Sticky Headsail

[markleuty]

Hi

We have a roller furling headsail and it's a complete nightmare job hauling it up. It's really really stiff and requires massive effort at the winch to get it all the way to the top.

Any ideas on how/what we need to clean to get it a bit easier?

On the main we use teflon grease on the runners and it's a one handed job. But I don't fancy using grease on the headsail as it might get a load of dirt into the fibres of the sail and make it even more tricky...

Thanks

Mark

 

[BlueChip]

You can get proprietary sail lube sprays, or just as good and much cheaper get a PTFE spray aerosol from Screwfix. I use it on all our moving parts, such as travellers, blocks and sail slides.
Its amazing the diference it makes, I reckon that after use the effort required to hoist the sails is halved. Its non staining and colourless. One can lasts a couple of seasons.
Of course your problem with the headsail may be caused by wear in the foil sections joins, allowing the sections to twist slightly so the slot doesnt quite line up.

 

[Clyde_Wanderer]

Hi Mark, and welcome to the forum.
You dont say what make the system is.
Has it got pvc liners in the foils? if so you should check the condition of them, ie are the inner surfaces rough or scored, are they out of alignment with each other.
Check the bolt rope on the luff, is it all crinckled, or frayed, you could take it out and clean it and apply something like glycerene to make it a little more slippery. Are you sure that the halyard is running freely on the sheaf at the mast head and not binding on anything, you could test this by attaching a weight to its lower end and try hoisting it.
Also check the halyard swivel unit which slides up down the foil and carries the top of the foresail up with the halyard, make sure it is rotating freely and sliding up down without jamming, you could also attach a weight to the bottom of it and try hoisting the weight, then you would be able to eliminate if it was the bolt rope slider liners, bolt rope, fault.
Hope this gives you some ideas to start,

 

[Goldie]

Get a sailmaker to make up a short length of bolt rope with enough sail cloth attached to put eyes in (one at each end) and then attach a halyard and a line to use as a downhaul. Haul the thing up and down a few times to clean out the groove, wipe the bolt rope clean and then if you wish, spray it with PTFE (or similar) and repeat. Cleans things up a treat!

 

[markleuty]

Perfect! Thank you. We'll have a go at that...

Mark

 

[wingdiver]

Our rigger used Maclube on everything (well - almost! /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif). Seems to be a grease free lubricant.

 

[BobE]

Rocol dry film PTFE lube is, I think, as good as the Maclube stuff.

Can be bought from Cromwell tools in Southampton...and probably elsewhere

Or even try this other brand item....

http://www.cromwell.co.uk/SOL7320740K

Cheers 'n good luck Bob E....

 

[captainslarty]

Also, consider the cheapo cockpit cleaners etc for cars, like back to black, silicone based, dirt cheap, does the job, useful for anything that needs lubricating , will not stain etc.
Joe

 

[MarkGrubb]

I rubbed some bee wax on mine and it seemed to do the trick.

 

[BrokerBen]

Rub a bar of soap up the track/foil if you can, does the job /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

Have somebody feed the bolt rope into the foil as it goes ensuring a straight run, that also makes a huge difference.

Ask a local sailmaker to confirm the bolt rope and foil are of a suitable size for one another. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

I had a large genoa rip so I thought no worries I'll bung up my number 2... which turned out to have a bolt rope of about 7mm which didn't fit my profurl 5mm foil /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

 

[BobE]

Looking back at this thread.... I just wonder how often you take the genoa down..
Mine has no sunstrip but a kinda sock with a zip and tensioning line which is hauled up over the genoa when in port (using the spinnaker halyard)... Of course the genoa halyard is eased a lot so the luff tape is not distorted when not in use..
So up and down once or just maybe twice a season??
Works for me ( sofar) /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
Finaly I trust you are using a feeder??
Cheers again Bob E...

 

[Sheff]

Don't think anyone has mentioned this but, are you sure the bolt rope and furling gear are compatible? There are different sizes used by different manufacturers.

 

[markleuty]

Thank you for all your help. I will have a look into all these suggestions when I'm next down at the boat.

Mark