Question...

For the first time, we raised the Main Sail yesterday, but it was a little dificult on the last two feet up the mast. It felt really tight, I had to pull really hard on the line and actually push the sail edge up the mast to make it go all the way up. I felt like I almost break the rollers on the mast upper tip. Is there a trick on this like a lube or a powder or something to make it go smoother.

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Every second that passes cannot be recovered, so make good use of every one of them that you have left.

I bought a can of dry lubricant from a home improvement place that works wonders. Sprayed it in the track as well as on the luff of the sail, works like a charm now.

SailKote and also Paraffin wax works well

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1985 Prindle 16

Clean the luff track ( the groove the sail goes into). I used some mild household cleaner and a rag to get the gunk out of there.

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Blair T

I love these calm moments before the storm, it reminds me of Beethoven...


'02 Hobie Tiger USA 1152

This is the proper technique.
Certainly keep the track clean, but no amount of speed, or "muscle", will make the 16 main go up any easier.
Stand in front of the mast and only pull up the slack. Push up on sail (at the batten pockets is easiest) pull up the slack, and repeat.
The last 18" to 24" are slow.

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Sheet In...Max Out
www.fleet297.org
sailflatlands at gmail dot com

I use a normal candle & rub the wax along the rope/luff, this definitly helps & is a cheap solution.

Also, check your track very closely to see if there is a slight pinch near the top of the mast. Small pinches are easy to overlook but can make raising the sail very difficult. They are very easy to widen if you do find any.

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Eric Weller
2006 F18 Capricorn
1980 H16
Keep the pointy side up!