Mainsail containment

[Riggerdood]

I've never been a big fan of traditional sail ties for securing the lowered main to the boom. I find them to be fiddly to put on/take off, too easy to lose, and have even had some that left stains on the sail. I've tried other solutions over the years, but none of them really worked very well, especially with a loose-footed main. Bungee balls work pretty well, but to make them tight enough to be effective, they get stretched out and don't last long.

A few years ago, I made a system that somebody on one of the forums suggested, and while it was "okay", it just didn't do a very good job of keeping the sail neatly stacked on the boom. Recently, I saw a post on one of the FB groups I'm in, describing another version of that system. It was immediately apparent that I had simply made my version of it too "weak" to do the job well. I used too thin of bungees, didn't anchor them under the boom well enough, and used too few "sections". I recently installed the system mentioned in the FB post, and it works great! Sure, I could have ordered all the parts separately and made my own, but not for the low price of this kit.

One thing I think I might do is cut off the little "gates" on the hooks, as they aren't really necessary, since the hooks are under enough tension that the bungees don't slip out, and the "gates" make unclipping them difficult, especially when wearing gloves.

Here's the link:

https://duckworks.com/balch-boats-stow-a-way-sail-tie-system

[RichardS]

Thanks for sharing this. Frustrating thing is: nowhere is there a pic or drawing of how the dang thing works! Nice story, but never explains or shows how the bungees work! I also have no idea what you mean by hooks, as nothing is shown that looks hook-like! I assume that somehow the bungee wraps over the sail on the boom, but how? Can you fill in the gaps?

[Quantico Frank]

Can you fill in the gaps?

Richard, can you see the .pdf link at the bottom? It explained it for me, and I really like the concept.

[DBthal]

Funny - I set up the exact same system on my P-165 this Winter. I'm always looking for ways to make it easier to single-hand the boat. Never liked fooling around with the sail-ties.

Dan

[Riggerdood]

Thanks for sharing this. Frustrating thing is: nowhere is there a pic or drawing of how the dang thing works! Nice story, but never explains or shows how the bungees work! I also have no idea what you mean by hooks, as nothing is shown that looks hook-like! I assume that somehow the bungee wraps over the sail on the boom, but how? Can you fill in the gaps?

No prob Richard. Yes, as Frank says, if you scroll all the way down there is a clicky that takes you here:

https://duckbbs.s3.amazonaws.com/hardware/misc/stowaway/stowawaydirections.pdf

The instruction sheet that comes with the kit is a bit more elaborate, but you get the gist.

It's a simple system, easy to install and use. Dan, did you use all 5 padeyes, to make 4 "sections"? On Rum Line's 9-1/2 ft boom, I used all 5 to make 4 sections, but it seemed like 3 would suffice, and I might omit the aft one. Frank, I think you'd really like this too.

[Quantico Frank]

Frank, I think you'd really like this too.

I currently have a reasonably good "system" for using the "balls of death" which is my name for the bungee balls. They all go right into my left pocket when they're off the boom. However, this looks better and less chaotic, especially for when conditions are marginal.

[DBthal]

Posted by Riggerdood  - May 18, 2023, 10:24 PM

Dan, did you use all 5 padeyes, to make 4 "sections"? On Rum Line's 9-1/2 ft boom, I used all 5 to make 4 sections, but it seemed like 3 would suffice, and I might omit the aft one. Frank, I think you'd really like this too.

Tim - I used 5 padeyes, but I think 4 would have been better for the 9' P-165 boom. Each section gives two parts of bungie holding the sail. So, with 4 padeyes, thats three sections, and six parts of bungie. That seems like plenty to secure the sail.

I didn't use the Duckworks kit.  Just made my own using these hooks from Sailrite.

https://www.sailrite.com/Shock-Cord-Hook-Plastic-3-16-5-16

Dan

[Brian N.]

I've been using ball-end bungee since I purchased the boat in 2008. Yeah they do get lost, pop off and fly overboard, stretch out and loose elasticity, and perhaps take a bit more time to secure. However they are cheap and available everywhere, come in different sizes, and easy to use. The Duckworks system looks interesting, however I'll wait for now.

[Riggerdood]

I currently have a reasonably good "system" for using the "balls of death" which is my name for the bungee balls. They all go right into my left pocket when they're off the boom. However, this looks better and less chaotic, especially for when conditions are marginal.

I do still use the "Balls of Death" for reef ties, but with the loose footed main, they don't go around the boom, so they don't get all stretched out. They have a ball on either side of the reef tie cringles, so they stay put on the sail.

[Riggerdood]

Tim - I used 5 padeyes, but I think 4 would have been better for the 9' P-165 boom. Each section gives two parts of bungie holding the sail. So, with 4 padeyes, thats three sections, and six parts of bungie. That seems like plenty to secure the sail.

I didn't use the Duckworks kit.  Just made my own using these hooks from Sailrite.

https://www.sailrite.com/Shock-Cord-Hook-Plastic-3-16-5-16

Dan

Yeah, I think 3 is the magic number for the sizes of booms on our boats. My previous attempt only had 2 sections, with a knot separating them, and was only secured to the bottom of the boom at the ends. It just wasn't strong enough.

I've got a handful of those hooks in my spares box, left over from a Sailrite reef kit I installed on the DS. I didn't use them because I do use bungee balls for reef ties. The hooks that come with the Stow-A-Way kit are a lot bigger.

[Riggerdood]

I've been using ball-end bungee since I purchased the boat in 2008. Yeah they do get lost, pop off and fly overboard, stretch out and loose elasticity, and perhaps take a bit more time to secure. However they are cheap and available everywhere, come in different sizes, and easy to use. The Duckworks system looks interesting, however I'll wait for now.

Whatever floats your boat Brian! 

[FortyFour]

FWIW chiming-in... Team Bungeeball of Death here— but regardless, it's all about the flake..And a good armpit game is my key to that

[DBthal]

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Sailor that formerly used the "Bungie Balls of Death".

 

[talbot]

I've seen versions of this before, and it looks like a good system in itself. In my case, I'm a little concerned about how loaded my boom is getting. I now have upper and lower jiffy-reef tackle, plus the usual sheet, vang, outhaul, and topping lift. All of those are essential, and now I'm considering adding lazy jacks for containing the sail after a drop. My boom is already much more complicated than the El Toro dinghys I learned to sail on.

I agree with the member who said the most time consuming thing is flaking the sail in the first place. And that the key to both ties and bungee balls is a pair of cargo pants or other garment that has pockets big enough for you to "wear" the ties.

[Riggerdood]

FWIW chiming-in... Team Bungeeball of Death here— but regardless, it's all about the flake..And a good armpit game is my key to that

FortyFour, the whole idea of this system is to have a way to quickly contain the main on the boom, then do the neat flaking back at the dock/slip/mooring/anchor.