Opinions Please: Usefulness of inner jib sheet track

[keneasley]

I'm in the process of finding and sealing leaks from the deck into the cabin.

One area of concern is the track for the jib sheet.
That is - the inner track.

I've not used this in the two years that I've had the boat.
I use a 135 Genoa on a roller-furler.

I'm considering removing the track and filling the whole slot with thickened epoxy or polyester repair putty and painting it over with non-skid paint. In this way I'd have one large area of potential leaks sealed.

So... Your opinions please. Have you a similar track on your boat? Do you use it?

Thanks, Ken

Jib_Sheet_Inner_Track.JPG

[mgphl52]

Ken, Given very low number of Intrepids (of all sizes) built, you may be on your own with this issue. Hopefully some of our other sailors will be able to assist you with thoughts and/or advice.

[fmueller]

Seems to me you’d want to verify actual water entry ... is that not possible ?

[Keith]

Not an answer to your question but an observation. Its seems like your car on the outer track is much to far forward for a 135. I believe that the line of the sheet should be pointing towards the center of effort of the sail. Can't tell from the pic if it is pointing towards the center of effort but it looks like it is pointing up much higher. Moving it back would put it in better alignment.

Food for thought.

Keith

PS To your question why not just bed the tracks/screws with butyl rubber and see if that solves the problem. It should be a relatively quick and simple job.

[John Stone]

If it were me I would definitely want those inboard tracks. They reduce the sheet in angle for sails that can be sheeted inside the uppers. Can be very useful for a stays’l. If you can get to the nuts on the underside of the deck then butyl is a good way to go as a Keith suggest. remove the bolts. Chamfer the holes. Apply the butyl (read up the appropriate technique—Marine How To has an excellent tutorial) tighten the nuts with letting the bolts turn. Done correctly they will never leak again.

As far as sheeting angle I can’t tell from the photo but agree it’s looks forward. A simple way to initially position the sheet lead is to locate the middle of the luff on the sail. Extend an imaginary line from that point through the clew to the deck. Start by setting the lead at that point and make adjustments from there based on the sail and the sailing conditions.

[Kailua Kid]

I recommend you not remove the inner tracks. Those tracks will be useful for smaller headsails and tighter/closer sheeting angles, for pointing higher without having to barber-haul. If it leaks, seal up the fasteners as suggested above. At the very least, upon re-sale, the buyer will expect that boat to be equipped with inner foresail tracks.

As regards jib-car fore-and-aft position, of course you position the lead (car) differently for each headsail depending on the wind speed, and to a lesser degree sea-state, such that the entire length of the luff “breaks” at the same time (or the yarns lift at the same time). SAIL POWER, by Wallace Ross, is a good reference work for sail trim and angle of attack questions (not that you asked about that), as you probably know.

[keneasley]

Thanks all for your responses.

I'll remove and rebed the tracks. I've been rebedding most everything.

I ordered the Sail Power book. Looks like a good one.

Ken

[Paul D.]

I agree to rebidding with Butyl tape. Inner tracks are usually much easier to get to the nuts under deck as well.

[ghockaday]

We have a CD 30 Cutter and would love to have a track in that location for the staysail. I would remove the front boom and clean up the foredeck. I don't have the nerve to drill that many holes in my cabin top.

I would also leave it and fix the source of the leak. Dee

[mgphl52]

I'm in the process of finding and sealing leaks from the deck into the cabin.

One area of concern is the track for the jib sheet.
That is - the inner track.

I've not used this in the two years that I've had the boat.
I use a 135 Genoa on a roller-furler.

I'm considering removing the track and filling the whole slot with thickened epoxy or polyester repair putty and painting it over with non-skid paint. In this way I'd have one large area of potential leaks sealed.

So... Your opinions please. Have you a similar track on your boat? Do you use it?

Thanks, Ken

Revisiting this thread after thinking about it some more...
The inner track combined with a small head sail would usually allow you to point higher, especially when the wind picks up.
But that's generally of more concern to folks that race...