Plastic "Groove Guard" on furling mainsail slot

[rghayesky]

US Spars (Z-Spar) mast with Neil Pryde furling mainsail on 2002 B473. The plastic along edge of slot for furling mainsail has worn, cracked and popped off in places. We have removed the old/worn groove guard. Do I need to replace the plastic along the edges of the slot for the furling main? Or can I just leave the bare metal. It appears to be smooth and edge free. I have the groove guard from US Spars but installing while the mast is still stepped seems to be a huge problem. Experiences or suggestions welcome

 

[BarryBershad]

I'd worry about potential slapping/luffing of sail against aluminum slot when bringing in sail particularly in gusty conditions.

 

[Wind Quest]

I also have a '07 B373 with in-mast furling. My mast doesn't have a plastic sleeve on the outer edge as you mentioned. I haven't seen any problems develop from not having such.

 

[rghayesky]

That's our worry. But we see many in-mast furling masts without it, and the installing of the replacement "groove guard" seems daunting and problematic (especially if it isn't really needed). It doesn't just snap in place and it requires the application of an adhesive (Sikaflex) to keep it in place. Thanks for your input.