When the deck was recored 4 years ago the genoa track never made it back onto the boat i purchased. The current setup is 2 blocks shackled to the a padeye (the lifelines end about midship and tie into this pad eye.)
I guess it works but I'd like to be able to get proper sail trim and put things back the way intended.
The deck was supposedly recored with kledgecell. I looked at the track install section of this site, but I am looking for more details. What do i need to do to prevent leaks into the deck, assuming this area probally didn't get reinforced during the coring is there something I should do now?
Again, i'm new to boats and lack knowledge for installing such things. Any kind of walk through would be excellent. As well as choosing the right gear, and proper placement.
Rob
Genoa Track
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Tim
- Shipwright Extraordinaire
- Posts: 5708
- Joined: Tue Apr 01, 2003 6:39 pm
- Boat Name: Glissando
- Boat Type: Pearson Triton
- Location: Whitefield, ME
- Contact:
The best way to install the track, and prevent possible leakage into the core material (regardless of what it is), is as follows:
1. Locate the track on the deck. Exact placement depends on the current sheet lead, and what size sails you intend to use. Just be sure that it is placed so that all sails' leads can be led properly to the track.
2. Drill small pilot holes at each bolt location, it will be best if you drill only through the top skin and barely into the core. Remove track. It's not a bad idea to mask off the whole area for later steps.
3. Enlarge (overbore) the holes using about a 3/8" or 1/2" bit. Drill just through the top skin and into the core, not all the way through the deck. This will remove the coring in a larger area around the future fastener location.
4. Fill the resulting holes with thickened epoxy (epoxy mixed with cabosil to a relatively thick, yet pourable, consistency). Let the epoxy cure. This fills the area where the core was removed in the previous step.
5. Place the track back in place over the new filled holes, with the boltholes centered over the new epoxy plugs, and drill all the way through the deck. I like to tap the holes, so use the appropriate size drill bit for 1/4-20 taps (3/16 or so). The new holes should be more or less centered in the epoxy, providing a solid epoxy barrier all the way around the fastener hole.
6. Tap the hole with 1/4-20 tap. (Genoa tracks use 1/4-20 FH fasteners)
7. Mill a slight countersink at the top of the hole. This provides a little well into which additional sealant will lie, directly around the fastener itself.
8. Goop up the area with polysulfide sealant, particularly around the bolt holes.
9. Install the track with 1/4-20 machine screws of the appropriate length. With the tapped holes, this is easy. Once all are installed, you can go below and install fender washers (the big wide ones) and nuts.
10. Clean up the excess caulk.
Doing it this way takes more time, but even if the boltholes should leak (quite common on the highly-loaded genoa track), the water will pass through the holes, and not into the core. No coring is necessarily immune from possible water damage; water is insidious. Therefore, it's worth the time to overbore, fill, and tap, in my opinion.
1. Locate the track on the deck. Exact placement depends on the current sheet lead, and what size sails you intend to use. Just be sure that it is placed so that all sails' leads can be led properly to the track.
2. Drill small pilot holes at each bolt location, it will be best if you drill only through the top skin and barely into the core. Remove track. It's not a bad idea to mask off the whole area for later steps.
3. Enlarge (overbore) the holes using about a 3/8" or 1/2" bit. Drill just through the top skin and into the core, not all the way through the deck. This will remove the coring in a larger area around the future fastener location.
4. Fill the resulting holes with thickened epoxy (epoxy mixed with cabosil to a relatively thick, yet pourable, consistency). Let the epoxy cure. This fills the area where the core was removed in the previous step.
5. Place the track back in place over the new filled holes, with the boltholes centered over the new epoxy plugs, and drill all the way through the deck. I like to tap the holes, so use the appropriate size drill bit for 1/4-20 taps (3/16 or so). The new holes should be more or less centered in the epoxy, providing a solid epoxy barrier all the way around the fastener hole.
6. Tap the hole with 1/4-20 tap. (Genoa tracks use 1/4-20 FH fasteners)
7. Mill a slight countersink at the top of the hole. This provides a little well into which additional sealant will lie, directly around the fastener itself.
8. Goop up the area with polysulfide sealant, particularly around the bolt holes.
9. Install the track with 1/4-20 machine screws of the appropriate length. With the tapped holes, this is easy. Once all are installed, you can go below and install fender washers (the big wide ones) and nuts.
10. Clean up the excess caulk.
Doing it this way takes more time, but even if the boltholes should leak (quite common on the highly-loaded genoa track), the water will pass through the holes, and not into the core. No coring is necessarily immune from possible water damage; water is insidious. Therefore, it's worth the time to overbore, fill, and tap, in my opinion.
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Forum Founder--No Longer Participating
Forum Founder--No Longer Participating
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tartan30cirrus
- Topside Painter
- Posts: 129
- Joined: Thu Jan 27, 2005 9:15 pm
- Location: Casco Bay-Portland, Maine
Some thoughts since I have also considered this project to the protest of the Admiral. Look at the deck and make sure it iis reinforced enough for the loads...probably fine since it sounds like the previous tracks were deck mounted. Will you have a lot of headliner and trim to remove inside? Consider a nice sized backing plate made of Delrin. This willl beef up the deck area and provide a little more backing than just large fender washers. Let us know how it goes. Will you be putting an adjustable car on? Check out Garhauer's. Very Sweet: http://garhauermarine.com/catalog_process.cfm?cid=37
Good luck.
Cheers,
Clint
Good luck.
Cheers,
Clint
Clinton B. Chase
Tartan 30 #388 Cirrus
Portland, Maine
Tartan 30 #388 Cirrus
Portland, Maine