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The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ.
The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.
Does anyone have the dimensions for a plate to cover the open part of the mast sail slot to retain the slugs? My boat is in storage so can't get to it easily to properly design it. Thanks, Terry
Although I made my own gates, you can buy them from Joe Martek who is listed at the bottom of the Links page on this website. I believe his are made from stainless steel and I think they were fairly inexpensive.
I'm not positive, but I think I remember hearing that these same ones are available through CD...?
I am not certain either Don, but I think Catalina Direct has purchased the rights to those from Joe...I thought I heard that. Catalina directs are just as good.
My '89 has a cutout on one side of the groove only. I believe I emailed Joe at some point, but he only sells pairs. Does anyone know where I can get a cover plate to fit an '89?
<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by Duane Wolff</i> <br />I am not certain either Don, but I think Catalina Direct has purchased the rights to those from Joe...I thought I heard that. Catalina directs are just as good. <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote"> Ask Catalina Direct about that, and then just buy a pair and keep the extra one for when the first becomes an offering to King Neptune.
<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by aeckhart</i> <br />I talked to Joe last season. He sold the rights to the gates to CD. <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">
I thought I remembered something to that effect...thanks for clearing it up.
Maybe we need to remove Joe's name and email address from the links page...
mea culpa, I am the one who told Lowell about the mast gates and gave him Joe's contact information. To CD's credit they have created a kit with the bit and tap needed for the install.
A couple of years ago I read a thread on here about mast gates. I wondered what the heck they were and why I would need them. Then I bought some from Joe Martek. And you're correct. His are stainless. Within a week I wondered how I lived without them for so long! I too believe that Joe sold the rights to CD. If you don't have mast gates, the price is very reasonable and the benefits are great!
<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by fhopper@mac.com</i> <br />mea culpa, I am the one who told Lowell about the mast gates and gave him Joe's contact information. To CD's credit they have created a kit with the bit and tap needed for the install. <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote"> I suspect Joe is still making them, and let CD do the marketing and distribution. CD doesn't really make stuff... except "kits". Adding the bit and tap are a nice touch--I had to go out and buy a tap. (You DON'T want to attach them with self-tapping screws--it's not appropriate for something you want to install and remove periodically.)
For the do it yourselfer Bill Holcomb has descriptions of homemade mast gates using aluminum carpet edging. Quite simple he attests. Search the archives if interested.
<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by tinob</i> <br />For the do it yourselfer Bill Holcomb has descriptions of homemade mast gates using aluminum carpet edging. Quite simple he attests. Search the archives if interested. <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote"> He's handier than I am--I tried doing my own with similar aluminum and with stainless... Never got them to work very well.
<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by Dave Bristle</i> <br /><blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by tinob</i> <br />For the do it yourselfer Bill Holcomb has descriptions of homemade mast gates using aluminum carpet edging...<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote"> He's handier than I am--I tried doing my own with similar aluminum and with stainless... Never got them to work very well. <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">
My homemade gates, made from aluminum carpet edging, are going on 5 years now.
I got a set of mastgates from Catalina Direct last September. Cost $38.95. CD's part number is E9017. Description given is: "Mastgater C-25 Sail Track Gate. Fits mast track sail entrance slot and allows sails slides to slide past. Installed with two 10-24 machine screws. Can be easily removed to remove sail from mast. Set of 2 for C-25 includes drill and tap for easy installation." What they don't say until you read the installation instructions is that there may some filing and grinding needed to fit them to your mast. Apparently the slots vary in size from mast to mast. I haven't gotten around to putting mine on yet, because I made a set from carpet trim years ago that work fine. So don't know how much actual cutting and fitting is necessary. Actually, if I knew it was going to be a cut & fit project (stainless is tough to work with) I wouldn't have bought the ones from CD.
<font color="blue">... What they don't say until you read the installation instructions is that there may some filing and grinding needed to fit them to your mast. Apparently the slots vary in size from mast to mast. I haven't gotten around to putting mine on yet, because I made a set from carpet trim years ago that work fine. So don't know how much actual cutting and fitting is necessary. Actually, if I knew it was going to be a cut & fit project (stainless is tough to work with) I wouldn't have bought the ones from CD. - Mike</font id="blue">
It's been a while since I installed the mast gates on my boat, but as I recall, the filing is done to the slot in the mast (not the stainless mast gates) ... it really isn't a difficult project.
I made mine from carpet edging. For me the trick was to put a slight bend or two so the flat edging would fit the curve of the mast. I did it with a vice and rubber mallet.
The first pair did not fit properly, so I made another pair. I did the final filing at the boat. Good thing about the carpet edging is you get a long piece really cheap.
I did use self-tapping screws, but put Never-seize on them every time I take the screws out. Five years and no problems...I do have to touch them up occasionally with the file or tap them with my small ball-peen to restore the shape after an especially rough reefing day.
<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by wmuchmore</i> <br /> Actually, if I knew it was going to be a cut & fit project (stainless is tough to work with) I wouldn't have bought the ones from CD.
When you see a set installed you will be impressed. I put some on my 82 and they did not require any filing at all. They don't just cover the hole, leaving the hole behind them to hassle slugs, they fill in the hole making the kerf smooth and continuous. They really are very impressive.
The plates do offer more movement of your sail (downhaul, etc.). But if you would rather not drill holes and it's just that you don't want the sail slugs dropping out, try a track stop. WM#108332/Davis # 2350 $8.99, page 891.
Notice: The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ. The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.