[Public-list] sail track

[Gordon Laco]

Hi Michael - 

Fair enough!  One of the reasons our brass sail track is delivered
un-drilled is so that installers can find the spacing of the old track and
make the new track match that.

Cheers - Gord #426 Surprise

> Hi Gord,
> Appreciate your comments.  The reason for my longish message was to help Jon
> avoid some possible mess while reinstalling mainsail track.
> 
> If the original holes were filled with some body filler, "Bondo" or some other
> synthetic resin, then they are not filled with metal and are still holes from
> the Engineering sense.
> 
> If Jon does not locate the original holes to either use them or to miss then
> with new holes then he runs the possibility of making a real mess by drilling
> partially into the old hole with the new hole.
> 
> Since locating the original holes might not be that hard, why weaken the mast
> by drilling new holes?   I understand that the Alberg 30 'telephone pole'
> rigid mast is perhaps over designed.  But new holes beside improperly filled
> original holes will weaken the extrusion.  Weaken it enough to cause a
> failure?  Probably not in most circumstances, but I for one would not want to
> be the one to find out.
> 
> I agree that fooling around with severly bent up sail track is not worth the
> time and later hassle.  Depending on finances and how badly bent the original
> track is, I would consider one of the newer sail track/ sail slide systems
> available.
> 
> What ever sail track I would install I would definately try to reuse the
> original mast holes if at all possible.
> 
> Michael
> 
> Gordon Laco <mainstay at csolve.net> wrote:
> Hi guys - 
> 
> I respectfully disagree that drilling new holes will have compromised an
> Alberg 30 mast. (don't you just hate conflicting advice?)
> 
> Our sticks are what we used to call 'totem pole' masts - quite a bit heavier
> than they need to be in thickness, section etc etc. In addition we have
> standing rigging that ensures that our sticks are nearly totally in
> compression, so holes don't matter much so long as they are round. (square
> 'holes' concentrate stress to the corners)
> 
> Drilling holes is detrimental in masts that are built to minimum scantlings
> and are rigged such that they bend a lot and repeatadly. Our masts have to
> cope with neither situation. Also, in any mast, a hole is no longer a hole
> in engineering compromise terms once it is filled with a steel or aluminium
> fastener that fits.
> 
> I think that people realized the possible danger caused by cutting into alum
> masts when people started putting halyards inside - which created a need for
> exit boxes or slots. Those did indeed cause problems especially when they
> had square corners. And of course the boats whose owners cared about saving
> windage by setting up inside halyards tended to be boats with very light
> bendy rigs...
> 
> I don't think that it is possible to repair bent track. I would suggest
> that you would save yourself a world of future frustration if you just
> replace the track. Not really a huge expense in the scope of getting your
> mast functional again but probably just about the best money you could
> spend.
> 
> Re attaching it - my preference is to drill and tap the holes then fasten
> the track with fine thread machine screws. Rather time consuming but not as
> bad as it sounds once you get going. I put the tap on a variable speed
> drill, and have a sep drill for the 'drilling' so you are not constantly
> changing bits.
> 
> By the way - my advice about the track is given with a pure motive; the
> track I sell is brass and while in wooden rigs that is superior to SS, it is
> not compatible with aluminium (that old dissimilar metal thing...)
> 
> Well - there is my view.
> 
> Cheers - Gordon #426 Surprise
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
>> John,
>> Your concern should be to NOT drill any more holes in the mast to replace the
>> sail track!!!! Find out what they used to fill the holes. Fortunately, you
>> have the old track to use as a template to locate the original holes. You
>> will need to be very careful to determine the sequence of the original pieces
>> of sail track. Then find the last hole at either end and carefully relocate
>> the original holes. Either straighten the original track and reinstall or use
>> the original track as a template again to drill holes in your new track.
>> 
>> My concerns would be you don't want to weaken the mast by drilling another
>> set
>> of holes. If the holes were filled with some nonstructural filler, i.e.,
>> resin then if you drilled a new set of holes helter skelter you might drill
>> the new hole partially into the diameter of the old hole and the holding
>> power
>> of the fastener will be severely undermined. If the yard guys were careful in
>> drilling out the old rivets then the BEST solution would be to go back into
>> the original holes with the original size rivets. If the yard guys were
>> careless and oversized the original holes then the SECOND BEST solution would
>> be to use the next size larger fastener into the now oversized hole. You then
>> need to be cautious to size the head of the fastener so that it will not jam
>> in the sail slide.
>> 
>> You might be able to determine where the original holes are located under the
>> new paint by taking a light and placing at one end of the mast and then
>> looking down the mast toward the light. It would be better to do this at
>> dark.
>> The 'raking light' might show the filled holes as darker dimples. Once
>> located, use a drill smaller than the hole to locate each hole. Then use a
>> countersink to open the hole and carefully cut away the new paint to just
>> slightly larger that the original sized hole, only at the surface!!! If you
>> carefully rock the countersink in a circular motion as you enlarge the hole
>> it
>> will normally center itself in the hole and not mess up the new paint around
>> the hole. Then go back with the proper sized drill for the fastener you
>> intend
>> to use to open the hole thru the mast.
>> 
>> These guys did you no good service by filling the holes prior to repainting.
>> 
>> If the yard welded the original holes closed, then you can throw away the
>> mast
>> or use it for a flag pole because via the welding and heat they have ruined
>> the temper of the Aluminum.
>> 
>> Good Luck,
>> 
>> Michael
>> 
>> "Budington, Jonathan" wrote:
>> The track was damaged when it was removed (bent) and the holes in the mast
>> were filled before it was painted. I have the sail track and planned to put
>> it back on - the person who replaced the rigging told me I should replace
>> the sale track.
>> 
>> Jon
>> 
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: George Dinwiddie [mailto:gdinwiddie at alberg30.org]
>> Sent: Thursday, January 06, 2005 9:16 AM
>> To: Alberg 30 Public List -- open to all
>> Subject: [Public-list] sail track
>> 
>> 
>> Budington, Jonathan wrote:
>>> One thing I do need to do is replace my sail track. The mast was painted,
>>> and they didn't do a great job removing the old one. Any suggestions?
>> 
>> It's hard to make suggestions when I don't know what is the problem.
>> The sail track is normally pop-riveted to the mast.
>> 
>> Did they damage the old sail track in removing it? Is that the problem?
>> 
>> - George
> 
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