Low friction mainsail tracks

[AiniA]

I would like to install a low friction mainsail track system on a Catalina 36. There seem to be three inexpensive systems available ('inexpensive being a relative term - it is a boat after all): Tides, Strong, and Dutchman. Does anyone have any experiences with any or all of these -positive or negative? Does it matter what colour the UHMW material is when it comes to UV resistance. Thanks.

[admiralslater]

I have a tides sytem on our pdq 36 since new in 03 I can hoist fully battened main handover hand but I puff at the end . Great system

[eyschulman]

I had Strong SX on J35 worked great and very easy to install in less than an hour. Major side benefit is small slides so top of main is not way up there easy to remove and attach main halyard and deal with the sail cover.

[model 10]

Going with a Tides Marine track was just about the biggest mistake I made during our major re-fit. I also got a new mainsail at the time with the Tides Marine slides. So now that the track is rotten I'm pretty much stuck with buying another track. I was expecting it to last the rest of our cruising days and it won't.

[Freedom45]

I had the Strong system on my old boat. It was on boat when I bought it, working great without ever having an issue eleven years later when I sold it.
Recommended(assuming they still make them out of the same materials)

Cheers

[Roniszoro]

I think that the Tides Marine Strong Track is one item, not two, at least it was when I bought mine. I love it. 13K miles and a decade in the tropics year round and it works super. Really good when taking a reef off the wind in a blow. As long as the main is not against the spreaders, you can pull it down. This is really nice in a seaway when it is blowing over 30 knots. I'd buy another in a heartbeat.

[jmorrison146]

Installed the Tides Marine system on a Jeanneau 36i and loved it. Release the halyard and the weight of the cars drops the main.

[Kentb]

We have Tides on our Tartan 37. can hoist quickly by hand, the last couple feet I do with winch. Really like the system. They have some dimensions you have to get for them and they customize the system for your boat. It was pretty easy to install ourselves.

[LeeV]

Have had 3 trimarans, and had Tides M on all of them, including the new one I just put on my C36 with a square topped huge main. Goes up/down like butter. Great stuff!

[stormalong]

Originally Posted by Ecos

Going with a Tides Marine track was just about the biggest mistake I made during our major re-fit. I also got a new mainsail at the time with the Tides Marine slides. So now that the track is rotten I'm pretty much stuck with buying another track. I was expecting it to last the rest of our cruising days and it won't.

Your response surprises me. My strong track is now 15 years old and works perfectly. I also thought it has a lifetime warranty.

Please tell us more about your situation.

[model 10]

Originally Posted by stormalong

Your response surprises me. My strong track is now 15 years old and works perfectly. I also thought it has a lifetime warranty.
Please tell us more about your situation.

There was a post a month or so ago about this issue, "Tides Marine sail track failure" Tides ended up saying they last about 10 years or so, depending on the location There have been several track failures due to cracking and crazing. I keep the boat in the tropics and the track looks terrible and it's about 11 years old.

[DLincoln3]

I installed the Tides system on my Catalina 36 at the beginning of this season. It has made a huge difference. Previously the main was so difficult to raise that we found ourselves running under genoa alone most of the time. I tried cleaning the mast track, lubing with dry spray, and finally last year I was coating the slides in dish detergent before going out for a sail. Ridiculous. Now the main goes up and down with far less effort, but we do need the winch for the last couple of feet. It was worth the expense, IMO. I can't comment on longevity since this is the first season, but so far so good.

[VanIslandGuy]

We put a Tides Strong tracks on our H410 this spring. The mail used to start to hang up coming down at the lower spreader. Now, it will drop as fast as a brick if I let it. First season in with it I'm glad we bought it.

[mowerandy]

I've struggled with intermittently sticky, jamming slugs in the main track for years, sometimes (regularly) using spray lube to help. I recently bought a fully battened Kevlar main with just a boltrope instead of slides, and wanted to raise it for measurement and adjustment before adding slides - darn thing went up without a hitch, and came down even easier - no help required. Not what I was expecting at all! Been out a couple of times with it now (single handed) and no dramas whatsoever Of course there is the alternative problem now of having to "untrack" the whole thing to put it away on the boom, since without the slugs it wont flake. Compared to jamming slugs tho…..

[AiniA]

Originally Posted by mowerandy

I've struggled with intermittently sticky, jamming slugs in the main track for years, sometimes (regularly) using spray lube to help. I recently bought a fully battened Kevlar main with just a boltrope instead of slides, and wanted to raise it for measurement and adjustment before adding slides - darn thing went up without a hitch, and came down even easier - no help required. Not what I was expecting at all! Been out a couple of times with it now (single handed) and no dramas whatsoever Of course there is the alternative problem now of having to "untrack" the whole thing to put it away on the boom, since without the slugs it wont flake. Compared to jamming slugs tho…..

I think the problem with sail slides/slugs, especially with full battens, is that they get twisted a little which makes it hard for them to go up or down. With just the bolt rope as you describe the sail is supported for its whole length and twisting of a fitting does not happen. As you say, there is another problem though.