bignick
Well-Known Member
I’ve read a number of articles recommending that cleaning the mast track is much more effective than putting more and more gunk on the slides.
Flaking a sail single handed.
- Thread starter fredrussell
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Poignard
Well-Known Member
I am sure you're right but do you know of any effective way of doing it without either climbing the mast or having the mast down?
bignick
Well-Known Member
Yes - get a short length of bolt rope, put an eyelet in either end so you can attach it to a halyard and to a down haul, then put it in the slot with a microfibre cloth around it.
I will see if I can find the articles.
I will see if I can find the articles.
DFL1010
Well-Known Member
Usual method is to get a bit of luff groove tape and send that up on the halyard.
(n.b. also rig a downhaul to get it back. Yes, I've seen it happen)
Poignard
Well-Known Member
I should have said that I have an external track, with slides.
bignick
Well-Known Member
Cleaning the mainsail mast track
The Do-it-Yourself Sail Track Cleaner - Practical Sailor
@moderators - if I’m not allowed to link to other magazines then please let me know and I’ll remove it.
The Do-it-Yourself Sail Track Cleaner - Practical Sailor
@moderators - if I’m not allowed to link to other magazines then please let me know and I’ll remove it.
bignick
Well-Known Member
not quite sure whether you’re talking about internal slides or external cars. Have you a pic?
Poignard
Well-Known Member
Internal plastic slides.
I'll see if I can find a picture.
bignick
Well-Known Member
If it’s an internal track then the bolt rope / luff tape method should work.
LONG_KEELER
Well-Known Member
I wonder at what stage sail slides and slugs need to be renewed.
Perhaps due to wear they become semi jammed , particularly under pressure.
They are cheap to renew so I might as well do it at the same time as cleaning the track. I will also inspect the batten cars closely.
Perhaps due to wear they become semi jammed , particularly under pressure.
They are cheap to renew so I might as well do it at the same time as cleaning the track. I will also inspect the batten cars closely.
DangerousPirate
Well-Known Member
That .. is ingenius. Snap a pic for us.
Neil
Well-Known Member
When I renewed my sails, the slugs were too big for the track. They sent smaller ones but they were a little too small, with the result that they could tilt in the track which I'm sure made things worse than the original sized ones.
Saltram31
Well-Known Member
What I have found,it was marketed by North Sails Lazy Mate system,years back. Probably found "Stack packs" more profitable.
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DangerousPirate
Well-Known Member
Still a unique solution. Does it work well in praxis?
justanothersailboat
Well-Known Member
Flakes? Cadbury's 99 
More seriously: when actually lowering sail - bundled very roughly with two bungees. Then sort it out later when stopped, when I can do a good job without worry.
Slot cleaning / clearing - is pretty important; I made an acetal plastic "slug" that I can haul up and down that clears coarser debris very well, but the one bignick linked would be better for general cleaning.
More seriously: when actually lowering sail - bundled very roughly with two bungees. Then sort it out later when stopped, when I can do a good job without worry.
Slot cleaning / clearing - is pretty important; I made an acetal plastic "slug" that I can haul up and down that clears coarser debris very well, but the one bignick linked would be better for general cleaning.
LadyInBed
Well-Known Member
I think it would work well with full length battens.