How should tack of the main sail attach to the boom?

Bill Murray · Sep 18, 2010

Maybe a tack hook bolted (or pined with a quick release pin) to the hole in the sail slot??? might be something like this http://www.defender.com/product.jsp?path=-1|118|319693|319695&id=75164??

sinnettc · Sep 18, 2010

That's definitely not right; the tack should be held in the corner right above the gooseneck. I think you're missing a part there. My Capri 16.5 had a bracket and reef hook on top of the gooseneck mount on the mast.

http://www.catalinadirect.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=product.display&product_ID=1720

Looks like yours might take something similar.

kenn · Sep 18, 2010

I agree with Bill Murray - based on the photo, I think the tack ring goes in the slot and a pin goes through the holes in the boom and through that ring, to secure the tack. We have something like this.

At the top of the picture there's a grommet, that is for a cunningham, which will give you further control of the sail shape.

Douglast · Sep 18, 2010

yep...that has to be pinned at the goose neck...something missing for sure...ours pins and when we are finished sailing we drop the sail and pull the pin and pull the boom back an inch on the goose neck and that allows us to nicely roll the main sail with our main sail boom tension block unhooked

Joe11688 · Sep 19, 2010

CAP Pilot64 said:
New 26S owner who is still trying to figure out exactly what he purchased The only other boat I owned was about 20 years ago and I am sure that the main sail tack fastened to the boom using a shackle arrangement.

My 26 does not have anything on the gooseneck that allows for that. The PO just tied a line through the sail ring on the tack and then around the boom a few times. I am thinking there must be a better way than that.

There are two holes in the boom close to the forward end that sort of looks like it was meant to do something but I am not sure. Perhaps it was meant for a small shackle that could be used to fasten the tack of the main?

What you need is a shackle to fit on your mast, just above the goose neck fitting. That tack grommet wants to be shackled close to the mast so that no tension is on that last sail slug. In the picture my mainsail is reefed, but you can also see the shackle in the tack grommet.

caguy · Sep 19, 2010

The ring goes into the slot and is pinned there trough the hole in the boom. On my Mac 25 I had a 1/4'' push pin clevis attached with a small tether.

sinnettc · Sep 19, 2010

Cap,

I have to drop my lowest slug past the feed slot and into the lower section of track when I reef. I've added a mast gate but half the time the last slug comes out anyway (I bought my slugs 1/16" too small I think). It really only matters when I want to shake out the reef and that usually happens back at the dock so feeding the slug back into the upper section of the track isn't an issue.

Joe · Sep 19, 2010

scroll down to page 13 of this link to a pdf version on the mac 26 owners manual. http://www.macgregor26.com/instruction_manual/OWNERS INSTRUCTIONS.pdf

the manual is from 2007 so it may be more relevant to the x and m models but it could easily be adapted to your boat. I would insert the shackle and reef hook system to the existing bracket.

Sumner · Sep 20, 2010

Here is a link to the S manual....

http://macgregor.sailboatowners.com/images/kb/pdf/1339.pdf

....it attaches with a pin going through the boom where that hole is and through the ring in the bottom of the main.

Lots more info on the Mac/Venture links below.

Good luck,

Sum

Our Trips to Lake Powell, UT - Kootenay Lake, Canada - Priest Lake, ID

Our Mac Pages

Mac-Venture Links

caguy · Sep 20, 2010

You should have a reefing horn on your boom. The grommet hooks on to it. It's a bit of a PITA to keep it on while you go back to tighten the halyard. It is easier to cleat the halyard at the mast when reefing. I have a taped mark on halyard when sail has been released enough to hook it. You will have to release the sail slug lock to remove two slugs from the track. Sumner has an ingeniously simple mast gate adapter at his website.

Joe11688 · Sep 22, 2010

CAP Pilot64 said:
Trinkka,

Your setup looks great, tack hook and all for reefing. That is what I would like to have. Does the shackle attach to the mast directly or to the goose neck fitting? I can see where it is attached to the tack grommet on one end but it is hard to see the other end of the shackle.

Any ideas as to where I could purchase such a setup? Not sure if I can mount something similar on mine or not... gives me ideas if nothing else.

The shackle fits into a hole in the top of this cast Aluminum goose neck fitting. The Goose neck fitting is riveted to the mast and there is no tack downhaul. I would try to fit a shackle into your goose neck fitting somehow so that the tack of your mainsail is close to the mast. You can probably attach a horn in that area too. As for the reefing, you're going too need a good jiffy reefing kit. Someone posted one on the "Ask an O'Day Owner" forum or the "Day Sailor's" (O'Day) forum of this site a few weeks ago. I'll see if I can find it and post it for you. Here's the picture of my goose neck fitting from my old mast. You can't see the hole in the picture, but it is on the top of the cast Aluminum extrusion.
I have a Z-Spar mast and boom with internal halyards and control lines. The extrusions that came with these spars are really cheap cast Aluminum junk from France. When I lost my mast back in the 1990s, I had a new Z-Spar mast made up with a stainless steel mast Tabernacle with a utility plate. I had Rig-Rite in Warwick RI do the work. The old Tabernacle was cast and it had a sheave at the bottom for the Jib Halyard. It was cheap and I hated it. Every time I tried to get my Gennie down, the halyard would get caught in the sheave. Losing my mast back then was probably the best thing that ever happened to me. It allowed me to make some needed changes to the mast and the rigger had some great ideas that I went along with. Today, I'm very happy with this set up, but the boom extrusion that connects to this goose neck is very cheap and chintzy. As long as it keeps working, I'm happy. I just found that info. Check it out. http://www.docstoc.com/docs/4903110/Fitting-Instructions-For-Slab-Reefing-Kit
Joe

PuckandTitania · Sep 25, 2010

I just replaced my goose neck and reefing hook this past spring. You can get them through bwyachts.com . They have a lot of the Macgregor parts. The reefing hook would replace the bolt that you currently have connecting your goose neck to the mast bracket. The main sail is attached by sliding the grommet in the boom slot and using a clevis pin though the holes in the boom.

Joe · Sep 27, 2010

Looks good, is your clew reefing line cleated on the port side of the boom? The tack horn and the clew line should be on the same side. In fact, on my boat all the halyard and tack shackles open on the starboard side, the clew line cleat and tack horn are on the same side as everything else. Makes things a bit simpler.... and ...safer.

Joe11688 · Sep 27, 2010

CAP Pilot64 said:
Hi All,

Here is a picture of what I came up with to fix my problem. Tried it out today and it worked perfectly. :dance: The U-fitting and reef hook I got from D&R Marine.

Thanks to all who provided answers to my question.

It looks good! That ought to work out great for you. Keep an eye on that fast pin though. They are known for working their way out. A push button quick pin is a lot more reliable. I've been using one for my CDI Roller Furler for years now and I trust in implicitly.

Bill Murray · Sep 27, 2010

Nice job -- Like Joe says, watch that pin. I would add a leash to it so when you pull it (on purpose or accidentally) it stays on the boat :--)

How should tack of the main sail attach to the boom?

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