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

Thu Mar 25 09:41:57 EDT 2021

When sailing to whether, the traveler is used to bring the boom to the boat’s centerline. 
This improves sail shape, the relationship of the Jib/Main and ability to point higher. 
It is not the tool on a Rhodes to depower the Rig in a gust - use the main sheet for that. 
Ric 
Dadventure  

Richard Stott, AIA, LEED AP 
www.stottarchitecture.com
Office	631-283-1777
Cell		516-965-3164 

> On Mar 24, 2021, at 5:02 PM, Rick Lange <sloopblueheron at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> Roger,
> 
> That piece of gear is for setting your sails to the prevailing wind.  It is
> too cumbersome and limited for responding to gusts.
> 
> Regards,
> 
> Rick Lange
> 
> 
> On Wed, Mar 24, 2021 at 4:51 PM ROGER PIHLAJA <roger_pihlaja at msn.com> wrote:
> 
>> Rick,
>> 
>> One more question, beginner sailboats do not come equipped with mainsail
>> travelers; but, more advanced sailboats nearly all have travelers.  If you
>> don’t sail your Rhodes 22 to windward while playing the traveler, what do
>> you think that piece of gear is for?
>> 
>> Roger Pihlaja
>> S/V Dynamic Equilibrium
>> 
>> Sent from my iPhone
>> 
>>> On Mar 24, 2021, at 4:34 PM, ROGER PIHLAJA <Roger_Pihlaja at msn.com>
>> wrote:
>>> 
>>> Rick,
>>> 
>>> If you have so much mainsail area up that dumping the traveler is not
>> sufficient to keep the boat upright in a gust; then, you need to reef down
>> the mainsail.  The more efficient reefed mainsail shape will more than
>> compensate for the greater unreeled mainsail area that spends a lot of time
>> all twisted and luffing.  Besides, it makes you look like a real amateur
>> and it’s hard on the sail.
>>> 
>>> Roger Pihlaja
>>> S/V Dynamic Equilibrium
>>> 
>>> Sent from my iPhone
>>> 
>>>> On Mar 24, 2021, at 4:25 PM, ROGER PIHLAJA <Roger_Pihlaja at msn.com>
>> wrote:
>>>> 
>>>> 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/
>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> 
>> 