Mainsail slides

[Terry in Naples]

Have a full battened main and doyle stack pack with lazy jacks. When lowering the main it does not fall flat as the sail slides seem to stick. I have to go up and pull the sail down at the mast. I have tried several lubricates including the dry ones you spray on but nothing seems to work very well. I saw an ad for a sail slide track that is raised up the mast that takes the place of the groove/ track that is in the mast itself. It has ball bearings i think in the slides so it should let the sail fall effortlessly. Anyone using this? Other suggestions appreciated.

 

[kappykaplan]

Are you sure the slides on the main are the correct size for your mast track?

 

[Stu Jackson]

Terry, you mean this? http://www.sailcare.com/sail-track-system.shtml

 

[Don S/V ILLusion]

There are a few iterations of the track system. The one we have had on our previous 2 boats is the Harken Battcar system which includes the track and Delrin bearing cars which effortlessly fall allowing the sail to stack neatly, usually...
I don't think you can go wrong with any of the name brands. If you choose to go that route, consider that some of the cars (slides) require minor alteration of the sail bolt to properly attach them.

 

[Gunni]

Tides Marine (StrongTrack). Simple, works great and it costs a fraction of what those over-engineered, ball-bearing systems cost. Ask someone who has Strong Track - they'll tell you (I am).

 

[Bill Roosa]

Try lowering faster and all at once. I have the full batten main and rollers in a track and it still sticks from time to time IF someone other than the First Mate or I try to lower the main. they try to "lower it gently" when all you really need to do is let go of the halyard. Also helps to be pointing into the wind +- 5 degrees
Also had an issue with the line organizers being jammed which made the whole halyard run with lots of friction.

 

[Joe]

Have you considered rigging a simple downhaul to help get the sail down? do you ease the vang and mainsheet? Actually, your problem is one of the negative aspects of fully battened mainsails. You must relieve the pressure on the slides the full length battens create from leech tension. The ball bearing luff track system is a solution.... an expensive one by the way.... but is common on catamarans, because they need the full length battens to support the huge mainsail roach.

You might also try easing the batten tension at the pocket/leech end... there is normally an adjusting cord for that purpose... I would try that before spending thousands on a roller bearing car system.

 

[rardiH36]

Rather than your slides being the problem, consider that the aft end of the battens might fall first and then sort of wedge at a downward angle which prevents the sail from collapsing totally. That is my case. I do have to go up on the deck and grab the battens (on the boom between the lazy jacks) for a shake. Then the sail continues to collapse.

 

[Allan Frey]

I've had the Tides Marine Sail Track & Slide System for 10+ years and it works well. Also put in a downhaul for the last few feet and to hold it down in storm conditions.

allan

 

[Terry in Naples]

I am going to try to loosen the battons in the pockets. I know they are tight and bind. Also attaching a downhaul do you just tie on a line at the top of the sail and then go up and pull it down the final,few feet?

 

[Joe]

Not at the very top, rather tie the downhaul to one of the upper grommets or slides with fairly small line, 3/16" perhaps. At first, I'd try running the line right alongside the track, hoping to avoid interference with the folding sail, but not binding the slide when you pull it... You'll have to experiment with angle and attachment point.... if it seems to work for you you'll most likely want to run the line back to the cockpit...and avoid going to the mast at all.

ps... I looked at the strong track system.. for $28.50 / ft it's quite a value. Seems to have a number of endorsements here.

 

[Jackdaw]

Tides Marine (StrongTrack). Simple, works great and it costs a fraction of what those over-engineered, ball-bearing systems cost. Ask someone who has Strong Track - they'll tell you (I am).

+2 to Strong Track.

On both our boats and would never go back. Extra plus; you can reef while sailing downwind. Try that with slugs.

 

[Terry in Naples]

Did anyone of you using this system install it yourself? I am mostly concerned with the attachments of the slides to the mainsail at the batons. Mine are cylindrical rods that screw into the housings fastened to the sail. Other than that it looks pretty simple. I have a standard rig catalina 34. The directions on line were good.

 

[PKFK]

I installed the Tides marine system myself on my Ticon 30. It was a piece of cake to install - excellent instructions and easy to do. To quote my old physics prof - installation was only a "one beer problem". !

The system works like greased lightning - mainsail goes up and down super fast and easy. I give the system a 10/10 for value, ease of use, and ease of installation.

// Paul

 

[bananabender56]

++strong track. Have it on a 72 foot mast with fully battened main. If you let go of the halyard the sail drops ( mostly) into the stack pack.

 

[All U Get]

Have you cleaned the sail track? I used a rag with a line for a downhaul and halyard to run it up. Stuff an old piece of line inside the rag so it stays in the track.

BTW I have the tides and with a new sail I have to pull the last few feet into the sailpack.

All U Get

 

[woodster]

what is wrong with a down haul for the main

 

[Terry in Naples]

I have tried to set up a down haul on the main but have had no luck. Slides still stick,and just jam when i try to pull down with it.,tried several variations. Looked at several books on this and searched the net. Not having any luck. I am going to try the tides sail,track system i think.

 

[rardiH36]

I also have a full battened main. And lazy jacks. Standard slugs for slides.

The sail goes up the sail track fine. At it falls fine ... About 2/3's of the way usually. Then further collapsing stops without my intervention.

For me it's not the slides that cause the hang-up. Instead the rear ends of the full length battens tend to fall first creating a downward angle from mast towards aft. Then the ends wedge on the already collapsed sail material. I need to grab the wedged aft ends along the leach, lift up, and shake. The sail then continues to collapse freely with no need to haul down on the luff. (Except for the last 7-8 feet or so when the remaining sail's weight isn't enough to overcome the friction of the halyard sheaves and the like.

In my case, I really don't think that any bearing assisted type of sail slide will make much difference. I would still have to move to my cabin top ... which I need to do anyway for various end-of-sail tasks. So no big deal for me.

Just thought to mention and suggest that before deciding on whether to change out your existing slugs/slides, you might first observe your boat's end batten behaver next time you douse.

 

[Terry in Naples]

This is what is happening on my sail too. Batton ends fall quicker and jam. Many times it really makes little difference but in a blow and bumpy seas when you need the sail down and do not want to go up on top to,pull,them back and wrestle it down , especially if you are 70 yrs old, it would be great to release the halyard and have the main fall thru the lazy jacks into the doyle stack pack. This is what other sailors say the new track will do., i have been sailing for 40 years but this is my first full batten main and it has its quirks.