Which genoa track and cars are typically fitted on a Nauticat 33?
I want to replace the genoa cars on my Nauticat 33, but I cannot find a maker's name on the existing fittings. Are these normally standard 32 mm T-track cars, and what should I measure before ordering replacements?
Answer
A Nauticat 33 typically has conventional genoa T-track with sliding, manually locked cars carrying the sheet blocks, though original makes and later replacements vary between boats. A 32 mm, or 1¼-inch, T-track car may fit, but measure the existing rail profile before ordering, as the boat model alone cannot establish compatibility.
Check the existing track
Start with the track, rather than the block attached to the car. Blocks are easily replaced, so a maker's name on a sheave or cheek plate may not identify the rail beneath it.
Look for a T-shaped rail with an overhanging head and a row of locking-pin holes. A spring-loaded plunger normally drops into a hole to hold the sheet lead in position. This differs from a car moved along the track by control lines and end blocks.
Check port and starboard fittings separately on an older Nauticat. Previous owners may have replaced only one side. There is insufficient evidence to name one original track manufacturer or a precise changeover year for every Nauticat 33.
Ease the genoa sheet completely before releasing a locking pin, removing an end stop or sliding a car off its track.
Measure the track profile
Use vernier callipers if possible. Record these dimensions and details before contacting a supplier:
- Track head width: measure across the top of the T, not across its mounting foot.
- Head thickness and underside clearance: these determine whether the car can slide over the profile.
- Overall track height: measure the rail itself and identify any separate spacer beneath it.
- Locking-hole diameter and spacing: the replacement plunger must enter fully and hold securely.
- Car and block details: note car length, shackle arrangement, sheet diameter and sheave diameter.
Photograph the rail end-on, the car from above and any stamped numbers. If the car slides off easily, photograph its underside too. This helps identify the sliding surfaces and track clearance.
Nominal inch and metric sizes can describe the same track family, but similar advertised widths do not establish that two manufacturers' profiles match. Do not grind a car or enlarge its locking-pin hole to make it fit.
Lewmar 32 mm car options
Lewmar's conventional T-track range is a useful reference for identifying a 32 mm installation. Its specified track is 32 mm wide and 15 mm high, with fixing holes at 100 mm centres for countersunk M8 or 5/16-inch fasteners.