Harken Traveler Upgrade H34

Jan 22, 2008
309
Hunter 34 Herrington South, MD
I'm going to up grade my traveler to a new Harken system. I'm thinking of leaving the existing rail in place and mounting the new Harken rail on top of it. I believe that the distance between the screws on the existing rail maybe the same as the Harken 1602.8 rail which is 4 inches between screws. This would mean that I just have to buy longer screws in order to install the new traveler rail. Has anyone tried this upgrade?

P.S. My old boom blocks and traveler are in need a new home if anyone wants to pay postage. These are NOT for sale, but freebies. I'm a pack rat and really don't want to be finding those blocks and traveler new homes every time I clean out one of the storage compartments on my boat.
 

Artey1

.
Jul 18, 2019
165
Hunter 34 Oklahoma
Whats the reasoning for mounting it on top of the old track? Why not remove and mount the new one? The original screws into an aluminum block in the deck if I'm not mistaken.
 
Nov 26, 2012
1,653
Hunter 34 Berkeley
I did that. The screw spacing on mine was 100mm which is awfully close but not quite equal to 4". I ended up drilling new holes. It is a good idea to use the taller track to get the traveler car up out of the channel that it runs through. It gets jammed sometimes.
 
Jan 22, 2008
309
Hunter 34 Herrington South, MD
When I first thought about the idea I didn't know if Harken had similar hole patterns so I was going to drill and tap the new rail on top of the old. Now that I see they have both 4 inch and 100 mm spacing I'll do some better measurements. My last measurement looked close to 4 inches when I just measure one spacing between holes. I'll go down and measure the first and last hole spacing and see whether it is divided by 4 inches or 100 mm. I was thinking that in 84 they were using imperial measurements, but from your account I was wrong.

I also heard that some people used the taller rail in order to get it out of the valley. Which rail did you use? Is it important to have the rail higher?
 
Jan 22, 2008
309
Hunter 34 Herrington South, MD
The screw spacing on mine was 100mm which is awfully close but not quite equal to 4". I ended up drilling new holes. It is a good idea to use the taller track to get the traveler car up out of the channel that it runs through. It gets jammed sometimes.
Thanks for the thoughts on the taller track. And the confirmation of the 100 mm spacing
 
Jan 22, 2008
309
Hunter 34 Herrington South, MD
The screw spacing on mine was 100mm which is awfully close but not quite equal to 4". I ended up drilling new holes. It is a good idea to use the taller track to get the traveler car up out of the channel that it runs through. It gets jammed sometimes.
I've been looking at the Harken taller track and have a question. It seems as if the taller track has no pre-drilled holes due to the use of towers at each end. Did you drill the holes because taller track has none? I'm thinking about using the pre-drilled track on top of the old track in order to get the extra height and use factory perfectly spaced holes. Any issues?
 
Nov 26, 2012
1,653
Hunter 34 Berkeley
The 100mm spacing is in the track. The holes in the deck from the old track are 4". Thus, the problem. I sealed up the old holes and drilled new ones. I actually used the shorter track. That is how I know it gets jammed sometimes. I wish I had used the taller.
 
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Jan 22, 2008
309
Hunter 34 Herrington South, MD
I'll look into buying the 4" track but just buying longer bolts that will go thru both the new track and the old one, but be elevated to avoid jamming.

Thanks
 

ivieto

.
Feb 9, 2010
28
Hunter 34 1986 Playas del Coco, Costa Rica
I'm going to up grade my traveler to a new Harken system. I'm thinking of leaving the existing rail in place and mounting the new Harken rail on top of it. I believe that the distance between the screws on the existing rail maybe the same as the Harken 1602.8 rail which is 4 inches between screws. This would mean that I just have to buy longer screws in order to install the new traveler rail. Has anyone tried this upgrade?

P.S. My old boom blocks and traveler are in need a new home if anyone wants to pay postage. These are NOT for sale, but freebies. I'm a pack rat and really don't want to be finding those blocks and traveler new homes every time I clean out one of the storage compartme

Mike,

I need to replace one of the blocks. My boat is a 1984 34.
WhatsApp Image 2020-06-23 at 8.11.13 AM (1).jpeg
 
Jan 22, 2008
309
Hunter 34 Herrington South, MD
I'm waiting for the harken parts to arrive and time to go down and install them. may take a few weeks.
 
Jan 22, 2008
309
Hunter 34 Herrington South, MD
The 100mm spacing is in the track. The holes in the deck from the old track are 4". Thus, the problem. I sealed up the old holes and drilled new ones. I actually used the shorter track. That is how I know it gets jammed sometimes. I wish I had used the taller.
I'm not sure you can easily use or want the taller track on the H34. The existing track seems to screw into a plate embedded in the cabin top and then screws go down through the old track into that plate (I believe but haven't confirmed). The taller Harken track does not bolt through the track, but rather locks the head of the bolts into the bottom of the track and then you have to drill all the way through the cabin top in order to put a nut on the bottom of the screw inside the boat. Buying the low profile track pre-drilled to 4" (Harken 1602.8) and then just replace the 2 inch SS screws with 2 1/2 inch screws. (still checking on new length and pitch) seems to be the easiest and best solution. If you're having issues, just try to reinstall your old track and put this one on top.
 
Jan 22, 2008
309
Hunter 34 Herrington South, MD
FInished my Harken upgrade for my H34. VERY EASY, but not cheap. I purchased the 6 foot Harken rail with holes at 4 inch spacing (same as original). Purchased 1/4 x 20 SS screws at 2 1/2 inches and 3 at 3 inches (for the ends). With a drill driver, I unscrewed all the old screws from the old rail and removed the rail just to clean up underneath. I removed all the old caulk and PUT caulk into the cabin top attachment grove under the track which was never sealed at the factory. This may account for some of the leaks in the boat. I aligned the old and new tracks and then drilled one 1/4 + hole in the new track using the old track as a guide drilling from the bottom up on the port end of the track. Hunter uses an extra screw at the end of the track which doesn't line up with the 4 inch centers. I caulked around and into the embedded plate and then remounted the old track and placed the new track right on top. I put all the screws through both tracks and lightly tightened all the screws. Then working from the center, I tightened all the screws, installing the 3 inch screws through the new Harken track ends. I did need a 4" angle grinder to cut off about 1/4 inch on the port side and about 4 inches of track on the starboard side. Done!

I mounted the new track on top of the old track in order to avoid the issues identified above without using the Harken tall track since that track seems more difficult to mount since it does not come with 4 inch spaced holes which alighn perfectly with the existing rail and original fittings.

I haven't tried it out yet, but it seems that the 40(?) ball bearings on the Harken would be much better than the 4 wheels on the original traveler.

P.S. I did screw up and when I was doing some leak prevention, had easily removed all the screws and put caulking around each screw. This really made it incredibly difficult to remove 5 of the screws which I ended up drilling out, but the new track covered all of my mistakes. If you haven't tried to caulk these screws, then you won't run into this problem. I had caulked them when I saw some water coming into the boat when spraying the track area. It might have been from the companion way top, but I was trying everything to stop leaks. As stated above the caulk connection between the deck top and the companion way cover was NOT caulked under the track, so water might have been entering there.


Harken upgrade.jpg
 
Last edited:
Jul 16, 2020
1
HUNTER 34 Eden Isles, Louisiana
I'm going to up grade my traveler to a new Harken system. I'm thinking of leaving the existing rail in place and mounting the new Harken rail on top of it. I believe that the distance between the screws on the existing rail maybe the same as the Harken 1602.8 rail which is 4 inches between screws. This would mean that I just have to buy longer screws in order to install the new traveler rail. Has anyone tried this upgrade?

P.S. My old boom blocks and traveler are in need a new home if anyone wants to pay postage. These are NOT for sale, but freebies. I'm a pack rat and really don't want to be finding those blocks and traveler new homes every time I clean out one of the storage compartments on my boat.
Mike I'd be interested in the traveler and boom blocks if they are still available. Let me know. Thanks Lawrence 504 352 0064
 
Sep 30, 2017
69
Hunter 34 Gunpower Neck - Aberdeen, MD
FInished my Harken upgrade for my H34. VERY EASY, but not cheap. I purchased the 6 foot Harken rail with holes at 4 inch spacing (same as original). Purchased 1/4 x 20 SS screws at 2 1/2 inches and 3 at 3 inches (for the ends). With a drill driver, I unscrewed all the old screws from the old rail and removed the rail just to clean up underneath. I removed all the old caulk and PUT caulk into the cabin top attachment grove under the track which was never sealed at the factory. This may account for some of the leaks in the boat. I aligned the old and new tracks and then drilled one 1/4 + hole in the new track using the old track as a guide drilling from the bottom up on the port end of the track. Hunter uses an extra screw at the end of the track which doesn't line up with the 4 inch centers. I caulked around and into the embedded plate and then remounted the old track and placed the new track right on top. I put all the screws through both tracks and lightly tightened all the screws. Then working from the center, I tightened all the screws, installing the 3 inch screws through the new Harken track ends. I did need a 4" angle grinder to cut off about 1/4 inch on the port side and about 4 inches of track on the starboard side. Done!

I mounted the new track on top of the old track in order to avoid the issues identified above without using the Harken tall track since that track seems more difficult to mount since it does not come with 4 inch spaced holes which alighn perfectly with the existing rail and original fittings.

I haven't tried it out yet, but it seems that the 40(?) ball bearings on the Harken would be much better than the 4 wheels on the original traveler.

P.S. I did screw up and when I was doing some leak prevention, had easily removed all the screws and put caulking around each screw. This really made it incredibly difficult to remove 5 of the screws which I ended up drilling out, but the new track covered all of my mistakes. If you haven't tried to caulk these screws, then you won't run into this problem. I had caulked them when I saw some water coming into the boat when spraying the track area. It might have been from the companion way top, but I was trying everything to stop leaks. As stated above the caulk connection between the deck top and the companion way cover was NOT caulked under the track, so water might have been entering there.


View attachment 182723
Hey Mike, nice upgrade, I like the additional purchase on the mainsheet.
couple things I notice:
1. need that mainsheet whipped at the end :)
2. someone needs to practice their bowline tying skills :)
3. on our boom, we have a strong carabiner between the boom attachment bale and the block for the boom vang. this allows the mainsheet to run straight up the boom, through the carabiner, without chaffing, picture below.

1602129082540.png
 
Jan 22, 2008
309
Hunter 34 Herrington South, MD
Thanks for the 3 suggestions! As for the first 2, it was a long day and I was eager to start home. I'll go back and finally wrap the line and check on my knot tying ability. What is great is how you figured out how to keep the boom vang line from interfering with main sheet. I'll go out and get a strong carabiner. GREAT tip!
 
Sep 30, 2017
69
Hunter 34 Gunpower Neck - Aberdeen, MD
Hope it works out well. I cannot take any credit. The PO had it rigged this way. Great to be out on the bay. We're heading south from the Bush River, destination Waterman's @ Rock Hall. I hope they have the blue crabs steaming up right now! :)