The track was apparently epoxied to the mast, specifically to the fiberglass layer on top of the carbon fiber, which appears to have been one sheet of fiberglass thick.
What the OEM sent me for re-attaching it was a two-part epoxy & hardener mix, 100:47 mix ratio. I just received a digital scale that I ordered, for measuring it down to 0.1 gram accuracy.
When getting the sail slides back on the track, there’s the problem that gravity makes them want to fall right back down the track. Since I was working solo on fighting this, I tied a piece of webbing to my halyard shackle so that a long end hung down one side of the sails, and a short end with a loop hung from the other. I adjusted the halyard to slightly above a spot that would provide room for all the slides. When fighting the weight of the slides got hard, I pulled the long end around underneath the slides, put it through the loop to give me leverage, pulled them up and tied off the webbing with a slip knot. Then I’d work a few more slides up, pull the slip knot and move the webbing to include those new slides, and repeat until done.
The other thing I did was to add clamp bands ($18.75 for a pair of 5/8” wide bands sized for 7.75” - 8.5” diameter tubes, purchased from McMaster-Carr). These will provide resistance against pull-out, and eliminate the need to re-drill and tap the hole in the mast where the track slide stopper had previously screwed in. That hole is now filled and covered with a layer of fiberglass cloth.
I figured out the diameter by measuring the circumference and dividing by Pi. I had a bunch of spare silicone tubing, so I cut lengths and ran the clamp bands inside them.
The lower clamp band goes over the flange at the bottom of the track. The upper clamp band goes over the top of the track and serves double duty by acting as the new slide stopper.
I’d originally thought that I’d cut away the excess tubing rather than leaving it fully surrounding, but I kinda like the way it covers the sharp edges of the bands and protects the mast a bit from a block shackled nearby. So I may leave it this way, unless someone points out that I’ve missed something and that doing so would be a bad idea.
Excellent! I’m glad you got it done and I’m glad I could help, even if only with words.
I had my sail off three times last spring. Twice I had help, but the third time I was on my own. My sail is really heavy and I’d been using the halyard to get it off and on the boat, so it was an easy leap to having it help with putting the sail back onto the track. Yes, it does work very well, even if a bit slow.
The clamps are a good idea. And, they give it such a Nonsuchy vibe. The tubing is an even better one. That carbon fiber mast is cool and you definitely want to protect it.
It’s after 7pm. If you’re not home yet, you probably will be soon. How’d it go?
I was going to sail today, too, but had to cancel. Second week in a row. I have cancer and am just one month into six months of shots to prepare for surgery and radiation. And man, these shots are leaving me feeling exhausted! I keep hoping my body will adapt to them, but so far it’s been worse every week. My usual “crew" are getting better at sailing, but are nowhere near taking enough load off of me yet. It’s gonna be a long summer (and fall.)
Sorry if I was inappropriate. I’m just bummed to be missing my sailing during the nice weather. They say the cancer is treatable and I should all be fine sometime next January or February.
The tubing is an even better one. That carbon fiber mast is cool and you definitely want to protect it.