mast attach points
- Thread starter Fly4rfun
- Start date
The holes are for reefing. The lower sail slugs do not attach to the sail, rather a thin strong line is run through the holes and the slugs are attached to the line. This allows the sail to drop while the slugs remain above the mast gate.
The line comes out of a hole, through a sail slug and back through the next hole, then to the next set of holes. There is probably a name for this, I just can remember it.
The line comes out of a hole, through a sail slug and back through the next hole, then to the next set of holes. There is probably a name for this, I just can remember it.
If the extra hole is a foot or so above the Tack (forward low corner of sail) it's for the cunningham. A cunningham is a very handy mainsail control feature that helps move the sail's draft position forward or aft. If the hole is higher, and.... there is a corresponding hole on the "leech" (back edge of sail) then it's a reef point. Reef points on mainsails, with one exception, always appear in pairs. Reefing a sail reduces its area, depowering it. Okay, NOW is the time to invest in a basic saiing handbook. I suggest "The A'nnapolis Book of Seamanship"
Did a little research and memory refresher. What I described in an earlier post is called a mainsail jackline. Here are a couple of images, a little fancier than I described.
I think Joe is right…assuming that the hole is above the tack and below the reef crinkle. I only see the one, so if there are than that..may not be correct.
My sail has the same thing. And above thst is the first reef crinkle.
My old sail had a strange way of attaching the lower 3 or 4 slugs…sort of what Dave is talking about…if I remember correctly. The slugs were held on with some cordage, almost like lacing though the bottom crinkles. I cannot remember what the reason was for this arrangement (partial photo attached).
Greg
My sail has the same thing. And above thst is the first reef crinkle.
My old sail had a strange way of attaching the lower 3 or 4 slugs…sort of what Dave is talking about…if I remember correctly. The slugs were held on with some cordage, almost like lacing though the bottom crinkles. I cannot remember what the reason was for this arrangement (partial photo attached).
Greg
On some masts the gate for getting the slugs into the track is fairly high. When reefing the slugs stop at the gate with a stopper or they will fall out of the track. If the slugs stop at the gate there will be several inches of sail that can not be brought down to the boom for a proper reef. The jacklines allow the slugs to stop at the top of the gate while allowing for the sail itself to drop to the boom.
The cringles for the first reef will be about in line with the first batten, the Cunningham crinkle will be a few inches above the tack. Both of these cringles will be larger than the ones in the OPs photos. The jack line cringles will be in pairs about 2-3 inches apart and be about where you would expect mainsail slugs to be.
thanks it appears from the reply's and photos, that is what they are as I have 4 set of grommets as described.