sail slugs

[iwillmott]

I have a Hunter 40.5 which means the mast is long(high). The main is original UK sails with metal slugs and they don't travel well in the slot up or down. if I flake the main halyard out on the cockpit seat close to the stoppers it will fall okay but stops about 6 feet above the boom and I have to use the boat hook to yank it down further. Anyone have suggestions on this I have tried to lubricate with dry lubricant like sailkote etc, wonder if anyone has moved to plastic type slugs . Would like a fast track but $$$

 

[Don S/V ILLusion]

You may be able to get some marginal improvement with new slugs but the advantage of cars is easier raising and lowering plus if you get a split track, you substantially lower the stacked sail on the boom making it much easier to cover.

 

[Rich Stidger]

...... plus if you get a split track, you substantially lower the stacked sail on the boom making it much easier to cover.

OK Don, please explain to me what a split track is? I have the Strong Track system and the main does drop pretty well as long as the wind isn't behind the sail keeping it filled.

 

[onecoolair]

OK Don, please explain to me what a split track is? I have the Strong Track system and the main does drop pretty well as long as the wind isn't behind the sail keeping it filled.

Lets see two tracks up back side of mast and then every other main sail slug or car is on the opposite track. Okay now what do I win?

 

[Don S/V ILLusion]

OK Don, please explain to me what a split track is? I have the Strong Track system and the main does drop pretty well as long as the wind isn't behind the sail keeping it filled.

This is the Harken version although other mfgs make similar tracks - there are multiple pictures as you page down

http://tradeonly.harken.com/pdf/battcar-switch-productsheet-lr.pdf

Makes it easy to reach the headboard without having the reach up or climb the mast

 

[Rich Stidger]

OK, that's pretty cool. I must crawl out from under my rock occasionally- I've never seen this before now. Are the cars designed to drop to the port or stbd only, or do they drop according to the flake side of the sail?

 

[Don S/V ILLusion]

OK, that's pretty cool. I must crawl out from under my rock occasionally- I've never seen this before now. Are the cars designed to drop to the port or stbd only, or do they drop according to the flake side of the sail?

They alternate left and right assuming the sail is "trained" to do so. My experience is that I needed to "teach" the sail how to flake a few times before it did it by itself. Regardless, the stack height is halved making it much easier to reach the top without having to reach too high.

 

[iwillmott]

They alternate left and right assuming the sail is "trained" to do so. My experience is that I needed to "teach" the sail how to flake a few times before it did it by itself. Regardless, the stack height is halved making it much easier to reach the top without having to reach too high.

um That is neat Mucho coin I bet

 

[tkaser3210]

This Spring I stumbled on a solution that worked well on my H26

I cut about a 2 inch piece off an old rope I had on board. It was old enough it was very soft. It fit snugly (not tightly) in the mast track. I intended to spray this with WD-40 and run it up and down the track a couple of times to clean the track. I did this by inserting the rope piece in the track (through the mast gate) between the top and the second sail slug.

It worked so well, I left the piece in the sail track all season, and gave it a shot of WD-40 every couple of weeks.

Works like a charm!

 

[onecoolair]

This Spring I stumbled on a solution that worked well on my H26

I cut about a 2 inch piece off an old rope I had on board. It was old enough it was very soft. It fit snugly (not tightly) in the mast track. I intended to spray this with WD-40 and run it up and down the track a couple of times to clean the track. I did this by inserting the rope piece in the track (through the mast gate) between the top and the second sail slug.

It worked so well, I left the piece in the sail track all season, and gave it a shot of WD-40 every couple of weeks.

Works like a charm!

That is an excellent idea!

 

[Capt Steve]

slugs (slides)

OK, that's pretty cool. I must crawl out from under my rock occasionally- I've never seen this before now. Are the cars designed to drop to the port or stbd only, or do they drop according to the flake side of the sail?

Rich > what is the size of the slides (slugs) on the hunter 40.5 (5/8" / 3/4" or 7/8")?