Traveller Location

BarryL · Nov 27, 2011

Hey,

I think it depends on how you use the boat and the type of crew (if any) you have. If you are single handing, then the traveler in front of the wheel makes it easier for you to man the helm and adjust the main sheet and traveler too. If you have a family, and people to trim sails for you, then the position on top of the cabin top gets the main sheet out of the way.

Barry

Alan · Nov 27, 2011

Your traveler is one of the most important sail controls (angle of attack). Also having the traveler conveniently located means having your mainsheet(angle of attack and twist) handy for adjustments also. Locating the traveler in the cockpit means that many times 'guests' will have to step over it when entering or exiting. For convenience, boat builders move the traveler to the coach roof where it would be 'out of the way' but this makes adjustment a much more involved and sometimes complicated maneuver. As a result many skippers with coachroof mounted travelers fail to make the adjustments needed for correct sail trim and at best makes the adjustment more difficult.

Jackdaw · Nov 27, 2011

These guts pretty much called it. You want it as far back as possible. The two big reasons are fine control (as mentioned) and the other big one, IT DOES NOT LOAD UP THE BOOM. Sail pressure is borne by the ends of the sail. For the boom, that means the 95% of the load is out at the end, where the clew attaches. If you mid-sheet the boom, you are placing a HUGE moment on the boom... that's why they snap. Older IOR-style boats with big gennies and small mains have less of an issue, but with a fractional rig and a big main, we'd be breaking booms left and right on Kestrel with a mid-sheeted boom.

But other things can play. Sometime is it not possible to go end-boom. Check if you can mount it on your bridge deck. That can be a good compromise.

31seahorse · Nov 27, 2011

Hi Russf,
We have owned boats that have had the traveler in those locations. On the cabin top puts the traveler out of the line of travel to the companionway. Also, might allow use of a cabin top winch on the mainsheet if needed. Our Oday 34 had three blocks spread along the boom and near the center of that spar with the mainsheet lead to the traveler on the cabin top. That location also came into play when adding a dodger. The traveler was forward of the dodger and the control lines had to come under the dodger.

Our Oday 30 had the traveler on the seat (bridge deck?) just outside the companionway opening. During sailing it was at hand for anyone in the cockpit to operate it. At anchor or at the dock we moved the car to the extreme on one side or the other so the boom was less in the way and the mainsheet did not obstruct the companionway. If I remember correctly there was only one point of attachment to the boom, but there was a multiple block there for mechanical advantage. The boom was smaller and the attachment was aft of center of the boom. The mainaheet came down aft of the dodger and precluded adding a connector between the dodger and the bimini.

End boom sheeting is another option. A daysailer we owned "back in the day" had that and other boats also have that arrangement. The length of the boom would determine the angle at which the mainsheet went up to the boom. A bimini over the helmsman might be a challenge to design.

In my opinion the most difficult position of the traveler would be just forward of the wheel. Easy to reach from the helm, but always there to climb over while moving fore and aft in the cockpit. It might also make adding a bimini difficult.

If you have no interest in a dodger or bimini, then the location may come down to where it is on the boat you fall in love with. Then you would adjust your activities accordingly. I am sure the traveler location is not haphazard on any boat. Physics and stresses must be acccounted for.

Best wishes, Phil

Cool Beans · Nov 27, 2011

Just my 2 cents. . .

I've seen most boats with tiller steering having the boom sheeted off the end, where it was closer to the helms man sitting in the cockpit. . .

I've seen most boats with a wheel having the boom sheeted in the middle, where as having it sheeted to the end would interfere with the standing helmsman. . .

My boat has a wheel with the boom sheeted in the middle but still has the molding for end boom sheeting if it had come with the tiller option. . .

Again, just my 2 cents :dance:

Scott T-Bird · Nov 27, 2011

There are always trade-offs with any design. I think in some cases, you may find that the traveler has a wider scope when it is mounted on the bridge deck than it could be mounted on the coach roof. When the traveler is in the cockpit, it generally is more in the way. Hunter solves this problem with their arch.

If you ever find a boat that is set up perfectly, with no compromises, let us know ... we all want to know which boat that is!

PrincessoftheLake · Nov 27, 2011

Gotta agree with Scott, they are all compromises. That being said both Hunters I have had have cabin top mounted travelers. I have to admit I like it out of the way of the cockpit even though I understand Jackdaws point-I would have better control with end boom sheeting but I don't race Emmanuel. If I wanted to race I would insist on end boom (or as close as I could get) sheeting.

Good luck!

Ray Bowles · Nov 27, 2011

Our Island Packet 38 had the traveller located just in front to the dodger. The controls for the traveller car were led back into the cockpit along with the mainsheet. The attachment point on the boom was about 3/4 to the rear. This left the cockpit totally open and the loads on the boom were well within reason. The traveller controls were approxamatly 6 feet in front of the wheel so it required using the auto pilot to adjust. This boat crossed the Atlantic twice.
The engineers today take safety seriously and I would be comfortable using any of the better, popular brands of boats. If you think you might be using the boat under stressful conditions then take that into consideration and go with the style traveller used in race boats.
Ray