[Public-List] Gooseneck track repair and replacement

[Gordon Laco]

Hello friends… 

T track is great if you can get an extrusion that fits…. back in the day making track out of flat plate with wooden spacer was normal and traditional.  It’s very strong and while perhaps cheaper with regard to materials, wasn’t with regard to labour because it had to be made up.  Use of it was a characteristic of a time when craftsmanship was normal.    

All that said (did you hear the violins rising to an emotional crescendo?) Whitby did take short cuts…

Gordon Laco
www.gordonlaco.com
426 Surprise



> On Jul 28, 2020, at 9:03 PM, Michael Connolly via Public-List <public-list at lists.alberg30.org> wrote:
> 
> James,
> I believe that you have found the answer to your original question. If your bar stock is so damaged as to not be useable then the purchase of a standard "T" track is probably the way to go. Look for track which has a convex lower surface.  Not all "T" track has this feature. For others if the bar is OK but the spacer has deteriorated then just replacing the spacer is preferred. I believe that a continuous spacer is the way to go.  It would help keep the track from distorting under load. You have an early boat and I suspect that originally it had wood spacers under the track bars for the sliding gooseneck fitting as well as all the jib and genoa tracks. My boat has an aluminum casting for the gooseneck with the gearbox for the roller reefing arangement. 
> 
> James, you will discover over time that Whitby as a production boat builder was conscious of costs and did a number of "interesting" things to save on expenses.  Also, as a one-design there are many differences between the A30 boats that do not affect the one-design aspect of the boat. I am not sure but suspect that suitable aluminum "T" track was commercially available in 1966 when my boat was put together, but Whitby might have used the SS bar and wood spacer as a cost saving measure over the aluminum "T" extrusion?  Although I don't see the savings there!  Gord would be better to answer that historical rigging question.
> Michael #133 
>> On 07/28/2020 10:18 AM James Cowhey via Public-List <public-list at lists.alberg30.org> wrote:
>> 
>> 
>> I like the simplicity of the T-track like Stephen Gwyn  mentioned. The internal backing plate makes sense but that might be for another day.  Now that I know what I’m looking for I see several sources online.
>> 
>> Thanks.
>> 
>> James Cowhey
>> Alberg 30 #56
>> 
>> Sent from my iPad
>> 
>>> On Jul 27, 2020, at 5:57 PM, Stephen Gwyn via Public-List <public-list at lists.alberg30.org> wrote:
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> On my boat the gooseneck track is a standard aluminum 1-inch T track,
>>> screwed to the mast with 1/4" SS machine screws, mostly
>>> countersunk into the tracks holes, except for the top and bottom holes.
>>> After 40 years, the top bolt was slightly wiggly, so I re-drilled
>>> and tapped to 5/16". 10 years after that, the track itself was
>>> slightly worn, and since the mast was down anyway (and unlikely
>>> to be ever down again), the track was replaced, this time backed
>>> with another aluminum track inside the mast.
>>> 
>>> SG
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