I hear what you're saying C-Pete. Used to "sail" on a C & C Mega 30 that had one of those 24" travelers right through the cockpit and of course at shin hieght. It was a bit of a challenge to move it to windward, or move it period, specially if the skipper thought he was Dennis Connor. Thinking back I'm amazed nobody lost a finger or more. Sometimes I wonder who was a bigger dolt, him for his actions or me for sticking it out.

I was hoping to use the full length of track which is four feet if memory serves me well. Of that length you lose 3-4 inches from both ends for car control blocks and cam cleats, but, that still leaves quite a bit of travel for a 26 foot boat with a 11(plus) foot boom. Between the halyard, cunningham, boom vang, out haul and traveler...oh yeah, mainsheet there should be enough sail shape control to pass the time getting from point A to point Z.

I did some rough drawing on one of the profile diagrams found in the Assoc. manual and a coaming that stretches all the way back and around the lazzarette hatch doesn't look bad at all to my eye. The lines coming off of the forward cabin 'shoot' back to a point just above the stern. This 3-day weekend will hopefully afford me enough time to pattern a full scale mock up of the perimeter dimensions. Then we can really see the difference between paper and plastic.

Have a good Labor Day all.