new traveler cars

[Tom Glennon]

Gentlemen:

I just bought a new set of Garhauer traveler cars from a gentleman in the cat 36 Association.

I am assuming (I know, we never should!) that the traveler cars for the 36 is the same for the 34's.  My 1987 vintage cars are terrible under load, and these new 6:1 sure look beautiful.

My question is: have any of you out there made the switch and was it a simple swap out? Also, how long a line for each side... 16 feet or so?

Thanks in advance.  Just trying to do something to get in the sailing mood up here in the Northeast!!

[David Sanner]

I replaced my traveler car last year with a Garhauer 5x1 (MT-2).

The swap out is simple, just pull the endplates off the traveler track and remove the old end blocks. Then just align the track section that new traveler is on with the track on your boat and slide the traveler (keeping the ball bearings in place). If you want to save your old traveler just slide it off the other end onto the track that new car was just on.

Depending on your setup you may need to drill a hole in the top of your track for the retainer screw on the end blocks to fit into.

I'm not sure of the line length but I would guess longer, say at least 25'.  (5X the traveler track length + some extra)

btw: It works wonderfully... the average person can adjust the car under full load.

[Ron Hill]

Tom : I had a 6:1 and didn't like it.  The lines tended to tangle because the end blocks are stacked on top of each other.  I finally traded it in for a 5:1.  
With the 6:1 it should be a direct swap out for you 3:1.  Hope the new center car is on a track so all you have to do is take off the end cap and slide it in the rail - so you don't loose any of the bearings.  

[Rick Johnson]

Not directly related but I bought a set of of rope clutches from Garhauer for my Catalina 30.  I was living in Southern California and they were local, so I drove over to their factory!  What a great bunch of people!!!  Nice to see a family run business that really cares about their products and were very helpful to a new boat owner trying to upgrade his boat.  I even had a chance to talk for about a hour to the father who had started the business.

[Tom Glennon]

As always, thanks for the replies... the main car is on a track.... as this unit was never used by the P.O.  he sold his boat prior to installing the new set up.

Nice to hear it works so well, it certainly is a hefty, substantial upgrade over the old one currently on the boat.

[Tom Soko]

Tom,
You might want to consider making a "continuous loop" for the genoa car control line.  Measure the length of line you would normally need going back and forth between the blocks, adding another few feet for a tail.  Instead of having the tail end in the cockpit, add enough line to have the tail go back to the aft end of the adjustable car.  This will make a continuous loop, giving you 5:1 (or 6:1) purchase pulling the car forward, and 1:1 pulling the car aft.  I've found this way works a lot better than a bungie cord for adjusting the car under load.

[Stu Jackson]

Tom

The length of the line will depend on how your control lines are rigged.  Mine are 27 feet each.  That's because I do NOT have cam cleats on the track, they were removed and cam cleats with fair leads are mounted on the cabin top behind the dodger.  Even without a dodger, this is a better place for them, because you don't have to lean all the way forward.  Jim Moe wrote this idea up in the C30 section of a six year old Mainsheet.

The line shown is the old 3/8 inch.  I have newer smaller lines now. I'd mentioned recently here that you should use a smaller size line, like 5/16.  The 3/8 line, over time, "grew," and started catching in the cheeks of the blocks.  In this case, smaller is better.