Shiver Metimbers
Well-Known Member
Mainsheet traveller in the cockpit, does this get in the way?
Mainsheet traveller
- Thread starter Shiver Metimbers
- Start date
Twister_Ken
Well-Known Member
Yes, but it's usually the best place to put it in terms of mechanical advantage, and ease of sail trimming.
So it's a question of comfort/convenience vs efficiency. Your call!
So it's a question of comfort/convenience vs efficiency. Your call!
reeac
Well-Known Member
From experience - yes! But, assuming that you retain your present boom and mainsail, it seems to me that it's not an easy matter to move it to the transom without creating a worse obstruction. Moving it to the coachroof might be a possibility but probably the companionway would be in the way and if you go too far for'ard you'll have too little mechanical advantage i.e be too close to the mast.
MoodySabre
Well-Known Member
I changed from a boat that had it across the stern to one with it on the bridgedeck (near the companionway) and thought it would be a nuisance. In reality I don't find that it is. It's a good position for adjusting it on the go. In harbour it can slid right to one side out of the way. I have my mainsheet with a snapshakle on the bottom so I can unclip it and put it to the toe rail. I have seen them right across the middle of the cockpit and that must be a pain.
Amari
Well-Known Member
Amari also has traveller on bridge deck and we too unclip lower end and transfer to toe rail when moored. Good mechanical advantage. Danger to avoid is crew coming up from below in the middle of a gybe!
bbg
Well-Known Member
It can get in the way. A lot depends on the particular boat. But IMHO, the advantages of having a traveller in the cockpit ususally far outweigh the disadvantages.
If your question had been: Travellers on the coachroof - do they work? Your answers would have been much different. The answer to that question is "generally speaking, nowhere near as well as travellers in the cockpit".
If your question had been: Travellers on the coachroof - do they work? Your answers would have been much different. The answer to that question is "generally speaking, nowhere near as well as travellers in the cockpit".
O
Oldhombre
Guest
Unless the traveller is on the roof of the aft cabin in which case it works just fine.
matelot
Well-Known Member
[ QUOTE ]
Yes, but it's usually the best place to put it in terms of mechanical advantage, and ease of sail trimming.
So it's a question of comfort/convenience vs efficiency. Your call!
[/ QUOTE ]
Not totally convinced of this. Our boat has the more common track in front of the sprayhood. Track is much the same length as it would be in the cockpit so it works over a wider angle of boom which in turn gives better control of mainsail twist. Two double blocks on each side means no great effort to haul in - obviously more than it would be with a track in the cockpit, but the work involved would be the same.
Only problem with our system is that its more difficult to get at with the sprayhood up so we've removed it. Sprayhoods are for wimps anyway /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif And of course we go faster without it.
Yes, but it's usually the best place to put it in terms of mechanical advantage, and ease of sail trimming.
So it's a question of comfort/convenience vs efficiency. Your call!
[/ QUOTE ]
Not totally convinced of this. Our boat has the more common track in front of the sprayhood. Track is much the same length as it would be in the cockpit so it works over a wider angle of boom which in turn gives better control of mainsail twist. Two double blocks on each side means no great effort to haul in - obviously more than it would be with a track in the cockpit, but the work involved would be the same.
Only problem with our system is that its more difficult to get at with the sprayhood up so we've removed it. Sprayhoods are for wimps anyway /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif And of course we go faster without it.
William_H
Well-Known Member
Much depends on the size of he boat. On my 21fter (V large main) it works really well on the bridge deck adjacent to the cabin entrance. The boom is sheeted about midway which puts a bending load on the boom but means less sheet to pull in.
i have one crew sitting up on the gunwhale with the traveller control 3 purchase between their legs. (pulling vertically) So traveller is used when overpowered. (often) However for single handing I can reach forward to the main sheet easily. Much of this arrangement depends on the shape of the cockpit of course.
I have a photo from last Sunday's race but am having trouble posting it. Wrong OS apparently. it shows 4 people all on the gunwhale one up near the shrouds bounding along with much of the hull showing in 18knots of wind. Not everyone's kind of sailing but I/we enjoy it and it certainly can beat the bigger boats around the buoys. Sorry olewill (getting carried away)
i have one crew sitting up on the gunwhale with the traveller control 3 purchase between their legs. (pulling vertically) So traveller is used when overpowered. (often) However for single handing I can reach forward to the main sheet easily. Much of this arrangement depends on the shape of the cockpit of course.
I have a photo from last Sunday's race but am having trouble posting it. Wrong OS apparently. it shows 4 people all on the gunwhale one up near the shrouds bounding along with much of the hull showing in 18knots of wind. Not everyone's kind of sailing but I/we enjoy it and it certainly can beat the bigger boats around the buoys. Sorry olewill (getting carried away)
Graham_Wright
Well-Known Member
Another consideration is a bimini if you have one. I am still pondering how to protect the cockpit occupants from the sun completely.
You really need a self-healing slot which I have yet to find!
You really need a self-healing slot which I have yet to find!
Twister_Ken
Well-Known Member
castaway
Well-Known Member
[ QUOTE ]
IMHO, the advantages of having a traveller in the cockpit ususally far outweigh the disadvantages.
[/ QUOTE ]
Personally I try to avoid having travellers in my cockpit, last time I lost not only my fenders but my garden gnomes as well
Nick
IMHO, the advantages of having a traveller in the cockpit ususally far outweigh the disadvantages.
[/ QUOTE ]
Personally I try to avoid having travellers in my cockpit, last time I lost not only my fenders but my garden gnomes as well
Nick
tobble
Well-Known Member
not to be confused with Tescew, where the queen has been getting her groceries since the recession.
ebbtide
N/A
Apart from agreeing that bridge deck travellers have many more pros than cons, is this the point to recommend a double block double purchase mainsheet (grab the lot for big heave, only one line for fine adjustment) and long splice the two ends together so that you never run out of string?
Can't take the credit, it came with the boat. Brilliant!
Can't take the credit, it came with the boat. Brilliant!
Graham_Wright
Well-Known Member
Thanks;- that's brill.
charles_reed
Well-Known Member
The disadvantage of a Mainsheet traveller, part-way along the boom is that the boom section has to be appreciably greater than one with an end-fixed mainsheet. This can make gybing considerably more challenging.
My traveller is above the mainhatch, just forward of the opened hatchway. I've had to beef up the traveller track (for one Lewmar reckon to be good for 34-40' boats). When hard on the wind, you can see the deflection on the boom.
Relatively overcanvassed for its size (31' OA with a 338ft2 main), the mainsheet is easy enough to single hand as the end is brought back to the after end of the coachroof (as are the first 2 single-line reefs, the vang, and all the halyards).
That is, of course, nothing compared to a Sydney Harbour skiff!!
My traveller is above the mainhatch, just forward of the opened hatchway. I've had to beef up the traveller track (for one Lewmar reckon to be good for 34-40' boats). When hard on the wind, you can see the deflection on the boom.
Relatively overcanvassed for its size (31' OA with a 338ft2 main), the mainsheet is easy enough to single hand as the end is brought back to the after end of the coachroof (as are the first 2 single-line reefs, the vang, and all the halyards).
That is, of course, nothing compared to a Sydney Harbour skiff!!