mainsail raising issues - friction etc

[PetiteFleur]

I had the same problem on my previous boat, a Jaguar 27 with a fully battened mainsail. I talked to a local sailmaker and he fitted new sliders - they were black plastic and larger than the original standard white plastic ones. They transformed the sail raising and lowering - easily raised by hand and when the halyard released the sail just dropped!
The sailmaker was Parker and Kay(now called One Sails I think) at Suffolk Yacht Harbour.
And he also connected the sail to the slider with a loop of webbing.

 

[Mrnotming]

+1 PRV Make an outlet about 1.9M up the sidewall of the mast for the halyard fall, allowing one person to haul downwards.The rest is led as usual via the mast foot turing block etc.All the OP's tips are a great help in tracking down where the friction is causing difficulty.I use furniture spray Mr. Sheen. (wrapped pencil in J cloth for the groove.On changing an Oceanis 41.1 to bat cars and full length linked battens, de-powering the main was not an option anymore, and in white sails racing,became scary due to the impossibility of scandalising the sail, even with kicker off.Running up another's rump was distinctly possible!

 

[wilkinsonsails]

I have often been asked to check out this problem..
one of the first things I do is remove the headboard slider from the mast and try a hoist without it .
The jack knife effect of that slide tilting ,is sufficient to cause a jamb ,if that slider had wheels to take the bearing it will slide much better.See Rutgertson intermediate sliders or specific head board attached sliders to cure it if it's that that is causing it.As others have said a dry Teflon or Mac lube will help enormously .Also make sure sail is flapping with no drive to weight it .Motor head to wind ?
Cindy

 

[lw395]

I have often been asked to check out this problem..
one of the first things I do is remove the headboard slider from the mast and try a hoist without it .
The jack knife effect of that slide tilting ,is sufficient to cause a jamb ,if that slider had wheels to take the bearing it will slide much better.See Rutgertson intermediate sliders or specific head board attached sliders to cure it if it's that that is causing it.As others have said a dry Teflon or Mac lube will help enormously .Also make sure sail is flapping with no drive to weight it .Motor head to wind ?
Cindy

Good point.

I'd start by taking the sail out of the equation altogether, tie a rope to the halyard and check the halyard system is free.

Sometimes, a little bit of friction can pull a slide out of line, then it multiplies the friction...

 

[Birdseye]

Obviously eliminating friction is the place to start but don't under estimate the weight of a fully battened mainsail. We had a new main this year which was a weight up in cloth and has an extra batten compared to the old one. The boat is 33 ft with Selden roller cars and judging by the way the sail rattles down, friction is not an issue. However, whereas both my son and I could pull up the old sail virtually to the top, even my son, whose a lot fitter than me, now struggles. Are you able to lift it easily when it's in the bag which will also be without the battens?

Fair point. I struggle to lift and carry my main when its in a sail bag. And thats not fully battened and the boat is 35ft.

 

[niccapotamus]

I'd just like to thank everyone for their help.

Mostly we are in agreement that it should go up (mostly) relatively easy so I've got issues that need sorting. And now I have an idea of a logical way of going about problem solving. Also like the idea of a ptfe piece of sailcloth or whatever run up the track

nick

 

[William_H]

Just a few other thoughts. The headboard often has alternative points to attach the halyard. Use the point closest to the luff to avert pulling the headboard at an angle.
The speed or ease which the main sail drops might also indicate where the problem lies.
If all else fails the idea of a halliard exit well up from the mast base allows easy downward pull on the halyard and removes friction of a few turning blocks from the path. This is how larger boats get one person or more to raise a sail. good luck olewill

 

[lpdsn]

I'd just like to thank everyone for their help.

Mostly we are in agreement that it should go up (mostly) relatively easy so I've got issues that need sorting. And now I have an idea of a logical way of going about problem solving. Also like the idea of a ptfe piece of sailcloth or whatever run up the track

nick

What diameter halyard do you have?

 

[KenMcCulloch]

We are having a new main built this winter and have been persuaded by our sailmaker (Owen Sails) to install a Tides Marine Sailtrack system which uses an external plastic track and stainless steel slides. If it lives up to expectations we will be able to easily reef downwind as well as the geriatric owners being able to hoist the sail with minimum stress.

I will report on the benefits and limitations in due course.

 

[wilkinsonsails]

I have Tides marine tracks on both my masts and the joy of watching that sail slide down into the lazy jacks still hasn't worn off yet.
Cindy

 

[Phoenix of Hamble]

I have Tides marine tracks on both my masts and the joy of watching that sail slide down into the lazy jacks still hasn't worn off yet.
Cindy

How easy are they to fit Cindy?