I have a Z spar mast on my 376. I also now have a whisker pole. Does anyone know if there is a pole slide that will fit onto the mast extrusion directly or do I need to install a short length of track onto the mast which will take the pole slide. thanks in advance for your input Tony Wilcox
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Jay Hill
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Don Alexander
Z Spar Spin Pole Track
Tony, Some time ago Z Spar here in UK advised they have a track with car and fittings for the mast on our 376's. The track slides into the dovetail shaped slot on the front of the mast and is fixed with pop rivets. It may be necessary to take the mast down to slide the track in. Regards,
Tony, Some time ago Z Spar here in UK advised they have a track with car and fittings for the mast on our 376's. The track slides into the dovetail shaped slot on the front of the mast and is fixed with pop rivets. It may be necessary to take the mast down to slide the track in. Regards,
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Michael Cohn
take mast down?
Ugh - taking the mast down is no small task. Why not just screw some track to the front of the mast, put the car on it, and be done with it? MC
Ugh - taking the mast down is no small task. Why not just screw some track to the front of the mast, put the car on it, and be done with it? MC
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Jay Hill
Don, could you explain...
...why the mast would have to come down to do this? The dovetail insert is only a coupld of feet from the BOTTOM of the mast. If you rigged the pole car to slide up and down on the mast, you may have to go up to about 1/3 of the mast height to install the upper slide sheave into the mast, but that is all that's required aloft. The rest of the parts are installed from deck level. If you riveted the car to the mast, it would certainly be lower to maximize spinnaker usage. If you riveted two rings, one for use and one for storage, it's still only about a third up the mast (maybe half). I was curious as HOW any of this would require unstepping. Did I miss something? BTW, finally got every single piece of spinnaker gear installed on my H31 Isomat mast with the same track on the front. I'll take pictures and share in Photo Forum later.
...why the mast would have to come down to do this? The dovetail insert is only a coupld of feet from the BOTTOM of the mast. If you rigged the pole car to slide up and down on the mast, you may have to go up to about 1/3 of the mast height to install the upper slide sheave into the mast, but that is all that's required aloft. The rest of the parts are installed from deck level. If you riveted the car to the mast, it would certainly be lower to maximize spinnaker usage. If you riveted two rings, one for use and one for storage, it's still only about a third up the mast (maybe half). I was curious as HOW any of this would require unstepping. Did I miss something? BTW, finally got every single piece of spinnaker gear installed on my H31 Isomat mast with the same track on the front. I'll take pictures and share in Photo Forum later.
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Don Alexander
sPIN tRACK 376
Tony, The track is made to slide up the dovetail slot in the Z Spar mast. The slot is about 3/4" wide at the outer surface and approx 1/8" deep. It is wider at the back than the front and the track is wider on the the outside than closer to the main part so it has to slide from the end of the mast. ie. you need to start it from below deck level. I thought of machining off the wedge part on one side of the track so it would offer up from the front of the mast. It would not be as secure but the rivets should do all that is necessary. Hope this clafifies the situation, but I expect it only makes it worse!! If not I can e-mail you a scan of the mast section as received from Z Spar. Let me have your ID please. Kind regards. Don
Tony, The track is made to slide up the dovetail slot in the Z Spar mast. The slot is about 3/4" wide at the outer surface and approx 1/8" deep. It is wider at the back than the front and the track is wider on the the outside than closer to the main part so it has to slide from the end of the mast. ie. you need to start it from below deck level. I thought of machining off the wedge part on one side of the track so it would offer up from the front of the mast. It would not be as secure but the rivets should do all that is necessary. Hope this clafifies the situation, but I expect it only makes it worse!! If not I can e-mail you a scan of the mast section as received from Z Spar. Let me have your ID please. Kind regards. Don
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Michael Cohn
I must be missing something here...
Every spinpole track I've ever seen has been *screwed* to the front of the mast with a hell of a lot of screws. Personally, I would be scared to death of rivets, or a track modified to go into a slot on the mast, as the upward, downward, and yes, even the forward loads on a pole can get very heavy under certain conditions. Ripping a track off a mast is fairly dangerous and certain to ruin your entire day. Screwing a track to the mast is not that difficult to do, and well worth the time and effort in my opinion. What am I missing in this discussion? MC
Every spinpole track I've ever seen has been *screwed* to the front of the mast with a hell of a lot of screws. Personally, I would be scared to death of rivets, or a track modified to go into a slot on the mast, as the upward, downward, and yes, even the forward loads on a pole can get very heavy under certain conditions. Ripping a track off a mast is fairly dangerous and certain to ruin your entire day. Screwing a track to the mast is not that difficult to do, and well worth the time and effort in my opinion. What am I missing in this discussion? MC
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Stephen Ostrander
mast track
I have the Z-Spar mast on my 33.5. There is a car system that is engineered for the slots in the mast track, but I opted to mount a conventional track and car on mine for a couple of reasons: 1) The Z-Spar system ain't cheap or easy to find. 2) It uses a system of lines and cleats to adjust and lock the car into place. I always opt for the simplest solution, and this ain't it.
I have the Z-Spar mast on my 33.5. There is a car system that is engineered for the slots in the mast track, but I opted to mount a conventional track and car on mine for a couple of reasons: 1) The Z-Spar system ain't cheap or easy to find. 2) It uses a system of lines and cleats to adjust and lock the car into place. I always opt for the simplest solution, and this ain't it.
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Jay Hill
Michael, What's Your Rig?
Does your mast have a built in track in the mast? I don't know what the H45 spars are. Some of the Z and Isomat spars have the track built in and all you have to have is the specially designed car for it. Stephen is right though, it is not the absolute easiest method, but, IMHO, the most versatile. See the following links for the H31 setup: http://www.rigrite.com/isomat/isomat_mast.html http://www.rigrite.com/isomat/isomat_spin_cars.html
Does your mast have a built in track in the mast? I don't know what the H45 spars are. Some of the Z and Isomat spars have the track built in and all you have to have is the specially designed car for it. Stephen is right though, it is not the absolute easiest method, but, IMHO, the most versatile. See the following links for the H31 setup: http://www.rigrite.com/isomat/isomat_mast.html http://www.rigrite.com/isomat/isomat_spin_cars.html
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Mickey McHugh
Dovetail Track
Mike, I know I emailed you that I would never post on HOW again, but Tony Wilcox needs some help. Tony, As Don Alexander said, the Z-Spar mast has a dovetail (wedge shaped) slot running down the front of the mast. A standard T-track will not work because the dovetail slot is too deep and a car would not fit on a standard T-track installed in this dovetail slot because the track would sit too deep. Z-Spar has two solutions, neither of which I used. One is a Z-Spar special dovetailed car that is designed to go in the mast slot and travel up and down the slot with control lines. As explained, expensive and not a good design. The other is a special type of T-track (only available from Z-Spar) that has the same dovetail base that is designed to slide into the mast slot. The dovetail base makes it high enough so a standard car will work on the track. Both the dovetailed car and the dovetailed T-track can not be inserted into the dovetailed slot unless you DROP the mast. They must slide up into the dovetail slot of the mast from the bottom. (The bottom of the mast is sitting on the deck!) As Don said this dovetail slot is about 3/4" wide at the outer surface and approx 1/8" deep and runs the length of the mast up to the taper. Because of the dovetailing, the dovetailed T-track inserted into the dovetail slot is a super strong installation without any fasteners. The pop rivets (used a lot by Z-Spar) are all that is needed to hold the track in place. The problem is getting this special dovetail T-track. My T-track installation is based on Forespar’s recommendation. They provided (free of charge) a high-density plastic dovetail insert that I had to slide into the dovetail slot so I did have to DROP my mast. (I did it when I moved the boat). Then I drilled the holes, tapped them and mounted standard T-track with machine screws in every mounting hole on the T-track for strength. (Some do every other hole). I do not recommend machining off the edge of the dovetail on one side of the slot to try to install the Z-Spar dovetail T-track. You would lose the strength in that design plus it would be a ROYAL pain in the A. DID I MISS SOMETHING? Hope everyone understands dovetail.
Mike, I know I emailed you that I would never post on HOW again, but Tony Wilcox needs some help. Tony, As Don Alexander said, the Z-Spar mast has a dovetail (wedge shaped) slot running down the front of the mast. A standard T-track will not work because the dovetail slot is too deep and a car would not fit on a standard T-track installed in this dovetail slot because the track would sit too deep. Z-Spar has two solutions, neither of which I used. One is a Z-Spar special dovetailed car that is designed to go in the mast slot and travel up and down the slot with control lines. As explained, expensive and not a good design. The other is a special type of T-track (only available from Z-Spar) that has the same dovetail base that is designed to slide into the mast slot. The dovetail base makes it high enough so a standard car will work on the track. Both the dovetailed car and the dovetailed T-track can not be inserted into the dovetailed slot unless you DROP the mast. They must slide up into the dovetail slot of the mast from the bottom. (The bottom of the mast is sitting on the deck!) As Don said this dovetail slot is about 3/4" wide at the outer surface and approx 1/8" deep and runs the length of the mast up to the taper. Because of the dovetailing, the dovetailed T-track inserted into the dovetail slot is a super strong installation without any fasteners. The pop rivets (used a lot by Z-Spar) are all that is needed to hold the track in place. The problem is getting this special dovetail T-track. My T-track installation is based on Forespar’s recommendation. They provided (free of charge) a high-density plastic dovetail insert that I had to slide into the dovetail slot so I did have to DROP my mast. (I did it when I moved the boat). Then I drilled the holes, tapped them and mounted standard T-track with machine screws in every mounting hole on the T-track for strength. (Some do every other hole). I do not recommend machining off the edge of the dovetail on one side of the slot to try to install the Z-Spar dovetail T-track. You would lose the strength in that design plus it would be a ROYAL pain in the A. DID I MISS SOMETHING? Hope everyone understands dovetail.
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Michael Cohn
OK
Ok, thank you, I now understand the problem. I have a Kenyon spar on my H45 which has no slot on the front. I guess I feel lucky about this. Mickey - I don't remember you emailing me about not posting on HOW - seems pretty drastic. MC
Ok, thank you, I now understand the problem. I have a Kenyon spar on my H45 which has no slot on the front. I guess I feel lucky about this. Mickey - I don't remember you emailing me about not posting on HOW - seems pretty drastic. MC
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Tony Wilcox
Thankyou T.W.
I want to say a big thankyou to all who responded to my query. To the gentleman that said he would not post on HOW, I as well as I suspect many others really appreciate the knowledge that only experience gives, and is able to pass this on to us who are new sailors and Hunter owners. Its great to have such a resource available. As for my problem it looks as if the mast will have to be taken down to complete this installation. Once again thank you for all your help Tony Wilcox
I want to say a big thankyou to all who responded to my query. To the gentleman that said he would not post on HOW, I as well as I suspect many others really appreciate the knowledge that only experience gives, and is able to pass this on to us who are new sailors and Hunter owners. Its great to have such a resource available. As for my problem it looks as if the mast will have to be taken down to complete this installation. Once again thank you for all your help Tony Wilcox
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Guest
Try SECO SOuth...exact car for your mast
Call the Hunter parts people, Mike Thomas (really nice and very helpful), I did and he put me in contact with SECO South in Florida and I spoke to Scott. The price of the car that attaches to the Isomat is $150.00. The complete kit is about $300 that includes a couple of blocks so you can adjust the car up and down. He recommended going to West marine and getting a couple of cheap one's that would do the same for $30. So anyway, their phone number is (727) 536-1924 in case anyone needs to know. It fits the mast exactly so no additional tracks are required. ...Larry...
Call the Hunter parts people, Mike Thomas (really nice and very helpful), I did and he put me in contact with SECO South in Florida and I spoke to Scott. The price of the car that attaches to the Isomat is $150.00. The complete kit is about $300 that includes a couple of blocks so you can adjust the car up and down. He recommended going to West marine and getting a couple of cheap one's that would do the same for $30. So anyway, their phone number is (727) 536-1924 in case anyone needs to know. It fits the mast exactly so no additional tracks are required. ...Larry...
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