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What every boat should have?

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Robert
1st Mate

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USA
75 Posts

Initially Posted - 12/14/2005 : 16:33:45

Last summer I replaced the bungee cord at the base of my Sea Craddle lazy jacks. Since I got a good price on the remainder of a spool of 3/8" bungee cord, I replaced the jacks and made up two 12' bungee cords for non boating use. These cords made it on to the boat and have become one of the most useful items on the boat. I no longer fiddle with sail ties. I simply clip the front and wrap the long bungee around the lowered main and the boom until I clip it in the back. The cord makes a great preventer in light to moderate winds and it works well in training a newbee at the helm to atnticipate a jibe. He/she can see the expansion of the bungee prior to the movement of the boom and make the necessary correction prior the boom's swing. The long bungee works great for isolating a downed sail on the lifeline during a sail change and I have used one to quickly contain the main while I repaired a blown plastic sail slug under way. By the way, check out using the nylon sail slugs with stailess steel bails a long with screw shackles with nylon protectors to attach you main to the bail. No more sewing is required. The long bungee cords also work great with a plastic tarp for quickly rigging a sun shade.
It might be argued that you can do any of these things with a piece of line, but I have found so many quick and easy things to do with the long bungee cords that they are going to remain part of my boat.

2WX@55

Edited by - on

Keith D.
Navigator

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USA
233 Posts

Response Posted - 12/14/2005 : 21:35:26

Robert I agree with your slug repair idea. Here is a picture of an original slug and a repaired one. I think this is the way you said you repair them.
The size you need is 3/8" slugs. WM part#'s
Sail Slug - 3/8" Nylon W/SS Bail, 2PK 2690881 PA017S/2 Only $9.49
Sail Slug - 3/8" Plastic, 5pk 2690865 PA017/5 Only $9.49 and the plastic shackles to put them in
Plastic Shackles - 5/8", Wide 2690964 PA030W/3 Only $6.99
The way I put them in is to just cut or break the old slug out of the original sewn loop, which allows me to take the stitched part out of the second grommet. I then string a new slug on the old webbing (pushing the loop through the slug bail) and then bring the loop back through the second grommet and reattaching it to the webbing where the sail slug is with a plastic shackle (WM page 1088). This allows you to easily replace a slug at any time while sailing and ends up giving the sail about the same amount of leeway to the slug. The only required tool is a flat screwdriver for the plastic shackle. I have never had any problem with the plastic shackle breaking. I keep extra plastic shackles and slugs on board and change them any time I see one has poped.
One other note. I have managed to put the entire slug in the track with the ss/bail. Another words so all of the plastic part is in the track and the ss part is what comes out of the track. What you will notice is it will go up the track a way and then stick and make it hard to raise the main. If you pull hard enough it will go up and will also be hard to bring down. I now pay a little more attention when I am stuffing the bails in the track before closing the mast gate.

Edited by - Keith D. on 12/14/2005 21:45:11

dlucier
Master Marine Consultant

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Virgin Islands (United Kingdom)
7583 Posts

Response Posted - 12/14/2005 : 22:23:38

I agree...bungee cords have endless uses aboard boat. I bought one of those million piece sets from Sam's Club and I use them all over the place.

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Robert
1st Mate

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USA
75 Posts

Response Posted - 12/15/2005 : 12:09:18

Keith:
Thank you for including the picture.That is exactly how I do it.It is slick and it allows you to keep the luff parallel to the mast.I have been replacing old slugs one break at a time.I was going to replace the remaining slugs before I put the sails away for the winter but I was diagnosed with stage 4 mantel cell lymphoma shortly after I brought the boat home.I am currently going into my third cycle of chemo and everything looks good. I may even be on the water in late Spring.

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The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.