Vinyl slides stick on the way down. Look toward improved single handing, inexpensively. Understand low friction plastic slides might help or that longer slides or slides with a flange that bears on the outside of the mast often run a low more freely. Looking for advise. Thanks for any input. Egwahlers@aol.com
main sail slides
- Thread starter Ed Wahlers
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Sail Track Lube
Get a teflon spray to lubricate the slides and/or clean & lube the sail track with the spray lubricant. Don't use anything like WD-40 or candle wax which will adhere more dirt.
Get a teflon spray to lubricate the slides and/or clean & lube the sail track with the spray lubricant. Don't use anything like WD-40 or candle wax which will adhere more dirt.
Clean the track and lube it first.
Ed: I would have to agree that you need to clean the track first. You can get a scrubbie pad and clean the entire track. Be sure to rinse it out good too. Then spray it with McLube. If you probelm still persists, then you may want to consider new slugs. Bainbridge makes some that are supposed to be more slippery than the run of the mill ones too. You also want to besure that you halyard is the correct size. I was having some problems raising and lower my main. I went from a 1/2" to 7/16" halyard and it made all the difference in the world.
Ed: I would have to agree that you need to clean the track first. You can get a scrubbie pad and clean the entire track. Be sure to rinse it out good too. Then spray it with McLube. If you probelm still persists, then you may want to consider new slugs. Bainbridge makes some that are supposed to be more slippery than the run of the mill ones too. You also want to besure that you halyard is the correct size. I was having some problems raising and lower my main. I went from a 1/2" to 7/16" halyard and it made all the difference in the world.
Vinyl slides?
Not sure what your mainsail slides(slugs) are. Usually they are nylon. On my North main they are the standard nylon slide that fits inside the track. Probably the same Kenyon track that you have. My sail falls freely and fast on my H37C. Steve's halyard suggestion and the use of a Teflon spray could make all the difference. Also check that the sheave at the top of the mast spins freely. If the shaft and/or bearing is corroded nothing else is going to help. You can test this without going up there. Put a messenger on the halyard so you don't loose it. Add another small line to release the main once it is most of the way up. You could use a special knot or just insert the pin so it releases. Release the halyard and see if the main falls freely. If it does then you know what to fix.
Not sure what your mainsail slides(slugs) are. Usually they are nylon. On my North main they are the standard nylon slide that fits inside the track. Probably the same Kenyon track that you have. My sail falls freely and fast on my H37C. Steve's halyard suggestion and the use of a Teflon spray could make all the difference. Also check that the sheave at the top of the mast spins freely. If the shaft and/or bearing is corroded nothing else is going to help. You can test this without going up there. Put a messenger on the halyard so you don't loose it. Add another small line to release the main once it is most of the way up. You could use a special knot or just insert the pin so it releases. Release the halyard and see if the main falls freely. If it does then you know what to fix.
Over the winter...
... when you have your sail at home, inspect the slugs. Make sure they are clean and smooth. Feeling them is better than just looking at them. I sometimes take some very fine emory paper and gently sand them if I find a roughness developing. Then I spray them with a silicone or teflon spray. I also have found it helpful to spray the slugs again every few months once the sail goes back in use. Remember that nylon slugs wear out so replace any that are suspicious before the season begins.
... when you have your sail at home, inspect the slugs. Make sure they are clean and smooth. Feeling them is better than just looking at them. I sometimes take some very fine emory paper and gently sand them if I find a roughness developing. Then I spray them with a silicone or teflon spray. I also have found it helpful to spray the slugs again every few months once the sail goes back in use. Remember that nylon slugs wear out so replace any that are suspicious before the season begins.
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