New Owner: Removing the Main

[Telefonica]

I've owned my boat for little over two months, so this may be a very basic question.

How do I remove my main sail? I've read that there should be a pin or other device which will allow me to take the sail lugs out of the mast guide. I can't find anything like that on my boat. The guides go right to the boom. See the picture below.



Thanks.

[D.D.]

Is there a piece cut slightly wider on the mast track where you would tilt the sail slide slightly and out from the mast? Usually near the gooseneck, but may be slightly higher on the mast..~ 3"-12" up from the sail tack. If this is not present, from the pic, short of removing the gooseneck, I can't see how to remove the main. What type of boat?

[Hydra]

As DD writes, there should be an opening in the mast track, as shown on the attached picture. Maybe you will have to cut such an opening yourself.

Alain

[robert sailor]

Stupid question I know but how do you think they got the sail on in the first place??

[s/v Beth]

There has to be a way to remove the tack somewhere along that groove. I guess it might be you have to lower the mast (I had a laser like that, but I can't believe they would make a proper yacht with the same problem.

[robert sailor]

Your probably looking at the very bottom of the sail slot on top of the boom...look up a little higher and you should find an area in the slot that is opened up a little and will either have a pin thru it (holding the slug in) or a device to stop the slug from being removed.

[Cotemar]

There is usually a cut out area in the track or a screwed on plate that has to be removed to let the slides out.