Tides Marine Strong Track

[Jeffrey D]

Happy Friday!

Wondering if anyone here has installed a Tides Marine Strong Track system for their main?

My sailmaker is putting a stack pack on for me and he recommended this system. My research is favorable, and Harken isn’t in the budget. 

Thanks-JD

[Peter McGowan]

Love mine, so slick.

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[Dan Pfeiffer]

I put one on my 10M with a new mainsail and have two seasons on it.  I sail a lot and that totals to over 230 rides with reefing for probably 25% of them.  The Tides track is excellent.  Easy to install, easy hoisting and dropping of the sail.  Most useful feature is it makes reefing possible on just about any point of sail in most conditions.   Maybe not dead down in 25 TWS with the main plastered to the rig?   But I haven't tried that.

I think the sail stacks a bit higher on the boom with the track because the bottom of the track is a few inches above the gooseneck to clear the reefing hooks.  But it hasn't been a problem.  Also, the sail slides attach to the sail with clevis pins that drop through the vertical holes on the slide and are secured with split rings.  The head of the clevis pin can sit a bit above the top of the slide and thus provide a way for the split ring on the slide above to snag. and now that I think of it I was meaning to do something about it but I'm not sure what yet....

I take the Tides track off the mast for winter storage so it's not out in the weather for no good reason.   I can probably tell you the specs to get the right fit on the 10M sail track.

You can see it in attached photo.

Dan Pfeiffer 

[Peter Trunfio]

I too love mine.

I installed it myself when I bought my 10M in 2007 and immediately purchased a new main. The Tides track was the sailmaker’s suggestion. It does require its own “proprietary” hardware (bat cars, luff cars, etc.), which slightly added to the cost of the main…

As I recall, the only issue with the install was having to cut the gate opening a little larger (longer) to get the track into the groove in the mast. Your mileage may vary.

The main on the 10M isn’t that big (212 Sq. Ft.?), but my wife raises the main by herself with very little effort, only having to put a winch handle on the winch for the last inch or two.

And dropping the main is a dream…

PMT

Peter M. Trunfio

S/V Annandale

1974 Pearson 10M

+1.917.640.6450 (c)

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[Jeffrey D]

Thanks so much, all. I’m sold! I appreciate the opinions, even if my wallet doesn’t😂. 

It really seems like a great upgrade, especially for reefing while singlehanding. 

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