The plastic shackles on my main keep breaking. Lost 4 the last time out. A fellow sailor suggested sewing a piece of webbed strapping from the sail to the slug instead of using the plastic shackles. Anyone done this? Other recommendations?
Plastic Shackles for Sail Slugs Substitute
- Thread starter tomgrigsby
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Yes. Webbing. In a bind you can also lash them with parchute cord; doesn't wear as well, but should last few years.
Sailrite has instructions on their web site.
http://www.sailrite.com/Slugs-Slides-Shackles-Selection-Installation-and-Positioning-Instructions
Some folks use metal shaclkes, but they can cause wear if not well protected and place more strain on the slugs.
Webbing works well and can be bought at most sewing outlets in 1/2 inch widths. Use a needle palm to shove the needle through.
Ray
Ray
Webbing, but of course. Hand stitched using an awl. Note the half twist which allows for slightly wider webbing
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Just a thought: How old are the slugs that are breaking? The plastic/nylon will get brittle over time. Particularly if say 1980's vintage. If you are replacing only the ones that are breaking, are the new ones then breaking? Or just the remaining old ones? That was my experience for my 1980 Hunter 36, which I believe still had the original slugs when I bought it in 2007. Now except for the new plastic slugs at the four full length battens (attached to the sail by webbing) all the rest of the new plastic slugs are attached with SS shackles. No slugs have broken in the last four years ... even with many of 20-30kts San Francisco Bay outings to stress them.
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Good point.
I have replaced most of mine with #3 from the Sailrite link I posted above. I've used these on 2 boats and have found them to be more durable. I have full battens, though to be honest they break between the battens almost as often.
I learned my lesson about this... It could be the way you are raising your sail.
Try raising your boom a bit more with your topping lift before you raise your sail. In my case, this made it a lot easier to raise the sail and reduced the stress on the slugs.
Then after the sail is raised, you can loosen the topping lift.
Try raising your boom a bit more with your topping lift before you raise your sail. In my case, this made it a lot easier to raise the sail and reduced the stress on the slugs.
Then after the sail is raised, you can loosen the topping lift.
When I had the mainsail of our small boat converted to slugs a few years back, I chose slugs with metal loops, and the loft secured them with 3/4" webbing, well stitched behind the bolt-rope. This has been dependable.
Good advice. I found this out myself last year. The sail will drop like a stone.
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