How is your experience with using the traveler? I'm considering either removing it completely or reducing to the shorter one to install closer to the floor instead of on top of the seats.

Val

Hi, what can I say?

the previous owner knew what he was doing; Such a full length traveller is essential to get the best out of a yacht with a relatively large main sail. You need to get to grips with sal trim.

Consider:-

The wind does not move at constant velocity from sea level to top of your mast. Both speed and apparent angle change.

To enable the best efficiency of the aerofoil sections of your sail the angle of attack has to be varied up the sail [sail twist]. The angles depend also on the net wind speed.

For example in light wind you should ease the clew outhaul to allow a deep section near bottom of sail, and ease the vang and the main halyard and the backstay to allow the sail it maximum depth of aerofoil sections, it should twist off towards top, then observing the telltails modify the setting to get good flow over all sail. The full width traveler is used to set the angle of boom.

I strengthening wind the controls move towards flattening the sail, clew outhaul tension, main halyard tension, tension backstay to bend mast flatten top of sail.

As wind speed increases, you get to stage of flatest unreefed main, halyard tight, backstay hard on approx mast bent to approx 1.5/1.8 X thickness of mast, clew outhaul flatest setting. at this stage you will need to drop the traveller down in gusts, and pull it up in the lulls. This stage will be top of force 3 or low force 4. Next you should put in first reef, ensure sail is well reefed with the reef line tension flattening the sail.

So please start using your sail controls and you will find the full width traveler is essential part of sailing well.

I have a preference to setup the vang so it lifts the boom, and a cascaded vang tackle allows me to put twist in sail in very light ghosting winds when the weight of boom alone pulls out any twist. Others use the topping lift.

Backstay tension/mast bend is best achieved by hand with a cascaded system, the block system supplied is inadequate

Mainsail sheeting is improved with fast and slow systems to  improve control. Try searching my old threadson main sheet, for sme photos easier than explaination.

There is lots of sail trim information available: I dont claim to be the expert but I have occasionaly won races. Now 78 yrs young I cruise, but my love of sailing 'better' I cant let go.

East Cowes UK

Yacht Bloto-4 H315 [2007]

I removed the traveller from my H315 -06. I never used it and it was just uncomfortable on the topside of the benches.I control the mainsail twist by having a strong vang boom that can adjust the height of the main boom.
In order to better reach the main sheet from behind the wheel I made this solution.

Funny thing, just finished installation of a full width track along with an Harken windward sheeting car, same set-up as my previous racing boats. I simply love the set-up. 

Did not sail much yet but in 5-6 kts going upwind, full twist, car all the way up, sheet out to get boom centered, no vang (don't tight the leach!) 

Going upwind in wind gusts, still trying to figure right balance between backstay tension, vang and mainsheet/traveller position balance. But for sure traveller car down to at least "mid-seat" position. Did manage to flatten the mainsail some with the backstay but it think D1 and D2 might be too tight in relation to the cap shrouds.

I really enjoy sailing the H320 up to know, a "race" tuning guide from a sailmaker would have simplified the learning curve but a nice challenge for me!

Next steps, jury rig an in-hauler for the 110% (right %?) to play with that trim set-up! 

I can make my main flat by outhaul, halyard and vang. I can see what you mean about light wind twist in the roach. Small trade off for me since I sail 90% alone and not race. Autopilot steers and I trim. Maximum pointing upwind is no as critical for me and I can fall off 20deg to pick up a knot.

Val

I had to get my J/70 tradded for something more acceptable for my wife, I am just living the dream that the H320 can be quick!!

I had a new shorter final wire made up to replace the one that used to be fastened to the hull and then terminated this on the top of the original jammer.  I then just added a 4 part purchase on to the final end of the original backstay rope using a standard dinghy mainsheet jammer.  I pull up the backstay tight with the original system to set the standard setting and then use the new purchase when the wind increases and it is very easy to do one handed.  

This system will bend the mast overall, but for me the main benefit is that as the top of the mast has bent then the leech of the mainsail has opened up and the weather helm decreases.  Its seems to give me another couple of knots of apparent wind before I need to reef

I use similar cascaded backstay on my 315 [2007].

I have always used a ball park max mast bend on fractional rigs of 1.5-2.0 times the mast fore and aft dimensionI [got this years ago from a mast designer guy from proctors: yes long time ago]. I have losta couple of masts but not due bending just spreader and wire fails.  And I setup my cascade to max out at 1.5, and that flattens out the top 1/3rd of main.

Perry

Bloto-4

Cowes

here is my set-up!

 

Yes your setup as mine, except I use another cascade [32-1] getting too old to pull?

 I'm using similar dymeena cascade, still with old SS backstay line to mast top.

Consider the cascade parts dont need to be long as mast bend forstay tension doesnt represent large displacement;  if you setup the 4-1 tackle to go block to block at your max mast bend [I use 1.5X mast dim]  then you always [in heat of race?] know your not overbending mast?

Just my preference but worth a look at next time you tune a rig.

I use similar cascade on kicking strap tackle [Vang] it goes block to block when boom at lowest point to stop over stressing anything [lazy jack lines? boom hitting sprayhood? or crew head? when reef not tightened fully]. Also when fully off the kicking strut spring set to push boom up allowing sail twist to be fully regulated by Vang tension rather than overcome by boom weight. With adequate cascade the boom height/sail twist is easily controlled by hand no winching required.

Perry

Yacht Bloto-4

Not to mention how the traveler makes it possible to fit a removable table on which you can put eg drinkable devices.