Do it yourself sail track cleaner

A forum for discussion of how to rig and tune your boat or kicker to achieve the best sailing performance.
Post Reply
User avatar
dlandersson
Admiral
Posts: 5014
Joined: Fri Aug 27, 2010 10:00 am
Sailboat: MacGregor 26X
Location: Michigan City

Do it yourself sail track cleaner

Post by dlandersson »

Nice article on cleaning your sail track

https://www.practical-sailor.com/blog/T ... Blog020818
Last edited by dlandersson on Thu Jul 15, 2021 3:43 am, edited 2 times in total.
User avatar
Bilgemaster
First Officer
Posts: 467
Joined: Sun Apr 26, 2015 5:03 pm
Sailboat: MacGregor 26X
Location: Woodbridge, Virginia--"Breakin' Wind" 2001 26X, Honda BF50A 50hp engine

Re: Do it yourself sail track cleaner

Post by Bilgemaster »

Thanks for the tip, dlandersson! That does seem like a fine idea.
User avatar
BOAT
Admiral
Posts: 4969
Joined: Fri Oct 19, 2012 5:12 pm
Sailboat: MacGregor 26M
Location: Oceanside, CA MACMJ213 2013 ETEC60

Re: Do it yourself sail track cleaner

Post by BOAT »

My dad used to run a tampon up the track.
User avatar
Bilgemaster
First Officer
Posts: 467
Joined: Sun Apr 26, 2015 5:03 pm
Sailboat: MacGregor 26X
Location: Woodbridge, Virginia--"Breakin' Wind" 2001 26X, Honda BF50A 50hp engine

Re: Do it yourself sail track cleaner

Post by Bilgemaster »

BOAT wrote:My dad used to run a tampon up the track.
Yikes! Have more dire words ever been written than, "My dad used to run a tampon up the track."?

Still, who could deny its cost effective efficacy? Are YOU man enough to run a tampon up your track?

Image
User avatar
Highlander
Admiral
Posts: 5998
Joined: Wed Sep 21, 2005 8:25 pm
Sailboat: MacGregor 26M
Location: Maccutter26M 2008 75HP Merc. 4/S Victoria BC. Can. ' An Hileanto'ir III '
Contact:

Re: Do it yourself sail track cleaner

Post by Highlander »

I,m thinkin that if I go into the store & saying excuse me Miss I need to clean out the groove in my mast & was wondering what size I should buy ! "small" "medium" or "large" or doe,s one size fit all then one of three things r gonna happen . #1 she has me arrested for sexual harassment ! #2 she ask me with-out blinking an eye just how big is ur grove ! :o & then ask me is ur grove on light, reg, or heavy days & of coarse at my age being past the stage of embarrassment I,d have to say I don,t know , ask how do I tell !! :? & then she say,s try reading the instructions on the package ! :?

Or I could just walk up & down that Isle until I see a guy pick up a couple boxes of tampax & say Ah I see u r a sailor & I was wondering just how big the grove in ur mast was & how did u determine what size to buy ? :|

Then when I make my purchase & say to the cashier I hope these do the job ok & see the expression on her face when I say first time I,ve tried to use these things !! & she says really, would u like a bag for these & I say nope that,s fine ! & I say yep I,m a sailor don,t u know ! as I proudly walk out the door :D :D :D

Then again maybe we have a Skipper on here who doe,s hygienic shoppin for his Admiral & he could perhaps enlighten us all !

I,d hate to find out I,d bought the wrong size & have too go back to the store & ask if I can exchange these for a bigger size !! :)

I,m also guessing u,d have to do this on a dry day so as the damm thing does,nt jamm up in the grove half way up the mast & have to explain to the ladie,s on the dock who r asking me why I,m using my extended boat hook too reach up their & what,s that thing attached to my halyard & downhaul ? :|

Now there is just no end to the scenarios that could b deployed here ??? :)
& if u r too cheap to buy them cause u r hoping u only need one u could just walk around the marina asking all the skipper,s if their admiral could spare u a Tampax !! , but that could b a touchy subject ! :) as he ask u how do u know she use,s T.

Just Sayin That,s All

U all have a nice day now ! :wink:

J 8)
Nauti Nell
Engineer
Posts: 125
Joined: Sun Apr 10, 2016 3:44 pm
Sailboat: MacGregor 26M
Location: Decatur, Ga

Re: Do it yourself sail track cleaner

Post by Nauti Nell »

Most public restrooms have a machine. Probably 25/50 cents for one. I think Target will let you go in with no hassle. I would go with the Goldilocks rule size wise, something right down the middle. :)
User avatar
sailboatmike
Admiral
Posts: 1597
Joined: Thu Mar 12, 2015 10:17 pm
Sailboat: MacGregor 26X
Location: Australia

Re: Do it yourself sail track cleaner

Post by sailboatmike »

I can't see why any male would have a issue buying women's sanitary products, its just another product at the supermarket, much like bread, milk, washing powder etc. etc.

As a single parent I have been doing it for years it's just another item on the shopping list
User avatar
BOAT
Admiral
Posts: 4969
Joined: Fri Oct 19, 2012 5:12 pm
Sailboat: MacGregor 26M
Location: Oceanside, CA MACMJ213 2013 ETEC60

Re: Do it yourself sail track cleaner

Post by BOAT »

My younger sister told me a long time ago that dad used her tampons to clean the mast track. She told me that he would put it in the track and then spray it with wd40 or something and then run it up the pole! i knew he was cleaning the mast track with something when I was a kid because he would curse out loud when the rags and ropes he tried would get jammed up in the mast - I did not pay attention when I was older and my sister was "of age" - apparently the tampons worked best and did not jam up.

I myself clean the track when the mast is down in the trailering position. Most of you are probably too young to know that an old guy like me would not ask the wife for a tampon because both of us are way past the age of menopause - and such things are not laying around in the boat or at home.

So put that in your pipe and smoke it.
User avatar
sailboatmike
Admiral
Posts: 1597
Joined: Thu Mar 12, 2015 10:17 pm
Sailboat: MacGregor 26X
Location: Australia

Re: Do it yourself sail track cleaner

Post by sailboatmike »

BOAT wrote:So put that in your pipe and smoke it.
I'm not sure thats the intended way of using these products, however with the price of tobacco here I'm happy to give it a whirl :D
User avatar
BOAT
Admiral
Posts: 4969
Joined: Fri Oct 19, 2012 5:12 pm
Sailboat: MacGregor 26M
Location: Oceanside, CA MACMJ213 2013 ETEC60

Re: Do it yourself sail track cleaner

Post by BOAT »

sailboatmike wrote:
BOAT wrote:So put that in your pipe and smoke it.
I'm not sure thats the intended way of using these products, however with the price of tobacco here I'm happy to give it a whirl :D
They smoke everything over here. Everyone thinks California is the healthy state where no one smokes - here if you don't smoke your the strange person. They just don't smoke manufactured cigarettes here - but everyone is smoking pot and mushrooms and elephant dung and crack and vaping all kinds of crazy stuff all day and night. It drives me crazy. People grow anything in their back yards and smoke it.
User avatar
Highlander
Admiral
Posts: 5998
Joined: Wed Sep 21, 2005 8:25 pm
Sailboat: MacGregor 26M
Location: Maccutter26M 2008 75HP Merc. 4/S Victoria BC. Can. ' An Hileanto'ir III '
Contact:

Re: Do it yourself sail track cleaner

Post by Highlander »

I guess in the good old days when they made running rigging from Hemp everybody volunteered so as they could keep the cut-off,s :D :D :D

Now put that in ur pipe & smoke it ! :o :wink:
J :P
User avatar
Highlander
Admiral
Posts: 5998
Joined: Wed Sep 21, 2005 8:25 pm
Sailboat: MacGregor 26M
Location: Maccutter26M 2008 75HP Merc. 4/S Victoria BC. Can. ' An Hileanto'ir III '
Contact:

Re: Do it yourself sail track cleaner

Post by Highlander »

BOAT wrote:My younger sister told me a long time ago that dad used her tampons to clean the mast track. She told me that he would put it in the track and then spray it with wd40 or something and then run it up the pole! i knew he was cleaning the mast track with something when I was a kid because he would curse out loud when the rags and ropes he tried would get jammed up in the mast - I did not pay attention when I was older and my sister was "of age" - apparently the tampons worked best and did not jam up.

I myself clean the track when the mast is down in the trailering position. Most of you are probably too young to know that an old guy like me would not ask the wife for a tampon because both of us are way past the age of menopause - and such things are not laying around in the boat or at home.

So put that in your pipe and smoke it.
Just happened to mention this subject to a sailing neighbor of mine & she said she has half a box left over & she no longer needs them ! & offered to give them to me & also asked me if I,d like a demonstration on how to use them ! :o so really not sure where this is going ! :) but I,ll keep u posted . but in the mean time don,t call me as I might be very busy !!! :)

J 8)
Post Reply