Hello, I own a Nonsuch 26 Classic and I am considering installing a Tides Track with complimentary track system.
Any feedback from someone who has done so would be appreciated. What length did you buy, 5/8’ width? Did you attach the track to the mast?
Thank You in advance,
Michael Gibson
Nonsuch had a Tides track when we got her but the sun had killed it. If you contact Tides they will send you a kit with various bits needed to do all the measurements. Not cheap, bu worth it and a good company to deal with.
Michael,
The difference between the composite Tides Track and the original SS track is what compels most Nonsuchers to go that route. Mine came with the Tides Track but I have experienced the difference raising the sail with each. I’m pretty sure your sail will need to have the correct slides attached to fit the track but the Tides just slides up the original metal track. Like has just been said the company is very helpful.
Brian Cayer
Spirit~Wind
N30U 419
Westbrook Ct
I’ve replaced mine and have helped others do theirs. It’s quite simple as someone said, the company is very helpful. One suggestion – on a Nonsuch, do it on a hot or warm day and slide it out the forward porthole for a good angle to go up the mast.
Joe Valinoti
S/V iL Gatto NS30U #221
Sea Harbour YC
Oriental, NC USA
Michael,
I installed it on my previous N26C. Joe’s right – it’s easier if you do it while the mast is out of the boat on the ground but I did it just as he suggests, by running it through the cabin interior and out the forward porthole. A hot or warm day is good, or VERY GENTLE warming with a heat gun. It’s nice to have help feeding it, because the track wiggles around at the end while you’re feeding it at the front. However, I did the job entirely solo and it was manageable.
I’m not sure what your mention of 5/8’ was referring to. The original stainless steel sail track is 7/8" wide. I bought 43’ of track – BUT, you don’t want to reuse someone else’s measurements (and especially not mine), because there can be some variation. You’ll want to measure the length of track you want following the Tides instructions.
The slides on your existing sail will need to be replaced. Tides sells the replacement slides, and you’ll need to look at your sail to determine how many you need of the different kinds they sell. Again, their instructions are very good on how to do all of this. Because of the way my sail was laid out, I needed 1 headboard slide, 4 reef slides, and 16 standard slides. Your mileage may differ.
Depending on how your current slides were installed on the sail, you may or may not be able to salvage them. Mine were sewn into place and I had to cut them apart to remove them. Tides’ slides are pretty easy to install. If your current slides are stainless steel, they’re not that valuable. If they’re bronze, you may want to go to more effort to remove them intact. Bronze slides are incredibly expensive. They stop working after some years because, although more slippery than stainless, they’re softer – over time, the wear enlarges them enough that they can rotate on the track just sufficiently to jam up. But someone else might be able to use them.
Also depending on how your current slides were installed, you may find that the sail stacks a bit higher with the Tides slides than it did before. This may interact with your sail cover.
I’ve found the Tides Track to be very helpful on all three of the boats I’ve had with one, and regard it as a very worthwhile upgrade to invest in. My current N26U has a carbon fiber mast with a different track that works better than the original stainless, so I haven’t switched yet with this one, but likely will at some point in the future.
– Bob
Me Gusta
Nonsuch e26U #233
I installed one last April in on a cool day and it was a bit of struggle even with the mast off the boat. So I would definitely wait for a nice warm day. I had to use a bit of soap and water and tap on it with a rubber hammer.
Worth the trouble, though. It is a low friction system and the slides ( I used stainless steel) and very nice quality.
Ken Julian
“Blue Note” NS26C#9
Fredericton, NB
Michael-
Tides tracks are very popular, and at first I was disappointed when the two 30 footers I was considering didn’t have them. Since you say you’re “considering”, I’ll offer my experience with the standard track. If you’re already committed, don’t waste time reading this.
On the NS 30 I purchased, it was initially impossible to get the sail up without the electric winch. Once I really examined the halyard/track setup I realized there were many ways to reduce friction:
Dan Weinstein
Look Farther 30C #205
East Greenwich, RI
What Dan very correctly addresses is friction - enemy #1 on a Nonsuch with it’s huge sail. EVERY single solitary turn that the main halyard takes even (oh-so-slightly) around an organizer (some are good, some really suck and are not smooth) contributes WAY more friction than you’d want or expect. I had a small NS22 and I ran the halyard from the turning block on the mast base (which was a decent sheave, not some old grinder) straight back to the halyard winch. It touched no other line, organizer or cabin top. Honestly, that alone reduced my friction about 30%. The difference was dramatic.
I always sprayed all of my sail sail slides with McLube Sailcote (not cheap but worth it), twice per season. Salty, crusty halyards don’t help much so, just maybe, $100.00 for a brand-new halyard following all the recommendations from others.
Every single turn, Michael. Every little deviation = FRICTION. Maybe you don’t need that Tides track (though they are fine products).
Ernie A. in Toronto
These are excellent points as I am only looking to upgrade because of a few poor experiences of hoisting the main. Currently the mast is up and installed for this year. I have used McLube previously which is an excellent. Changing the halyard or a block I have not considered. My thought was the original ‘cars’ would be the place to start. Although new is tempting it would be more work and money and being a traditionalist I would be happy to continue on with the 1983 version of hate to raise the sail with some modifications. I have attached a few pics from last fall. Thanks Michael
What Dan very correctly addresses is friction - enemy #1 on a Nonsuch with it’s huge sail. EVERY single solitary turn that the main halyard takes even (oh-so-slightly) around an organizer (some are good, some really suck and are not smooth) contributes WAY more friction than you’d want or expect. I had a small NS22 and I ran the halyard from the turning block on the mast base (which was a decent sheave, not some old grinder) straight back to the halyard winch. It touched no other line, organizer or cabin top. Honestly, that alone reduced my friction about 30%. The difference was dramatic.
I always sprayed all of my sail sail slides with McLube Sailcote (not cheap but worth it), twice per season. Salty, crusty halyards don’t help much so, just maybe, $100.00 for a brand-new halyard following all the recommendations from others.
Every single turn, Michael. Every little deviation = FRICTION. Maybe you don’t need that Tides track (though they are fine products).
Ernie A. in Toronto
Michael,
When I bought my 26 in 2004 she did not have the Tides Marine Strong Track. She did have good bronze slides. When everything was done properly I could hoist the sail all the was by hand from the cockpit and just needed the winch to properly tension the luff (I am not very big or strong). When lowering the sail it would stop with the head of the sail about 10’ up the mast. I then used Sunlight dish soap to clean and lube the slides before leaving the dock. This helped.
I read all the posts in the forum that said the Strong was a miracle product, making hoisting and dropping the sail much easier. During a mast inspection I found that some of the screws holding the sail track to the mast had started to back out. If they had come out further they could have jammed the sail slides either going up or worse yet coming down. I had the mast joint fixed using the Mike Quill repair system and ordered the Strong track system. I was working long hours at the time so had a rigger install the strong track. They ordered 42’ but it had to be cut down to 41’6”. A sail loft changed the slides over to the Strong Track slides (they “misplaced” the bronze slides. If you go to the Strong track make sure you keep the bronze slides they are worth as much as gold and very hard to find. Also order extra slides, two head board slides and 5 batten slides. They are included in the system but cost extra if you have to order them at a later date. At least that was the case in 2007 when I bought my strong track. You current sail may only have 4 partial battens but in the future you may want 5 full length battens.
I was disappointed with the Strong track because I did not notice any real improvement over the bronze slides. One advantage was the Strong track keeps the screws on the sail track from backing out and jamming the slides.
Fast reward to 2024. Based on reports that the Strong track has a life of about 20 years I did a careful inspection and concluded the original track was at end of life. I called Tides Marine to order a new track. They asked for the serial number which of course had been rubbed off. I gave them the approximate date of the first order and the rigging companies name. They found the order in about 1 minute. I order the same track. The cost with shipping, taxes and exchange came to over $1,000.00 Cdn.
I went down to the boat yesterday with two friends and we changed out the track. The most difficult part was pulling the old track off. With great effort two of us could pull it down about 2” at a time. We had to take the mast collar off to do the job. You will need a clamp to put it back on. We ended up drilling a hole sideways through the track about 2 1/2’ above the deck and feeding a line through that we tied in a loop big enough for my foot. I would stand in the loop and my weight would pull the track down. One friend pulled the track away from the mast and fed it through the forward port. The other was below feeding the track through the cabin and out the cockpit. With the strong Track off we cleaned the steel track with soap water. We ran the test piece up and down the mast as per the instructions. There was friction at each of the stainless bands that hold the track to the lower portion of the mast. After we cut the track to lint and drilled a hole for the retaining screw we were able to install the new Strong Track. With the clean track and using soapy water as a spray on lubricant the new track went up quite easily. Again we fed it through the cabin and out the forward port. It was sunny and about 18C. The old track was brittle. We could hear and see cracks forming. The new track was much more supple. It took about 4 hours to do the job.
I can’t remember the size of the track and don’t have the invoice handy.
Based on your pictures you should be able to change out the sail slides yourself. It is possible you could have fit issues with the slides for the headboard.
There are slight differences in all the boats so you will want to use Tide Marines guides to do your own measurements and just use are as a reference check.
Hope that helps.
Mark Powers.
PS, too late for me to proof read, sorry.
PS. It was only the stainless collar that needed removing, not the lower cast aluminium collar.
Mark Powers
Just another option.
I installed my Tides track with the mast down… I removed one rivet at the top of the old track and then slid the Tides track down from the top… really quite easy.
Dennis Angle
N26U Chumu
Smuggler’s Cove Boat Club
Niagara Ontario
Slight digression but to Mark’s point about track screws…… I had the unfortunate experience of a screw backing out and preventing the sail from dropping at (of course) a very poor time with lots of wind. The ensuing drama is a story for another time.
I asked Mike Quill if this should be a problem and he said that the screws should be no longer than 5/16” and should actually fall out before they got far enough out to block a slide. After having my rigger friend Helicoil the failed screw and pull/check the others we found that only the one had been over length, likely the result of a past repair.
Freak accident I guess but not one you want to have. Might be worth a check for peace of mind, especially for those of you who have your mast at ground level every winter.
Paul M
NS30U #221, Sandpiper
Cowichan Bay, B.C.
