New reef point, unexpected problem

[FishFinder]

So I had a 2nd reef point added to my mainsail. I installed the sail and discovered that because of the way the sail lugs stack up in the mast track when using this 2nd reef, I cannot get the tack ring down far enough to fit over the rams horns. It's maybe 4" too high. Picture attached, this is as far down as I can pull the ring. Ideas?

Best I can come up with is just looping a line through the ring, and then the line will fit over the rams horns ...? Don't think this will be the best for sail shape though, having the tack 4" above where it should be ...

[T37Chef]

The third reef on my main does the same, I used a piece of Amsteel about 2 feet long and looped it through essentially making an extension, not the best solution for sailshape but it works okay, no way is it going to give way.

[sailor50]

Did you, as a boat owner, provide the tack dimension, or did the sailmaker not ascertain the correct distance to the tack fitting?

[mitiempo]

I can't tell for sure from the picture but it looks like the problem is the slugs stacking up in the track on the mast. Changing the stop so the slugs will move lower is one solution. Or possibly eliminating a few slugs might help.

[sigmasailor]

You can ask your sail maker to insert a double sewn piece of strong nylon band with extra reefing rings on either side to solve your problem. Or do it yourself; shouldn't be a big deal.

[FishFinder]

Thanks for the responses. Yes the slugs stacking up in the mast track is the problem. I can lower the slug stop an inch maybe two but that won't make up the entire difference. Don't know if I want to remove any slugs ... this reef point won't get used very often I'd rather keep all the slugs.

I did not provide any direction to the sailmaker other than to just give me another reef point just like the 1st. Which he didn't do ... the original reef point had dog-ears or as was said here "double sewn piece of strong nylon band with extra reefing rings on either side." So he's coming back to add that to the new reef point, I guess he could make the ring hang down low enough to catch the horn?

Even though the sailmaker is coming to fix this I don't totally trust him so wanted to ask here what should be done.

[Liquorice]

I'm assuming the sail stop is just above the wide slot where the slugs feed into the mast. If so, then you have quite a long slot below the wide slot where slugs could stack, thus lowering the slug stack.
Throw away the sail stop and close off the wide slot with 2 thin strips of aluminum bolted to the mast. This will probably lower your slug stack about a foot.
Like this:
US Spars Z190 Mast Gate Plates ~ Beneteau First 235
sam :-)

[Faster]

We had a similar problem on an earlier boat and our sailmaker rigged a 'jackline'.

Hopefully you can make sense of the illustration below. When hoisted the jackline, once properly adjusted, tensions and the luff is drawn tight to the slugs. Once dropped, the jackline relaxes and allows the folds of the sail to drop down beyond the stacked slugs enough to reach the tack hooks.

[funjohnson]

Here is how mine is set-up

[Faster]

Originally Posted by funjohnson

Here is how mine is set-up

Chances are that 'dogbone' still isn't long enough to reach his tack hook.. if you make it so than the 'tack' will be well above the gooseneck, leading to an odd 'reefed' shape when you try to pull in the clew.
BTW - any chance you can downsize that pic a bit, FunJ?