Traveler placement

[bestfriend]

Originally Posted by Plumper

It kind of defeats the purpose if there is only a foot or so of travel each way from the centerline. The good thing about cabin top travelers is they have a great arc of movement even when they are only the cabin width wide. When you dump the traveler on that kind of design, it makes a difference. A little dinky traveler right aft is almost a waste of money. It would be like having a one foot long traveler mid boom. The farther aft you put it, the longer it has to be to be effective.

Right, and I am concerned about performance. I drop the traveler a lot with the high winds here.

What kind of structural reinforcement am I looking at if I put it just ahead of the opening lockers across the length of the seats? (in the foreground on the photo)

[bestfriend]

Originally Posted by Cruisingdad

BF,

I may be the lone discenter here, but I sailed a boat for a while with that and hated it. I was always smacking my shine on it and tripping over it everytime I wanted to go forward to trip the main. It makes single handling more burdensome. Think about going to weather and someone sitting in the seat close to the trav and having to manuever around them and it.

I realize the benefits of having it there, but the tradeoffs were not worth it to me. But I do not race and prefer a more liesurely sail - thus prefer cabin top. The difficulty with the cabin top is that to adjust it, you have to go forward. You could consider extending the lines to make it more accessible from the back of the cockpit.

Just some thoughts. Hope you are doing well. I still owe you a call.

- CD

I have thought about just running the sheet along the outside of the cockpit back to the helm. It may be more practical and beneficial to add winches aft, which I have also wanted. Its the sheet that I really want to control more than the traveler. I like having it in my hand to adjust.

CD, sorry about not getting back to you, that PM got away during the chicago trip.

[JohnRPollard]

BF,

Harken, and I'm sure Lewmar etc, have certain traveller track specifically designed to span distances that are unsupported. So you would need to choose that kind of track if you span the footwell.

I am going to put in a vote for the bridgedeck. That's where ours is, and it is very convenient, particularly for single handing. When anchored, we have a quick release and simply clip the mainsheet off to the sidedeck, getting it and the boom out of the way. This also allows for a larger bimini than if the traveller were further aft.

I will say, though, that our traveller pad is recessed, so it's not something that we stub our toes on. You might have to consider that if it's to be flush mounted. I wish ours were a bit wider, but aside from that and some clunky hardware, it does seem to work well for its intended purpose.

[sailingdog]

Why not run it the full length of the bridge deck??? That would give you a fairly decent length of traveler to control sail shape with, but wouldn't add any additional shin destroying hazards... you'd need to keep the boom and traveller off-center when at anchor, so it isn't blocking the companionway...but other than that it should be pretty good.

[bestfriend]

The bridgedeck isn't much more beneficial than what I have now with the lines led aft on the cabin top. I like it, but it wouldn't be worth the work and not enough of a change.

[Plumper]

I wouldn't like having it right in the middle of the companionway. Where would you perch on a rainy cold day? What about dodgers and canopies? They would become more difficult to make.

What is wrong with having it on your cabin top? Can you be specific? Maybe just changing the lead of the control lines rather than the entire traveler would be a better solution.

[bestfriend]

Originally Posted by Plumper

I wouldn't like having it right in the middle of the companionway. Where would you perch on a rainy cold day? What about dodgers and canopies? They would become more difficult to make.

What is wrong with having it on your cabin top? Can you be specific? Maybe just changing the lead of the control lines rather than the entire traveler would be a better solution.

I am leaning that way, but wanted to explore moving the whole system. You bring up some good points about the dodger and bimini. Specifically, I want the mainsheet back at the helm for easier control while single handing. So, yes, re doing the lines and maybe adding a winch back there might be better.

[Plumper]

Instead of moving the traveler get an autopilot with a remote. My lines are on the top of my cabin and my wheel is aft in the cockpit. I steer with my autopilot and trim from forward. If I see something and have to mnvre very quickly I just disengage the clutch and drive around the object without trimming the sails.

[bestfriend]

Originally Posted by Plumper

Instead of moving the traveler get an autopilot with a remote. My lines are on the top of my cabin and my wheel is aft in the cockpit. I steer with my autopilot and trim from forward. If I see something and have to mnvre very quickly I just disengage the clutch and drive around the object without trimming the sails.

That is certainly a possibility as I have to make an electronics investment in the near future.

[christyleigh]

On my c320 I ran the traveler control lines outside of my dodger and back to the stern pulpit so that my wife could relax against the bulkhead in peace as I basically single hand 99% of the time. I simply used rail cleats to hold the block on the cabin top and block/cleat combo on the forward rear pulpit rail. It may look 'micky mouse' but it worked perfectly for 4 years up until I traded it in.