Sail Lubricant…

[Refueler]

Old thread - but relevant for my present situation.

The Self Tacker has a 'tight' fit to furler groove and the start of the bolt rope has frayed material. Strange as the sail looks unused.

We kept finding it stop at about halfway mark .. and we didn't want to apply too much via the winch to get it fully up.

Dragged it back down .... tried halyard swivel without sail and it slid up easy as anything ... so obviously sail in slot problem.

We suspect that winter crud has collected ...

Out with the dishwasher fluid ... liberally spread over the first foot of sail bolt rope and inserted into groove ... winched her up and she passed the 1/2way mark a bit easier - but still a lot of effort to get her hoisted ...

Later we will drop the sail and sort some cleaning of the grooves - its a double groove Furlex 2000.

 

[Daydream believer]

I clean the groove in a way similar to the above..

I just find a bit of rope, about six inches long, that will fit into the groove. Fold an old tea towel in half over it and slide the part with the wrapped bit of rope into the groove. With a halyard attached to the top of the tea towel and a downhaul tied to the bottom corners... Firstly a soapy tea towel can be used followed by a ptfe lubricant (McLube sailkote) sprayed one...

Quicker to do than to describe!

(Note... We do have a big supply of tea towels on board).

Link the uphaul halyard & the downhaul with a short line in case the tea towel rips & leaves your jib halyard up the mast

 

[Slowtack]

Dry PTFE..

 

[johnalison]

McLube is really the bees' knees of dry lubricants and seems far better than the PTFE sprays I have found. Although expensive, it seems to last longer and I use it on zips, the main track and the groove for the sprayhood which is otherwise very tricky.

 

[thinwater]

I suggest making a groove cleaner from a 2-foot length of old bolt rope. Put a grommet in each end. Haul it up and down a few times each season (halyard on top, halyard tail on the bottom) as needed, with solvent or cleaner, and then with McLube. It is so easy you'll actually do it. A clean groove solves a lot of problems.

Sometimes adding some toweling to the bolt rope helps the fit, but don't get it too tight. I like it fast an easy fit. Play with it. Make one for the mainsail too.

 

[thinwater]

Just saw this. No idea, not recommending, but could work.
MastLube Cleans and Lubricates your Sailboat Mast

Also this.
Practical Sailor image

 

[kacecar]

I’m having some difficulty hoisting my Genoa on to the roller reefing furling forestay. Would someone kindly recommend some sort of lubricant for the sail and or groove of the forestay. I was thinking some sort of silicone spray. Thanks

The people that made my mainsail (a well known south-coast company) recommended I use a readily available spray lubricant called GT-85, marketed as chain lube for motorcycles and available from places like Halfords. They said they get through many, many cans of it. They also said avoid any lubricant with silicone in it as, in salty damp air, it becomes sticky - there's no silicone in GT-85. I've used it on my genoa and mainsail tracks ever since - the mainsail track getting one thorough (top to bottom) and at least one cursory (what I can reach from the deck) treatment each season. Seems to do the job OK.

 

[B27]

GT85 is fairly good stuff.
But it does contain silicone.
We use silicone spray on dinghy spinnakers

For sail tracks a cheap wax furniture polish from an aerosol can, like Tesco's own brand is very effective
For some things, you can soak the rope or sail cloth in it.

I suspect debating the best lubricant/cleaner is missing the point, any is generally better than none.

 

[Refueler]

I asked the Sailmaker I was with today collecting sail batten material ... and he advised Auto Shop's Car door spray - the stuff we use to stop the doors sticking in winter ... I mentioned that is based on silicon ....

He said - OK - but how much are you going to spray on ??