Tides Marine Track and Slide system

[Tranona]

My Golden Hind has an old Proctor mast with plastic sail slides. I have had a new main made but not yet had a chance to use it in anger. However have raised it and lowered a couple of times and I am a bit concerned it might not drop quickly. I have a stackpack and lazyjacks so hoping it will be easy to raise and lower when I have taken the lines back to the cockpit. I was looking at a boat with the Tides system fitted and it looks good. Also popped into their office in Poole and looked at the hardware and it all seem well made and the slides run freely. tidesmarine.com/sailtrack/intst_overview

Would welcome feedback, particularly from anybody who has used it or fitted it.

 

[bitbaltic]

I’ve had it for 10 years and wouldn’t have a boat without it. The sail just drops into the stack pack when you let the halyard run. If it’s windy, you might have to pull the last 4 foot or so down by hand but that’s hardly a problem.

It also makes it possible to drop the sail in lighter airs with the wind behind the beam.

obviously it makes reefing much easier, subject to the usual riders about eliminating friction throughout the system.

At the time I fitted it I think it was recommended to have a full batten main (which I do) but I have heard of people using it successfully without that.

 

[doug748]

No experience but Pete Sanders recommended the system in the Contessa yearbook a few years ago. Said he had fitted a number of them:

"We have already carried out this modification several times................and it works brilliantly.........providing a perfect low friction track without having to modify the mast"

.

 

[Cardinal]

I have the system and have had on two boats. I second bitbaltic‘s recommendation and like him/her, would regret having to hoist or drop my sails without it.

 

[RunAgroundHard]

Berth neighbour fitted last year, 38’, single hands. Reported that it has made hoisting and lowering much easier and likes the system very well. No feedback on downwind reefing.

 

[wilkinsonsails]

We have it on both main and mizzen ,brilliant for fast drops straight into the Lazyjacks .Wouldn’t be without it now .

 

[Pete735]

I fitted it 3 years back partly as a result of Bitbaltic commenting about the system on here. As per the other comments it's a great piece of kit the main is down in a couple of seconds, just take care not to be standing on the halyard when the sail falls! Raising the main is also significantly easier, the winch is only required to tension the main now. The videos on Youtube demonstrate the system in action very well.

 

[Bajansailor]

A pal of mine here has the Tides system on the fully battened mainsail of his 45' day charter catamaran, and he absolutely swears by it - the best thing that has happened to his boat since the proverbial sliced bread.

 

[bitbaltic]

No experience but Pete Sanders recommended the system in the Contessa yearbook a few years ago. Said he had fitted a number of them:

"We have already carried out this modification several times................and it works brilliantly.........providing a perfect low friction track without having to modify the mast"

.

It was Pete Sanders who recommended it to me. I did a complete overhaul of all running rigging, sail handling and new sails and the rigger (Andy Freemantle) and Pete worked together to build an integrated solution for the boat. The track is a key part of that.

 

[fearmhuir]

Fitted Tides Marine track and slides to 36 footer with fully battened main in 2012. Transformed mainsail handling, especially easy to drop. Was easy to fit myself. Recommendation!

 

[Stooriefit]

Had a Tides Marine track fitted six years ago. Main is fully battened on 34 footer with a 33 year old mast. Great system and wouldn't be without it. Highly recommend particularly if you sail short handed.

 

[howardclark]

Mines on my fully battened masts on my 14m ketch. Excellent system

 

[hodgmo]

 

[ean_p]

View attachment 151428

Your link doesn't appear to work for me but regarding the UV decay, Tides Marine claim in their literature now that the track is UV stable. Maybe they use a different compound now as then?

 

[hodgmo]

Your link doesn't appear to work for me but regarding the UV decay, Tides Marine claim in their literature now that the track is UV stable. Maybe they use a different compound now as then?

Sorry the link didn't work - I've attached images in case they are helpful. The old track broke apart when I bent it. The new stuff didn't. I also hope the new formulation is UV resistant, and lasts more than 10 years!

 

[JimC]

I fitted the Tides Marine track to the 43ft mast of my Hunter Channel 31 a few years ago, I think it is a brilliant piece of kit. The sail comes down like a runaway train down into the stack pack with no need to climb onto the coach roof to pull down the last bit. The sail is not fully battened. No sgn of uv degradation but this is rarely an issue in Whitehaven.