by Alan » Sun Sep 21, 2014 12:13 am
I've thought about adding slugs, but my boltrope-equipped Intensity mainsail, which stretches about two inches below the bottom of the gate, comes all the way down in three easy pulls. In fact, it almost falls down by itself. My brand-new can of sailtrack lubricant remains unused. The sail slug crew makes a persuasive case, though, I must admit…
If you've got a boltrope, you really, really don’t want it extending down into the slot below the gate more than a tiny bit. The reason? If you need to flake the main, whether for reefing or to lower it all the way, it can't be done without pulling the lower end of the boltrope up until it clears the gate, then shifting the lower end sideways out of the gate and letting it down off to the side. I've tried just pulling and folding the boltrope sideways out of the gate, with the lower end still down there in the slot. It can't be done. It jams, hopelessly and permanently, while that old saying about how the sea does not forgive errors runs through one's rookie mind.
Pulling up the lower end of the boltrope to clear the gate is more tricky than it sounds. You've got to release the boom downhaul from the cleat and loosen the mainsheet so the boom can be lifted, grab the forward end of the boom and give it a lift, pull the boltrope up and move its lower end sideways, let the boom back down, somehow simultaneously tighten the mainsheet before the boom can sneak up behind you and thump you in the butt, causing your crew to a) snicker or b) panic, tighten the downhaul, and then, and only then, can you fold the sail.