Traveler control line

[Wet Spreaders]

I just upgraded my traveler car and the blocks are smaller than the old car - my 30ft length of Warpspeed won't run though the blocks.

I'm pretty sure that Warpspeed is overkill for a 4:1 traveler setup anyway and I'm looking for something with good "hand", runs well because of the large number of blocks and perhaps has some shock absorption properties for those bad gybe days. What are you all using?

 

[Alex W]

I use Control DPX in 5/16”. Soft in the hand, runs well, easy to splice. The last was a useful thing for me as it took a few tries to adjust the loop length properly. 

The only downside of Control-DPX is that it flattens more than I’d like through the blocks. That’s the downside of easy splicing. Salsa is a similar line from N.E. Ropes that stays round but is much harder to splice because it has a tighter weave. 

 

[yoyo]

I've sailed on a few boats that used Salsa for the traveler lines.  Small diameter Salsa definitely feels good and has handled many years of sun exposure.  Regatta braid is nice and soft but seems to snag easy.  I haven't tried Buzz line yet but it sounds like an option.

 

[ryley]

"how hard can it be to splice salsa?" I said to myself, as I started an eyesplice for my new mainsheet. A trailer hitch and two hands full of blisters later.... but yeah the stuff feels good. and it looks purty too. I think the only harder stuff to splice for me (so far) was the marlow mgp for the furler. that cover is *HARD* to open up.

 

[Rodfavela]

If you are fine with just tying knots, then Robline Dinghy Sheet XL is the best. It only comes in black or red. Great in the hand, very affordable and it is not a very high modulus line, so will be fine for crazy gybes. 

https://www.velasailingsupply.com/robline-dinghy-sheet-xl-8mm/

 

[thinwater]

I'm not sure why you would want to use high modulous line for a traveler. That's just asking for damamge. It's just the wrong product for the job, just as it is wrong for docklines.

Polyester. Or even Nylon, yes, nylon. Takes the sting out of jibes and doesn't stretch enough in the gusts to matter (the car might move 1/2-inch, which is probably not a bad thing).

 

[Irrational 14]

I like to taper my lines and this works well for the traveler as the line runs thru the purchase so much more efficiently. You leave the cover where the line cleats.

 

[samsonite]

I'm not sure why you would want to use high modulous line for a traveler. That's just asking for damamge. It's just the wrong product for the job, just as it is wrong for docklines.

Polyester. Or even Nylon, yes, nylon. Takes the sting out of jibes and doesn't stretch enough in the gusts to matter (the car might move 1/2-inch, which is probably not a bad thing).

I’m with you on docklines.

But if you’re racing you want to transfer as much power to keel as possible. Traveler lines included. I like an SK78 core and I’m not that picky about the cover.

 

[Alex W]

I like to taper my lines and this works well for the traveler as the line runs thru the purchase so much more efficiently. You leave the cover where the line cleats.

I don't see how this works on a traveler.  Any point on the line can be cleated (except for about a 1' tail on each end) on many travelers.

 

[Max Rockatansky]

I like WARPSPEED for most everything and it ran beautifully in my F-27GS trimaran’s windward sheeting trav. I think thin water might want to rethink his jibing technique, relying on elastic line to handle a jibe sounds a bad idea to me

 

[Max Rockatansky]

"how hard can it be to splice salsa?" I said to myself, as I started an eyesplice for my new mainsheet. A trailer hitch and two hands full of blisters later.... but yeah the stuff feels good. and it looks purty too. I think the only harder stuff to splice for me (so far) was the marlow mgp for the furler. that cover is *HARD* to open up.

Unless salsa has changed, a brummel splice is the go? Are we talking about the single braid kinda soft hand stuff, rite?

 

[Irrational 14]

I don't see how this works on a traveler.  Any point on the line can be cleated (except for about a 1' tail on each end) on many travelers.

Nothing new here. Many boats do this.



It depends on the track length and amount of purchase you have but for most 3:1/4:1 setups it is the best solution for minimizing friction and adding instant response.

I run these continuous so you can uncleat from either side. Not recommended for mid boom travelers such as over a companionway.

It's remarkable how much better the tapered traveler line works. Core can be spliced direct to each side of car or track end depending on your particular setup.

Mark up your old traveler line where the taper should go. That means traveler car all the way up and cleated. See photo (Hobie 33).

Cover runs about 3-4" below cleat and up to the opposite side which is mirrored. The cover will go into the purchase on the leeward side.

The end goal is to make the windward purchase easier/faster to pull and release when you are playing the traveler in gusts... the car will race up or down with the smaller diameter core. Dyneema is recommended since your are using smaller diameter. You're welcome.

 

[Alex W]

Yup, my traveler is setup the same way with a looped line.  The amount that can be stripped is a small percentage of the overall line, so I'm not sure it's worth it here.  In your example it looks like you have perhaps 18" to 24" of stripped line and it only runs through all of the blocks when you have the traveler pulled hard to one side.

 

[us7070]

I just used FSE Dinghy Control Line - 6mm-  on a boat with a ~275ft^2 main

https://www.defender.com/product.jsp?id=2439714

it has a dyneema core.., runs pretty well.., but might be a bit small in the hand for strong winds - I haven't used it yet in any kind of strong wind, but i am guessing i will need gloves.

6mm is the biggest they make for that product

i might swap it out for the jib car control, if the piece i got is long enough

BTW - i also used the McLube One Drop on my traveler bearings - seems much better, but the real test will come when i get out in some breeze.

https://www.defender.com/product.jsp?id=1197753

 

[thinwater]

I like WARPSPEED for most everything and it ran beautifully in my F-27GS trimaran’s windward sheeting trav. I think thin water might want to rethink his jibing technique, relying on elastic line to handle a jibe sounds a bad idea to me

That was a little insulting. Obviously, I know better. Also, I gather we can safely also assume you have never made a mistake.

How do people know so much about things they have never tried? The idea was given to me by Even Starzinger, who may have our combined experience buried. The rope used is 8mm climbing rope, which compared to dock line is a very high quality, very smooth running rope.

As for maximizing energy transfer, you need to check the math. consider innovations like square top mains, designed to open in gusts, and masts with bendy tips, both technologies with broad acceptance in multihulls. The amount of give we are discussing in a traveller, on the other hand, is on the order of 1/4- to 1/2-inch in stronger gusts. We're not talking about many inches, like we might see on a sheet.

Suit yourself. I've used Dyneema on a traveller. Warp Speed is good stuff, I love it for sheets. Very durable.

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I've used continuous traveler lines for years. Very handy. My Stiletto, F-boat, and PDQ have been rigged that way.

 

[IStream]

That was a little insulting. Obviously, I know better. Also, I gather we can safely also assume you have never made a mistake.

How do people know so much about things they have never tried? The idea was given to me by Even Starzinger, who may have our combined experience buried. The rope used is 8mm climbing rope, which compared to dock line is a very high quality, very smooth running rope.

As for maximizing energy transfer, you need to check the math. consider innovations like square top mains, designed to open in gusts, and masts with bendy tips, both technologies with broad acceptance in multihulls. The amount of give we are discussing in a traveller, on the other hand, is on the order of 1/4- to 1/2-inch in stronger gusts. We're not talking about many inches, like we might see on a sheet.

Suit yourself. I've used Dyneema on a traveller. Warp Speed is good stuff, I love it for sheets. Very durable.

-----

I've used continuous traveler lines for years. Very handy. My Stiletto, F-boat, and PDQ have been rigged that way.

I also got the idea from Evans and tried it out using some climbing rope with a parallel stranded nylon core I got for free from a buddy. After a few years, I went back to a low-end polyester double braid. The issue for me was that the climbing rope didn't really like to run through the blocks so operating the traveler took a lot more effort than I liked. The double braid runs much easier for the same thickness and if you get the cheap stuff, it's still somewhat stretchy.

 

[thinwater]

I also got the idea from Evans and tried it out using some climbing rope with a parallel stranded nylon core I got for free from a buddy. After a few years, I went back to a low-end polyester double braid. The issue for me was that the climbing rope didn't really like to run through the blocks so operating the traveler took a lot more effort than I liked. The double braid runs much easier for the same thickness and if you get the cheap stuff, it's still somewhat stretchy.

Like a lot of ropes, characteristics vary a lot between brands and models. Some climbing rope packs in a lot of core and is stiff. Some is very limber.  The 8mm I have used runs like lightening through larger blocks, but not as well through smaller blocks. So it depends. On my F-boat I went to XLS because it ran better. Staset is stiffer and larger in diameter (for the same rated size) and was not as nice.

 

[ryley]

Unless salsa has changed, a brummel splice is the go? Are we talking about the single braid kinda soft hand stuff, rite?

Ok I should have been more specific. The splice, no problem. the bury? that shit was STIFF as hell and I should have worn gloves for the milking. but no, you're right I used a brummel.

 

[Max Rockatansky]

Ok I should have been more specific. The splice, no problem. the bury? that shit was STIFF as hell and I should have worn gloves for the milking. but no, you're right I used a brummel.

This is salsa line, and it’s so very not stiff. Is yours the same?