"Strong" track installation

Posted by daniel.oshaughnessy (daniel.oshaughnessy@…>)

Hi Freedom Folks

I am planning on installing “Strong” mast tracks on my F33 (hull 45)
Does anyone have knowledge/experience of riveting/screwing the tracks
to the masts.
The reason I ask is because if rivetting has been sucessfully used, I
would save a whole lot of drilling and tapping into the masts. But I
would like to hear if others have tried this method and been satisfied
with the results
Many thanks
Dan
Cypress Creek
Maryland

Posted by Alan Kusinitz (akusinitz@…>)


My F-33 and other similar models I’ve seen have had tracks
riveted to the masts. I believe this is how Freedom itself did the conversions.
Having riveted a radar mount to my mast 2 words of advice: use long enough
rivets and get a heavy rivet gun that has plenty of leverage. There is bedding
between the track and mast and in the rivet holes perhaps to prevent corrosion.
I see no movement or cracking of any kind after over 20 years of
use.
Alan F-33 Hull #51 1982



From:
FreedomOwnersGroup@yahoogroups.com [mailto:FreedomOwnersGroup@yahoogroups.com] On
Behalf Of daniel.oshaughnessy
Sent: Friday, October 10, 2008 7:26 PM
To: FreedomOwnersGroup@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [FreedomOwnersGroup] “Strong” track installation

\




Hi Freedom Folks

I am planning on installing “Strong” mast tracks on my F33 (hull 45)
Does anyone have knowledge/experience of riveting/screwing the tracks
to the masts.
The reason I ask is because if rivetting has been sucessfully used, I
would save a whole lot of drilling and tapping into the masts. But I
would like to hear if others have tried this method and been satisfied
with the results
Many thanks
Dan
Cypress Creek
Maryland




Attachment: (image/jpeg) image001.jpg [not stored]
Attachment: (image/jpeg) image002.jpg [not stored]

Posted by Skipper Skip (skipperf33@…>)
A few years ago I had a some loose sail track sections. I called Mark Edwards and if memory serves me, was told to use 3/16" Stainless Rivets with a 3/4" reach.

So far I have replaced several of the old aluminum rivets, and the stainless are all holding just fine!

As the aluminum rivet heads cut off pretty easily so it might be a good idea to do them all while your at it (one at a time of course). Just knock the old shanks into the mast with an appropriate sized punch. You can fish them out at the bottom of the mast later if they bother you!

Skip
1982 F33 CK, Fixed Shoal keel
Southern CA— On Fri, 10/10/08, daniel.oshaughnessy <daniel.oshaughnessy@…> wrote:
From: daniel.oshaughnessy <daniel.oshaughnessy@…>Subject: [FreedomOwnersGroup] “Strong” track installationTo: FreedomOwnersGroup@yahoogroups.comDate: Friday, October 10, 2008, 4:26 PM


Hi Freedom FolksI am planning on installing “Strong” mast tracks on my F33 (hull 45)Does anyone have knowledge/experienc e of riveting/screwing the tracks to the masts.The reason I ask is because if rivetting has been sucessfully used, I would save a whole lot of drilling and tapping into the masts. But I would like to hear if others have tried this method and been satisfied with the resultsMany thanks DanCypress CreekMaryland

Posted by Al Lorman (ajl@…>)


Dan:

I
installed a Strong Track on an F30. It installs on your existing mast
track. There is one screw at the bottom to keep it up.

Al
Lorman



From:
FreedomOwnersGroup@yahoogroups.com [mailto:FreedomOwnersGroup@yahoogroups.com] On
Behalf Of daniel.oshaughnessy
Sent: Friday, October 10, 2008 7:26 PM
To: FreedomOwnersGroup@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [FreedomOwnersGroup] “Strong” track installation

\




Hi Freedom Folks

I am planning on installing “Strong” mast tracks on my F33 (hull 45)
Does anyone have knowledge/experience of riveting/screwing the tracks
to the masts.
The reason I ask is because if rivetting has been sucessfully used, I
would save a whole lot of drilling and tapping into the masts. But I
would like to hear if others have tried this method and been satisfied
with the results
Many thanks
Dan
Cypress Creek
Maryland


\

Posted by daniel.oshaughnessy (daniel.oshaughnessy@…>)

Many Thanks for the response, Al

Rivetting will save an awful lot of time. I’ll take a few photo’s of the
installation and post them.

Dan


— In FreedomOwnersGroup@yahoogroups.com, “Alan Kusinitz”
<akusinitz@…> wrote:

My F-33 and other similar models I’ve seen have had tracks riveted to
the
masts. I believe this is how Freedom itself did the conversions.
Having
riveted a radar mount to my mast 2 words of advice: use long enough
rivets
and get a heavy rivet gun that has plenty of leverage. There is
bedding
between the track and mast and in the rivet holes perhaps to prevent
corrosion.

I see no movement or cracking of any kind after over 20 years of use.

Alan F-33 Hull #51 1982

From: FreedomOwnersGroup@yahoogroups.com
[mailto:FreedomOwnersGroup@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of
daniel.oshaughnessy
Sent: Friday, October 10, 2008 7:26 PM
To: FreedomOwnersGroup@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [FreedomOwnersGroup] “Strong” track installation

Hi Freedom Folks

I am planning on installing “Strong” mast tracks on my F33 (hull 45)
Does anyone have knowledge/experience of riveting/screwing the tracks
to the masts.
The reason I ask is because if rivetting has been sucessfully used, I
would save a whole lot of drilling and tapping into the masts. But I
would like to hear if others have tried this method and been satisfied
with the results
Many thanks
Dan
Cypress Creek
Maryland

Posted by michel.capel (michel.capel@…>)

Dan,

I have strongtrack on my mizzen. I added rivets myself because there
were unused holes in the stailess strip that holds the UHMW track to
the mast. Stainless rivets with long enough shanks. I also have
mounted several pieces of hardware on the mast with tapped holes and
machine screws, but I find the wall thickness of the original Freedom
CF masts a bit thin to provide enough meat for tapping thread. I would
prefer rivets, even for larger loads. You do need huge rivets and a
heavy riveter to do that. For the mast track I used a DIY riveter with
heavy gloves to protect the skin of my hands. These riveters are not
really meant for stainless rivets, but only aluminum.
best, and good luck,
Michel



— In FreedomOwnersGroup@yahoogroups.com, “daniel.oshaughnessy”
<daniel.oshaughnessy@…> wrote:

Hi Freedom Folks

I am planning on installing “Strong” mast tracks on my F33 (hull 45)
Does anyone have knowledge/experience of riveting/screwing the tracks
to the masts.
The reason I ask is because if rivetting has been sucessfully used, I
would save a whole lot of drilling and tapping into the masts. But I
would like to hear if others have tried this method and been satisfied
with the results
Many thanks
Dan
Cypress Creek
Maryland