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I'm wondering if anyone can help with a mainsail/boom issue on my boat.

I'm wanting to get a new sail cover and setup my main so the mainsail lugs stay in the mast track, so I can simply hoist the sail after removing the cover. I currently have a roller-reefing setup but don't use it and don't have a cover.

I need to lift the boom about 30cm and permanently hold it in place somehow, otherwise the sail stack height is too great for a cover. I dont think a track stopper will work as the track is stainless steel and I can't drill a hole into it. The screws holding the track in place won't budge either. I have attached a photo of the current setup.

Any ideas?

Cheers,

Bruce

Bruce,

I think my beautiful Mk1 has the same set up as yours.


From the photo, can I see a small cleat above the end of the mainsail track? If so, I have attached a short 6mm cord to the boom, I have a ring attached for this purpose, and use this to haul the boom up as high as it can go in its track before tying it off. I keep the boom in that position when not sailing.

Now you will need this arrangement to assist you when you reef as well. Remember when you try and raise the boom at the mast you will need to release the boom vang and the topping lift or main sheet.

I also have Lazy Jacks and my boom cover, which closes under the boom, will cover the main sail easily when it is retained by the stopper in the main mast track.

Phillip.

Bruce, you have Hood Sails,

They will be able to make you a lazy stack bag system similar to mine.

My boom is fixed on the mast and doesn't raise or lower. It's high enough when sailing as it is.

The lazy bag makes it so much quicker to stow, or raise the sail and was only about $80 more than Hood's layover cover. If you call them, thay can email you the measurement list, you send back the measurements and they make the cover. Or, you take your mainsail to them, with a measurement of the circumference of the mast and the length of the boom track so they can make it up to measure.

Here are some pics of both sail up and down.

Thanks for both responses Phillip and Michael. I hadn't thought of using the cleat on the mast for that purpose, although I might need to raise it slightly to make it work.

Cheers,

Bruce

Think I misunderstood you Phillip. Thought you meant the black cleat on the side when you prob meant the small one further up. Think that has the topping lift on it at the moment. Will look at the options. Thanks again.

Bruce,

Yes my topping lift cleat is below the boom.

Do you have a down haul for the boom fitted?

Phillip

Phillip,

Your suggestion was invaluable. See the photo. Is this what you meant, or something like it? Seems to have done the job anyway

Bruce

Bruce,

I assume you cleated that rope off at the cleat above. Yes thats' how I do it. Did you use 4mm rope?

You also need to replace that R-Clip [on your sail track] for a SS retaining clip [item 70805 pp 113 in Whitworths] otherwise you are going to tear your mainsail on it.

Good luck,
Phillip.

Phillip,

I used 6mm rope not 4 and yes, it is tied off on the cleat you suggested. Thanks for the tip on the clip too.

Cheers,

Bruce