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Tramp tension


Harry Pearson

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Yes, sail track is the best way, the flat plate has a habit of allowing the bolt rope to pull out unless it's well fastened down.

Best with sail track is to put it on upside down - that way you don't hurt so much when you kneel on it by mistake.  Use a bit of sandpaper to clear out the slot - it won't fit perfectly but it'll do.  Use sikaflex as well to seal the gap.

Rivets are big ones, look around in the forum and you'll find out the size - Bunnings don't sell them - I got a bag online.  They have to go through to the other side of the metal plate that backs them under the deck.

If you're anywhere near Newcastle the chandlery at the yacht club has great bolt rope stuff.  It's like a solid rubber with a coating of some sort of woven stuff.  It has a tab on it because they use it for bimini's etc.  I cut that off and it works a treat. 8mm you need.

For the end I use 3mm prestretched marlow rope that Bias used to sell.  I notice that Bunnings sell similar although it's probably not prestretched and you might have to repeat it after it's been in the sun a while.  I use electrical conduit and a blanket stitch so the line goes from the beam out and around the conduit and then straight back to the same saddle.  That way the length that's 'open' or exposed is minimised.  I start in the middle and work outwards.  Do it tight, then do it tighter.  Then use a wrecking bar to lever it tighter still.  Your new tramp will be cross cut so the tighter it is the more stable the platform.

One last thing - use washing up liquid to get the sides in through the sail track - it's a bugger to get in but the liquid will wash out.

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Always good to have a second opinion .....

First is your new tramp cut on the diagonal ? If so you can pull it as tight as possible. The tramps on Mark II boats are easier to tighten than the older Mark I boats. The older original tramps were the straight cut with the lacing up the middle - they are basically impossible to get really tight.

I think that the caravan track modification are not the best solution. Irrespective of which way you put them on they create a lump. One of the great features of a Maricat is the smooth transition from deck to tramp. I think it is best to retain the existing flat plate. Drill out the old rivets, take off the aluminium strip, clean up the holes, maybe dribble some resin in the holes, if the inner lip is very worn you may need to apply a thin layer of resin on the lip to close down the slot between inner lip and aluminium strip. Sand it smooth. Use long rivets to reattach the aluminium strip with some sealant on each hole. Refit the tramp.

 

 

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  • 2 months later...

I've bought a Mk1 and the previous owner put a new Mk2 tramp on it... it was floppy as a floppy thing because the Mk2 tramp is longer than the Mk1, and he'd just tied rope through the holes in the back of the tramp... no conduit in the sleeve. I had to get it shortened and then re-fit it. To get maximum tension I put conduit in the sleeve and used zip-ties to pull the sleeved conduit tight against the rear beam before threading the rope through and tying off tightly and then cutting the zip-ties loose. End result was a drum tight tramp.

 

 

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3/16" x 3/4" Aluminjum rivets or the metric equivalent. Do not use stainless or monel, they will damage the hull. Drive out the old rivet mandrels with a thin parallel  punch, you will then be able to drill out the old rivets cleanly. Any questions or worries, call me 02 43591729, I have done this repair on 5 or 6 Maris.

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I just re did mine.  I bought new track and put it in reverse so the round of the track sits in the groove.

On mine a good part of the channel was damaged so trying to go back to the flat plate wouldn't have worked.

Before I refitted the track I got some scrim tape, 38mm and 25mm and laid it along the length using epoxy as some of the rivet holes were a bit naff.

Haven't sailed since but I'm expecting a more comfortable ride without the hard ridge that used to be there.

For bolt rope Jimmy Buckland has some which is quite hard and tough.  I didn't use it for this purpose, kept the Newcastle YC Chandlery stuff.

With the lacing I start in the middle, back to the saddle across then up, around and back through the same saddle.  I've  seen diagonal lacing but I think that will create more flex.

Still an absolute bugger to get the tramp back!

I got rivets online:

From scaclips.com.au  cost more for the postage ($7) but took three days to come.  Bunnings don't sell them.

Pop Rivets, 6-10, Tonneu Rivets, 4.8mm = 3/16", PR024, (50pk)PR0241$6.05

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