Tim Seifert
Boat Name: Mary's Joy
Model/Year:
Hull No. 8281
Hailing Port: Holyrood, Newfoundland |
 09/17/2005 4:49 AM Pacific Time
Has anyone tried, or though about, replacing the traveller bar with traveller track. It seems to me that doing so would allow for a more refined way of controlling the position of the boom than the current setup. |
Dick King
Melbourne, FL
Boat Name: Twilight Zone
Model/Year: Sport/2005
Hull No. 15546
Hailing Port: Melbourne, FL |
09/18/2005 4:54 AM Pacific Time
Hi Tim - I am not sure how your traveller is set up, but using track in place of the bar won't solve the problem. I had good control of my traveller on Jagged Edge. The control lines were led forward to the front of the cockpit where I or the crew could move the traveller.
If you have to have a track, I have seen where a track is mounted to the bar.
If you like I will send you some photos. Contact me at (phonetics) Romeo Tango Kilo Juliet Romeo at Bellsouth.net |
Linda Hoffecker
Lancaster, PA
Boat Name: t/c
Model/Year: '82 Cat 22
Hull No. t/c
Hailing Port: Havre de Grace, MD |
09/18/2005 9:06 PM Pacific Time
Laugh if you must, but I have the traveler bar and do not know what use it is. It is approximately 2 ' long and I have never used it. What good is two feet?
Having been on the water a fairly long time, but not an avid sailer, I do not know a lot of these things.
Willing to learn.
Thanks!
Linda |
Boat Name:
Model/Year:
Hull No.
Hailing Port: |
09/19/2005 2:45 AM Pacific Time
Linda, primarily the traveler bar is where your boat's main sheet block connects, which of course controls your boom. The traveler stop adjustments are made depending on wind direction and the desired bend of the sail.
"Chip Ahoy" had only the rings-and-thumbscrews setup. After gashing my hand on one of the thumbscrews when the boat lurched in a wave, I decided to modify the arrangement this past spring, which along with my "all lines led aft project," makes singlehanding just a little bit easier. I was fortunate to get a lot of advice from other owners who'd done it in various ways, and adopted from each what I believe is the best. It worked just great all summer and throughout my three-week coast of Maine cruise.
For my solution, go to the "Chip Ahoy" website, "Upgrade, Repair, Restoration and Refinishing Projects"
http://chipford.com/projects.htm
From there, scroll down to: "Traveler Car & Control Lines Project" and click on it.
Chip Ford --
Marblehead, Mass.
1974 Swing Keel "Chip Ahoy" #3282
Chip Ahoy website: www.chipford.com
|
Peter
Stamford, CT
Boat Name: Au Contraire
Model/Year: Catalina 22 1986
Hull No. 13325
Hailing Port: Stamford |
09/19/2005 4:50 AM Pacific Time
Chip, I just looked at your website. While your controls for the traveller are good, they do not go all the way.
As I see your pictures the cam cleat is about 8 inches from the jib sheet cleats. The way you have your traveller line set up, it terminates at the cam cleat.
I would like to suggest that you continue the traveller control THROUGH the center of the jib sheet cleat and knot it off. That way 1. you just pull up on the line when you wish to loosen it and 2. you do not lose the line when you are in a rush.
On my boat the cam cleat is all the way back, near where you have the turning block.
If you need pictures let me know I can send some to you. |
Dick King
Melbourne, FL
Boat Name: Twilight Zone
Model/Year: Sport/2005
Hull No. 15546
Hailing Port: Melbourne, FL |
09/19/2005 5:19 AM Pacific Time
Linda - You asked for it. The traveler allows you to change the angle of attack of the mainsail. When used in conjunction with the vang, you can also vary the amount of twist in the upper part of the main. Unfortunately, the traveler bar restricts the amount of lateral movement of the mainsheet block. However, by letting the car down the leeward, you can depower the mainsail a little in heavy air.
I (will) have a slightly different arrangement for controlling the car on my new Sport. I have a photo of the control line and blocks that I will share with you,. if you send me your address off line. Mine is romeo tango kilo juliet romeo at bellsouth.net. |
Al Gearing
Burleson, Texas
Boat Name: Torch of Freedom
Model/Year: C-22 '76
Hull No. 6448
Hailing Port: Arlington YC |
09/19/2005 6:07 AM Pacific Time
Yes, I think the traveler is very important for light to medium wind sailing. I n light air you can get the best by taking the traveler all the way to weather and this allows you to have less sheet tension to get the boom to the middle but not past the center line of the boat. In heavy air I just let it go to leeward.
On 501 the control lines were 2:1 but led down the front of the seats and forward, this gives you or the crew an upward pull, easier than a horizontal pull to take the traveler to weather. There is a fair amount of strain/friction/force, even with ball bearing traveler car, when the main is full and drawing, so I usually reach back and pull the car to weather while the crew is taking up the line.
On 6448 I have not yet rerouted the lines to inside the seats, which I think is the better way to go, it takes a few more blocks to to it.
Also, on 501 the backstay adjustment was arranged with a double ended line and those alos were led to the inside of the cockpit for either helmsman or crew to pull on, again many little blocks are required. After this weekend, I am going to invest in those extra blocks for the conveneince of being able to ease it on the downwind legs and easily taking up from either side when going up wind. |
Lynn Buchanan
Nevada City, CA
Boat Name: SAILYNN
Model/Year: SWING 1984
Hull No. 11994
Hailing Port: SCOTTS FLAT LAKE, CA |
09/19/2005 7:54 PM Pacific Time
As stated before, fine tuning your sail adjustments is the main reason for the traveller. I race and cruise, so I did set up mine to come out in the cockpit on the port and starboard backrest where my crew or I can let it go or tighten the slack. You can replace the bar with a track (most people use Harken tracks and cars). Remember, class racing rules don't allow you to extend the track past the original bar location, and if you do, it could affect your re-sale value so keep the old parts. |
Raymond
Canberra
Boat Name: Heat Wave
Model/Year: Boomaroo 22
Hull No.
Hailing Port: |
09/19/2005 11:56 PM Pacific Time
On my boat the original traveller was a track across the transom. But the previous owner had replaced this with a track across roughly the centre of the cockpit. This allows for holding the mainsheet with the left hand and the tiller with the right.
However, I did not like the track across the cockpit - kocked my legs - so I have moved back to the transom .
Ray . |
John Connor
Little Rock, AR
Boat Name: Weekender
Model/Year: C22 1982
Hull No. 11192
Hailing Port: Little Rock, Arkansas |
09/20/2005 8:59 PM Pacific Time
I noticed that when I adjust the traveler position to windward during tacks in light air that the boat wants to round up immediately and I have to use my knee to adjust the tiller. Is this just me not doing it correctly or do I just need to get 3 hands for this manuever?
Thanks,
John |
Al Gearing
Burleson, Texas
Boat Name: Torch of Freedom
Model/Year: C-22 '76
Hull No. 6448
Hailing Port: Arlington YC |
09/21/2005 6:26 AM Pacific Time
John, that is about normal, a boat should round up when on the wind when you let go of the tiller. That is the weather helm that you need to got to weather. With a neutral helm on the wind you will not point as high, you will go faster and can come out about the same. Before I found that easing the outhaul would give me some weather helm, I was frustrated by that. If you have too much round-up you may try taking the outhaul out a bit more to lessen the weathr helm effect.
For what it's worth, Al Ge |
John Connor
Little Rock, AR
Boat Name: Weekender
Model/Year: C22 1982
Hull No. 11192
Hailing Port: Little Rock, Arkansas |
09/21/2005 9:26 AM Pacific Time
Thanks!!
This is my first time with a boat this size and I am just getting a feel for her.
I appreciate the help.
John |
