I installed Strong track two years ago, I think it cost around CDN$1,000.00. Installation was a snap, took about 30 minutes before the mast was stepped for the season. Great improvement in ease of sail raising and dropping.
Alan Steward
30C # 144, MagnifiCat
We too are pleased with our Tide Strong track, though the local sail
maker we worked with on our "sticking" problem thought that replacing
the stainless slides with bronze would be a huge help if we didn't go
with the Strong Track.
The other expense is to have the new slides for the Strong Track
installed on the sail, and we had the top 2 battens changed to full
battens, as the Strong track has a "batten slide" option.
Ours was done with the mast up, but I had to crank the sail maker up
the mast to remove the sail stop at the top of the sail track first.
Fed the track up the mast out the forward port from the cabin. Would
have been easier with the mast down, but was do-able.
Doug Haas
N26C Cat's Meow
Oriental, NC
Several years ago, someone on the list said they installed it with the mast up and one of the hints was feeding it through the forward hatch so the angle was better. Also, I believe there was something about the warmer the better. When I purchased my boat it was already fitted with a Strong Track and it works great.
Joe Valinoti
S/V IL Gatto NS30U #221
Sea Harbour Yacht Club
Oriental, NC
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Hi
Many questions answered by looking up Strong Track and reading PFD installation info.
I believe most have used the forward cabin port. No advantage using hatch that I can see.
Al
I installed a Strong Track by myself on our 30U with the Track coil nested between the mast and the front of the cabin. Plenty of room (and since it was raining pretty hard when I did the install, it kept the interior dry). If you have the track coil inside the boat, you will not be able to do the install yourself. I also assisted on an install on a 36 and we did not take the track inside to do the job.
Warm – it was probably 55 F when I did the install on my boat. Maybe the rain lubricated the mast track, but the Strong Track went up without any problems and in fact kept sliding down until I got the screw into the bottom to hold it in place.
Lloyd Herman
Rendezvous, 30U
Port Washington, NY
Yes, you’re right, it was the forward port.
Joe Valinoti
S/V IL Gatto NS30U #221
Sea Harbour Yacht Club
Oriental, NC
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I installed Strong Track about 2 years ago. It was done with the mast on the boat. Unfortunately my experience has not been as good as everyone else. The it does not work any better and may not work as well as the old bronze slides I used to have. I try to take heart from the fact that the screws holding the original track in place can’t back out and stop the sail from dropping. I did not have a problem with the bronze slides hanging up at the joint so that was not an issue for me.
Mark Powers & Nesta Davies
La Reina Nonsuch 26c
Burrard Civic Marina
Vancouver BC
Mark: If your strong track did not make an improvement, something is wrong with the installation. The system is just too simple to not work well. I suggest that you have a professional rigger look at it.
Joe Valinoti
S/V IL Gatto NS30U #221
Sea Harbour Yacht Club
Oriental, NC
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