sail foot slipping out - 1975 27' O'day

[steve fleischer]

Hi - the foot at the clew end of the mainsail pulls out of the slot in the boom. I've resorted to tying it to the boom after reinstalling /tightening several times (also tried by a sail rigger). It seems that the thick cord at the foot of the sail is mishapen/too thin.... I've thought of coating with a little epoxy to make it thicker, or maybe adding a thin extrusion to the slot to make the opening narrower. Any ideas? Thanks all

 

[bruce cornell]

down haul hook or tack hook

you might add one of these hooks to the boom end and hooking the sail to it to hold it inplace

 

[steve fleischer]

thanks

thanks - won't that affect the shape of the sail?

 

[bruce cornell]

hook

should have said 'mast end' of boom, if hook is mounted right, it would hold the corner of the sail against the boom/mast for proper alignment while holding the corner against any outhaul tension on the boom. didn't say it was correct, but something to help control the sail.

 

[steve Fleischer]

sail coming out of boom slot

thanks, but it's the other end that comes out. I've resorted to tying to boom through clew cringle . must be a better way to make rope on sail foot thicker.....?

 

[bruce cornell]

outhaul

there is an outhaul that slides in the boom luff groove with sheave, that connects to the sail with a 'headboard shackle' like fitting.

 

[steve flesicher]

slipping mainsail foot

thanks Bruce - that sounds like it should work.