Fitting a traveller?

Tryweryn

Tryweryn

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My first boat is a bit old, Moody 30, so no Genoa traveler is it called. The runner where u trim the Genoa. Basically can i ask whats needed....i want Barton products. Also how do u decide where to put it? Many thanks as usual....:rolleyes:
 
I presume your boat has a track for an adjustable jib sheeting point down each side of the side decks. I am guessing that you want to make this adjustable from the cockpit.
This is desirable when you put rolls of jib in the furler or when you move from beating into the wind to reaching.
You would need a car that will slide on the track easily preferably under load. I have seen one system that uses bungees to pull the car forward and a tackle to pull it backward. But I think inevitably you have to release jib sheet tension to get it to move. To be able to move under load you might need something like a main sheet traveller with ball bearing cars. You could at more expense add another tackle to pull the car forward. All very complicated.

If you look at the maxi racers (100fters) they have the jib sheeting point a smooth ring on the end of a rope. This rope goes through a pulley on the deck well forward of any potential sheeting point. They actually have this pulley on a sideways track so sheeting angle to centre line can be adjusted. This rope goes back to a winch and cleat.
Now presumably you don't need sheeting angle to centre line adjustment, sheeting angle being largely dictated by cabin sides and stay wires.
So just a saddle on the deck well attached with backing plate. A piece of dyneema rope through a pulley on the saddle goes back to a tackle and cleat.(tackle might need to be 4to1) A smooth ring or pulley is attached to the top of the rope. The sheet goes through. One each side. Thus if the pulley is allowed to rise the sheeting will be equivalent to moving aft for larger jib or windward sailing. If the rope (sheeting point) is pulled down it is best for partially furled jib or sailing off the wind.
If you have existing track with sheeting pulley you can continue to use the old system but add the extra line and sheeting point to make what is often called a tweaker. I have these each side up front for spinnaker sheet/brace.
So maybe I am confused about the question but i hope this helps. good luck olewill
 
You first need to check if the deck is designed to take the pressure generated. Most have a 25 mm sheet of ply glassed into the underside of the side deck.

If you do not have this you may be up for some serious glassing. many use only penny washers to prevent the fixings from pulling through. I would install a strip of stainless steel, also note each hole should be drilled oversize then filled with an epoxy mixed with Micro-Fibres, then re drilled to the required size after curing. This prevents any moisture getting into the ply under deck reinforcing ply and also prevents crushing the deck when tightenibg, a common cause of cracks in the gel coat.

The location of the track is also critical, too far one way or the other and may loose some adjustment in certain wind conditions, so llok around at others who have installed and ask questions.

Good luck and fair winds. :)
 
Assuming you're referring to genoa sheet tracks - Barton make two sizes, a 20mm width which is good for lightweight boats <9m and a 25mm track, for up to 11m.
My boat came with the 25mm track, which I replaced with 32mm (not made any more) so as to have line adjustment of sheeting angle from the cockpit. You do need very adequate backing to the track as there are considerable forces involved - I'd suggest glassing in 8mm ply about 50-70mm wide to accept the fixing bolts - use penny washers.
If you want to go to 32mm Harken do a very good one (at almost double the Barton price)
http://www.harken.com/productcategory.aspx?taxid=484
 
To decide where to place them longitudinally on the deck (and to know what length to buy), bear in mind that, in general principle anyway, the part of the sheet extending from the traveller to the clew of the sail must be at such an angle that, if the line of the sheet were produced forward, it would bisect the length of the luff. This applies for all your foresails, if you have hanked-on ones, or, if you have roller reefing, from full genoa to the smallest you are likely to reef it. Where to place them on deck laterally; well, the position of the existing arrangement will give a clue (no pun intended:)), but to be certain, try sheeting in your genoa to fully close hauled, then using another rope or tackle, pull it inboard to the point where the leach of the sail is about two inches from the shroud. This is the ideal fore-and -aft line in which to locate it if the design of your boat will allow.
To find the exact mid-point of your luff, take down the sail and fold it in half down the luff. Stick on some masking tape in a straight line between that mid-point and the clew. When you haul the sail aloft and tighten the sheet you will need to use a tackle to pull the sheet to a position where it and the line of masking tape are in alignment. This will give a physical representation of the sheeting angle for full genoa, which can be tricky to judge by eye. You can adapt this idea to find the sheeting angles of smaller jibs or reefed genoa. You could detach your mainsheet or kicking strap to use as a tackle, but if you do the job on a windless day you probably won't need one.
 
Barton do certainly still supply 32mm track and all the suitable fittings required, as do Lewmar, probably at a higher price. Marinestore, among many others no doubt, can supply it.
 
Only seen the tracks on two moody 30s, in fact it doesnt seem to have ever had a main sheet traveler. I will put one on next month, well side tracks. Not sure where I could put a mainsheet one yet. Although I did see a contessa 33 with a mainsheet traveler over the front of the hatchway on a chrome bar. Getting at the deck will be fun but i can just remove all the wood panels.
 
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