The Smart Rail

A forum for discussing boat or trailer repairs or modifications that you have made or are considering.
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TonyHouk
First Officer
Posts: 256
Joined: Wed Jan 07, 2004 3:36 pm
Sailboat: MacGregor 26X
Location: My Hometown, Lincoln, Ne.. "98 X with a '95 Evinrude 115

The Smart Rail

Post by TonyHouk »

Hey All,
I "Finally" got around to getting the Smart Rail extrusions for my X. I have to wait for the weather to warm up. The boat hull must be 70 degrees. I guess in another month. I plan on putting them right below the water line on my X. I will give ya'll my opinion when I get to test them. Happy sails, Tony

http://www.thesmartrail.com/
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Tom Root
Captain
Posts: 559
Joined: Mon Jan 05, 2004 11:39 pm
Sailboat: MacGregor 26X
Location: Annville, PA. s/v-Great White, MacX4787A202,'09 Suzuki DF-50

Post by Tom Root »

Tony,
Looks like a winner, could have used it yesterday, I motored north through San Diego Bay yesterday, and could've used it, had to back off my 18 MPH run, and backed down to 12 MPH just to make it reasonable. We experienced uncommon heavy chop in the bay, but it is times like this, that can justify a product like this!

So maybe I missed it but I did not see our boat listed? Do you have a custom part number that you ordered? Thanks for posting this!
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TonyHouk
First Officer
Posts: 256
Joined: Wed Jan 07, 2004 3:36 pm
Sailboat: MacGregor 26X
Location: My Hometown, Lincoln, Ne.. "98 X with a '95 Evinrude 115

Post by TonyHouk »

Tom,
I am supposedly the first to try it on a Mac. I bought the M-1000 rail. It is the flat one without the chine rail. I am going to mount it at the waterline stripe that was applied to my boat. This stripe is about six inches above the actual waterline. I think that it will do well there. If only it would warm up so that I can apply it. Happy sails, Tony
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TonyHouk
First Officer
Posts: 256
Joined: Wed Jan 07, 2004 3:36 pm
Sailboat: MacGregor 26X
Location: My Hometown, Lincoln, Ne.. "98 X with a '95 Evinrude 115

Post by TonyHouk »

Guest,
It is in a way but then again it is not. Our hard chine does help to reflect the water but it is too high up the hull to do much good. I am going to mount my rail about five inches above the waterline. I think at that point it will reflect the water better back down. Our hard chine is also softer at the edge then this rail. It is a little wider also. Hope that helps and happy sails, Tony
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TonyHouk
First Officer
Posts: 256
Joined: Wed Jan 07, 2004 3:36 pm
Sailboat: MacGregor 26X
Location: My Hometown, Lincoln, Ne.. "98 X with a '95 Evinrude 115

Post by TonyHouk »

Hey All,
I "Finally" got the Smart Rail installed. There is a picture in the mods page that shows where I installed it at. I hope it is the right spot. I figure that is about where the water will deflect the best at. I will try to test it out next weekend. Happy sails, Tony
Billy
First Officer
Posts: 439
Joined: Tue Jan 06, 2004 3:50 pm
Location: Dunn NC 2001-26X140 "XX"(DoubleCross)

Post by Billy »

After you test it motoring, I would be interested in how it affects the sailing/handling characteristics of the boat, especially when well heeled. It seems we discussed this product on the old board, but I don't remember if anyone was brave enough to try it. Looking forward to your postings.
Mark Prouty
Admiral
Posts: 1723
Joined: Mon Jan 19, 2004 8:52 am
Location: Madison, WI Former MacGregor 26X Owner

Post by Mark Prouty »

Nice trailer!
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TonyHouk
First Officer
Posts: 256
Joined: Wed Jan 07, 2004 3:36 pm
Sailboat: MacGregor 26X
Location: My Hometown, Lincoln, Ne.. "98 X with a '95 Evinrude 115

Post by TonyHouk »

Billy and Mark,
First the trailer was $2200 on Ebay. I got a deal but I am having trouble getting it registered. The original owner is not returning my calls or sending me the registration. I hope Penn let's me get away without it. There is also a company that puts a trailer like mine(but new) on Ebay for auction all the time. It usually goes for around the same price as mine. Ya'll might want to look into it.
For Billy,
I was thinking about the possible effect it might have on heeling. The first thing I thought it would do would be to cause it to heel more. But after a little thought it will have the opposite effect. At least in my thinking. Here goes. As the boat heals the rail will cause it to lift the boat on the side that is heeled. This would raise the boat off it's angle of heel. The way my boat is set up it tends to round up a lot. I like it that way. With the bow rounding up because of the rail I might be able to adjust my traveller more so that it rides the edge more. Hopefully I can keep it at 15-20 degrees longer.
I don't know if this willbe true but I hope to find out shortly. Happy sails, Tony
Mark Prouty
Admiral
Posts: 1723
Joined: Mon Jan 19, 2004 8:52 am
Location: Madison, WI Former MacGregor 26X Owner

Post by Mark Prouty »

TonyHouk wrote:I might be able to adjust my traveller more so that it rides the edge more
Hey Tony,
I know I'm getting off topic but I saw your traveller in the Mods section. I installed a traveller on my last sailboat and found it helped significantly. I could fine tune the sail trim with it without letting the main in or out. In retrospect, how do you feel the installation of a traveller affected your Mac's sailing performance?
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Erik Hardtle
First Officer
Posts: 408
Joined: Sat Jan 03, 2004 4:45 am
Sailboat: MacGregor 26X
Location: New Bern, NC
Contact:

Couple of questions

Post by Erik Hardtle »

The guy/company sent me an email a little while after you ordered yours.. I had sent him a email back in December of last year... how has your communication with them been?


I read you use quick pins (detent pins) on your head stay... I would caution against using them... I had one in and my mast came down while motoring.. luckly no one was hurt... I am now back to using ring pins. Just FYI.
Frank C

Post by Frank C »

I had the same thought when looking at Tony's pix. Also, if you use a ring-ding at mast top, be sure to tape it, as they are demonstrated to work themselves loose. Take a frequent check of your lower shroud pins too.
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TonyHouk
First Officer
Posts: 256
Joined: Wed Jan 07, 2004 3:36 pm
Sailboat: MacGregor 26X
Location: My Hometown, Lincoln, Ne.. "98 X with a '95 Evinrude 115

Post by TonyHouk »

Hey All,
I guess I live on the edge too much because I don't pay too much attention to wether it is better or not( the traveller). I have a couple of X's around here that I need to take a pointing match on. When I finally decided to purchase the rails, it took a lot for the guy to get my credit card right. I was almost about to tell him where to go when he told me for the third time that my checking account credit card was not allowing him to charge the price. I purchased a wind meter for the mast. Hopefully I will be more observant of the angles. I have been using the quick release pin for about four years now. I check it often. It is very hard to go in so I hope it is just as hard to come out. I am going to make a quick release that has a safety clip so that it has to go through to release points. Thanks for the concerns. Happy sails, Tony
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TonyHouk
First Officer
Posts: 256
Joined: Wed Jan 07, 2004 3:36 pm
Sailboat: MacGregor 26X
Location: My Hometown, Lincoln, Ne.. "98 X with a '95 Evinrude 115

Post by TonyHouk »

Robert,
I wanted to place the rail full length but the cost caused me to think otherwise. I also felt that it would not do much when the boat is on plane. It would have to be very low for it to provide any benefit. I think having the rail aft would just keep the waves down but do litlle to keeping the cockpit dry. I get hit by the waves that come over the bow but not the stern. I will see in a few days what effect it has. The page it:
www.thesmartrail.com
Hope that helps and happy sails, Tony
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Robert
First Officer
Posts: 362
Joined: Wed Jan 28, 2004 6:12 pm
Location: NC

The Smart Rail & performance

Post by Robert »

Tony,
When I first looked into he SmartRail my goal was a more level ride. Just as the lift provided by a cavitaion plate extension foil points the bow down. I thought the Smart Rail mounted low and aft would have a much needed leveling effect under propeller power.
..
Later I was caught in a worsening stormy crossing of Pamlico Sound, about 40 miles. We sailed the first 1/3 then it became appearant that we would not get to safety before dark unless the sails came down and motor cranked up. We had plenty of wind to move fast, but needed to head directly into the wind to get home. The water was random chop about 5 feet high. I was going 10 to 13 mph at wide open throttle on my Suzuki DF50 with stainless 9 pitch prop into the wind and chop. The conditions really slowed the top speed a lot. Because the waves were starting to break and because of their randomness the hull pounding was not too bad. If I pointed precisely into the wind I could drive dry except for the pouring rain. My crew went below and relayed the readings off the GPS in term of heading that I could use with the gymbaled compass. The sliding hatch was busy sliding open at each wave impact, tied it shut with the loose end of the keel line. I sent my glasses below as well to avoid losing them. Each time a wave hit a little off center the bow would come off of the wind direction and soon I needed to go off from directly into the wind to keep on course. As I did I eachy wave would deliver a several gallon blast of water in my face. I learned when not to open my mouth and when to close my eyes. I could barely make out the compass, but somehow we made it. Ever since I have been interested in the Smart Rail for its intended purpose of keep the cockpit dry.
..
I hope your SmartRail works really well where you have it mounted. I could not get help from the SmartRail folks as to where it should be mounted, I think I sent them a few emails and pictures but they would not decide where the optimum location should be. Maybe the dryest ride and most level ride would be with the full length SmartRail at the water line and an extra set at the built in chine forward only chine. Then reallity hits again, cost in terms of dollars and cost in terms of sailing performance. I think there is good chance that the SmartRails you have mounted will help with Sailing under certain conditions and also hurt under other conditions.
Robert
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TonyHouk
First Officer
Posts: 256
Joined: Wed Jan 07, 2004 3:36 pm
Sailboat: MacGregor 26X
Location: My Hometown, Lincoln, Ne.. "98 X with a '95 Evinrude 115

Post by TonyHouk »

Robert,
I don't think a second set of SmartRails would help. If you mounted one at the boot stripe and one at the hard chine I think the hard chine would have little effect. My reasoning for this is that when the water sweeps up and hits the first rail it is going to be deflected out. If it managed to hit the second rail it would either be a REAL Big wave or a fluke. I am hoping that the rail where it is at will help lift the bow of the boat over the waves. I will take it out this weekend to test it. I glued it up with the first layer of glue. As it sits right now with the adhesive tape and the first glue joint I don't think it is going to go anywhere. I still have to put the secondary glue joint on to help it out. I can lift the bow up like it sits now. Happy sails, Tony
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