Afternoon Folks:

I have recently downsized from a Hobie 18 to a Hobie 16; so that I could single hand the smaller boat on Lake Michigan.

As part of my upgrades, I have installed a Harken traveler and track for my main. My question is: how much pull (estimate in pounds, please) will I need to move the Hobie 16 traveler car on my main sail?

My options are (in increasing cost) to use a single pivot point (50% effort reduction) or a double pivot point (66% effort reduction)?

Lastly, because it has been so long since I last sailed a Hobie 16 (and then I was stuck using HOBIE's low tech main traveler system, I can't remember if most of the main sail traveler adjustments are made just before or after tacking (and therefore the traveler car adjustment rope can be short); or are the main sail traveler car adjustments made more frequently ON-THE-FLY, therefore requiring the traveler car adjustment rope would need to be long enough to reach while hanging out on the trapeze from eithor side of the boat.

Any and all suggestions are welcome!

Thanks,


Paul

Load will depend on the wind and a bunch of other things.
With the class legal traveler system I can usually one arm it. The worst-case scenario I would guess the load is at about 50lb. Of course when you are experiencing the worst-case scenario (in a big puff) you should probably be letting it down not pulling it up.
I’ve never heard of anyone adjusting it while tacking. Use the main sheet for that.

As long as the traveller car is low on friction it should be OK to move by pulling, if you let the tracks get dirty then it can be tough to move it when the sail is loaded. You should be able to adjust it on the move as it is a good way to depower if the wind gets up. Alot of helms have their crews adjusting the traveller.

As for a "short" or "long" piece of rope, just do as everyone else does and have the end of the mainsheet feeding into the traveller system so it's a continuous loop, then when you're on the wire with the mainsheet in hand, you can also control the traveller.