G'day All,
with regards to the title, when out solo on Merrimist, my 38-200, hoisting and dropping the main would be a whole lot easier if the slugs would slide up and down the mast track.
I am asking advice for anyone here who has experienced this problem of having the slugs getting jammed in the track, on both hoist and drop.
I do not want to apply any product or soap that will collect dirt/dust/salt and exacerbate the problem, currently the mainsail slugs and mast track are clean and dry - and the slugs tend to slide and then jam, hence this post.
Are there particular products or slippery something that I can apply to have the slugs slide easily up and down the mast track, your own experience and or recommendations of what to use and just as important, what NOT to use is requested, thank you in advance.
And for those that are interested, the slugs seem to have been getting jammed more frequently of late for no apparent reason that I can easily see.
On this Wed evening past whilst singlehanded, I only managed to get the mainsail up to the first reef at first attempt when the slugs jammed, before the start of around the cans Wed night summer series here on the Great Sound in Bermuda, when finally, on the third attempt half way through the race I struggled further and managed to get the main to full hoist, which was great. At the end of the race whilst packing up, on releasing the main halyard, the slugs then again jammed whilst the sail was only half way down. I handed over to George, George is the name of my Auto-pilot, a throwback to my Oberon submarine days in another life, but I digress, after setting George up and engaging him (the Autopilot) I had to make my way to the mast to pull the sail down by hand, whilst being careful not to get off balance in the wake of passing fast ferries.....
Hammy in sunny Bermuda.
Merrimist, 38-200
with regards to the title, when out solo on Merrimist, my 38-200, hoisting and dropping the main would be a whole lot easier if the slugs would slide up and down the mast track.
I am asking advice for anyone here who has experienced this problem of having the slugs getting jammed in the track, on both hoist and drop.
I do not want to apply any product or soap that will collect dirt/dust/salt and exacerbate the problem, currently the mainsail slugs and mast track are clean and dry - and the slugs tend to slide and then jam, hence this post.
Are there particular products or slippery something that I can apply to have the slugs slide easily up and down the mast track, your own experience and or recommendations of what to use and just as important, what NOT to use is requested, thank you in advance.
And for those that are interested, the slugs seem to have been getting jammed more frequently of late for no apparent reason that I can easily see.
On this Wed evening past whilst singlehanded, I only managed to get the mainsail up to the first reef at first attempt when the slugs jammed, before the start of around the cans Wed night summer series here on the Great Sound in Bermuda, when finally, on the third attempt half way through the race I struggled further and managed to get the main to full hoist, which was great. At the end of the race whilst packing up, on releasing the main halyard, the slugs then again jammed whilst the sail was only half way down. I handed over to George, George is the name of my Auto-pilot, a throwback to my Oberon submarine days in another life, but I digress, after setting George up and engaging him (the Autopilot) I had to make my way to the mast to pull the sail down by hand, whilst being careful not to get off balance in the wake of passing fast ferries.....
Hammy in sunny Bermuda.
Merrimist, 38-200