Slugs for main with C-Tech carbon fiber mast

[PurpleOnion]

The bolt rope on my main sail needs repair and the guy doing the sail repair suggested installing slugs in addition to the repairing the bolt rope.  A bolt rope would still be in place to handle the load, but the slugs would connect the main to the mast.

I like the idea because getting the main down while single handing is always difficult.  Having it slide down more easily and remain attached and easily contained is attractive.  However, I don't know what negative impacts this would have.

Does anyone have any experience, recommendations, warnings about doing this? Also, any considerations on which make/model slugs to use.

Thank you.

[Tac Boston]

NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

you will totally screw up the luff groove because it is a carbon groove not a alloy one. Also not sure who built the sail but there cannot be any extra layers on the bolt rope by the head or the battens on the C-tech mast.
Cheers

Tac Boston
Doyle Boston Sails

[PurpleOnion]

Wow.  Thank you!  Looks like you saved me from a mess.

The sail is an older one.  It was used when one of the prior owners had an aluminum mast.  At some point, one of the owners bought the carbon mast and had a main made specifically for the carbon mast.  It sounds like it may be best to skip any repairs on the old sail and only use the main that was built for the carbon mast.

Foolishly, I was saving that sail as it was the newest and in the best condition. My simple plan of messing around with the old sails until I got more experience seems to have been too simple and uninformed.

Thanks again.

[Travis Gregory]

if the main is in nice shape, you might try selling it in our classifieds as others with Carbon masts have done.