Lowering mainsail solo

[Stemar]

With a down haul is there not a danger that the sail may fall part of the way a bit quicker than the operator can get the slack of the down haul in? This could lead to a loop of the line going round a spreader, decklight on the front of the mast, radar reflector etc & preventing the sail from being dropped all together.

That's one reason why my downhaul went through the eyes of a couple of sliders lower down the mast. If the line your setup needs is too thick for that, it wouldn't be hard to stitch a few rings to the luff at the distances commons sense suggests to keep the downhaul under control.

 

[bitbaltic]

What options do I have for that then? I could lubricate it, obviously. Or I just saw that there are like plastic tracks you can slide into (?) the regular track and that is supposed to help with friction? Not sure about that option, just saw it by coincidence. Doesn't seem overly expensive. Like 22quid per metre or so. Here a video:

Seems easy enough to install. But not sure if I really need that, although it would also solve the problem with the high sail track stop so I can properly fit the sailcover without having to take the slugs out everytime. (Huge PitA)

What else can I do to reduce friction so the sail just drops on its own?

The video you have found is for the tidesmarine Teflon track, which is exactly what you need. Fit it and it will massively improve mainsail handling, believe me it’s an amazing piece of kit. I’ve had it since 2013 and wouldn’t have a boat without it. The thought of having a main running in a mast slot ever again gives me the jitters.

the other friction problem is going to be your running rigging. I’d look at downsizing it all (replacing say 8mm reef lines with 6mm dyneema). Then look at things like sheaves and blocks. Although most of these things create friction when raising Maybe more than dropping the sail, so depends on what your issues are.

 

[Dutch01527]

I fitted a down haul on my hank on jib. I actually prefer the hank on to a furler because I can swop between the small self tacking jib and a Genoa easily.It works perfectly.

I suspect that a downhaul on the main might not be as easy because the downward pressure will tend to twist the slugs in the mast groove.

I could be wrong and would be interested in how it works.

 

[oldmanofthehills]

One problem is that not all boats will hove too sedately. My old ketch would not hove too steadily but would try insist on trying to turn round, my current sloop only hoves too if genoa mostly furled

We normally motor into wind to get things down quickly, but having successfully sailed the whole 60miles back from Scilly in F4 to F6, I insisted on hoving too (with no engine) to reduce sail area as getting F7 gusts but then found she forereached at apparent 3kt. Experiment showed that it needed nearly full main up to enable us to easily reduce genoa to enable mainsail to be dropped or reefed.

The air turned fairly blue around the foredeck but it gave amusement to passing larger yacht crews who correctly commented later that we seem to be have battle with sail.

I normally have to pull fairly vigorously on the main sail to get it down, even after application of silicone spray. The idea of a downhaul is good as might mean some of my effort was from cockpit but it would need lazy jacks as well else the doused sail would trail everywhere and block the helms view.

Without my dear Navigator or George the tiller pilot, life would be much more trying

 

[DangerousPirate]

The video you have found is for the tidesmarine Teflon track, which is exactly what you need. Fit it and it will massively improve mainsail handling, believe me it’s an amazing piece of kit. I’ve had it since 2013 and wouldn’t have a boat without it. The thought of having a main running in a mast slot ever again gives me the jitters.

the other friction problem is going to be your running rigging. I’d look at downsizing it all (replacing say 8mm reef lines with 6mm dyneema). Then look at things like sheaves and blocks. Although most of these things create friction when raising Maybe more than dropping the sail, so depends on what your issues are.

Oh, so you know what this is; How does the installation work? Just measure the right length and slide it in, secure it and put in the sailslugs? Or do I need to work with a grinder or something like the guy in the video did?

 

[KAM]

For single handing I prefer to leave halyard and reefing at the mast. If it's led back to the cockpit and there is a jam or tangle you'll be backwards and forwards several times. I have an old fully battened main with plastic slides in a 40 year old proctor mast. When I release the halyard the main just crashes to the deck in a few seconds. I can't understand why it would be a problem getting it down. To lower the main I let go the tiller the boat rounds up by itself, release the mainsheet, walk forward and release the halyard and the sail drops. The whole operation takes less than 10 seconds. For reefing the main still drops easily when close hauled even in gale conditions. A squirt of silicone spray at the start of the season is all it needs.

 

[dunedin]

For single handing I prefer to leave halyard and reefing at the mast. If it's led back to the cockpit and there is a jam or tangle you'll be backwards and forwards several times.

….. and for single handing I am entirely of the opposite preference. All halyards and reef lines come back to the cockpit, which avoids the need to go on deck.
The only place ever had a “jam or tangle” is if not careful enough at gradually pulling in the reef lines as the sail lowers for reefing - if lax, occasionally a loose reef line can tangle round end of boom, but entirely user error. But also much easier to see and avoid end of boom tangles when doing from the cockpit.
(And our fully battened main on Teflon sprayed cars drops down on its own)

 

[Daydream believer]

….. and for single handing I am entirely of the opposite preference. All halyards and reef lines come back to the cockpit, which avoids the need to go on deck.
The only place ever had a “jam or tangle” is if not careful enough at gradually pulling in the reef lines as the sail lowers for reefing -

I agree & if one looks at the video & the mess of lines around the mast I would not like to deal with any of that lot in a tangle & having to go on deck in a F7 to sort the mess.
Much safer in the cockpit. I have never encountered a tangle between cockpit & mast when controlling lines from aft that requires me to go forward. I do have to go to the mast to secure the head of the sail on the drop, or release it prior to hoist though & that is enough.

 

[KAM]

Slightly off topic now but if you have to put in a 3rd reef or lower the sail completely you're likely to want to tidy things up a bit so you'll have to go forward anyway so you might as well do it in one operation. Next stage is rigging the inner forestay and raising the storm jib. If you're not in practice moving about on a moving deck you will find it difficult. There are plenty of other reasons why you may have to go on deck such as a jammed roller furler. Running everything back to the cockpit means you may get out of practice and not feel comfortable working on deck. Just my opinion which is probably at odds with what most people think.

 

[Daydream believer]

Slightly off topic now but if you have to put in a 3rd reef or lower the sail completely you're likely to want to tidy things up a bit so you'll have to go forward anyway so you might as well do it in one operation. Next stage is rigging the inner forestay and raising the storm jib. If you're not in practice moving about on a moving deck you will find it difficult. There are plenty of other reasons why you may have to go on deck such as a jammed roller furler. Running everything back to the cockpit means you may get out of practice and not feel comfortable working on deck. Just my opinion which is probably at odds with what most people think.

Possibly once in 10 years (if that) against every time one reefs or hoists & drops the sails- A no brainer really, when one has enough practice putting lines & fenders ready prior to entering a port.

 

[Babylon]

For single handing I prefer to leave halyard and reefing at the mast. If it's led back to the cockpit and there is a jam or tangle you'll be backwards and forwards several times. I have an old fully battened main with plastic slides in a 40 year old proctor mast. When I release the halyard the main just crashes to the deck in a few seconds. I can't understand why it would be a problem getting it down. To lower the main I let go the tiller the boat rounds up by itself, release the mainsheet, walk forward and release the halyard and the sail drops. The whole operation takes less than 10 seconds. For reefing the main still drops easily when close hauled even in gale conditions. A squirt of silicone spray at the start of the season is all it needs.

I agree with most of this, but while my reefing is at the mast the halyard is led back to the cockpit. This is the most convenient for 90% of the time, but my boat is small and the distance between mast and cockpit is short and quick.

 

[john_morris_uk]

We have a tidesmarine Teflon track on a30ft boat with a very big mast for its length. To get the sail dropped into the stack pack all that’s required is to let off the halyard clutch, the other hand can stay on the tiller.

The main is fully battened (the expensive bit) but that’s not needed for the system to work. When we bought it (2013) the track and cars were a little less than a grand. Best money ever spent in the boat, period.

Admittedly we have a 39’ boat but we have a very similar set up. The main drops itself into the stack pack without any assistance except pushing reefing pennants and the head of the sail down into the pack. Flake the main halyard out and knock the clutch off as soon as you’re head to wind and it’s down in seconds.

 

[Stemar]

if you have to ... lower the sail completely you're likely to want to tidy things up a bit

True, but to me, the important bit is to get the sail down and secure, which lazyjacks and a downhaul take care of. I can tidy up at leisure, which may wait until I'm alongside or anchored.

I'm far too much of a pessimist to have ever been one of those (often French) people who sail up to a few feet from the pontoon and drop everything at the last minute.

 

[bitbaltic]

Oh, so you know what this is; How does the installation work? Just measure the right length and slide it in, secure it and put in the sailslugs? Or do I need to work with a grinder or something like the guy in the video did?

mine was fitted by a professional rigger, but as far as I know it’s not difficult. It just slides up (and is secure in) the profile of your mast slot. I guess it is then cut to length at the bottom where a little gate is fitted to terminate the track and retain its own slides. It’s not permanently attached to the mast (I can move mine half an inch or so, which is helpful wiggle when removing the gait to bend on or remove the sail.

I can’t see any complications regarding grinders etc but seek professional advice if in doubt!