Fitting slug at mainsail tack

[Andymac]

Can anyone point me to an article on this please.
George Love mentioned to me that there was instruction/article on it, but I can't seem to find it.
The bottom two batten pocket ends are going/gone on my sail. I'm intending to get it repaired and will ask for a slug to be fitted at the same time.

[Mark Aldridge]

I have the slug fitted to my sail and hate it with a passion - you may like to find another solution like a strengthened bolt rope that I used to do to my Dart sails and it was so much better than the flamin slug!!

[Neil Parkhurst]

I think fitting a slug prevents wear on the lower bolt rope.

I also think when on a run and the down haul is released it helps to stop the sail coming out of the track.

[Phil 1756]

I had a slug retro fited by a local sailmaker. They cut away the bolt rope that had gone 'soft' and enough of the tack sail area to allow a slug to be fitted. They then proceeded to attach the slug with loads of cotton webbing and some thick stitching. This didn't last long and i repleced it with a jubilee clib through the slug and the tack eyelet. The screw tighener sits neatly in the eyelet and doesn't affect the downhaul hook in any way. Very happy with the solution now.

[George Love]

Hi Andy,
If you drop me an email with your address, I'll look out the article and send it to you :
newsletter@sprint15.com
Cheers,

[Andymac]

I have the slug fitted to my sail and hate it with a passion - you may like to find another solution like a strengthened bolt rope that I used to do to my Dart sails and it was so much better than the flamin slug!!

What is it you don't like about them Mark? It's not like they slow you down!

[Mark Aldridge]

I think fitting a slug prevents wear on the lower bolt rope.

I also think when on a run and the down haul is released it helps to stop the sail coming out of the track.

The slug replaces the bolt rope for the bottom 10" or so (not measure it just guessing!) so it acts as the bolt rope or tries to.

The first one I had on a new sail self destructed pretty quickly and I've since had a new one put on at a sailmakers (it's actually the slug that the toe strap attaches to in the rear beam) and it's a real real pain in the backside. Firstly getting the thing into the mast track I just cannot do by hand instead I have to attach the mainsheet and pull hard to get it in. Secondly whilst sailing the slug is resistant to move at all so trying to adjust the downhaul at all is very difficult. I've found that the original bolt ropes worked sooo much better and yes they too fail at the bottom, so reinforcing before this happended was the trick.

Given a choice I'd go back to the full bolt rope immediately as in my experience the slug is a complete disaster and a pain in the arse.

I am going to have to try and sort the problem out somehow so I'll report back when I've found a fix...

[Ed Tuite Dalton]

Mark
I had a similar problem a few years ago and I gave it to Steve Sawford. He got a sailmaker, based in Leicester I think, to repair it by extending by removing the eyelet, extending the bolt rope and the replacing the eyelet. It has worked well although starting to wear slightly now, but much better than the slug!

Worth giving Steve a ring to see if the sailmaker is still in business!

Ed

[Mark Aldridge]

Thanks Ed.

That's Cygnus in Kettering who attached my slug and was where I planned to take the sail for them to sort - just haven't got round to it yet!!

Appreciate the tip.

Cheers

Mark

[stuart pierce]

Hi my slug lasted just 9 mths the black plastic slug just exploded and I was left with the metal part of the slug
If the slug comes out of the track while sailing downwind it's a real pain to get back in
Stuart

[Andymac]

Looks like I've opened a can of worms (slugs) here!
I think further deliberation needed, I was going to use my sail one more time at the Carsington winter TT before giving it to a sailmaker...
I'll take a closer look then at what others are doing.

Re; pulling out vertically from track when you let downhaul off. After inserting WHY into the lower portion and attaching downhaul, I tie the tail end of the downhaul rope into a loop using a figure 8 on the bight. the knot is at maximum off (before the bottom end can come out of track) and gives you a loop handle to pull on.
Important that you use a figure 8 knot and not an overhand knot. You will need to be able to undo it back at the beach before you can dismantle the downhaul so that you can pull up on the halliard to unhook (drop) the mainsail. Of course it doesn't stop mine with the 'soft' boltrope pulling out backwards through the slot!