Mainsheet Traveller

[Helvic hunter]

I have a Hunter Ranger 265 and I am looking to install a mainsheet traveller. The cockpit is exactly 24 inches wide with the seating(which slope ventrally in an abaxial direction) a further 14 inches wide each side. I plan to install a Barton system across the 24 inches only as placing it across the seats will involve a lot more work. Has anybody had previous experience of doing a similar job, any regrets and what would be the best course of action?

 

[William_H]

Much depends on just how far along the boom the main sheet attachment is. Obviously end boom sheeting would need a very long traveller system while a half way along the boom sheeting means a shorter traveller is useful.
I would however even with half way sheeting recommend that you extend the traveller track across the seats. This gives more range and the ability to let the traveller right out when running but with main sheet still fairly tight to provide down pull on the boom.
My traveller track is across a bridge deck right at the entrance hatch so continues right across the seats. It can be a problem if people want to sit in the main entrance.
A track across the cockpit in the middle tends to divide the cockpit and is a pain to get past. If you put the track on the floor of the cockpit then you lose a lot of effect because the main sheet will be so much longer with smaller angles to the boom.
larger boats tend to have a traveller at the transom with main sheet running along the boom to the gooseneck down to the deck then to a winch. Often 2 ends of the main sheet one each side of the cabin top.
Other boats have a traveller track across the cabin top over the entrance hatch. This again tends to be too short and too much load the main sheet being too close to the gooseneck.
Really if you can only get 24inches in and the track is well back dividing the cockpit I would not change from single point mainsheet attachment to the floor. I don't think the benefits outweigh the inconvenience. have a look at lots of other boats before you commit. good luck olewill

 

[oldsaltoz]

Have you considered placing the track in front of the companionway?

Good luck and fair winds.

 

[charles_reed]

Have you considered placing the track in front of the companionway?

Good luck and fair winds.

I think that that is what he is proposing, keeping the boom-end fixing of the mainsheet.

I'd tend to agree with olewill, that it will be very troublesome in use and he is really as badly burnt as scalded.
Splitting the cockpit with a traveller is most inconvenient, putting it on the companionway is dangerous as well.
Ideally the track across the mainhatch would keep it out of the way, but necessitate a much stiffer boom and probably interfer with the spray-hood mounting.