How to lubricate plastic sail track without going aloft

[BrianH]

(to anyone questioning in-boom furling - it really is magic, particularly the ability to furl easily and to wherever you wish and to be able to change that easily. On the wind you can sail by the jib and raise/lower the main by just freeing it off. Unlike in-mast furling if anything should go wrong you can always drop the main conventionally.)

Andrew, I have been down this route on these fora many times before and got the impression I am talking into a strong wind - there are just too many in-mast die-hards here. Like you, I was not prepared to risk a jam in a rising gale but everyone here will tell you they don't happen.

Good luck and fair winds. B.

 

[Daydream believer]

(to anyone questioning in-boom furling - it really is magic, particularly the ability to furl easily and to wherever you wish and to be able to change that easily. On the wind you can sail by the jib and raise/lower the main by just freeing it off. Unlike in-mast furling if anything should go wrong you can always drop the main conventionally.)

How do you keep tension on the leech to stop it running towards the gooseneck & causing a baggy sail when you need a fairly flat shape?

 

[charles_reed]

Why not spray the luff of the sail rather than the track?

Is silicone the best choice or would a ptfe spray be better?

I'd agree with VicS, a silicon lubricant is bad news on a sail-track (I've had a similar application forthe last 20 years with a fully battened main).
I use a dry PTFE lubricant - though it means renewing half-way through the season it doesn't produce the gluey, mess that you have to clean off after applying silicone.

 

[Boathook]

I use Mr Sheen furniture polish (other brands may be suitable) spraying the slides as I haul the sail up for the first time each year. If the sail get's sticky during the season I just repeat.

 

[lw395]

I'd agree with VicS, a silicon lubricant is bad news on a sail-track (I've had a similar application forthe last 20 years with a fully battened main).
I use a dry PTFE lubricant - though it means renewing half-way through the season it doesn't produce the gluey, mess that you have to clean off after applying silicone.

I don't recognise this 'sticky mess'.
We commonly spray spinnakers with silicone aerosol, it makes them water repellent and slippery.
I've used many different brands, usually whatever comes cheap, currently using Wurth.

 

[charles_reed]

I don't recognise this 'sticky mess'.
We commonly spray spinnakers with silicone aerosol, it makes them water repellent and slippery.
I've used many different brands, usually whatever comes cheap, currently using Wurth.

Might be OK on spinnakers - but not on luff grooves. The sticky mess is a mix of salt crystals and plain dirt. Perhaps you didn't recognise the OPs original question.
Whilst McLube is well recognised I've bought very much more economical generic PTFE, usually under the Henkel label.

 

[Andrew G]

How do you keep tension on the leech to stop it running towards the gooseneck & causing a baggy sail when you need a fairly flat shape?

There are number of factors. The sail has to be cut so that the battens are parallel to the boom as they roll in. The position of the topping lift (ie the angle of the boom to the mast) is critical (I have marks on mine) so that, as it rolls in, the bolt rope of each successive roll sits just aft of (NOT on top of) its predecessor. This way it doesn’t bulk up and stop rolling – nor does it march too far aft moving the sail too far from the gooseneck (and risking pulling it out of the track). Fully rolled my 13m luff is only ~250mm from the mast.
The boom is quite heavy ~80kg (including sail) so this, the topping lift, sheet, traveller position, boom vang and mast bend (via multi-purchase backstay) give me great control. The sail shape is better, at any degree of reef, than any I’ve seen on conventional systems. This is a pic of her reefed down (just before dark on a 350 Nm trip across the Gulf of Carpentaria - single handed, mostly hand steering – I wanted a safe ride but still averaged 6.6 kts. This pic is in 20+ knots but only 4 Nm offshore). You can see that the sail is nice and flat - and I assure you I hadn't taken any particular care. Andrew



View attachment 39756

 

[BrianH]

There are number of factors. The sail has to be cut so that the battens are parallel to the boom as they roll in. The position of the topping lift (ie the angle of the boom to the mast) is critical (I have marks on mine) so that, as it rolls in, the bolt rope of each successive roll sits just aft of (NOT on top of) its predecessor. This way it doesn’t bulk up and stop rolling – nor does it march too far aft moving the sail too far from the gooseneck (and risking pulling it out of the track). Fully rolled my 13m luff is only ~250mm from the mast.
The boom is quite heavy ~80kg (including sail) so this, the topping lift, sheet, traveller position, boom vang and mast bend (via multi-purchase backstay) give me great control. The sail shape is better, at any degree of reef, than any I’ve seen on conventional systems. This is a pic of her reefed down (just before dark on a 350 Nm trip across the Gulf of Carpentaria - single handed, mostly hand steering – I wanted a safe ride but still averaged 6.6 kts. This pic is in 20+ knots but only 4 Nm offshore). You can see that the sail is nice and flat - and I assure you I hadn't taken any particular care. Andrew

View attachment 39756

Your link did not work for me.

I'm surprised you use a topping lift - I have a rigid under-boom strut, it keeps the boom at the critical 88° to the mast at any angle of sheeting.

 

[Andrew G]

Is this better?
View attachment 39760

Re the picture -it was just on sunset with 30+kts forecast so I had reefed early and very hard - but you can see how well the sail sets. The pic was taken from a 53' Oyster that I had kept pace with until dark - they were 2 up.
I have a rigid strut but tend to use it only as a boom vang - not to help furl etc. I will give it a try. Cheers. A

 

[BrianH]

Is this better?
View attachment 39760

Re the picture -it was just on sunset with 30+kts forecast so I had reefed early and very hard - but you can see how well the sail sets. The pic was taken from a 53' Oyster that I had kept pace with until dark - they were 2 up.
I have a rigid strut but tend to use it only as a boom vang - not to help furl etc. I will give it a try. Cheers. A

Yep, that works. Now that's what I call a deep reef. Great picture.

 

[lw395]

Might be OK on spinnakers - but not on luff grooves. The sticky mess is a mix of salt crystals and plain dirt. Perhaps you didn't recognise the OPs original question.
Whilst McLube is well recognised I've bought very much more economical generic PTFE, usually under the Henkel label.

That's why I use the polish and rag approach, instead of just spraying stuff on, it removes the dirt instead of just adding to it.
Surprising how much dirt finds its way into the groove.

 

[oldaljones]

I have found the easiest way is with orginary furniture polish (pledge or similar) the kind that foams up when you spray it
spray it into the track above the sail when you hoist the sail it will push a slug of foam in front there by lubricateing the track it works believe me and is cheaper than all this technical stuff but dont tell SWMBO!!