w can i do to improve the profile in my wooden mast, to raise the main

trouville

trouville

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I have a wooden mast with the profile make for the rope but as i feed my main in it constently jams,same lowering i have to pull hardish to bring it down.

The sail is 30+ years old.

On the same boat but the plastic model with a tin mast the main can be rapidly raised from the cockpit by a five year old.
When comeing into port or to anchor just let go the line and the main rattels down snugly onto the boom,between lazy jacks, while the anchors thrown out,drinks put out in the cockpit in the time it takes me to get to the mast!!!!

Do i HAVE to buy an aluminium mast to enjoy such comfort??

Im going to buy new sails therefore if anything can be done i can have it done to sail mast or both.

What advise? /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif
 
Re: w can i do to improve the profile in my wooden mast, to raise the

Your old mainsail may be getting wrinkled along the luff; can you borrow a younger main and try it in your mast groove? It sounds as if the sail and mast luff groove are not well-matched. You can measure the diameter of the mast groove by wrapping paper around a twist drill so that you can hold the two ends between your fingers. Slide it inside the groove. Increase the size of drill until you can no longer get it in. The last one to slide in is the effective diameter of the groove. This is information that you can take to your sailmaker so that he can make a sail which will run freely. It probably wouldn't hurt to wrap sandpaper around a drill as you did for the measuring exercise, and run that up and down the groove to smooth the surface. Finish up by using this setup to spread powdered talc over the inside of the groove.
Peter.
 
Re: w can i do to improve the profile in my wooden mast, to raise the

really good advise ill do that but wont the talc stick with the damp? Is there any other long term lube or varnish?--but how??

I want to buy a new sail how should i specify the "rope" would wire be better,or another material?
 
Re: w can i do to improve the profile in my wooden mast, to raise the

What about planning off back of mast or routing out track then glue in filler piece and put track on then you can put slides on luff!
 
Re: w can i do to improve the profile in my wooden mast, to raise the

thats the alternative! Ive thought of doing just that! But the slides to replace it spoil the sail shape and can jam and generally be unreliable.

Has to be either the wooden mast as is or tin replacement! Nice to raise lower and reef from the cockpit though!
 
Re: w can i do to improve the profile in my wooden mast, to raise the

I should think a new sail from a good sailmaker, one who has seen the mast, should do the trick. Unless the groove is irreparably damaged.
 
Re: w can i do to improve the profile in my wooden mast, to raise the

I think that you should specify the overall diameter of the luff; leave the specification of the internal rope/wire to the sailmaker. He may well opt for a fancy non-stretch rope such as kevlar, or even fibres that I haven't heard of. That's part of his job.
Peter.
 
Re: w can i do to improve the profile in my wooden mast, to raise the

Hope so! Couldent i ask to try the sail before-------umm

So many thing i have to look for i will ?? order a brown?crosscut with full battens but standard size main one reef point? numbers sail bag and cover well i hope to the sail provider i thought of useing has vanished?? no info at all but his sale are made in Bancoch south east asia near malasia and singapor--its the drink!!
 
Re: w can i do to improve the profile in my wooden mast, to raise the

Until you get your new sail made, try some silicon spray- that works quite well on the luffs of roller furling jibs. Being a working-boat sailor I'd try tallow but that might not suit a folkboat...
 
Re: w can i do to improve the profile in my wooden mast, to raise the

Tallow!! Thats very Swedish in fact Baltic. Tallows awful stuf!! when cool its like wax but sticks to everything,there are fools that use it to stop leaks from the inside!!!!!!

Its used to lubricate as well but like fat when cold is very wax like when walm it makes fat marks,. when it drips and where it touches.
Imaging a Baltic boat arriving for winter in the med and as summer arrives haveing a rain of fat!!!

Ill go for the silicon spray?? Where can i find it? Heard of it but never used it.
 
Re: w can i do to improve the profile in my wooden mast, to raise the

There are also competent sailmakers in Hong Kong, I am told. However, if anything goes wrong with one of these sails, or it has to be re-cut, no local sailmaker will touch it. You need to be aware of this before you go to one of these outfits.
Peter.
 
Re: w can i do to improve the profile in my wooden mast, to raise the

Try the local hardware shop or diy place; I confess I can't remember where I got my current canful...wasn't that long ago I bought it either (old age already?)
 
The sail must be sticking because of an obstruction in the luff grove in the wooden mast.

Make a tool the shape of the template of the luff grove and slide this the full length of the grove till you find the obstruction.
Then use the same tool to shave the obstruction and clear it.

Course sandpaper can also be used.

A better tool could be made by welding a flat steel sheet to a short (say 4") length of round stainless rod slightly larger than the diameter of the luff of the sail.

This would give you something to run up the luff grove and again clear the obstruction.

Iain
 
Re: w can i do to improve the profile in my wooden mast, to raise the

In the UK you can silicone spray from Halfords. It's packaged as "for lubricating rubber and window channels" or something, but it works on all sorts of stuff.
Halfords is an Automotive Supplier, so you need to be looking at Car Accessory shops and car parts wholesalers.
 
Re: w can i do to improve the profile in my wooden mast, to raise the

Im going to take a metal profile with sandpaper, but then i wasent sure if i should try to varnish in the groove with 50% thined varnish. But that could make it worse??
Then ive been thinking about silicon spray and wondering how it would work with wood??Certainly the easiest to apply im going to look at the local car store!

Thanks and good sailing in the new year!!
 
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