Barton Removable Travelers

[patbratton]

Thinking that a traveler on my Hunter 240 would be a great help in going to windward, I drew up some sketches for a removable traveler that would install just above the cockpit floor ring to which the mainsheet attaches. This was after I gave up on trying to mount a traveler on the actual floor as I had seen in a H260 post. My cockpit floor has multiple compound curves.
I ran across this traveler in an old post.

Removable Traveller System Archives - Barton Marine

www.bartonmarine.com

They want a board behind the permanent pieces that bolt to the lower sides of the seats. That would require extensive cutting in the aft cabin ceiling. I am wondering if I could get by with screws like the cockpit table mount uses If I connected the center of the traveler to the exist mainsheet ring? I could preload the connection to the existing ring using a turnbuckle in stead of a Pelican hook as shown in the photo. My main is 151 sq. ft.

 

[jssailem]

Not knowing the fiberglass thicknesses and structure of the sides of your cockpit nor the deck of the cockpit, I would say sounds interesting and may work.

Worse case it fails in time and you require some time to repair. Best case it works like a charm. You feel proud about the half not increase as you cruise past your fellow competitors.

Sound like a "Just Do It" project.

I tend too seek improvements like new sails, better trim skills, better weather planning, clean smooth hull.

You know your boat and your skills.

 

[JBP-PA]

You should be able to get a feel for the strength of the supporting sides. Do they move easily when you push on them? Drill a small hole where the mount will be, how thick are they? 1/4 inch would probably be fine, 1/8 inch would not. If you feel they are insufficient for the job, you can also reinforce them from the outside. Glass in a big piece of G10 or solid glass. Faired and painted it shouldn't look too bad. As JSailem said, you could just try it. If it fails then you do the glass work.
BTW, an entirely different option is to use dual mainsheets, one to each side. Some people prefer that as it eliminates the need for a traveler altogether.

 

[rgranger]

I put a traveler on my H26 and it was a GREAT improvement when going to weather.

But I did not use a Barton. I went through the exact same thought process and realized that the barton would get in the way of my cockpit locker's hatch. So I got a piece of genoa track off of ebay and did this...

There is an aluminum plate under the bridge deck. I tapped and threaded the holes.