When to use the traveller

[SanderO]

Here's another novel use for the traveler.

The wind dies and is too forward to sail anyway and you have to motor. You want to keep the sail up to keep the boat more stable.

To keep it from slatting you want to move the aft end to windward to reduce the slatting and possibly provide an aerodynamic shape.

You will get a bit of assist from the sail and less slatting if any.

jef
shiva

[tenuki]

btw, just wanted to mention that with big genny's and tall thin mains a lot of the main's job seems to be to provide a proper 'slot' for the genny, the backwinding tells you that you are starting to 'infringe' on the slot, so if you touch the backwinding, then back off a bit, that is roughly equivalent to the old adage of getting proper main trim by letting the mainsheet out until it starts to luff, then bring it in just until it stops. good rules of thumb to start with at least.

Another way to extend traveller adjustment thinking past 'the slot' adjustment is to think of it as a way to control 'helm'. I first figure out the 'slot' placement, but if I start getting more than 5 degrees of helm I move further to leeward, if I start running out of track it was time to reef 5 minutes ago..

[SEMIJim]

Originally Posted by tenuki

when beating in at least 10 knots may be the best time to fiddle with it the first time.

Yeah, 10 kts is excellent for learning/practicing. Too bad we're not seeing it often when we're out there. Ah well, patience, right?

Originally Posted by tenuki

On my boat in those conditions (beating in 10+) I move the traveler to leeward until the main is just getting a slight nudge of backwind from the genny right at the luff (mast side of mainsail) for max speed.

How can you tell the main is getting back-winded? I imagine there's something you see in the sail shape, but what?

Originally Posted by tenuki

your boat will be different, nothing more fun than watching the speed meter (gps, whatever) in a steady wind and tweaking tweaking tweaking to find the sweet spot.

Yeah, if we could only keep the damn knotmeter working. Keeps getting fouled with weeds. Grrr We do have the GPS, and its SOG, but that's a bit slower to respond than the knotmeter.

Originally Posted by tenuki

Another way to extend traveller adjustment thinking past 'the slot' adjustment is to think of it as a way to control 'helm'. I first figure out the 'slot' placement, but if I start getting more than 5 degrees of helm I move further to windward, if I start running out of track it was time to reef 5 minutes ago..

Okay, now I'm confused . Prior comments indicated moving the mainsheet traveller to the leeward side as the air gets heavier, to counteract weather helm. And that made sense, as it would seem to achieve two things: Dump more air out of the leach and move the point the mainsail's pulling on to the leeward side, thus encouraging her to stand up straighter. But you're talking about moving the mainsheet traveller to the windward side in the same conditions?

Jim

[tenuki]

But you're talking about moving the mainsheet traveller to the windward side in the same conditions?

haha, my mistake, I meant lee, sorry for the confusion!

[tenuki]

Originally Posted by SEMIJim

How can you tell the main is getting back-winded?

You can see the wind pushing the 'bag' of the sail in at the luff. Sort of looks like someone standing at your mast and punching in on the back of the sail with their hand up and down the luff.

They key is that every boat is different, you may sail faster without backwinding like that, my boat loves it.

[6string]

On the boat that I sail, we can not reef. It is a 20' cat rigged racing boat. ( 216 sq ' of main sail on a 650 lb hull ) While sailing to weather, the main sheet is used to control the leach tension and the traveler controls the in and out of the main, keeping the boat from healing. We want to keep the boat at 15 degree heal. As winds pick up we add vang to hold the boom down and by releasing some mainsheet the leach loosen and we allow the top of the main to spill some air, keeping us from healing. As soon as the puff blows through we trim the main back in. The tight vang keeps the luff of the sail working while the leach and head spill air. Very effective in keeping the boat moving. The traveler is worked aggressively, in and out, in puffy conditions especially in the 8 - 15 mph range. Over 15 we pretty much leave the traveler out and work the main sheet with the vang and cunningham on hard.

Jeff

[capt.stu]

jeff, you have to be talking about a C scow. our club has a good sized fleet. I race a Flying Scot and we use the vang very agressively on a close hauled course and play the main in and out to balance the rig and steer without too much rudder movement. We don't have a traveler on the Scot.
Stu

[Stryker72]

Originally Posted by 6string

On the boat that I sail, we can not reef. It is a 20' cat rigged racing boat. ( 216 sq ' of main sail on a 650 lb hull ) While sailing to weather, the main sheet is used to control the leach tension and the traveler controls the in and out of the main, keeping the boat from healing. We want to keep the boat at 15 degree heal. As winds pick up we add vang to hold the boom down and by releasing some mainsheet the leach loosen and we allow the top of the main to spill some air, keeping us from healing. As soon as the puff blows through we trim the main back in. The tight vang keeps the luff of the sail working while the leach and head spill air. Very effective in keeping the boat moving. The traveler is worked aggressively, in and out, in puffy conditions especially in the 8 - 15 mph range. Over 15 we pretty much leave the traveler out and work the main sheet with the vang and cunningham on hard.

Jeff

This is a great explanation!

[6string]

Originally Posted by capt.stu

jeff, you have to be talking about a C scow. our club has a good sized fleet. I race a Flying Scot and we use the vang very agressively on a close hauled course and play the main in and out to balance the rig and steer without too much rudder movement. We don't have a traveler on the Scot.
Stu

You are correct. I use very little rudder movement as well. I will hike hard as a new puff hits, let out a little traveler a few moments later steer ever so slightly off to gain speed and then steer up as the traveler is trimmed. You can't lift without speed. Sometimes it is amazing how much lift and speed you can get. I can lift a whole boat length and gain distance forward on other boats near by that don't get the motion right.

I sail my "C" in Wisconsin with my wife as crew. We have a fleet of 24, we finished 3rd. Our Tuesday night series is our championship series which just ended last week as it gets dark too soon this time of year. I am going to have withdrawals tonight. Might need to have a Mount Gay and Tonic or two.

Jeff