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New Traveler for '73 E27

rgoff

Member III
I'm still in the dark ages with my original "no control lines" traveler for my '73 E27. Therefore, I never adjust it.

Was going to order a new controllable one from Garhauer, then looked carefully and there is a very slight curve (1/2" over 22" or so) in my existing track. I haven't talked to them yet to see if their's can be bent this much (or at all).

Anybody else upgraded and what did you use?

Mine is the type that is mounted on a bar supported by two risers over the sliding hatch.

Thanks,
 

gareth harris

Sustaining Member
I am not sure about your specifics, but I had a rigger look at my traveller, who told me that the Harken would do a custom bend in a replacement. The cost was not too bad in the big scheme of things.

Gareth
Freyja E35 #241 1972
 

Randy Rutledge

Sustaining Member
Traveler conversion

I have the curved traveler on my E-29T and just did a test by adding a couple of becket blocks with cam cleats to the ends of my track and a couple of small blocks at the traveler car (from a Hobie 14 jib tackle). This is not as slick as a bearing car but served me very well in the three reces I singlehanded this past weekend. You have to ease the main a small amount to adjust the traveler but given the fact that this cost about $3.00 for bolts and my doughter may not notice the Hobie is missing tackle for a while I am verywell pleased with the performance. I did drip a little silicone lube on the car working surface. You may have more money than I do, savings go a long way to make the wife tolirate the sailing habbit.

Randy
 

rgoff

Member III
Randy,

Sounds like a good low cost, workable solution! Probably would be good enough for my casual sailing use.

However, I have on order a new system from Garhauer at $300 (that probably only works 10% better than yours). :) Hopefully will get it next week.
 

Randy Rutledge

Sustaining Member
slow racer

Ralph is the 27 close in design to my 29? I am trying to race on a lake that provides light air most ofthe time. I would like to know what works and what doesn't work on these boats. I have taken the foot of the main out of the track and that helped, added winches in the rear position and the traveler mod. I have an old main and 150. I don't think the sails are realy the problem. I know the bottom needs new paint and work, I am planning to do the power sprayer method I read bout on this site.

Any tricks or tips, or do I just have to build my experience reading the lake and the boat?
 

rgoff

Member III
Randy,

I'm a very casual sailor, although I've had sailboats for 30+ years. I don't do any racing and usually just get sail trim "close" and forget about it. I decided to "move up" and get an adjustable traveler. Hopefully, I'll be able to learn how to use it. :)

My traveler is over the cablin and very slightly curved (maybe about a one inch rise at the center of about a 44" length).

My guess is that an E29 is just a elongated E27, but I'm not sure.

I suggest you make a new post under "Cruising and Racing" and ask for suggestions from other E29 owners.

Good luck,
 

Guy Stevens

Moderator
Moderator
Garhauer will bend the track for you too.

Having operated both the Garhauer and Harken Travellers for many miles, I would say that they are equaly good, however the Garhaeur is about 1/2 the cost and built a little better for the long run in my opnion.

Guido, Mark and the gang at Garhauer will be glad to make it into anything this side of a pretzel for you generally for no extra charge.

Guy
:)
 

Seth

Sustaining Partner
29T is slow?

Randy,

You are on the right track with your improvement plans- certainly a smooth, fair bottom, and either a folding prop, or at least a 2 blader you can line up vertically when sailing all make a BIG difference-as will an effective traveller. The other BIG, BIG thing is weight. If you want performance, you need to make sure you have no non-required junk (OK be realistic-a minimum of it) on board.

3 things to keep in mind-especially in a light air region:

1). If you have an old main and 150-this is a KEY place to start-it is the boat's "engine"-and there is no other thing you can change on any sailboat-any sailboat-which will have such a large impact on performance. I have no axe to grind on this-I am out of the business and it makes no difference to me either way-but once you have emptied the boat of non essential weight, and have a good bottom, the very first thing is to have good sails-then make sure you can properly trim them-all of the fine tuning stuff in the world is just that-fine tuning. Sails are GROSS tuning.

2). Moved winches aft-generally helps sail handling-but be very carfeul about making too many changes that will force too many folks to be in the cockpit too much of the time. In light air, too much weight aft will be very slow-you need to have the weight over the keel in lght air, or out of the ends, as much as you can.

3). Weight- as I said-on a 10,000 lb boat, think about what 500 pounds of useless gear means: you are 5% heavier with no benefit. You will be slower-about 5-10% slower. So, the 3 biggies are: Bottom, sails, and weight-in no specific order-but BEFORE any other deck or gear mods. They all count a lot. Do these things, and the rest is just fine tuning.

CHEERS!
S
 
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Randy Rutledge

Sustaining Member
Thanks for the advice.

Seth
Thanks for the advice. I sail siglehand most of the racing thus the adding of winches at the rear, keeps me behind the wheel and where I can see and focus on the whole action. I think next year I will have one of the older members crewing with me (There aren't that many people older than me). I feel that will help since he has sailed the lake for years and has a goor read on the lake. After that it will be as you say bottom, sails, weight and hopefully good judgement.

Thanks
 

Seth

Sustaining Partner
That ought to work

Randy,

Sounds good. If you are sailing short/singlehanded, you are absolutely right about the "whole action".

To return to a previous rant, I have commented on the folks who race, but have the instrument pods around the pedestal-instead of on the mast or cabin where the crew can see them-the point being that the driver needs to spend as much time as he can actually focused on driving, and not "IFR", but "VFR"-looking at the telltales, waves, wind on the water and other boats.

If you rely on instruments to steer, you will never get to the "next level"..

In your case, my point is that you can't effectively monitor the "whole action" and drive well-it is very hard to drive well, and if the very best guys in the sport can't multi-task, it is fair to say that the rest of us normal guys probably can't either. For those of us who sail with a full or nearly full crew, we owe it to them (since they give of their time to help us) to do our best-which means we have do our job as much as they do.

Obviously if you single or short hand your boat, this is a different story-you don't have the gang of guys to do and watch for all of the other things, so you must multi-task. Just be aware that the guy who can leave the wind readings, navigation, tactics and trim to a crew will always do a better job steering than somone who tries to do it all.

You are fine and on the right track-this just reminded me of this fairly important point.

Good on ya-keep us posted-we like to see the old girls go fast!

Fair winds,
S
 

rgoff

Member III
Yesterday I installed my new mainsheet traveler system on my 1973 E27. I got it from Garhauer Marine. It was bent and drilled to fit my exisiting bridge for $310.

I also decided to replace all the 32+ year blocks in the mainsheet system at the same time (with Garhauer units).

Hoping to give it a sea-trial Monday or Tuesday.

Below (hopefully) is a picture of the system.
 

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