[Public-List] Goose Neck Track

[crufone at comcast.net]

Hello, 



I tend to agree with Gordon. Machine screws to replace the rivets on the Gooseneck slide should be something like four times the effective holding power without causing any significant damage/weakening to the mast. Using a product like loc-tite should help prevent the machine screws from backing out on their own. I don't know but Loc-tite might even function as a barier between the SS screws and the Aluminum mast? 



I would think that the mainsail track fitted with machine screws might be an improvement as well.  On the other hand carefully drilling off the heads of the original rivets and replacing them should buy us all another 40 years of service. While you are at it filing small 'corners' on the track ends is a great idea to prevent slide hangups. 



Michael #133  


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Gordon Laco" < mainstay at csolve.net > 
To: "Alberg 30 Public List -- open to all" < public-list at lists.alberg30.org > 
Sent: Thursday, October 29, 2009 12:34:24 PM GMT -05:00 US/Canada Eastern 
Subject: Re: [Public-List] Goose Neck Track   

Hello friends - 

I have been in BC on business and am just catching up on the topic. 

I would suggest that a bolt going through the mast is problematic in   
that if the holes are not threaded (or even if they are) one would be   
stressing the soft aluminium extrusion when you tighten the bolt.   If   
the track is secured by machine screws threaded into the wall of the   
extrusion adjacent to the track... well there is no stronger way to   
fix it. 

If one were bent (pun intended) on bolting through to the front face   
of the mast, the only way you could achieve a fix as secure as short   
machine screws tapped in would be if there were a nut cranked hard   
against the inner surface of the after face of the extrusion...and   
another cranked hard against the inner surface of the forward face.     
I am assuming a third nut outside the mast on the forward face.   
Alternatively  one could I suppose fit a compression tube in the mast   
to protect it from the compression but that would be as awkward as the   
nuts and still only approximating the strength of short machine screws   
tapped in. 

Remember that the loading on the goose neck track is all in shear...   
the only part of what ever fastener is used that is 'working' is the   
part that exits the after surface of the mast.  How much bolt extends   
through the inner void and penetrates the forward face has nothing to   
do with how secure the bolt is holding the track to the mast. 

Hope that helps - please write if I am not making sense. 

Oh the issue of track slides catching at track unions.... so long as   
the track sections are somewhat lined up with each other, that issue   
can be solved by carefully rounding off the corners of the ends of the   
tracks at the joint.   Do that (only a little is required) with a fine   
file then polish with fine emory paper, and the sticking problem will   
go away even if you have six joints rather than the three that is   
usual (the track comes in ten foot lengths) 

There should be a fastener right at the end of the upper and lower   
sections at each joint... if there is not, popping in a  rivet on each   
side of the joint right at the end of the track sections is a good idea. 

Cheers  - Gord #426 SURPRISE 

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