Fastening blocks to the deck.

[centerline]

I bought new sails for a Mac 26 c and have a very hard time fully extending the main sail to get the wrinkles out. Some one told me to install a block pulley on the bottom of the mast and one on the deck so I can use the jib winch to raise the main sail. I would also like to put a clutch forward the winch to fasten down the line. Is this a good idea? Ive never attached anything to the deck. Do I just drill a hole in the deck and attach with the proper screw? Would some one please point me in the right direction. The sails are from The Sail Warehouse and are stock for the Mac 26 with nylon slugs with battens. Id like to do this myself but just a bit nervous drilling into the deck. Thanks Robert

im not exactly sure what you mean by "extending the mainsail to get the wrinkles out"....

the sail is designed to be loose or somewhat baggy in the middle... the luff, leech, and foot can all be drumline tight and the sail will still be loose in the middle with the wrinkles still in it.... it was designed that way.

but over tightening the lines can cause other wrinkles to appear, but they are bigger and usually point in the direction of the line that is too tight. these are stress wrinkles and are not good for the sail or the performance of the boat... you can usually prevent these by NOT getting any of the control lines "drumline tight".....

sustained wind filling the sail on a warm day will take most of the wrinkles out, but unless you remove and roll your sails after every outing, sail wrinkles will be a part of your life...

 

[Forrest15112]

I'm with the others that suggested the bolt rope is possibly shrunk. It happened on my main sail. I cut the stitches at the bottom holding the rope in place and extended fully. A few new stitches through rope and all is well.

 

[Doc_holiday]

I might agree but his thread started with "I bought new sails".

 

[Justin_NSA]

I might agree but his thread started with "I bought new sails".

And he has slugs, not bolt rope

 

[Chris & Lenore]

I had a similar issue with the new main on Teliki.
The problem was the location of the halyard attachment being a couple inches further aft than the original sail. This caused the top slug to bind when within a few feet of the top.

I solved this by (slightly) modifying the block at the mast top. I removed the old cheek block and replaced it with a sheave between the arms of the chickenhead. I measured the headboard for proper location and then finally drilled 1/4 inch holes from one side to the other. An off the shelf nylon sheave fits perfectly between and is held with a 1/4 inch pin and circular cotter. I cannot begin to tell you the difference this makes! Fiction is a fraction of what it was previous and the sail goes all the way up without being "wrestled" the last few feet. Everything is in proper alignment now.

Also a word of advice about deck mounted blocks - don't do it! Just buy "halyard turning blocks" that are designed to be mounted on the mast near the bottom. They are designed specifically for this task, mount easily and you can't rip them off no matter how hard you pull on the halyard. They are great for trailering too as you leave the halyard threaded through it and back up the mast to a cleat.

And of course - McLube the mast slot while the mast is down. If this has never been done it makes an amazing difference both up and down. A main that falls all the way down by itself is good - especially with lazy jacks.

Chris

 

[Doc_holiday]

This is one of those aha moments. aha!!! You may have figured out my problem too. With a bolt rope, it wouldn't be an issue but with slugs, that's a different story

 

[justsomeguy]

What, slugged sails don't have boltropes to shrink?

 

[timebandit]

Once while rigging my main hayard I routed over the sheave backward and the main would not go all the way up, oops.
I also have slugs and a bolt rope

 

[MrBill_FLL]

^ that is the best idea yet. I could see doing that and not seeing it.

it would be a bear to get it up the last foot

 

[Doc_holiday]

What, slugged sails don't have boltropes to shrink?

This doesn't have anything to do with shrinking bolt ropes. I think he's suggesting that with slugs, the angle of pull from the sheave toward the top gets to a point where it's pulling inward just enough that it now binds the top slug. If I had to guess, the headboard on my sail is maybe 1-1.5" from the luff (bolt rope) and the slug is another .5". So when you get near the top, the halyard is pulling forward on the headboard and binding the top slug.

Edit: in the original text I said stinking bolt ropes, that was supposed to say shrinking bolt ropes. I blame it on myself for not proof reading after allowing auto correct on my iPhone. Sorry. I know that made me sound like an idiot