Cockpit traveler

med2463 · Oct 13, 2014

Bill1565 said:
So, today was the day. Homeless, tied up atFisherman's Village Marina,Mary has wanted the traveler gone for months. New traveler on coach roof works well. Yesterday, I soaked the bolts with PB Blaster, hit them with a hammer. Today I reapplied PB and the hammer. Hit T them all with a hammer drill. Yahoo, they all spun after 35 years. Still had to drill out 3 heads, but the traveler is gone. Lots of mess with teak under the traveler but wood is no match for us now that we have defeated stainless and aluminum.

Sorta homeless right now, closing on summer place in Il in couple weeks. Will spend 6 mos on boat cruising Fl. Yes I hated that traveler. Those 2 knobs were not nice to sit on.

seadaddler · Oct 13, 2014

Go Mary

I would have gotten rid of it first year,other wise MaryEllen would have
killed me for sure.
You are Lucky Tom but good job finally for Mary.
Nick

braol · Oct 14, 2014

Funny, cabin-top people (me included) think about moving traveller to cockpit...cockpit people moving traveller to cabin-top... When will it ever end!?

On a more serious note, what brand traveller were installed on our boats? Is it a Schaefer product? My track is good but my car is shot and no one seems to be able to identify the brand.

ggrizzard · Oct 14, 2014

I'd like to know brand of cars and replacement source as well.

Steve Dion · Oct 14, 2014

If you are moving the traveler from the cockpit to the coach you may want to take a look at Garhauer. They have some new setups that are really nice. They will custom drill/cut tracks as needed too.

I would contact them for a catalogue. Their photos on the website leave a lot to be desired.

http://garhauermarine.com/catalog_process.cfm?cid=34

Doug4bass · Oct 15, 2014

Bill1565 said:
I used a Garhauer traveler similar to that on new Catalia's. Both control lines on the port side. Great folks, I have used their stuff for years on a bunch of different boats..

I have that traveler and its the cat's a__!. Ditto on Garhauer customer service.

malyea · Oct 16, 2014

braol said:
Funny, cabin-top people (me included) think about moving traveller to cockpit...

Really...why? Just curious what I may be missing. Thanks

braol · Oct 16, 2014

malyea said:
Really...why? Just curious what I may be missing. Thanks

Better sail shape for one. End of boom sheeting will always produce better sail shape than mid-boom. Mid-boom sheeting acts half like a sheet and half like a boom vang. Heck, they should call it vang sheeting.
When the wind pipes up mid-boom sheets put more strain on the mid section of the boom (and sheet loads are higher). That's why you'll always see multiple sheet attach points on mid-boom systems and often just a single multi sheave block on end-boom systems.
Now, on a H27 like I have it is a bit like splitting hairs...we're talking about a sheet point at 10.5 feet (end) vs. 7 feet or so (mid). Now I don't know if a 33% closer to the mast sheeting point equates to a 33% drop in sail shape efficiency (probably not) but I can definitely say that if I reach up with my hand from the helm and pull my boom midline with the boat when close hauled (as opposed to just sheeting in harder) I always pick up a little speed and can point a good 3-5 degrees higher. I don't race my boat but speed and pointing ability are what they are.
I also don't like that it is hard to free the sheet from the locking cam when the cabin is closed up during inclement weather. The sliding hatch is just below the cam so I can't just 'snap' down on the sheet to free it, I have to actually let go the wheel and move forward to free it. I like to sail when the wind is up and just love the rain...the way it flattens the water...so I do sail with the cabin closed-up more than some of my friends around the marina, so it actually is an issue. But then there is always the 'room in the cockpit' issue to deal with. I wish they made a snap-in traveler track that I could easily remove when sailing with friends. Hey, maybe I should go into the sailboat hardware business!

malyea · Oct 16, 2014

braol said:
Better sail shape for one. End of boom sheeting will always produce better sail shape than mid-boom. Mid-boom sheeting acts half like a sheet and half like a boom vang. Heck, they should call it vang sheeting.

Yep, that's what I thought. While the H37C and Morgan 38x are two top boats on my medium boat short list (many have cockpit travelers) , I'm reluctant to 'clutter the cockpit' although I sure do like the enthusiasm the owners have for their boats.

braol · Oct 16, 2014

Yeah, the Morgan is a nice boat. I also like the Tartan 34 Classic, oh and the Ericson 38. I think that the 34-38 foot class is really ideal. Not too big, not too small. 34 is about where the boat starts to get that big-stable feel...but 37/38 is the real sweet spot. A guy can still single-hand a 38 too if you're careful and reef early. 40 and above starts to be a handful unless it's a ketch, but that's another story)...30 and above starts to cost real money at the marina though...

Stu Jackson · Oct 16, 2014

braol said:
Better sail shape for one. End of boom sheeting will always produce better sail shape than mid-boom.

Could you please explain this allegation? If the boom is solid, as most are

, then please explain how sail shape can possibly be affected whether the mainsheet is mid-boom or at the aft end. Thanks.

JimBr · Oct 17, 2014

Leben ist gut (1980 37C) on the cabintop when we bought her. I didn't like it because of the loads involved. Broke hardware, couldn't hardly sheet in the main in heavy weather. I moved it back to the cockpit and love it. I used the same schafer traveller which the PO put in cabintop traveller and bought a new track. I use a 6:1 garhaur blocks for the mainsheet. Love it. No bumps to sit on from the stops. Our cockpit cushions go from cabintop to back of lockers, so are on top of the traveller, so seating is comfortable. When at the dock, the mainsheet block is uncleated and moved to the toerail, so it is out of the way. Only issue is moving the traveller if some one is sitting on the lines, but the captain politely asks them to move, so no issue. John Cherubini was no dummy.

Jim Legere · Oct 17, 2014

I have a later model H37C that came with the cabin-top traveller and sheeting as 'factory'. No issues with it. With 6:1 tackle and the mainsheet winch to port of the companionway, no trouble to sheet it home in any weather. I do agree that the boom is more vulnerable due to the center loading, but I have never even come close to dipping the boom in the water. I like having the cockpit unfettered by the mainsheet and it definitely makes using the full cockpit enclosure easy. That said, if I had an earlier model with the traveller on the bridge deck, I would be fine with that too. After all, that is the way that JC designed it!

Blaise · Oct 17, 2014

You can bend the crap out of the boom no matter where it is sheeted. Being a 79, We have end boom sheeting on the bridgedeck. I favor this arrangment, but everybody has their own likes and dislikes. We also have a solid Garhaur vang that will deflect the boom three inches without trying hard. If fact we have a new boom because the original failed at the vang attachment point. Better sail shape? Depends on what you are looking for and what your objective is. We race hard with kevlar sails and like the variables available with our configuration. On the other hand, there have been many times while cruising back from a racing destination that I would have loved for it to be out of the cockpit. It also drastically affects bimini size. You pay your money and make your choices, which usually end as some sort of compromise.

braol · Oct 17, 2014

Stu Jackson said:
Could you please explain this allegation? If the boom is solid, as most are , then please explain how sail shape can possibly be affected whether the mainsheet is mid-boom or at the aft end. Thanks.

If you sail in moderatly boisterous conditions, the boom deflection imposed by mid-boom sheeting underpowers the sail in just the wrong way, slowing you up more than easing the sheet and/or slacking the vang. This is especially evident in light air where mid-boom sheeting can't pull the boom tightly to centerline without pulling down on the mast...which is quite the opposite of what you want to do. With mid boom sheeting, once you get the end of the boom inside the transom your sheeting angle is more down than horizontal and the boom comes down as you sheet in further. (How many times have you pulled the traveler all the way to windward and then had to ease the sheet?) Mid-boom sheeting thus provides vanging power only when beating, maybe to a tight reach. (If you want shape control off the wind, you'll still require a vang.) Sometimes one can get the worst of both worlds by having end-boom sheeting then run to mid-boom and down to a block and cam cleat on the centerboard trunk, sole, compass pedestel etc. Now the middle of the cockpit can be as cluttered as the back.

On really small boats - skiffs, dories, wherries and such - there's much to be said for keeping the center of the boat as clear as possible. Such a boat is most often single-handed anyway so end-boom sheeting that either comes conveniently along the tiller perhaps to a little cutely carved jam cleat or double ended coming to jam cleats on each gunnel are good. You don't really want to have a small boat's main cleated in such a way that you can't ease or trim instantly (which is what happens when your mainsheet jam cleat is just above the cabin hatch, like in my boat).
In short, mid-boom sheeting introduces problems and is suitable only when it's problems are less than problems inherent in the more mechanically elegent end-boom sheeting.

med2463 · Nov 23, 2014

Like the cockpit now that traveler is gone. Holes filled & painted.

braol · Nov 24, 2014

Wow, looks really good. Great job filling the mounting holes...can't even tell it was there.

Cockpit traveler

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