I'm doing it facing the wind, and when the wind is a bit sideways, I turn the mast in the opposite direction to the wind. I've tried everything. the simplest seems to be to put the cat on its side. thanks.
problem lowering main sail
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- Rank: Lubber
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Posted: Jun 06, 2009 - 05:04 PM
Hi! I have a Mystere 5.5 and I'm having a hard time lowering the main sail. The ring does not want to get off the hook. I pull hard, turn the mast, and the ring does not go out! Can anyone give me a trick to get this done easier.
I'm doing it facing the wind, and when the wind is a bit sideways, I turn the mast in the opposite direction to the wind. I've tried everything. the simplest seems to be to put the cat on its side. thanks.
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Posted: Jun 06, 2009 - 08:46 PM
This can be pretty tricky.
Make sure that your track and sail are clean and lubricated. Check to make sure that the right knot was used to tie the halyard to the ring. The knot will be different depending on the type of ring. Rings with a guard use a basic hitch stopper knot (not figure 8) and open rings use a halyard hitch (http://www.videojug.com/webvideo/how-to-tie-the-halyard-hitch). If you have an open ring I would replace it with an aussie halyard ring from murrays.
To release the ring, the boat has to be head to wind. Pull on the halyard to raise the ring a few inches above the hook. While holding the halyard rotate the mast. Release the halyard and pull down on the sail before allowing the mast to return to the normal position. The sail should drop very quickly. If it doesn't work, try again, but rotate the mast the other direction.
If the sail bind in the track even a little, the whole process gets much more difficult.
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Posted: Jun 06, 2009 - 10:47 PM
Hi Rich,
Thank you so much for the information.
I have an aussi halyard ring already, and it doesn't work.
What do you mean "if the sail bind in the track even a little"? what should I do with the track? should I put oil in it? or should I oil the sail?
thanks again,
Pierre-André -
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Posted: Jun 07, 2009 - 10:55 AM
Hi Pierre,
Any dirt will cause the sail to bind in the track. I use sailkote on the track and sail, but there was another product mentioned by Andrew Scott in another post.
The instructions that come with the Aussie halyard ring seem to work very well.
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Posted: Jun 07, 2009 - 03:06 PM
Do not use oil or WD40, the properies of these products seem to attract sand and other particles, do as Andrew suggests, then with the mast laying on the ground run your sail up the track and make sure it's not binding anywhere, eg, if there is a crimp in the sailtrack that pinches the mainsail boltrope. Then, over a week-end of no sailing, practice raising and lowering your sail at home untill the process becomes......well practiced.
edited by: turbohobo, Jun 07, 2009 - 08:08 PM
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Posted: Jun 08, 2009 - 10:11 AM
you can clean the track while its on the trailer... (no need to take it off the cat).
i have an new murray's aussie ring on my mystere 5.5. it works like a dream. My last aussie ring was a little different and didnt work well at all... you may want to try a new (or slightly different ring).
FOR ME: i have the knot facing aft, on the starboard side. to lower the sail i pull hard... push the rotator to port and pull down hard (while rotated).... -
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Posted: Jun 08, 2009 - 10:26 PM
Hi Rich and Andrew,
I finaly managed to get the sail down more easily after following your suggestions. I still find it hard to get the sail up, it hurts the hands, I guess I'll get used to it. Getting it down is still a little of trial and error but I manage to get within 2 or 3 tries now. Someone suggested that I used Jig-a-loo silicone lubricant and it works very well. I also ran a pensil in the track with lubricant to make sure the whole track was well lubricated. The next step will prabably to get my sail checked by sailmaker since the lower part of the boltrope seems a little bumpy.
Thanks again, forums like this really help getting acquainted with the new sport.
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Posted: Jun 08, 2009 - 10:33 PM
Glad to hear that it is getting easier.
Sail up should be easy until you go to pull the ring over the hook. At that point I wrap the halyard around my trap hook (I wear my trap harness when I raise the sail) and lean back.
If the boltrope shrinks the sail ends up too full in heavier conditions. It's a real pain.
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