Raising the Main Solo

[davil]

I dare say, until you do not resolve the issue of "stuck slugs" you will continue having a problem, speed on raising that sail is the key.
quoting from previous poster.

"Stuck slugs... without knowing why they are sticking, perhaps cleaning and lubricating the track and slugs will solve? If you have slugs and not slides an easy way to do this is to tie the halyard to a piece of rag, jam it into the groove, tie a downhaul line to the bottom, and hoist away. You can soak the rag in a cleaner, soapy water, just plain silicon spray. If you can acquire a spare slug you can insert it into the groove with just one layer of cloth trapped and secure the halyard and downhaul directly to the slug. This works quite well. Cleaning the slugs themselves if they are gummed up or dirty should also help a lot. Easiest just to remove them from the track. There will be a section with an opening for this purpose. You may have to remove a stopper or screw to enable them to slide down and out.
If you don't want to go to all that effort then just try giving the slugs, and as far up the track as you can reach, a good soak in plain silicone spray before you head out. This will wash away a fair bit of dirt and add lubrication."

[Yojimbo]

Great advice from all, thanks for the good ideas. Unfurling the jib first will be tried and will experiment with heaving to as well- we practice that maneuver regularly but haven't tried it for this purpose. Will look into "scandalizing" the sail- not familiar with the term but easily researched- the problem there is sailing in or out of the marina is frowned upon unless it's under duress or failed gear.

Hopefully using the correct term for "slug". These are nylon bits that attach to the sail and run through the track on the mast. IIRC they are attached to the main with a small strip of sewn webbing so replacement may be less feasible. I will need to look them over again to determine if I could replace them myself.

Cleaning/lubing the track with a halyard and down haul and a bit of silicone lubed rag is a clever solution. I like it.

My crewmate for the w/end just bailed so the experiments will have to wait but looking forward to trying some of these ideas. Appreciated.

[davil]

Unsure if 'hoisting at the winch' means from the cockpit or at he mast, but regardless you should be able raise this small sail most or all of the way by hand without the assistance of the winch so don't take any wraps while you hoist...... When you reach your limit, or the top, just take a couple of turns around the winch and proceed from there to finish the hoist or add final tension.

=====================

you can also raise the main from the cockpit without any special installation, just extend the length of the halyard prolonging the tail to reach the cockpit and you while keeping the tiller between your legs.

Don't have to get fancy on the splicing, any knot will do, as the halyard will not go through any block.

I did this for years on my tiller boats.

Once hoisted as much as possible, then can walk to the mast and tighten with the mast winch, piece of cake.


BUT, only after you have resolved the issue of stuck slides.
good luck

[DEAN2140]

Nekton's advice regarding the sail slugs is spot on. If you can raise the main without the slugs jamming, your problem is probably solved. Cleaning the track is good idea; I am guessing that as a club boat the track hasn't been cleaned in years. That said, it is very likely that the slugs are too small for the track, or have gotten worn down (same difference) and that is why they jam. I would focus on this solution.

[wholybee]

Deploy the jib first. Raise the main while on a close reach under jib power. You don't need to be in irons to raise the main, you just need the boat under control and going upwind. With the jib deployed, you should be able to balance the boat upwind and have it stable for minutes, if not hours, without touching the helm. That gives you plenty of time to go forward.

[Jammer]

I had a Morgan 24 and then a Hunter 26 and struggled with this sort of thing until I got an autohelm. It was one of the best things I did for the boat. I realize that may not make sense or even be possible with a club boat.


The other advice upthread is all good.

[h20man]

Slugs are they key... Cleaning the track is good.. then spray the track and the slugs (or just slugs) with https://www.mclubemarine.com/ Mclube Sailkote... Amazon or West Marine is your friend...



World of difference and really helps getting the main raised a pleasurable experience..

[TrentePieds]

yojimbo said: "Still wondering if heavier bungee or more engine thrust is the solution?"

I taught on club-owned Cat27s for years. Primitive things. And that is good! :-)

You don't want to use bungee to lash you tiller. If it needs lashing at all, use light but solid cordage. Slip a clove hitch on the tiller and belay the ends to something solid on the coamings.

While you are still at the slip, start your sheet so the boom can swing out a long, long way. It is likely that you club boats don't have a proper topping lift, but merely a "rattail" on the backstay that constrains the boom end when alongside. Deadly nuisances they are, and merely make your life complicated. Someone recommended "scandalizing" the sail, which is what I do, but it can only be done with a proper running topping lift. When scandalized the sail won't fill and therefore there is minimal friction on the slides.

Once you are in the open outside the marina, lash the tiller midships. Hop onto the deck and scandalize the sail using the topping lift. Lift the boom end three or four feet. That takes - literally - five seconds. Look up and note that you are holding course. If not, drop back to the cockpit and adjust you course so you are slowly motoring into the winds eye. The scandalized sail will be flopping about. That is good! Now back up to the mast and run up the sail with the halyard. That takes, say, 20 seconds. Check your course again. Even a Cat27 shoulda held her course that long, but if she falls off, no problem, because your sheet is slack, and the boom can swing out at least 45º. Because the sail is scandalized it won't draw and drive the boat. Check your course again, and if necessary, correct it. Now with the gooseneck downhaul (which I trust your boats have?) tension the luff, and your job is done. There is no need at all to use a winch to hoist the main on a Cat27, and, in fact, trying to do so just makes your life unnecessarily difficult.

Last thing to do at the mast, once the gooseneck downhaul has been belayed at the proper luff tension, is to start the topping lift so the boom drops to where the leech of the sail will let it, pop back to the cockpit, haul the sheet and start sailing. There should be a bit of slack in the standing part of the topping lift so it blows clear of the leach of the saii. I like hving a mark on the running part of the topping lift so I will know just where it wants to be belayed on the cleat on the mast. A "Scripto" marking pern does it nicely :-)!

Unless your slugs really hang up for want of cleanliness in the cove or on the slugs themselves the whole evolution should take no more than a single minute :-)!

Have fun :-)!

TrentePieds

[Nekton73]

Slugs generally refer to small rounded plastic or steel cylinders that fit inside a groove on the mast (or sometimes jib furler track, see Kiwi-slides... yes they call them slides and not slugs, what can I say).

Slides generally refer to flat plastic rectangles that fit inside a track on the mast. There are also types that grasp a t-track. These are general descriptions. Googling will illuminate.

If you have slugs then the rag trick is a bit easier. If you have slides then sometimes there is still room to trap a layer of cloth behind a slide to do the cleaning trick, sometimes not.


Word of caution, I should not have said just tie/secure to the rag. Yes the halyard and downhaul want to be tied to each end so you can run it up and down, but put a small piece of line to connect the halyard and downhaul as well so that if the halyard comes loose from the rag you can still get it down.


If cleaning doesn't do the trick, and assuming it's ok with the club if you replace the slugs, just pick out the stitching on the webbing, remove old slug, insert new, re-stitch. Perhaps they have, or will order, new ones for you if you are willing to do the work. They may have sewing supplies and webbing, or you could buy your own for minimal cost and start your own repair kit, which is always nice to have when you go sailing. You'll need to measure the diameter of the old slugs to order replacements. Sailrite, Sailmaker's Supply, and many other online chandlers have what you need.

[meirriba]

Is it not possible to raise the main (or significant part of it) while still moored in the club?
Then, with somewhat loose mainsheet (to avoid excessive leeway) just motor out?

[bensolomon]

Use a block at the base of the mast and run the main halyard through it to the cockpit. Then, you can use one of the primary winches to hoist the main while being able to steer the tiller.

[Hesti]

Will the boat heave to under jib and with tiller hard over? Then raising the jib, heaving to and raising the main (with the mainsheet slack) while hove to might work. It works on many boats - you just need a way to secure the tiller on the hard over position (which can possibly be done with your elastic).

[jalmberg]

The obvious thing to do is to raise the main while you are still on the dock or mooring.

The second thing is spray the track and slugs with fresh water. They're probably full of salt. Then buy a can of McLube and give the slugs (and the track, if you have a bosun chair) a good coating of slippery stuff. It works miracles in some cases.

Have you tried just stopping the boat and letting it drift while you raise the sail? She will lie broadside to the wind, but if you let the boom all the way out, and maybe raise the end with the topping lift, you ought to be able to raise the sail without having the bow dead into the wind. At least in moderate conditions.

Setting the jib first might work if you sheet it in tight and adjust the tiller so the boat is barely fore-reaching, almost luffing. You will never get her to actually heave-to (i.e. stop with the bow at a 45 degree angle) but as long as you can go up wind with just the jib alone, it might work. The angle of the boom will be slightly better than just drifting, but you will be sailing, and the apparent wind will be higher, so things could get lively. I tend to think drifting might be easier and certainly less frantic. You'll have to try both ways and see what works best.

Thinking outside the box, you could always fashion some sort of simple sea anchor (there are dozens of ideas for DIY sea anchors on the internet), head out into an open spot, throw it overboard on a bit of line, and lie to that while you hoist the sail. Then pull it aboard and Bob's your uncle.

Even further outside the box, if you have a small, hank-on jib, you could try hoisting it up the backstay, and sheeting it tight to the foot of the mast or wherever it's convenient. That is, sheet the sail straight forward of the backstay, like a riding sail. That should help keep the bow somewhat into the wind.

Good luck and let us know what works!

[sinnerman]

Originally Posted by h20man

Slugs are they key... Cleaning the track is good.. then spray the track and the slugs (or just slugs) with https://www.mclubemarine.com/ Mclube Sailkote... Amazon or West Marine is your friend...



World of difference and really helps getting the main raised a pleasurable experience..

Ditto on this. I was about to recommend the same (Sailkote).
Not cheap but works well.

Also, make sure that the slugs are not catching on the "gate" where you load the slugs onto the mast, and that the slugs are actually the correct ones for your mast track.
Cheers

[CaptJimFrei]

I'd raise the sail about halfway at the dock, then motor out the marina to open water where I'd raise it the remainder...with motor in idle and a little slack in the boom amidships.