Detached jib sheet tracks

[pbobbitt]

Yeah... I've been having a ball on my new (to me) '85 DSII... Last week we were blasting at 18Kts (gusting over 20) and managed to get it up on a plane... Last Sunday it was closer to 12, but I had the port track rip out on the forward screw. The track was bent to hell, but no real damage on the fiberglass.

The previous owner noted that he'd 'fixed' the issue by installing inspection ports on both sides, and replacing the wood... the screw was a tiny wood screw... The starboard side track is similarly mutilated.

I want to replace the track with modern t-track. My questions:

1) Are there any class rules as to how long the track can be? The existing ones are 12"... the shortest I can find are 18".
2) Are there any class rules on placement? I seem to remember reading that they had to be so far back from the cuddy wall, but I can't find it.
3) Is the any reason why I need to replace the wood? Can't I just use through bolts with 1" stainless washers on the backside? What am I missing?

[GreenLake]

The same thing happened to me many years ago on the maiden voyage with a new to me DS.

I ended up with Harken "small boat" tracks.



From the picture those look more like 12". So they were available at one time.
I see it listed on the Harken site, but as a "dealer only" item.

https://www.harken.com/en/shop/22-mm-sm ... e-spacing/

Perhaps with the product number (Part No. 373.12) it might be easier to find any still on offer somewhere.

The placement of the tracks, or their length, is not prescribed (https://www.daysailer.org/resources/Doc ... bylaw3.pdf) and while 18" would be overkill, I don't see an obvious downside. I would assume it's possible to cut down oversized track. My sailmaker suggested using the most forward position exclusively, my (very) expert crew disagreed and even used manual adjustments (not in a sanctioned race) as can be seen in this picture.

[GreenLake]

About the wood anchoring the track screws. I used a penetrating epoxy to provide some more strength to the wood to give more "grip", others have used a waxed screw in a hole filled with regular epoxy (which will thus harden into threads around the screw, but the wax still lets you remove the screw later).

Or you can combine both techniques. And go to the largest diameter screw accepted by the track. I was able to up the diameter by one step. I did not know the waxed screw trick, but thinks have held nicely for many seasons now, and even survived removal and replacement for refinishing without losing "grip".

However, if there's significant dry rot you may opt for removal.

If the rear is accessible, you can of course throughbolt as well (with or without the wood). I'm not sure what surface area you need for successful backing if you've removed the wood. Fender washers may be fine -- the reason the builder used wood is that it allows installation without access from the back; but that gives you no hint as to whether the stiffness of the wood is in any way essential or whether the laminate is strong enough on its own.

[pbobbitt]

When I 'm racing on big boats, we slide them suckers forward when it's blowing. the idea is that the geometry of the bull allows for a twist in the jib let out some of that energy...

I have no idea what happens on a daysailer.

I really got to get new sails the ones that came with the boat are truly beat. That said, I can manage to keep up with Flying Scots up wind mostly... Dead Down wind I get crushed, on reach I'm generally a little faster.

[GreenLake]

The direction of pull matters, and the principle should be the same. However, each sail is cut a bit differently and the guy I bought from, since retired, once upon a time was the goto sailmaker for fast boats in some of the DS fleets. So, he clearly thought less twist was faster in all winds.

We don't have other DS here, most of the time, but one showed up for a bit, and I managed to outsail them fairly consistently which surprised me. I'm used to being hopelessly behind all the fancy boats.