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I'm looking for a traveler that will fit my Commander (270). The split mainsheet thwarts attempts to get the boom to centerline to get us more upwind racing. I've come up with several ways to pull the boom more to center and tie it but really need a traveler. Any bright ideas, work-arounds and/or leads to salvaged travelers would be appreciated.
In the PearsonAriel.org Mainsheet Traveler thread - page 3, post #52
Sea GlassMike posted two diagrams from alan white on boatdesign.net
of a modified "A-rig" mainsheet system that performs equal to the racer's traveler.
This is more like the system that came with the boats when new.
It would be really interesting to hear how this modified sheet rig compares with
the now more common traveler system when racing
with other Commanders and Ariels.
There will be twice the spaghetti in the cockpit, and tangled in tiller!!
Thanks! This is like our current jury-rig. We put a loop around the aft end of the boom. We tie a reefing hook to a piece of line. After we tack and get the boat settled we hook the loop and pull the line through a pad-eye on the deck aft while yanking the boom to the centerline. Then we cleat it to an aft cleat. We call it the "enabler"-- the opposite of a "preventer"--since it enables us to point up more as opposed to preventing the boom from jybing.
It works pretty well but is clumsy. The double boom vang rig in the drawings would be an improvement. The one problem with this is that it tends to also pull the boom down while going sideways. Sometimes you just want more sideways than down which a traveler can do.
Of course, both a traveler system and the 'A-rig' pull the boom down while pulling the boom toward center.
Therefor the real advantage of the traveler is infinite adjustability.
Aside from being more high tech, expensive, & compact. You have to admit that the real reason
for its invention is that it requires only a single sheet.
There exists a midboom version of the twin mainsheet,
called "A-frame" by the guy who rigged it. Unfortunately, lousey fotos, but there is a basic diagram
of his idea: (google> A-frame mid boom mainsheet)
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The original www.boatdesign.net thread is at Replace Traveller and Track With What?
On that thread there is also a very wet photo of yacht BRUNEL from the 2005/6 Volvo Round the World Race
showing a couple stropped blocks* hanging from the end of the boom.
imco, an A-rig system would work better, at pulling the boom to weather,
with blocks NOT sharing the same bail, but rigged, like the ocean racer,
with separate blocks, stropped and grommeted separately to the boom,
which will less likely twist the boom -- and add some give to a connection that gets yanked around a lot!
*stropped blocks (basic traditional): www.duckworksmagazine.com/
However on a wave hopper like Brunel, the strops are most likely low-stretch polyester tube webbing.
for a great photo, google> S/V MOMO: October 2010...scroll down to the vang discussion.
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Can also be found trolling google 'images' by typing in A-rig mainsheet.
If you race and you care how you finish you need a proper traveler. No other way to get the twist in light air and a depowered flat sail in big wind. I know they are expensive but they are irreplaceable.
You know, it's either Harkenitis or Harkentosis that's at work here.
You have to compare your traveler of choice with a twin mainsheet A-rig (separate mainsheet tackles as described)....in a race series...to be fair.
I'd bet even better control can be gotten out of the A-rig if the deck blocks were further out near the port and starboard rails
....which can not be done with the traveler length as usually rigged on the A/C.
That way, with the 'travel' further apart, there might be less downpull on the boom for a given weather sheeting -- and easier tweeking.
Both have good points going for them. It's just that the Harken model is currently hot-tech.
While with the A-rig, if you loose, it's because you have stupid gear.
As I say, the traveler is also a lot neater, uses less line, and every boat has one.
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Later EDIT: Actually, I don't want to appear to co-opt this discussion, so I'm sticking this comment in here after the following later posts are already in place. Because....have to say: what is most remarkable about pearsonariel.org/ are the Forums we have available for us to swap introductions, experiences, successes, failures, knowledge, humor, and bloody opinions.... about a boat we all love. This exchange is a good one.
Ebb,
I totally agree that you can achieve great sail shape with duel main sheets, probably superior to a traveler. But often during a race my traveler is in constant motion: tacking duels, hyper point mode trying to pinch someone off at the start, puffy conditions. In big wind the main is sheeted tight and flat and the traveler is used to depower as slacking the main just gives it shape so it powers up. If these boats heel more than 15 to 20 degrees you just slide sideways to leeward and have to sail twice the distance to get to the weather mark. Maybe it's different sailing in a more constant sea breeze but in our shifty and punchy conditions you don't have time to fiddle around with twin sheets during a race. That is, as I said, if you care how you finish. If you are just cruising around, set it for the prevailing conditions and don't sweat the small changes.
Commander 227: I crewed for a season on a C&C 24 with the twin A rig and you're exactly right. It's a very fiddly rig. Inevitably you end up with the boom rising as you readjust. Particularly in high winds a traveler is a dream in that you can simply move a flattened main from one side to the other. I'm sailing on a tight budget so I'm hoping to come up with a salvaged rig that can be fit to my Commander. I've just missed a few locally. I'd appreciate any leads or info.