Just wondering if anyone has experimented with a traveler on a land yacht?
Yeah I know it would be pretty hard to fit one, but has anyone played with similar type arrangements?
Would setting the boom to windward of the center-line have much effect on how high you could point?
Lash a turning block near the windward wheel, run a sheet from the boom end through the block and to the cockpit. The boom can be pulled over centre. Points higher but yacht wants to crab or slip sideways. Loads up the steering as you compensate for the slide. bit of fun
Yep tried that.... A traveler works OK ....BUT not to get the boom more centre but when the boom is slightly out, it enables you to sheet in tight and remove the twist in the sail giving more speed upwind rather than tipping the yacht over because of the sail twist. (same use on water yachts in strong winds)
End of boom sheeting gives a tighter sheeting angle than centre sheeting and a LOT easier on the hands as well with the same number of pulley blocks.
Lash a turning block near the windward wheel, run a sheet from the boom end through the block and to the cockpit. The boom can be pulled over centre. Points higher but yacht wants to crab or slip sideways. Loads up the steering as you compensate for the slide. bit of fun
You can also pull the boom under centre which is what I was trying to accomplish.
What started me off was, with my class5, I was sheeting in while holding the boom away from centre(leeward) with my foot and noticed an immediate speed increase without any force lost trying to lift a wheel. In essence you are turning your sail into a wing and you can control it as such to a certain extent, much like an adjustable wind surfer rig
centre sheeting largely put travellers to bed as the sheeting freed up the chassis to "flow " over the ground. more flexible frames happened at the same time rear sheeting is a compromise due to the tiny yachts we now sail. the yachts that have managed to go centre sheet show a distict speed improvement over rough ground