H30 traveller issue

[H30Gary]

This all started when I replaced the worn-out turning blocks at the ends of my boat's traveller. THe blocks were held in place with two 10-24 machine screws, presumably (I thought) screwed into the aluminum traveller bar. Naturally, the screws were frozen, and snapped off when I tried to remove them. I figured it would be pretty difficult to remove the broken off screws, so I simply relocated the blocks a little further outboard, drilled and tapped new holes in the traveller bar and attached the new blocks. I thought I was done. Wrong!. Next time I went sailing, the traveller pulled out, taking the panel it was bolted to with it. It turns out the screws holding the blocks had actually extended thru the traveller bar and into the deck below. While the traveller bar was secureley bolted to the fiberglass panel over the entry way, the panel was only held down by effectively two relatively small wood screws at each end. These were not up to the loads from the main sheet.

Obviously, the thru screws at the ends of the traveller bar had to replaced. I decided to upgrade to 1/4-20 machine screws for these, making them separate from the screws holding the traveller blocks. Installing was a simple matter of drilling thru the traveller, drilling clearnce holes in the wood below, then drilling and tapping into the aluminum plate located below the wood. Everything then got bedded down with butyl tape and reattached.

 

[rardiH36]

Hi Gary:

I know that we have different models of the Cherubini line. However the traveler end pieces that you describe sound a lot like ones on my boat. Picture of my type attached. Are they the same? I have tried a couple of times over the years to remove the 10-24 machine screws, but like you, they are frozen pretty hard in place. Two of the four did come out half a dozen turns or so, then jammed solid. The other two wouldn't budge even with an impact torque tool. For now, the sheaves do still work. But I am dreading the day when they don't. When I try again, I'll treat with PB Blaster for a few weeks first. But I give it a 90% chance of breaking the screws off. Unlike on your boat, by my picture, you can see that I am limited as to relocating the position.

Thanks for posting your experience with the traveler repair.

rardi

 

[Ed Schenck]

It is for those kinds of boat problems that I asked for a multi-tool for Christmas. It was in the first heavy box that I opened. Not a Fein but still OK, a Bosch. The 110v model. First planned use? Take off the traveler and replace the teak base with PlasTeak.

 

[Steve C.]

Hey Gary I am in Mission bay as well at the Bahia..

 

[H30Gary]

Rardi -
Yes, your setup is similar to mine. The main difference is that your turning block is mounted on a separate spacer block, rather than on the traveller bar itself. But the "fix" could be similar: Make yourself new spacer blocks, drilling new holes away from the holes for the turning block. Secure the spacer block (without the turning block) to the deck with countersunk machine screws, then secure the turning blocks to the spacer blocks with a second set of screws.

I had trouble posting photos of my setup but will try again.

BTW, I wonder if you'll be able to find direct replacements for the turning blocks. A cheek block with a becket seems kind of rare. So I just went with a normal cheek block and deadended the line in the spacer block.

 

[H30Gary]

Steve -
Cool. I'm across the way at Marina Villlage. Maybe we should set up a match race
Gary

 

[rardiH36]

Hi Gary:

Thanks for the expanded description and suggestions. The info will get me thinking a bit more creatively when eventually I will need to "get on with it".

Assuming that I can remove my stainless steel castings at each end of the traveler (the pieces in which the turning sheaves are mounted) without damaging them, I am hoping that replacement sheaves will be all I'll need for a while until the really big fix is required. Something like per the attached links should work. The diameter of my factory original sheaves definitely is way too small to afford efficient turning/bending of the line. But its a traveler which for a cruising sailboat generally doesn't get worked nearly as much as the mainsheet. And the small sheaves have worked for a long while.

The other point of concern with my existing traveler is the car itself. (See pic.) The roller bearing mechanism isn't a thing of beauty anymore. So maybe a good thing that it can't be repaired once it goes. Solution then will be a complete new traveler system ... car, rail, blocks. Ouch.

http://www.mauriprosailing.com/mm5/...&range_low=&range_high=&ProductsPerPage=99999

http://www.mauriprosailing.com/mm5/...&range_low=&range_high=&ProductsPerPage=99999

 

[H30Gary]

Rardi -
Yes, it looks as though the sheaves in your turning block are replaceable so new sheaves would be all you need. In my case the blocks had non-replaceable sheaves so I had to replace the whole thing.

BTW, my traveller car looks just like yours. Mine didn't roll too well, so I got new rollers from Rig-Rite; it now rolls great. You can get new cars from them also. This would be cheaper than a whole new installation, but then again, a nice, new, Harken ball bearing traveller system would look sooo goood.....

 

[rardiH36]

Gary:

Thanks for the info that replacement parts for the car, or even a new car, are actually still available for our tracks. I had no idea. I might now decide to restore my traveler system somewhat soon-- before it is too late and parts might really be discontinued. If you look at my picture of the car, you can see that the roller pins/axles are "riveted" into the car. They don't seem readily removable other than drilling them out. But it seems your experience is different. How is the roller replacement done? Then I will try to break free the 10-24 bolts for removal of the end castings. And when successful order new rollers (or a new car) from Rig-Rite.

Again, very useful info from you. Much appreciated.

regards,
rardi

 

[Ed Schenck]

Have you compared the price of a new Garhauer traveler to the work and expense of repair? I only know that Rig-Rite parts are very expensive. I am undecided on this topic. I have what looks like your travelers on the bridgedeck. It has no blocks or lines, just adjustable stops. And the car won't slide if there is a load on it. So I have been considering a Garhauer.

 

[rardiH36]

Hi Ed:

I have considered from time-to-time the pros and cons of a complete new system including Garhauer. But doing something just hasn't been on the serious need/want list until Gary commented that just the car rollers might be available from Rig-Rite. So if I could get away with just replacing the car rollers (or maybe whole the car if the rollers aren't removable and the car price isn't beyond the cost/benefit threshold) but leave in place the still serviceable track and ends and the various small blocks, then that would be my preference. The Hunter installed traveler is custom fitted to the specially designed raised portions of my deck. It really looks integral to the design. A newer after market whole system may work better under load, but also for me a lot more work to remove the old and install the new like drilling holes and filling the old ones, cutting the track, etc).

Currently, albeit with some effort, I am able to pull the traveler to weather unless the wind is pretty strong, or during those occasional times when I might actually use the cabin top winch to tighten the sheet more than hand power with my 7:1 purchase. The traveler drops away from the wind very readily of course!

Today's SF Bay forecast: 7-12 kts NNW wind, Sunny, 60F. Going sailing I think.

rardi

 

[H30Gary]

I'm pretty sure the rollers are just captured by the track and simply slide off the pins once the car is off the track. If I recall, the first time I removed the car to check the condition of the rollers, one of the rollers fell off and bounced into the drink. I thought I was scr*wed, but then found replacement rollers at rig-rite. Cheap fix, the traveller works perfectly, though it is a bit ugly.

I wonder if it could be re-anodized?

 

[rardiH36]

I'm pretty sure the rollers are just captured by the track and simply slide off the pins once the car is off the track. If I recall, the first time I removed the car to check the condition of the rollers, one of the rollers fell off and bounced into the drink. I thought I was scr*wed, but then found replacement rollers at rig-rite. Cheap fix, the traveller works perfectly, though it is a bit ugly.

I wonder if it could be re-anodized?

Great info and thanks for the warning about the unexpected separation of the rollers from the car.

My traveler track appearance is past its prime as well. 98% still anodized, but where it isn't, the white deposits have formed.

Off to the boat now. First task, before pushing off is to squirt some PB Blaster around the 10-24 screws at the end pieces.

regards,
rardi

 

[Ed Schenck]

Rardi, about that reply in post #11. We don't need no stinkin' CA weather reports. The high yesterday was 19 !

 

[rardiH36]

Rardi, about that reply in post #11. We don't need no stinkin' CA weather reports. The high yesterday was 19 !

Hi Ed:

Sorry. If it's any consolation, when I did go out today, I discovered it was another NWS botched forecast. Temp was as advertised. (But considering your 19F, can't make you feel good about that.) The wind however was only OK at best. And constricted to a very narrow area where the pressure gradients due to the hills around the Marin headlands caused some very localized breeze.

This was sort of the reverse of a Thanksgiving weekend outing we had several years ago when woke I up to find that the NWS had rescinded the extreme wind forecast they had been posting for several days. So I, with my Vice Admiral, went out into the bay. Conditions quickly turned horrendous. We never hoisted or let out the sails. 90 minutes later after a stressful return to our marina, and after passing several boats that had ripped away from their anchorages or mid-stream moorings, and after us suffering some minor gelcoat damage while entering our slip because we were heeling without sails almost as radically as in the open bay in a 20 knot wind with sails, I was wondering what actually what went wrong. Checking on line, the wind gauge on Angel Island had a high gust of 59 kts (from memory) during the time we were out in the same area. Just shy of a CAT 1 hurricane! The next month's Latitude 38 (excellent sailing periodical for the West Coast) was full of letters from people who had done the same as me -- that is go out because the NWS had retracted their high wind warning. A number got into some big time trouble.

For me, the day was radically really cool. (Only because I dodged the bullet.)

Go NWS!

Here's a pic from today. (Again I feel for your 19F.) Because of the original topic of this thread, and also because I was out solo without the wife, I did experiment with my traveler a lot during the outing.

 

[Ed Schenck]

That's a great shot Rardi. Love how on this tablet I can spread the picture and fill the ten inch screen. Been a long time since I drove over the bridge and down into Sausalito for dinner. Didn't tell the wife it was more about walking the docks for a sailboat fix.

 

[H33CRich]

Hi Gary:

The other point of concern with my existing traveler is the car itself. (See pic.)

Does anyone know where I can get the shackle with the flat tabs like the one shown in your picture isolated in the one attached?

 

[H33CRich]

Does anyone know where I can get the shackle with the flat tabs like the one shown in your picture isolated in the one attached?

I found a Bronze Eye Jaw Toggle, 1/4" Pin dia., 1-1/16" Pin-to-Pin that would work, but $28 each seems a bit much.