Traditional Traveler

[jimshipsky]

My second sailboat was a 16.5' Town Class, made by Lowell's Boat Shop in Amesbury, MA.( Marcus Lowell designed it in 1935 so the townies could afford it, as opposed to his more expensive yachts.) It had a traveler with no controls. Thus the mainsheet block always slid to leeward. I've been following two YouTube boatbuilding channels, one about Arabella, designed by William Atkin in 1938, and Tally Ho, designed by Albert Strange in 1910. Both these boats have similar travelers. I just ran across yet another YT channel: Two Blokes Build a Boat. They are building a Morgan Giles International 14 racing dinghy, also with such a traveler (see photo).
Not being an expert on travelers, I've long been puzzled about the thinking behind these travelers. I assume the designers believed their boat would always sail better with the boom out to leeward. My limited understanding is this will power up the mainsail, but reduce pointing. Or maybe designers just did this because other designers did it?
Does anyone know?

 

[dlochner]

Often on those simple bar travelers there was a stop that could be moved. This prevented the boom from going to far to leeward when going up wind. It was not nearly as convenient as modern travellers are, but worked well enough for the cost.

 

[PaulK]

Might it also have something to do with the sailcloth of the period not being up to the stresses of really strapping everything in board tight? If you wanted to make it more adjustable you could put a pennant on the ring or shackle that slides to each side and run it through an eye midships and then to a cleat. That would keep it from going all the way to the traveler's end each time. Cocking the traveler to windward would take two pennants, two cleats, and on bigger boats, a tackle.

 

[dlochner]

In this week's Acorn to Arabella there are a few good shots the traveller. Steve used some dynema and lashed the lower mainsail sheet block to the traveller's mid point. It looked like he used a Prussic knot which would make it relatively easy to move the block up or down.

 

[garymalmgren]

Hi Jim.
One common factor amongst those boats mentioned (Tally Ho, Arabella and the two blokes boat) is that they are gaff rigged.
Rodger Barnes has a loose footed gaff rig with no traveler. He disconnects the lower sheet block and switches it from port to starboard each time he tacks, so it is always rigged on the leeward side. A traveler is sure easier than what he has to do.

gary