What's missing on this traveler?

Oct 25, 2018
5
Choy lee 28 Offshore Gold coast
The traveler system on my Choy lee 28 seems to be missing a few peices. It has a track and a car. But doesn't seem to have a way of controlling the possition of it. (See attached for pictures).

What do I need to buy to get it working. Would you recommend buying a new traveller (Harken has one for a mid size boat for about $800)?
 

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Jan 11, 2014
11,321
Sabre 362 113 Fair Haven, NY
The end pieces are missing, sort of. Look at the coaming, there are at least 4 holes in the wood. It may be that the adjusting blocks were attached to the coaming. There would be a turning block somewhere near the coaming on the seat. Contemporary traveller have the turning blocks attached to the traveller track, older styles may not.

A new ballbearing based traveller will make a world of difference in handling. Check out Garhauer marine for alternatives to Harken.
 
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capta

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Jun 4, 2009
4,766
Pearson 530 Admiralty Bay, Bequia SVG
The first thing I'd do is decide is if I really wanted that traveler in the cockpit like that. There are options these days of putting it on the cabin top leaving the cockpit and companionway clear of the main sheet.
 
Jun 2, 2007
403
Beneteau First 375 Slidell, LA
Those options include doubling the load on the mainsheet and traveler controls while at the same time removing them from easy reach of the helm, and also loading the boom in a way it wasn't designed for. Just consider all the ramifications.
 
Oct 25, 2018
5
Choy lee 28 Offshore Gold coast
The first thing I'd do is decide is if I really wanted that traveler in the cockpit like that. There are options these days of putting it on the cabin top leaving the cockpit and companionway clear of the main sheet.
Yeah, I don't really like the location of traveler. But it's positioned at mid boom, so might best to leave where it is for the time being.

The boat was built in 1974, so the traveler system is archaic at best. It's has a wooden mast and boom.

I am using this boat as a training tool for myself. So can I can play with the traveler position at a later date.
 
Oct 22, 2014
20,989
CAL 35 Cruiser #21 moored EVERETT WA
@Ziggyfish First welcome to the forum.
What age is your boat? What condition? How do you plan to use the boat? What is your vision for it’s use? How much money do you want to spend on the boat?

These questions lead to forming options for using, improving, or replacing equipment on your boat.

Looking at the images, the set up looks like an early design for a cockpit traveler. They did not have mid stop limits.

The design moved the traveler from the stern where it had been fixed or a slide, to the cockpit where the mainsheet is easier to reach. From there folks built stops to allow more shaping of the sail. Not enough for a racer who wanted more, they found by adding lines and a series of blocks you could pull the traveler to different locations adding more adjustments to the main sail. Gaining a little more speed against the competition.

So the question is do you want to change the boat and install a modern traveler with lines and adjustments or put the unit back into service by cleaning up the traveler and making sure it slides smoothly back and forth. With your boat that may be enough to let you enjoy sailing.
 

dLj

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Mar 23, 2017
3,371
Belliure 41 Sailing back to the Chesapeake
I honestly hardly ever change the position of that connection point when I'm just sailing around. I've had sail boats that didn't even have a traveler for the boom connection. Of course I'm not racing. Are you going to be racing this boat?

If I wasn't racing, I'd probably just figure out a way to make that stay in the middle and not move. Sail for awhile and then see if I really needed something more... But I'm notoriously cheap when it comes to these kinds of things...

dj
 
Oct 22, 2014
20,989
CAL 35 Cruiser #21 moored EVERETT WA
If your “Offshore 28” is a Luders design (https://sailboatdata.com/sailboat/offshore-28-luders) then the original mainsheet went to the stern with lines at either corner in an inverted V formation. What you show was a trend in the early 70’s to move the traveler and control to the cockpit. In the 80’s/90’s the recreational boats moved the traveler to the cabin top ginving more room to the cockpit. All of this required adding strength to the boom as when first done they learned that grabbing the boom in the middle you can snap it like a dry twig.
 
Oct 25, 2018
5
Choy lee 28 Offshore Gold coast
@Ziggyfish First welcome to the forum.
....

The design moved the traveler from the stern where it had been fixed or a slide, to the cockpit where the mainsheet is easier to reach. From there folks built stops to allow more shaping of the sail. Not enough for a racer who wanted more, they found by adding lines and a series of blocks you could pull the traveler to different locations adding more adjustments to the main sail. Gaining a little more speed against the competition.

So the question is do you want to change the boat and install a modern traveler with lines and adjustments or put the unit back into service by cleaning up the traveler and making sure it slides smoothly back and forth. With your boat that may be enough to let you enjoy sailing.
Thanks

What you say, makes perfect sense considering that there are signs that the traveler was at the stern originally. The boat is in fairly good condition considering that it is 44 years old. There are 3 main problems with the boat at the moment, one is the teak deck needs some TLC, and the other being motor needs a little maintenance (mainly just a service). Would like to on sell it at a later stage and hopefully make a little profit to use in buy a better boat in the future. I only paid 6k for this (Which is a bargin IMHO).

Ideally I want to just get it back in service with the option of upgrading in the future.
 
May 20, 2016
3,014
Catalina 36 MK1 94 Everett, WA
I have end pieces and outside blocks for that traveler. PM me and I’ll give you a great deal!!

Les
 
Aug 28, 2015
190
Oday 28 St Joseph, MI
I replaced my old traveller with a Lewmar size 1 on my O’Day 28. I think it was about $500. The reason I went with Lewmar is because the bolts fit in a slot on bottom of the track and can slide into position to fit the old bolt holes. I’m very happy with it.
 
Nov 26, 2012
1,653
Hunter 34 Berkeley
Get a new traveler. Even if you get the parts to fix that one it will not work as well as a new one. It looks tired. I am sure the rollers do not roll very well.
 
Oct 29, 2016
1,915
Hunter 41 DS Port Huron
All the pictures I have seen of a Choy Lee 28 Offshore put the traveler on the afterdeck mounted to the end of the boom, is there evidence of it ever being there. When mounted on the after deck it allows better access as it is closer to the helmsman.
 
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Oct 22, 2014
20,989
CAL 35 Cruiser #21 moored EVERETT WA
Make a list of what is needed to get it operating so you can enjoy it.
Priorities would include:
  1. Inspection of hull, rudder, keel and through hulls.
  2. Mast and standing rigging
  3. Auxiliary power systems
  4. Sails
  5. Running rigging
  6. Deck solid (you said the deck is teak. It was likely screwed to the fiberglass deck. This is a big project. Two options. Remove and replace after repairs to deck if leaking. Or remove the deck, fill the holes, smooth and paint the deck. )
These are the areas that make the boat sailable. Get the needed safety equipment and you can enjoy the boat. It is not new but usable when these parts work.

Then you can decide about dressing the boat up.
 
Jun 21, 2007
2,105
Hunter Cherubini 36_80-82 Sausalito / San Francisco Bay
If you take a gander at the traveler in the attached picture. Looks like yours is by the same manufacturer, different model. But should give you and idea of your "missing" elements.

Referring back to your pictures:
- Hard to tell from the resolution, but it looks to me that on the right and left side of the car, the screws/bolts that allowed connection to the left/right control blocks are broken off? If so, the car is not really repairable.
- On your picture that shows the teak wood on the cockpit side. Something once was screwed/bolted into it. As already suggested by dlochner, probably that's the port one of the two blocks that control the port/starboard movement of the traveler. If the same missing part is on the other side, then that is the answer.

With ingenuity and little expense, one could probably make the traveler at least be the anchor point again for your main sheet blocks and tackle. For example: Install shackles through each one of the two holes in the traveler car. Connect them "into one" with a SS ring. Then attach the block and tackle from your boom to the ring. As others have already mentioned -- give consideration to whether you will use a traveler for your type of sailing. If not, devise a way to keep the car located dead center on the rail. Like drilling/tapping a 1/4" bolt into the rail on each side of the car to lock in place. Suspect though: How secure is the traveler rail secured to the boat?
 

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