[Rhodes22-list] [Rhodes22e-list] New Traveler Modifications

[ROGER PIHLAJA]

Rick,

I would welcome the chance to match race you.  I would be willing to bet considerable money that your strategy is wrong and I would beat you decisively.

Roger Pihlaja
S/V Dynamic Equilibrium 

Sent from my iPhone

> On Mar 24, 2021, at 4:21 PM, Rick Lange <sloopblueheron at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> Roger,
> 
> We're talking about sailing close hauled in a stiff breeze (15-20knt) with
> sudden gusts that will round up the boat.  The only mainsail shape that
> matters during a gust is the shape that quickly dumps enough wind to keep
> the boat on course without luffing the jib and, in the case of the R22,
> sailing flat.
> 
> Easing the main sheet is the quickest way to react while affording the
> tactile control needed to ease and recover appropriately as the  gust
> varies.  In addition to being quicker than a traveller can move,
> sheet control is not as restrictive as a traveller in allowing greater boom
> motion for dumping enough wind when there is a really strong gust.
> 
> For small sloops up to 32', sailing close hauled by feeling sheet tension
> is the fastest way to go.  I have sailed with totally blind crews and they
> sail closer to the wind than many sighted sailors distracted by watching
> sail shape.
> 
> Regards,
> 
> Rick Lange
> 
> 
>> On Wed, Mar 24, 2021 at 1:48 PM ROGER PIHLAJA <roger_pihlaja at msn.com> wrote:
>> 
>> Rick,
>> 
>> My 1976 Rhodes Continental 22 came with a cable style traveler.  This was
>> not a very good setup and I soon upgraded to the GBI bar-style traveler
>> that is mounted on the backstay.  This traveler was much better and I used
>> it for many years.  However, because the mainsail trimmer needed to be in
>> line with the clam cleats on each end of the traveler bar in order to cleat
>> off the control line, it was very difficult for the helmsman to also play
>> the traveler.  This was especially an issue when the helmsman was sitting
>> up on the windward gunnel (i.e. hiking out) and the traveler needed to be
>> trimmed to leeward.  GBI’s 2nd
>> (3rd?) generation traveler pretty much solves all these issues.  Properly
>> adjusted, the latest generation traveler has a built-in slip characteristic
>> that will save you in an accidental gibe or a knockdown gust.   The
>> traveler control line is a continuous loop, which enables the helmsman to
>> play the traveler to windward or leeward without leaving his hiking station
>> up on the windward gunnel.  The helmsman drives with one hand on the tiller
>> extension, the other on the traveler control line, and multitasks.  The
>> helmsman can feel the weather/lee helm pressure thru the tiller and is in
>> the best position to adjust the traveler to optimize the weather helm/lee
>> helm balance.  I’ve been sailing with the new generation traveler for 3
>> seasons now.  If you care about boat speed and sail short handed, this
>> upgrade is well worth the price!  On a close hauled course in 10-15 knot of
>> wind, If you get into a drag race with another Rhodes 22 that is properly
>> using  its latest generation traveler vs you using your mainsheet, you will
>> fall behind by ~30-40 sec/nm.  In a PHRF race, that’s huge!  Other than
>> buying new sails, there is probably no other upgrade that offers this much
>> performance per dollar spent.
>> 
>> Roger Pihlaja
>> S/V Dynamic Equilibrium
>> 
>> Sent from Mail<https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=550986> for
>> Windows 10
>> 
>> From: ROGER PIHLAJA<mailto:roger_pihlaja at msn.com>
>> Sent: Wednesday, March 24, 2021 12:12 PM
>> To: The Rhodes 22 Email List<mailto:rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org>
>> Subject: Re: [Rhodes22-list] [Rhodes22e-list] New Traveler Modifications
>> 
>> Rick,
>> 
>> When you ease the traveler, the end of the boom does not rise as it does
>> when you ease the mainsheet.  Thus the mainsail shape is affected much less
>> when you ease the traveler vs the mainsheet.  When you trim the traveler
>> back to where it was, the flow reattaches itself much quicker.  Overall,
>> boat speed stays higher.  That’s why you play the traveler much more than
>> the mainsheet.
>> 
>> Roger Pihlaja
>> S/V Dynamic Equilibrium
>> Sent from my iPhone
>> 
>>> On Mar 24, 2021, at 11:25 AM, Rick Lange <sloopblueheron at gmail.com>Trim
>> the trawrote:
>>> 
>>> Jeff,
>>> 
>>> Why the traveller?  The sheet is so much faster and gives greater range
>> of
>>> boom movement.
>>> 
>>> Rick Lange
>>> 
>>>> On Wed, Mar 24, 2021, 9:13 AM JeffSmith <jeffsmithphoto at gmail.com>
>> wrote:
>>>> 
>>>> When sailing to weather I like to play the traveler (as opposed to the
>> main
>>>> sheet) in the puffs while sitting on the high side cockpit combing with
>> the
>>>> hiking stick.
>>>> A continuous 5mm line with the core removed where it travels through the
>>>> blocks on the New Traveler and possibly changing the purchase from 5 to
>> 1
>>>> to
>>>> 3 to 1 is part of my plan. Before holes are drilled in the cockpit
>> sides to
>>>> accomodate turning blocks to lead the continuous line forward around the
>>>> perimeter of the cockpit, I would welcome input.
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> -----
>>>> Jeff Smith
>>>> 2009 R22 #101 RADIANT
>>>> Atlantic Highlands Municpal Harbor
>>>> Atlantic Highlands, NJ
>>>> 
>>>> --
>>>> Sent from: http://rhodes-22.1065344.n5.nabble.com/
>>>> 
>> 
>>