avoiding schrunching

[DanWeiss]

You are right, U2U2U2. I addressed only a comment from our friend across the seas from my perspective.

All the advice already offered is terrific. I try to keep in mind that what matters in a sail is foremost how it performs because that largely determines how I feel, and how I feel is why I love to windsurf! Yet I also completely understand the other extreme concerning appearance and realize they need not be mutually exclusive.

Here's what I do to keep my sails in good shape. I use McLube liberally, on everything including downhaul lines and fin boxes. It works especially well on masts because it rubs off from the mast onto the luff sock itself and becomes largely permanent once imbedded into the material of the sail.

I also try to rig with the battens rotated up. This allows the sail body to float freely while I downhaul and puts a lot less pressure on the cams of those sails that don't use a cam-off rigging technique. I walk the sail down the mast in small steps, moving each batten down a bit at a time rather than taking a handful of sail and shoving it down to the next batten. Pushing a mast into a sail is a recipe for a torn luff sleeve and significant wear on the seam and/or tape that reinforces the inside of the luff sock.

I also try to tie off the head of the sail to something sturdy when derigging. Usually the mast just slides right out with minimal scrunching of material. Sometimes a long screwdriver punched into the sand is enough to do the trick. A small line tied to the head of the sail often can be retrofitted easily enough to make this work.

[Brian_S]

I have spoken with Bruce Peterson and David Ezzy about this rigging issue. They have different approaches, but both told me that once a wrinkle gets into the film, it's there forever and a likely place for a tear.

Bruce recommends using Sailkote and recommends rigging just as Dan detailed - cams or battens to one side of the mast, and carefully working the mast up the sleeve without wrinkling the film. He has a rigging DVD available on the website (http://www.sailworks.com/product_details/Rigging_101_DVD) that also illustrates the extension threading options.

David recommends just pushing the mast up the sleeve (at least on the wave panther). He told me that he has designed the luff sleeve with this in mind, so that the mast won't wear through the threads. David also has rigging videos on Youtube.

Personally, I use the Sailkote on all my masts and also the pulleys. It really makes a difference in mast friction while threading it through the sleeve, and is even noticeable while downhauling. It is pricey, but IMHO worth it. Just don't get it on the area where the boom clamp goes!

Brian
www.miwindsurfing.com

[U2U2U2]

How once the mast has been up the sleeve a few times can you assure that the lube won't settle on the boom attachment area ?


considering both the entry and exit exposure

[joethewindsufa]

i tried sailkote/mclube many years ago
it gave me issues on my older Gaastra Flow 3X
the cambers kept popping off - no matter which side i bent the battens
since then i stopped using it
however, since i mostly use 8-oh and 10-oh, i will try it with my 8-oh
the 10-oh does not need it = wide luff
hope your suggestions help everyone here

btw the monofilm on my MauiSails TR-4 10-oh is still GREAT - wide luff means NO krinkles !!!

[spennie]

I think we should go back to using canvas.

[dllee]

Forget schrunching, rig your sail with no noise.

[DanWeiss]

[isobars]

[dllee]

NO damage is done to the sail while inserting the mast compared to.....
Major damage to the monofilm/trilaminate just above the boom behind the mast when you release the downhaul.
THAT is when the sail damage is done.
Don't worry about the luff when inserting the mast, because you killing the area behind the mast above the boom is 5 times worse.

[arden]

I've had luck putting some clear avery film on the sail in the area that "scrunches" while rigging. I forget the spec of how thick the avery film is, but it came on a roll and has an adhesive backing. So it's kind of like applying a transparent sticker. I have usually applied these patches in ~6 to 10" widths, about the length of the main panel of the sail since that's where it usually scrunches.

The added thickness of this plastic "sticker" helps smooth out the film so that the material only has gradual rolls rather than sharp creases and points as the material gets bunched up while rigging. I used to apply these patches to both sides of the sail, but have found that it's good enough to apply it to only one side. The slight downsides to using these patches are (1) cost and time to apply (2) the patches can scratch and get foggy and (3) slight increase in weight. The benefits are substantial improvement in durability and keeping the sail looking newer.

Regards,
Arden