Can I repair the traveler myself?

[roland stockham]

Originally Posted by tkeithlu

CHL, I'm a bit concerned that this traveler doesn't appear to have been designed to take repetitive bending in one direction, that of side to side in the top photograph. Is it rigged in such a way that it's being subjected to a load in the wrong orientation? It appears to have failed in fatigue, and could do so again if the forces stay the same. Do you have thoughts on how to prevent another failure?

Second this thought, the traveler car need to be free to pivot in all directions, I doubt a shock absorbed wold be sufficient and would expect this design to be destroyed by slating let alone gibing

[stormalong]

Originally Posted by roland stockham

Second this thought, the traveler car need to be free to pivot in all directions, I doubt a shock absorbed wold be sufficient and would expect this design to be destroyed by slating let alone gibing

I have the exact same fitting on a Harken big boat traveler. The original, not the latest captive ball version. The traveler car was replaced by a recall 20+ years ago. Boat has over 130,000 miles on it. That fitting is still good. The block is free to rotate on both axis.

[GregW1309]

Hardware controlling the main should never fail like that. Either the hardware is undersized, installed wrong, or defective. You should not sail with the main unless you can jury rig an attachment to take the load instead of that broken hardware. Complete failure of the traveler could be very damaging or hazardous!

[RaymondR]

The toggle arrangement has been designed to accommodate the rubber spring and in doing so has compromised the strength of the toggle. Your two options would appear to be to replace the toggle and live with it knowing that it is likely to occur again with a herd jibe or bring it to the manufacturers attention and hope that they will replace it with a stronger design. Hopefully one which will fit on the same track.

[Cool Hand Luke]

Submitted a request to Harken via their website... sent in photos... got an email response back. They don't care since it's over 5 years old. They want $1,567 for replacement

[sail sfbay]

Sounds like you you have a fix so go go for it.

[RaymondR]

Originally Posted by Cool Hand Luke

Submitted a request to Harken via their website... sent in photos... got an email response back. They don't care since it's over 5 years old. They want $1,567 for replacement

You might respond that this is not a warranty issue but a matter of deficient "fitness for purpose" because of a design failure. It is not normal "wear and tear". Research where the company is headquartered and sent it to the chief executive.

There is a thread on the forum in the loss of a vessel and death of two crew following the failure of a preventer and subsequent failure of a main sheet traveler.

[Tillsbury]

Originally Posted by RaymondR

You might respond that this is not a warranty issue but a matter of deficient "fitness for purpose" because of a design failure. It is not normal "wear and tear". Research where the company is headquartered and sent it to the chief executive.

There is a thread on the forum in the loss of a vessel and death of two crew following the failure of a preventer and subsequent failure of a main sheet traveler.

....which was incorrectly specified and incorrectly installed. I doubt you’re going to be able to nail Harken for either of those. Possibly the manufacturer of the boat if it’s new enough and you can prove it was like that from the start.

But really, you’re just going to need to fix it properly.

[RaymondR]

Originally Posted by Tillsbury

....which was incorrectly specified and incorrectly installed. I doubt you’re going to be able to nail Harken for either of those. Possibly the manufacturer of the boat if it’s new enough and you can prove it was like that from the start.

But really, you’re just going to need to fix it properly.

Two points:

Removing the metal in the toggle in order to provide for mounting the elastomer is a design fault by the manufacturer of the toggle and not the boat. If it's under designed it's not fit for purpose.

The reference to the vessel loss is to illustrate that the failure of these type of components may have mortal consequences.

[Lake-Effect]

Originally Posted by Cool Hand Luke

Submitted a request to Harken via their website... sent in photos... got an email response back. They don't care since it's over 5 years old. They want $1,567 for replacement

What are they saying must be replaced? the whole car?

If you're close to a well-stocked chandlery, I would head there with the photos and the broken piece, and get their input. From the Harken link I posted earlier, it looks like there are a number of different styles that would fit. They have a simple inverted U which doesn't have the rubber stand-up spring, but it looks stronger. Maybe you could add an external coil spring to stand the block up. They also have one similar to your failed one but with side 'ears' for the traveller control blocks, so that there wouldn't be as much unbalanced force on the toggle-to-car connection.

You could also just get the exact same part again, keep an eye on it, and don't let the boom slam around.

[Bill O]

Originally Posted by Cool Hand Luke

Submitted a request to Harken via their website... sent in photos... got an email response back. They don't care since it's over 5 years old. They want $1,567 for replacement

Eventually would get rid of the Harken and replace. The car is probably very difficult to move under load also. It appears to have lived a good life and doesn't owe you anything. As suggested by A64, a preventer maybe useful to stop accidental/hard gybes.

Garhauer is much cheaper, better track, cars and bearings than that old Harken. We have Garhauer on our main and it's very nice compared to an old Harken track on the mizzen that we eventually replace.

[Brewgyver]

CHL, if it were my boat I'd look for a replacement car that will fit the same track. I don't know if the actual track was changed when Harken went to that car design, it's quite possible that you could use an older car design on the same track. This one on eBay, for a 32 mm track, looks to have a forged shackle (or toggle), which should be MUCH stronger:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Harken-32mm...oAAOSwq3he3moQ

You'll see it's complete with the blue plastic track to ease installation, and only $200!

[Cool Hand Luke]

Thank you to ALL that responded!!!

I officially give you permission to smack me across the face and make fun of me... the part # is 1567. The cost is only $78 USD. Just purchased it...

https://www.harken.com/productdetail.aspx?id=51706

Thanks again to everyone!! Again... I would've had a heart attack if I saw that under sail... good thing I was having a beer in a quiet anchorage

[Brewgyver]

LOL, well, that's a whole lot better! So you misread the part number as the price? Good to be able to laugh at yourself, as Alan Funt used to say!

Happy to hear it!

[Cool Hand Luke]

Originally Posted by Brewgyver

LOL, well, that's a whole lot better! So you misread the part number as the price? Good to be able to laugh at yourself, as Alan Funt used to say!

Happy to hear it!

Yep... couldn't agree more... I just got the notification from Harken that it was shipped. I'll post some before and after photos so that it may help someone in the future.

Thank you again to all that replied... you guys are the best!!