Traveler for Horizon Cat

[ShotGunWillie]

i All,

I'm new to the Horizon Cat family.  I picked up a 2008 mid winter and have done a bunch of work/modifications already. 

- Lot's of rewiring.  New style battery switch, charger, replaced fused panel with breakers, 12v plugs, cabin fan........
- Replaced the plastic thru hull with bronze
- Lot's of polishing and cleaning, re-striping.
- Built new Teak handrails and Gallows
- New bilge pump
- LED's
- Portholes in cockpit area
- Lot's more.......

(I'll post pics if someone can tell me how to do it)

Now, after sailing her a few times,  I'd really like to change the main sheet set up.  (not like racing my Flying Scot but really nice and relaxing) I'm thinking of a traveler track and car setup for the main sheet.  It would allow for a little more sail control but mostly get the fiddle blocks out of the way and not in the middle of my back.  (What a great place to sit back and relax)  I would mount the track on the back top of the cockpit rail (where the current blocks are attached) and slightly bend the track to match the curve.  The new setup would cleat the mainsheet so it is released by pulling it up, not down like it is now.  I was looking at a bunch of Cat boat pictures on the internet and most of them have a simple traveler system with a rod guide and a block that slides along the guide.  Kinda pricey but I think it would be real nice.  I'll bet I'd have $750 bucks in it in no time.....What do you think?  Oh, I know some folks have moved the blocks to the gallows posts but I'm not convinced that is beefy enough for my taste.  I'm sure it works fine but I would prefer to get away from the double ended set up.

Thanks, Willie

[rbh1515]

To post pics you need to have the pics hosted by another site, such as Photobucket....download your pics to Photobucket, copy the link for the pic on Photobucket and paste it into this site.  These are very simplified directions.  Its really very easy!
I have a new Horizon Day Cat I bought last year.  At the end of the year I moved the blocks to the gallows posts, but I have not tried it out yet, since my boat was out for the winter and has not got back in yet.  I didn't like that the blocks banged around a lot on the fiberglass in light wind.  I think I will like the blocks on the gallows posts.  Remember, on Cat boats when beating into the wind, you don't sheet the sail in past the edge of the hull....the mainsail is trimmed like a jenny (but you may already know this).  I used to have a Flying Scot years ago, and always sailed sloops.  This is my first Cat, and love it!
Rob

[rbh1515]

Rob

[Tom L.]

Hi Willie, I am sure you will like your H. Cat. I have an older Sun Cat and they mounted a Ball bearing traveller on the bridge deck. Newer versions have gone to the end of boom sheeting. I think mostly because it is less expensive.

I prefer the mid boom sheeting. While it is true it will slow the boat down if you try to sheet in too tight the mid boom sheeting keeps the main flatter as you bear off on a reach. Way more efficient sail. Close hauled I never bring the boom in past the back corner of the boat usually 6" or more outboard of the corner. One other thing when the winds pipe up the mid boom is a mechanical disadvantage so it does become a hand full. Garhauer offers a main sheet that is two speed. 3:1 and 6:1. It works by pulling two parallel sheets together for faster 3:1 then pull only one for more powerfull 6:1. The cam cleats are mounted side buy side.  I might get that for our boat but I would guess if you can do a mid boom sheet on the H.Cat that would be a necessity.

There is a narrow bridge deck in front of the companion way on the H. Cat. Maybe that would handle a traveller. The factory could help you on that matter. Otherwise the track would have to be very tall for strength to span the seats.

There has often been an argument that the main sheet blocks the companion way. Not so it is always sliding to one side or the other when beating no need at all to keep it centered. It's not good practice on a Cat boat to center the sheet let it go to the leeward side with the boom. When anchored or docked simply pull it to one side or the other to open up the companion way.

There is one bad attribute. Leaning against the cabin when sailing will require the crew to move when tacking. The traveller blocks the Leeward side of the coach back.

Just my opinion for what it's worth.

Tom L.

[ShotGunWillie]

Thank you for the replies.  Unfortunatly I have not figured out the picture thing yet but I will.  I created a shutterfly account and loaded my pictures.  Now I need to figure out how to share them.

Thank you both for your comments and suggestions and your help with proper sail settings.  I know I will have a tendency to over sheet......I really like to focus on proper sail settings and go as fast as possible even if I'm sailing for a leisure cruse.

Rob, How confident are you about the gallows posts and mounting you have chosen? I really feel there will be too much tension for your hardware configuration.  It just looks too weak to control an end boom configuration with a triple block main sheet.  Especially in the event of an unfortunate auto tack.  The gallows is designed to handle downward pressure, not so much side to side.  I could easily be wrong about this.

Tom, I'm guessing I have never seen the configuration of your older boat and you're probably correct about the new configuration being less expensive.  Just to be clear, my plan was to leave the end boom configuration and install a track and car near the transom of the boat, just forward of the gallows, mounted on the back of the cockpit. Basically where it is mounted now.  I think it would match the old style configuration on cat boats where they have a rod mounted near the transom and a block slides along it. 

I would love to see your setup.  My good friend just ordered a new HC and I think he will be bothered by the fiddle block location as well.  Oh, by the way, my boat is wheel steering not a tiller so sitting way back in the cockpit is really nice.

I'll post pics when I figure it out.  Thanks again for your comments!

[rbh1515]

SGW,
The mounts for the gallows seems pretty robust....probably more robust than the two blocks.  Each of the blocks is held in by 2 screws (see my pic a few posts up).  I have not sailed using my new setup, but I am pretty sure it should work out well.   Not sure what you mean by auto tack....jibe?  You really want to be careful jibing in a cat.  I have jibed in my cat a few times, and it was always on purpose, and very controlled.  Any boat can have failures with an uncontrolled jibe.  I've been sailing for over 40 years and never had an uncontrolled jibe.  A friend of mine with a C&C 110 was racing and had an uncontrolled jibe...the mainsheet wrapped around his pedestal and almost ripped it off the boat.
Rob

[ShotGunWillie]

Yes, auto jibe or auto tack.  Racing on inland lakes with smaller boats...... it happens now and then.  Very shifty gusty winds when you're trying to stay right on the edge of your best tack can be fun. Especially when the spinnaker is flying.  Please let me know how you think things go when you give it a test.  Your idea might be the best and simplest way to solve my issue.  Thanks again!

[rbh1515]

Yep, know what you mean...I'm sailing on the big pond, and winds are very steady, and don't shift around much.
Rob

[Tom L.]

For a really good solution to add a traveler at the base of the gallows check out this site page 43 and 44. http://www.go-embedded.com/Sailingmanual.pdf

Tom L.

[rbh1515]

Tom,
Very nice setup.  If my new set up doesn't work I may have to look into that.
Rob

[rbh1515]

Rob, How confident are you about the gallows posts and mounting you have chosen? I really feel there will be too much tension for your hardware configuration.  It just looks too weak to control an end boom configuration with a triple block main sheet.  Especially in the event of an unfortunate auto tack.  The gallows is designed to handle downward pressure, not so much side to side.  I could easily be wrong about this.

Was out for the first sail of the season today!  12 knots of wind.  The new mainsheet setup with the blocks on the gallows posts worked great.  The posts were very solid.  See YouTube vid.
Rob
https://youtu.be/qZ2Hv5ca7q0

[rbh1515]

Noticed this post in regards to the robustness of the gallows:
http://cpyoa.geekworkshosting.com/forum/index.php?topic=9563.0
Have been out a number of times and the mainsheet setup seems.pretty solid!
Rob