Any favorite methods or products anyone has used for routine sail track
cleaning and lube (mast installed)?
Red

On Sat, 26 Jan 2008 07:45:25 -0500, "Roger Long"
wrote:

Maybe someone can suggest something that could be used in the pad instead of
grease that won't stain sails but I don't know what it would be.

For all I know, they make a product just for sail slides.

They do make white greases; vaseline is close to white. You can get
the stuff they used to use on car door latches. White stuff in paper
wrapped sticks. Paraffin wax is white. Johnson's paste wax is near
enough white. Just to round out the list of non-staining lubes, soap
is good in dry places such as wooden drawer slides and wooden windows.
Graphite is the one thing that will never come out. Even laundry
marking ink, which is silver, will dissolve in cyanide. Graphite
dissolves in molten iron, which is hard on most sails.

Casady

On Sat, 26 Jan 2008 17:47:34 -0500, "Roger Long"
wrote:


"Richard Casady" wrote

They do make white greases; vaseline is close to white.

The stuff I used was white but no white grease will be white after that
aluminum oxide gets into i

Aluminum oxide is white. Saphire is aluminum oxide. It is unlikely
that you have ever seen aluminum that was not coated with a
transparent film of the oxide.I think the black stuff has to be fine
particles of aluminum. That stuff can be black when finely divided,
which is true of metals in general. The black in B&W photography is
pure silver, in tiny grains.

Casady

Richard Casady wrote:
On Sat, 26 Jan 2008 07:45:25 -0500, "Roger Long"
wrote:


Maybe someone can suggest something that could be used in the pad instead of
grease that won't stain sails but I don't know what it would be.


For all I know, they make a product just for sail slides.

They do make white greases; vaseline is close to white. You can get
the stuff they used to use on car door latches. White stuff in paper
wrapped sticks. Paraffin wax is white. Johnson's paste wax is near
enough white. Just to round out the list of non-staining lubes, soap
is good in dry places such as wooden drawer slides and wooden windows.
Graphite is the one thing that will never come out. Even laundry
marking ink, which is silver, will dissolve in cyanide. Graphite
dissolves in molten iron, which is hard on most sails.

Casady


Graphite should not be used on aluminun becaues they react badly.

On Sat, 26 Jan 2008 18:06:23 -0800, cavalamb himself
wrote:

Graphite should not be used on aluminun becaues they react badly.

Since graphite is a conductor, perhaps electrolytic corrosion?

Casady

Richard Casady wrote:
On Sat, 26 Jan 2008 17:47:34 -0500, "Roger Long"
wrote:

"Richard Casady" wrote

They do make white greases; vaseline is close to white.
The stuff I used was white but no white grease will be white after that
aluminum oxide gets into i

Aluminum oxide is white. Saphire is aluminum oxide. It is unlikely
that you have ever seen aluminum that was not coated with a
transparent film of the oxide.I think the black stuff has to be fine
particles of aluminum. That stuff can be black when finely divided,
which is true of metals in general. The black in B&W photography is
pure silver, in tiny grains.

Casady

Yes, sapphire is aluminum oxide. However, sapphires come in every
color under the sun from bright red (ruby) to dirty opague black. It may
appear white spread thinly on the aluminum but is like dirt on your car
which appears gray until you wash it and then its black on the rag. That
said, the alo sticks to the al tenaciously and probably wasn't pulled
off by something dragging along it. My guess is the black was plain old
crud!
Gordon

The next year, I remembered to clean out the track with a Scotchbrite pad
and solvent. I then sprayed it with McLube and the sail worked even better
all season. This is by far the best way to do it. One of the many reasons
why I think it's crazy not to take your rig down each layup.

Maybe someone can suggest something that could be used in the pad
instead of
grease that won't stain sails but I don't know what it would be.
--
Roger Long

Thanks Roger, but taking the mast down this season isn't an option for
this owner unles there's problems. I like the McLube and I think it will
do a good enough job *if* the track is clean first. I know there is a
sort of slide car that is marketed for just this purpose, I just can't
find it.
Red

Salty answered:
Just use McLube Sailkote on a mouse made of cotton cloth. Skip the
grease entirely.


Thanks Salty,
I want to be able to clean the track first, but will consider using
SailKote or McLube.
Red

Salty further said:
I should add that 2 years ago, I got rid of my old slugs and installed
The sailtrack system from Tides Marine. It qualifies for the adjective,
"miraculous"

I have heard similar stories about the sailtrack system, but while I'd
consider using it on my boat if I had one, this owner cannot use it.
Red

Richard said:
For all I know, they make a product just for sail slides.

They do, I just haven't been able to find it on searches.

They do make white greases; vaseline is close to white. You can get
the stuff they used to use on car door latches. White stuff in paper
wrapped sticks. Paraffin wax is white. Johnson's paste wax is near
enough white. Just to round out the list of non-staining lubes, soap
is good in dry places such as wooden drawer slides and wooden windows.
Graphite is the one thing that will never come out. Even laundry
marking ink, which is silver, will dissolve in cyanide. Graphite
dissolves in molten iron, which is hard on most sails.

White grease (usually lithium grease)or other greases are not good
choices for the same reasons that Roger found. They also attract and
trap dirt, salt, etc. so I would rather use SailKote or similar dry
lubes after cleaning the track. Now if I could only find that pesky
little device that's made to do that...
Red