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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

General Sailing Forum

mainsail lugs - slip-slidin' away - NOT

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oldengineer1949
1st Mate

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USA
75 Posts

Initially Posted - 12/18/2015 : 14:33:37

Greetings from Sunny Ol' Virginia,

newbie here, deliriously happy new owner of a sweet old '82 C25 SR/SK, "Pualani Nui" (big heavenly flower), home port MCB Quantico Marina. She is basically sound, keel winch and cable in good shape, keel swing pin replaced by PO several years ago, no serious leaks evident (only a few cupfuls per week sponged up from under the port dinette seat), all lights working except the anchor/steaming light, main, genny and genneker sails in good condition (ages unknown). Been out under sail several times now, introducing The Admiral to sailing (her first time ever!), Pu behaving by staying on her feet the entire time (no green water over the gunn'ls). My only gripe so far has been bending on the main. The lugs keep binding in the mast channel! I have to back and fill, back and fill several times to get the main all the way up. I have tried liberal applications of dry lube, to no avail. To all you Old Salts out there, are there any gems of wisdom you could share on how to bend on my main without those silly lugs chattering their way up the mast channel?

Fair Winds and Following Seas to all,

Al Corson

Al and Bernadette, "Pualani Nui", '82 C25 SR/SK, homeport MCB Quantico

delliottg
Former Mainsheet C250 Tech Editor

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USA
4479 Posts

Response Posted - 12/18/2015 : 16:56:23

Al,
A lot of us use a product called Sail Kote on the sail lugs. I keep a can of it in my tool kit and spray the lugs and track (as far up as I can reach) a few times a year.

David
C-250 Mainsheet Editor

Sirius Lepak
1997 C-250 WK TR #271 --Seattle area Port Captain --

Voyager
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
5461 Posts

Response Posted - 12/18/2015 : 19:17:18

Works great, but so does silicone spray. Check the mast slot for sticky deposits, burrs and rough spots. Can use some acetone to clean and 300 sandpaper to smooth it down.

Bruce Ross
Passage ~ SR-FK ~ C25 #5032

Port Captain � Milford, CT

Dave5041
Former Mainsheet Editor

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USA
3758 Posts

Response Posted - 12/18/2015 : 20:28:58

First, clean the slot. Start with a small rag, knot one corner and tie a small piece of line below the knot, and tie that to your main halyard clip. Attach a messenger line that is long enough to reach the masthead to the halyard. Soak the rag in SailKote and pack it into the slot snugly but loose enough that you can easily pull it up with the halyard and down with the messenger. Liberally spray the slot with SailKote as high as you can reach. Tug the rag up and down a couple of feet at a time all the way to the masthead. You will probably have to bring it all the way down to clean the rag and recoat it several times. If the rag catches on burrs or gouges, you should lower the mast and clean them up. (See A-frame for mast raising/lowering). Three or four marines, of course, can probably manhandle it up and down without the A-frame.

Dave B. aboard Pearl
1982 TR/SK/Trad. #3399
Lake Erie/Florida Panhandle

islander
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4035 Posts

Response Posted - 12/19/2015 : 08:57:33

It could be that after cleaning the channel without the slugs sliding any better, A few other causes could be the wrong size slugs or the slugs are just old and worn. The mast channel is 1/2" and takes a 3/8" slug. If the PO has the wrong size on the sail they would bind up. Sailrite has the slugs.http://www.sailrite.com/Slug-Nylon-Round-3-8#dimensions You should install mast gates so you don't have the slugs falling out of the track every time you lower the sail. you can then leave the sail on the boom instead of having to bend it on and off every time you go for a sail. CD has them.http://www.catalinadirect.com/index.cfm/product/1013_121/c-25-mastgater-sail-track-gate.cfm
Another thought is that it might not be the slugs at all but rather the sheeve at the top of the mast is shot.The original nylon sheaves were known to disintegrate from UV exposure. See if the halyard runs smooth without the sail attached.

Scott-"IMPULSE"87'C25/SR/WK/Din.#5688
Sailing out of Glen Cove,L.I Sound

Edited by - islander on 12/19/2015 09:03:04

Stinkpotter
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
9089 Posts

Response Posted - 12/19/2015 : 10:53:18

Along with the subject of sheaves... Do you have the original wire-to-rope halyards? The wire portion can do a number on the plastic sheaves over the years (in combination with UV), and can tend to get jammed up there under load. I highly recommend changing to all-rope (5/16th) halyards with new sheaves from Catalina Direct. But I'm also suspicious your slugs are too small, and therefore are twisting in the track.

Dave Bristle
Association "Port Captain" for Mystic/Stonington CT
PO of 1985 C-25 SR/FK #5032 Passage before going over to the Dark Side (2007-2025); now boatless for the first time since 1970 (on a Sunfish).

sdpinaz
Navigator

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USA
193 Posts

Response Posted - 12/19/2015 : 20:07:51

When I first got my boat, the main was a bear to get up or down. I accused the slugs as well, but after no improvement upon cleaning the track and slugs as mentioned above, I found that the plastic pulley at the masthead was broken and not even turning. Once I replaced that, along with the previous cleaning of the track, it slides much better now

Scott
'88 WK/SR #5727

oldengineer1949
1st Mate

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USA
75 Posts

Response Posted - 12/20/2015 : 16:54:34

Oh Wise Salty Ones,

many thanks! All good suggestions, and I will put them to work next Saturday, the one day the Admiral grants me to work on the boat (she has an awesome side job as a Beauty Salon Nail Technician, and she is quite an accomplished artist. It is amazing what she can create on finger and toenails. But while she is busy, I get to futz with the boat *grin* I tell her it keeps me out of the bars. Oh by the way, Next Friday evening, I hope to take my family for an evening cruise, with Pualani all decked out in Christmas lights. Hopefully, pics to follow, on the appropriate Forum string.

Merry Christmas, Fair Winds and Following Seas to all,

Al Corson

Al and Bernadette, "Pualani Nui", '82 C25 SR/SK, homeport MCB Quantico

Ben - FL
Admiral

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880 Posts

Response Posted - 12/23/2015 : 08:08:13

quote:
Originally posted by oldengineer1949

Greetings from Sunny Ol' Virginia,

newbie here,

Welcome Aboard!

Safe voyages,
Ben
sloop Chick-a-pea,
C250wk#364

oldengineer1949
1st Mate

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USA
75 Posts

Response Posted - 12/23/2015 : 08:38:34

Ben,

thanks much! Great to be aboard. It feels so good to get back into sailing after so many years away, and all this accumulated Wisdom of the Ages on this forum to keep me out of trouble. Unfortunately, it looks like my Christmas day cruise plan is a no-go for this year, with "Virginia Sunshine" (i.e., rain!) forecast for Friday and Saturday. Fooey, shucks and other salty comments ...

Merry Christmas, Fair Winds and Following Seas to all,

Al Corson

Al and Bernadette, "Pualani Nui", '82 C25 SR/SK, homeport MCB Quantico

oldengineer1949
1st Mate

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USA
75 Posts

Response Posted - 12/28/2015 : 13:04:26

Update:

got to visit the boat this past Saturday. Checked the main halyard, it runs free, so no problems with the masthead sheave. Also, she has all rope for the main and jib halyards, so I can check that item off my list as well. Next visit will be a check, clean and lube for the mast channel, and a measurement of the lugs themselves. Oh by the way, she does have a mast gate in the channel, so keeping the lugs in the channel is no problem as well.

Editorial comment: this past Sunday was perfect for sailing, 10 knot winds, gusting to 25, partly sunny, 74 degrees F!!! But! Horror of horrors, my crew (wife and son) mutinied, and forced me to take them to the new Star Wars movie instead! (Only time available was afternoon matinee.) ARRGH! Now I have to wait for this weekend, and hope for as good conditions. *sigh* Sometimes, a sailor's life is not a happy one (apologies to Gilbert and Sullivan).

Happy New Year, Fair winds and Following Seas to all,

Al Corson

Al and Bernadette, "Pualani Nui", '82 C25 SR/SK, homeport MCB Quantico

Stinkpotter
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
9089 Posts

Response Posted - 12/28/2015 : 20:53:23

Awwwww... Forced to see The Force Awakens! I'm faced with the opposite problems--my lady has no interest in The Force, my boat is on the hard, and it's supposed to be winter here. (60s doesn't sound like winter to us, but that's the highs, often in the rain.)

When is the last time I went to a movie alone? When was the first time? I have no answer for either, yet...

Edited by - Stinkpotter on 12/28/2015 20:55:16

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