Cleaning Mainsail Track.

ferrispeterchris

ferrispeterchris

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Bangor, County Down
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I bought a Hunter Europa earlier this year and when preparing her I neglected to check the Mainsail Track for gunge. The previous owner didn't use the sails! (sacrilige) and used her as a mobo. Over the season I have had difficulties getting the Mainsail the whole way up, I ran it up a few times and squirted silicon spray over the luff but as we lift out next week I would like to clean the track properly. What is the recommended way? Many thanks, Peter.
 
People have their own preferred methods, according to the track size and shape, but they all seem to involve some sort of pull through. if you have the mast down for the winter, then access is much easier and you can scrub by hand rather than drawing something up and down by halyard and downhaul. Some cut a bit of non-scratch scourer to fit or maybe an awning track brush as sold for caravans. You don't really want to scour through the anodising, so gentle persistent work with plenty of soapy water should shift the gunk, After rinsing, it can be treated with furniture polish to give it a little more glide without leaving a sticky deposit which would hold a fresh load of gunk.

Once you find a successful method for yourself, add it to your maintenance schedule for both the mainsail track and the furliner groove.

Rob.
 
I made a pull through type using a short piece of braid on braid , say 8in long , sew a strong loop in each end one for up hall , other for down , braid wants to be a snug fit for track, then just pick away at braid, pulling strands and cutting eventually will look like big pipe cleaner, soak in soapy water then haul up and down. Worked a treat for me 2or 3 times a season, certainly could tell it had been cleaned when hauling main. Do not forget to attach down haul.
 
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