INVESTIGATOR 563

563 main sail, right to the top, this sail has slugs that run in the sail track.

Great photos Steve
Yes you're right. sail slugs in the mast track is the way to go. Is that a standard furling jib poled out or a type of genoa?
Reminds me of the new Extreme Sailing type carbon fibre cats that race now on tv. They have a long carbon fibre bowsprit on stays from which they fly a furled jib and a massive furled spinnaker in front of that. Spectacular and fast and all controlled from the cockpit/mat-no poles uphauls or downhauls.
I wonder if any of these inventive guys here could adapt a smaller type system for the Investigator. The Investigator won a design award for its innovative keel ballast /centerboard/ pop-top hatch designs - this would be the cream on the cake. Food for thought maybe. (or maybe not)

Pip has a bolt-rope in the luff of the main and the sail will go to the top of the mast when the gooseneck track is at a higher setting. Usually the main sits a little below the top. We use the gooseneck track for luff tension (its usually in the middle. I agree you should always free up the mainsheet a little before raising the sail.

We have roller furling on the main and it is always best if I feed a little sail out a time before hauling on the halyard. Our halyard is a combination of wire and rope and its never a problem.

We have a horseshoe vang which we slide over the boom and fit after the sail is raised.

But I have had problems with another mast. The track got slightly pinched in one place (from a drop I guess) - so check the trueness of the groove. Another problem on different boat was the mast bend did not match the bend in the luff of the sail. That was always hard work to raise.

snoopebj wrote:Great photos Steve
Yes you're right. sail slugs in the mast track is the way to go. Is that a standard furling jib poled out or a type of genoa?

Hi Emrys,
The jib is just my usual head sail it is a genoa . It is a hank on job and it is pretty stuffed now and needs replacing. The sail is blown out and the leech is loose and it flaps really bad when sailing close hauled. It has lost its drive and it is causing weather helm, the boat wants to round up. I really can't be bothered going sailing untill I get a new sail now. I,ll take it to perth next week and get a new one on the go.

Steve

Mainsail sticking near top of mast may be caused by mast track being squashed closed by mast raising post roller. attached is a way of rolling mast back to insert " pin" without putting pressure on that area. Just a couple of rollerblade wheels with a gal bolt running thru and a spacer pinched from a Loxin. Timber is 90 x35 Treated Pine. The metal uprights are gal shelf brackets cut at bend.