Posted by Ross Cossar on September 10, 2003 at 12:07:39 from 204.92.62.143 user rlcossar.
In Reply to: Re: Travellor posted by Laurence Monkhouse on September 09, 2003 at 13:58:49:
No a travellor is not essential but is very useful in sail trim. I note that in the SA film and pictures of Scarab in PM (also the cover of the Red Fox paper back that my son has)that they don't even have a main sheet block. They just hold the main sheet in their hands directly from the boom. That indicates tougher hands than I have and I've been sailing dingys and small yatchs for a lot of years.
Laurence, I'm having trouble with your description of your rigging. Did your main sheet only go to your hand from the port side of your transome? Not from a central point? It seems that your booms side to side control was more a vertical thing that also pulled the boom in while it was tightening it down.
My "Goblin" is an 18 foot Edel. I also have done away with the travelor as it was mid cockpit and very much in the way. I still have great adjustment as I have two mainsheets, port and starboard going to each side of the companion hatch. Proper blocks with good cleats save my hands and arms through a lot of sailing hours.