An improved system for rigging a sail to a spar consists of a slot and a gateway plate. The slot is disposed on the spar to selectively enable the sail slugs to engage an internal channel. The gateway plate is adapted to selectively cover the slot and can be removed so the slugs can be inserted to or removed from the channel. The gateway plate consists of a plate body having a first and second oppositely disposed plate-hole, the plate holes having a predetermined alignment with receiving-holes on the spar, the gateway plate further includes a channel-engaging edge, an oppositely disposed handle end, and a predetermined length of elastic cord, which couples to the spar and provides positive engagement of the gateway plate against the spar when in the closed position. The gateway plate can be mounted internally or externally relative to the spar channel.