Sail Roller Slides Come out

[Aljo]

The bottom main sail guide on my Beneteau 40 is a slug and all others are roller slides. When I lower the main the bottom slug and the two bottom roller slides pop out of the mast. Not a huge problem but I then have to feed them back into the mast when I raise the main. It would appear that I am missing a mast gate. It would have to allow the slug and roller slides to pass.

There are no screw holes on the outside of the mast that would indicate a missing surface mounted gate. There is one hole inside the track but it would seem to me that if some sort of stopper was installed the main would not come all the way down to the boom which would affect the reefing of the main.

Could I simply get a couple of pieces of aluminum and screw it into the mast to prevent the slides from coming out or is there a better solution?

[GordMay]

Originally, you probably has a thumb-screw c/w captive washer gate stop.
[IMG]file:///C:/Users/gorda/Downloads/4354772403.jpg[/IMG]

See also ➥ https://mastgates.com/

Video ➥ https://youtu.be/VlkctnzA2X0

“... Tom’s latest design, a pop-in plastic sleeve, slides entirely inside the sail track and is held in place by a combination of tension and the ends of the sleeve. A slot in the sleeve is the same width as the sail track in your mast. When the sleeve is installed, it restricts the sail feed slot but lets the slugs slide through unimpeded, just what you want when you reef and unreef the sail.

You install or remove the sleeve by squeezing the sleeve slot closed and sliding the sleeve into or out of the sail slot. Two pins protrude from the back of the sleeve into 3/16″ holes that you drill in the back of the sail slot. They prevent the sleeve from sliding up or down in the sail track.

To bend on the mainsail, you again squeeze the slot closed but slide the sleeve down inside the track just far enough to open the slot so that you can insert or remove the sail slugs. Then you slide the sleeve back to its previous position...”

[Aljo]

Great reply Gord. Just what I was looking for. I will contact Tom.

Thanks