Whose traveller would you want?

[a64pilot]

Selden fell through after a couple of months of promising, they now say middle of this month, but they promised middle of last month too.
So who’s traveller would you want? I believe I can get Schaffer pretty quick and possibly Harken.
My gut says Harken, but I don’t have experience with any of them?
Would you go with another? I have to have one bent and ideal would be one without holes so I could have it match drilled to my old one, but I can live with pre existing mounting holes and just re-drill the deck.

But bottom line is which traveller is best for a cruising boat, not racing so I’d like good a and durable with available replacement parts

[pcmm]

What about Garhauer?

[s/v Moondancer]

I sent Garhauer my old traveller and they made an exact replica. The through bolts were extra long and they custom made me new long bolts.

Half the price of a big name traveller. I then sailed 20,000 nm with the new traveller.

[hpeer]

Garhauef. I have a small track and one year a set screw loosened so that I had a problem with a sheave. I was at the boat show">Annapolis Boat show and was talking to a guy at the Garhauer display and mentioned my problem. He was aghast and immediatly took my name and had replacement parts sent to me. I didn’t ask for new parts, they just sent them.

[a64pilot]

Originally Posted by pcmm

What about Garhauer?

I’ll ask.
I’m sort of against a clock now. I’ve sat in one place too long and I’m going stir crazy, family “events” have kept us here, but hopefully the biggest one of those will resolve itself on the 9th.
If so I’m pretty determined to be gone if possible by the first of the year.
I suppose so could wait until the end of Jan if I had to.

[a64pilot]

I have a call into Gahauer now

[Seighlor]

I do not recall the various brand names I've had over the years on different boats. Along the way, I'm sure the different manufacturers have improved their products. A couple of mine failed dismally. Harken, however, has been flawless. The last boat I had, Harken bent the traveler so as to be an exact fit. But the Harken holes may not match those already in your deck.

All that said, in your situation, I would definitely contact Harken. Their roller bearings really "roll" and seem to hold up forever.

[a64pilot]

I’m afraid that I’m beyond having holes matched. I’d rather have gone that way of course.
The Selden was supposed to have come pre bent and we were going to have it match drilled.
Filling holes no big deal really, just I had rather not done it is all.

My gut says Harken too, and a machine should should be able to bend it to match if Harken can’t in time.

[jhulmer]

I prefer Schaffer over Harkins mainly because I think Harkins is over priced and not any better.

I had a Schaffer traveler on my previous boat and it survived the test of time.
I just purchased a new Schaffer traveler kit from Defender and I like the quality. The new track has an extruded slot system for the head of the hex bolts that allows for the use of your existing Hole pattern.
I don't know how much arch you have to put into your track but I'm thinking you could easily make a form out of a Pine 2x6 and form the extrusion over the form. You would need to exacerbate the curve, just a little, to allow for spring back.

Jim


Edit: I am assuming that this is a deck mount track system. If it is a bridge track, bending yourself would be a challenge.

[Taipe]

Originally Posted by s/v Moondancer

I sent Garhauer my old traveller and they made an exact replica. The through bolts were extra long and they custom made me new long bolts.

Half the price of a big name traveller. I then sailed 20,000 nm with the new traveller.

Ditto: Call Guido at Garhauer and see what his turn around time will be. Send him what you have and he will match the holes. I sent him my curved teak laminate mount and he matched it perfectly. Also bought traveler cars from him. They are made stronger and cost me less than Harken.

[carioca]

Garhauer is my go to manufacturer. Excellent service, very well built. Overbuilt if compared to equipment on some racing boats. Superb warranty. They will build it to your specifications. Highly recommended.

[Cat36Mahalo]

I love my new Garhauer traveler. Went from curved to straight. Fit perfect in existing holes.

[bmz]

How about no traveler? the primary purpose of a traveler is to keep the boom from rising; but a boom vang can do that just as well. I set my vang for the proper position off the wind and just keep it there. As I sheet in, the main sheet brings the boom further down-- always keeping just about the right tension on the boom.

[donradcliffe]

Harken hands down. Harken travelers are the choice of race boats because their systems have less friction, lots of design options, last for decades, take lots of abuse, and have spare parts for when you exceed their design loads.

On of the first changes I made to my Beneteau was to switch the traveler to Harken (the PO had already changed out the roller furling). After 80,000 miles I put new balls in, but I really didn't need to.

[glcalahan]

I just replaced my entire Main travelor assembly including main sheet car with Lewmar and it is a is a great product and reasonably priced. My boat is a P-33.