Over the last year or two, there have been a number of threads from frustrated sailors who are ready to scrap their Beneteau travellers. They claim they are difficult to slide quickly and easily. The original design is admittedly poor and the little jaws at the ends of the traveller are useless when trying to operate the control lines from the cockpit. We removed the original jam cleats, installed new turning blocks on the outboard ends of the traveller, installed new control lines, ran them through a grommeted hole in the dodger window to a small padeye and then ran them through a spare Lewmar rope clutch. The new system works like a dream with a good straight-line purchase. Never winched yet and never will. I can now use the traveller as it should be used. A secondary reason for showing this photo is to show off my new dodger. It was last month built by Coyote Canvas in Sidney BC, who do the best canvas work on the planet. Come on summer!!
