Main Sail sticks

[Okiesaylor]

I'm sure this has been asked before. When I or the Admiral hoists the main, it goes up nicely except for the last 1 - 2 feet. It is a battle to get that last bit raised. I have disconnected the halyard and ran that up the mast just to be sure there is nothing going on inside the mast. Any ideas?

 

[Bilbo]

1)Can you get that halyard back down?

2)Are the winds up and you're not pointing the boat into the wind?

3)Watch the sail tracks as you're raising the main. Are any of them catching or broken.

4)Maybe the sail track slot is clogged with something?

 

[Okiesaylor]

1) Hahahaha! Fortunately I attached a light line to it first!
2) Nothing in the track. Yes, dead into the wind.
I bought a dry lubricant from west marine today. I'm gonna try that this weekend.

 

[agprice22]

Do you have your downhaul, mainsheet, cunningham, and reefing lines loose? I have caught myself fighting one of those before. Once I loosen it, the sail goes up fine.

Thanks,

Andrew

 

[OldCat]

Do you have your downhaul, mainsheet, cunningham, and reefing lines loose? I have caught myself fighting one of those before. Once I loosen it, the sail goes up fine.

:+1:

Last time for me it was the reefing line

OC

 

[watercolors II]

The sail slot in the mast may be damaged and not allowing the sail slugs to slide freely in that area of the mast.

 

[Okiesaylor]

All lines loose. I never drop the mast (it stays in a slip at the marina) so I don't think the mast slot is damaged. It seems like if I raise it as far as it will go, take a break and let it relax, it will go up the rest of the way. No, its not because I needed the break! I have learned to keep the motor running and in gear, pointed into the wind, until the sails are ready. This problem was not there three months ago.

 

[jimoc]

other possibilities: Halyard around backstay, most likely, mainsheet not loose.

 

[Chris Patterson]

I'll bet those slugs are jamming up in the slot. Lube them.

 

[Bilbo]

I'll bet those slugs are jamming up in the slot. Lube them.

I would also look to that issue. There is something that can be bought specifically for this but I've had luck with the sort of thing that is used to wax zippers. Available in sporting goods areas.

 

[Ken]

Lights in the marina?

If you never drop the mast how do you know the track doesn't have a blockage?
Sorry but your going to have to drop it to be sure it's free, positive my old tired eyes couldn't see twenty five feet into a mast track.

Maybe you said and I missed it, does your main have slugs? Or bolt rope?

Where am I going? Spiders and wasp! Years ago I had a very similar problem, when I finally found it, it was crud built up in the top two feet of the mast track, once freed of the crud problem was solved.

Sounds like its time to drop and clean the track.

 

[Bilbo]

We get those mud or paper wasps around here. Those nests can stop a sail slug cold.

 

[Roger Long]

I bought a dry lubricant from west marine today. I'm gonna try that this weekend.

Try it this way:

http://www.cruisingonstrider.us/TrackLube.htm

 

[Chris Patterson]

Dang Roger, that is pretty slick. Pretty slick, get it? Ok, ok.

Cool engineering Rog..

 

[Bilbo]

Lights in the marina?

If you never drop the mast how do you know the track doesn't have a blockage?....

One way that might help is to take a picture with a decent Dig. camera zoomed in. Then on the computer, one can zoom in even further. It may not be fool-proof but you may find something.

 

[kito]

I had this problem just this last Friday. I have my main halyard running back to the starboard cabin top rope clutch. It was coming up 2 foot short when pulling on the halyard sheet. Not until I pulled directly on the wire section of the halyard did it finally break free. I imagine those slugs act like snow plows and pushes all the dirt, bugs etc. to the top of the slot and clogs it up.

 

[Okiesaylor]

Okay, got it fixed! The sail track lube did the trick! Also lubed the jib furler and believe it or not the main halyard. Everything works like new now. Thanks for all the great ideas!