Should I Install a Mainsheet Traveller ?

[bazzer]

My boat, a 34 ft cutter, currently has the mainsheet attached to the boom end and the wooden boomkin, sure it's out of the way, but it's prone to twisting the sheet and the blocks. I have been thinking of upgrading to a mainsheet traveller in the cockpit, similar to a Westsail 32, as a improvement.
Does anyone have any experience of doing this? Will it affect the weather helm? Etc?
Baz

[sy_gilana]

Hi, I hate travellers, they're such unsociable things. Be careful to not load the boom too far forward if the clew is pulling at the end. This could cost you a boom. I would look at the twin sheet system, where a multi-part tackle is suspended from the boom leading to two deck mounted sheaves with jam-cleats and snap shackles. This way, you have one as a kicker, and one as a sheet, reversing on opposite tack, also you can clip one forward to the rail, as a preventer, and bring the windward one to the lee for downwind work. This system is fantastic, I wish I had it, but I have seen it and used it.

[bazzer]

Thanks for the reply. I have a great Dutchman Boom Brake already fitted, I have used a traveller in the past and like them. My boom is very sturdy but very long. Moving to where I think it would go would move the blocks about four feet along the boom. I dont think this would much of a problem

[barnakiel]

You do not need the traveler if you have an efficient boom vang. You do not need a boom vang if you have an efficient traveler system.


b.

[cal40john]

Where the center of effort of the sail is determines how much helm, where you pull on it has no effect on helm, just how hard it is to pull in the sail.

There might be things you can do to minimize tangling the current system. Are the blocks on springs to hold them up? Are they on universals so they can pivot?

John

[bazzer]

Originally Posted by cal40john

Where the center of effort of the sail is determines how much helm, where you pull on it has no effect on helm, just how hard it is to pull in the sail.

There might be things you can do to minimize tangling the current system. Are the blocks on springs to hold them up? Are they on universals so they can pivot?

John

I have a single block on each side of the boomkin and a double on the end of the boom, the sheet then runs forward to a couple of blocks and then back to a cabin top 5 inch winch...The problem lies with the fact that one of the blocks always seems to twist, just a pain when I want to let the mainsheet out in light wind...

[Seahunter]

34', yes a traveler will help. Will it be in the way? Yes.

[cal40john]

Originally Posted by bazzer

I have a single block on each side of the boomkin and a double on the end of the boom, the sheet then runs forward to a couple of blocks and then back to a cabin top 5 inch winch...The problem lies with the fact that one of the blocks always seems to twist, just a pain when I want to let the mainsheet out in light wind...

Again, is the block on a swivel? If it isn't it doesn't take much twist in the line to pull the block out of alignment and bind. If it is free to rotate then the block will line up with the twist in the line, but you can still eventually have problems. If you feed braided line in with twists, then the block will eventually rotate until the sheet is wrapped around itself. So once in a while you have to undo the twists if you weren't careful about them going in in the first place.

Laid line is right out.

John

[bazzer]

Originally Posted by cal40john

Again, is the block on a swivel? If it isn't it doesn't take much twist in the line to pull the block out of alignment and bind. If it is free to rotate then the block will line up with the twist in the line, but you can still eventually have problems. If you feed braided line in with twists, then the block will eventually rotate until the sheet is wrapped around itself. So once in a while you have to undo the twists if you weren't careful about them going in in the first place.

Laid line is right out.

John

Yep, both the boomkin blocks are on swivels. I twist the mainsheet it unwinds itself, but only to twist again a little later! This system also puts a high load on the wooden boomkin whereas a traveller would eliminate this problem.
Baz

[bazzer]

I'll post some pictures next time I am at the boat

[cal40john]

Originally Posted by bazzer

Yep, both the boomkin blocks are on swivels. I twist the mainsheet it unwinds itself, but only to twist again a little later! This system also puts a high load on the wooden boomkin whereas a traveller would eliminate this problem.
Baz

I don't think you'll change the load much. Mainsheet loose, rig load on backstay. As you pull on the mainsheet you share the rig load between the mainsheet block and the backstay. Total load on the boomkin remains the same.

John