Traveler Upgrade for Beneteau 311

Aug 20, 2013
173
Beneteau 311 Port Clinton, OH (Lake Erie)
I have a 2000 Beneteau 311 and would like to upgrade the original traveler. It takes a huge amount of muscle to pull the car to windward while underway and most of my crew can't do it. Friction is high in the system and with mid-boom sheeting there is a large load on the car. I cleaned everything up thoroughly last year and replaced the lines and that helped a little. Nothing looks particularly worn. Lewmar has an expensive replacement kit, but I think I really just need to upgrade the car and the end blocks. Has anyone upgraded this traveler and how did it turn out?

Thanks in advance for your help!
 

Ted

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Jan 26, 2005
1,254
C&C 110 Bay Shore, Long Island, NY
What is the purchase power ratio of your traveler?
 
Aug 20, 2013
173
Beneteau 311 Port Clinton, OH (Lake Erie)
What is the purchase power ratio of your traveler?
Ted, the purchase is 4:1. The blocks seem to be just rollers, no ball bearings, but I haven't taken it apart to make sure. I'm not quite sure how to get it apart, as the screw/bolt ends are covered with snap-on pieces of plastic, which after 17 years will break apart if I try to pry them out, so I'll wait until I'm committed to a change. The mainsail area is about 280 sq. ft. The sheet is actually a little inside of mid-boom, say 45% out from the gooseneck. An old picture is attached.
IMG_6875.JPG
 
Jan 22, 2008
8,050
Beneteau 323 Annapolis MD
Look in the Beneteau parts site to see if they have, for the B323, the whole system. My 2006 is somewhat like yours, but an extra sheave on each side. I took the camcleats off both ends, then changed to lines to run forward to the line organizer then back to a line stopper on the cabintop. This way the lines run UNDER the dodger, not through them.
 

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DougM

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Jul 24, 2005
2,242
Beneteau 323 Manistee, MI
The original sheaves on the Lewmar traveller are delrin with no bearings. At the age of 18 they are probably shot. The quick fix would be to simply replace the sheaves. To reduce the friction, try to locate some ball bearing sheaves with the same axle diameter.
I don’t recall that moving the traveller is that difficult under load on my 323 with the same setup.
It appears to me that your control lines may need replacing. Over time the diameter seems to swell, and that can increase friction because the lines are dragging inside the blocks. That can make a big difference in the force required to move the car.
 
Apr 8, 2010
1,942
Ericson Yachts Olson 34 28400 Portland OR
Harken or, for a few less $, Garhauer. You will like the product and service from either company.
 

Joe

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Jun 1, 2004
7,999
Catalina 27 Mission Bay, San Diego
Looking at the picture you provided.... it appears your purchase is no more than 3:1.... if you compare your sheave count with the pic from Ron, below yours, you can readily see the difference. IMHO I would replace with double blocks on cars, and track ends.... move the cleats back closer to the cockpit.... and...importantly, replace the control lines with a smaller diameter, but similar strength line to reduce any additional friction.
 
Aug 20, 2013
173
Beneteau 311 Port Clinton, OH (Lake Erie)
I replaced the lines last year. The picture I posted is a three years old. Replacing the lines helped a little, but not enough to change the situation.
 
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Ted

.
Jan 26, 2005
1,254
C&C 110 Bay Shore, Long Island, NY
Ted, the purchase is 4:1. The blocks seem to be just rollers, no ball bearings, but I haven't taken it apart to make sure. I'm not quite sure how to get it apart, as the screw/bolt ends are covered with snap-on pieces of plastic, which after 17 years will break apart if I try to pry them out, so I'll wait until I'm committed to a change. The mainsail area is about 280 sq. ft. The sheet is actually a little inside of mid-boom, say 45% out from the gooseneck. An old picture is attached.
View attachment 147147
The 4:1 purchase should be sufficient for your boat if you have decent quality and properly functioning hardware. I'm using a Harken mid boom traveler system with a 4:1 purchase on my boat. The mainsail area is 348 square feet. No problem making adjustments even when the windspeed is in the low 20's. If you decide to replace your existing system, get a low friction ball bearing traveler car. The end controls should preferably be ball bearing also to reduce friction. Your existing traveler might just need a good cleaning.
 
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Jan 12, 2016
140
Beneteau 311 Seattle, WA
I have the same model boat and setup, have cleaned mine many times, and replaced the lines, and it is still nearly unusable. I think the idea of retrofitting it with the 323 setup might help though, will look into that.
 
Nov 8, 2010
11,386
Beneteau First 36.7 & 260 Minneapolis MN & Bayfield WI
Looking at the picture you provided.... it appears your purchase is no more than 3:1.... if you compare your sheave count with the pic from Ron, below yours, you can readily see the difference. IMHO I would replace with double blocks on cars, and track ends.... move the cleats back closer to the cockpit.... and...importantly, replace the control lines with a smaller diameter, but similar strength line to reduce any additional friction.
It’s 4:1.. look again.
 

Joe

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Jun 1, 2004
7,999
Catalina 27 Mission Bay, San Diego
It’s 4:1.. look again.
I did..... it's not the same as ron's below his... not enough sheaves, not enough lines... However.. no matter what it is.... is ain't enough.
 
Aug 20, 2013
173
Beneteau 311 Port Clinton, OH (Lake Erie)
Look in the Beneteau parts site to see if they have, for the B323, the whole system. My 2006 is somewhat like yours, but an extra sheave on each side. I took the camcleats off both ends, then changed to lines to run forward to the line organizer then back to a line stopper on the cabintop. This way the lines run UNDER the dodger, not through them.
Ron, I took a look at the Beneteau parts site for the 323 but I could only see the parts for the main sheet blocks, not the traveler, although the picture does show some good detail.

My traveler is all inside my dodger, so I don’t need to run the line around it.
 
Nov 8, 2010
11,386
Beneteau First 36.7 & 260 Minneapolis MN & Bayfield WI
I did..... it's not the same as ron's below his... not enough sheaves, not enough lines... However.. no matter what it is.... is ain't enough.
No it's not. It makes one more turn so the line ends on a becket between the lower sheave on the end piece, and not on the traveler car like Ron's does.
 
Aug 1, 2011
3,972
Catalina 270 255 Wabamun. Welcome to the marina
Do the upgrade. Here's the Garhauer upgrade, which significantly increased the purchase and moved the blocks to the top of the car from the sides, thus putting the lines more in line with the forces. A sweet upgrade that makes the control much, much more useable.
 

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Aug 20, 2013
173
Beneteau 311 Port Clinton, OH (Lake Erie)
I looked up the my existing traveler parts on the Lewmar and other sites. The replacement value for the car and ends is roughly $700-$800. Lewmar’s size 2 upgrade kit is a little under $600 on Defender. Perhaps I should just get that? But the upgrade kit has the traveler line ends coming out at the car, not the traveler ends, which puts the lines right at the middle of the companionway opening. It’s not clear if the parts can be swapped around.
 
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Aug 20, 2013
173
Beneteau 311 Port Clinton, OH (Lake Erie)
I looked up the my existing traveler parts on the Lewmar and other sites. I have single sheaves on the car ends, and doubles on the car. There should be another sheave in the car end, and the beginning of each traveler line starts with an eye splice that attaches to the traveler end innermost bolt, like a becket (see the picture I posted earlier). But I can’t see the sheave inside the traveler end from my picture, and the boat is 75 miles away in the snow (covered), so I can’t easily go look. Does anyone know for sure if there are sheaves inside the traveler ends?
 
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Jan 12, 2016
140
Beneteau 311 Seattle, WA
I looked up the my existing traveler parts on the Lewmar and other sites. I have single sheaves on the car ends, and doubles on the car. There should be another sheave in the car end, and the beginning of each traveler line starts with an eye splice that attaches to the traveler end innermost bolt, like a becket (see the picture I posted earlier). But I can’t see the sheave inside the traveler end from my picture, and the boat is 75 miles away in the snow (covered), so I can’t easily go look. Does anyone know for sure if there are sheaves inside the traveler ends?
I will be at mine, same year, same model, in a couple of hours and will take some pics.
 
Nov 8, 2010
11,386
Beneteau First 36.7 & 260 Minneapolis MN & Bayfield WI
I looked up the my existing traveler parts on the Lewmar and other sites. The replacement value for the car and ends is roughly $700-$800. Lewmar’s size 2 upgrade kit is a little under $600 on Defender. Perhaps I should just get that? But the upgrade kit has the traveler line ends coming out at the car, not the traveler ends, which puts the lines right at the middle of the companionway opening. It’s not clear if the parts can be swapped around.
I have that Lewmar traveler on BlueJ; it's a dream. The setup IS for control lines to the car only. That might be moddable but probably not in a cost effective way.
 
Aug 20, 2013
173
Beneteau 311 Port Clinton, OH (Lake Erie)
I have that Lewmar traveler on BlueJ; it's a dream. The setup IS for control lines to the car only. That might be moddable but probably not in a cost effective way.
I was hoping that the attachment holes in the traveler ends and the car would have the same spacing, so I could switch the blocks around.