Traveller

Also see traveller information in
http://pamsmatilda.blogspot.com/
under Jib Tack Leader +decksweeper jib +traveller
for two excellent photos of boats - one using a traveller to great advantage and one of a similar boat, in the same weather conditions, not using a traveller (quite a difference in the heeling of their boats).

The traveller mounted on our KERRY DANCER is a Ronstan traveller track (RF1293- 1 1/16”) with a traveller car (RF1289 and 2 adjustable stops(RF1287). Holland Marine Products (Owner- Peter Tielen) in Toronto is a good source for Ronstan parts. May I comment that I personally prefer adjustable stops to traveller control lines because at Wildwood Lake, when beating up the lake, the tacks are quite short and with the stops, you do not have to worry about control lines becoming tangled. I made up stainless steel supports to properly fasten the traveller track to the sides of the seats which helps to support the centerboard trunk and keep it from flexing. Another great benefit of the traveller is that it really defines the helmsperson’s space and you do not have crew imposing on you when you want to come about.You will also need to add bails and blocks to the boom to properly distribute the pull on the boom.

An enlightening tale follows.
On a blustery day at the Wildwood Sailing Club, we noticed a CL16 running down the lake and decided to see if we could catch him. We did manage to pull alongside him, at the end of the lake and we both proceeded to come about for the beat back up the lake. After our first tack, I knew we were in for a challenge because of the strong winds. On our second tack, I moved the traveller to leeward about 8" and an amazing change occurred. We were no longer sailing in survival mode (using all our talents to keep the boat from capsizing) but were making excellent progress to windward, without the potentially dangerous heeling that we were encountering without the traveller. We proceeded to make further excellent progress to windward but our sailing friend (a very skilled sailor) continued to proceed back and forth across the lake but was not making much progress up the lake (he was just trying his best to keep his craft afloat). Halfway back to the club, another skilled and knowledgeable sailor, with his wooden sloop that he fancies is quite a racer, elected to change his course and join us in the beat back to the club. After his first tack, he knew that he was in for a challenge but managed to keep going to windward in extreme conditions. He also was not making much progress to windward but was flying from one side of the lake to the other.
We proceeded to the club under relatively pleasant conditions as the other two boats continued to thrash back and forth across the lake.

I WAS REALLY AMAZED AND IMPRESSED. Just 8" to leeward (with mid/boom sheeting, an 8" offset is the equivalent to a 16" offset with end of boom sheeting) made all the difference between a sail in challenging conditions to a sail in less demanding circumstances. I know it is very satisfying to survive a sail under demanding conditions (Yes, I too, have kissed the "terra firma" after surviving a interesting sail) but it is comforting to know that going to windward doesn't have to be so punishing if your craft is properly equipped for such conditions.What is really amazing is that we made so much progress to windward and were far, far more comfortable.


Prior to installing the traveller, our technique for sailing to windward in strong winds, was to sheet the jib as tightly as possible (the jib alone should never have enough power to capsize you) and luff the main when capsizing seemed imminent and NEVER, I repeat, NEVER cleat the mainsheet.This technique has served us well in the past, until the wind gets so powerful that it gets under the hull (because you are on such an angle of heel) and you find that easing the main has no effect and then, you go swimming with your boat.

When you are sailing to windward, you are tempted to pull the main sheet as tight as possible (pulling the boom to the centerline) so that you can point as high as possible. You also want the boom as low as possible to flatten the sail (flat sail reduces power in strong winds). This is a recipe for trouble as it results in excessive heeling. When a gust hits and you have to let the boom out, the mainsail will shake furiously and then you can pull the boom back to center until the next gust hits. Having a traveller, mid/boom mainsheet and a flexible boom allows you to pull the boom down (flattening the sail), without pulling the boom to the centerline.

I consider a traveller to be the greatest addition to a tender craft, as you never know when the wind might pick up. Having the traveller means you can pull the main sail flat, without pulling the mainsail to the centerline, which increases heeling. Other sailors have commented that a vang will accomplish this, but a vang pulling on an angle (even the best double braid dacron stretches by at least 6% when it gets loaded) cannot compare to a mainsheet pulling straight down. Also others have commented that you do not really have to pull the main to the center but in strong winds any slack in the main sheet will cause the mainsail to shake quite dramatically.

A traveller really does change a KERRY DANCER from being overpowered in strong winds to an easily controlled boat that still goes to windward well.

It has always been a source of amazement to me why the traveller works so well, in a tender boat to reduce heeling, when you have more power than necessary to propel your craft under control.

The best explantion, I have is that the traveller allows you to use a technique called "FEATHERING" to great advantage.
By allowing the main sheet to be sheeted in tightly, with the traveller offset 8"from center, the jib, which is also sheeted in tightly, backwinds the front portion of the mainsail, eliminating the power (heeling and forward thrust) generated by the front portion of the mainsail.
Consequently, you are using only the rear portion of the mainsail to propel your craft.
In effect, you have hobbled the mainsail (in strong winds) yet when you want more power (if the wind slackens) you can readily move the traveller to its normal center position, restoring the normal performance of your boat.
Reefing a mainsail or applying backstay tension (to flatten your mainsail) can also reduce the power of a mainsail but having an easily adjustable traveller is in my opinion the easiest solution to this challenging problem.