External Track Length
Next, measure the overall length of Tides Track you want to install on your vessel. The track should start approximately 2" below the halyard sheave and stop 1" – 2" above the gooseneck. Your measurement will be more accurate if you first identify the distance from the top of your halyard thimble to the shackle pin – the halyard hardware (see photo below). Then, connect the end of a tape measure to the pin in your halyard shackle along with a retrieval line.
Hoist the halyard as far as it will go and measure to the point on the mast where you want the Tides Track to end. Adjust this measurement to account for the length of your halyard hardware.
In this example, the halyard hardware is 3" long. If you add 1" to the overall measurement on your tape, the track should stop 2" below the masthead sheave.