Changing the main sail to sliders

It’s time to ease up main sail handling by changing to sliders. The mast in down an about to be painted, Seascape has delivered the required extensions and the main sail is already in Flensburg.

April 2014, the first month with the new boat, we seriously considered changing to sliders already, after a heavy gust blew the luff overboard into the water while lowering the main. I wrote about our struggles with not having sliders in May – by the time we hoped it’s just about practice. We improved the handling a lot but only to a level where we still tried to avoid hoisting the main sail if not absolutely necessary.

By the time I wrote the Seascape 27 review, I was sure to change it; despite Andraž recommendation of a simple lazy bag / jag system.

The downside of sliders is a slight loss in performance, as there are gaps between the luff and the mast. Maybe an issue for the professional racing division. I don’t think I’ll ever see that effect.

My arguments for sliders vs. lazy bags / jags:

• It’s important to me that the main goes up / down fast and easy. There is less friction with sliders.
• With the luff fixed to the mast, there is no way it will go anywhere no matter the strength of the gust.
• I assume performance with sliders is a little better compared to the lazy bags when sailing and there is certainly less rope involved.
• I assume the overall additional weight is less with just sliders.
• I can still put a boom tent spreading over the complete boom.
• The main-sail cover will wrap around the mast and the boom providing better UV protection to the main and the stuff attached to the boom – the bow is pointing south in my home port.
• On the downside, the process is irreversible compare to the lazy bag solution which could be removed for racing but that’s ok with me.

Seascape only responded that the process is not irreversible. So I guess my arguments are somewhat right at least.

The required changes are relatively easy.

• ~ 30 cm long carbon reinforcements need to be glued to the mast where the head is located in 1st, 2nd and 3rd reef position. As the mast bends aftward, the halyard does not pull parallel to the mast entirely but slightly aft.
• The nut must be extended, so it reaches all the way down to the boom.
• The welt at the main needs to be replaced by sliders.

So much looking forward to it! Taking the main down should be a matter of seconds now, not 1 – 1.5 nautical miles. Nobody required at the mast to pitch the welt into the nut; No sail covering the engine compartment / entire cockpit; Overall more sailing / less engine usage! And that’s why we are sailors, right?