Faking a traveller

[Dick Westwood]

I sail a Cal 20. It's rigged with the standard (for Cal20) mainsheet system: starts at the end of the boom, passes through blocks on port and starboard sides of the transom. So it's one of those triangular affairs. The problem is: it won't bring the boom close to the center line. The boom won't come much farther than the port or starboard edge of the transom. At that point, the leeward side of the triangle is about vertical, and the inboard leverage from the mainsheet is replaced by pretty much a vertical downwards pull.Obviously, I could install a traveller system to bring the boom in further (and to give me all the other control a traveller provides). But there's no obvious place for such a system to go, and I'd prefer a cheaper solution.Does anyone have a way to 'fake it'? I'm thinking an additional line led through a block&tackle to the port/starboard side would do the job. Again: all I'm trying to do here is to bring the boom to the centerline when pointing.

 

[Alchemist]

Not too hard to do

After all, we're smarter than the average bears, right?On my Cal-27, I had the same problem. I fixed it by installing a traveler across the cockpit, immediately behind the companion way, and mounted a pair of bales on the boom above it to attach my new mainsheet.If this isn't practical, you could replace the bridal attachment points (on both sides of the stern) with a pair of pad eyes and attach a soft boom vang from each pad eye to the end of the boom. That way, when you are on starboard tack, you adjust the boom position with the starboard sheet (vang), and the opposite on port tack. You would need to make the sheets quite long to allow the boom to move far enough forward for a run.SteveDivident Cal 27 #199Alchemist C-30T #4764Alchemist C-320 #909

 

[Mike]

Fake traveler

I have a similar problem with my Oday 23: there is no cheap, easy or convenient way to install a traveler. Unlike your boat, my mainsheet is fixed to the centerline (the backstay if you can believe it). I took the problem of traveler installation to the Garhauer, Harken and Shaefer reps, as well as to a couple of indepents at various boat shows. Their unanimous advice: don't bother with a traveler; put in a good boom vang. Its not going to replace all of the functions, but you will get much better sail shape control than you have now. I followed their advice and it has proven to be true.

 

[Jim11228]

Traveler

Ask these guys: Cal 20.comI don't think they raise the boom much above the centerline.

 

[Rich]

Boom vang

I agree with Mike that on a small boat like yours a boom vang may be a better idea. If you want to pursue the traveler idea (note that the traditional spelling for these sailboat thingys is with one "l") one possibility that can work on a small keelboat with a sturdy stern pulpit rail is to attach a small traveler somehow to the top of the rail. The traveler car they used on the older Catalina 25 might even be modified to work on a round tube such as a rail without using a special bar (but will scratch a shiny finish over time.)A setup I like is what they did on some of the '90's Hunters, including even some bigger expensive boats, where there's no traveler and the mainsheet connects to an attachment point on your steering pedestal. That's really handy for the helmsman, gives a reasonable simulation of both traveler and boom vang forces, and is less clutter on deck. I would give up my traveler for a system like that...

 

[CharlieCobra]

My V-21 has a similar setup...

and I counteract the downward pull of the corner pulleys with the topping lift. This allows me to set the boom as far out as I need. I've had her as much as 45* out when running wing and wing DW. Of course, I end up with a lot a spare line in the cockpit when running to windward. While I'm not sure exactly how yours is rigged, mine's as follows.Line end through port swivel cam cleat to port block. Through port block pulley to upper boom pulley to starboard block. Around starboard block pulley back through lower boom pulley to port cleat. If I need to send the boom past the coaming, I just release more line and tighten the Topping lift. Just remember to ease the TL and center up before a jibe.

 

[Dick Westwood]

Vangs are ok but…

I already have one. To give a plug to one of my favorite manufacturers: it's a Garhauer solid vang, which I love and adore. (Do I get a discount next time, guys?)My problem is I can't trim the boom tight in to the centerline when sailing upwind. The triangle setup (much like CharlieCobra's) prevents the boom from getting close to the center before the sheet's pulling down more than across, and acting on my twist more than my angle of attack. (I bet Mike and Rich don't have that problem with their center-attached sheeting systems.)It sounds like Alchemist's cockpit mounted traveler (single l, Rich!) is the way I'll have to go.

 

[Scott]

It might help to have independant blocks.

I can't quite picture what you have but it sounds like you have either one block at the end of the boom or no blocks at the boom (only at the corners of the stern) that allows the boom to travel from one corner of the stern to the other without anything pulling it towards the centerline.If you had two blocks at the end of the boom with independant lines leading from each corner of the stern, you could use the windward line to pull the boom towards the centerline and the leeward line to pull down so the boom isn't lifting (acts like the vang, but at the clew end of the boom). This would also give you more mechanical advantage, if you are adding blocks, for easier sail adjustment.You may need 2 cam cleats to secure both lines but this seems like it would make a triangular arrangement work better.

 

[novelman17128]

traveler

I have the same setup on my 1971, 22' Venture and am able to manualy pull it past centerline while tightening the mainsheet. It stays there until I next adjust the main. Try it before you spend time and money on something else.Novelman

 

[novelman17128]

boom vang caution

Be careful with setting up a second sheet to control the boom. Remember, sometimes you have to release the mainsheet suddenly during a heavy wind burst and you could lay your boat flat on the water due to needing to release two mainsheets at the same time. I has happened to me on my 24' Windrose.Novelman

 

[Rick D]

Novelman's Caution...

...I used a block and cam cleat on my O'Day to center the boom. It had a yoke on the end-boom sheeting. All you need to remember is to uncleat the main when using the block and tackle, so you only have the one to adjust. Having said that, the idea of two tackles is a good one and worth trying if you find some used blocks around or an old boom vang. RD

 

[Anchor Down]

Maybe

In additin to Rick's setup: If you used snatch blocks on the boom end, you would be able to detach the windward tackle when going to broad reaches and runs, and perhaps use less line.Looks as if line bags are in your future anyway to help keep things organized.

 

[Alan]

An idea....

A single line mainsheet that can pull the boom down and midships. Deadend the line at one aft corner. Pass it through a block on the back of the boom. Then back down to the same corner and through a turning block with a cam cleat. Now continue the line across the stern to the same setup on the opposite side. Your mainsheet adjustment will be made at each cam cleat. While sailing on a given tack the leeward cam cleat is released. During the tack, the old windward cam is released and the new windward cleat is engaged.This setup will require enough mainsheet to allow the boom all the way out on a run, but will give you a 2:1 purchase and allow you to square or even over square the boom.

 

[Scott]

Alan's description ...

Is pretty much what I had in mind and works with one long sheet controlled with a cam cleat at each corner of the stern. Between the 2 cleats, the mainsheet makes a loooooong loop that gives you enough length to let the boom all the way out on a run. That is the way I would arrange it and I am surprised that the designer of the boat didn't have that set-up originally.Bob B's traveler also should work, assuming that the stern can accomodate it.

 

[Scott]

Look at the fiddle blocks ...

You can dead end the sheet at the becket and attach a fiddle block at each corner of the stern with the shackle through a padeye fixed to the corners of the stern. Look at the Schaefer Blocks 303-85 or 504-75 or 76 is better. I am not sure if the cam cleats work well upside down. If not, then get the fiddle blocks without the cam cleat and fix independant cam cleats to the 2 corners of the stern.You need to buy 2 blocks for the end of the boom for the sheet coming from each corner.

 

[Scott]

oops ...

Sorry to keep going on and on ... the fiddle blocks may not be exactly the way to go. I was looking for a single block with a becket and a cam. However, if you put blocks with a becket on the end of the boom, you could dead end the two ends of the sheet at the beckets (at the boom end) and use fiddle blocks with cam at the stern corners (no need for beckets there). This may give you a little more mechanical advantage because you are adding a block with the fiddle. You would have to increase the length of the sheet to accomodate the added run of line at each corner.I guess there are more ways to skin a cat!