New mainsail-track for Nautor-Mast
The original Nautor-Mast of Swan 431/006 "blue witch" will receive a new track (Sailman 5000) in order to have a full batten mainsail.

Can somebody give any usefull hints, how to replace the track?
See the lowest part of the old track on the picture.
Has the old track to be dismounted complete?
In this case every 50 mm we have a hole in the mast on both sides of the new track. Any idea?
Best regards Jan-Holgar

Hello Jan-Holgar

I have a fullbatten mainsail on my original mast/track 40/8

So it is possible to find "wagoons" that fits the track. anyhow you will need an opening in the side of the track in order to get the wagoons in there. And the opening needs to be closed afterwards.

I my case the opening is made apx 1,2 m above the boom, all the wagoons has to be able to be beneat the opening when you put on the sail, but I am still able to reach it standing on the deck.

I have put in a  pic. (I have more) not easy to get when the mast is winter stored with other masts.

Hope this will help you, if you need further info feel free to mail

Kaj "Ophelia"

I am just going through the same process on Swan 65 and have decided against the fully battened sail in favour of a 95% Batten as proposed by North sails.

I you want to go ahead with full Battens your best option is to go with battencars, special headboard car and all. These need to run on special tracksystem which is offered in various sizes by Harken and Antal. Both systems offer mounting option using slugs that run up inside the original sailtrack and take the fastenings for the new one. So no need to take old track off, but slightly highter profile as endresult.

If you want to remove old track and fix new one direct to Mast, you have no choice but to fill the old rivet holes and paint the spar, very timeconsuming and major maintanance issue. Good luck

Looking at your photo again, I think you will have a problem because your track is like boltrope track, but external. You can get slug mounting kits for it, but there is no real mating surfave to talk of, unless you come up with spacer strips to block the gap...

The original Nautor-Mast of Swan 431/006 "blue witch" will receive a new track (Sailman 5000) in order to have a full batten mainsail. Can somebody give any usefull hints, how to replace the track? See the lowest part of the old track on the picture. Has the old track to be dismounted complete? In this case every 50 mm we have a hole in the mast on both sides of the new track. Any idea? Best regards Jan-Holgar

Hello,

I have done just the same on my 47. This is how I have proceeded: I threaded an alumimium bar in the existing old track. This bar was choosen to correspond in the proper size and the right type of aluminium. This bar takes the full lentgh of the mast. It is divided in manageable lentghsof 3 meter each or so. the importance is that the peices connect with no space between them. Then,  this bar is fastened with screws of high quality to the mast under/inside the existing track. 150mm space between the screws will do all the way from the top to the level of the boom. Now the track build a horizontal clean surface on wich I screwed the new track from Seleden. The system has been upp for 4 years now. It works perfectly. My batten cars runs up and down the track perfectly well and the system is very strong. The only "draw" back is that the new track is not on the mast itself but 6-8 mm distanciated from it by the inner aluminium bar, which corresponds to the thickness of the old track. Not a big deal. Personally, I do not see it as a draw back. Perhaps there is some minor wind turbulence on this area. But frankly, I rather have that than the old Nautor track!

Cheers/ Philippe Swan 47