Mainsheet traveller

[tgpt21]

I have just bought a Gib Sea 372 and am looking to improve it. The mainsheet traveller is on the coachroof with the sheet led forward and then aft through a cam cleat. I feel that this will be an awkward system. I feel moving the traveller into the cockpit would make the controls more accessable but would it be detrimental to the setting of the sails?

 

[VicS]

A traveller across the front of the cockpit may impede entry/exit from the cabin. across the cockpit anywhere else will make moving about the cockpit difficult. Track and traveller are a danger to fingers, something to consider especially with children, inexperienced crew or "passengers" on board. Across the back of the cockpit will limit the usefulness of the whole track and traveller system in controlling sail shape but otherwise gets it all out of the way and can also use a smaller "purchase" ratio and consequently less rope is involved for the sheet.

I think I would stick with the existing arrangement to begin with and only alter it if really does prove unsatisfactory.

 

[Salty John]

I agree with VicS, a mainsheet traveller bisecting the cockpit can be a pain.

 

[William_H]

Well my traveller is right across the cockpit at the entrance hatch. It is great for sail control and racing but can be very dangerous/inconveneient.
The traveller across the coach roof is fairly inefficient in that it is not very wide and not convenient for adjustment of the mainsheet or travelller. It requires a powerfull boom vang. It depends a lot on whether you sail in confined waters with frequent adjustments or in the open water where you adjust only a few times per day.

As an easy compromise a friend (high Roy) has a coach roof mounted traveller with mainsheet that went like yours. He also has a dodger behind the traveller.
It was fairly easy to modify the main sheet so the block with the cleat on was at the boom and well aft on the boom so that it was behind the dodger and accessible from the cockpit.
To explain the sheet rope ran from the boom down to the traveller block up to the boom down to the traveller block back up to the boom then aft along the bottom of the boom to a block with a cam cleat mountedon it.
It seems unconventional to reach up to the boom to release the mainsheet but because the sheet is attached near the middle of the boom it does not go overboard much and the tail is easily grabbed for tightening the mainsheet. It is easy to modify for a try. You are still stuck with awkward traveller lines. good luck olewill

 

[doug748]

I made stainless pegs to limit the scope of the traveller. Particularly useful in a blow with guests aboard.