DaySailer.org Forum

After some advice as I work to restore my DS1. Are there any issues with fitting a mainsheet traveller, class rules, performance etc. It could span from seat back to seat back, or span between seat fronts. My mainsheet connects to boom about midpoint and is controlled through swivelling jam cleat attached to the aft end of the CB case. I have never sailed without a traveller and miss the control it goes when the mainsheets are eased. Any advice please??
Cheers Greg

As long as you retain that BBQ plate for a CB your DS isn't going to be class legal. And, unless you are going to sail under class rules (or a handicap system based on class rules) then I would relegate any concerns about those rule fairly far into the background. (One exception might be if you were considering not only your use, but future buyers, but that would mostly apply to irreversible changes.)

With that out of the way.

Class rules actually don't prevent a traveler, and there are people who have rigged one. It's not required to be competitive, so that might tell you that the control from a traveler may not be decisive (compared to at least some other arrangements).

One way you can simulate the traveler is by rigging a 20:1 vang that allows you to set the sail shape independent of the sheeting angle, that is, even for upwind.'

Some people have discussed split mainsheets, others have rigged various end-boom "travelers". Check out the rigging guide on http://daysailer.org/ (i.e. on the "home page" for this site). That's a simple system that works really well, needs a vang though. Doesn't clutter up your cockpit (many people report banging their shins on travelers installed mid-cockpit).

Idea being, try simple first. If it really doesn't work after some sea trials, add just enough complexity to make it work - but no more.

Thanks for the speedy advice. Currently I have a 4:1 vang and that seemed to be under stress when the mainsheet was eased. A 20:1 would certainly fix that but I'm not familiar with putting that much load on the boom or the mast base to which the vang is connected. I shall give your suggestions some thought. Thanks again, cheers Greg

I've only read about systems like that, but there are people here who have setups like that.

On the load to the boom. No matter what system you use, for the same position of the sail the boom exerts the same load. So the only difference in loading the boom is based on where the mainsheet or vang attach. The vang attaches further forward, where the lever arm is poorer, so the loads are higher. The downward force from a vang when used with sails close hauled would be what, double that of the main sheet (if center sheeted). Remember, the mainsheet would also be tight when going upwind even though you use the vang.

The difference is that the vang has a forward pull as well (that can give you issues with the gooseneck fitting - look up 'vang sheeting' and 'gooseneck' on this forum to locate discussion of this issue). So the overall force to the boom fitting would be the (vector) sum of those components.

That should give you some ideas of how to estimate the required strength as a multiple of the strength required for the fitting for a center-sheeted main sheet. Let's see whether we can get people with actual experience of this to chime in.

Interestingly, for performance of the DaySailer, as measured by winning the national championship (USA), there are very few if any that have won using a mid-boom traveler, most have used end boom sheeting of some variety. Again, for performance, and again using the national champions, most of them have used a high ratio boomvang.