J/30 Class Association Forums J/30 Forum The Boat, Sails and Equipment Traveler set-up, again

Skimmer has had the Harken windward sheeting system for 8 years, I think. It's nice for racing and makes cruising a breeze.

We have adjustable jib cars too.

The end caps shatter after about 2 years and you loose all the ball bearings. Just lost another on Saturday. Fortunately it was after winning an offshore race!

After 25 years with a 3:1 original dog traveller on 505 I mickey moused it up to a 5:1 and rerouted it so that I can better handle it from behind the traveller. Also followed Bill's advice on endless loop ... that seems to cut a bit a line off the rerope.

Running it to the back rest yields advantage that it gives a couple of additional feet of adjustment for curving the main. The double cheek blocks are from Shaeffer via Defender. other blocks are whatever I had handy.

Original 3:1 Looking aft


Mickey moused 5:1 Looking forward


Tacked on blocks


Routed line in hopes it will keep out of slot.

Very resourceful Vic. If you could fit an eye strap across the top of the Fico sheave bolts with the mainsheet Hexarachet shackle fore and aft the blocks could be closer to the traveler car.

Thanks, but most of it is rip off of other's work ... I'm into ripping off other ideas ...

BUT HERE'S a problem: in last photo of my post above there is a red circle around the end bolt on the traveler ... there is supposed to be a hard black rubber stop there to keep the car from smashing into the gel coat ... has anyone figured out what to use in its place? ever since they went into steel mesh in tires that option doesn't seem to make it anymore.

Cut up a hockey puck and drill through it. Are those plentiful in Naples

I have a couple in my garage

Hockey puck at 3 in. too big ... Foredecker Randy decided to cut the ends off old rubber mallet ... at 2.25 in. Seems to work. and he says there is still enough rubber on the mallet to wonk the lids back on his paint cans.

If you have a power band saw you can cut the hockey pucks into strips that will fit
As well, you might look for the replacement heads that are made for a small mallet instead of cutting up a good tool.
Back when I lived in San Diego (around 1992)I replaced my original rubber stops. I found a a business that sold rubber in the yellow pages. I took one of my old peices in. The guy hacked off a couple of new ones from some rubber he had in the shop. I think I paid less than $5.00 at the time. What ever kind of rubber those were made from - they are still on the boat

If you are looking for an easy and cost effective way to add an end stop to your traveler I would recommend the following_.

http://www.rwo-marine.com/products/productdetail.php?code=R1913


Use something like an RWO #1913 it is technically called a "rope stopper" basically all you need to do is insert a ¼ x ¾ or ½" flathead stainless screw inside of the recessed open end of the rope stopper with a stainless steel washer_.you can basically drill and tap the screw to fit where you would like it on your traveler track and voila it is installed.

The beauty of this system is that you can install it or remove it without having to through bolt it (thus it is easy to remove the car for servicing/cleaning) and they are aesthetically pleasing, because they are round they don't catch things and they are basically indestructible and use UV stable plastic. I have used these for years on my own and customers boats without issue.

I just finished installing a Harken windward sheeting car and compatible track on my 1982 J30. I used the high profile track (part# 1618 1.5 metres long or 59 inches)I mounted this on a piece of purpleheart hardwood that was 5/8th inches thick, 2 inches wide and 59 inches long. This sort of elevation is required so that the car can slide unimpeded. The end blocks that slide onto the track ends are part # 1631, this set up will give you 4:1 purchase which should allow Mr. Burns of "Simpson's" fame to pull the car to windward. The car itself is part # 1636. By the time the smoke settled this was $1,000.00 plus upgrade.

If you're just going to replace the sheaves, I recommend getting them from this guy: http://www.zephyrwerks.com/

He did my halyard sheaves, and I'm very satisfied. Plus you can avoid having to deal with rig-rite.