I was out sailing Saturday and playing with sail shape and it dawned on me that I don't really understand the most effective positioning of the traveler on my M. Duhh.
* Keep it in the middle and use the mainsheet to adjust angle?
* Use the traveler hard left or right to gain more angle?
Any good thoughts out there would be greatly appreciated.
How do you use your traveler?
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richandlori
- Admiral
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good question Randy.
I have always moved the traveler on my
to the same side as the boom. Now I have no idea if that is the best way to do it, as I am still in the sailing learning process. Any word on this from the more experienced owners would be appreciated. Heck if any of you 
owners can help here also, please jump in.
Rich
I have always moved the traveler on my
to the same side as the boom. Now I have no idea if that is the best way to do it, as I am still in the sailing learning process. Any word on this from the more experienced owners would be appreciated. Heck if any of you owners can help here also, please jump in.Rich
It depends on point of sail
Where to put the traveler depends on point of sail.
If you are beating to windward, i.e. pointing as high as you can, the traveler should be all the way to windward (uphill, away from boom) assuming a good breeze (in light breeze all your controls will need to be eased to allow a fuller sail). Moving the traveler to windward is going to allow you to pull the boom closer to centerline, allowing you to point better (changing the angle of attack between sail and wind). It also allows the mainsheet to pull down more vertically, helping to flatten the sail.
Going downwind, the traveler should be all the way to leeward (same side as boom), until you get to where the mainsheet is interfering with the lifeline, at which point it makes no difference so just put it where the mainsheet runs clearest.
On intermediate points of sail between those noted above, traveler position moves around - basically you do what you need to get the main shaped the way you want.
Those are the basics of it; I'm not real eloquent - there are several good books on sail trim that explain it better.
One good rule of mainsail trimming is to look up from below the boom and see if the top batten is parallel to the boom. If not, you need to tweak your controls - of course this won't be the case in heavy winds where you are purposefully de-powering your main).
- AndyS
If you are beating to windward, i.e. pointing as high as you can, the traveler should be all the way to windward (uphill, away from boom) assuming a good breeze (in light breeze all your controls will need to be eased to allow a fuller sail). Moving the traveler to windward is going to allow you to pull the boom closer to centerline, allowing you to point better (changing the angle of attack between sail and wind). It also allows the mainsheet to pull down more vertically, helping to flatten the sail.
Going downwind, the traveler should be all the way to leeward (same side as boom), until you get to where the mainsheet is interfering with the lifeline, at which point it makes no difference so just put it where the mainsheet runs clearest.
On intermediate points of sail between those noted above, traveler position moves around - basically you do what you need to get the main shaped the way you want.
Those are the basics of it; I'm not real eloquent - there are several good books on sail trim that explain it better.
One good rule of mainsail trimming is to look up from below the boom and see if the top batten is parallel to the boom. If not, you need to tweak your controls - of course this won't be the case in heavy winds where you are purposefully de-powering your main).
- AndyS
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richandlori
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waternwaves
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- Location: X less in North Puget Sound -have to sail other boats for a while
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RandyMoon
- Captain
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- Joined: Mon Sep 13, 2004 7:05 pm
- Sailboat: MacGregor 26M
- Location: Rockwall, TX Lake Ray Hubbard 2005M #0690 L405 Tohatsu TLDI 90 (Rhapsody in Blue)
I am still at the 49.9% stage and still wondering where the cooler is supposed to go. Luckily my dealer has a 1-800 number and can answer the 100 questions the Mac owners manual forgot to include answers for.
You would think that a manufacturer who has a really great marketing video (with great backgound music) would hire a technical writer (they work really cheap) to add another 30 pages to the owners manual that explains basics like how to use the dang traveler. How to rig the boat required some degree of being psychic. Dial 1-900-MISSCLEO.
If I were selling a Formula 1 race car, I would assume the buyer understands inertia. But if I were selling a sailboat and advertising with a great marketing video (with great background music) that any goober can be a 90% sailor in their first day, you would think that the manufacturer would go the next step to ensure adequate knowledge transfer. Maybe it is just me, but if I were trying to sell to a mass market (not snooty fixed keel boat owners), I would make sure people had all the information they needed to be successful. Successful sailors sell boats to to their friends, which captures market share.
I love my boat, but as someone who has spent their career designing and selling new products, I think Mac has fallen short in maximizing their customer's ability to exceed. Granted, sailing is very complicated and it does take years of experience to become a master. There is no easy formula. However if I were trying to maximize my market share, I would maximize the sailing success of all the goobers putting down $20k to $30k. These people are your front line sales force.
It is not uncommon for industries or manufacturers to lose site of their market and assume potential customers comprehend at their same level. It is this bad assumption that enables new comers with marketing moxie to come in and quickly claim major market share. I think Mac is a great product. I have no complaints with the product. But I am not happy with the poor level of documentation.
You would think that a manufacturer who has a really great marketing video (with great backgound music) would hire a technical writer (they work really cheap) to add another 30 pages to the owners manual that explains basics like how to use the dang traveler. How to rig the boat required some degree of being psychic. Dial 1-900-MISSCLEO.
If I were selling a Formula 1 race car, I would assume the buyer understands inertia. But if I were selling a sailboat and advertising with a great marketing video (with great background music) that any goober can be a 90% sailor in their first day, you would think that the manufacturer would go the next step to ensure adequate knowledge transfer. Maybe it is just me, but if I were trying to sell to a mass market (not snooty fixed keel boat owners), I would make sure people had all the information they needed to be successful. Successful sailors sell boats to to their friends, which captures market share.
I love my boat, but as someone who has spent their career designing and selling new products, I think Mac has fallen short in maximizing their customer's ability to exceed. Granted, sailing is very complicated and it does take years of experience to become a master. There is no easy formula. However if I were trying to maximize my market share, I would maximize the sailing success of all the goobers putting down $20k to $30k. These people are your front line sales force.
It is not uncommon for industries or manufacturers to lose site of their market and assume potential customers comprehend at their same level. It is this bad assumption that enables new comers with marketing moxie to come in and quickly claim major market share. I think Mac is a great product. I have no complaints with the product. But I am not happy with the poor level of documentation.
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baldbaby2000
- Admiral
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- Location: Rapid City, SD, 2005 26M, 40hp Tohatsu
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I've been using my traveller like I would on other boats I've sailed: Hobie 16, Hobie 18, and scows. As mentioned, when off wind the traveller goes out. Upwind in light air I put it about in the middle or even a little to the upwind side. In heavy air upwind I let it out as needed. Having said that, I'm not sure my method is the best on a 26M. I still seem to have severe weather helm during gusts. I'm still experimenting.
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baldbaby2000
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I halfway agree. The M traveller is good if the wind is steady, then you can set it and leave it but it is hard to adjust under load. I would like to see anyone's mod that replaces it with a bearing type. It looks to be somewhat of a hassle if the track mounting holes don't line up.I do not believe you can have a good traveler experience with the crude track and car supplied OEM by Macgregor on the M, it barely qualifies as a Genoa track setup.
Randy,
1. First step is to attach streamers to the ends of each of your batten pockets. You can use the red ribbons from West Marine, yarn, or old cassette tape. You will want these streamers all streaming straight back when the sail is trimmed correctly. Personally, I believe only experts can adjust sails without streamers; although the best sailers I know add streamers all over the sail to make very fine adjustments.
2. Center the traveller to start. Rough adjust the mainsail with the sheet.
3. Unfurl the genny or jib and carefully set it so the telltales on each side of the sail are streaming back. The easy way to remember which way to adjust is to let the sail move in the direction of the offending streamer or telltale.
4. Now come back to the main and put the traveller under the boom. Pull the boom down with the sheet until all of the streamers are streaming. As others have pointed out the M traveller is so short you will be on a pretty close point of sail. Once the boom moves outboard of the traveller you will need to adjust the vang. (More a bit later) It is a bit crude, but sometimes I just reach up and pull down directly on the boom and watch the streamers to see if they improve before tweaking the traveller. They may or may not depending on wind conditions.
5. If all is smooth at this point you can move the traveller "up" (ie to windward) a bit to see if you get some acceleration as yy suggested. You will be very close trimmed at this point, and while theoretically you can adjust for gusts by lowering the traveller (ie to leeward), I have found it such a hassle that just releasing the sheet works a lot faster. This has allowed me to keep the same admiral for a long time! In gusty winds it will be very hard to keep the traveller adjusted to the gusts.
6. What you are doing with the traveller is adjusting twist of the sail. More pull down, rather than sideways straightens the top of the sail and spills less air. Adjust more or less depending on what the streamers/telltales are telling you. This is usually easiest by adjusting the sheets till the bottom streamers/telltales are correct and by tweaking the traveller to pull the upper streamers in or out, and moving the position of the jib/genoa cars to adjust the headsail telltales. (ie forward reduces twist; rearward increases twist.
7. Once you get beyond the very limited end of the traveller track with the boom out over the side of the boat you will have to use the vang to make the same type of adjustments. Similar to the traveller, tightening the vang reduces twist; loosening it adds twist. On my X boat the vang did such a fantastic job I never felt the need for a traveller.
If you adjust your sails this way you will be pretty close to what BWY calls the 80% rule: You will be getting 80% of the potential of the boat and you will be sailing better than most of the boats around you!
For you folks in the top 20% I apologize for making this more simple than it is, but like skiing, golf, and learning Spanish this is a good start.
1. First step is to attach streamers to the ends of each of your batten pockets. You can use the red ribbons from West Marine, yarn, or old cassette tape. You will want these streamers all streaming straight back when the sail is trimmed correctly. Personally, I believe only experts can adjust sails without streamers; although the best sailers I know add streamers all over the sail to make very fine adjustments.
2. Center the traveller to start. Rough adjust the mainsail with the sheet.
3. Unfurl the genny or jib and carefully set it so the telltales on each side of the sail are streaming back. The easy way to remember which way to adjust is to let the sail move in the direction of the offending streamer or telltale.
4. Now come back to the main and put the traveller under the boom. Pull the boom down with the sheet until all of the streamers are streaming. As others have pointed out the M traveller is so short you will be on a pretty close point of sail. Once the boom moves outboard of the traveller you will need to adjust the vang. (More a bit later) It is a bit crude, but sometimes I just reach up and pull down directly on the boom and watch the streamers to see if they improve before tweaking the traveller. They may or may not depending on wind conditions.
5. If all is smooth at this point you can move the traveller "up" (ie to windward) a bit to see if you get some acceleration as yy suggested. You will be very close trimmed at this point, and while theoretically you can adjust for gusts by lowering the traveller (ie to leeward), I have found it such a hassle that just releasing the sheet works a lot faster. This has allowed me to keep the same admiral for a long time! In gusty winds it will be very hard to keep the traveller adjusted to the gusts.
6. What you are doing with the traveller is adjusting twist of the sail. More pull down, rather than sideways straightens the top of the sail and spills less air. Adjust more or less depending on what the streamers/telltales are telling you. This is usually easiest by adjusting the sheets till the bottom streamers/telltales are correct and by tweaking the traveller to pull the upper streamers in or out, and moving the position of the jib/genoa cars to adjust the headsail telltales. (ie forward reduces twist; rearward increases twist.
7. Once you get beyond the very limited end of the traveller track with the boom out over the side of the boat you will have to use the vang to make the same type of adjustments. Similar to the traveller, tightening the vang reduces twist; loosening it adds twist. On my X boat the vang did such a fantastic job I never felt the need for a traveller.
If you adjust your sails this way you will be pretty close to what BWY calls the 80% rule: You will be getting 80% of the potential of the boat and you will be sailing better than most of the boats around you!
For you folks in the top 20% I apologize for making this more simple than it is, but like skiing, golf, and learning Spanish this is a good start.