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Tramp Mat Track


Dr Peter

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In my opinion...

Drill out all the rivets from both sides, glass up all the old holes and sand back to a smooth even surface. Get two new strips of aluminium and drill new holes between the old holes and rerivet. Or just try swapping the old strips from port to stb.

Some will recommend the use of "caravan track" for the tramp bolt rope, I don't like this as it creates a lump to slide over. And it looks scruffy.

The standard strip gives a nice smooth surface.

But if you want to buy a really good Mark II let me know !

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caravan track is the only effective way to stop the tramp ripping out (although of course I defer to Rod's greater experience) you'll need some 7mm polyprop rope to put into the tramp - most others will just compress and slide out. On my last mari I used air tube from Clarkes and blew a 2mm marlow line through the hole - worked good. The cat I now had came with an odd type of 'rope' was very stiff and 7mm - I guess most sailmakers would have this type of stuff.

Brenton told me that some bunnings have it but I got mine from Darcy. I drilled out the holes then drilled the track using the old plates as a guide then sikaflexed it down then pop rivetted it.

use the big long pop rivets and a scissor pop riveter - I used a small hand one and nearly crippled myself doing one side (I then jumped into the car and borrowed Darcy's!).

Use washing up liquid to lubricate the track and tramp (it washes out once installed). Do the tramp up TIGHT which stiffens the hulls up.

Use the spare cat until you have a lazy afternoon to do it!

Sorry, one more thing, the bolt rope that works with the plate is generally too thick (8mm) to work with the track. My 'new' cat came with 7mm bolt rope which was probably why it pulled out of the plate in the first place.

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The most important part of this operation is drilling out the old rivets. With a thin parallel punch, punch out the old rivet steel mandrels, this will allow your 3/16" drill to run neatly down the middle without enlarging the old hole. Using the original holes where possible leaves the hull stronger, (rather than creating a tear along the dotted line effect). I believe that the caravan track is the best way to go (I have seen hulls crack down the tramp groove, the caravan track mod transfers the load horizontally to the rivets). Use the old flat alloy as a template to drill the new van track.

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