Swallow Yachts Association

Swallow Yachts Forum => Technical => Topic started by: adel11252 on 12 Feb 2016, 20:18

Title: WD 40
Post by: adel11252 on 12 Feb 2016, 20:18

My boat is a bay raider expedition with carbon CARBON FIBER MAST.
Is it safe to use WD 40 to help raise the main sail without jamming or will it have a deleterious effect on the carbon fiber mast?








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Title: Re: WD 40
Post by: PeterDT on 12 Feb 2016, 21:44

Teflon spray (PTFE) is much better, in my opinion. I used it sparingly in the mast rail of my BRe, and it helped a lot. It is very clean stuff, leaves no traces and works fine.

Peter

Title: Re: WD 40
Post by: Andy Dingle on 12 Feb 2016, 23:35

I agree, PTFE or even silicon spray (Halfords, quite reasonable) works very well on the luff slot. I'd avoid WD40 as it will get sticky as it dries off and dirt will stick to it, making things worse. Whereas silicon dries cleanly leaving a very slippery surface.
My mast is generally left up so what I do it is to get a rag or heavy duty kitchen roll stuff, soak it liberally with the silicon (or PTFE) spray, then wedge it into the slot (not too tight) between the top two slugs of your main, when you haul the sail up and down it will then lubricate the whole length of the luff slot. Or, of course if your mast is lowered you just squirt it in!

Hope this helps.

Andy
Baycruiser23 'Equinox'

Title: Re: WD 40
Post by: Peter Taylor on 16 Feb 2016, 15:01

I use silicon spray  - sprayed onto a small bit of synthetic sponge and then wedged into the slot as Andy describes.  It makes a significant difference to getting the sail up and (sometimes more importantly!) down.  It's also good for the hatch track.
Peter