Heeling

[Don Guillette]

Kristin Boyce: I can't get involved in the in mast furling thread because it has progressed to an area that is way over my head. Anyway, I opened this topic because I did not want it to get lost in the furling thread and have you possable miss it. If you can get the boat pretty much trimmed to 80% to 100% efficiency, the best sail trim control for controlling heeling is your traveler. If the boat really starts to heel most mates first let go with the mainsheet. What they should do first is lower the traveler. Generally that will get the boat under control. If not then next play with the mainsheet. What you are merely doing is changing the angle of attack. The angle of attack is simply this - the more you crank in on the mainsheet and traveler the more power you generate. Ease both off and you lose power. So, by proper use of the traveler and secondarily the mainsheet, you can almost dial in the amount of heel you want.Next time your out, give it a try and see if it works for you.

 

[Paul]

Yes to the Traveller

You are correct on the traveller. Just finished a serious week of sailing at J World and we played the traveller more than the main.

 

[SoupyT]

Any tips for single handed traveler tweaking?

I'm a big fan of de-powering the boat with the traveler, however I confess I'm one of those folks who initially de-powers using the mainsheet.The reason is, I can do that quickly, with one hand. The traveler is tricky, as I need one hand to un (cam) cleat the windward control line, and the other to gather in the slack of the leeward control line, to prevent it getting squished by the traveler car.Then I sheet in the main again.Any advice, on how I can quickly "drop" the traveler one-handed would be very welcome!

 

[Don Guillette]

Yes to the traveler

Paul: What did you think of the J world program? That is one program I always wanted to take. The problem with the school in San Diego was they preferred to have a crew and I could not get anyone to go with me. Most guys I know felt they did not need it - yeah, right!! I know these guys and I know what they know and believe me they could use the instructions. Maybe J world does it differently now. Twice I signed up as an extra but it never worked out.

 

[Don Guillette]

Traveler tweeking

SoupyT: What kind of a traveler do you have? Is it the poorly designed curved track with the inferior rubber rollers? If it is, it is a problem because of the tremendous amount of friction generated. In some conditions, I had to put my foot on the bulkhead to get enough leverage to move the thing. On the other hand, if you invested in the Garahuer Marine straight track you would be amazed at how simple it is to operate. i sold the old sytem to Catalina sailor. I can't imagine why he would want it but was glad to see it go.I pretty much single hand all the time. My wife is with me but she does nothing with the sail trim controls. What i did was lead my traveler, mainsheet and boom vang lines back to the helm so that with a flick of the wrist I can adjust them. I even had Garhauer build me a 2' or 3' winch handle so I can trim the jib sheet from the helm!!Unfortunately, I need two hands to adjust the traveler for exactly the reason you explained. I'm not sure there is anyway around it. With two hand you have better control.

 

[Rick Macdonald]

Have hand, will travel

Do those Harken windward-sheeting travellers need two hands as well? I don't even have a traveller on my boat but I haven't given up the idea of adding one....RickM...

 

[Monty Miller]

Rick...

Harken windward sheeting traveller is one handed operation. A cam keeps the leeward cleats open. Judy is flying to Camrose on Friday to visit her dad for ten days and could bring a slightly used one with a four track with her. 512-346-2093. Monty

 

[Bob]

Spoil yourself

The Harken windward sheeting car is addictive - don't ever sail on a boat that has one unless you intend to buy one too. It is a little pricey, but if you are serious about keeping the main trimmed properly and controlling helm pressure, it will pay for itself in sailing performance and pleasure. You will use it more than any other control on the boat, with the possible exception of the tiller.

 

[Wanderer138]

Another option?

Two-part mainsheet controls may be an option if you have no traveler or of it's not up to snuff. Essentially they have a coarse and fine trim adjustment; coarse for sheeting in quickly and fine for minor adjustments once you're sheeted in.While there's no substitute for a proper traveler, you can still use the mainsheet effectively, when close-hauled. The answer is to ease the mainsheet slightly, not dump it completely in the gusts. Easing slightly reduces the downward pull on the boom, which reduces leech tension and allows the sail to twist slightly. This spills air off the top of the sail and reduces heel.It does take practice, because fine adjustment of a heavily loaded mainsheet isn't easy.PeterH23 "Raven"

 

[SoupyT]

Thanks

Don: Thanks, at least now I don't think I'm missing something obvious!My h37 is fitted with a Schaefer 1 1/2" "Big Boat" straight traveler. It has about 4:1 purchase, enough for me to adjust to windward with one hand in all but the most extreme conditions.The Harken windward system sounds cool, but the problem is not raising the car to windward (which is simple, I un-cleat the leeward control, and heave on the windward - a simple two stage, one handed exercise).The problem is easing the car to windward as Don was advocating. Unless I'm taking up the slack in the leeward control, as I ease the windward, the leeward control line gets jammed.What I think I'll do, is as Don suggests, and lengthen the control lines so I can do both, if not one-handed, but at least from the same position.Oh, and Don, your definition of "single-handed" describes by situation exactly!

 

[Don Guillette]

SoupT: This is off topic but I noticed you are from San Fran. Last Oct, the C30 National Regatta was held in San Fran. I forget the name of the YC but it was next to the ball park. Parking was awful. Anyway, what a thrill it was for me to sail on the Bay, which I had never done before. I would have liked to experience the higher winds you guys get but the winds we had for the event were OK. Seeing the city and the Golden Gate Bridge from the water was great. The area we were racing at was on the north side of the Oakland bridge (I think it was the Oakland bridge) and it was hard to concentrate on trimming as I was too busy taking in the sites and enjoying the bay experience. Fortunately, I can almost trim a mainsail in my sleep which gave me time to use the binnoculars. I'd set the trim very quickly and then pick up the glasses!! We went to Sausalito by car a couple of times and I had a good view of the bay and the boats sailing by. It was a fun trip but the racing sucked - we got a 3rd mainly due to sailing the wrong course on the last race. You always have to wonder what is going wrong when all the other boats go off in another direction especially when they are local sailors. That should have been the first tip off but by the time you catch on it is often too late. You guys have a beautiful sailing area. This year the C30 Nationals were held in Seattle. I did not attend but would have liked to because I think Seattle is a great sailing area also. I think So Ca is kind of boring compared to a lot of other areas in the US but anytime spent on a boat is better than working.

 

[Stu Jackson]

Traveler Controls

Soupy TI had the same problem with my traveler control lines, even with the new Garhauer 6:1 cars.I found that the 3/8 inch line I had installed was binding on the cheeks of the blocks. This happened after a few years of sailing, when the line swelled just a tad. I reduced the line size to 5/16 and the leeward side line no longer binds. Even when I dump the traveler, I can still clear the leeward line by pulling it in. I originally thought the larger 3/8 line would have a better "hand", and it wss the same as the original line size spec'd, but I now find that the thinner line, while somewhat harder to "grip" actually works MUCH better because it flies through the blocks on the traveler system.Sometimes bigger isn't better.Stu

 

[SoupyT]

Another good idea

Stu: Thanks, I'll consider that as I'm going to replace the lines.Don: Glad you enjoyed the bay! Living here is why I'm a boat owner, not just a part time sailor! I love that I can just decide to sail on a whim, with near certainty that the tides and wind will never be an issue, (as compared to where I grew up, on the south coast of England).

 

[Alan]

Re: Traveler controls

To make traveler control easier on my boat we changed the MA early on. The OE control lines were sey up with a 3:1 setup. By adding a second turning point to the car and at the outboard end I was able to move it up to 5:1. A huge difference in a blow with 370sqft of main. After contacting Schafer(sp) Marine to purchase a second sheeve for the car, the "tech guy" told me that this would not be possible because the increased load would be beyond the safe limits of the car. I tried, in vain, to explain that the load was not being changed, only the purchase was being changed and that the increased purchase would decrease the working load on the sheeves...no good, he didn't understand, but would not sell me the sheeves for fear of product liability. So I bought 2 cheeck blocks with the same sheeve and remove them from the cheeck and installed them on the car. Problem solved, purchase increase had decreased the force needed by 40%.