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Sail slug failure

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AADIVER
Admiral

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USA
966 Posts

Initially Posted - 01/12/2009 : 17:42:09

On a controlled gybe today in 18 to 20 knot wind all the sail slugs broke, leaving only the one nearest the gooseneck. The sail is 8 years old and has had TLC during the 3 years I've owned the boat, a 2001, hull #558. Anyone else had this happen?

Just found replacements on Catalina Direct for 24 bucks including shipping.

Frank Farmer
Long Beach, CA
aa.diver@verizon.net
http://mysite.verizon.net/aa.diver

PRETTY PENNY
'01 C-250 WK, Hull #558

Edited by - AADIVER on 01/12/2009 23:28:35

bear
Admiral

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USA
909 Posts

Response Posted - 01/12/2009 : 18:29:25

Frank, Those are replaceable by yourself, no big deal. No sewing on replacements. If no one else chimes in I'll research my records, I know I bought replacements from WM. Took one of the broken ones with me and they matched them up. Really no big deal....

Edited by - on

delliottg
Former Mainsheet C250 Tech Editor

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USA
4479 Posts

Response Posted - 01/12/2009 : 19:14:46

Frank,
I blew out only one and it doesn't look like it's going to be that big of a deal to repair once I get some decent weather to work on it. Blowing out nearly all of them would be a bigger repair job, but you could probably do it in a day. They do carry replacements slugs at WM, at least for my sail ('97 I assume it's original). [url="http://www.catalina-capri-25s.org/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=18569&SearchTerms=sail,slug"]There are several threads on this from late last summer[/url].

Good luck!

Edited by - delliottg on 01/12/2009 19:17:42

AADIVER
Admiral

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USA
966 Posts

Response Posted - 01/12/2009 : 19:21:32

Replaced through Catalina Direct for 24 bucks, including shipping.

Edited by - AADIVER on 01/12/2009 23:29:37

AADIVER
Admiral

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USA
966 Posts

Response Posted - 01/12/2009 : 19:43:25

Here's a post from the archives that solves my broken slug problem. But I saved boo coo bucks through Catalina Direct: $24.14 including shipping for a complete set of 10. Later, West Marine,aka,Tiffany's.

"The size you need is 3/8" slugs WM part#
Sail Slug - 3/8" Nylon W/SS Bail, 2PK 2690881 PA017S/2 Only $9.49
Sail Slug - 3/8" Plastic, 5pk 2690865 PA017/5 Only $9.49 and the plastic shackles to put them in
Plastic Shackles - 5/8", Wide 2690964 PA030W/3 Only $6.99
The way I put them in is to just cut or break the old slug out of the original sewn loop, which allows me to take the stitched part out of the second grommet. I then string a new slug on the old webbing (pushing the loop through the slug bail) and then bring the loop back through the second grommet and reattaching it to the webbing where the sail slug is with a plastic shackle (WM page 1088). This allows you to easily replace a slug at any time while sailing and ends up giving the sail about the same amount of leeway to the slug. The only required tool is a flat screwdriver for the plastic shackle. I have never had any problem with the plastic shackle breaking. I keep extra plastic shackles and slugs on board and change them any time I see one has popped."

Bear, disregard my reply to your post; you be right, I be wrong

Edited by - AADIVER on 01/12/2009 23:32:56

AADIVER
Admiral

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USA
966 Posts

Response Posted - 01/12/2009 : 22:39:56

Just realized: when the slugs broke, half of them must still be in the sail track. When we removed the sail only two were down at the feed slot, just above the gooseneck. How do I get 'em out of the track?

P.S.
What about this slug/shackle item from Catalina Direct: just ordered a set of 10. Total cost with shipping, $24.14. Take that, West Marine

http://www.catalinadirect.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=product.display&Product_ID=45

Edited by - AADIVER on 01/12/2009 23:25:13

Sloop Smitten
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1181 Posts

Response Posted - 01/13/2009 : 09:02:36

Frank,
Just a thought, you might be able to use a fish tape (used for feeding electrical wires through tight spaces) to slide up the track and jostle the slugs enough so they drop down.

Edited by - on

delliottg
Former Mainsheet C250 Tech Editor

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USA
4479 Posts

Response Posted - 01/13/2009 : 12:52:01

I was thinking about this last night as well. I think the fish tape's a good idea if you can keep it in the track, which doesn't seem overly likely. One of my thoughts was some double sided tape cut into dots to fit over another slug attached to your halyard to which you've also attached a messenger line. Run the halyard up to the stuck slug & hopefully the tape will stick to it enough that you can drag it back down with the messenger line, or at least stick long enough that it jostles it so it drops down the track. Or, you could send your daughter up the mast in a bosun's chair?

Edited by - on

AADIVER
Admiral

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USA
966 Posts

Response Posted - 01/13/2009 : 13:57:52

Just back from the boat: no slugs left in the track! So apparently when they blew out, the entire slug was pulled out. But the weird thing is, all of the slug parts retained by the web loops were broken and minus the round part that slid up the track. Wha' happened?!

Edited by - on

Sloop Smitten
Master Marine Consultant

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1181 Posts

Response Posted - 01/13/2009 : 14:43:40

Frank,
If your slugs are plastic they may have shattered and fallen out in pieces.

Edited by - on

AADIVER
Admiral

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USA
966 Posts

Response Posted - 01/13/2009 : 15:34:12

Another reason: the slugs are 5/16ths and they should be 3/8ths. I guess Catalina rigged the main slugs so we could raise and douse easier. The track is 1/2" so the 3/8ths should slide up just fine and NOT pop out again (I hope, I hope, I hope). What say y'all?

Edited by - on

delliottg
Former Mainsheet C250 Tech Editor

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USA
4479 Posts

Response Posted - 01/13/2009 : 18:46:56

When my slug blew apart, the slug pulled out as well, leaving the little plastic piece still attached to the sail.

Edited by - on

AADIVER
Admiral

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USA
966 Posts

Response Posted - 01/13/2009 : 22:37:03

Exactly what happened to mine, David. Again: the slugs were 5/16ths, not the 3/8ths they should have been.

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