Mid boom traveler use?

[RussC]

Just curious how many who have a traveler on their 20'-26' boats actually use them on a regular basis. the concept for their use is certainly a valid one, but in actual use they just seem cumbersome to me. I always single hand sail, so perhaps that factors in with so much else going on at the same time. for those that use them do you only set it when on a longer tack, or do you use it too control puffs and lulls as well? just curious.

 

[Foswick]

You'll get varied answers on this. But, single-handing especially, I think the best general statement is that if you're not racing, you can just leave it centered until you are settled in and ready to fine tune mainsail trim - like you're going be on that tack for at least a bit.

But, I think that the better answer is that it depends on what you want to get out of sailing. For some people, the whole point is to sail as efficiently as possible at all times. Since you asked the question, I expect that's not you. For others (like myself), it is about other things. I have learned to instinctively trim to "good enough" very quickly and most of the time don't care about another 10% efficiency. If I run out of things to do and think we could improve trim, I might start tweaking things like the traveler. Otherwise, I just leave it centered.

But, also, I sail in conditions that are changing all the time. So, getting too fussy with sail trim is kind of pointless. If sails are out of trim I have three choices, adjust sails, change heading, or wait 2 minutes - all have about an equal chance of resolving the situation.

So, for my sailing style, I have just three traveler positions: center, windward, and leeward. Not much point in anything more fine-tuned. And, I stay centered most of the time, even though I have crew that could adjust it. If I really need to pinch, I'll set it all the way to windward, if I plan to be on that tack more than a few minutes. If I am on a broad reach or better, I'll set it to leeward when/if I get around to it.

There are some people who will claim this is not just about efficiency but also about safety. I, myself, reject that, especially on your size of boat ... for most cases ... there are some exceptions.

 

[dLj]

I've owned several boats that didn't have a traveler.

Unless I were to be racing, I wouldn't be concerned.

dj

 

[Stu Jackson]

Inasmuch as the traveler is one of the key components of mainsail trim, I recommend that you learn how to use it and why it exists. Don Guillette's Sail Trim Guide, available in the books on this very website, is the best book on this subject I have ever read, and I've been sailing for over 50 years. The traveler determines the angle of attack of your mainsail. The one in your photo is a very good one: near to hand and wide enough to be useful. Read up on it, you'll enjoy using it. It is great for puffs and lulls instead of using the mainsheet which changes a lot of other mainsail trim components.

 

[Don S/V ILLusion]

We used a traveler more on smaller boats than larger ones. The smaller the boat, the more it can affect performance

 

[Foswick]

The traveler determines the angle of attack of your mainsail.

That's an often-repeated statement that isn't strictly true, but I don't think you meant it as such.

It’s not quite accurate to say the traveler determines angle of attack. The traveler is just one tool in the kit - by moving the boom sideways, it can influence the angle of attack, but so can mainsheet tension, twist, and even changes in apparent wind.

The statement becomes less true the farther off the wind you sail, though Russ' traveler, as you noted, is wide enough to be useful in a wider window of apparent wind than many. (Mine is just about pointless - and no vang either. Yet, somehow I manage to sail around at hull speed with some regularity.)

I think it is better to say that the traveler allows you to change the angle without significantly altering the shape of the sail. A vang can also help with this, but no one would say that the vang determines the angle of attack.

Not trying to be "that guy", and I don't think you meant the quoted sentence as an absolute statement, but I think it deserves some clarification, since Russ is trying to determine how he will use his.

 

[rgranger]

I actually added a traveler to my Hunter 26. I also single hand and….. that was the best mod I have made on that boat.

Done right, you can keep a boat on her feet longer before needing to reef. Reefing single handed vs. setting a traveler single handed….?!?!?!?! YMMV

 

[dlochner]

Sail trim is a dynamic process with a number of controls available to optimize sail trim. Focusing on the traveller, it is the sail control I adjust most often and offers the quickest and easiest way to depower or power up the mainsail.

 

[JBP-PA]

You do not need a traveler, it is perfectly possible to sail happily and safely without one.
That said, on my 23ft boat, I almost always use my traveler. In strong to moderate winds I get too much weather helm. Dropping my traveler fixes that. It helps keep the main flat. How much I drop it depends on the wind.

In light air, I don't get enough twist. The top of my main is stalled when the lower half is fine. Moving the traveler up helps me get more twist. When bashing against waves, extra twist gives me a bigger sweet spot and more consistent power as the angle of attack changes from wave to wave.

Your traveler changes angle of attack, but your main sheet does that too. The traveler changes how much twist you have. Your vang also does this, but not as effectively upwind.

Mine is controlled by stops, not lines, so I don't use it to control puffs. For puffs I use the mainsheet. Not as efficient, but it's what I've got.

 

[rgranger]

Mine is controlled by stops, not lines, so I don't use it to control puffs. For puffs I use the mainsheet. Not as efficient, but it's what I've got.

+1

 

[shemandr]

On my 25 ft Mark 25, a C&C with a fractional rig, the traveler was on the cabin top. It was just a cumbersome set up and the travel was only around 2 feet. Eventually I de-rigged it and just used the main sheet, like a dingy. I didn't miss it. Removing the run forward and back for the mainsheet took a lot of friction out of the system and made tacks faster and easier.
I appreciate what the traveler can do for main sail trim. But on some boats it's not practical.

 

[thinwater]

I've had a traveler on every boat I have owned for 40 years, from 16' to 34', and I use it every single sail, generally starting within minutes of setting the main and with every significant change. Certainly, it is used when sailing off the wind. Of course, the tavelers on multihulls are wide and they lack a vang.

I singlehand most of the time.

 

[Joe]

I use the traveler ALL the time. Here's the common recommendation for upwind, especially when trying to maintain a course, either on a long reach or when tacking back and forth to reach a mark: At the beginning of your session, set the main sail trim for conditions using the outhaul, cunningham and mainsheet. Then leave the trim alone, and use the traveler to make minor "angle of attack" adjustments. (note: if conditions change, then you'll want to adjust sail trim) Anyway, moving the boom in and out won't change your sail's trim while it's inside the range of the traveler. As you work your way upwind, you make small adjustments to allow for small changes in apparent wind direction. These changes can be the result of going over a wave, a small change in true wind direction (lift or a knock) an increase or "puff" of wind speed (which will move the apparent wind direction aft, causing the boat to heel more).. vice versa if the boat speed picks up the AWD will move forward..... The point being that using the mainsheet will affect the sail's SHAPE and eventually the sail becomes incorrectly trimmed. If you only use the traveler in these circumstances, the sail stays in the correct trim for the sailing conditions, you're just using it to keep the angle of attack consistent. Does that make sense?

Good. Because once the end of the boom moves outside the cockpit, the traveler will be much less effective. At this point, we set the traveler to the track end and change over angle attack duties to the MAINSHEET, because that control line is now less effective in maintaining leech tension and more efficient at moving the boom horizontally. NOW.... the leech tension responsibility can be assumed by the VANG. Sailing off the wind or dead downwind does not require the attention to angle of attack that upwind sailing does... in this case we can more effectively manage that chore with the helm... for instance, a wave comes under the boat from the rear and makes the stern yaw... rather than frantically sheeting in gobs of line that will suddenly require dumping once the wave passes, we just counteract the movement with the rudder.

So that's my strategy with the traveler. Oh, heads up, I didn't think this up all by myself! I learned about it in sailing school.. Good Luck, Have fun and remember... the TRAVELER is YOUR FRIEND.

 

[jssailem]

Travelers come in a variety of styles. They can be a constantly changing style or a set and adjusted design. This can be further categorized by exploring the following question: "What is your sailing style?"

When racing, I required the infinite adjustable style seen on many modern boats.

In the 60s, traveler systems were still an experimental kit on boats. Our racing dinghies used boom end sheeting, and we configured tweekers to provide additional adjustments to our sails.

On cruising boats, tracking with pinhole stops positively adjusted the sail by positioning the mainsheet block.

I sail a rig that has an athwart-ship track on the deck. I can preset the pin stops so that when tacking to windward the boom is limited to certain positions relative to the center of the hull. I can even set it to windward of the centerline, but this requires more work during each tack.

The present design of infinite adjustable travelers has solved that issue.

When your approach to sailing is relaxed, lazy enjoyment, the idea of constant trim of the main sail is not on your mind.