New boat and it is difficult to raise the sail. I tried Sail Kote on the sail and mast and it helped but it is still challenging. Any other lubrication, Wax?
Maybee I just need to get out on the water and sail it a bit and using downhaul will stretch out the luff rope?

Maybe see your dealer?

What model of boat?

In my experience, difficulty in raising a sail can have a variety of causes.

The easiest item to fix is batten tension. If the battens are really tight, the sail will be harder to raise.

Beyond that, the hardware issues are varied.

Start by looking at the sail feeder (if installed), be sure it isn't binding the luff.

Next, look up the length of the mast track to be sure there aren't any parts that are pinched (restricting the luff from passing through).

Take a look at the entry of the mast track to make sure it doesn't have rough edges left behind from the manufacturing process (this is more common than you would believe, and will cut your sail very quickly). Use a file, followed by emory cloth to remove any burrs or other imperfections.

If you have a comptip, check to be sure that its track isn't pinched, and that it is correctly aligned with the mast track.

Also, check the halyard blocks to be sure they aren't binding.

As for the sail, you can look at the luff to make sure there aren't any issues with manufacturing, such as material doubled up on the luff that would make it larger than intended.

Hope this helps!

Mike

How "fat" is your main halyard? If it's too fat it will prevent a smooth raising of the main as it takes up space in the track and rubs the opposite direction the sail is trying to go. Try as thin a halyard as your hands (with gloves) can tollerate. Most people use 1/4" maximum for main halyards, smaller if you can. Spray the bolt rope with sailkote too.

I just washed and sprayed my entire mast track with sailkote and the main goes up so fast and smooth now I couldn't belive I had been pulling so hard for the last several months. You might have some spider egg nests in there as well. I did. <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" />

Definately lube the track- generic silicone spray works just as well IMO as the much more expensive sailcote.
Also, check the sheave at the top of your mast to see if it is still free-wheeling. My boat was an absolute pain to raise the main until I realized the sheev at the top was toast and actually wore a groove in it so it didn't even have the incentive to roll! Easy to fix and made a big difference.

make certain it's a "Dry" lubricant.

Since nobody has said it, make sure you have the boat pointed into the wind.

Check the luff curve and prebend. If the sail has a lot of luff curve it will not go up a strait mast.
STOP PUTTING SUBSTANCES ON THE BOLT ROPE.
It is not supposed to fix a permanent and real problem and some of the "lubricants" can become sticky and make it worse in time.

I don't know if you have a jip Mappy but if you put your jib up first nice and tight it pulls the top of your mast forward, which would have more effect on a new stiff sail being able to easily go up. The same can happen with a real tight forstay. You can try putting your sail up with slightly looser rigging then tighten it up.
regards

I have a tech piece on the Hobie forums about issues with different models... Maybe that would help?

http://www.hobiecat.com/community/viewtopic.php?t=371

Raising the mainsail of a Hobie can be more difficult than need be.

Several factors can cause the mainsail to be difficult to hoist:

Dirty luff ropes and luff tracks. These can be cleaned with soapy water and a scrub brush. If you want to use a lubricant, keep away from oils and waxes that can attract dirt. Use a dry silicone spray. Most all Hobie sails now have a Teflon threaded bolt (luff) rope to ease the hoisting effort.

Battens and sail shape. The battens stiffen the airfoil shape of your sail. Over tensioning of the battens can cause a couple of problems. Luff protector caps can be forced against the mast and cause drag when hoisting. The battens also force the sail shape into a curve. The luff curve (seen when laying the sail out on the ground, as a large arch) is typical to Hobie Cat main sails. The sails "airfoil" shape is mostly created by the miss-matched mast bend and luff curve of the sail. The luff curve is more than the likely mast bend and when the mast is straight (while hoisting) the difference is dramatic. This luff curve going up the straight mast can cause significant drag and hoisting problems when done incorrectly.

Outhaul. Be sure the outhaul is fully released before hoisting.

Hoist Technique:

Keep the batten tension to a minimum. Hoist the sail slowly, while feeding into the mast opening. When the sail gets about 3/4's of the way up, begin aggressively feeding at the bottom opening and reduce the amount of halyard effort. If the halyard is pulled tight when the sail is not being fed into and up the track, you will have problems. The sail luff will pull taunt and the curve shape will bind in the (straight) mast track. Lower the sail slightly and begin feeding again.

The best way to feed the sail is to stand in front of the mast and reach around either side to "sandwich" the sail between two hands (above the feeder opening) and push the sail up the track. Pull with the halyard, only the slack created, then feed again. If the sail binds, lower slightly and begin feeding again. This technique can be done by one person, but is certainly easier with two working together. It is VERY important that the person on the halyard only pulls the slack up the mast and does not get ahead of the feeder.

Locking the Hobie 14/16 halyard:

Once the sail is fully hoisted (be sure that the sail is fully inserted into the feeder). Pull the halyard forward of the mast by 3-4 feet. Hold the halyard on the centerline of the mast. Pull hard and hold the tension while bringing the halyard into the mast. Release the halyard tension and see that the sail remains fully hoisted. This seats a small bead, in the halyard, under a two finger prong "hook" and the top of the mast. If the sail slips down when downhaul tension is added, repeat the final hoist technique again. Be sure the bead is clear to pass the hook before pulling tension on the halyard.

Locking the Hobie 17/18/20/21 Halyard:

It is best to simulate the halyard locking with the mast down so you clearly understand the system.

Then, depending on how old the boat is, be sure the hook does not have the old "flopper" stainless piece hanging on the hook. This old device caused difficulty in raising and hooking but would make it easier to release and lower.

Also, be sure that the knot tied to the ring is very low profile. A long bowline knot will hit the mast head before the ring gets to the hook.

If the ring has a small loop at the top... The line should be passed through the loop and a small knot tied. The knot (when ring and shackle are afixed to the sail) should be facing the mast. This tilts the ring closer to the mast.

Then (before attaching halyard shackle to the sail) spin the haylard 3 or 4 times clockwise (looking down on the shackle). This "pre-loads" the halyard line and causes the ring to swing back towards the hook. Keep the boat into the wind and hoist. Should lock easily.

To release... fully release the downhaul and outhaul. Partially feed the sail up the luff track. Hoist with the halyard to the top till it stops, hold... rotate the aft of the mast base to starboard, hold the mast rotated, ease the halyard a few feet before releasing the mast. Lower the sail.

Hey!! Give the guy a break!! Maybe he's only 10 years' old!!!

Ditto with the jib first. Just sorted that with a guy who bought my Hydra.
He said he could just not get the main up easily and he could never get it to lock. It was the jib first that did it.