Dart 15 Forums

After sailing on Monday I noticed my trampoline track had lost 2 of its rivets and caused it to crack slightly. I spoke to Brian today and we can now longer get the old style tramploine track so would mean buying a new trampoline as well. Big £££ which I dont want to spend at the moment. He suggested seeing if anybody has already upgraded and kept the old track. So here I am asking if anybody has any old track?

On a side note Thomas crewed for me on Sunday in some big winds which he loved, together we were flying and won on handicap by about 15mins. He is looking forward to Carsington and he says some good wind.

All the help is appreciated.

Neil

hi Neil,

my tramp track ripped out last year on one hull, got round to fixing it on bank holiday monday.
I gelcoated the existing holes (5 of them) where the rivets had pulled through then smoothed to same level as deck. lined up the track and redrilled the holes about 2 inches away from original holes along the track and straight into the hull.
squirted silicon sealant under the track and screwed some 6mm stainless self tapers into the hull which bit nicely, sealed the head of the screws up too.

seems fine now, got lots of tramp tension on and had a little play around on it.
ill be sailing it saturday in 'Ronde Sheppey' if its breezy enough.

Kyle's fix is interesting but I do not think he has the usual problem. The usual problem is the aluminium tramp track splits along the centreline of the rivet holes so the track needs replacing. When you look on the underside of the old tramp tracks there is a groove extruded in it along the centreline of the the rivets - I bet it was a guide for drilling the rivet holes. Sadly it acts as a stress raiser which helps the cracking process later in life. The new (Dart 18 section) tramp track are much stronger. If you are hard up and want to do a simple repair it is generally only the front few inches of the tramp track that cracks where the stress is greatest. I have known people just replace the front section (e.g the front 12-18inches) by cutting some lengths off the back section of old track that have not cracked at the back. Of course you do need to get some of the old tracks from someone who has replaced them.........
Cheers
Bob

Hi Neil,

When rivets start to fail, it usually means that they're all getting to the end of their useful life. I'd get a full set of rivets with some extras (see later). I'd drill the old ones until the tops shear off (happens quite quickly) and then punch the old rivets through. Don't splay rivet heads that stand quite proud of the decks by trying to punch them, cut them close to the deck carefully with a hacksaw (blade) before punching them through. I'd gel any holes that seem a bit oversize and then re-use the old holes - unless they are ones where the tramp track has split BADLY, fill these to seal them.

I'd then refit the tramp tracks, using a waterproof mastic liberally in the holes and round the rivets, to prevent ingress of water. Any holes you gelled up should be drilled through after the track has been rivetted down through ok holes.

I'd then drill new holes through both the track and the hull deck either side of the holes where the track has split badly - about 3 to 4cm away - and rivet through these, again being liberal with mastic. Where the track has split only a little, I'd consider an extra hole plus rivet close by. But don't overdo the holes - you want the hulls to remain strong....

Finally I'd mastic the holes through the rivet heads.

My old tracks were used a lot on the sea in early years, and when the rivets failed (earlier than you'd hope 'cos of the salt) they cracked, one eventually quite badly. They also got quite a bit bent on occasion when 3 or 4 rivets failed at the same time. Doing the above kept them going a few years, but I eventually had to replace them with the new style tracks - my tramp needed replacing anyway at that time.

I left my old tracks with Steve Sawford, who thought one, at least, could be usable as a cheap solution for another unlucky Sprinter.

If you need to do a temporary quick repair, punch the failed rivets through and follow the above without gelling holes, rivet through the old holes (lots of mastic) and drill new holes through both track and deck as above etc. But don't expect the solution to last too long - the old rivets will be under a bit more strain and eventually fail.

If the experts (Brian, Steve or Charles) say otherwise, then take heed of their advice.

Hi Neil,
If you send me your e-mail address to: newsletter@sprint15.com - I'll send you a pdf file of a tip that appeared a few magazine issues ago which contained a solution that might be a fix for you. It allows the old tramp to be used with new tracks
The downside of this solution is that the trampoline is more difficult to remove and refit but not so much of a problem if you don't take your boat apart often.
Cheers,

Hi Neil, I've got some tramp track that I've just taken off as I had to get a new tramp, so had to replace the whole lot. If you want it you're welcome.

Rob

Yes please Rob as it still may need doing John Poss has done repair job on mine so can sail Carsington but may need replacing over winter. Are you coming to Carsington?

Not at carsington, i wonder if any of the shanklin contingent might be passing Southampton on their way? Failing that I hope to be at grafham.

At about 0445 on the Saturday morning.

Erling wrote:At about 0445 on the Saturday morning.

Planning to be there first again, then?
Cheers
Bob
PS What time must Ray get there to open the gate, then?

Hi Bob, the choice is two hours later and that would mean doing a Nick. Its about 220 miles so about 0750 would me right.

Hi Neil. Discovered that Richard Harrison from Netley is making the journey up to Carsington, so I've given him the tramp track to pass on to you. He sails 2001 which is called pace odyssey. I said you'd track him down.

RobBowen wrote:I said you'd 'track' him down.

Pun intended?
Just a footnote to say I'm looking forward to my first catamaran race outing @ Carsington (home club) in 733. Apologies in advance if I make any misjudgements around other boats!

Thanks Rob its much appreciated see you soon.

I have the track thanks rob