Full batten slide question

[Roger Long]

I had a new 2 + 2 main built last year and the sailmaker put bronze slides on the two full length upper battens due to the compression. From what I have observed, their extra strength is necessary.

All was fine for the first half of the season until the 7/8" flat slides started jambing in the track. These were complete freeze up but only happened in dead calms. With any wind or flogging, there was no problem.

I built this track lubricator:

http://home.roadrunner.com/~rlma/TrackLube.htm

which solved the problem for a while. I had to use it with increasing frequency ending up almost weekly by the end of the season.

I plan to buy a couple extra slides and round and polish them to jewel like smoothness over the winter but I'm wondering if there is a better answer. I don't want to put in one of the replacement track systems because of cost and additional weight aloft on a rather tender boat that is already carrying the extra weight of a set of blue water weight sails.

 

[All U Get]

Wow Roger,
Same issue for me, full battens that get stuck coming down. That idea is just like Red Green, welcome to Possum Lodge. Made in Maine, too.
Do you mind if I copy it?
All U Get

 

[sailingdog]

Keeping the track clean and lubricated with something like McLube SailCote would help. Using other lubricants can often work for a short while then make the problem worse as they attract dirt and gum up the track.

An easier way to apply the SailCote is to use a piece of Scotchbrite pad/sponge that is folded and attached to two sail slugs... soak the sponge part with SailCote, stuff it in the track, and run it up and down a few times. My friend took this one step further and left it in the track, between the top two slugs on her mainsail and so it scrubs and cleans the track every time the sail is hoisted.

Another option is to machine the slides a bit and add a thin layer of Delrin nylon or some other hard slippery material to the slides to help them slide more easily.

 

[Roger Long]

Another option is to machine the slides a bit and add a thin layer of Delrin nylon or some other hard slippery material to the slides to help them slide more easily.

Can you provide instructions or a link to how to do this?

 

[Roger Long]

That idea is just like Red Green, welcome to Possum Lodge.

Red Green is my hero. See here:

http://home.roadrunner.com/~rlma/ST1000mods.htm

feel free to copy anything you want (except my boat designs).

 

[Tim R.]

Scotchbrite is good. I only have plastic slugs but they used to be very difficult to raise. Every spring I clean the mast using a scotchbrite cut out to fit the track. I do this dry. It loosens up any crust that I blow out with canned air. I then lube with Mclube. It lasts all season(6 1/2 Mo.) Maine Sail can tell you how easy it is to raise my main now.

Excuse my ignorance but what is Red Green?

 

[Roger Long]

Scotchbrite and one Mclube application worked all season for me as well until the bronze slides on the new main.

Red Green is a character on the "Red Green Show" that used to appear on PBS. He comes up with all sorts of Rube Goldberg inventions to solve problems. I don't think it's still on the Maine PBS station but if you see it or DVD's of it, don't miss it.

 

[Don12364]

It is a Mechanical Design Problem

It is a mechanical design problem which lubrication will alleviate but not cure.
Whilst hoisting, full battens press into the mast and normal sliders do not resist this force. Normally sail sliders are designed to resist an outwards pull towards the rear of the mast.
If the slides are metal there is also the risk of stripping the anodizing off the aft face of the luff groove and galling will result.
A better solution is to fit a special slider with balls or wheels which run on the rear face of the mast and have a slug inside the mast too. These have a socket into which the forward end of the batten fits.
Rutgerson made mine but Harken et al also make them.
Not cheap though!

 

[All U Get]

Nicely done Roger,
Your auto-pilot venture explains why we thought we were getting mooned, I wish the picture had come out. Maybe it wasn't you, no matter. Keep your stick on the ice.
All U Get