Tides marine Strongtrack

[tjr818]

I am considering adding the Strongtrack system to our CD27. I have read most of the posts about Strongtrack and can find very few negative comments. We have a two year old UK mainsail with the 2+2 batten arrangement. I am hoping that I can stick with that batten system. A question I have not seen an answer to is, what happens with the Strongtrack between the boom and the mast gate? If the track stops at the mast gate won't all the slides fall out? If the track extends down to the boom what holds it in place?
We are looking for any advice from those who already have installed the system.

[bottomscraper]

The Strongtrack comes with it's own "gate", it's a wider slot at the bottom of the track and it comes with stainless steel cover that is held on with a 1/4" pin. Unfortunately our mast is already stored high on a rack so I can't get a picture. Tides has a variety of slides https://www.tidesmarine.com/slide-selection. On Mahalo we have a 2+2 main. We have no special batten slides but we do use the longer 3" slides at the battens and headboard. This is what our sail maker recommended and it has worked fine. We have had our Strongtrack for at least 10 years and have been very happy with it. I installed the track myself with the mast down. They show installing it with the mast up but it's not something I would want to do. There have been several discussions of the Strongtrack here on the CD Board before. If the mast is down you may find it easier to remove the masthead and slide the track down from the top. I used a die grinder to widen the slot to slide it up from the bottom.

I did find this site on the web that shows a picture of the stainless cover at the bottom of the track that keeps the slides in.

http://theincrediblehull.blogspot.com/2 ... ystem.html

[tjr818]

Thanks Rich. The photo seems to show three screws through the Strongtrack and into the mast. Is that correct?

Tides Marine 2.jpg

[David Morton]

If I remember correctly, those screws secure small backing plates that fit in the original mast track and hold the Strong track in place. I also did my installation with the mast down and would also recommend doing it that way to assure access over the entire mast should something bind up. My Dremel worked well to widen the original gate to facilitate installing the new track.

[John Stone]

I installed my strong track this summer with the mast up. It worked fine. A simple job really. So far it has exceeded my expectation as the sail drops like a cannon ball when the halyard is released.

I documented the install on the Far Reach which you can find here:
http://www.farreachvoyages.com/projects ... sails.html

Scroll down about 2/3 of the way for the strong track entry.

[bottomscraper]

David is correct the screws attach to backing plates. They clamp the Strongtrack so that it won't slide in the mast slot.

[Sea Hunt Video]

Tim:

For what it's worth I had a Tides Marine Strong Track installed on S/V Bali Ha'i. A rigger did the installation with the mast up. The track works very well. I also installed a Mack Sails "stack pack". The lazy jacks part of the stack pack works well in conjunction with the Strong Track in helping to keep the mainsail sort of bundled up in place. I do not like the Sunbrella cloth "basket" with a zipper that the mainsail sits in that is part of the "stack pack". It is cumbersome and conceals access to the gooseneck, J hook, etc.

[tjr818]

Tim:

For what it's worth I had a Tides Marine Strong Track installed on S/V Bali Ha'i. A rigger did the installation with the mast up. The track works very well. I also installed a Mack Sails "stack pack". The lazy jacks part of the stack pack works well in conjunction with the Strong Track in helping to keep the mainsail sort of bundled up in place. I do not like the Sunbrella cloth "basket" with a zipper that the mainsail sits in that is part of the "stack pack". It is cumbersome and conceals access to the gooseneck, J hook, etc.

Roberto,
Thank you so much. One of my other concerns was the sail cover. From what I understand, when we go to the Strongtrack, the height of the mainsail stack, when lowered, will be much higher. That will necessitate a new cover and I was thinking of making a new Sailright "stack-pack" cover. What holds that "basket" open as you go to drop the sail? Since you do not like your arrangement, what would you suggest?

[John Stone]

I have noticed no difference in mainsail stack height with the strong track. In fact, my mast is 3 1/2' taller than the original mast and I can use the sail cover that came with the oriinal spar.

[Sea Hunt Video]

What holds that "basket" open as you go to drop the sail? Since you do not like your arrangement, what would you suggest?

Tim:

The lazy jack system is attached to the Sunbrella "basket" and holds it open - sort of. You still need to push the mainsail down into the "basket" before zippering.

I just do not like the fact that the Sunbrella cloth basket is permanently attached. I have come to prefer the "older" system where you take off the mainsail cover and store it. You still have the lazy jack system for gathering together the mainsail. Without the "basket" you can also easily flake the mainsail. You move the lazy jacks out of the way, flake the mainsail and attach the cover. With the basket, it is almost impossible to properly flake the mainsail when it is sitting in the basket.

I think it's just personal preference. There are several on this board who are very happy with the Sunbrella "basket" system.

[Squid]

I posted some of my pictures of this install on the other board "Projects"..

http://www.capedory.org/board/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=33648

This set up is awesome.... The main comes down like it's got a motor pulling it down!.... Goes up all the way and I only need to winch up the last foot. This, after I modified the main halyard back to the cockpit through two more blocks and a clutch, and to a single line reefing set up... I didn't have any issues with the sail cover, it only changed an inch or two... Not an issue with my cover.

[tjr818]

Glen,
I believe that your CD-30 uses the same mast section that our 27 has, the Spartan Spars CD-4 section. Do you remember which gauges that you used when measuring for the stern track?
The slot on our mast seems to fall in between Tidemarines gauges K and L and the lip thickness is between 5 and 6.

[Squid]

I will check with the rigger and see what size he ordered and installed .

[Warren Kaplan]

I had a tidesmarine mast track installed on my CD27 Sine Qua Non many years ago. One of the best modifications I ever did.
I don't have the boat anymore (the insurance company took it after it was damaged by a boat that floated down on it.)

I still have the mainsail though. A Doyle 2+2 in very good shape that is all fitted out with the slugs for a tides marine mast track. Only thing missing are the battens. You can get them at any local sailmaker.

So, if anyone is interested (its a 2002 sail but it goes to the sailmaker every year and is in very good shape, literally) its for sale.

[Andy Denmark]

I agree with Warren. This is one of the best improvements made to Rhiannon, especially since I single hand a lot. The only improvement I can offer is the addition of Harken BatCars to the top 2 (full-length) battens. By using tapered battens here, control of the shape of the top of the main is much easier. Your sailmaker can do this for you next time you have the sail off for checkups.

Installing the Strong Track is a piece of cake with the mast up. I certainly wouldn't take it down just to do this.

Hope this helps,

Andy