TidesMarine Mast Track vs Harken Battcar System - which one do you have and prefer?

[DangerousPirate]

I am currently researching both, and the tidesmarine one is cheaper, but I don't want to regret buying it. Any experiences? Can someone compare both? Also would would be great to know about installation, if it's similar or if one is significantly cheaper than the other maybe

 

[JimC]

I fitted a Tides Marine sail track system to the Zspars mast of my Hunter Channel 31 four years ago. I have poor balance and I wanted to avoid having to climb onto the coachroof to pull down the last few metres of sail. I'd already gone as far as I could with lubricating the slot, rigging down hauls etc. I bought the track via Sanders Sails which worked out cheaper than buying from Tides UK. It was easy to fit and the performance was transformational - I cast off the halyard and the sail comes down like a runaway train straight into the stackpack. It's easier to raise too but that wasn't the problem. Mine is a conventionally battened mainsail but a friend with another Channel 31 has fitted the system to his fully-battened sail with the same successful result. There is a video showing the system being fitted and in use here.

 

[DangerousPirate]

I fitted a Tides Marine sail track system to the Zspars mast of my Hunter Channel 31 four years ago. I have poor balance and I wanted to avoid having to climb onto the coachroof to pull down the last few metres of sail. I'd already gone as far as I could with lubricating the slot, rigging down hauls etc. I bought the track via Sanders Sails which worked out cheaper than buying from Tides UK. It was easy to fit and the performance was transformational - I cast off the halyard and the sail comes down like a runaway train straight into the stackpack. It's easier to raise too but that wasn't the problem. Mine is a conventionally battened mainsail but a friend with another Channel 31 has fitted the system to his fully-battened sail with the same successful result. There is a video showing the system being fitted and in use here.

Interesting video, I have seen plenty with the battcar from Harken so I didn't really bother with this one, but I see the slugs are way easier to install? At least it seems to be that way. Hard to tell with 240p haha.

I would personally like to get the Tides Marine just to save a bit of money, but I could buy the Harken variations of it just fine, if it is worth the premium price.

 

[Minchsailor]

I had the Tidesmarime fitted when I got a fully batteren main. Certainly made a difference when both hoisting and dropping the sail (Rustler 36).

 

[Bajansailor]

I know a chap here who owns and operates a 47' commercial day sailing catamaran - he has a Tides System on his fully battened mainsail, and he swears by it absolutely, especially as it is usually used a few times every day to hoist his mainsail.

Re Harken, I get the impression that while they might be better quality (but how do you define quality here?), their products generally seem to be more expensive than their competitors (for instance, if you compare Harken and Barton blocks), so maybe you are also paying for the brand name here.

 

[bikedaft]

Got Tidesmarine track a few years ago, mast track was originally designed for a bolt rope, but mainsail had cars (from when converted to slab reefing etc), so pretty stiff going up and down. Transformational is the word. Easy to fit. Not seen the Harken one.

 

[howardclark]

I had a Tidesmarine track fitted for my fully battened main and standard mizzen. They work very well. (14m ketch)

 

[DangerousPirate]

Got Tidesmarine track a few years ago, mast track was originally designed for a bolt rope, but mainsail had cars (from when converted to slab reefing etc), so pretty stiff going up and down. Transformational is the word. Easy to fit. Not seen the Harken one.

I want to convert my bolt rope system, too. It's a great thing for occassional sails, I suppose, but singlehanded and planning to do a lot of sailing means there need to be an improvement.

What did you do about a mastguard? Boltrope sails normally don't come with one, I believe. But I believe you only need the track, right?

 

[DangerousPirate]

I had a Tidesmarine track fitted for my fully battened main and standard mizzen. They work very well. (14m ketch)

Who did you ask to fit it? I don't think it's difficult, but it's always a nice question to ask. Did Tidesmarine send someone out or did you have to find someone else to do it? Was it very expensive?

 

[wilkinsonsails]

Tides Track is easy to fit yourself. Its really great for rapid sail drops .
If you have a bolt rope sail you will need to spec the correct profile fit .
The sail would need eyes installed for the stainless slides.

 

[DangerousPirate]

Tides Track is easy to fit yourself. Its really great for rapid sail drops .
If you have a bolt rope sail you will need to spec the correct profile fit .
The sail would need eyes installed for the stainless slides.

Okay, I only get positive responses here. So I'll just save me some money and get the cheaper Tides tracks.

I bought the track via Sanders Sails which worked out cheaper than buying from Tides UK. #

I just had a look at their website, they only show sails and sail covers. Did you contact them directly or did they just stop offering it?

 

[JimC]

Okay, I only get positive responses here. So I'll just save me some money and get the cheaper Tides tracks.

I just had a look at their website, they only show sails and sail covers. Did you contact them directly or did they just stop offering it?

Phone them, I am pretty sure they still supply the TM track. Any probs contact Tides Marine International UK. They seem to be more interested in marketing their shaft seals but will advise on the track.

 

[bikedaft]

I want to convert my bolt rope system, too. It's a great thing for occassional sails, I suppose, but singlehanded and planning to do a lot of sailing means there need to be an improvement.

What did you do about a mastguard? Boltrope sails normally don't come with one, I believe. But I believe you only need the track, right?

Tidesmarine send a bunch of samples to get the right one to fit your existing track profile. Then shove the tidesmarine track up your own track. Drill and pin it at a couple of places in the existing mast track. Then pin at bottom of tidesmarine track to stop sail cars falling out bottom. I also put a lanyard on the 2nd bottom sail car to keep the weight off one pin through a plastic track that will become brittle at some point. (Only in use when sail down) hope that makes sense?

 

[JimC]

What did you do about a mastguard? Boltrope sails normally don't come with one, I believe. But I believe you only need the track, right?

Tides supply a mast gate. More info' here. The track comes with a cut-out for inserting the slides and a stainless steel cover to stop them falling out. You need to study the website.

 

[DangerousPirate]

Tidesmarine send a bunch of samples to get the right one to fit your existing track profile. Then shove the tidesmarine track up your own track. Drill and pin it at a couple of places in the existing mast track. Then pin at bottom of tidesmarine track to stop sail cars falling out bottom. I also put a lanyard on the 2nd bottom sail car to keep the weight off one pin through a plastic track that will become brittle at some point. (Only in use when sail down) hope that makes sense?

Sort of? Haha

Tides supply a mast gate. More info' here. The track comes with a cut-out for inserting the slides and a stainless steel cover to stop them falling out. You need to study the website.

View attachment 139394

Perfect then, thanks.

 

[Cardinal]

+1 for TM track. I fitted it to my Scanmar 40 and find it very easy to use and it was also easy to fit. I have no regrets about the purchase which has been in use for the past four and a half seasons.

 

[howardclark]

Who did you ask to fit it? I don't think it's difficult, but it's always a nice question to ask. Did Tidesmarine send someone out or did you have to find someone else to do it? Was it very expensive?

My local rigger fitted it- can’t remember cost but it wasn’t crazy. Possible to fit it yourself if you take care. The slides needed sewn webbing loops- I made those up myself

 

[laika]

I'm reluctant to post as I have no experience of Tides Marine to compare but as no-one has mentioned Harken...My boat came with a Harken battcar system. It's definitely over 20 years old and may be original (so 31 years old). It's brilliant. It's no big effort to raise the main by hand at the mast on a 12m sloop. Reefing is a doddle. Maintenance is the occasional squirt of mclube one touch and keeping the track slidy. As a naïf I didn't appreciate the quality of the deck gear when I bought my boat but I certainly do now and my old harken system is excellent.

 

[RobF]

Pete Sanders recommended me a Tides Marine on my previous boat (fully battened mainsail). He was absolutely right to do so, the system was good value and worked excellently.