Mast Luff Sluggs or Boltrope?/Standing Rigging Q

justsomeguy · Jun 16, 2012

Slugs allow you to drop the sail quickly, without the need for a downhaul. They do seem to suffer from U.V. deterioration over time, as I happened to learn this past week. It cut my little trip short, so I'll be carrying some spares in the future.

Lots of folks here ascribe to the notion that standing rigging should be replaced about every ten years, as crevice corrosion in the swagings can be insidious. If you're trailering, you have lots of opportunities to check for obvious problems, meathooks and such. If you run a headsail furler, the forestay is probably the most neglected bit of standing rigging, but in the recesses of a swage...
$.02

bria46 · Jun 16, 2012

My standing rigging has never been replaced. I have my yard inspect it every year. Of course My 272 has never seen salt water.

bria46 · Jun 16, 2012

My 272 came with sail slugs. I think about 15. Fortunately Worst Marine had the exact replacement in size and thickness. I replaced them all and bought a few spares. On your 17 footer you may want to stick with a Bolt Rope.

bffatcat · Jun 16, 2012

slugs vs bolt rope

Most boats in your size range use bolt rope. Since most boats of this size are trailer sailers
the mast and boom are removed frequently If your boat is going to be in the water long term
you would be better off with slugs.

Marty A · Jun 16, 2012

I don't know the Newport 17, so this may not apply.

I agree with bffatcat that most boats this size use bolt ropes. The only case i can see for slides is if you singlehand regularly. Bolt ropes generally need some care while feeding and maybe a tug coming down and if you're busy at the helm that can be difficult.

Otherwise save the bucks. Sails are expensive enough as it is ;-)

kenn · Jun 16, 2012

We converted our mainsail by simply having slugs on webbing straps sewn onto the luff, over the boltrope, and it is dreamy. A sail loft only charged us about $100, including parts. Sail now goes up/down smooth like buttah! Our slugs have a stainless steel loop, so they should stand up longer.

If you can spare $100, I see no reason to endure a boltrope luff. My two cents.

John Nantz · Jun 16, 2012

Ditto bffatcat: "bolt rope"

bffatcat said:
Most boats in your size range use bolt rope. Since most boats of this size are trailer sailers
the mast and boom are removed frequently If your boat is going to be in the water long term
you would be better off with slugs.

Reason being that the sail is relatively small so taking it off the boat is no problem.

However, if one leaves the main on the boom because it is too large to handle easily then slugs would make it easy to flake and cover with a sail cover.

If you don't leave the main on and remove it after use then the sail will last longer. In this case then either way would suffice. My 16-ft daysailer has a bolt rope which works fine and the 35 has slugs, and yes, they require occasional attention.

Ray Bowles · Jun 16, 2012

Ward, Sail slugs will greatly easy the mounting of your mainsail. I just converted two 14 ft. dingy's that I use to race the grandkids to slugs. I left the bolt rope on the sail foot that mounts into the boom.
The elements will not affect your slugs unless they are older than we are and have spent most of their time outside. You will need to make a mast gate to cover the slot in the mast that the boltrope or slugs go into if you want the slugs to stay in the mast slot when you lower the sail. That is fairly easy to make out of thin aluminum flat stock or ask your sailmaker.
I would also incourage you to look into a loose footed main at this time. I have one on 1 of the dingy's and one on my SJ23 and like that better that a std mainsail foot boltrope.
Sounds like you are enjoying your boat. That's what they do to us.
Ray

SchwarckT · Jun 17, 2012

I like the boltrope mainsail on my 15' boat. In some ways it is easier to handle than the sail slugs on my other boats.

kenn · Jun 17, 2012

Ward H said:
Sail Slugs
Most of my sailing will be solo so anything to make it easier sounds good to me. Are the comments against sail slugs due to the fact they do deteriorate over time?
Is it the lack of friction between the mast slot and nylon slug that makes it easier to raise and lower the sail?

As I mentioned, we used the type of sail slugs that have stainless steel bails, which certainly don't rot in the sun. The plastic slug is hidden inside the slot; I don't see much opportunity for significant solar exposure. Also, we have a sailcover that's used whenever the sail's down after sailing.

The slug reduces friction to a very small amount. Hoisting is easier and faster, and the sail will usually come down by itself - no pulling required. It makes single-handing that much easier and safer.

Racers of smaller boats (24' or under) favour boltropes because they don't have any gaps at the mast... also if you're only using a set of sails for like one or two regattas, having slugs would just ramp up the expense.