intervals down from the last one above the reefing point. the last two are a little close together but I dont think that will affect it much. Tried the sail up and down and it seems to work very well with the new sail track stopper.All together I only have about $60.00 in it. I cant wait till I get it in the water.

i did it the same way/same price (i.e. via sailrite) using stainless "spur" grommets. it's a very professional install.

Diasan...now that you're a pro, time for you to "hire out" your "slug services" for the non-slug bearing members on the board.
also, you gotta run your lines to the cockpit.

Bob T.
"DaBob"
'02X w/ '04 90-TLDI

[Diasan]

I am planning on lines led aft after reading about it on the board. But am wondering about attaching swivel pulley and cam system to the mast: should I just use self tapping / drilling screws or should I remove the mast base and use bolts with locknuts inside the mast? Anybody got anymore good advice? 8)

[Richard O'Brien]

I am planning on lines led aft after reading about it on the board. But am wondering about attaching swivel pulley and cam system to the mast: should I just use self tapping / drilling screws or should I remove the mast base and use bolts with locknuts inside the mast? Anybody got anymore good advice?

Diasan, You don't want to attach your swivel block for the Main halyard to the mast. Doing so will prevent the mast from rotating. I Attached a swivel block to the 3/8" bolt for the mast raising pole just ahead of the mast. I then attached another block to the nearest starboard stanchion. I then added a sheet-stopper just before the starboard winch. Works great, and didn't require any permanent holes except the sheet stopper. I will tidy it up with a deck cheek block mounted near the stanchion this summer. I would also highly recommend Bill's EZ cleats for the jib/genoa. I tried mine out yesterday, and can only say "Swee-e-et"! In addition to his cleats you might also add a mini cam cleat for a furling line if you have a furler.

[johnnyonspot]

Don't mean to restart an old thread, but I reviewed this thread prior to purchasing and installing my own slugs and decided to go with the sailrite slugs, etc., i.e., the white plastic ones with the small screws. I had intended to go the grommet route, and got all of the suggested materials, including a grommet installation tool. Anyway, I tried installing the slug with the grommet in place and there is simply no way these slugs will work with the grommet. The reason being is that the opening in the part that connects to the sail through which the bolt rope goes is big enough for only the bolt rope; there is no extra room for the grommet. Indeed, this thing fits so close with the bolt rope that any concern I had over the potential for the sail cloth to rip due to the screw having been threaded through the cloth was done away with. Its clear to me that it is the bolt rope that is carrying all of the load here, just as it does without the slugs. I don't think there is anyway that tiny hole through the sail is going to rip out. Ergo, I give the screw-through-the-sail method a hearty thumbs up!

Re the specifics, I attached mine every 24 inches going from about 2 inches above the point where the sail enters the slot on the mast, and this worked out so that the uppermost slug attaches right at the point the plate begins. This is on my Mac 25. Next is to lead halyards aft. Just gotta get some more green from the Admiral.