MarkRyan1981 wrote:What do you do when the apparent is up at 21 - 22 knots? Move the traveler way to leeward? Doesn't this impede how high you can point if the boom is moved far from the centreline?
MarK: As I understand it (and I've never owned a boat with a traveler, so this is taken from various sources), lowering the traveler does somewhat reduce pointing angle. But in strong winds, you need to open the slot between jib and main anyhow, or you will stall the sails. You do that by cracking the sails slightly and footing off (as a rule), which also helps maintain boat speed as chop builds. Easing the sails also reduces heeling force & puts more of the force on the sails in a desirable (forward) direction. You can pinch or feather into gusts, but ultimately that slows you down & can create a lot of work for the helmsperson. A good way to optimize how high you can point, tho. That's how we sail our San Juan 21, but there is an upper limit to how windy we can point high & still keep the boat moving. Above that (25kts) we have to ease the boom and close reach.
Dropping the traveler is better than easing the mainsheet in a puff because it is less highly-loaded & because it vangs the boom & keeps it from lifting, which can cause excessive draft down low and to much twist up high. Also, with a strong gust, the apparent wind will shift toward the beam anyhow, so you should be able to ease the mainsail angle without affecting pointing ability. Jib might stall a bit.
We probably won't be playing the traveler as we learn the boat and move it down the coast. Once in Mexico, where the winds are more shifty and gusty, we may upgrade to a traveler we can adjust on the fly. Most travelers only give you a few degrees of useful boom angle adjustment upwind. Long-track or coachroof travelers are a nice adjunct to a vang on reaches.
(For some reason, concealed control lines are called 'German', apparently. It's quite fashionable.)
