Using 32mm T-track Spin Pole Car on a 30mm RCB Track

[Dockhead]

It just about fits, and I'm thinking I might have the car machined a bit. But will it work?


The problem I have is that my spin pole has ends with giant jaws. I had a proper 30mm RCB Selden car, made to fit my track, but the ring was only 30mm in diameter and my pole ends wouldn't fit. I can't find a 30mm RCB car with a big enough ring. I guess I could have a bigger ring welded to the standard Selden car, but what about this? I have the t-track car -- it came with the pole.


Grateful for all advice.

[Dockhead]

The t-track car.

[Dockhead]

Alternatively, I could change the track. How bad would it be to lose the pulley system for towing the car up and down?

[slug]

It’s common to use nylon slider inserts

https://www.whitworths.com.au/ronsta...ler-car-insert

What brand is your car

Your mast track is aluminum or stainless ?

[Pete7]

Originally Posted by Dockhead

Alternatively, I could change the track. How bad would it be to lose the pulley system for towing the car up and down?

Using the pole for a jib might result in the pole needing to be above head height. You have a huge spin pole to lift up that high.

Probably 30 minutes work to cut and expand the loop so a larger pole jaw will fit.

My car has little plastic inserts to change the width of the inside measurements, but then the loads are tiny on a small yacht.

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by slug

It’s common to use nylon slider inserts

https://www.whitworths.com.au/ronsta...ler-car-insert

What brand is your car

Your mast track is aluminum or stainless ?

I don't know what the brand is. It has a stylized "S" on it, and it came off a TP52. It doesn't have plastic inserts.


The track is alu -- standard Selden.


I am inclined just to change out the track. Just the 32mm T tracks typically have holes, and my car has a plunger, so that whole setup is not intended for towing.



Maybe that's not a big deal? In that case it will be simple to pop the old track off and rivet on a new one. I guess the new one wouldn't need to go all the way to the first spreader like the old one.



I'll be using the pole with an A2 assy and for poling out a 120% yankee jib. I guess poling out the jib, the pole should be at clew height, so that it's horizontal, right?

[Jono as 2234]

Excuse me if I'm teaching you to suck eggs, but the reason the track extends up the mast and you have a lift to raise the end is so that one can store the pole. Inboard end gets hoisted and outboard end is clipped to foot of mast

[Jim Cate]

Originally Posted by Jono as 2234

Excuse me if I'm teaching you to suck eggs, but the reason the track extends up the mast and you have a lift to raise the end is so that one can store the pole. Inboard end gets hoisted and outboard end is clipped to foot of mast

with a "normal" (~J) length pole, the upper part of the track is to enable dip pole gybing. Racer types don't store the pole up the mast due to windage and weight aloft issues. Cruisers (like us) do store the pole up the mast for convenience in short handed sailing. With DH's extra long pole, dipping may not be possible anyway...

DH, if you are considering use of the pole whilst short handed, after the big race, having a towable car on a long track might be worth thinking about.

Jim

[Pete7]

Originally Posted by Dockhead

I'll be using the pole with an A2 assy and for poling out a 120% yankee jib. I guess poling out the jib, the pole should be at clew height, so that it's horizontal, right?

Yes, how high off the deck is the clew when the sail is fully unfurled?

Short story. We set the symmetrical spinnaker on a Nic 55 one fine afternoon crossing Biscay. When it came to take it down that evening the thin rope for the outer end piston on the pole snapped, so we couldn't release it. The mate suggested some one clime out and just free it so the sheet would be free. There was lots of sucking on teeth from the skipper as I jumped up, grabbed the spinnaker pole and climbed out to the end some distance over the side of the yacht. I wasn't too worried but he saw the problem if I slipped without wearing a harness or life jacket. Oh and a huge great spinnaker might make turning the boat around somewhat tricky for a MOB. Piston released, sheet free and me back on deck nerves were calmed. So to the point of the story, it's a long way up to the spinnaker pole which needed a good jump to reach even in my early twenties.

The track will need to be a decent length.

Pete

[jmh2002]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

with a "normal" (~J) length pole, the upper part of the track is to enable dip pole gybing. Racer types don't store the pole up the mast due to windage and weight aloft issues.

^^^ This

[jmh2002]

Originally Posted by Pete7

...the thin rope for the outer end piston on the pole snapped, so we couldn't release it. The mate suggested some one clime out and just free it so the sheet would be free.

I wasn't there, but...

Easing the pole forward to the forestay and lowering the outboard end FIRST (just like for tight reaching) would have made solving this problem easier and safer.

It may even have been possible to rig a temporary 'tack line' as well, so that when the pole was freed the spinnaker would stay a bit more under control before it was dropped.



NB: good point though, so a note for DH. Check / replace this small release line in the pole if necessary and service / lube the pole ends (might require disassembly and/or soaking in a bucket to do properly). It may have had a hard life if it's off a racing boat.

NB2: having been at the outboard end of the pole many times (it's standard when peeling to a different spinnaker) the normal procedure is to wear a climbing harness clipped on to the foreguy/downhaul and shimmy up that (not along the pole). And possibly use a halyard too, depending on the bowman's preference and the situation and the size of the boat.

Some care is needed from the rest of the crew. Years ago a colleague was drowned when a mistake was made, the topping lift was released, and he was dragged underwater...

2nd note for DH:
Do you have a climbing harness onboard? (I think I remember you mentioning you do rock climbing?) Check with your ringer bowman if he will be bring his, and his normal 'bowman's kit'. A regular bosun's chair doesn't cut it if things go pear shaped.

[jmh2002]

Also an unrelated note about your pole, while it popped into my head. Did you say it was carbon? I think so?

If you ever do consider cutting it down just be aware that the inboard and outboard ends, where the end fittings are inserted and attached, may be constructed differently, ie reinforced.

So cutting it down may remove that reinforcing.

I guess you will be able to check that with the manufacturer. Maybe it's just a simple carbon tube instead.

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by jmh2002

Also an unrelated note about your pole, while it popped into my head. Did you say it was carbon? I think so?

If you ever do consider cutting it down just be aware that the inboard and outboard ends, where the end fittings are inserted and attached, may be constructed differently, ie reinforced.

So cutting it down may remove that reinforcing.

I guess you will be able to check that with the manufacturer. Maybe it's just a simple carbon tube instead.

Yes, it's carbon, and it's tapered. I've decided NOT to cut it down so far; I think it's the right length for the big assy, 1.5m longer than my J dimension, so protruding about 1m beyond the bow pulpit.



If after using it for this purpose I don't like it, I'll just get rid of it.

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by jmh2002

. . .

2nd note for DH:
Do you have a climbing harness onboard? (I think I remember you mentioning you do rock climbing?) Check with your ringer bowman if he will be bring his, and his normal 'bowman's kit'. A regular bosun's chair doesn't cut it if things go pear shaped.

Yes, I have, and use, a Petz climbing harness, both up the mast and in the mountains. I'll mention to the bow man to bring his; thanks for the tip.

[johnn33]

Hi
Would you use a guy run to avoid sending the bowman to the end? Offshore you are not doing frequent gybes as done in inshore round the cans racing? I does not take long to carry the kite and rehoist on the new lee foredeck
John