These things do wear out , more from UV than anything. So after 17 years and about 10 of exposure it’s time to change it out. But I had no record of the length so I contacted Tides and they asked I send the serial number on the retaining bracket. Unfortunately the number sticker had long disappeared. But… they found the original order Harrstick placed in 2003.
I was rather impressed, all this took only 3 days over the weekend.
Thor,
My track slipped down last season and I couldn’t get the cover back on at the bottom of the track - net effect, of course, was the luff “slides” would come out when the sail was lowered. Fortunately, unfortunately, the sail only went up twice last season because of engine issues so it wasn’t a huge problem. But this year . . . .
So, my question is - in how many places is the track screwed into the mast track? If my memory serves me well (it doesn’t) I could only find one screw near the mast head but shirley there must be more?
Cheers,
Neil Raynor
NS26C, #149
Doing time on the hard at Collins Bay, Kingston
Doing harder time recovering from the mini-tornado that managed to rearrange the canopy and all the ironware that supported it from my (house) deck to its new location on the roof of our bungalow in Ottawa! Fortunately we only lost power for two days.
One stainless wood screw at the bottom of the mast under the retaining clip. Use some Blue Loctite it helps even a wood screw.
You should not use any more screws than the one at the bottom as the track expands and contracts quite a bit in the heat.
Excellent. Thanks for the quick response.
Neil: There is a screw through the track at the base of it. Drop the slides out an fix that problem. Also, there is a pin to keep the slides from coming off the track. You appear to have two problems. BTW, for obvious reasons, there are no screws at the top of the track.
Joe Valinoti
S/V iL Gatto NS30U #221
Sea Harbour YC
Oriental, NC USA
Many thanks, Joe. Hopefully I’ll get this all fixed this week.
Neil
I don’t like drilling holes that far down on the mast. The self cutting screw is of a fairly hefty calibre best fitted at the top.
Jorgen Moller
Pondus NS26C #33
Toronto. RCYC
And here was I upset because my annual purchase of Blue Dawn dishwashing liquid had gone up by a $1.35 ( and that’s Canadian!!) that keeps my sail with its bronze slides dropping like a stone!!
Safe Sailing
Cedric- Chester Nova Scotia
26C # 207
The Tides track installation instructions do not mention anything except the screw at the bottom.
Joe Valinoti
S/V iL Gatto NS30U #221
Sea Harbour YC
Oriental, NC USA
If you put a screw in at the top when the mast is down, and after the mast is stepped you find that you need to remove the track, then you are SCREWED.
Ron Weber
N22 Magic Time
Punta Gorda Fl
Very good Ron🤔; however there are other stuff on the top of the mast more likely to fail. As for Tides Track instructions to fix the track below it is more likely to apply to stayed masts which must outnumber by far our very expensive ones. Drill if you like, it is at your own risk. I doubt your insurance will pay out if the adjuster notices the drilling.
Jorgen Moller
Pondus NS26C #33
Toronto RCYC
it goes into the track not the mast…
When I acquired La Reina she came equipped with bronze slides and stainless track. Unlike Cedric I used Sunlight dish soap to clean and lube the track. The sail went up and down very nicely, however in the pursuit of perfection I believed the hype I read about the Tides Strong Track and ordered it. Installed it with the mast up. Afterwards I found the sail did not drop as well as it had with the bronze slides. I had to console myself with the thought that if one of the screws holding the sail track near the mast joint started to back out the Strong Track would stop the screw before it jammed the sail.
If only I had used Blue Dawn!
Mark Powers
There is no need to drill through the mast to attach the Tides Track. It should be fastened to the aluminium fillet that is attached to the lower part of the mast by stainless steel bands. The first metre (3 feet) of the Tides Track holding brackets should be similarly attached.
Bob Illingworth
Nonsuch Luck 30U #367 (GBR1262T)
Moored Titchmarsh Marina, Essex, UK; cruising the rivers of East Anglia, and, the North Sea.