removing sail from HDC

[passagesfromtheheart]

I would like to remove/take off my sail on my HDC, but have heard it's not like how it would be doing as such on my former Com-Pac sloops (Legacy, 23, and 25). What is the trick (if there is one) with this process? I seem to recall having to take the boom off, or something to that effect.

Thank you, friends!

[bruce]

With the spars and sail on the mast stub, remove the hinge pivot bolt and lift off the mast with the upper hinge section. The gaff, sail, and boom can be lifted out of the track. Most would remove the gaff from the sail, slide the sail up freeing the slugs from the track, and remove the sail from the boom, leaving the boom in place. Or some variation, you get the picture.

I'm sure many leave the sail on over the winter if it's out of the weather.

[Andre]

On both my PC and HC I just hoist the sail (on a calm day or else point trailer into the wind) a few feet to have some working room keeping the gaff close to horizontal, and then unscrew the plastic bails(?) or whatever the things between the mast slugs and the sail are. They're flexible enough (unless old and brittle) so you can spread them enough to get the sail off. I then just leave them attached to the slugs. I have a few spares in case I break one. Now that the luff is free I pull the head out of the gaff track and then the foot out of the boom. It's a good idea to tie off the aft end of the gaff so it can't swing freely in case of a gust and damage the mast track. I do have lazy jacks on both boats so the sail isn't TOO much of a mess, particularly on the HC ! A second pair of hands can be helpful.

Then lower gaff and boom below the hinge and secure with long pin and you're done.

Reverse the process when putting the sail back on. You don't have to disconnect the mast upper from the stub unless you're actually replacing the slugs.

Andre

[bruce]

Works for me. I leave mine bent on.

It's called a sail shackle, and they come in SS as well if breakage is a problem.

[Andre]

Bruce

Got it

My boats are stored outdoors all winter under tarps or cover so I don't like to leave the sails on due to critter concerns. And on the HC I seal off the cabin as much as I can with aluminum window screening which still provides a bit of ventilation. Has worked so far ....

Andre

[bruce]

We're lucky, we had a garage berth open so we went with a PC. Otherwise, we'd probably have gone with a Daysailer or Sunday Cat.

I do like the screening idea, the garage has hosted a range of critters that I move on. No great damage, yet.