Ok guys (& gals), I just had my boom repainted and as a result this has been a great time to rebuild and replace all the associated pieces and parts. The boom wasn't made with any place to attach reefing lines. Previously I had simply tied them with a bowline on a bite around the boom. It works but I'm a little apprehensive of the aesthetics and of the possible chaffing/wear on the new paint. So I was toying with options. I thought about installing pad eyes on the top or the bottom of the boom with machine screws. I'm not sure how well the fasteners would handle the stress and it means drilling holes. It also means removing the sail pack would be an even bigger pain in the butt. I also considered having something in the boom track kinda like a slug stop which would allow me to install a pad eye and slide it up and down the track to its optimal position before fully tighten the screws to lock it in place. See the attached picture of a slug stop. I was kinda hoping someone made this type of thing (a pad eye anchored in a bolt rope track) but all I could find was the harken bat-car system and it is designed to mount a track and then have a car ride on the track. This seems costly and adds what seems like considerable clew height. The clew height may be inconsequential since the tack height is normally elevated from the boom anyway.
Anybody have any ideas? Thanks, Josh Muckley S l/V Sea Hawk 1989 C&C 37+ Solomons, MD
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