Mast Sail Slide Channel

[ScottySailor]

Hi all thanks in advance as usually all my questions are answered here.

I have a opening in my mast track for feeding in the sail slides(see pic).
The sail slides on the lower part of my sail go below the opening when all the way down.
The rest of the sail slides go above the chanel.
My issue is when I need to raise or reef down the sail I have to remove the sail track stops then move the slides up or down past the opening then re insert the sail track stops.
Singlehanded its a pain in the arse, any ideas about any parts to make the chanel opening so the slides won’t come out, then I could reef/adjust the sails from the cockpit?
I’m sailing in San Francisco and sometimes the wind changes up or down 10-15+kts.

I seen this guys website but just wondering if any other ideas/tips.

https://www.mastgates.com/

Thanks
Scotty

 

[JohnShannon]

I think that is what you want, you can maybe try to make it yourself. A sturdy piece of Al screwed in at the screw you have and another you put in lower down and maybe some delrin plastic on the underside to be about as thick as the the missing material where the gate slot has been widened.

 

[chasfrank]

I recommend them, I put them on my Cat 27. They will need some trimming to fit YOUR mast exactly ( in my case a fair amount of trimming). Once set up, they are great!!
my 2 cents

 

[justsomeguy]

Search for "mast gate" and your particular mast.
May be in the store on this site.

 

[Joe]

Here's a bunch of various mast gate covers.... good luck, have fun.

 

[kloudie1]

The original mainsail bottom slides were attached with a kind of boltrope thing where all the slides stayed above the gate but the sail came down against the boom as the rope slacked when reefing.. There is a name for this kind of thing, but it escapes me . Dr. Judy may have an answer too.. Picture is what it looked like:

 

[Stu Jackson]

There is a name for this kind of thing, but it escapes me . Dr. Judy may have an answer too.. Picture is what it looked like:
View attachment 188939

They are called JACK LINES, not to be confused with the other stuff of the same name.

 

[alexco38]

 

[Tally Ho]

Yes, the mast gate is what you want. Here are a few photos of mine, open and closed...
mine was made of plastic.


My sail also had the jack lines that @kloudie1 posted the pix of...but I didn’t really need then since my slides could go all the way down.

I have since upgraded to a Tides Strong Track which loads the slides in from the bottom...so no need for a stop or a gate (other than the one that is part of the track). Also upgraded the sail so no more jack lines.

Greg

 

[jmce1587]

this is what’s on my H31.

 

[rgranger]

I bet you could fab one out of some heavy guage PVC square pipe. Schedule 80 would make a very nice thickness. You could round off the edges with a hand sander and get a nice smooth entry and exit. I would temporarily try glueing the pices in place and then raise and lower a few times to ensure that the slides don't get hung up etc.... and once you have it placed correctly I'd tap a few holes and rivet it into the mast.

 

[Joe Blizzard]

Mast Gate Modification

 

[rgranger]

Mast Gate Modification

That is very cool.... and I liked the use of squoze too.