How much effort to adjust traveler?

[Ed Ryan7037]

Brion - I have an O'Day 35 with a traveler that's curved to match the arc of the coach roof. With no load on the traveler, it moves easily. The sheaves turn freely and the car moves easily on the track. However, when under sail, it is very difficult to adjust - so much so that my wife and teenage daughter can't do it when there's more than a gentle breeze. Is this typical, or should I look to service it better or replace it?Ed Ryan

 

[Paul (Affinity C320)]

Traveler

Ed,I had an O'Day 35, my traveler was the same.Mine only had stops with no other adjustmenst. I found that I could do the adjustment before tacking by moving the stop with no load on it.I now have a Catalina that has all the adjustments you need I think, it adjusts very easy, even under load. You might want to walk around your marina and talk to people who have travelers to see how they use them.Best of luck,Paul

 

[Harlan]

OD 35 traveler

I have an OD34 - same set up. I replaced the traveler with a straight (flat - not curved to the coachroof) recirculating ball type - Lewmar. Was impossible to adjust - now works great. You simply need to build up the supports on the end (I used teak blocks) to clear the hatch hood when you change from curved to flat.

 

[Brion Toss]

20%

Hello,Ideally, your traveler should be getting about 20% of the sheet load. But it sounds like you can add a bunch of friction to tht number. Much of this will be in the car, as lousy or aged bearings will behave much differently under load. Some friction will occur at the sheaves, depending on their efficiency and how they are rove. You might not have enough purchase to begin with. And some friction might be coming from the downward pull that results from a curved track. My experience is that the car, sheaves, amount of purchase, and reeving have a much larger effect on traveler efficiency than eliminating the curved track, unless the camber is extreme. And going to a straight track can involve some installation headaches, as well as building a longer moment into the supports. So I'd start by calculating the mainsheet load (see the Harken catalog), then finding the traveler load, then seeing what that gives you on the rope end. If it's over 35lbs in a moderate breeze, consider more purchase. Fair leads,Brion Toss

 

[Al]

Check the ball bearings

I don't know what brand of traveler you have, but I changed the Torlon ball bearings in the Harken car on my boat this winter and was stunned by the difference it made.