jib track placement

[ebb]

Well, there is the POUNDING METHOD dis cussed on the WoodenBoatForum 'Genoa Tracks'.
Probably will work for bronze (RigRite), not s.s.

But at the end of the series of posts there's interesting photos showing heavy blocks of timber with T-track
 shapes cut into a surface and used to manually pre-bend the track.   Again, this may be easier with bronze
track,  while springback could be an issue with stainless.  Method seems quick and dirty.  But not controlable.

Still think, from the experimental perspective, that if we fill the T-track with strips of a bendy wood like elm
or oak - changing the track into a 4-square bundle - it would be easier to handle when bending stainless track.
This might work in a plain notch as pictured in WoodenBoat.  Might help keep the track from getting elbow bends.
Might work in the roller-bender using   fitted plain channel dies.  Worth a try.

A bundle like this might be bent to the toerail by, say, clamping the center of the bundle solidly in place
on the toe-rail,  then pushing the ends in as needed for drilling and clamping.  This will also have to be
done incrementally because  bundle ends probably will have to be overbent to get holes drilled into the
center of the rail.  IE, pushed inboard past the rail and allowing it to springback into line.  Dunknow.....

Can bundle be bent?  Force it into a channel of 3/4" hardwood strips clamped on either side of the toerail.*

So,  what length of track we want....8, 9, 10 feet?
Is it possible to make a doorskin pattern of the curve of the toerail, trace it onto a plank, cut the plank  and
reassemble it with the T-track in the middle?  
Maybe some routing to custom a form fit.  The two sides with the track would be locked together with cleats.  
Something like this will be a little ungainly,  BUT allows tweeky placement and removal any number of times.
And clean disassembly after track is installed.

T-track on an A/C needs to be bent into a fair curve of no more than 4 or 5 inches 'height' in 8 to10 feet.  Seems
feasible that something mild like this can be bent 'live'  inside a 10" wide plank,  maybe narrower,  maybe
even with  decent plywood.   Now that I measured it off the plans,  track 'straight ends' will not be noticed at all
- meaning that the actual length of track can be jigged.  It won't be exact,  but cheaper....

Another thing, at the back of the boats here,  might make it easier to install if the track is put on the deck NEXT to
the toerail.  Can block up track off the deck.  Track easy to bend with clamps using the toerail  Deck is solid glass
(no balsa) along  the cockpit.  Able to reach fastners, even SEE them!
Just tossing the monkey in here....."for the good of the order".
.......................................................................................................................................................................
*Think this one gets my vote.
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Garhauer's 1" aluminum GENOA T-TRACK may be perfect for the toerail on the A/C.  It's twice as strong and 1/3rd
the price of Harkin,etc.  It has a 1" radius curve on its bottom which is perfect for the round top of the rail AND
capturing the butyl tape caulk.  It compact design looks like it'll be a breeze to 'incrementally' install.  Garhauer has
available s.s Genoa Track $$$ (of the same profile, I believe) but is special order.  Seems like AL is perfectly adequate.

[manderson]

Thanks for the input. I think if I put any additional track down on the rail I'll be going the route of using the extruded aluminum product from Schaefer. Although, if I don't end up adding more to the toe rail  and will be only putting down straight sections of track I'll use the stainless steel material which will match my existing track and the cars will all be interchangeable then.
 
The thought of adding additional track came about last fall after sailing the newly purchased boat a couple times and finding I could not get enough tension along the leech of the 110% genoa to keep the top from luffing when sailing close to the wind.  At this point I am thinking I may be able to get close to the proper angle for the jib sheet by installing a barber haul off the foot of the aft life line stanchion. At the very least I should be able to get closer to proper trim and would like to spend some time sailing the boat before I dive into too many changes.
 
regards,
 
Mark

[ebb]

"Tis this desire of bending all things to our own purpoises
which turns them into confusuion
- and is the chief source of every error in our lives."
Sarah Fielding

[Bill]

"Tis this desire of bending all things to our own purpoises
which turns them into confusuion - and is the chief source of every error in our lives."
Sarah Fielding

Well put . .

[jshisha]

If you look at my May 8, 2011 post you will see photos of Francine's long jib tracks mounted on the rail.  They are aluminum send I am very happy with them I got them from Gauhauer.  The yard ninstalled them was not a big deal.

[ebb]

Type that into the (UN) Advanced Search box up top here.

Or if that doesn't work:  go to Gallery search, cursor 'Beginning'
and I think it's 3 pages deep.

[Bisquit]

I just installed a floating jib lead set up and it is working really well. I looked at all of the posts on track placement They were very useful - mostly in convincing me that I didn't want to go through all the effort to install a toe rail t track and inboard tracks. After recoring the entire deck I wanted to come up with a solution that required drilling as few holes in the boat as possible. I've used a similar set up on a Santa Cruz 52 and a class 40 and figured that it might work on the Gail Grace too. I'm flying a 155% headsail on the furler. The first time I pulled it out I realized that the locking foot block I installed on the deck near the back of the cockpit was not going to work. I had to turn it somewhere further forward so I put a snatch block on a stanchion base and the lead was almost perfect but I had no adjustment.  I have since replaced the snatch blocks with a couple of Lewmar 80mm blocks that work nicely. Below are pictures of the floating lead as installed. It consists of a short length of Dyneema spliced around a friction ring, The tail of the line is spliced with a loop and an adjustable splice.  On the top of the friction ring there is a piece of bungee attached to the upper lifeline to keep it from banging around when it is not under load. I can flip it inside the lifeline and use an inhauler to the cabin top winch to trim smaller jibs inboard.  


Jib sheet lead thru adjustable lead, back to turning block and to winch


Turning block to winch


Adjustable lead set at low position


Adjustable lead set to high position (around 13" of difference)


Adjustable splice

[Bisquit]

Here is the set up in action. I think I will need to install a folding padeye on the deck a couple of feet aft of the stanchion to get it perfect.