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New parts for traveler

Bolo

Contributing Partner
I have the original Schaefer traveler, with single sheaves, on my E32-3. The original 1-1/4” track is curved to fit the curve of the cabin top as many of you know. I want to increase the number of sheaves to get a better purchase when moving the traveler under load. Is it possible to buy Schaefer traveler parts that will fit the 1-1/4” track or do I need to replace everything? If I do I imagine that I will need to go to a straight track (not curved to the cabin top) or maybe it can be curved (not by me and probably at great expense). In short, it’s time to upgrade the traveler. Any suggestions or ideas from those of who have upgraded?3E4FB3B2-0259-42DE-B5B5-1228144C85B4.jpeg
 

peaman

Sustaining Member
I am also very interested in increasing purchase on traveller. Maybe just by replacing the single blocks on the car with double blocks.

Bolo, on my rig, the lines both are anchored on the car, and I have double blocks on each side of the track, giving one additional part of purchase, versus your rig.
 

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Afrakes

Sustaining Member
On my 87 I found that the original Schaefer tack and car were worn past the point that I could rehab them. I went with Ronstan track, car and end controls. I detailed for them the radius and length of the track. One of the unintended consequences of going to end controls was that I had to modify my dodger to permit use when the front screen was in place. Also in hindsight I should have doubled the purchase. I have to use my cabin top winches to adjust the traveler. Can't do it just by hand. I did this a number of years ago. It wasn't inexpensive.
 

Afrakes

Sustaining Member
In 2012 the Ronstan 32 Series I beam car, end brackets and cam cleats ran me $332.00. In 2014 the bent 32 Series track cost me $220 plus shipping with a 4 week wait time. It was bent offshore. The two year lag was caused by my cutting up and disposing of one E-28+ and replacing it with my present 28-2.
 
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Bolo

Contributing Partner
Been in contact with Harkin tech support who have been very helpful. Their recommendations are to send them my old traveler track that they can use as a template to bend a new 27mm Harkin track (R27HB) and then use the track kit #1655 for a 4:1 purchase. Their cost to me for bending the track would be $75, plus all the shipping. Sounds like a reasonable and sensible solution that will allow me to use the existing risers. Fortunately they'll be at the Annapolis Sailboat show this year and I was given the name of one of their tech reps to go over the whole process.
 

bigd14

Contributing Partner
Blogs Author
Also check Garhauer. Their travelers are really nice (had one on my E27), and very competitively priced. I wish I had one on my current boat. I think they can bend the track to fit and match holes if you send in the old one.
 

Bolo

Contributing Partner
Also check Garhauer. Their travelers are really nice (had one on my E27), and very competitively priced. I wish I had one on my current boat. I think they can bend the track to fit and match holes if you send in the old one.
I checked them out and even spoke to them on the phone but they no longer bend track. Plus the guy I talked to there, who I'm assuming was their "tech" guy, just didn't seem with it almost to the point where he didn't really want to talk to me. Bad vibes.
 

bigd14

Contributing Partner
Blogs Author
Uh oh, that's disappointing to hear about your bad experience with Garhauer and that they are not bending track anymore. That's strange because their website says that the track is custom made for each boat including curvature. I wonder if you just caught someone having a bad day. They have always had a reputation as being great to deal with and really happy to work with people on individual projects. They helped me out with custom u-bolts for my chainplate replacement a few years back and were super helpful. Anyway, sounds like you have a solution in hand so that is great. Whatever route you go I'll be interested to follow your progress, I'm interested in upgrading my traveler too.
 

Bolo

Contributing Partner
That's strange because their website says that the track is custom made for each boat including curvature.
Yes and to that point…I told the rep that it stated that they end tracks on their web site, after he told me that they didn’t anymore to which he replied, “Oh yeah, well, we need to take that off the site.” Another bad vibe.
 

Cory B

Sustaining Member
Been in contact with Harkin tech support who have been very helpful. Their recommendations are to send them my old traveler track that they can use as a template to bend a new 27mm Harkin track (R27HB) and then use the track kit #1655 for a 4:1 purchase. Their cost to me for bending the track would be $75, plus all the shipping. Sounds like a reasonable and sensible solution that will allow me to use the existing risers. Fortunately they'll be at the Annapolis Sailboat show this year and I was given the name of one of their tech reps to go over the whole process.
This is the route we took about 15 years ago on our 35-3. Harken matched the bend perfectly. The only downside was the track would bind occasionally, but that was rectified by using their "one drop" lubricant on the track. That stuff is magic.

When we attached the Harken track, we attached it only on the towers (with added backing plates) and did not attach it to the sea hood like Ericson originally did.

And at the time at least, the Harken track had a lower profile than the Garhauer which was a nice bonus.
 

Bolo

Contributing Partner
This is the route we took about 15 years ago on our 35-3. Harken matched the bend perfectly. The only downside was the track would bind occasionally, but that was rectified by using their "one drop" lubricant on the track. That stuff is magic.

When we attached the Harken track, we attached it only on the towers (with added backing plates) and did not attach it to the sea hood like Ericson originally did.

And at the time at least, the Harken track had a lower profile than the Garhauer which was a nice bonus.
Cory, I’m sitting on my boat typing this (I live 2 hours away) and I’m attending the Annapolis Sailboat show tomorrow to talk to Harken. But I was also looking at posts on this web site about removing the sea hood which looks at first to me necessary to replace the old track. However, I just unscrewed the center track bolt that goes through the sea hood and two things happened. One, it came out clean and Two, nothing fell out on to the hatch. So maybe there is a treaded piece of metal embedded in the sea hood to accept the track bolts? Or the nut and washer is so embedded into the hood that they can’t drop out.

Either way, I was wondering what, if any support, the sea hood is actually giving to the center of the track. Maybe I can remove the existing track, without removing the sea hood, and then install the new Harken track by just bolting it to the port and starboard risers only laying down some butyl tape under the new Harken track where the old holes are located. From your posting it seems like the new Harken track does not need support in the middle and again, how much can it get from the sea hood? I’ll ask Harken about this tomorrow.
 

peaman

Sustaining Member
It's hard to imagine that the track can gain any support at all from the sea hood, given that the hood is nearly as wide as the track itself, between fasteners, and needs to have vertical clearance for the sliding hatch. Surely, someone here has re-bedded the hood, as I probably will over the winter?
 

Bolo

Contributing Partner
Also, the Harken track I intend to use is the R27HB which is the higher (or thicker) version. Much “beefier” the their shorter (in height) track and maybe thicker then the existing track I have now.
 

Bolo

Contributing Partner
With “Vesper” winterized and out of the water till spring, I tackled the job of getting the old Schaefer track off the boat. First thing I did was to remove the teak trim piece from the sea hood. This was held in place with just four screws that were under wood plugs. It’s removal allowed me to feel and see, with the aid of an inspection mirror, the area under the track. The track is bolted down to the sea hood but they are not secured with any nuts that I could see and feel. But I could see that the holes, after a bolts was removed, were threaded. So, I’m guessing that there is possibly a steel backing plate glassed into the bottom of the sea hood with threaded holes matching the hole positions on the track. There were 13 bolts (9 into the sea hood and four into the “C” shaped deck brackets) to remove and all but three came out either easily or with a little difficult. The three ”stubborn“ ones were stuck fast and all efforts to un-screw them failed to the point were I deformed the Phillips head slots. There was no way to get PB Blaster spray into the threaded backing plate or into the holes on the track. So I was forced to drill out the three bolts which took me about one and a half hours. With the track off I’ll be sending it to Harken in Wisconsin to have them supply me with a new R27HB track that matches the old track in both length and curvature. In the meantime I’ll need to see if I can get whats left of the three bolts out of the boat. They are protruding like studs, with their head cut off, and I’ll either use BP Blaster to help out or just cut them flush. According the the Harken info on line about the R27HB track I won’t need nearly as many fastening points in the sea hood as the old Schaefer track. More to come as I progress with this project. I’m planning on also writing up a blog to cover this project since there doesn’t seem to be much info on this site covering it.

Below: Old track off. Notice one of the ”stubborn“ bolts at the top of the photo.
D0BD3A76-D282-4F85-A0E1-3E058A773323.jpeg
 

Loren Beach

O34 - Portland, OR
Senior Moderator
Blogs Author
Nice work! BTW, our new Harken traveler car with the "built in" block mountings is a terrific piece of design. I have some pix in my blog.
 

Bolo

Contributing Partner
Nice work! BTW, our new Harken traveler car with the "built in" block mountings is a terrific piece of design. I have some pix in my blog.
Thanks. Looking forward to installing the new Harkin system. I ordered the 1655 Midrange kit (4:1 purchase) from Defender which has it listed at $638 (Defender 1st price) but it's backordered and probably sitting on a freighter off the coast of LA. . But I'm not in a rush for it. West Marine has it in stock online but at $825.
 

peaman

Sustaining Member
This is great, if disappointing due to problems found. Yet undecided on upgrade of track, I do plan to remove the seahood for interior cleaning, etc and rebedding.
 

cdh4088

Member II
I was looking to replace mine as well, I found this one by Viadana. Its only $500. What do you think of it? Should I look elsewhere?
5632955f-6b32-407c-8eb7-b77ba497ed03.jpg
 

Loren Beach

O34 - Portland, OR
Senior Moderator
Blogs Author
Unknown vendor. The car looks like a knock off of a late 80's Harken. Not disqualifying, but caution would be advised.
If you want proven quality and want to pay less than Harken, why not go with Garhauer??
 
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