Main - tack setup

[gandalf]

Hi All,

The main sail that my boat came with has a grommet at the tack. There was no shackle on it and no clear place on the gooseneck to put a shackle from what I can see, so I've just been using one of the reefing horns to secure the tack, but I know this can't be correct. I'm in the process of measuring for a new main and am trying to figure out how the tack should actually be secured...

Does anyone have pictures of their main tack setup that they'd be willing to share? Does anyone just have a slide at the the tack that just goes in the the mast track instead of a shackle?

Many thanks and happy new year!

[John Peter Mitchell]

Hello Gandalf,

here are pictures which I took yesterday.  In one picture you will see the shackle which secures the mainsail's tack to the gooseneck.  In the other picture you can see the hole through which the shackle's pin is lodged.  I hope this helps(?).

[gandalf]

This is very helpful, thanks John! I'm just missing the shackle

If you don't mind my asking, where did you secure the other end of your Cunningham?

Cheers,
gandalf

[John Peter Mitchell]

Hi again Gandalf,
my Cunningham is a three part block and tackle which, at one end, has the hook for the sail's Cunningham grommet just above the tack grommet and the other end (the control line end) is led back to the cockpit on the port side of the coach roof and is held in tension by a cam-cleat.  
It is one of four lines on the port side: the other three are the clew outhaul, the spinnaker pole topping lift and the pole down-haul.  Each of these four lines have a dedicated cam-cleat.  I have no winch mounted here, but one would be helpful at times, especially for the clew outhaul.  However, since I cut away the foot-shelf from the mainsail's foot, and made a loose footed main, control of the clew outhaul has become much easier.  

Gandalf, where do you sail your Kelt 7.60 ?  Cheers, John