widening sail track

[Tim22]

Each year I store my suncat in the garage at the cottage. The garage is more like a three sided shed where squirrels, chipmunks, and other wildlife wander in and out freely! Because of this I remove the sail and take it home for the winter. On previous sailboats that I've owned the sail track had a widened area at the base of the mast that facilitated removing and installing the sail. The suncat does not have this and I would be interested in knowing if anyone has created a widening to facilitate installing and removing the sail.

Thanks
Tim

[bfelton]

When your mast is down, the sail is easy to take off.  I would avoid a widened slot because it lends itself to other problems.  You would then need a mast gate or a sail stop.

Bert Felton

[ontarioSuncat]

I leave the sail slugs in the slot and open the shackles to remove the sail.

[capt_nemo]

Tim22,

If it ain't broke - don't fix it!

Agree with removing the sail for SAFE keeping.

capt_nemo

[Love2Sail]

A reply and secondary question:
I'm a first-time Com-Pac owner, and I've just acquired a 2009 on which the previous owner had "carved out" a slot for the sail slugs, running from just below to just above the hinge area. I've had this feature on sloop-rigged boats, and it makes the gaff-sail rigging job very easy, but as Bert says, it leads to other problems, like slugs flying out of the slot when the sail is hoisted. I have a sail stop, but it gets in the way of tensioning the luff or reefing, especially when single-handing.
I took the boat out for the first time this week, and resorted to inserting the long straight pin UNDER the gooseneck to keep all the slugs above the slot. It's easy to see why this is not recommended by Hutchins. Now, I'm thinking about how to eliminate these issues by NARROWING the slot. Any ideas that would not harm the structural integrity of the mast, such as adding thin metal strips on each side of the slot?

Thanks for any advice.
Harry Love

[bfelton]

There is a company that makes mast gates, <MastGates.com>.  That would solve your problem.

Bert Felton

[capt_nemo]

Had the same "mast gate" thought as Bert above.

Check it out to make sure its size and actual use will, in fact, correct your problem. Otherwise, thin sheet metal plates mounted on both sides sounds like the way to go.

capt_nemo

[Love2Sail]

Thanks, Bert and Capt Nemo. The Mast Gate looks like a very useful product and could probably do the trick. In the meantime, a conversation with Gerry Hutchins led to a solution that they have been using for repairs to masts that have been bent or broken when the mast is lowered without clearing the gaff boom below the hinge. It involves attaching a pair of thin metal plates to each side of the slot, much the same as the Mast Gate, without the open-close capability. Essentially, I'm restoring the sail track to it's original width, with no slot for sail slugs, and no moving parts. Assuming this all works, I'll post an update and a photo or two.
Harry

Had the same "mast gate" thought as Bert above.

Check it out to make sure its size and actual use will, in fact, correct your problem. Otherwise, thin sheet metal plates mounted on both sides sounds like the way to go.

capt_nemo

[capt_nemo]

Love2Sail,

Keep us posted - photos sound good.

capt_nemo

[Joseph]

Just to add my own experience related to this critical part of the rig in the SunCat:

Hammering and cutting the mast is not for the faint of heart... I remove the sail at the luff by disconnecting the top part of the mast at the hinge (by undoing the two bolts/nuts at the sides of the hinge and sliding the slugs off). I have to, because two of the original sail shackles with crews broke and I decided to replace them with stronger ones of a snap kind (no screws).

I am also using silicon grease at the mast track. It makes for a dark patina at the end of the season but the "kote" dry lubricants were not doing the trick for me.

One problem I've had was with the electrical wires for the anchor light and the mast head which seem to get occasionally caught (and chewed!) when the mast is raised. I am thinking of drilling holes for these cables above and below the hinge to bring the cables outside the hinge and reconnect them using a weather-proof connector. Has anyone done such a thing or would anyone have any advice in this regard?

J.

[capt_nemo]

Joseph,

I have not experienced this problem because I don't have any wires going through my mast.

However, you might try to attach a piece of bungee cord securely to the wires above or below the hinge INSIDE the mast to keep them under slight tension. Under tension the wires should stay straight and out of harm's way as the hinge flexes when raising and lowering the mast. Be sure to protect the wires with a smooth, slippery, and flexible wrap to avoid chafe as the wires rub against any surface during the process. I would start by looking in the  short lower section of the mast below the hinge.

Just some food for thought.

capt_nemo

[Matt C]

Regarding wires getting caught: I find if I push them towards the stern aspect of the mast as well as pushing all excess wire down into the lower part of the mast it seems to go ok.  I too had the same problem initially.

[Joseph]

Matt C & Captn_Nemo -

Good advices. I'll try them all: I'll try wrapping the cables with a plastic spiral cable wrap and figure a way to hold the whole down with a thin elastic chord. The main problem is that lifting the mast alone and with the mast midway up it is impossible to have a good look at what is taking place inside the hinge and these cables are "on their own".  Bringing the cables outside the mast above and below the hinge and placing a 4-pin weatherproof connector on the side of the lower portion of the mast may be an alternative although those connectors are seldom as water tight as one would want them to be.

Much appreciated.

J.

[Love2Sail]

As promised, here are a few photos on Flickr showing before and after views of repair to close the slot in my sail track.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/organize/?start_tab=one_set72157634514118395

Love2Sail

[capt_nemo]

Could not access photos. Asked me for Yahoo account info??

capt_nemo