slugs catching upon raising main

[dave6330]

I apologize. I was bouncing between threads and misdirected the question. I meant no harm. I’m still trying to get the hang of this forum thing.

V/R

[sailingdog]

Originally Posted by dave6330

I appologize - I was bouncing between threads and the question was obviously misplaced. I meant no harm.

V/R

No harm, no foul...just thought I'd mention it.. btw, I generally rig a jib downhaul to run through a few of the hanks, to help it stay a the proper angle to help haul the jib down. Attaching it at just the head board can cause it to pull at the wrong angle, and may cause the jib to jam. The mainsail downhaul doesn't have the same issues, as the mast doesn't really bend the way the headstay does, and the mastbase, where you'd normally put the block for a mainsail downhaul is in line with the mast track for the most part.

[foxglove]

Remazerov;

Practical Sailor did a study on sail slide lubricants and Elmer's Glue (of all companies) won the competition with Elmer's Slide-All. It's under $3.00.

I would try that next.

http://www.practical-sailor.com/issu...es/4887-1.html

[dave6330]

Rich,

You said clean the mast track with a strong caustic cleaner - specifically, what cleaner do you recommend?

V/R

[sailingdog]

I don't think it is a good idea to clean a mast track with any type of caustic cleaner. Caustic cleaners can attack the anodization on an aluminum mast. They can also cause pitting, which would make any problems you're having worse, rather than better. Keeping the mast track clean and lubricated, although with a dry lubricant, since grease and oil will tend to attract dirt, and may leave nasty looking stains on your sails.

I've used McLube SailKote and Boeshiedl T-9 on different boats, and they seem to work well. Waxing also works fairly well, as does rubbing the track with a bar of soap.

[dave6330]

Who'd of thought that I could learn so much (I've been taking notes) stuck out here in the desert!

Thanks!!!

[jr438234606]

I had exactly the same problem with a difficult-to-raise main. I actually broke a halyard one time winching on it. I researched the problem and here is the solution I implemented:

I glued a small strip of terry cloth to one of the plastic slides. Then, I attached nylon string to the slide in such a way that I could both pull it up the mast and back down. I drenched the terry cloth with "Goo Gone" and quickly hoisted up the slide and then pulled it back down. I repeated this process about 15-20 times. By the time I was finished, the cloth was black with grime and goo. I cleaned the cloth and repeated until the grime appeared to be gone.

Next, I loaded the cloth with acetone and ran it up and down about 3 times. I did this to remove any "Goo Gone" residue. Finally, I loaded the cloth with MacLube SailKote and ran it up and down about 5 times. I also drenched all the other slides and batcars with SailKote. The next time I went out, I could literally hoist the main with one hand and no winching.

Here are some tips I learned in the process:

1.) Cut the cloth just a little wider than the track. This way, the cloth cleans the sides of the track as well as the front and back. It also helps the cloth to stay in the track. I used a 2" x 6" strip of cloth.

2.) Rough-up the slide with sand paper before gluing the cloth to it. Otherwise, the glue probably won't stick. I would create two or three of these little devices since the cloth wears out pretty quick.

3.) I used Gorilla glue to attach the cloth to the slide. Be careful that you don't create a lump of glue/cloth on the slide or else it won't fit in the track. Clamp it down tight so it retains a low profile when it dries.

4.) The best cleaning action occurs when you pull the contraption back down the mast. This is because the cloth "bunches up" in front of the slide and you get a little scrubbing action.

The biggest barrier to a smooth slide is dirt and grime. You can lubricate all day long, but if you are just lubricating filth, you won't get good results. You can probably buy a kit that does something similar to what I did, but it was such a no-brainer I figured "why spend the money?"

[knothead]

Jr, great post.

[sailingdog]

A similar technique to JR's was used but involved a Scotchbrite sponge instead. The scotchbrite sponge would probably clean a bit better than the cloth.

[alanl]

Chris

How hard or easy was it to install the ''strong track'' system from Tides Marine? Sounds like a good inexpensive fix for the same problem on my 30' catamaran, where the mast groove is fairly worn and the pressure from the full battens is high.

Regards

AlanL