Harket traveler

I'm tired of fighting with my H18 traveler; buying new Delrin slugs or balls and still having my traveler 'stick'.

There's no 'One Design' racing for H18s around here, so the idea of putting a Harken track on the rear beam is interesting.

Has anyone done this? Any suggestions?

Thanks,
Bobby
H18SX #27 (1983 boat) 'Still Floats'

Yes. I got a "parts boat" early last year and it had a Harken traveler on the rear crossbar so I swapped the crossbar over to the boat I sail and it works great--to a point. It is awesome for playing the traveler--a huge improvement to that end. However, in heavy air the traveler pulls up to the weather side when sheeting the main in tight (which the ball/slug combo Hobie traveler doesn't do quite so much). Not really a big deal because as soon as you stop pulling on the mainsheet the traveler goes back to the set position and you may resume playing the traveler if you desire.

That said I'm not sure I would make the switch on a pleasure boat if I had to pay for the traveler. I only tried because it was essentially free, so why not? I liked it and it stayed on my boat (and I have my old rear crossbar if I ever want to go back).

I have also thought about this. The traveler car would have a lot of load on it but there should be one strong enough.
It would work best if you could keep it flat. The rear beam has very little curve so a small foot or wedge at each end should do the trick. You might even look at curving it like an "A" cat.

Try lubing the travler track with dishwasing soap before you go out sailing. It will slide easier, help clean sand and other junk out the track, and dosn't leave that sticky residue like Mclube or sailkote will. Nice thing about soap is its cheap and easy.

_________________
1992 Hobie Cat 18 #16943
Hobie Fleet 198, Rapid City, SD

The problem with the harken travelers is that they move too easily. When you're traveled out and you pull in on the mainsheet, the whole stack ends up being pulled to windward.

I find that the stock system works just fine with one ball and one slider. Spray the track with silicone before sailing.

sm

Stock system works fine until you start flying a spin. Since the mast is the backstay and must stay sheeted traveling out is difficult at best. The curve of the beam does not help. So, if you get overpowered under spin all you can do is drive it down fast, no way to backwind it with the main.

This is true, as I mentioned above. However, I didn't notice it being that much worse or different than the ball and slug Hobie traveler in that respect, and it is very nice if you opt to play the traveler for instead of the mainsheet. I don't race and I kinda prefer the Harken traveler, but as I said above, I don't think I would have tried it were it not essentially free (aside from the crossbar swap which had to happen anyway--another story). I really don't see anything wrong with the Hobie traveler design at all.

The boat my rear crossbar came off of was previously owned by a crazy Frenchman who loved to go out in super heavy air and liked to play the traveler instead of the mainsheet--which is fine, since it is pretty much what a traveler is intended for (set leach twist with the mainsheet and work the trim to apparent wind with the traveler).

I like it enough to have not bothered to change back, but there are a myriad of other things I would spend my money on for my boat before doing that swap.

Now, if only the traveler on my 30' ULDB monohull moved as easily. There I would _love_ a Harken windward sheeting traveler (but being broke sucks).