Hans Christian 33's Traveler Concerns Me

[brucemoody]

I am giving serious consideration to buying a 1987 Hans Christian 33, but its traveler worries me. It's in fine condition, but the design is my source of concern. Its track is an arc, to follow the shape of the cockpit, and the car is not controlled by lines. Appreciate any thoughts you might have regarding this. Thanks.

[s/v 'Faith']

Unlikely to be any kind of an issue.

The car likely pins to the track where ever you want it. You are unlikely to be racing this boat so I doubt it will cause you any grief... you just unload the main and move the car where you want it... no big deal.

[LeaseOnLife]

Originally Posted by brucemoody

I am giving serious consideration to buying a 1987 Hans Christian 33, but its traveler worries me. It's in fine condition, but the design is my source of concern. Its track is an arc, to follow the shape of the cockpit, and the car is not controlled by lines. Appreciate any thoughts you might have regarding this. Thanks.

To me, this "traveler" doesn't go far enough side to side to have any effect.

It almost seems to only have one purpose: get the mainsheet out of the way, for the helmsman ??

Dirk

Edit: Faith was faster

[daddle]

The pulpit looks to be in the way. Just pin it in the middle and forget about it. Some kind of vang would be nice for sail trim.

[bobconnie]

Looks like a fine cruisein set up to me, as Faith said ! it's easy peasy, and above all it has the cruisein KISS going for it !! just my 2 cents

[ReMetau]

We never have any control issues with our traveler. It has been known to stick though, but never really a big problem. The thing I like least about the traveler is how the sheet goes across the help seat so you need to be extra diligent about accidental gibes. We also can't have a full bimini which is a problem in the tropical sun, but we have worked around that too.

[Doodles]

I had friends that cruised one for many years and I had a chance to sail aboard often. It was never an issue that I remember.

[Cheechako]

I wouldnt worry about it much, at least it doesnt weigh 100+ lbs like the bronze I beam one on the HC 38 in my avatar! It's not a boat that's going to go to weather that well anyway. consider using a barber hauler to hold the boom out when reaching ... far better than your usual 4-5 ft traveler....

[Capn Morgan]

Should help keeping the aft end of the boom down and the sail flat in a blow... not a worry. Check the attachment screws, they rust with time. I had one break and as a load was put on that place it started bending upwards.

[ozskipper]

As someone else said, locking pins would suffice. If there was some sort of design fault, a previous owner would have fixed/changed it already.

On a side note. If you go ahead with the purchase. Make sure you like lying on hard surfaces and sanding off old varnish, while in awkward positions. That vertical timber is going to suck. Then again, I despise lying in awkward positions and sanding. :-)

Good luck with your decision either way

[bobconnie]

Thats the ONLY Thing I don't like about the HCs is the great amount of teak to varnish LOL great boats tho except for that !!

[Cheechako]

Yeah,that teak is a bit much.... never did catch up completely with mine! Well built boats though. PS:The brokers like to list them for about 40% above what they sell for....this was before the recession... so dont pay too much. My 38 (shown in avatar) was listed at the usual $135k and sold 1.5 years later for $90k. It had extensive cruising inventory, zero blisters, non teak decks etc.

[foolishsailor]

That traveler is acting more to spread the load for the attachment point of the main sheet blocks than anything else since it is soo short.

It would help you go upwind in very light air since you could travel the main right to the centreline and to sheet hard and travel down a bit to assist going upwind in moderate air but other than that it would not have much use.

As long as there doesn't appear to be rot or obvious water penetration where the screws go in, which there isn't it looks great, I wouldn't worry about it

[barnakiel]

HCh 33, very nice. The traveller nice too - bronze perhaps?

b.