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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

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Mast track for pole

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PZell
Admiral

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USA
548 Posts

Initially Posted - 03/21/2007 : 13:52:05

I am contemplating removing the single pad eye on my mast and putting on a track with a moveable pad eye. The height of the eye is wrong for some of my jibs and I am planning on rigging a spinnaker this year. So, have any of you removed an eye from the mast and installed the track? I would be curious to know any problems you ran into, any specs, like size of track - length, etc. Mast will be down shortly for maintenance and installing all rope halyards anyway, so maybe I'll tackle the track thing too. Looks like it might be a bear to get the present eye off.

Paul C25FK Sparky
'PZ' W7JVY KFS/KTK/KLB/KOK/WNU/KPH/WCC/VAI/VAJ

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djn
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1561 Posts

Response Posted - 03/21/2007 : 14:06:59

Hi Paul, the PO of my boat did that. He added a two foot section of track and hadthree or four movable padeyes. The top one he used for the flag lines going up to the spreaders. It seem fairly straight forward. Cheers.

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Champipple
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
6855 Posts

Response Posted - 03/21/2007 : 14:11:44

Yes. I used a regular (standard size) t track. I wish I would have made it go lower. I think I purchased 3 feet. I rigged it to go about 5 feet off the deck (little lower than eye level for me) to 8 feet. I thought I'd want to really open up the barn door and run down. i.e. get the kite up and out in front of the boat. Forgetting of course about the foreward lowers which won't allow for the pole to come back that far.

If I were to do it all over again I'd go from the deck to about 6.5 feet - but would measure of course my location for my smallest and biggest headsails first to make sure they are in that range. The reason I'd go that low is so I could drop the pole to the deck on upwind legs and allow the jib to tack over it.

When you install it, make sure that you have the screwholes lined up on the centerline of the mast. Drill and tap in order, from one end to the next.

dw

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aeckhart
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1709 Posts

Response Posted - 03/23/2007 : 13:59:07

Ditto on Duane's comment regarding drilling and tapping. be very carefull or you'll end up with a crooked application. I wouldn't use sheet metal screws as this is a high stress application.

Check with Catalina Direct. I bought mine from them. I'm not sure but I think it was 4' long. It came with appropriate bolts and a thread tap.

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djn
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1561 Posts

Response Posted - 03/23/2007 : 14:48:49

Yep, sheet metal screws are for exactly that, sheet metal. A mast is a thick metal extrusion and must be tapped. Also, spend the money on a good tap. Do not use a "thread cleaner" they look the same but the cleaner is used for clearing out tapped threads and will break off if used as a tap. Also part II, plan on getting oil everywhere or the tap will break. Also part III, use the right size drill for the tap you are using....too small a hole and the tap will get stuck and break, too large a hole and you will not have sufficent threads to screw into. Have fun.. Cheers.

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JimB517
Past Commodore

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USA
3285 Posts

Response Posted - 03/23/2007 : 15:56:19

My track goes from the deck to 6 feet up. Seems perfect for my symmetrical spin and setting the whisker pole.

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PZell
Admiral

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USA
548 Posts

Response Posted - 03/25/2007 : 09:14:31

Thanks for the good info. Will take it to heart before I do it soon. One thing though. I was planning to do the end most hole on each end of the track first, then the ones in between. My thinking on that was that then everything inbetween those two would line up perfectly (or does one kind of bend the track a little as the screwing progresses. I bought a 6 foot track on sale half price & guessed on the length of the screw (bolt?..whatever the tech term is). What length is appropriate.

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britinusa
Web Editor

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USA
5404 Posts

Response Posted - 03/25/2007 : 11:09:11

Paul, I would hold the track in place with duct tape before drilling a single hole, that way you will know it is lined up parrallel with the mast and the heights are correct.
Of course you'll also it'll act as another pair of hands. After it's drilled then remove the duct tape and any residue with mineral spirits.

Paul

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The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.