loose footed main - attachment question

[chef2sail]

Originally Posted by richh

clew 'outhaul' slug ... Usually coated (teflon 'frit') and about 2-3 time the length of a 'normal sized' slug.

Sailrite.com has them in 'some' sizes
sailrite stocks clew slug

+1

[aelkin]

Blake - sounds like you've already made the decision, and the right one. Just a little note about the car/track comments - if the car/track start to wear AT ALL, they start to generate FAR more friction, and can become almost immovable under load...whereas the clew slug does not seem to suffer the same fate...(and is imminently cheaper to replace if it does...)

You'll really enjoy a loose-footed main, if you've been using a bolt-rope until now...sail shaping will seem much, much easier, especially in light air. Enjoy!!

Andy

[Quickstep192]

I've also raced on boats that had the strap around the boom. If I can follow the logical conclusion that if the strap is found on race boats, there must be some performance benefit, what does the strap do that the slug doesn't?

[PaulinVictoria]

A lot of raceboats don't have a boltrope slot, especially when they have fancy carbon spars etc.

[overbored]

it depends on the track. I use the strap as the slugs always hang up when we let off on the outhaul with the sail sheeted in. the strap will give and allow small adjustments while sheeted in hard

[Faster]

The strap really comes into play if you remove the sail between trips (much easier than sliding the slug out the boom) - but not many non racers do that.

We're not racing anymore, but I feel the strap is likely lower friction than most outhaul slug/track/groove combos.