Project · 2026
Harken mainsail track
A new, longer mainsail track, and a car that re-locks itself on every tack.
What we did
- Original mainsail track replaced (2026)
- Track lengthened beyond the original run
- 32 mm track, through-bolted on 10 mm bolts
- Harken 3178 32 mm Windward Sheeting 4500 hi-load car
- Harken E325 32 mm ESP high-load end controls — double sheave
- 5:1 purchase
The original mainsail track came off and a new one went on in its place — longer than the original run, which gives the car more travel and a better sheeting angle at the extremes.
It is a 32 mm track, through-bolted on 10 mm bolts, carrying a Harken 3178 Windward Sheeting 4500 hi-load car. That car re-locks itself as you come through the wind, so a tack or a gybe needs no second pair of hands on the traveller. It is a genuine pleasure to use.
The ends are Harken E325 32 mm ESP high-load end controls with double sheaves, giving a 5:1 purchase — enough to move the car under real load without a winch.
Fitting it
Like every job on a boat, this one was less simple than it looked, and wanted precision rather than force. The track sits offset on spacers: water runs away underneath instead of sitting against the deck, and the car can be taken off for maintenance without stripping the whole track. All of it done without lifting a single teak deck element.
Progress photos
8 photos from the job. Click any one to enlarge.
