Repairing trampoline track

[saintlysoft]

I noticed that my tramp was coming out of the track on the port hull.  When I removed it (it has a tear and is heading to the motor trimmer in the next few days) I found that although the aluminium strip is in great condition the fibreglass on the top of the hull is worn in exactly the place the tramp came free.  I'm not keen on replacing the track with caravan strip.

What's the right mix and process to build the top of the hull back up?  Is it straight resin, do I mix shredded fibreglass in, do I use a completely different product??

Thanks,

Greg.

[CamMead]

Had the same problem.

Suggest you by some new 'C' section track from bunnings and just replace the whole aluminum track. A less work and works perfectly.

You need to lengths - only $17 each. - cut to length and file the ends to suit the angle and pop rivet on.

[Pointed Reply]

Many like the caravan track but I don’t.

The caravan track creates a lump detracting from the smooth finish of a Maricat.

I suggest you just brush on a layer or two of resin then sand it smooth when it dries. Also put some in the rivet holes then redrill so the new rivets are a tight fit.

 

[knobblyoldjimbo]

Sweet 16 had the tracks reversed whereas my current cat doesn't. 

The reversed track is far more comfortable as Rodney points out the other way sticks up.

Installing the reversed track would do well with a good sand with 80 grit along the channel. Use Sikaflex to seal the area and make sure the river centres stay in place or seal them up.

Rivets need to be long ones, there are sizes to use somewhere on this site.

[saintlysoft]

Just to close this thread out (for now at least) I ended up using the epoxy stick from Bunnings.  The first attempt didn't build it up quite enough and it came out first sail post repair.  Having two of us crawling around after turtling in Port Phillip Bay didn't help, though it did make it easier to get the tramp out for the reseating attempt at least.

The second attempt at building it up seems to have worked.  The best thing about that putty is that pulling the boat up on the beach and patching it there worked pretty well.  I might strip it down and do it again with fibreglass over winter, but probably not if it lasts the rest of my sailing summer.  I can't see it, so even though I know it's a pretty rough looking repair under the mat, I'll try to forget.