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Home. Association Forum Ships Store Cruising Racing Technical Tips Photo Gallery - New Boat Search - Updated Manuals & Brochures Swap Meet Links Officer Flag Line & Staff Bylaws & Constitution   Members Area Join the Association   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.	Not Yet! Mast Slot Plates Mast Slot Plates are used to keep the sail slugs from falling out every time you lower the main. It also makes reefing and flaking the main easier. I made these plates out of thin stainless steel, curved to fit the radius closely. Notice the small tabs that extend from the top and bottom of the plate. The sail slugs must not bind on anything, so the plate had to be trimmed so that only the tabs extended to the full size of the slot opening. This allows the section of the plate that contacts the sail slugs to bend down into and lay even with the mast slot. No binding. Use screws to attach so sail can be removed. Notice the edge of the plate that fits in the mast slot, is folded back over itself, the same distance of the slot. Ideally use a bending break, I used a bench vice to bend it 90 degrees, then finished folding it over by clamping it in the vice jaws. Start with a piece of thin gauge stainless steel plate, stainless is tuff to bend so make sure it's thin enough to work. I have not included any measurements as your slot might be different. Trim the plate to match the outline of "A". Be generous in the area that fits into the slot, later you can file to a tight fit. Bend at the dotted red line, being careful to match the radius of the mast slot lip. Remember, the sail slugs contact the inside and outside of the slot, so the bend radius is critical for a flush fit inside and out. Buy extra stainless plate so you can practice bending the correct radius on scrap pieces. "B" and "C" shows the completed bend. In "D" the mast radius has been duplicated, plate is ready for installation. Send comments or questions to: jp@kaiwan.com