Sail slides stick New sail

[Char99]

I just got a new Main for my Cal 2-46 today. The old track and new sail slides are not doing well. The old sail (original I think) had the slides attached by small shackles and the new has them attached using webbing. I wonder if this web causes the slide to torque and therefore bind.
Has anyone had this problem and found a solution?

[GarryD]

Had several sets of mainsails attached by webbing straps to slides without any problems in over 20 years. Webbing might be preferable as less likely to damage mast or sail.

[Bill O]

Agree that the tube webbing attachment is common and is usually fine.



Do not know if you have an external or internal track. If internal clean it with a rag on a slide (with a down haul) or something like this. https://www.practical-sailor.com/blo...-track-cleaner


Here is another idea. https://goodoldboat.com/a-slick-slot-for-sail-slugs/

[AA3JY]

Expensive but worth it if your a cruiser with a lot of sail changes..

https://www.tidesmarine.com/sailtrack/intst_overview

[s/v Moondancer]

Agree with AA3JY. I fitted a Tides marine track system, it was quick and easy to install, and changed a difficult sail to reef or drop into a 1-minute one-man job...

The cost was well worth the improvement in safety. Considering your location and potential weather it is an essential piece of safety gear!

[Bill O]

Originally Posted by Char99

I just got a new Main for my Cal 2-46 today. The old track and new sail slides are not doing well. The old sail (original I think) had the slides attached by small shackles and the new has them attached using webbing. I wonder if this web causes the slide to torque and therefore bind.
Has anyone had this problem and found a solution?

Another question for the OP, is your new main full batten and your old one wasn't?

[JPA Cate]

Clean the track, and lubricate track and slides with Mc Lube.* Just dirt can sort of grab them and twist them. I don't think webbing is the source of the problem as most of our main sail slides have been attached with webbing, over the years.

*No affiliation, just a satisfied customer.

Ann

[anchorbend]

I had a similar issue with a new sail with full battens and slugs that were put on using webbing. Your comment about slugs twisting could be right on. I put low friction , longer slugs on the end of each batten and two on the head of the sail. Made it much easier to raise the sail. Below is the type of slugs I used. Might be able to get them a little cheaper elsewhere. Hopefully, your slug is available. It was not only low friction but also they were longer which kept them from twisting as much. Too bad they are so expensive or I would replace all of my slugs.

https://www.sailrite.com/Slug-Allslip-Round-3-8

[Scubaseas]

Tides Strong Track is great but be aware that if you install the slides per the manufacturer the stack height of the slugs will be significantly more than what you have. You may need a new sail cover or stack pack type cover after putting the Tides system in. Having said that it works great. I have a 500+ft.sq main sail that is now easy to drop and reef by one person.

Try cleaning your existing track and use SailKote or similar anti friction.

[Char99]

Hi Thanks for the wonderful information.I am leaning towards the Tides track as it seems to be fool proof and if I understand correctly it can slide over my external 7/8" track.
I have used Sailcote and it helped on the old sail but the new slides are stainless and not worn at all so they seem to stick solid. The old track may have some bumps and nicks adding to the problem.
The boat is a Cal2-46 and almost 50 years old. Having a main that goes up and down with no hassle is my dream. Being 79 years young I want it to be easy.

[Char99]

New main is not full batten.

[Scubaseas]

Talk to your sail maker before ordering the Tides system. The number and placement of the slides may be drastically different between what Tides specifies and what you have.

It took my sail maker 2 years and 4 tries to get the main I bought new and had specified 3 reef, offshore use, full batten and that I would be using Tides Strong Track) to have the slides even close to what Tides recommended. It took two years to resolve the sail cover that had been ordered and was ultimately 6" too short for the now almost proper slug stack. The only problem with the Tides Strong Track from my experience is point loading on the track if you don't have the slug spacing right . Tides agreed, So did the design department of the sail maker. Originally my main had slides every 39" to 44" and a few as much as to 52". I questioned this as Tides says every 18" OC for slide spacing. In addition, the headboard/top, all the reef points and the batten slides are longer than the 1.375" standard slugs. It's a great system but may require substantial reworking of the luff and the cover. My point is it's best to have the sail made with the Tides Strong Track in mind and don't buy the line from your sailmaker that "I've put that spacing on 60 footers" in an effort to correct his initial mistake. Horrible experience but pay attention to what the engineers at Tides say (and coincidently what the sailmaker's corporate design team said) in relation to slug spacing and you won't be disappointed with the system. Tides was wonderful talking to the sailmakers to get them to understand how the system works and what is safe/reliable and what is not. Good luck. It works fine as a try sail now too. The stack height is something like 3.' to 4' tall.

[Bill O]

Originally Posted by Char99

I have used Sailcote and it helped on the old sail but the new slides are stainless and not worn at all so they seem to stick solid. The old track may have some bumps and nicks adding to the problem.
The boat is a Cal2-46 and almost 50 years old. Having a main that goes up and down with no hassle is my dream. Being 79 years young I want it to be easy.

Our boat is of similar vintage and why I initially asked if it was an external track. Over time they do get bent or the seams where the track sections meet they can get out of alignment, hanging up the slides.

We have fairly new sails and new SS slides on the main and mizzen with the 7/8" external tracks working fine (we did replace 1 bad section of track). Still need to use the winch to finish hoisting them, but when dropping them they fall quickly and do not hang up in the least (one person can easily and quickly do the reefing).

Is they anyway for someone to go up the mast to fix any dings/bends/alignment that may be the problem? The other solution is to replace bad sections of the tracks w/new ones, which may be a simpler solution than the Tides track.

[ullar]

Originally Posted by JPA Cate

Clean the track, and lubricate track and slides with Mc Lube.* Just dirt can sort of grab them and twist them. I don't think webbing is the source of the problem as most of our main sail slides have been attached with webbing, over the years.

*No affiliation, just a satisfied customer.

Ann

+1
And new slides can be just a little bit bigger than older ones. It's easy to check how easily they move when not under load. It could help to sand them down a little. Otherwise, Mc Lube it is

[Char99]

Thanks everyone. Today I asked my sail maker to order the Tides Track System.

Love this Forum
Char