Traveler improvement

Hi, i'd appreciate some opinions. I'm thinking to make one of the following modifications to my traveler. The goal is to be able to tension the main when the traveler is out, but instead the car moves back to the center, so I want it to stay in place. It will make me adjust the traveler on every tack but I guess it can be done quickly. Most of the time I leave it centered anyway. I'm thinking on the heavy air days, sheeting in and out the main from the trap, to deal with gusts. What do you think? Do you have the same problem?

Spin boat?

if you don't release, you're probably going to flip when you tack or gybe.

That looks way to complicated to me, but I'm really confused.

I've never had a problem with this. I suspect you are traveling out earlier than absolutely necessary? When I start dropping the traveler (upwind), we're double trapped and trying to keep the boat footing. Even if the traveler moves a little when I sheet in, I'm sheeting in to power up (so it's OK) and it will drop right back to where it was. At the MOST, I drop the traveler 8 inches from center if sailing upwind in really windy conditions. I just haven't ever really noticed it moving when I sheet.

One other thing that comes to mind - the further forward you trapeze will reduce the side force on the traveler as you sheet in. Perhaps you are trapping too far back?

Giving the sheet to the crew would reduce side force. The only time I've ever noticed the traveler moving was when the skipper had it and he was really cranking down hard on the sheet. Like Jake said, it slid right back into position.

If I understand the drawing (which I probably don't) you would have to release and reset the traveler on every tack/gybe which is just another thing to worry about.

-Rob V.

Yes, i'd have to reset it, except when centered, which is most of the time. My crew is light: daughters and/or wife. They don't do the mainsheet and trap (one of them only) rather forward, with one foot touching the front beam and the other touching the side stay, to feel safe enough from slipping.. So i handle the main and tiller standing right by the rear beam. I guess when the crew handles the main they have more freedom of movement with two hands too. So it seems there are some facts that make this more suitable to me than most other citizens.. No spi on my boat, no plans either, i'd like to but my crew have other priorities... It's a nacra 5.5. Thanks for all the feedback

You may try to upgrade your main sheet blocks, or service the system some. On my i20 I had a problem similar to what you describe. I ended up putting another main sheet system on it for a different reason but discovered that the problem seemed to go away with less friction in the main sheet.

The first drawing on the left is like the setup on my Stiletto. I rarely cleat both ends but its easier if I have to because we don't trap out on the Stiletto.

My suggestion is like what was said, change the sheeting angle and the traveler won't move much.

Simple is best.

C

This is a pretty common set-up on some monoslugs, in my exoperience its slow and dangerous, use the traveler and not the main in gusts, if its a spin boat drive the hell out of it, carve it up and have the crew work the traveler.

You should be trapping as close together as possible to centralise the weight. Forget about changing the traveler. That would be treating the affect not the cause of the problem and further complicate things.
Trap further forward. If your crew has their legs that far apart trap lower with your forward leg between theirs. They will feel safer and you can then put your combined weight where it is needed to trim the boat and it will hobby horse less.
You could also increase the purchase on your main sheet which will give more sheeting down force for the pulling in force. Either could fix the problem but both will have the boat sailing better.

I liked the alternative of giving her support with my leg, I'll try it. I already went to 9:1 but I suppose there's too much friction and this appears to be the main issue, because the traveler does not run very smoothly really. But I'm not ready to spend on the other part of the mainsheet system. I do have the parts for the traveler modification already.. I'll see if I can deal with my impulsivity and not do it yet until I try to adjust a bit the technique. On the other hand, having something to fix is part of the fun for me... I might install the second cleat not centered and keep the original centered. It can also be operated from the "active" side only, keeping the other line loose and it doesn't seem so different or so much additional complication.

I did it. Not very simple, or not yet anyway, but very nice to be able to fix the traveler wherever I want it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TgQxIS0TDDM