>>Hi all. I asked this question on the F16 forum but only got one reply.

I remember that posting. I thought at the time that I shouldn't forget about replying to it. Then that whole spitfire-aruba thread boomed and we went from one post to many others.

I short I'm sorry to say that in my experience you can forget about moving the traveller car under sheetload on pretty much all older Hobie designs. Meaning h14, H16, H17 and TheMightyHobie18. Maybe on some lakes it is better but overhere on the sandy beach with beach side parking. The damn things were always jammed. Come to think of it. The harken recirculating ball traveller seem to have problems as well. The stuff that works are the Prindle wheeled cars and the I-track traveller rails with stainless wheeled cars. Harken RC will work after you spend a few minutes cleaning the cars out. Hobie system were always "don't even try". Of course the newer Hobies likes Tigers, Foxes and FX-ones have the more modern setups and these RC systems do work with a little care.

Personally I would try to figure out a different methode of sailing with a spi on the H17 than was discussed on the F16 forum.

Sorry for not responding sooner.

And ohh, that curved beam is not helping you either. On F16's, like Gary said, the systems do allow moving the traveller under load in some setups even very well. I switched to the I-track system and I can sheet on hard and still trim my maintraveller with just 1:2 and one hand, easily even. I never clean the track or care out. It doesn't need that, unlike the RC systems. So yes it can easily be done if you have the right system. If not than you'll just have to find some other way.

Wouter