Issues with slides on new mainsail

[Ryban]

Here's the deal. I had a new mainsail made on-island, and was told it would take 3 weeks. Someone came out, made careful measurements, and noted the slides on the old sail.

It took them nearly 8 weeks to have the sail ready, and when I got it, the slides were a few mm too wide for my track. I have to leave for Panama in a week or two, and I'm not confident they'll be able to resolve the problem in a timely fashion.

I'm now considering negotiating for a discount, and fixing the problem myself by filing/sanding down the slides (they're nylon). Is this a reasonable approach?

[Pete7]

Personally I would take it back and have the right size fitted, assuming they have the right size. you are not going to file dozens of slides accurately.

Pete

[JPA Cate]

Well, if you're sailing the boat to Panama, the slides need to be fixed before your departure date. It is very close to the holidays, and I wouldn't count on someone else doing it at this point. So, try and get them to give you the correct size slides, and the webbing, and you sew them on with the right offset. It is not hard to do, especially if you have a sailor's palm. Have them give you the twine to use, if you don't already have it. Plastic sail slides break due to UV exposure, and you will need to be able to sew new ones on in any event. Their gift of the stuff so you can do it right will be your "discount". You cannot realistically expect first world practices in third world locations, it only makes one upset, change happens too slowly to benefit cruisers.

Ann

[Ryban]

Good points.

The old main will happily take me to Panama and beyond. The new one was made out of an abundance of caution. So if I can get the slides in hand, I can get them onto the sail downwind.

I don't expect first world practices, and that's why I asked about time frame very carefully, and did my best to make sure they got the dimensions on everything right. But had I known they'd take 8 weeks to do the job incorrectly, I would have had a sail made in the states and shipped down island. It would have cost the same, would have arrived sooner, and probably would have been done correctly.

[JPA Cate]

It might have been done correctly--one would hope so. It seems as if whenever you really need it, and for it to be right, in a timely fashion, the world conspires so that it doesn't happen. Quite frustrating, actually. With easy stuff like this, I bet they don't have the right size slides, in stock, which is why the sail didn't come with them. Get a mailing address, sort what you need, and have 'em shipped to Panama, maybe they'll be right, and waiting for you.

It is also possible that some other cruiser there may have some the right size that they can sell you, among their spares. We've given away a lot of slides over the years.

Ann

[dfelsent]

I have had similar issues in the past. I have sanded successfully. I have also used the slides from a previous main.

Best of luck

[wcapital]

While I've found plenty of skilled and sophisticated professionals among sailmakers and other maritime trades in the Lesser Antilles (certainly including Grenada), in my experience for a job where assurances were given for a 3 week time frame IMHO it would be prudent to put the "over/under" for actual delivery somewhere in the 6-9 week range!

But the other advice here is good....I've had a similar experience w/r/t sail slides, and simply went to Budget Marine or Island Water World and found ones that fit, and put them on myself. Doing that is some work, but provides the added benefit of close inspection and ability to over-build....not to mention practice in a relaxed setting that could come in handy in the future when such repairs are required in a not-so-relaxed one...

Originally Posted by Ryban

Good points.

I don't expect first world practices, and that's why I asked about time frame very carefully, and did my best to make sure they got the dimensions on everything right. But had I known they'd take 8 weeks to do the job incorrectly, I would have had a sail made in the states and shipped down island.

[David M]

In the meantime before you get it fixed, have you tried some silicon spray?

[taxwizz]

I added a StrongTrack system.
The 1 piece metal track slides over the existing track and uses metal slides which run outside the track instead on inside.
The slides fit in place of the old slides by just removing the pin through the webbing.
When I release the halyard, the sail drops like a brick. I have never had a hangup or hesitation.
Cost around $1,000 but worth every penny.

Ed Collis
ORION VII
NS30U
Toronto

[Orion Jim]

Originally Posted by taxwizz

I added a StrongTrack system.
The 1 piece metal track

Perhaps they have changed their product. I know someone who installed it a year ago but it was a plastic/rubber (?) material.

[Jim Cate]

Originally Posted by Orion Jim

Perhaps they have changed their product. I know someone who installed it a year ago but it was a plastic/rubber (?) material.

Correct! The track insert is made from a somewhat flexible very low friction polymer. A very good product IMO, but hardly a useful thought for the OP who has an existing mast, track and sail, and would like them to fit together as is reasonably expected when buying a new sail.

I'd add my agreement that replacing the slugs rather than trying to modify them would be the best approach. They are not expensive and the job of switching them out is easy and would be a good learning experience for the OP.

Jim

[Cherod]

“ dozens “ of slider ?, wt? Are you sailing on , shocking that a job can not be done properly , and arranging to have something “ proper “ waiting ??? I don’t think so , ,,, get a refund and a bit if filing ( if you think that will suffice ) and move in , swiftly ..

[Jim Cate]

Originally Posted by Cherod

“ dozens “ of slider ?, wt? Are you sailing on , shocking that a job can not be done properly , and arranging to have something “ proper “ waiting ??? I don’t think so , ,,, get a refund and a bit if filing ( if you think that will suffice ) and move in , swiftly ..

From where are you quoting the "dozens" in your post? I don't see that word in this thread.

The task of filing several mm of the sides of all the slides isn't trivial... filing nylon moldings is slow work, and would likely require removing the slides from the sail. So, IMO much better to get the right ones and installing them.

Jim

[Cherod]

Originally Posted by Pete7

Personally I would take it back and have the right size fitted, assuming they have the right size. you are not going to file dozens of slides accurately.

Pete

Here ( as requested )

[Jim Cate]

Originally Posted by Cherod

Here ( as requested )

Point taken. Not likely to be "dozens", quite likely to be > one dozen. Still a poor idea to attempt to file them to size if the discrepancy is indeed several mm.

Jim