Jib Traveler

Can I get some rules of thumb for jib traveler position. If I remember right, you basically set traveler so jib smoothly feeds main with nice flow. What else?

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Mims, FL

Upwind:
- light air, all the way to center. Move out about 4" as the chop builds and you start to double trapeze.
- above 15 kts, start moving the traveller out to keep from backwinding main and counter-rotating the mast. Above 25 kts, it's all the way out.

Downwind:
- all the way out, all the time.

Thanks Matt.

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Mims, FL

Newbie q - my jib travellers go all the way out, but don't pull right into the center as there are little screws in the track. Is that a design feature, a dodgy mod or what..?

How old is the boat? If it's '95 or newer w/the integrated track, the screws (w/ plastic posts) properly limit the traveller from going all the way to center.

Any idea why its designed like that? Why not let the jib travel all the way to the mast?

Because air has to flow between the sails to generate maximum lift. Think of the jib like a leading edge slat on an airplane wing. It allows a higher angle of attack (more lift) without flow separation (lots of drag).

If the jib is too close to the main, the jib will backwind the main, severely restricting the airflow between them = very, very slow.