Dufour 27 Traveler Replacement

[ChessieSailor]

Has anyone replaced the traveler track on this boat? Need to know what the track bolts fasten to, either a nut or a threaded bar? Its all glassed in underneath. Am thinking to thru-bolt a new low-profile track, car and blocks on top of the old track, with new bolts on different centers. Any advice or experience will be appreciated. Would love to correspond with another Dufour owner(s). Boat is in Connecticut.

Thanks all!

[kohagan]

Hi,

I had the traveller off earlier this year to get the traveller car repaired. I had no problem srewing the travellers fixing screws back so I assume it must be a threaded bar.

I had considered traveller system replacement but could fiind anything that was a direct or reasonably straight forward replacement. Hope this information is of use.

Ken.

[ChessieSailor]

Ken,

Many thanks, having an imbeded bar may save a huge headache, as the car does need repair - the diecast loops have broken off. At the same time I intend to install blocks on the car and end controls. Did you do anything similiar, and how did you repair the car? Have any photos?

Thanks,

CHRIS

[kohagan]

Hi Chris,

Please find attached images of the repair done to the traveller car on 'Perigny', my 1976 Dufour 27. As you stated the diecast loops on the car had broken after some 35 years. Hopefully you can see from the images that the machine shop drilled a hole through the car and inserted a ~10mm rod. A simple D shackle connects between the rod and the mainsheet pulley. This arrangement is working perfectly. Hope this is helpful.

Let me know how you get on.

Cheers,

Ken.

[ChessieSailor]

Thanks Ken, that is most helpful. I'll know this spring how much metal I have to work with, it looks like our cars are different. I hope to add blocks to the car and the track ends so the car can be hauled P/S and cleated w/cams. I'll post pix once this is complete, sometime in Arpil or May.

CHRIS

[stillcrazyar]

Nuts are imbedded in fiberglass, giving the impression of a threaded bar.

[WeekendSailor]

Hello,
Wow, you must have sailed your Dufour a lot to have worn through the traveler car.
I tried to replace the traveler on my 1974 Dufour 27 in 2010. I purchased a Lewmar Traveler System for boats up to 28 feet but unfortunately my Dufour’s bridge deck has a slight convex or upward curvature, the Lewmar car was too long to roll along the curved track. Lewmar was great to work with; they accepted my return and informed me that unfortunately they do not have another model to accommodate the deck’s curvature.
Last October at the US Sailboat Show, I spoke with Garhauer Marine, they have a small traveler system they feel will work right out of the box but they also make custom made travelers from your measurements or just send them your traveler track and new car preference and they will make a new traveler system for you. Their price was very reasonable but I have not purchased yet.
Good luck and please let us know which traveler system you install.

[stillcrazyar]

Here is a short video of my track replacement,first the old track must come off.I used a harken track you can find these parts in the on line catalog this track has adjustable bolts so the old holes can be used.

There is a bit more to this whole thing if you are going to do this email me and I will supply more details,this thing works great especially for single handing I should have done it years ago.

Anthony

[ChessieSailor]

Anthony, that's just great thanks to you and others for the post!

I am thinking to mount a new low profile track, car & controls on top of the existing track. I would drill and tap for the new track into the old track. Can you tell me if the old track is solid aluminum? If it is, this might be the easiest as I would not have to wrestle out the old bolts. Sure, it would be 20 or so holes to drill and tap, but in aluminum that's nothing.

I know the harken track you have used - the bolts are held inside the track, and can slide to mate up with the old holes. How long were the bolts you used? Did you reuse the imbedded nuts, or blast all the way through and use new nuts on the bottom of the fiberglass? Did the new track end up high enough so the controls - the block and cam - at the end of the track cleared the seat edge vertically?

Thank you again.

ChessieSailor

[WeekendSailor]

Hi Anthony,

I assume you have your new Harken Traveler System installed and have used it several times by now, how do you like it? Is it experiencing any difficultly sliding smoothly from side to side due to a curvature to the bridge deck?

I enjoyed watching your video as I did not think the Harken Windward Sheeting Traveler Car would fit in the narrow area between the cockpit seat and the bulkhead. Good to know it does. Please tell me which size, 22 mm or 27 mm Harken traveler parts you purchased. Are you using the low beam or high beam track and how long your track is.

I looked at the Harken catalog after receiving your e-mail and I like their 22 mm Traveler Car with a pivoting cam cleat as the car’s length is a little shorter than the 22 mm Windward sheeting car, I just hope 22 mm is strong enough for my mainsail, I am trying to select a shorter car after my last experience with a long car.

Did you consider the Harken Traveler Car with a pivoting cam cleat, Part Number 2756?

Thanks,

Dick