Lanolin?

[nordic]

Anybody know a source of small quantities of lanolin for lubricating sail tracks without damaging the sail? (apart from the little lambs gambolling about the fields these days!!)

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[sailorman]

try silicone spray, not cheap but clean & works well. also good for blocks sheaves ect

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[tome]

Larger branches of Boots stock it in small tubs, that's where I buy it.

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[jerryat]

Hi Nordic,

I use an ordinary wax candle with the end formed into a tenon (as in mortise and tenon) which is inserted into the groove and run up and down the track. It works brilliantly and virtually eliminates friction in the luff. Ideally it should be re-applied once during the season, though this isn't essential. Doesn't stain the sail cloth and is very cheap. Have used silicon spray, which does put a certain amount on the inside of the track, but overall found no improvement, so reverted to the simple method! I suspect the wax provides a 'harder', longer lasting finish than silicon, but that's probably just my fancy!

Hope this helps!

Good sailing!

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[nordic]

Thanks for the advice - will try Boots first as Lanolin was recommended in a book I read. The candle trick might work also. The advice was to soak a pad in lanolin and wedge it between two luff sliders, hoist and lower and the job is done! Knowing my luck the pad will stick in the track and jam the whole works, but I'll give it a try.

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[LORDNELSON]

Boots in my town do not stock Lanolin, however I found one of the smaller chemists stocked small pots of it, I use it for greasing shackles, rigging screws etc. For sail tracks I would go for one of the teflon sprays now available in chandlers and simular shops

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[wiggy]

Baldwins chemist on line, they are london based.

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[MIKE_MCKIE]

I use candle wax in mast groove, boom groove & roller reefing foil groove. Works a treat, cheap & lasts a whole season. Only drawback can be going up the mast, but I have also rubbed the luff rope on the genoa & the sliders on the main with wax & it seems to work just as well.
brgds
Mike

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