Can I repair the traveler myself?

[Cool Hand Luke]

I just noticed the block on the traveler is hanging on for dear life. Can I repair/replace this myself? If so, where would I get the metal part? West Marine? Contact a Jeanneau dealer?

[Tudorsailor]

Contact Harken and send them the photos.

TudorSailor

[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?

[IslandInfedel]

Maybe get a upgraded car and swap it out, very end user fixable.

When something breaks I hate using the same part, rather make the old weak link a stronger one, unless the boat was being slammed about I don’t think that should have broken like that.

Call harken, I’d wager if you play your cards right you should be able to get a healthy discount or some credit, I’d be bothered if I were them and saw my product failed like that on a boat it was speced for

[a64pilot]

I’d bet one or two accidental gybes have taken their toll, if that’s the case, maybe a preventer or boom brake may be called for .
Your going to be surprised what that car costs, but this a whole lot better than a boom.

[Lake-Effect]

Originally Posted by Cool Hand Luke

I just noticed the block on the traveler is hanging on for dear life. Can I repair/replace this myself?

Whew. Yeah you probably want to fix that.


An important consideration is why that bit failed. To me, it looks like the thing might be connected wrong; the car's clevis pin should be passing through the lower loop, not the upper one? Because of this wrong connection, it looks like there would be extreme force applied to just one side of the part at a time, which caused it to fail. Just a guess; I don't have this big a car on our traveller. It might have been the result of a few good boom slams from accidental gybes [as per a64].

You should be able to get the traveller car off, and then remove and replace that broken bit. If you can, take the whole car including broken part, and your pictures, to a good chandlery so you can discuss with their rigging expert. maybe an upgrade is in order.

Be sure to examine the other parts of the car carefully for signs of stress or failure. It would be a good opportunity to replace the car's rollers/wheels too.

[Lake-Effect]

Originally Posted by Lake-Effect

...To me, it looks like the thing might be connected wrong; the car's clevis pin should be passing through the lower loop, not the upper one?

... aaaaand I'm wrong about that. I just went into the Harken catalog, and it agrees with your pictures. The black part is a plastic "spring".

I also saw that the broken part, called a "stand-up toggle" is indeed available separately.

[Rucksta]

Yes. It's repairable DYI.

Toggle is held in place with a pin running through the center of the long side.
The pin is held in place with set screws visible on the top of the traveler.
There will be some minor corrosion so a drift and hammer will likely be required.

You may not even have to remove the car from the track.

If you have CB track (captive ball), identifiable by a groove down each side, car removal and replacement is easy.
If you have the older non CB track then Harken sell a ball retainer that stops the expensive Torlon balls dropping out and running off the deck.

I'm not sure that toggle is OEM.
Harken usually supply with a low profile saddle preventing the lateral loads that snapped this toggle.

Accommodating the stand up mechanism could be the problem.
Whilst it is nice to have the blocks not slating around the mainsheet should always be in tension so no need for the additional complexity.

Efficient use of the traveler, vang and preventers makes this achievable.

[RaymondR]

It's repairable with a new toggle.

I'd buy two and keep the second on hand.

[Cool Hand Luke]

Phew [emoji28]
Thank you guys!! I just notice it while on anchor. I think I’d have a heart attack if I saw it under sail.

[Tudorsailor]

Originally Posted by Cool Hand Luke

Phew [emoji28]
Thank you guys!! I just notice it while on anchor. I think I’d have a heart attack if I saw it under sail.

If you have this damage, presumably from an uncontrolled manoeuvre, then have a careful look at the rest of the traveller and mainsheet. I have a Lewmar traveller and found a crack in the track last season where the retaining bolt goes into the boat!

TS

[sail sfbay]

Hire a welder?

[Brewgyver]

Good reminder to us all to take a close look at critical hardware more frequently.

On the plus side, be happy you don't have to remove the car from the track, those balls have a way of going everywhere!

[johnn33]

Suggest you have a hard point close to the centre of the traveller cross beam, to which you can put a snap-shackle; the main sheet multi-way bottom block has the snap-shackle, rather than what you have at present. Any problem with the traveller will not then lose your control of the mainsail
John

[stormalong]

Definitely call Harken. They have excellent customer service. They might just send you a replacement part. Look around your boat. There might be a blue piece of plastic track that is used to transfer the car on and off of the real track. Without that transfer piece don't even try to remove the car - you would regret that.

Getting that stainless steel pin out of the aluminum car might be a challenge. If it does not come out easily don't try to force it. You might want to ask Harken if they would do that for you.