Comptip repair?

I continue to have issues raising my squaretop at the comptip. The luff on this sail has lots of curve and the head pulls out everytime I raise the sail. It pushes out of the plastic luff track. My tip is old and the track has some chips in it.
1. Would a new luff track for the tip be stronger and hold the sail in?
2. Is there a way to stiffen the luff track to hold the sail in?

Sailmaker thinks putting a solid rod in the sails luff will hold it in but I think it will just jam at the metal track at the top of the tip. With the boat on its side the sail slides up with the greatest of ease, so its not binding. It seems as if the tip bends back and with the halyard pulling from behind already the sail is naturally drawn away from the track.
Laying the boat on its side to raise the sail has become less than fun. A new plastic luff track is not cheap, especially if it doesn't fix the issue.

Thanks for your input and ideas!

1) Try easing the batten tension.
2) Get a new track. If you've got chips and damage, that's not good.

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Before buying a new track, maybe try flipping your current one.

The other thought would be to try to add some prebend to help the mast match the luff curve.

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Install the Comptip track update Part #50404111- it's a 1 ft long aluminum track that replaces the top 1' of the plastic track. It was developed to cure your problem.

Thanks for the input

Have the aluminum piece at the tip, sail pulls out while raising only.

I have flipped the track to get the better end down.

Is a new track going to be stiffer than an older one? I would think so but not certain.

Battens are snug and need to be on the squaretop.

The angle the halyard pulls from induces the head to pull out, especially when the tip flexes back. If the luff of the sail were stiff I could push the sail up without it coming out I think. It goes up very easy on its side and pulls up very easy, it just comes out of the track.

What about laying glass along the track to stiffen it up or somehow pinching the track together?

Just a thought, could you move the attachment point for the main halyard further outboard on the head of the sail so that it pulls straight up. Some headboards have room for a further outboard hole. That would decrease the outward pull on the sail track.

Just an idea.

Thats a good thought but moving the attachment out would also move the ring out. That would make it hard to get the ring on the hook. This might work though. I will check and see if this is possible or makes any difference.
Thanks

I thought about the hook after I posted. I hope you can get a compromise that will work.

If the sail is a Square Top I assume its not class legal so why not buy a old non comptip mast used they are pretty cheap.

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Floyd
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If I remember correctly ncmbm has a SX, and the SX was never produced without a comptip. So no full metal mast unless he can find a tiger mast, but that is a PITA, because you have to change the bases as well as alot of other small items.

Could you install several of the Comptip track update Part #50404111 in a row on the mast track? Or just place another one at the bottom of the comptip?

Other than that I'm out of ideas for you.

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1992 Hobie Cat 18 #16943
Hobie Fleet 198, Rapid City, SD

Adding several metal pieces may be the fix, not cheap but should work. Comptip is 4' long or so I think so 4 or 5 of them would do it. As long as the sail doesn't get hung between them.

This is an SX stick. I am tempted to try and create an aluminum comptip or lay carbon on the tip to stiffen it. Carbon would not fix this issue but would stiffen the tip up. A solid mast section attached with a sleeve would be a permanent fix but may create stress issues with the mast. I will either find a fix for this or sell the dang thing and start over.

Could you have a local machine shop mill you a track replacement that is long enough and one piece? Might be less expensive than buying 4 more upgrades.

_________________
1992 Hobie Cat 18 #16943
Hobie Fleet 198, Rapid City, SD