What's This On My Sail..?

[Squidd]

Just got this new (to me) used sail off e-bay, couple hundred bucks but it's a perfect match on luff, leach and foot measurements...

It has a bolt rope in the foot which I need and slugs on the luff which I don't, so I'm in the process of removing the old slugs and replacing them with new slides and shackles...

I get the top eight off relatively easy (they were attached with nylon straps, I cut them off with my hot knife) But I did notice there is no bolt rope in the luff tape, just gromets...

The lower four slugs are short shackled to a rope of some sort and are set up to "slide"...?




What does this system do for sail shape...?

Or is it part of the reefing system...?

Should I add my slides to the short shackles and run the system...?

Or should I cut it all off and use the longer shackles with slides all the way up and down the luff tape...?

 

[Scott T-Bird]

Hmmm ... seems unusual to me. I'd guess that it is set up as a sort of downhaul for reefing. I can't see how that loose line does anything for sail shape at the lower section of the sail except allow for an unusual amount of bagginess. I think I would run slides all the way down in a conventional manner.

 

[RichH]

Its a reefing 'jack line'.
Its there so that when the first reef is tied in, all the un-tensioned slugs between the tack and the first reef can 'stack up' all on top of one another and the reefing tack cringle will be in 'close' proximity to the reefing attachment horn on/near the gooseneck.
Without the 'jack line' the 'stack up' of slugs during the 'first reef' will be variable and with 'large spaces between each slug', due to the folding of the luff boltrope, etc. at the gooseneck; and, youll probably break a few slugs.

Another way to state this is:
• with a reefing jackline you wont have to remove any slugs from the mast track to tie in a 'tight' first reef at the tack/gooseneck. As when lowering the sail to put in the first reef', the jackline will become slack and the space between the bottom slugs will be nil.
• Without the jackline there will be 'too much folded sail' in the way to make a 'tight' reef at the gooseneck. To make the tack of reef 'tight' (so you dont break any slugs still in the mast track), youll have to remove all the slugs from the mast track between the 'normal' tack and the reefing cringle at the first reef on the luff - a royal PITA which takes a LOT of time to do.

 

[Squidd]

I take it the jackline gets tensioned after the main halyard is pulled and secured...

Will I have to add a dedicated cleat to the boom for the jack line, or where are they normally secured...?

 

[RichH]

Set up the jackline tension for the entire season. Tie the bitter end of jackline through the tack cringle ... and tie it off on the standing part with a many turn rolling hitch so it can be adjusted while underway.
Set enough jackline tension so that the jackline stays inline with the adjacent shackles, not scalloped AT the slug connection. .... when the sail is 'up', halyard is tensioned, at about 15-20kts.
You may have to 'tweak' during the season until it 'settles in' and remains/provides constant tension. Once 'settled in', you probably wont have to change the jackline tension for many seasons.

;-)

 

[Sam Salter]

Jackline +1
I've got one on my main and it works just like RichH says.
You don't even have to remove the sail stop to let the slugs drop down to the gooseneck.

But what's with the no bolt rope?
I don't think I've ever seen a main without a bolt rope!

sam

 

[Chris & Lenore]

I've sailed with both systems - jackline and slug "gate".
Jackline was a far better solution.

Chris

 

[py26129]

I take it the jackline gets tensioned after the main halyard is pulled and secured...

Will I have to add a dedicated cleat to the boom for the jack line, or where are they normally secured...?

My dad's PY26 had exactly the same set-up

Tie the jackline to the cringle at the tack in such a way that it is fully tightened when the sail is fully hoisted.

 

[Scott T-Bird]

I still don't get it ... the slugs should stack up at the stop just above the gate quite nicely with the ring pulled down to the horn. There's no stress on the slugs, no restriction from the folded sail for a tight tack. Works perfectly well for single reef or double reef.

Is there something about the positioning of the reef cringle in relation to the slugs that makes this necessary? Squidd, how is the reefing set up on your original sail/boom? I'm guessing that your best alternative is to emulate what works for you now instead of using a feature off a used sail that may not be applicable to the reefing set-up for your boat.

 

[py26129]

My dad's boat had a stop in the sailtrack above the gate, probably 2 ' above the reefing hook. without the jack list there would not have been enough slack to pull the reefing cringle down to secure it on the reefing hook.

Cheers

Matt

 

[Squidd]

Right now it has a single reef sail with a single line system tied off at the mast...

Which I like, and would like to use on the first reef of this sail...

I could double up the blocks and cleats and run a second single line system to the second reef...or is there another/better way to secure the second reef clew to the boom...??

 

[Scott T-Bird]

I like the Ram's horn at the gooseneck. The hook on both sides makes it simple for either side with no need for lines at the tack.

py, why is the gate so much higher than the gooseneck? Somebody else described the same situation and there doesn't seem to be a reason, unless that's how the mast extrusion is made and it's not customized for the boat.