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Mainsheet traveller vs bridle

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    Posted: 28 Dec 10 at 4:15pm
Originally posted by SoggyBadger

Travellers date back to the old days before really efficient kickers when the mainsail leech tension and mast bend was controlled by the mainsheet. The idea was that you could let the traveller run out in higher winds so that you could sheet the main in hard whilst keeping the boom well off the centre line. OK until you get a gust and have to ease the mainsheet when the mast straightens and the sail gets fuller. So it didn't work well in practice. Most owners will have either replaced it or just left the traveller in the centre and upgraded the kicker.


Thanks for that Paul, we have already upgraded the kicker and cunningham to a higher ratio so they shouldn't be a problem, however I'm still tempted to refit the traveller just 'cos it looks a bit odd without it. I was just hoping that somebody might be able to justify its presence, but if it's only going to be of use in strong winds that shouldn't affect us as we probably wouldn't go out if it's blowing hard (boat was purchased to sail with my daughter), 

Cheers,

Nigel
I am the milkman of human kindness, I will leave an extra pint (Billy Bragg)

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Post Options Post Options   Quote G.R.F. Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 28 Dec 10 at 2:37pm
Interesting this discussion should happen along just now, I've been going through this exact same thinking with my new boat.

I fancied a bit of a traveller arrangement mounted on a bridge above the tiller so I could do away with all that rope intefering with the wiggle stick as it seems to at only the most inconvenient moments.

They're trying to talk me out of it into some other subterranean system I haven't quite worked my head around yet, but if it were me, and it were already there, I'd use it personally, I hate those what do you call them? Horse things?
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Post Options Post Options   Quote SoggyBadger Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 28 Dec 10 at 2:18pm
Travellers date back to the old days before really efficient kickers when the mainsail leech tension and mast bend was controlled by the mainsheet. The idea was that you could let the traveller run out in higher winds so that you could sheet the main in hard whilst keeping the boom well off the centre line. OK until you get a gust and have to ease the mainsheet when the mast straightens and the sail gets fuller. So it didn't work well in practice. Most owners will have either replaced it or just left the traveller in the centre and upgraded the kicker.

Best wishes from deep in the woods

SB

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Post Options Post Options   Quote Webmuppet Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 28 Dec 10 at 12:43pm

Hi Folks,

I would ask this question on the Graduate forum but a) it's a bit quiet on there and b) it's a fairly general question:

Our ancient Super Grad came with a stern mounted traveller, however most Graduates seem to use a simple bridle/horse arrangement so I converted mine to that format. Aesthetically the boat looks a bit weird without the traveller because it was obviously designed to have one and I'm tempted to reinstall it. What are the advantages of using the traveller ? and how would we use it ? (the previous owner had locked the traveller at the centre and left it there. As I'm new to sailing 'double-handers' I don't want to find myself with too many controls, especially if they don't offer any advantages. Just in case it's relevant we use off the boom sheeting with a 40mm Harken ratchet mounted on the boom,

Many thanks in advance,

Nigel

 

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