Mast Slot Gate Evolution

There is an opening in Serenity's mast, about half a meter above the boom, for feeding the main sail slides into the slot, and it has been a source of aggravation since I have owned the boat.

The gate/cover the vessel arrived with was just thin plastic with a narrow metal bar and a single screw holding it all in place. It was next to useless on anything but the most windless of days. Whether raising or lowering the sail, the slides would pop out. This often left me struggling to get the main up, or dealing with sail all over the deck.

After a season or two with that, I used some galvanized metal, to cut a suitable piece and tried that as a cover, using the same screw and strip as the plastic had. It was better, but still would not keep the slides in place with very much wind blowing.

Two years ago I bought a small piece of aluminum, shaped it to the mast, and tapped holes for two screws. This was the best and most solid solution. Then I had the main sail refurbished, and new slides put on. These slightly different slides liked to catch on the opening under cover, once again making raising and lowering a struggle.

One of my jobs for this year was to modify the cover to allow the slides to slide more freely. What I did was make two cuts into the plate, and bend it into the opening until the inside edge lined up with the inside edge of the slot.

This is currently untested since the mast has not been stepped yet this year. If it works, I'll improve the look of the plate and call the job finally done. Watch for a follow-up in a few weeks.