Tyler: The low slot location is a PITA!! Makes the boat harder rig and reef. There seems to have been a Mboat owner move to change to the 'low slot' sometime in the past as both SWEET PEA and SCRED (my M15) were converted. IMO it is not a good modification. Once modified you CANNOT go back as putting in the old, correct, slot requires re-bending and aluminum gives you one bend not two! Re-bending will likely result in breaking off the luff groove area of the slot. Using the reefing method I have described the main halyard never leaves your hand. The halyard also never gets so slack as to flop around and possibly get wrapped up in the starboard side shroud. :: Dave Scobie :: M17 #375 SWEET PEA - m17-375.com :: M6'8" #650 :: SV SWALLOW - sv-swallow.com On Thu, Nov 15, 2018, 1:22 PM <casioqv@usermail.com wrote:

Hi Dave,

How would you compare the setup of having the slot below the boom to having a mast gate? I'm trying to decide which to do for my M15. Moving the slot is much easier and cheaper since the factory M15 slot was just pried open and can be set back with a rubber mallet.

Tow annoying things that can happen when reefing my M15 are the slugs falling out of the slot, and loosing the mainsheet up in the shrouds. To fix the latter I'm thinking to get a slightly longer main halyard so I can fix the end near the cleat, and it can't get lost. I don't want the popular modern setup of having the main halyard at the cockpit, because it's just one extra thing to rig for a daysail, one extra hole in the deck, etc.

Sincerely, Tyler

----- Original Message ----- From: "scoobscobie" <scoobscobie@gmail.com> To: "For and about Montgomery Sailboats" < montgomery_boats@mailman.xmission.com> Sent: Thursday, November 15, 2018 12:47:20 PM Subject: Re: M_Boats: mastgatr (was Re: Reefing (was Re: 15M v 17M)

I use a slot stop on SWEET PEA to keep the gooseneck from falling out the 'bottom of the mast slot'. Never had issue with the boom sliding down and knocking the stop out of the track. The stop as a metal washer, nylon washwasher and a wingnut.

When reefed the gooseneck is supported by the halyard being in opposition to the tack line.

Wonder what is happening with your boat's mast and/or stop that causes it to slip?

:: Dave Scobie :: M17 #375 SWEET PEA - m17-375.com :: M6'8" #650 :: SV SWALLOW - sv-swallow.com

On Thu, Nov 15, 2018, 12:37 PM <swwheatley@comcast.net wrote:

...

The mast slot on my M17 was moved below the boom too and, ironically, that is exactly why I use a reefing hook instead of the o.e. tack line setup. The tack lines do not support the boom so the mainsheet pulls it down and the sliding gooseneck comes out of the slot--not good when you're sailing solo in high winds and choppy seas. In theory, I could prevent that with one of those track stop devices, but in practice I have to tighten the track stop with a set of pliers before it can resist the considerable downward force generated by the mainsheet--hand tightening simply will not work. With the reefing hook, the boom is automatically supported by halyard tension on the mainsail luff--problem solved. Or you could convert to a fixed gooseneck.

-----Original Message----- From: montgomery_boats <montgomery_boats-bounces@mailman.xmission.com> On Behalf Of Dave Scobie Sent: Thursday, November 15, 2018 2:00 PM To: For and about Montgomery Sailboats < montgomery_boats@mailman.xmission.com> Subject: Re: M_Boats: mastgatr (was Re: Reefing (was Re: 15M v 17M)

John.

Contact Tom at mastgates.com He can make one for you.

I just stack the slugs on SWEET PEA as a prior owner closed the slot and moved it to below, yes below, the boom.

:: Dave Scobie :: M17 #375 SWEET PEA - m17-375.com :: M6'8" #650 :: SV SWALLOW - sv-swallow.com

On Thu, Nov 15, 2018, 10:52 AM John Schinnerer <john@eco-living.net wrote:

...

Forgot to say...if anyone has any examples of fixing this issue...

My larger reefing problem is that my mast has a big (4" or more) cutaway in the sail track for slugs to go in - probably because the original sail was boltrope not slugs. And there's no "gate" on it that I can close. So reefing is a PITA at the tack because lowering main means taking out slug stop above cutaway, some slugs come out, some need to go below stop, I've got to feed them back in one side or another, then put the stop back in.

With tack lines I won't have to lower main quite as far so maybe one less slug to deal with.

But really I need to fabricate a gate for that area so there's no need for the slug stop, the slugs stay in and just stack up as low as possible.

That's the challenge with the tack lines - on a 2nd reef the tack cringle may be sitting on a big stack of slugs, can't come down towards the boom as far as one might like.

cheers, John