Roger,

We're talking about sailing close hauled in a stiff breeze (15-20knt) with
sudden gusts that will round up the boat.  The only mainsail shape that
matters during a gust is the shape that quickly dumps enough wind to keep
the boat on course without luffing the jib and, in the case of the R22,
sailing flat.

Easing the main sheet is the quickest way to react while affording the
tactile control needed to ease and recover appropriately as the  gust
varies.  In addition to being quicker than a traveller can move,
sheet control is not as restrictive as a traveller in allowing greater boom
motion for dumping enough wind when there is a really strong gust.

For small sloops up to 32', sailing close hauled by feeling sheet tension
is the fastest way to go.  I have sailed with totally blind crews and they
sail closer to the wind than many sighted sailors distracted by watching
sail shape.

Regards,

Rick Lange

On Wed, Mar 24, 2021 at 1:48 PM ROGER PIHLAJA <roger_pihlaja at msn.com> wrote:

> Rick,
>
> My 1976 Rhodes Continental 22 came with a cable style traveler.  This was
> not a very good setup and I soon upgraded to the GBI bar-style traveler
> that is mounted on the backstay.  This traveler was much better and I used
> it for many years.  However, because the mainsail trimmer needed to be in
> line with the clam cleats on each end of the traveler bar in order to cleat
> off the control line, it was very difficult for the helmsman to also play
> the traveler.  This was especially an issue when the helmsman was sitting
> up on the windward gunnel (i.e. hiking out) and the traveler needed to be
> trimmed to leeward.  GBI’s 2nd
> (3rd?) generation traveler pretty much solves all these issues.  Properly
> adjusted, the latest generation traveler has a built-in slip characteristic
> that will save you in an accidental gibe or a knockdown gust.   The
> traveler control line is a continuous loop, which enables the helmsman to
> play the traveler to windward or leeward without leaving his hiking station
> up on the windward gunnel.  The helmsman drives with one hand on the tiller
> extension, the other on the traveler control line, and multitasks.  The
> helmsman can feel the weather/lee helm pressure thru the tiller and is in
> the best position to adjust the traveler to optimize the weather helm/lee
> helm balance.  I’ve been sailing with the new generation traveler for 3
> seasons now.  If you care about boat speed and sail short handed, this
> upgrade is well worth the price!  On a close hauled course in 10-15 knot of
> wind, If you get into a drag race with another Rhodes 22 that is properly
> using  its latest generation traveler vs you using your mainsheet, you will
> fall behind by ~30-40 sec/nm.  In a PHRF race, that’s huge!  Other than
> buying new sails, there is probably no other upgrade that offers this much
> performance per dollar spent.
>
> Roger Pihlaja
> S/V Dynamic Equilibrium
>
> Sent from Mail<https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=550986> for
> Windows 10
>
> From: ROGER PIHLAJA<mailto:roger_pihlaja at msn.com>
> Sent: Wednesday, March 24, 2021 12:12 PM
> To: The Rhodes 22 Email List<mailto:rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org>
> Subject: Re: [Rhodes22-list] [Rhodes22e-list] New Traveler Modifications
>
> Rick,
>
> When you ease the traveler, the end of the boom does not rise as it does
> when you ease the mainsheet.  Thus the mainsail shape is affected much less
> when you ease the traveler vs the mainsheet.  When you trim the traveler
> back to where it was, the flow reattaches itself much quicker.  Overall,
> boat speed stays higher.  That’s why you play the traveler much more than
> the mainsheet.
>
> Roger Pihlaja
> S/V Dynamic Equilibrium
> Sent from my iPhone
>
> > On Mar 24, 2021, at 11:25 AM, Rick Lange <sloopblueheron at gmail.com>Trim
> the trawrote:
> >
> > ?Jeff,
> >
> > Why the traveller?  The sheet is so much faster and gives greater range
> of
> > boom movement.
> >
> > Rick Lange
> >
> >> On Wed, Mar 24, 2021, 9:13 AM JeffSmith <jeffsmithphoto at gmail.com>
> wrote:
> >>
> >> When sailing to weather I like to play the traveler (as opposed to the
> main
> >> sheet) in the puffs while sitting on the high side cockpit combing with
> the
> >> hiking stick.
> >> A continuous 5mm line with the core removed where it travels through the
> >> blocks on the New Traveler and possibly changing the purchase from 5 to
> 1
> >> to
> >> 3 to 1 is part of my plan. Before holes are drilled in the cockpit
> sides to
> >> accomodate turning blocks to lead the continuous line forward around the
> >> perimeter of the cockpit, I would welcome input.
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> -----
> >> Jeff Smith
> >> 2009 R22 #101 RADIANT
> >> Atlantic Highlands Municpal Harbor
> >> Atlantic Highlands, NJ
> >>
> >> --
> >> Sent from: http://rhodes-22.1065344.n5.nabble.com/
> >>
>
>