Bending Schaefer 1" T Track

[Pacman]

I want to install some 1" Schaefer "T" track on the gunwales of my C 16.

However, I don't know how to bend it to conform with the shape of the boat.

Does anyone know what is involved in bending T track?

How is it done?  How difficult is it?  What tools are required?

Thanks

[skip1930]

First we need definition.
Anything Extruded and Formed that was pulled through a form has a...

1~Bend the easy way.
2~bend the hard way.

Take a steel I-beam or wide-flange for example. With the flange flat on the shop floor...
It will bend very easy to the right or left.
It will bend harder up or down.

Same with the track. The track will remain straight. Bow and sternwise. The easy Way when on the boat. But you'll fit it to the hull's curve the hard way.
It is even possible to roll the track the easy way, with C-clamps and a table. But your not going to do this.

~The I'd locate and anchor one end of the track through the deck or cockpit combing using the first hole in the track. I assume the track is pre punched, if not you'll have to drill both pieces of the track together on the bench. I'm guessing the drilled holes would be about on 6 inch centers.

~From that first hole bolted through the deck at the beginning of the track lay out the track so you can see where it will end up.

~Then press the track down on the sheer of the hull line to locate the second hole. Have somebody stand on the track if you have to to force the track down on the deck. Although your bending the track the hard way it will conform to the sheer's shape. Drill number two hole.

~Keep pressing down, drilling and bolting till the job is done.

~There will be a little stress when the sheet is pulled by the head sail so back each fastener with a stack of two steel fender washers from ACE Hardware. I'm thinking the bolts will be stainless steel, flatheads, and use nyloc type nuts. YOU DO NOT HAVE TO "SQUEEZE THE WATER OUT OF THE BOLTS" WHEN TIGHTENING THEM UP.

Just snug enough to keep the track in contact with the fiberglass. Too much 'squeeze' will result in tiny little fisher stress cracks in the gel coat. Not a structural problem but unsightly. A dab of sealing compound to fill in around the drilled hole and the bolt will make this assembly water tight. Sometimes a piece of masking tape between the fiberglass and the drill bit will prevent the gel coat from shattering when the bit starts to dig out the fiberglass.

Hope this helps. Drill and bits, Philips screw driver for the counter sunk screws, wrench or socket with long extension and maybe a swivel or flex drive for the 'rat-shit', nuts, bolts, washers, sealer, Pentel pointy marker for marking holes on deck as you go. Measuring tape for the initial set-up. A friend to stand on the track.

What you don't want is to anchor both ends of the track and then try to pull the center of the track down. That will add a lot of stress and the cantinary [sheer] will never be right for the drilled holes and track to fit right. That's why you start at one end, pull the track down and fasten and work your way to the other end.

skip.

[Pacman]

The idea of bending the track on the boat seems like a good idea on larger boats with thicker fiberglass gunwales but I fear that the relatively lightweight construction of my C-16 might not stand up to the forces involved.

I have been considering bolting two pieces of track together with the "tops" of the track facing outward.

That would allow the bolted-together tracks to be inserted into a three-point hydraulic pipe bender to apply bending pressure to the side of both tracks at the same time.

I envision it taking several little bends every few inches along the tracks to achieve the desired curve.

The idea was that bending both pieces of track at the same time would prevent twisting of the tracks during the bending process and it would ensure that both tracks were bent into the same curve that matches my cockpit combing.

Has anyone tries this method?  If so, how well did it work?

[skip1930]

The fiberglass 2-1/2 once woven resign impregnated cloth used by Hutchins on C-P 16's is the same on my C-P 19.
And let me tell you son, it's strong. No cheap and dirty and weak chopped fiberglass here.

It's all about spreading out the weight or pull on the track. Which is why holes are on maybe six inch centers.
The track is as flexible as spaghetti, it's only one inch wide and maybe a 1/16 inch thick.

Truth be known this track could be almost be glued on with a continuous bead of 3M-5200 judging
on well my aluminium rudder casting was glued to my transom after the four 1/4" bolts were removed.
I had to heat and beat for hours to get it undone. And it only had 3M-5200 around the 1/4 holes for sealing.

If you don't like the fender washers under glass idea then cut a 3/8 inch ply and glue that hard point under the fiberglass
and bolt through the track, glass cockpit combing, and plywood.

Happy New Year. skip.

BLING?? Salty. You been watching Watt's gun show on cable...

[Salty19]

Seems to risky to bend it on the boat?

Were you aware that the Ronstan C tracks are what Com-pac uses from the factory?  Perhaps they can supply you a pre-bent full track?  I ordered this a while back but received only two 18" long track pieces, not good enough.  I ended up getting 5" long Ronstan c tracks and screwing them into a custom teak coaming board elevated of the coaming (sort of a grab rail and back support and some bling).  As the board was about 5" wide, I could lay the track along this board the entire length despite the curve in the board, which matched the coaming curve.

Need a pic? 

[Pacman]

I know about Ronstan "C" track as supplied by Hutchins and I agree that it is quite flexible and easy to bend into the desired curve.

However, I would prefer to use 1" Schaefer "T" track for two reasons:

1. I already have lots of hardware that fits 1" Schaefer  "T" track
2. Schaefer 1" "T" track is really strong and I think it is really good looking too.

The drawback is that it is really stout and could be difficult to bend into the desired curve.

If the three-point hydraulic tube bender idea does not work out, I will probably fasten it to an oak plank and use large screw clamps to bend it a bit at a time, one fastener at a time, screwing it down as I go.

When it has the right curve, I would be able to remove it from the plank and fasten it to my gunwale.

However, my purpose in asking for input is that someone might have a better approach.

[Bob23]

Pac:
   You're idea sounds ok. I wonder if you could use some heat in conjuntion with your bend-and-screw idea? I'd do as you suggested and use an stiff board and clamp and screw. If it were me, I'd rather install a pre-bent track on the boat rather than use the boat to assist in the bending. It makes more sense to me but, what do I know?
Bob23

[skip1930]

Bob; Not to beat a dead horse, Pac is going to do the install the way he wants to. But I had a thought after I read, "If it were me, I'd rather install a pre-bent track on the boat rather than use the boat to assist in the bending."

I'll bet a Donkin Donut that the factory down in Florida spends as much as maybe 1/2 an hour installing the track on their decks. Perhaps a tad more if it's a hot day and the help is working slower. I don't think Hutchin's pre bends a thing. They just line her up and bolt her down.

Now if a template is going to be made to copy the curve take a 1 inch by 4 inch rip of wood and place it on end, stem to stern, where the track will lay. You'll see a little daylight about in the middle of the sheer where the 1" X 4" won't touch. Take a block of wood and place a Pentel marker on top of it and draw that curve onto the 1" x 4" and jig saw it out. Pre bend the track to that curve, if you can. My guess is it will spring back to a straight line which is why you chase the curve one hole to the next, end to end.
That's how we would work the aluminium down if I were working on a Palmer Johnson Yacht again.

skip.

[Pacman]

After much thought about several options, I have decided to go with the Ronstan C track.

That will allow me to install it on the boat as Skip has recommended and it will be less costly than the Schaefer T track.

Thanks to everyone for their input. Sometimes the decision making process takes some time but I can be comfortable that an informed decision is the result.

I'll post the results after installation and testing.

[skip1930]

Pacman has it right. "Sometimes the decision making process takes some time" Boy how true.

A week of taping up templates, and measuring, and cyphering and mumbling, looking, looking again
before actually cutting a hole for the chartplotter. Even than it was scary.

skip.