The Basics:

Whether extruded internally in the mast or fastened externally to it, all spars have a track system. Most are designated as flat track to accept slides or round track to take slugs. Each slide or slug creates a little resistance as it rides up and down the mast track, even if it is made of a slippery plastic. A mainsail with a long luff will have a large number of these slides to generate considerable friction. As a result, substantial effort exerted through a sizable winch is often needed to hoist a big sail.

All mainsails hoist, lower and reef more easily if the boat is brought head-to-wind. Of course, this is not always practical in a tight spot or for a quick reef. Spilling as much air as possible sometimes allows the flogging sail to shake itself free of any tendency to jam.

If the main still sticks or requires excessive effort to hoist and lower, work with the sail track first. Take a trip in the bosun's chair to inspect for misaligned track sections, burrs, loose paint or corrosion that may inhibit proper sliding action. Insure that the track is clean and free of sticky grease. Clean on the way up and lubricate with a dry Teflon spray on the way down. Never use petroleum based grease or oil. If you are satisfied that the mast track is clear and clean and the mainsail still binds or sticks, it's time to examine the mechanics of your system.

 
Binding Boltropes:

Many daysailors, trailer sailors and pocket cruisers have a boltrope on the luff of the mainsail that slides directly into the groove on the back of the mast. This arrangement is inexpensive to build, but has many disadvantages in everyday use.

Round slug webbed onto sail. Note how slide shifts in mast track.

First, friction cause by the long length of sailcloth rubbing directly against the aluminum mast often causes difficulty raising and lowering the sail. To make matters worse, sailcloth loosely sewn around the boltrope can "bunch up" causing a jam.

Secondly, the sail must be removed from the mast track each time it is lowered, leaving the crew to fight with yards of sailcloth billowing loose in the wind.

A permanent solution is to attach Schaefer's patented Battslide intermediate fittings to the luff of the sail. Combined with the proper slugs to fit the mast track, the Battslide intermediate system allows the main to glide up and down the mast track with virtually no friction. With the addition of a track stop, the intermediate fittings capture the main when lowering or reefing and permit the sail to be left attached to the mast.

Battslide Intermediate #885 mounted to a standard sail slide.

The Battslide intermediate fittings consist of a small triangular plate that attaches to the luff of the main with three fasteners. Unlike the typical method of sewing the slides or slugs on to grommets in the sail, these plates spread the load of the slide over a large area of sailcloth. They are easy to install, and the screw in shaft allows adjustment for small irregularities in the installation.

Best of all, the intermediates allow the sail to move in all directions without binding or jamming. This is a common problem with sail slides or slugs that are installed with simple shackles or sewn on with traditional webbing.