Are travelers obsolete equipment on modern cruising yachts?

[jssailem]

Examining more photos of the Oceanis 63 you see that the mainsheet system has two lines attached on the arch, either side of center. The triangle set up would permit center boat and more control of the boom. Just not the infinity control of a traveler.

 

[Tally Ho]

I don't know whose bright idea it was to put a rollover bar on a sailboat.
It just looks stupid in addition to being impractical. Anything that can be done to make a sailboat look like a stinkpot with a radar arch I guess. just my opinion...

I have a couple of H33's in my marina. Are you saying that the arch does not have a traveler built in? When I have sailed on these Hunters, they seem to have the same functionality as my cabin-top traveler.

I sort of like the arch concept as it gets the traveler up out of the way. Cabin-top mounted traveler works ok, but being mounted mid-boom means lots of effort to move it. Cockpit mounted is way too much in the way for me. Arch mounted seems like it addresses both of these issues.

There is no perfect solution (or all boats would be equipped that way).

Everything is a compromise of one sort or another.

Greg

 

[weinie]

I

Examining more photos of the Oceanis 63 you see that the mainsheet system has two lines attached on the arch, either side of center. The triangle set up would permit center boat and more control of the boom. Just not the infinity control of a traveler.

It's the same line with two sets of blocks creating a bridle to spread the load.

 

[shemandr]

View attachment 140147

That is a good looking yacht. And the sails match the hull. My wife would love that! I don't think that arch takes anything away from the looks of the boat. My problem is the lack of sun shelter.

 

[Rick D]

I have a couple of H33's in my marina. Are you saying that the arch does not have a traveler built in? When I have sailed on these Hunters, they seem to have the same functionality as my cabin-top traveler. Greg

Greg, the Hunters do have arch-mounted travelers.

 

[shemandr]

And whoops I didn't mean to post that without revision.
The arch could have a traveler on it in terms of ergonomics. But, maybe with the forces involved it isn't or couldn't be engineered for a traveler. But check out the attire of the crew and I guess you can tell who the is being marketed to. They do look fabulous. They don't look concerned about the angle of attack for the main.

 

[Jackdaw]

That is a good looking yacht. And the sails match the hull. My wife would love that! I don't think that arch takes anything away from the looks of the boat. My problem is the lack of sun shelter.

That arch has mad skills. Buy it the way you want it. I for one would love to drive this thing upwind at 10 knots. Yum.

PS - if you can pull off hats like that couple in the last pic, you don't need shade.

 

[Sailavie1]

Having installed a Barton removable traveler on my H25 has made a huge difference in performance and ease of use during gusts. Now if I can only figure out how to use the dam thing to beat Meriachee. The remove feature is definitely nice during happy hour in the cockpit.

 

[thinwater]

In addition to other's comments:
a. A wide traveler can function as a preventer on the main. Lock it to leeward.
b. A wide traveler can help control jibes. You don't have so much sheet out.

I find having a lot of sheet out while going deep is a little spooky in a blow. An accidental jibe can be violent, and a vang is not going to help that. Yes, you can rig a preventer, but that takes effort. Locking the traveler to leeward is easy.

Most cat sailors would say the opposite. "Aren''t vangs obsolete?" I suppose you can design for either.

I also find the assumption that cruisers don't care about trim to be insulting. We often know just as much as racers--many of us used to race--but we found that racing was no longer interesting to us. We simply don't care about the competition and got bored with it.

 

[Hafa]

Examining more photos of the Oceanis 63 you see that the mainsheet system has two lines attached on the arch, either side of center. The triangle set up would permit center boat and more control of the boom. Just not the infinity control of a traveler.

...I find having a lot of sheet out while going deep is a little spooky in a blow. An accidental jibe can be violent, and a vang is not going to help that. Yes, you can rig a preventer, but that takes effort. Locking the traveler to leeward is easy....

The potential for significant swing on an accidental jibe on the Oceanis 63 looks like a catastrophe in the making. I'd not sail that rig wing-on-wing without installing a substantial preventer.

PS - if you can pull off hats like that couple in the last pic, you don't need shade.

I'd pull off the hat, the jacket, the shirt and the pants. Sailing like that would be like hanging out at the pool while wearing a 3-piece wool suit.

 

[Meriachee]

With all due respect, buddy is either posing for the camera, or doing his best Tom Selleck while trying to figure out what that big brown tent like thing is up there.

 

[AlastairLC]

Those two are models. The real crew jumped down the companionway two seconds before the picture was taken, and will jump back up before the models crash the boat.

 

[Apex]

That arch has mad skills. Buy it the way you want it. I for one would love to drive this thing upwind at 10 knots. Yum.

PS - if you can pull off hats like that couple in the last pic, you don't need shade.

View attachment 140162

like the arch, NOT a fan of the "belt" of windows and ?graphics to hide said ports? around the topsides

 

[Tally Ho]

With all due respect, buddy is either posing for the camera, or doing his best Tom Selleck while trying to figure out what that big brown tent like thing is up there.

Thank goodness! I was thinking I must be the only one not dressed to the nines when sailing.

Greg

 

[Jackdaw]

like the arch, NOT a fan of the "belt" of windows and ?graphics to hide said ports? around the topsides

I've seen the boat in person (in light gray) and it is absolutely stunning.

 

[Kings Gambit]

There's an article by Peter Nielsen in the Sept 2017 issue of Sail (p. 56) entitled "Vang Power", which confirms and reiterates much of what has been posted in this thread. (At least the germane posts!)

KG

 

[NotCook]

If a main has a traveler, how important is having a boom? The genoa doesn't have a boom - what would be the impact on a main or mizzen, as in our case, if the booms were removed? That represents a lot of weight, not that the weight would be material in our case, where we displace 39 tons. Any takers?

 

[justsomeguy]

Any takers?

You're an instigator, ain'tcha?

But seriously, sail shape must have something to do with it. A loose footed main needs to be held down at the clew, and you need outhaul for shape. When reefing, where will you affix the necessary rigging?
Seems I need a boom...

 

[Doug4bass]

In addition to other's comments:
a. A wide traveler can function as a preventer on the main. Lock it to leeward.
b. A wide traveler can help control jibes. You don't have so much sheet out.

I find having a lot of sheet out while going deep is a little spooky in a blow. An accidental jibe can be violent, and a vang is not going to help that. Yes, you can rig a preventer, but that takes effort. Locking the traveler to leeward is easy.

Maybe I am missing something.....what does " locking" a "wide" traveler to leeward have to do with being a boom preventer?

 

[jssailem]

With the traveler locked and the mainsheet drawn in, the boom has limited distance it can travel. A preventer is best. A traveler is better than no preventer.