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Anyone have old Schaeffer 1 1/4" traveler hardware?

Geoff W.

Makes Up For It With Enthusiasm
Blogs Author
Hi folks,

In my quest to improve my traveler's ease of use, I've come to find that I have the original Schaeffer 1 1/4" traveler, which is neither made nor supported any longer. I was lucky to find a couple double block control ends on eBay, but was wondering if anyone has a spare traveler car, control ends, or other hardware from this specific traveler lying around, maybe after a traveler upgrade project.

They don't have to be in great condition - they're probably better than mine. Thanks!
 

MarineCityBrian

Apprentice Tinkerer
I may have a spare cleat, but that's about it. I was lucky enough to have the PO purchase a new control end, and was able to cobble 2 nice control ends from these 3.

I detail the cleat improvement here:

And I detail the block improvement (from tiny bushing to ball bearing) here:

Mine however was a combination of Schaefer and Ronstan hardware, from the factory. Schaefer track, car, and car blocks, and Ronstan control ends.
 

Geoff W.

Makes Up For It With Enthusiasm
Blogs Author
Thanks Brian. Sadly the 1 1/4" traveler control ends / cars seem to be a thing of the past. I think even if I got a double-sheave control end with a cleat on it, I'd need a new traveler car w/beckets to make the line system work.
 

Christian Williams

E381 - Los Angeles
Senior Moderator
Blogs Author
Is it Schaefer or Ronstan? If Ronstan, control ends are available. See blog entry and the comments attached to it.

 

Geoff W.

Makes Up For It With Enthusiasm
Blogs Author
Is it Schaefer or Ronstan? If Ronstan, control ends are available. See blog entry and the comments attached to it.


My track, cars, and control ends are all Schaefer and 1 1/4" track... maybe the Ronstan 1 1/4" equipment would fit as well...
 

MarineCityBrian

Apprentice Tinkerer
My track, cars, and control ends are all Schaefer and 1 1/4" track... maybe the Ronstan 1 1/4" equipment would fit as well...
I mean, if it's 1-1/4" track with typical pin holes along the middle, most anything designed for 1-1/4" track will work. Garhauer I'm sure could fabricate you something that will work swimmingly.
Then there's stuff like this on eBay:
 

Christian Williams

E381 - Los Angeles
Senior Moderator
Blogs Author
I bought a new Ronstan traveler car and then sent it back. It was exactly the same as my OEM Ronstan car of 1984. Both ran equally smoothly on the I-beam. I cleaned the old one up, painted it, and it works fine. Any friction turned out to be the old blocks, control ends, and line that was unnecessarily heavy.

By the way: if you have the Ericson aluminum channel installed to support the I-beam track, no other manufactured car will fit--including Garhauer. The channel is incompatible with the shape of all other cars.
 

MarineCityBrian

Apprentice Tinkerer
But you did keep the newer control ends, right?
Do you recall the party number for them?
It sounds like he was able to procure control ends on eBay but is in need of the car and car blocks.

I DO have my original set of Schaefer car blocks, recently re-sheaved by Schaefer I'd be willing to part with. But it only gets you to 3:1 rather than the 4:1 I've upgraded to. They're single sheaves with a becket. Below is a picture.
 

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  • Traveller Block with Becket - 2.JPG
    Traveller Block with Becket - 2.JPG
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MarineCityBrian

Apprentice Tinkerer
Christian - if you'd be willing to part with your original control ends, I think Geoff would be set. He's got a 2:1 system (single block on the inside, single with becket on the control-end side) but wants to go 3:1. If he could have your double-block control-ends that appear to come with the becket on top, he could apply the control-ends to the outside, and put the becket from your control-ends on his car, which would yeild for him 3:1.
At the same time, I totally understand wanting to have a back-up set of control ends....
I did confirm, and our old Ronstan control ends (your original ones, not the new ones which I have no personal experience with) WILL fit on a typical 1-1/4" track, which looks like what Geoff has on his E32.
 

Christian Williams

E381 - Los Angeles
Senior Moderator
Blogs Author
Geoff. They're yours for the shipping. They lack one black plastic slide guide (see picture; there are supposed to be four, I only have three). If you already have the slide guides, no problem. Send me a PM.

1-IMG_5463.JPG
 

Geoff W.

Makes Up For It With Enthusiasm
Blogs Author
IMG_20200217_175134.jpg

Following up to say that I now have a very cushy 4:1 traveler system thanks to Christian's control ends, combined with MarineCityBrian's blog (and guidance) here: https://ericsonyachts.org/ie/ubs/e35-3-traveler-upgrades-control-ends-blocks.743/

Couple idiosyncrasies:
I replaced the stock Schaefer car with the small Ronstan traveler car: https://www.ronstan.com/marine/range.asp?RnID=047
Using two small Ronstan Series 30 orbit blocks on each side: https://www.ronstan.com/marine/product.asp?ProdNo=RF35202

I replaced the sheaves in the control ends with the Garhaeur #25 ball bearing blocks as detailed in Brian's blog above.
The black plastic track slides were actually not 100% compatible with my track - being the Schaefer track, it seems the top part of the I beam is rounded enough to be too thick for the black side, but to thin to go slideless. I left one black slide in each control end and they're more or less rigidly fixed in place.

Between this and replacing all my mainsheet blocks with Garhauer ball bearing blocks, my main trimmer is much happier - no more full body pulls against the broken 2:1 traveler line to try and travel up when close hauled.
 

MarineCityBrian

Apprentice Tinkerer
Great news!
Regarding the fit of the control ends:
I did try out one of my control ends on a standard piece of Schaefer T-Track (assuming it to be a similar profile to your Schaefer traveler track) and they fit, but with little room to spare. I did NOT, however, account for a curved track (I was assuming the curve radius was gentle enough for it to fit).
Let me ask: can the control end be STARTED but just not fully installed due to the curve binding against the plastic inserts? Or is it a width issue?
If it's the curve, I'd recommend nibbling out just the center portion of the top of the "C" if the plastic rails, leaving about a half inch on either end. I'd hope that would make it fit and keep it more snug.

Couple more questions:
Did you also do the cleat jaw improvement? That made a huge difference for our system.

And lastly, did you opt for the continuous traveler line or traditional separate lines?

Thanks so much for the update and I hope it continues working well!
 
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