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Sail slides and track

PostPosted: Tue Jun 24, 2014 10:51 am
by kilderkin
I dry-rigged Kilderkin II on her trailer before her launch, and have problems with the mainsail slides binding on the track. This makes it very difficult to raise the mainsail, even worse trying to drop it. So far I've tried dry-lube, sanding the track, moving the track off the mast (a washer), grinding the slide edges a little (don't want them sharp). All to no avail.

Initial thoughts:

Use brass track (stainless on stainless may not be the best)
Replace sliders with nylon
Replace sliders with rings that go around the mast (cool!)

Note - this is really just a problem for the mast track - the yard is easier to manage as it's in hand when rigging.

Grateful for all and any ideas....

SteveW
Kilderkin II

Re: Sail slides and track

PostPosted: Tue Jun 24, 2014 12:11 pm
by John C. Harris
Paraffin wax has always worked for me on this style of track.

Re: Sail slides and track

PostPosted: Tue Jun 24, 2014 5:18 pm
by kilderkin
Thanks for input

Any old candle wax, or should I go with the "Health Team Paraffin Wax Beads Wintergreen Scent" from Walgreens? :D :D :D

Re: Sail slides and track

PostPosted: Tue Jun 24, 2014 5:49 pm
by Shudoman
It's always interesting that people building the same thing can have such different experiences. I had wax and sail lube at the ready but when I tested raising my sails it didn't have any binding problems.

Re: Sail slides and track

PostPosted: Tue Jun 24, 2014 9:12 pm
by captain charlie
After a year's sailing, I haven't had any problems with the track sticking or binding. I do know that in raising the main, you have to keep the gaff at about a 45 degree angle, moving the main on the track up a bit then doing the same with the gaff; otherwise it will bind. You have to sort of experiment with keeping that angle just right. Hope this helps, captain charlie

Re: Sail slides and track

PostPosted: Sun Nov 08, 2020 12:40 pm
by Mflyer65
Seems an old problem with the mast track for some a few years back. Here I am, finishing up my rigging and just about ready to put her in the water in about a week. But, I am struggling to get the mail sail raised as the gaff fitting and some cars are grabbing on the track. I finally got it all up and then could not get the sail back down. Had to reach up as high as possible, standing on the companionway and drag the main down. I tried several angles of the gaff to no avail. After getting the main down I picked out any suspected catches under the track, tried dry lube and such, and even marked the tops of the screws to see if any were touching while moving tracks up and down. Still sticks and even without the sail attached I can cause it to grab firmly in various spots. I have sanded the track with emory paper, run a small file along the edges to try to clean up any rough areas, etc.
I now have taken everything back off the boat and removed the mast to better examine the track. I can feel some slightly rough areas but the binding continues. Has anyone else given up on the track and gone to traditional loop attachments? I would like to hear from anyone before removing the track and "polishing" the surfaces.
Thanks,
Mike

Re: Sail slides and track

PostPosted: Sun Nov 08, 2020 2:31 pm
by TassiePete
I never installed external mast track on my PS. My main is laced to the gaff and to the mast, and I use home made gaff-jaws. Rings (robands or loops) will probably/likely bind as well, but lacing will work perfectly, if done right. Something like this :
lacing.jpg
lacing.jpg (4.85 KiB) Viewed 3374 times

Re: Sail slides and track

PostPosted: Sun Nov 08, 2020 4:33 pm
by Mflyer65
Thanks Peter,
interesting approach. Any drawbacks with lacing? How is your gaff jaw held against the mast. I am guessing you are attaching the main halyard to the gaff jaw somehow and then the sail head shackled to the jaw as well? I like the simplicity of the rigging and it seems you could must leave it all attached when lowered? Do the laces interfere or get hung up on anything when down? Trying to think it through myself.
Thanks Mike

Re: Sail slides and track

PostPosted: Sun Nov 08, 2020 4:38 pm
by Mflyer65
Hey Peter,
Another thought came to me about when trailering the boat. What happens to the laces when the mast is lowered? Can they still stay attached without causing problems with the sail?
Thanks again,
MIke

Re: Sail slides and track

PostPosted: Sun Nov 08, 2020 10:50 pm
by Wayne G
Hi Mike,
I had a similar problem where the gooseneck would stick when raising the sail and if I pulled too hard it would jam when trying to lower the sail.
I tried lubricating the rail and gooseneck to no avail and eventually discovered the problem was with the gooseneck being ever so slightly bowed. You can check by placing the gooseneck on a sheet of glass or some other completely flat surface. If the gooseneck is bowed there will be an air gap between it and the flat surface.

The fix for me was to put the gooseneck in a vise and gently tap it with a hammer, checking each time for flatness. I also checked by sliding it back and forth on the rail for any final adjustments until slid without any restriction.