Tom, I'll cast a vote for slugs. With a mastgate in the sail slot, the main goes up or comes down in seconds. I have to use a bolt rope on the CDI Genoa furler, and it's a pain. Even though I race a lot, I'm not at the level of performance where the luff airflow difference between slugs and a bolt rope is going to make much difference in results. Rick M17 #633 Lynne L On Thursday, January 16, 2014, Thomas Buzzi <thomaspbuzzi@gmail.com> wrote:
Tom, Do you use a vang at all? I have always had one on board but never really used it effectively. Like windage aloft I just never was that concerned about the ultimate sail shape. Sorry Jerry. Read an article years ago entitled, "Don't Vang the Main". It was so long ago it may have been about square riggers. I had a bolt rope on my last M 17 and am considering going to slugs. I have read that slugs effect the airflow over the mainsail but I guess if I am not concerned about vangs the slug business shouldn't bother me. They seem a lot easier to use when handling the main. Have you considered them? I will be trailering my boat for a while and slugs set up quicker than a boltrope. Tom B
On Wed, Jan 15, 2014 at 6:19 PM, Tom Smith <openboatt@gmail.com> wrote:
I worried about 1/4 when I first installed the line--I admit I got talked into that size by the guy who sold me the line, and smaller is better aloft like that (although frankly, I don't worry about those sorts of things too much).
There is a cabin-top winch and I use it (almost never with a winch handle, but sometimes). I changed the main halyard out as well, and there's only a horn cleat on the mast there, but it hasn't proven to be a problem (my main is bolt rope, and I guide the luff of the sail into the slot when I raise the main) and it sweats up pretty well. I use a boom down haul (the gooseneck is a slider) to tighten up the luff in higher winds, so I don't need to hoist the main all that tightly, and I'm almost always wearing sailing gloves, so that helps too.
I went to all rope from wire/rope, and changed out the sheaves at the masthead as well--it was just time to smooth all that out.
I'll let you know how the small cleat install goes. I did the same thing for the downhaul--fabricated a pedestal that made the lead more fair. It ain't that pretty, but it works well, and I wouldn't live without a downhaul. t
t _/\_
On Wed, Jan 15, 2014 at 2:45 PM, Thomas Buzzi <thomaspbuzzi@gmail.com
wrote:
Sounds elegant, and smart. How is that 1/4 inch low stretch on the hands for hauling?Or are you using a halyard winch?
On Wed, Jan 15, 2014 at 3:48 PM, Tom Smith <openboatt@gmail.com> wrote:
I haven't taken the residue off yet, Thomas, but I'll be doing that soon. I'm sizing the cleat down as I've adopted a 1/4 low stretch line for the jib halyard. The exiting large cleat, though not in bad shape, allowed the halyard to slip a bit under hard use.
Because I have a phobia about drilling holes in my boat, I'm going to fashion a cleat pedestal that will allow me to use the existing holes, and change the angle of the lead a bit to improve line capture. I'll keep you posted. t
t _/\_
On Wed, Jan 15, 2014 at 12:02 PM, Thomas Buzzi < thomaspbuzzi@gmail.com
wrote:
Will you try "Goo gone" to get off the residue or did the thing come off cleanly?
On Wed, Jan 15, 2014 at 11:04 AM, Tom Smith <openboatt@gmail.com> wrote:
To report back, I used a combination of my trusty Milwaukee heat gun plus a stiff putty knife to remove this cleat. Worked well. Once I got the knife started at the end, I simply heated the blade and made slow progress until the cleat popped off. Thanks for the tips sailors. t
t _/\_
On Tue, Jan 14, 2014 at 4:16 PM, Tom Smith <openboatt@gmail.com> wrote:
> Good idea. Now where did I put that old stratocaster? > > I don't think it's 5200, thank goodness. t > > >