The installation of a mainsheet traveler on any one of the Pocket Yachts, the Weekender, Vacationer, and Pocket Cruiser will aid in the windward performance of the boat.
     What the traveler does when sailing to windward with a gaff rig is to allow better control of the shape of the mainsail. It does this by changing the position of the mainsheet relative to the centerline of the boat at the boom end.
     In the plans for our boats the mainsheet is set on the centerline on the aft deck. What this arrangement does mostly is accomplish an easy installation of the mainsheet and hold down costs. What is does not do is to allow good control of the shape of the mainsail when going to windward. When going to windward with a gaff rig the boom end should be positioned to be above the leeward rail of the boat, not sheeted hard on the centerline. With the stationary mounting of the lower mainsheet block on the centerline the sheet has to be overly eased to move the boom to the desired leeward position. Doing this releases the downward pressure caused by the mainsheet on the leech of the mainsail allowing it to belly out to leeward to much and lose the desired shape of the sail. Thus poor performance to windward and a lower point of sail. A mainsheet traveler will help alleviate this problem.
     What the traveler does for the mainsheet and the mainsail is two fold. First it allows the lower block of the mainsheet to be positioned farther outboard than the centerline set setup. Second it allows for more downward pressure to be applied to the boom end. By doing these two things the mainsail shape is now more controllable at the desired position of the boom end. The new outboard position of the lower mainsheet block allows for a better sheeting angle thus making it easier to control the leech tension of the mainsail thus a flatter sail shape. It also allows for better fine control of the shape of the sail when going to a close reach and a beam reach. In the end the better control of the mainsail shape will allow the boat to point higher to windward.
     Now about changing to a traveler setup for the mainsheet. On Weekenders and Vacationers that have kept the wheel steering as per the plans this is an easy change. For the Pocket Cruiser and those builders who have opted for a tiller this install will be different.
     For wheel steering the change is fairly straight forward one. A traveler simply has to be made and mounted onto the aft deck. The important thing here is that the traveler be mounted directly below the boom end block when the boom is dead amidships. This will allow the traveler block to freely move from side to side without binding. Also important is that the traveler be mounted high enough above the deck to allow free passage of the traveler block. Now what type of traveler to install.
    There are many traveler systems made by companies such as Harken, Ronstan, and Lewmar for use on small boats. These are quite expensive but are also top of the line as to their construction and materials used. But large sums of money do not have to be spent to have a traveler system for your boat. You can make your own traveler system.
     One of the most common and widely used on small sailboats for a long time is one made of tubing. Now many of these where made using bronze tubes or even solid shafts, but that was when bronze was far less in expense and widely available. Now days aluminum tubing or stainless steel are the choices because they are widely available and less expensive. Another inexpensive way is to use wire rope as a traveler, this should be made of 7/19 or 7/7 stainless steel to prevent rusting and staining the decks.
     For boats that have opted for a tiller things change a little. By using a boom end traveler the swing of the tiller is a little restricted now as the tiller must pass under the traveler system. This also raises the height above deck of the traveler system. Another consideration is one of the benefits on the tiller is that it can be raised freely in height to allow steering while standing in the cockpit of a boat. So to be able to do this a two piece tiller must be constructed. One section fixed to the rudder head and passing under the traveler and the second section hinging to allow up and down movement of the tiller.
    To close this article let me state that it is not the position of the staff of the Gaff Rig to detail the construction of modifications to any boat away from the designed plans but to give food for thought. This section of the Gaff Rig is open to articles written by any member who may wish to detail " How I did It" type articles as long as they are in keeping with the spirit of the Gaff Rig and The BYYB and sailing in general.

  The Editor.

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