[WouldaShoulda]

Last year I encountered a lot of resistence re-installing my jib into the furler.

Is there a product that helps lube the channel without damaging the sail??

Or does soapy water do the trick??

 

[DrB]

Sailkote

Use Sailkote (McLube) in the furling channel. Spray in the channel, let dry, install sail.

DrB

 

[celenoglu]

Use a piece of soap instead of soapy water. Cut a piece of soap that will fit into the channel, insert it before you insert the sail.

 

[Maine Sail]

No on soap

I would not advise soap as it attracts dirt and dust which can wear the luff tape fibers and cause more sticking not less. It also tends to gum up after a while and then you loose what you set out to gain.

McLube Sail Kote is a great dry film lubricant that I have never seen attract dirt or dust and it really, really works well!!

 

[sailingdog]

It is important to clean the sail track before you do anything else. Using anything but McLube SailKote is probably a bad idea. While a lot of things, like soap, oils, etc work short-term just fine, as Maine Sail points out, in the long-term they will tend to get gummy and attract dirt and make things worse. This applies to both mainsail tracks on the boom and mast, as well as jib furler hardware.

 

[WouldaShoulda]

Thanks!!

McLube SailKote it is.

I wonder if it warms up and smells nice too??

 

[sailingfool]

You should also apply the McLube to the luff tape, try to do so in a manner that doesn't involve spraying it onto the sail fabric also.

 

[MJBrown]

There's tool you can buy that is basically a luff bolt apx 4" long with a loop at both ends. Apply some lube to the bolt, tie a halyard and downhaul on the respective ends and you'll be able to clean the entire track in a matter of a minute. I bought mine from West Marine years ago.

 

[TSOJOURNER]

Thanks!!

McLube SailKote it is.

I wonder if it warms up and smells nice too??

Here's a product that is cheap and works well. Get it at Lowe's for about 5$. I prefer the squeeze bottle.

 

[sailingdog]

It won't hurt sail fabrics as a general rule, since a lot of boats, especially racing ones use it on the sails to improve performance.

You should also apply the McLube to the luff tape, try to do so in a manner that doesn't involve spraying it onto the sail fabric also.

 

[roland693]

Plenty of good advice on this topic, however, we use beeswax. Most cruisers have some aboard for hand stitching anyway, so just rub the cake of wax along the luff of the sail on both sides. Oh, and be careful when dropping sails too fast if using the CDI furler as you can literally melt the luff track at the lower opening.

Regards,
Roland693
S/V M'Lady Kathleen
Coronado 41
Currently in Tyrrel Bay, Carriacou
Website: S/V M'Lady Kathleen