Can someone identify this piece and explains its use?

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Sep 10, 2013
5
Hunter 20 Lowell, MA
I am thinking of purchasing a 1983 Hunter 20 I recently found for sale locally. This would be a jump up from a 15' day sailer. I looked at it this morning and saw this piece of hardware mounted across the seats in the cockpit. Can anyone identify this and explain to me its use? The only markings I could clearly see were "Harken".

Thank you!
 

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May 21, 2004
172
Hunter 31_83-87 Milwaukee South Shore Yacht Club
Traveler? or red thing with the fin?

If you are talking about the bar with the pulleys on it, that is the traveler and you run the Mainsail sheet down to it to control the boom. There should be another multi-purchase line with pulleys on each end to attach to the bottom of the boom. That is your main sheet.

No clue what the red thing is.
 
Nov 7, 2012
678
1978 Catalina 30 Wilbur-by-the-Sea
Looks to be a traveler for the main sheet. Use it to adjust the bottom tackle port and starboard and allows better shape of the sail at different points of sail.

Here is a question for the masses. I find I fiddle with the traveler more in light air than when I have good wind, is this common or am I just lazy?
 
Sep 10, 2013
5
Hunter 20 Lowell, MA
Thanks for the quick reply. I thought this may be the case. I've checked photos of other Hunter 20's and have not seen this setup before (or at least not right in the middle of the cockpit). Is this location normal? It seems as though this would be very much in the way for moving around the cockpit.
 
Jun 21, 2013
4
Hunter 30 Charlotte
Yup it's in the way

Travelers are nice for positioning your main without tightening the heck out of the sheet, but yours looks like a pain.
I used to have a Compac that had the main sheet attached to the transom, in a "V" shape. I found that to be a nice spot, and out of the way. It doesn't give you the control that a traveler does, but worked fine.
If it were my boat (going just by the pic), I would move it and reclaim your cockpit.
But that's just me....
 

Clark

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Jun 30, 2004
886
Hunter 280 Lake Guntersville, AL
It is normal for a traveler to be installed there. Take a look at most any Capri22 - pretty much the same place.
 
Feb 6, 2013
437
Hunter 31 Deale, MD
I used to race on an S2 9.1 that had the traveller in the same place. It's nice to keep the helmsman separate from the crew and also keeps the main sail trimmer (me) aft of the jib grinders. However, if you're singlehanding it might be a little inconvenient there.
 
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