Forums, Mast, Rigging and Sails, Main sail luff track

Zoom 495 at 25/06/2015 04:06:34
Hello all, and thanks for your help as this project gathers momentum!!
On my older Kemp mast that still has the roller boom set up, the luff track does not go down very near to the boom making slab reefing ( my new main is set up for that and most of the attendant blocks and tackle are on the boom) and flaking the main more difficult than it could be. It appears to me there is a luff grove in the mast itself and perhaps one could detach the riveted-on track and use the groove that is in the mast.
Does anyone have some experience with this?
Thanks,kris

Brigitte at 25/06/2015 11:17:27
We too have the old Kemp mast with single line slab reefing. We did not do the conversion ourselves but the mast has an extra section of track (somewhere between 12" to 18") attached below the main track.

We have lazy jacks (but no attached sail bag/stack pack) and it’s easy as pie to reef and also for one person to drop and stow the sail – or it was until we got our lovely but slippery new one from Sanders with all the flakes in the ‘wrong’ place! :-D

Edited: Brigitte on 2015-06-25 11:19:14

Keny at 26/06/2015 20:47:13
I think most people who have the old Kemp mast have unriveted the old luff grove – I certainly have. I filled the rivet holes with blank rivets to be waterproof. All you have to do is find the appropriate sliders and modify the sail. Could be an excuse for a new sail – the fully battened ones work really well.
ken
p.s. There is also a question of sail entry. I cut a bit out of the mast myself and bought a metal clamp from Selden. I can take pictures if it will help.

Zoom 495 at 27/06/2015 06:38:51
Hey all, thanks for the response.
Ken, pics would be appreciated for sure. My email is clairebouant@gmail.com
So many small tasks to do, and I may as well do them all at the same time, so thanks for your help,kris

Dolphyn at 09/07/2015 12:26:24
Brigitte, do you happen to remember how you obtained that extra piece of luff groove? I would like to extend my luff groove further down too, but wouldn’t where to get it.

Dolphyn at 09/07/2015 12:30:13
(I may have been unclear in my previous post: with luff groove I mean track through which the luff or runners go.
My mast is the original Kemp, but I have slab reefing now and the mainsail has ‘runners’ that go through the mast track.

Keny at 09/07/2015 12:46:42
Hello Dolphyn
One answer is to take a bit off the top. This was done on mine before I modified the lot. The only snag was getting the sail past the lazy jacks. You could also try J/R.
Ken Young

Brigitte at 09/07/2015 13:37:06
I’m afraid we didn’t do the job ourselves – I think it was most likely done in Sweden as the boom is Swedish, as were the old sails. I’ll have a look at the top of the mast next time we’re aboard to see if that was where it came from.

Maybe it’s worth asking if anyone is replacing their Kemp mast and having a bit of track off that.

moongirl at 13/07/2015 23:42:45
Try contacting Spencer Rigging (Cowes & Southampton) when Jemmana was re-rigged they had several old CO32 masts – JR may have some too

Keny at 02/08/2015 10:03:10
Hello Dolphyn – finally took pic. sail entry plate. Normally only one needed.http://i1380.photobucket.com/albums/ah187/ibnajwaad/a0e521ca-21b5-4c11-bdd9-2658305b2e33_zpssk8egnkn.jpg

Keny at 02/08/2015 10:38:31
p.s. better picture http://i1380.photobucket.com/albums/ah187/ibnajwaad/sail%20entry_zpswycjcxvr.jpg

Dolphyn at 03/08/2015 15:45:04
Hi Keny,

Thank you for your information.
As I understand from your picture, you had the riveted-on track from the mast removed and use the track of the main mast section.

Dolphyn uses the riveted-on track (and the goose neck is located for that track, so removing the riveted-on track would mean a new main sail.

Keny at 03/08/2015 18:24:00
Not necessarily – on mine I just replaced the sliders. The goose neck wasn’t a problem. However the sliders could always be extended with extra plastic shackles.
Ken

Zoom 495 at 05/08/2015 17:08:32
Thanks for posting the pics Keny.
How far above the boom is the sail slug entry point?
Did you leave the original gooseneck fitting with the rotational capability intact?
As I see it, this modification would effectively move the mainsail centre of effort forward. Did you notice this when sailing?
I will be doing this modification this fall when I take the mast down so all the help is greatly appreciated.
Cheers,kris

Keny at 05/08/2015 20:40:26
This could require another picture. I didn’t keep the revolving boom and J/R advised me to keep the sail entry as low as possible. On my present fully battened sail some of the sliders or cars are below and some above when stowed which works fine for me.
‘Centre of effort’ – far too technical.

Will send pic. & measurement later if you wish.
Best of luck

keny

Zoom 495 at 06/08/2015 18:10:21
Thank you Keney,
All that would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers,kris