Hi, Raising and lowering the main sail on my C22 is a real pain due to the slot you put the nylon widgets in. When I put the sail up I have to stand there and feed them through the slot while raising the sail. When lowering I have to make sure they all slide past the slot without falling "out". Is there any type of gizmo you can fill in the slot with? Thanks, -Tim
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You need a sail track stop
I guess it is missing from your boat. It is a metal slide with a thumbscrew that you attach to the mast slide and tighten it up so it stays in place. When you let the sail down, the stop keeps everything ABOVE the larger slot area so the sail slides don't fall out. You keep this on until you want to take the sail off. You can get them at West Marine, cost a few dollars. Roc
I guess it is missing from your boat. It is a metal slide with a thumbscrew that you attach to the mast slide and tighten it up so it stays in place. When you let the sail down, the stop keeps everything ABOVE the larger slot area so the sail slides don't fall out. You keep this on until you want to take the sail off. You can get them at West Marine, cost a few dollars. Roc
TRACK STOP KNOB...UGH !!!!!!
TIM: I HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM ON MY CAT 25 MAST SLOT !!!! I USED THE "TRACK STOP KNOB" BUT I DON'T LIKE THIS AT ALL BECAUSE IT KEEPS MOST OF THE SAIL TOO HIGH AND MY SAIL COVER WILL NOT REACH THAT HIGH...BETTER IDEA IS MAST SLOT PLATES MADE OF SHEET METAL THAT COVER THE SLOTS BUT ALLOW THE SLUGS TO DROP ALL THE WAY DOWN. SEE DETAILS ON THE CAT 25-250 WEB SITE. CHECK THE TECH TIPS ON "MAST SLOT PLATES" GOOD LUCK: JOHN SAINDON
TIM: I HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM ON MY CAT 25 MAST SLOT !!!! I USED THE "TRACK STOP KNOB" BUT I DON'T LIKE THIS AT ALL BECAUSE IT KEEPS MOST OF THE SAIL TOO HIGH AND MY SAIL COVER WILL NOT REACH THAT HIGH...BETTER IDEA IS MAST SLOT PLATES MADE OF SHEET METAL THAT COVER THE SLOTS BUT ALLOW THE SLUGS TO DROP ALL THE WAY DOWN. SEE DETAILS ON THE CAT 25-250 WEB SITE. CHECK THE TECH TIPS ON "MAST SLOT PLATES" GOOD LUCK: JOHN SAINDON
Buy Several
Tim: I agree with R. Palail exactly, and would like to add that I use several of these stops. We call them slug stops. I use one of them to stop the slugs when they you drop the main sail. I also use one above the gooseneck on the boom so that the boom doesn't ever go into the slot in the mast and fall out when you raise the main. I also use one under the gooseneck, so that I can raise the boom when we are not sailing. This greatly helps us get our sail cover on, which is a little on the small side. You may have to file down the side of one of the slug stops to get it into the slot because sometimes they are a tight fitting until you get them into the slot. I even usually keep an extra one in the galley, but that one is now in use because one of them bounced into the water when we were reefing the main this summer. On the subject of reefing, you have to take one of the slugs out and then replace the slug stop. I hope this helps. Until your stops arrive, use a bungie cord to keep the slugs from falling out. Aldo
Tim: I agree with R. Palail exactly, and would like to add that I use several of these stops. We call them slug stops. I use one of them to stop the slugs when they you drop the main sail. I also use one above the gooseneck on the boom so that the boom doesn't ever go into the slot in the mast and fall out when you raise the main. I also use one under the gooseneck, so that I can raise the boom when we are not sailing. This greatly helps us get our sail cover on, which is a little on the small side. You may have to file down the side of one of the slug stops to get it into the slot because sometimes they are a tight fitting until you get them into the slot. I even usually keep an extra one in the galley, but that one is now in use because one of them bounced into the water when we were reefing the main this summer. On the subject of reefing, you have to take one of the slugs out and then replace the slug stop. I hope this helps. Until your stops arrive, use a bungie cord to keep the slugs from falling out. Aldo
Slot cover plates
John is right. There should be a pair of plates which mount on the mast, on either side of the wide feed slot. On my 1978 C22, they were at the same level as the winch. These narrow the slot to permit the sail widgets to move up and down without falling out. You still had to help them through by hand most of the time, but they didn't fall out.
John is right. There should be a pair of plates which mount on the mast, on either side of the wide feed slot. On my 1978 C22, they were at the same level as the winch. These narrow the slot to permit the sail widgets to move up and down without falling out. You still had to help them through by hand most of the time, but they didn't fall out.
Slugs ????
Ok folks, I know those little widgets or gizmo's as "Sail Cars", but if you mean just the part that is inside the mainsail track then yes they sure do look like slugs LOL. The stop plate came with my new Cat so I know they are available thru Catalina or West Marine and Coastal Marine in Maine as well. Put a key float on one end and if it falls overboard it will float and you can pick it up. Happy sailing
Dave LaPere
Ok folks, I know those little widgets or gizmo's as "Sail Cars", but if you mean just the part that is inside the mainsail track then yes they sure do look like slugs LOL. The stop plate came with my new Cat so I know they are available thru Catalina or West Marine and Coastal Marine in Maine as well. Put a key float on one end and if it falls overboard it will float and you can pick it up. Happy sailing
Dave LaPereAvoid all this nonsense
Hi guys, I too have the slugs and the mast plates on my Cat 25. Over the winter I will be installing a track made by Doyle Sails that will slide into the mast, but the mainsail luff will be attached to the outside of the track that is on the outside (aft) of the mast. Runs about $25 per foot. I also plan to put in lazy jacks so I can just drop the main and let it fall onto the boom. Happy sailing- Ted Derivan
Hi guys, I too have the slugs and the mast plates on my Cat 25. Over the winter I will be installing a track made by Doyle Sails that will slide into the mast, but the mainsail luff will be attached to the outside of the track that is on the outside (aft) of the mast. Runs about $25 per foot. I also plan to put in lazy jacks so I can just drop the main and let it fall onto the boom. Happy sailing- Ted Derivan
Thanks guys
My wife appreciates your help since she's really the one that has to deal with this. My only real involvement was to yell at her for being so slow. Just kidding of course........ Thanks! Tim Pinkham
My wife appreciates your help since she's really the one that has to deal with this. My only real involvement was to yell at her for being so slow. Just kidding of course........ Thanks! Tim Pinkham
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