I got given a Mistral Malibu Race with a sliding track and no connection.

I thought about getting my engineer to machine one up but it would take a few weeks as he's usually flat out. I also wasn't happy about the auto release system that was on the original so I came up with something different that would use our existing bases and still work the sliding system.


All the threads that I looked at said" just use a large plate and stick it in the channel and forget sliding the track", but I've never had one of these and I wanted to use everything so it was off to the shed.

First pull everything apart and see what there.



There was just enough space to get a nut on and still work if you cut out a bit on the carriage with the hacksaw and file the rest.



Made it a very tight fit so there was no need for any epoxy.





The reassembly took forever as a small spring wouldn't go back in $%@# of a thing went in after a small hit with a hammer.

I had to cut the sides of the base down as the track doesn't sit at the same height along the deck (German precision)







And ...........it works,

Now to do a Spotty and run it down the speed course as see if I can get it to 30kts???......what could possible go wrong???

Hope this helps a few solve their problem with the tracks. Sorry about the oversize photos

I have all these original Mistral parts.

Brilliant solution . I think you may get your 30 knts plus .

my original still works
however, i prefer newer 3 pulley bases with US connection
my addition does not slide on the fly, butt can be moved

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kato said..

.

By the look of that tendon the only thing doing 30knts will be ur arse falling in the water as it snaps. I could be wrong but it looks like it needs replacing.
Nice job on the mod though mate

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joe windsurf said..

my original still works
however, i prefer newer 3 pulley bases with US connection
my addition does not slide on the fly, butt can be moved

Mine has the 3 pulley system that you use and slides

Tendon all good Bender, just me and smooth flat water tomorrow .....remember it

Hey Kato, is the nut just held to the slider by friction?

kudos to you kato

let us know how it works out
another fellow did this:

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windsurftom said..

Hey Kato, is the nut just held to the slider by friction?

Yes, its a tight fit. You could epoxy it in if its a bit loose. You tighten the plate down onto the top of the slider

Well the track worked and slid very easy, no explosion on the water either . A 5.8 and 30kts might have been out of its usual comfort zone but it went well and handled the chop beautifully. I need a mast track further back to really get comfortable and by the end of the run I was just about kneeling on the board with my back foot. It would go better with the larger sail and its longer boom but did it get to 30kt...........No 26.65kt 2 sec
and a 24.506kt 10 sec but it was a lot of fun trying Now I have to fix the canvas cover over the centre board case as I striped it off on the first run

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kato said..

I got given a Mistral Malibu Race with a sliding track and no connection.

I thought about getting my engineer to machine one up but it would take a few weeks as he's usually flat out. I also wasn't happy about the auto release system that was on the original so I came up with something different that would use our existing bases and still work the sliding system.


All the threads that I looked at said" just use a large plate and stick it in the channel and forget sliding the track", but I've never had one of these and I wanted to use everything so it was off to the shed.

First pull everything apart and see what there.

There was just enough space to get a nut on and still work if you cut out a bit on the carriage with the hacksaw and file the rest.

Made it a very tight fit so there was no need for any epoxy.

The reassembly took forever as a small spring wouldn't go back in $%@# of a thing went in after a small hit with a hammer.

I had to cut the sides of the base down as the track doesn't sit at the same height along the deck (German precision)

And ...........it works,

Now to do a Spotty and run it down the speed course as see if I can get it to 30kts???......what could possible go wrong???

Hope this helps a few solve their problem with the tracks. Sorry about the oversize photos

Hey there Kato! Excellent to see people still using the great and good Mistral boards. I like your idea of re-creating the mast fixing that way.
But I was wondering if you could ask your engineer friend to take some measurements of your original mast track attachment and post them on here. Just the functioning metal and plastic parts in the image that click into the track. I've taken some measurements of my mast track 'cart' that give me a 'female' impression of what's needed. Ooer missus! But to have some confirmation of your 'ahem' male part would be a great help. You could do the measuring yourself if you had a vernier caliper. I live in the UK and work in a precision engineering shop, so I just might be able to manufacture some spares.

I recently started getting back into windsurfing and have no less than 4 older Mistral boards waiting to get wet. But I have no mast attachments and have to use a basic base with a big brass nut that I made. I have 2 of the old high volume 'Competition' longboards, one of them is the SST version (something to do with the type and layers of fibreglass layup). I also have acquired an IMCO race board, which is not so easy to sail in light winds. And recently gleaned a board I always wanted but could never afford, a Ventura! The Ventura is a 320 and is the smallest they made at that time with a central dagger board.

^^i think SST was Stainless Steel Technology; strands of stainless within the layers of glass.

the sst has steel stringers that run nearly the length of the board
I know because my sst leaked water from new and you can see the rust marks
running the length of the deck.
my equipe is perfect as it was when I raced it
taloa would still work fine
diamond head neads a fin box. this is a rocket ship only board ive sailed where
my sail went light in about 35knots ahhh those were the days
and I have all the mast track parts as well o,p,u