E27 traveler relocation pros and cons

I just bought a boom originally built for a Dana 24, to replace the damaged spar on my E27. It is 6" longer than mine, and uses end-of-boom sheeting, whereas, the E27 has mid boom sheeting. I am considering moving my cabin top main sheet traveler to the aft end of the cockpit to accomodate this new boom. This has the added advantage of clearing up the cabin top, so I can easily install a dodger at a later time, and I can fly longer footed mains . I have tiller steering so there is plenty of room at the rear. Has anyone done this before? Am I overlooking any pitfalls? What are the shortcommings of this sort of arrangement?
Thank you
Dave Hussey

I personally like cabin top location as it frees up the cockpit. Also sounds like a lot of work installing a traveler and backing plates and different purchase systems. Why not use the longer boom and convert it to mid boom sheeting? Keeps your boat the same and you can still use the longer footed main if you want. Will the boom still clear the backstay?

traveler relocation

<cabin top location frees up the cockpit.> Yes and no...the main sheet is underfoot from that location, (but then so are the guys, reefs, outhaul, halyard, and whatever else is routed aft...I don't have all of that at this time, but as I make upgrades for cruising singlehanded, I may well have) The main sheet would simply be "back there"...I have tiller steering, so I sit forward in the cockpit or up on the coaming with a tiller extension anyway.

<sounds like a lot of work installing a traveler and backing plates..> I suppose there will be some uncomfortable head-standing contortions in the crawl spaces, but I think it looks doable.

<Why not convert it to mid boom sheeting? > Well, first, since it's a painted boom, I don't want to cut into it. I wish it were anodized, but this one was available. If I did modify the boom for mid sheeting, I'd go with internal bail, although more costly than external hoops, but thats my preference. Also, I can't get anybody to work on it until l next month, so if I can do it myself, I'll be sailing sooner. If it gets cut, I guess it'll need touch up paint. (did you know there is no corrosion protection inside a painted boom???! :eek: )

<Keeps your boat the same and you can still use the longer footed main if you want. Will the boom still clear the backstay?> Yes, there is plenty of room for the extra 6 inches, so no problem there. I already removed the traveler from the cabin for re-bedding...had some leaks...so, that's the story so far

Traveler aft

Catalina 27's run their mainsheet and travler all the way in the back of their cockpit. There is no reason to not run the traveler and main sheet in the back of the cockpit at all unless there is no way to through bolt the traveler. This makes the main sheet more accessable anyway. Consider double ending the main sheet on the cabin top with the halyards and at the back of the cockpit. Good luck on whatever you decide. I like my traveler which is on the bridge deck by the companionway. It is a harken with a windward sheeting car and works way cool. Ryan Moonglow Ericson 25+

End Boom Sheeting

My E29/#53 has the end boom sheeting as well. With the tiller steering, it's awkward to reach the main sheet while standing at the tiller in the front of the cockpit. What I'm considering is adding 1 more purchase to the sheeting blocks, bring the mainsheet back up to the boom, then to the mast, then down and back to the cockpit. I'll mount a winch to the cabin top and a rope clutch. This will give me better access to the mainsheet while singlehanding!
Art,,,

Dave

I have no comment on moving the traveler but you will have no problem with a dodger for your E27 if you left the traveler on the deck. I just installed a brand new dodger on my E27.

Don Anderson
E27 Amigo
Channel Islands, CA

E27 traveler relocation

Two things that come to mind...You'll have to come up with a way to make the aft traveler really solid with some kind of a bridge to support the center...Maybe mounted on some kind of a small I beam…On the aft sheeted 27's I think the track is mounted to the bridge that forms the wheel base and on the tiller 27 the cockpit is all one opening so you would have to work up some way to support the center as you'll have some pretty big loads on that track.... I also don't think the seat area has the same strength as the cabin top…Plus the center boom sheeting needs less vang than the aft sheeted boom will need…But you could always do a mock up and see how it all works out…You may find that the extra six inches puts the traveler so fare back that the sheet sweeps the cockpit and takes away a lot of good seating space

traveler vs dodger

Don, that looks great. Do you have more pictures of the installed dodger ? What did it cost if you'll pardon my asking, and how did you go about it? By that I mean, how did you choose the builder; did he/she come to the boat to take measurements or did they have a template already?
Dave

pros and cons of main sheet location

Bob, those are good observations. And since Don was able to install a good looking dodger with the traveler on the cabin top without interference, I have one less reason to want to change the original position of the traveler.
So far I have only read cons' on rear boom sheeting...surely there must be some pros' ??? Why else would designers utilize this configuration?

Dave

In my area there is a company that comes to the boat and takes measurements and builds the dodger, takes them 10 to 14 days to from start date. Cost me a total of 1150. I am so impressed you have no idea. It is so solid and has rails on it, and you can add as many as you want. They do everything...

They even do bimini's for like 350. And remember they install to.

I have more pics let me post another one for you.

Don

Dave here is another pic. Just for your info I would never change the arrangement of what ericson designed. Most cockpit traveler's are boats that are arranged for racing, in general. I like the traveler away from me and if you install a dodger it changes the look of your boat. Plus with a tiller design would not make sense to have a cockpit traveler.

I am sure there is canvas shop in your area that would do what I had done. I had all my canvas redone. Total of 1650. Hatch covers, tiller, main sail and jib.

Don

The Sheet of the Main, Goes Mainly on the...

My take on it is that traveler location has nothing to do with whether you ever enter a race.
What it boils down to is best location for easy sail control vs. best location to help sell boats by keeping "untidy ropes" out of the cockpit and thereby increasing, in theory, the appeal of the sailboat purchase to beginners and non-sailing members of the family.

And, to give some ammo to the other viewpoint: if you want the maximum coverage of the cockpit with a dodger and a bimini, it's nice to have the traveler on the housetop. The trade-off is that the strain on the mainsheet multiplies exponentially as the strain is taken forward toward the center of the boom, and thus the boom has to be stronger to prevent a break at that point in a hard jibe. Ericson fought "the good fight" to keep the focus on sailing for their designs, sepecially for short-handed (husband and wife) sailing, by keeping that mainsheet either aft or on a bridgedeck. The split-cockpit 27's thru the35's were a good example of this. They used a bridgedeck traveler on the 33 and 36 in the early 80's and of course the Olsons in the late 80's. What with the market being pulled towards RV's-with-masts by the success of Hunter and Catalina in the 80's, it seemed harder and harder to sell boats by designing the deck layout first....
The trend was, and is, to design production boats around a dockside-comfortable interior, with sailing being second on the design-requirement list. Yup, that's just my opinion and worth what you're paying...

I thought Ericson and designer B. King did a masterful job in the 80's with their later models to keep a lot of sailing performance and manners while still giving buyers an attractive and comfortable interior. I have always maintained that Mr. King is one of the best at this difficult compromise...

So, either place for a traveler has it's pluses and minuses -- I used to crew some on an E-27 with the housetop mainsheet system. This involves a winch on the housetop under the dodger because the effort is quite high. At that time I owned a similar size boat with a much larger main and a cockpit traveler that needed only a 4-part Harken tackle to control, right from the helm. OTOH, when it rained I was always in the back of the cockpit with my tiller (transom rudder) and never under the dodger. My buddy with the E-27 was alway dry, sitting up under the rear of the dodger with a short extension on the tiller!


"Choices and Options" as they say....

Best,
Loren in PDX

My E29 has a stearnrail traveler and I wouldn't have it any other way. I sit up on the rail when driving, So I just lay the main sheet on my lap. The jib sheet I wrap around the lower winch once and bring it up to the winch (on the high side) for which I am sitting next too. This way I can single hand with no problem. I too am having all of my canvas redone at this moment (dodger, main cover, tiller, winches, etc...) the hole shibang. Also new sails, Standing rigging, Harken furler, Cushions (inside and out). I just rebuilt the engine (A4) and exshaust system and I'm in the middle of installing them now.

Davis
E29
#226
Holy Guacamole

I see Loren got real technical on us. Actually I was just generalizing about the racing element and the traveler. I have sailed mostly J Boats and most have the traveler in the cockpit.

Of course I value her opinion and on a personal level I prefer the traveler on the deck.

It's all a personal decision.

Don
E-27 Amigo

mainsheet

Well, it sounds like there are as many advocates of aft traveler as there are deck house traveler so it's really up to personal preference as long as structural concerns are dealt with. Heck, I may just attach a jury rig between the aft stays (port and stb'd) as a temporary "traveler" and see if I like that arrangement before I drill any holes, or change the boom in it's mid section. More on this later

Finale...I had my replacement boom modified in keeping with the original cabin-top traveler design of my E27. No sense trying to reinvent the wheel

longer foot

You said you might use a main with a longer foot on this boom. this will add weatherhelm and could be a negative. On the 29T design changes reduced the foot of the main about two feet and there still can be a need for main trim to reduce weatherhelm. My wheel 29T has the traveler on the bridge in front of the wheel. I love it for sailing but a bimini has to be one over the rear and one over front to cover the forward cockpit and helm area.