Can we not all just agree to bin the pain that is the traveller and everyone just center the main blocks? 

How nice would life be without all that pulling - will it/ won't it cleat nonsense. No one likes bothering with it so why do we do it? (I understand the concept) If we all agreed to forget it wouldn't life would be much better!

Thoughts please? Chairman Felix - please note this for the AGM.

AD - would you like a test sail in my Trio? None of this traveller nonsense and G&T's downwind!!

What, ditch my lovely harken traveller for a walking frame, nei takk. We're not a one design class yet!

If you really believed what you are saying Andy, you'd get a strop,rather than get in a strop...

You could run a thread on those "traveller" moments alone.

Like when you spend over 100 quid on track and car and you don't put stoppers on the end of the track so you hear "crunch, pop pop pop pop pop" as all the little red balls fall to the bottom of the boat and get sucked out of the bailers...

I'm not having a strop - I'm off for a G&T with Scotty! Nice. 

Mine works well etc.. but I think my arms and shoulders are wearing out. I can't be the only one bored of hoiking that thing from side to side all the time...

Right I'm starting the petition!

Your not Andy. I can never find the damn thing when I want it and it is seriously hard in a blow. Not to mention having to re string it every 2/3 months! (a job for this weekend)

It's the crews job anyway............

us helms only have dispensation to perch and steer.

I just use a strop off the thwart on my old girl 908 exactly the same as Laurie used too on his old boat 3556. If set correctly works a treat. Never really understood why you need a zimmer frame and sevral hundred quids worth of blocks and fancy traveller cars!!

Let's return to round hoops. The helm gets a handhold, the crew gets a backrest, and the mainsail gets a compromise. Surely everyone is happy?

I am on your side Andy. When i had 3544 i took the hoop off & made an adjustable strop system that worked pretty well. This time i decided to persevere with the hoop, but combined with a top batten that wont tack really spoils the pleasure of sailing a Merlin. Perhaps i am just doing it wrong!!

Still hanker after my full length self tacking traveller..............
If ever there is a brand spanking new Rathbone Merlin, that's what we'll have.
I had full length traveller for a number of years, both curved and flat on the thwart. Occasionally, the batten wouldn't tack but usually the system worked quite well. Had two marks on the mainsheet depending on wind strength. A little bit of kicker helped but generally no problems unless tacking a lot in light winds...........

I'm not convinced all crews hoik the traveller about... I reckon the helms of the north pretty much do it themselves. 

(I have been lucky having super strong crews .. but even when coordinated - easing the main pre-hoik) it's hard work. Wimper wimper. 

Lets just agree to tie it in the middle!

Ha....now (THanks to the generosity of Richard B) I'm the owner of a new traveller - will fit that and start having fun remembering what to do. I've heard back that Mike Mac is pretty much in favour of travellers on a boat like the smokers. After the twin pole, the next purchase may well be some sails from Mike.....

Mike Mac had a traveller system on Trespassers W (a Ghost Rider as I recall).
I don't think it was self tacking.

I never fail to be surprised that travellers on hoops are so popular. The mainsheet angle from the vertical when the boom is centred is so small that it cannot make any sensible difference. My "G.Dalby bike frame" techno. affords a much greater angle (but AndyD does not like that either!). However, I could not sail without my Zimmer Frame.

Actually, the angle the mainsheet makes on a square hoop is the same angle it would make if it went to a traveller car against the inwhale. The difference is the distance beteeen boom and blocks - the ratio of that compared to the centreline-to-inwhale distance is the same, so the angle is the same...ish...

A diagram would explain that so much better!

Can we stop calling it a traveller and go back to the old term of gypsy?

No, no.  You need the gypsy to pull the traveller in! :-)

Not gypsies or travellers on the MR Forum.  I fear we are all tinkerers!!

"Actually, the angle the mainsheet makes on a square hoop is the same angle it would make if it went to a traveller car against the inwhale. The difference is the distance beteeen boom and blocks - the ratio of that compared to the centreline-to-inwhale distance is the same, so the angle is the same...ish..."

Depends on the rake of the mast of course. Fully raked, the traveller on top of my square hoop would be the equivalent on a traveller at thwart level several metres outboard:-) is that good or bad, I haven't a clue!