Dart 15 Forums

Hi All, This is my first post so please bear with.

Recently acquired a Dart 15 (1519) it appears to have a fairly new trampoline, however the track on the Starboard side has failed near the rivets on the forward end. So need to replace the tracks.

There is no makers label on on the tramp. The bolt rope measures 7 ish mm and where it is covered by the trampoline material over 8 mm? The boat has the old style tramp track fitted but when trying to remove the tramp its was very tight? Is there any way of telling what tramp I have old or new style? (Previous owner no knowledge)

I have some tracks off an 18 that was broken up and these seem to fit the tramp OK.

Any one with any previous experience with this or similar trampoline id issues?

Many thanks in advance

I believe the old tramps had a 5mm bolt rope and new ones had 8mm, I would guess yours would be the old style. They are normally a reasonably tight fit in the tracks and do tend to bind up if not fed in squarely.

Andy B wrote:I believe the old tramps had a 5mm bolt rope and new ones had 8mm, I would guess yours would be the old style. They are normally a reasonably tight fit in the tracks and do tend to bind up if not fed in squarely.

Yep agreed. You will not get a new tramp into the old tracks so you have got an expensive job on your hands. New tracks AND a new trampoline in the bargain. You might be able to sell your old tramp on these pages to get a bit of cash back..........
Cheers
Bob

Thanks for the quick response, much appreciated.

Still not sure how come the bolt rope measurement on the tramp I have is 7 mm. As you say looks like it may be expensive.

How bad is the track? Steve Sawford has some wider head rivets that can be helpful if you think that would do the job (I might still have some too). You might be able to stick and rivet a small plate over the crack if it's not too bad or in the wrong place. Otherwise, as Bob suggests, the tramp would definitely be marketable if it's in good condition. The newer style tracks don't take the adjustable fairleads for Sport Rig which some people like to hold onto. Not sure if you can use some split plastic pipe to beef up the ropes on your current tramp to fir new tracks as a temporary fix as an alternative. The best thing is to replace bother amp and tracks for the longer term and resale potential when you want a brand new boat. Good luck.

Hey, I can work this forum from FaceBook - that's handy. Maybe FB isn't so last year after all, eh Liam?

Hi,

I think you'll get better advice if you can take a photo of the failed/failing track and a close-up of the trampoline bolt rope (including where it enters the folded round material) and somehow get them in a Chat message - it's surprising what ingenuity may be shown in the advice that might then flow.

The new style Sprint15 tramp tracks are shorter versions of Dart18 tracks. My new style tracks are cut down secondhand D18 tracks that I got from Bryan Phipps! I suggest you see if your trampoline fits closely in the D18 tracks you have. If you judge that the tramp is going to be held securely by the D18 tracks, consider cutting these to the length of the old style tracks, and fitting them instead - especially so if you have the jib slider adjusters as well and sail sport mode or 2up. But remember when you judge the tramp fit in the D18 tracks that the it is the tension in the tramp that holds the cat together, and gives it stiffness - the top sailors have very tight tramp tension, partly because it helps performance and partly because it reduces wear in the mouldings for the beams in the hulls, and most S15 sailors do the same. Re-use the holes in the S15 hulls, drilling new ones in the D18 tracks where necessary. Remember to mark the D18 tracks where the jib slider adjusters are to fit on it using the old tracks as your guide. One of the holes in each S15 hull that held the rivet for the jib block deck fitting is not needed and should be filled - gel coat after resin/glass fibre to add strength. Get exactly the right rivets for securing the tracks, and use a marine quality mastic liberally in the holes and round the rivets to provide a seal - otherwise you'll get lots of water in your hulls in wavy/windy conditions. If the rivets don't fit fairly tightly in the holes, consider action as per the "spare" hole, followed by drilling through the repair in exactly the right spot with exactly the right size drill, using the old tracka a template, held in place using temporary "pegs" (eg a rivet) in the best wide-spaced apart hole).

Andy B is right when he states that old style tramps are a tight fit in old-style tracks - I've been known to use silicone sparingly to make insertion and removal easier (I used to cartop to events - the assembly task for which I most welcomed help was fitting the tramp!). I suspect you may have some "wear and tear" effect and your tramp won't fit your D18 tracks closely enough to be secure. For a number of years I sailed with a crack across almost the entire flat section of an old style track - I drilled extra holes between the standard ones and used extra rivets. If you do re-use your old-style tracks, get a complete set of rivets (and maybe some extra for extra holes), and replace all the old ones - removing and refitting the tracks completely (lots of mastic to seal round the rivets, and maybe some gelcoat/glass fibre/resin in holes showing "oversize" - with redrilling through the repair to get a tight fit of rivet in hole).

Hi All,

Thanks again for the information and insight. I've had a proper look at the tracks now they're removed from the boat. Where the rivet failed on the Starboard one the track bent but didn't break, with the help of a straight edge and some adjustment its gone back into shape and the tramp slides in and out of it OK. I have already been on to Steve Sawford (Who I must say was very good)and got hold of some of the larger size headed rivets which with the addition of some proper marine sealant I'm sure will have me back on the water in no time.

The tramp does fit in the old D18 tracks I have but, I'm not sure I would want to test it in a blow and me weighing 17 stone. The last thing I need to do is have it go on me again. I want to sail it not repair it.



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