The traveller on the 272LE is well positioned above the main cabin for a good mid-boom articulation. But I do not understand how the designer expected the helmsman to handle the main sheet with wheel steering so far away. The sheet can be fairlead into the cockpit along with the main halyard, as other owners will know, but the the fairlead cleats are a long way from the wheel. I just don't see how any helmsman, in moderately heavy weather, could ease the main in a gust with the sheet cleated down so far away. So I am using a mainsheet system anchored to the cockpit floor and easy to control but off-putting for crew or passengers. Perhaps a 272 with a tiller is preferable if you want to take advantage of the traveller? I would like to hear comments from other owners on this.
272LE Traveller
- Thread starter samphire
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Change the traveler
I agree about the curious design and placement of the mainsheet system, but there's another way to address the situation, and that's to upgrade the difficult-to-use spring-pin traveler system to a standard line control arrangement. I did this a few years ago, and it was worth the effort and cost. Same track, same traveler car, just added a few blocks, some line and two cam cleats. Now when I need to de-power in a gust I just pop the traveler line out of the cam cleat and let the boom fall off to leeward. Seems to work pretty well for me.
I agree about the curious design and placement of the mainsheet system, but there's another way to address the situation, and that's to upgrade the difficult-to-use spring-pin traveler system to a standard line control arrangement. I did this a few years ago, and it was worth the effort and cost. Same track, same traveler car, just added a few blocks, some line and two cam cleats. Now when I need to de-power in a gust I just pop the traveler line out of the cam cleat and let the boom fall off to leeward. Seems to work pretty well for me.
Thanks Pete
Where did you attach the cam cleats? Do you imply there were two? One each side of the cockpit? I had thought of leading the sheet from the traveller up to and then along the boom and down to a block or an eye attached to centre of the cockpit floor? But though this may give me the use of the traveller, the sheet would still seem to get in the way of the crew, especially when boomed out.
Where did you attach the cam cleats? Do you imply there were two? One each side of the cockpit? I had thought of leading the sheet from the traveller up to and then along the boom and down to a block or an eye attached to centre of the cockpit floor? But though this may give me the use of the traveller, the sheet would still seem to get in the way of the crew, especially when boomed out.
Cam cleat positioning
The cam cleats (2) are mounted on the cabin top, on either side of the companionway. With this arrangement I've not had any problem handling the boom from the helm, or inconveniencing passengers/crew in the cockpit in the process. The photo shows my traveler as upgraded. You can't see the position of the cam cleats in the pic, but you can pretty much tell from the direction the traveler control line is feeding where the cleat would be located.
The cam cleats (2) are mounted on the cabin top, on either side of the companionway. With this arrangement I've not had any problem handling the boom from the helm, or inconveniencing passengers/crew in the cockpit in the process. The photo shows my traveler as upgraded. You can't see the position of the cam cleats in the pic, but you can pretty much tell from the direction the traveler control line is feeding where the cleat would be located.
Cam cleat positioning
The cam cleats (2) are mounted on the cabin top, on either side of the companionway. With this arrangement I've not had any problem handling the boom from the helm, or inconveniencing passengers/crew in the cockpit in the process. The photo shows my traveler as upgraded. You can't see the position of the cam cleats in the pic, but you can pretty much tell from the direction the traveler control line is feeding where the cleat would be located.
The cam cleats (2) are mounted on the cabin top, on either side of the companionway. With this arrangement I've not had any problem handling the boom from the helm, or inconveniencing passengers/crew in the cockpit in the process. The photo shows my traveler as upgraded. You can't see the position of the cam cleats in the pic, but you can pretty much tell from the direction the traveler control line is feeding where the cleat would be located.
Thanks for the picture.
I have been looking to do this to my 272LE for some time but didn't want to fork out the high bucks for the kit. Your pic shows how you did it without the kit. I agree, the spring pin set up is a pain. Fair winds, Gerry
I have been looking to do this to my 272LE for some time but didn't want to fork out the high bucks for the kit. Your pic shows how you did it without the kit. I agree, the spring pin set up is a pain. Fair winds, Gerry
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