Moving the traveler

[Mike]

Hi to all:I am interested in moving the traveler on my O'day 28 from the cockpit to the coach roof. I once saw another O'day 28 set up that way but I never got below to see how much and in what way the owner reinforced the inside ceiling. My instinct tell me that a couple of aluminum or stainless plates covered nicely with teak boards to cover the plates should be enough to support sheet loads placed on the traveler risers.I did ask a fiberglass guy at the Chicago Strictly Sail show what I'd have to do to move the traveler. He recommended that the entire coach roof be opened at the riser attaching points and fully strengthened and reglassed. This strikes me as over kill and since I've seen a boat with the risers and no apparent rework to the deck I am thinking that a heavy large plate will do the job.So why move the traveler? I'd like to enclose the cockpit with a bimini attached to my existing dodger and not have a gap at the sheet.MikePitterpat

 

[Bob]

A couple of thoughts...

Mike,I think your logic is sound, but I'd talk with a rigger or two, and definately get a number of opinions...Also, Rudy might be of help. That Oday 290 he has on his web site (www.odaysailboats.com)looks like our boats plus a swim platform. It has a cabin-top traveler, so you might ask him how it's attached.Last summer there was an O28 with this setup in Belmont Harbor. If he is here this year I will ask, but obviously this will take some time.Good luckBobs/v Simple DreamsChicago

 

[Mike]

Thanks

Thanks Bob; by the way was it you I sent the cradle drawing to? If so, how did it work out?Mike

 

[Bob]

Cradle

Mike,Yes, you sent the drawing to me and one other 28 owner. At the time I thought all yards up here required cradles.I still have the drawing and have not had a chance to use it as I wintered north of Chicago in a yard that uses jackstands. Big $$ savings in storage cost and not having to build a cradle.But I am definately hanging on to it because I will have to have a cradle made next season if I decide to winter in Chicago.Thanks,BobSimple DreamsChicago

 

[Ron Richardson]

Two ideas for your traveler

Also have the same boat - a 1980 - with the traveller in the cockpit.Idea 1. We have just added a new dodger and bimini. It was designed with about a 10" slot between the dodger and the bimini for the traveller to run thru. A separate canvas "connector" strip was made that is just zipped in between the two to provide shade or rain protection when running under power and the main sheeted to the center position. A small "U" hole in the connector lets the sheets go thru.Idea 2. Look into Schaefer's 42-00 "Complete Bridge Traveler System." It is in their latest catalog and looks like it would do the job. They should be able to advise on suitability of installation.I may consider shifting to a coachroom traveller in the future. Let me know what you wind up with. -Ron

 

[Tom D]

Some Pics might help

We own an Oday 28, and the previous owner had outfitted the boat with a new Harken Traveler system mounted on the cabin top.If you want I could e-mail you some pictures to see where, on deck, he mounted it, and how he trimmed it out down below to conceal the backing plate and fastners. I know of no additional reinforcement the old owner had to do to the fiberglass other than the backing plates. I would post these pictures but can't figure out how to do it. Send me an e-mail address to kdigiaco@tampabay.rr.com and I will forward them to you.The system seems to work fine and definitely keeps the lines out of the cockpit. You would need to find a way to get the mainsheet into the cockpit, though, to trim it after you get the dodger. I once owned a Pearson 27 with a mainsheet traveler system that was mounted on the cabin top. The mainsheet ran through the 3:1 blocks on the traveler/boom, then back up to the boom, forward to the mast, then down to a turning block, back to the cockpit across the cabin top, through a sheet stopper at the companion way, and to a cabin top winch. The winch was necessary because the line was so long and had run through so many blocks, that there was a lot of friction. Otherwise it worked great and allowed you to trim the main from under a bimini or behind the dodger. Hope this helps.