Traveler position on hard bimini

[Foozinator]

Just had my first successful bareboat charter two weekends ago (Lagoon 420 Laule'a in SF). I learned quite a bit and came up with a number of questions.

The one for this thread is: How do you tell the traveler position when the traveler is on top of a hard bimini? You can take a step out from the helm and see the boom and the main sheet, giving you a pretty good idea. If you want to center the traveler, though, it really seems like you have to walk out to the mast.

Has anyone tried any kind of indicator? I thought of a little metal finger that reached from the traveler over the back of the bimini and down far enough to see. Laule'a had a satellite antenna in the way, but for other installations, this might be simple.

[PaulinOz]

Mark the lines with permanent marker pen.

[ggray]

Cut the arch off and put the traveller down where it belongs

[FSMike]

Originally Posted by ggray

Cut the arch off and put the traveller down where it belongs

Well, maybe just move the arch. I can't imagine not being able to see my traveler.

[UNCIVILIZED]

If it wouldn't overly defeat the purpose (or strength of) the bimini, you could install some acrylic windows in it, so that you could see the traveler, as well as get a better view of the sail's trim.

[captstu]

Tie a weighted line to the traveler that dangeles down where you can see it

[HappyMdRSailor]

1 word...

Travlercam...

[UNCIVILIZED]

Bolt a 1"+ thick piece of Lexan to a cutout running the width of the Bimini, & then bolt the traveler to the Lexan. And poof, an eminently visible traveler.
Plus, if you needed more strength than that for things, you could manufacture some; G10, Composite, Lexan, or Aluminum crossbars to bolt & bond across the cutout every so often (@ interval X), & it'd still let you see the traveler pretty easily.

[shipofools]

Centering the traveller on a multihull is rare in my experience, and in most cases means you are falling into monohull sailing logic. Use the traveller to flatten the boat, and create a matching slot. Ideally this includes tweaking the sheeting angles on the jib/genoa/screecher as well Once you are on your own boat and have time behind the helm in various conditions, you will develop a feel for the boat, and the impact of the traveller, and instinctively know if you need to travel up or down, so indicators are not really necessary.

just my opinion.