Mainsail traveller on H26

[rgranger]

..... Pointing into the wind was much closer than most models.....

I can concur with this statement. I have owned several different boats in this size range...

Coronado 23
MacGregor 22
Coronado 25
Balboa 26

And the H26 does indeed point higher than these other four boats. It was actually the first comment I made to my daughter when we took it out for our first sail... The windex has the tabs set at 45 deg and we were well within the tab ... on either tack.... for some strange reason I seem to point higher on a port tack (still trying to understand that)

But from the one experiment I have conducted (hefting the boom over the mid-line)... I do think there is room for additional improvement in performance....for the H26. EVERY decision on a sailboat is a compromise....

It is a well designed boat and simplicity of operation was clearly the over riding objective in the design. But she still sails very well, even with her simplified rig. For instance the H26 does not have genoa tracks or cars. One less thing to fiddle with... but it is also one less sail trim tool at the owners disposal. There is quite literally only three sail adjustments available on the H26, the out haul, the main sheet and the genoa sheet.

Get them set, sit back and pop a cold one...

BUT! I like the idea of a removable traveler across the cockpit sole...It is removable so you can choose which compromise you want on any particular day... but I can think of about 10 other things I would spend $1K on before I buy one from Barton Marine. At some point I suspect I will will try to engineer my own modeled after the Barton design. If I can assemble the parts for $300 or so... I might go for it.

 

[Jackdaw]

But from the one experiment I have conducted (hefting the boom over the mid-line)... I do think there is room for additional improvement in performance....for the H26. EVERY decision on a sailboat is a compromise....

It is a well designed boat and simplicity of operation was clearly the over riding objective in the design. But she still sails very well, even with her simplified rig. For instance the H26 does not have genoa tracks or cars. One less thing to fiddle with... but it is also one less sail trim tool at the owners disposal. There is quite literally only three sail adjustments available on the H26, the out haul, the main sheet and the genoa sheet.

You hit the nail on the head, that is exactly the point of all of this. All boats are setup rigging-wise to meet a specific marketing requirement. This can range from a simplified cruiser to a tweaky racer. As for a simple cruising setup, they will sail well, even with the simplified controls. But we should never mistake that as being optimal. Anyone that thinks so has simply read the marketing brochure too many times. The boat designers KNOW that with extra controls the boat would have sailed even better. They ALWAYS do.

If that was not the case, nobody would buy add-on travelers, adjustable Genoa tracks, or backstays. But they do.

 

[Crazy Dave Condon]

Jackdaw;
There was an owner of one manufacturer whose name I will not disclose but found interesting but sad that he said it. Selling gear for small boats that is not needed does make money for us. It would blow your mind who said that but that will go to the grave with me as that was inappropriate around a few dealers to include me. Please continue with your pictures to include racing as I enjoy them. If we ever meet, I would like to have a beer and sail with a pro, you.

 

[Jackdaw]

Jackdaw;
There was an owner of one manufacturer whose name I will not disclose but found interesting but sad that he said it. Selling gear for small boats that is not needed does make money for us. It would blow your mind who said that but that will go to the grave with me as that was inappropriate around a few dealers to include me. Please continue with your pictures to include racing as I enjoy them. If we ever meet, I would like to have a beer and sail with a pro, you.

When I was in product development and marketing, I was always mindful to be respectful of the customer. Our actions were guided by profit in the end, but the customer had to be respected. I agree that not all business folks have the same mindset. We'll get that sail/beer in someday!

 

[jwing]

...Selling gear for small boats that is not needed does make money for us...

Who needs sailboats? Nobody! Why do some sailboats have more than one sail? Not needed - single-sail boats scoot across water every day. The whole industry is based on selling stuff that people don't need.

The thing is, sailboats are a luxurious hobby. If a person wants to buy gear to support an aspect of his hobby, who is somebody else to criticize? There are very few criticizers who make an effort to understand the motivations for the decisions that they denigrate. Those types of people deserve to be ignored.

 

[Jackdaw]

The whole industry is based on selling stuff that people don't need.

If you think the sailing industry is bad, take a look at GOLF. I'd be willing to bet that 90% of golf product sales are for gizmos and upgrades designed to separate some rich hack from his money.

 

[rgranger]

....There are very few criticizers who make an effort to understand the motivations for the decisions that they denigrate. Those types of people deserve to be ignored.

I didn't feel like anyone was being criticized here. It was a frank discussion about the pros and cons of adding a traveler to an H26. BTW: Sailing is not a luxury ... it is a neeeeeeed...

 

[Meriachee]

so we shouldn't believe the "Big Bertha" ads? Really?

 

[Meriachee]

Sailing is a need. This, however.......

 

[Kermit]

I just sent a lady on her way with family portraits she could have lived without. Until now, that is. I doubt she'd give them back if I gave her 10 times what she paid. Everyone seems to be able to afford what's important to them. Fortunately for Phil and everyone else who sells stuff to sailors, sailing and the stuff it takes to sail are important to us.

 

[isaksp00]

Boy, are sailors ever passionate!
It strikes me that EVERYONE is correct here and it is just a matter of preference. Boats apparently do sail better close-hauled when you can center the boom using a traveler. The design of the H26 apparently makes it somewhat awkward to find a good place that doesn't interfere to add a traveler, and probably the lack of a stock traveler was a design compromise by Hunter to make the boat more "friendly" and also likely more affordable.
For those who value that added performance and don't mind the inconvenience, it's a slam dunk - add the traveler. For those happy to point a few points more off the wind (or whatever the performance deficiency is) and who like the open cockpit, no traveler against your back, etc., also a slam dunk.
I for one (who has a 23 that does have the traveler) learned a lot here.

 

[Kermit]

isaksp00,
You have a much better way of saying any thread can cause an argument. I'm gonna do my best to learn your style. But no promises.
p.s. We loved our H23 and style miss certain aspects of it.

 

[rgranger]

So...

I have a Rhodes 22 that I've been restoring and a guy came to look at it this weekend.... the sale fell through and I really wasn't trying to make any money off of the Rhodes anyway so I started eyeballing the T-track for the genoa sheets on the Rhodes.... Hmmmmm I could probably do better if I parted her out anyway so......

I think you will see on this forum a homemade traveler system modeled after the Barton before summer's end....