Hard to raise main

[AnaMeg]

Any thoughts about the cause of a difficult raising main? We can pull it up about 1/2 way by hand, then need the winch. The last 3-4 feet require max pull on the winch. (Lewmar 25 - yes, they made a "25" a while back.) It takes 2 hands on the winch and the helmsperson to tail. We've lubricated and looked at the slugs for anomalies, burrs etc. and checked through the hardware running the line back to the cockpit but can't find a cause. The sheaves at the top are new, the halyard all rope 7/16", the leads all seem fair. The line runs easily without the sail and with the sail until the top half of the hoist. We're having new sliders put on that the sail maker said would make quite a difference. I don't remember the name but it is a step less (and much less expensive) than the Strong Sail Track. We're putting on a new self-tailing winch.

Any other thoughts appreciated.

Geoff Kloster
S/V AnaMeg
Pearson 323 Hull 163

[Salvation]

Geoff,

I lubricate my trach annually wqith a couple of coats of Sailkote. Makes quite a difference.

Mike

[stardog]

anameg

this may seem pretty basic and might not be the problem
are you emlpoying the topping lift to raise the boom prior to raising the mainsail?
stardog
good luck

[Captain Bri]

Along those same lines -- insure the vang is eased (if you have one)

[Blue Heron]

Another route is to install a track system like the Tides Marine Strong Track.

That is the route we went. Purchased from Sailcare this year and sent in our sails for reconditioning. They replace the original sail slugs with a polished (Chrome) slide that is supposed to zip up and down the track like a hot knife through butter. 

We just got our sails back (by the way, they look like new! Had them replace the UV strip on the Genny and remove the old zippered luff sleeve and replace it with a full length luff tape), we have installed the track, and I'll post back in a couple weeks as to how well the system works.

Smooth sailing,

Chet

[selene]

Good advice from other folks..but .maybe it is time to inspect the mast, and check the track for obstructions? I have heard of people putting blocks of soap or hard wax to self-lubricate the track; but if these break up, or are left (e.g. boat unused) for a while, it can be more like glue...

My track needs lubricating twice a year, otherwise (like you) it gets sticky about half way up.  I though this was a chore until I came across this simple idea (see photo). It took me about 10 minutes to make my version. Basically, two sail slides are screwed to a piece of 1' x 1/8" aluminum bar stock, which is then tapes to the can; alternativel;y they can be directly taped to the can. A piece of metal tubing then taped to either side. My bail is made from an old coathanger. After inserting in the track, the rig is hoised up with the main halyard attached to the loop of line, with a light downhaul on the bail. Then, by balancing pull on the halyard and tension on the downhaul, the spray is released as the can is pulled back down the mast. Quick and easy.

Hope this helps!

[AnaMeg]

I use a teflon lube several times during our season. I haven't thought of easing the rigid vang but store the boom elevated quite a bit so that's where it is when i raise the sail. Our sailmaker likes the TM Strong Track but has suggested trying a better slide first as it's less expensive. The mast was painted a couple years ago and while it was down and after the paint job we ran the track quite thoroughly. Didn't find any burrs etc.

The boat goes in the water next week. We'll see what the new slides do. I may get a smaller diameter halyard also. I got new sheaves for rope only halyards but the mast head only allows a 1/2" wide sheave. My present halyard is either 1/2" or 7/16" and may be binding when running through fast? I think the next step after that is the Strong Track. I'll be interested in how well it works for Blue Heron.

Thanks for your thoughts.

Geoff

[Blue Heron]

We have been out several times now and had the opportunity to evaluate the track system, as well as some other bits from Sail Care. Following are my observations:

Strong Track: A major improvement. Key advantage is ease of raising and lowering the main...especially lowering it. even if you are not dead into the wind, it comes down...smooth and easy. And, with the "Sail Cradle" and "Sail Jockey"  it makes for a sail handling system that is fantastic.

Sail Cradle : This is Sail Care's version of a lazy Jack system. Simple, cheap, and effective. When used with the Strong Track it makes it very easy to lower and flake the main in a jiffy. The Sail cradle stows along the mast when not in use, and you do have to get on the cabin top to deploy each side separately, but it only takes a few seconds for each side. I have tried not leaving the sail cradle deployed while underway, but I am sure you could and it might be really handy to do this if you are sailing shorthanded.

Sail Jockey : This is a system used to secure the lowered main on the boom. It consists of 2 lengths of shock cord that run the length of the boom, and various bits of hardware to mount the cords on the underside of the boom. It has 3 small plastic hooks attached to one of the shock cords and you simply pull the shock cord up around the sail on each side and join the two cords with the hook. Super simple, easy, and convenient. I REALLY like this thing!!! No more bungees or straps around my neck clenched in my teeth!

I have no affiliation with Sail Care...I am just thrilled to have actually purchased a handful of products from them that do exactly what they claim, and at what I think are very reasonable prices. By the way, we also had our main and genoa cleaned and reconditioned by them and some repairs/alterations done...it is amazing! They look like new sails,,,very impressive.

Fair Winds!

Chet

 

[AnaMeg]

Blue Heron, that's helpful info. We had been considering a Strong Track but have held off because of the expense. With all the good things I hear about it and your report I may give in. I think I'm going to make Lazy Jacks as per the article in last July's GOB. I have a sail jockey (another brand) that I picked up at a boat show several years ago but packed it away and forgot about it. Time to go digging for it.

I picked up another tidbit of info regarding the sail raising when I changed jibs this week. Using a Harkin cruising furler the halyard slowly wraps as I raise the jib. The harkin tech said I need to take the line down and milk it to relieve the twist. A local marina employee that we all see as a walking encyclopedia of sailboat facts and "proper" how to do it asked about sheave size vs line size. I had new sheaves installed when changing to rope halyards but the space in the mast head only allowed 1/2" sheaves. That means slightly less than 1/2" for the groove. My halyard is 1/2". The guru says a line too fat for the sheave will twist. Considering I have the same set up for the main halyard I wonder if there is abnormal resistance running the line through a sheave that is a bit too small. I don't think a 3/8" line will work with the winch, but perhaps even a 1/16" smaller would help.

Geoff

[Blue Heron]

You say your halyard runs up and down easily without the sail, and runs up to halfway before it starts binding when hoisting the main...Is the mast raked fore or aft significantly? If you haven't already, it may be worth trying it with more or less tension on the backstay...our main was also hard to raise all the way up until we tightened the backstay..

Good luck...

Chet