Sticky Mainsail

[sun37]

What products would you recommend to lubricate the mast track and the sliders to make hoisting and lowering the mainsail easier? (The mast is a Sparcraft Performance and the boat is 37').

[christyleigh]

McLube. The stuff is so slippery - but dry - after doing all my sail slugs I had trouble holding on to them while slipping them into the track from the overspray on my fingers

[captainrizzo]

Ditto on the McLube! Stuff is great. Spray the whole track if you can.

[Maine Sail]

McLube Sailkote !!!! Use nothing else or you will be sorry.. This stuff is CLEAN and slippery!!

[sun37]

Thanks for your replies. I've just found out that McLube SailKote comes as a spray or as a liquid. How is the liquid applied? Would the spray be preferable for the mast and sliders?

Where else in the boat do you use it?

[christyleigh]

The Liguid may or may not be a more economical way to despense it because it seems soooo...... volitile. I think without a 'nipple' type top a regular pour spout would evaporate so much of it everytime your poured it out that... sad to say ..... a spray can might be better - but I Don't Know. If you rig up a cloth slider (with downhaul) to clean your sail track you could probably soak it with the liquid better than spray to run it up and down your sail track. Where to use it ? ....... everywhere there is friction..... sheave bearings, tracks, slides..... etc... Yes, IMHO it IS one of those "best thing since sliced bread" things

[Sailormon6]

Also, check any hardware, such as snatch blocks, to make sure they're not broken or damaged, and that they're allowing the halliard to run free. The problem might not be with the mast track and sliders. I had a snatch block that turned slightly sideways, and it wouldn't let the line run free.

[sun37]

Thanks Stan for the detailed explanation of how to use McLube. Do you also use it for surfaces without friction just for protection?

[captainrizzo]

In terms of other applications, Sailkote also works well on telltales.

[sun37]

Sailormon6, I don't see any damaged hardware but sometimes the twisted halyard (twisted because I use the winch to pull up the sail) seems to add to the problem.