The intrepid traveler!
Once again the traveler inspires so many diverse attitudes and opinions!
One thing that strikes me about the traveler is that there seems to be no optimal place to put it. No matter where it is located, there seems to be a problem, or at least somebody will point out the draw back. I had thought that the most suitable place for it would be in front of the companionway, but we have heard a few opinions now that seem to indicate otherwise. If I had mine over the companionway, I would scalp my head on the underside, for sure. Perhaps the top of the arch is the best location for it!
I have the standard 3:1 purchase on mine, located on the bridge deck as shown in the photos. It's where the designer put it, so who am I to argue? Still, it's a trip hazard when I'm stepping into or out from the companionway. And the mainsheet, is often centered right in the way. But I can't live without the traveler for obvious reasons. What I like about the traveler as it is setup is that I can control the lines easily from behind the helm and I can center the boom on close haul (with the long throw from the mainsheet, it is necessary to move the traveler windward to center the boom).
What I don't like about the traveler is that it takes 2 lines to adjust it. I thought the Harken windward sheeting traveler would be the cats meow, but it seems there are detractors even for that system! If I release one line of the traveler for a gust, the result is invariably snarled lines on the leeward side. Not good, so I don't do that. Besides, allowing the traveler car slide to the lee side often gets nasty looks from the crew in the cockpit, whom will usually have a different agenda than the skipper (when she is perched in the lee position)!
The mainsheet is much easier to ease when reacting to gusts. It involves just one line (not 2)and no moving cars. Besides, vang sheeting is there to control the leach (see photo - it works just fine when the traveler is at the end anyway), so I see no downside - but I do have to be sure that it is snugged. Besides, if you do worry about restoring your sail shape, be assured that as you retrieve the mainsheet to it's original position, so does your sail shape return!
In essence, I use the traveler to initially set up twist in conjunction with the mainsheet and the vang for a point of sail. Once I've set the desired twist and AOA, I won't often change it, unless there is a change in overall wind strength, wind direction, or I change where I want to go. So with the vang set for vang sheeting, there is no need to worry about over-twist with momentary mainsheet adjustments for AOA during gusts. The traveler in my application is usually a set it and forget it control for a given point of sail. I'll only adjust the traveler for a new point of sail where I need to readjust AOA and twist using the 3 mainsail controls. I've arrived at my preferences and observations based on many hours of sailing and experimenting and adapting the equipment accordingly. But it is worthwhile to respect the observations of all those who contribute because all of our observations will have many aspects in common, despite our different applications.