[Public-List] Gooseneck track repair and replacement

Jonathan Bresler 262alberg30 at gmail.com
Wed Jul 29 12:44:30 PDT 2020 

Its a good question David,

Guessing that one might
* select a backing plate that fits flush to the INSIDE flat on the aft side
of the mast
* drill all the required holes in the backing plate and the mast using the
track to be mounted as a template
* tap the holes in the backing plate
* thread a wire from each of the the uppermost and bottommost holes in the
mast out to the bottom of the mast (need about six or seven feet of wire
for each. mast is 36' long.  luff of main is 31' long.)
* tie a nut in the middle of each of two lengths of light line (say seven
feet of 2mm halyard leader for instance)
* thread one light line through the uppermost and bottommost holes in the
backing plate and tie to one of the two wires through the uppermost and
bottommost holes
* tie the other ends of the light line to a cleat on the mast
* pull the wires back out the uppermost and bottommost holes for securing
the track which will drag the backing plate into place due to the nuts
fetching up against the plate
* screw the track to the mast and the backing plate using all the holes but
for the uppermost and bottommost
* untie the light lines from the wires through the uppermost and bottommost
holes
* pull the light lines out of the mast
* screw in the uppermost and bottommost screws

Jonathan

On Wed, Jul 29, 2020 at 3:21 PM Gordon Laco via Public-List <
public-list at lists.alberg30.org> wrote:

> You can only mount a backing plate inside as far as you can reach from the
> mast’s heel.
>
> Gordon Laco
> www.gordonlaco.com
> 426 Surprise
>
>
>
> > On Jul 29, 2020, at 8:54 AM, David Fay via Public-List <
> public-list at lists.alberg30.org> wrote:
> >
> > How on earth do you mount a backing plate inside the mast? And once it's
> in, how do you install nuts on the bolts that hold the track on?
> >
> > My track doesn't need reinforcing right now, but I am curious about how
> this is done.
> >
> > David
> > Blue Teal #284
> >
> >> On Jul 28, 2020, at 10:56 PM, Don Campbell via Public-List <
> public-list at lists.alberg30.org> wrote:
> >>
> >>   James:
> >>   That will work. I am not sure sealent is going to do much for
> anything though. However, once you want a bit more performance out of your
> sails and getting some power in light air on downwind runs, you will then
> consider a vang.  We have had the experience in Canada that the newer vangs
> from Garhauer are strong enough to pull the track off the mast when loaded
> to control the main on a run. The solution to that problem was to have the
> boom in a fixed position on the mast and a bolted bracket for holding
> things in one place.  If at all possible, I suggest that you try to get a
> backing plate inside the mast for added strength. Ultimately, you will need
> it.
> >> Don
> >>
> >> ------ Original Message ------
> >> From: "James Cowhey via Public-List" <public-list at lists.alberg30.org>
> >> To: "Alberg 30 Public List -- open to all" <
> public-list at lists.alberg30.org>
> >> Cc: "James Cowhey" <jrc127 at ptd.net>
> >> Sent: 2020-07-28 10:34:05 PM
> >> Subject: Re: [Public-List] Gooseneck track repair and replacement
> >>
> >>> I found several suppliers some that sell T track In 2 ‘ sections which
> is about right.  The aft face of the mast is flat so a T track should be
> fairly straight forward to install.  It’s made with countersunk holes so I
> ‘m thinking I’ll tap the holes and back the track with sealant  before
> installing the screws.  Sound right?
> >>>
> >>> James Cowhey
> >>>
> >>> Sent from my iPad
> >>>
> >>>> On Jul 28, 2020, at 9:12 PM, Gordon Laco via Public-List <
> public-list at lists.alberg30.org> wrote:
> >>>>
> >>>> 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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-- 
Jonathan M Bresler
S/V Constance Alberg 30 #262
Annapolis/Eastport MD

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