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Post by andreshs1 on Aug 6, 2019 5:47:03 GMT
Hi all
I need help.... My boom traveller has lost all the bearings and the friction makes it rather difficult to deploy and take in
Has anyone replaced this part? Any recommendations?
Cheers
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Post by moonshadow on Aug 6, 2019 12:14:38 GMT
If it is the ZSpar, usspar rig these bearings are easy to replace. There were two types depending on year. Some use a pair of rods and some use individual balls. You can buy an inexpensive loading tool if you have ball bearings. Be ready to catch them! To change you just remove the two screws and slide the car off the track. Then change the bearings. Ten minute job including cleaning everything.
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Post by moonshadow on Aug 6, 2019 12:15:46 GMT
I re read your message. I was describing the track on the boom. If you mean the traveler I would call usspars for advice. Great support.
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Post by andreshs1 on Aug 6, 2019 12:25:02 GMT
Hi Moonshadow
I am referring to the boom I can see some ball bearings inside the track area, according to the owners manual the part is the 'main clew cart' so I guess that it is referring to your second option I will need to remove the end of the boom and check
Cheers
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Post by cayoloco on Aug 7, 2019 12:24:24 GMT
I replaced the original boom traveler with a custom made Garhauer Marine traveler. My original traveler had a 3 to 1 purchase and was only 39" long - almost useless. So I contacted Garhauer and we designed a much larger traveler that had a 6 to 1 purchase and functioned outstanding in the last Port Huron to Mackinac race; even in the 50+ knots of a storm that ripped through the race course. I looked at Harken but just the components were twice the price and I had to do the machining. This was a breeze. I sent them the old traveler for hole spacing reference and they reproduced a new traveler for around $650 plus shipping with an additional 21" of travel. We settled on the MT-UB-2 at 60" long with a windward sheeting purchase of 6 to 1. www.garhauermarine.com/travelers/travelers/traveler-mt-ub-2.html The traveler arrived and Imounted into the exact holes already on the deck and it has functioned perfectly. I would highly suggest to dump the original traveler and upgrade to a Garhauer traveler.
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Post by moonshadow on Aug 7, 2019 19:25:28 GMT
You don’t need to remove the end of the boom, only the end cap on the car track. The website has exploded diagrams that help.
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Post by tsenator on Aug 7, 2019 21:27:49 GMT
Moonshadow. Do you have pictures of the new Garhauer traveller in your boat ? Where do your traveler lines come into if it’s now a 60” long traveler ?
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Post by andreshs1 on Aug 8, 2019 0:15:50 GMT
Hello
Actually in my boat (2002 vintage) the clew cart slides inside of the top section of the boom. And now without the ball bearings the friction is considerable
But I guess that this will be a repair needed in most boats of the age , no?
Cheers
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Post by alenka on Aug 8, 2019 7:03:37 GMT
There seems to be some confusion here.
Some people seem to be talking about the mainsheet traveller used for sail trimming.... The original post, I believe, is a question about the the outhaul slider associated with in-mast furling that sits in the groove on the topside of the boom and moves backwards and forwards with the furling/unfurling of the main sail?
My 2004 vintage mast/boom is not Z-Spar and the boom has just a metal slider with no bearings. I try to keep friction to a minimum with regular application of a dry lubrication (silicon) spray - Not WD40 which attracts dirt.
This year I moved the forward stopper back along the boom to around the halfway mark which not only reduced the distance the slider has to travel but also makes for a better angle of the outhaul lines, making for easier unfurling. They now pull more aft rather than down and aft. I suggest anyone with sticky in-mast tries this. You can simply tie a loop of line around the boom to prevent forward movement.
I will post pictures when I can.
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Post by andreshs1 on Aug 8, 2019 7:33:54 GMT
Hi Alenka
Are you sure that there are no ball bearings? Then I have a problem as I have found 3 ball bearings rolling free inside the track 🙃
I'll try moving back the mechanism same way as you
Cheers
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Post by alenka on Aug 8, 2019 19:50:56 GMT
It looks like a pretty simple piece of metal to me with no bearings. I will take a much closer look when I am back on board a few weeks from now.
I once found a whole load of bearings on deck! I eventually tracked this down to and broken pulley at the base of the mast.
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Post by andreshs1 on Aug 9, 2019 1:52:59 GMT
Hi Yes, I'll do the same once I'm back
Cheers
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Post by saltymetals on Dec 2, 2019 12:02:56 GMT
Mine is a 2004 43ds and the boom traveller (NOT the mainsheet traveller to which some replies seem to refer) did not have ball bearings but has a black synthetic plastic rod on each side which prevents the metal of the car touching the boom. These plastic rods had broken so i simply did a search on the internet, bought a few lengths and cut them to the desired length to fit the car. It is not any old plastic but a very specific synthetic rod but i do not remember the name. Am sure someone will be able to tell you, or try Cruisers Forum which is pretty good on tech stuff. Then from time to time i give the car and the slot all the way along, a spray with McLube. If any in this thread find that there are no bearing and no rod then i am sure it was not intended that there should be a metal-to-metal contact. Either bearings or the two rods are missing but v easy to replace.
Alenka, i agree w you on moving the forward end of travel back to about halfway on the boom. On my old (original French) sails it was a disaster, jamming about 50% of the time, until i moved the forward position back to halfway. It is possible to buy a stopper in a good chandlery which will fit the slot which is a bit tidier than blocking the forward position with some rope around the boom. If you still hv a problem of jamming when the main is unfurled there are a couple of other tricks you could try. 1) do not over-tension the main halyard, it needs just enough to eliminate any horizontal folds in the sail, but no more than that. Since the mast is slightly bent, too much tension will press the furled sail too hard against the slot halfway up the mast. 2) this one is a bit more challenging. Slightly reduce the mast bend with the shrouds. I think it should be no more than about half the depth of the mast at the halfway up point but you might like to check that.
Andrew
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Post by alenka on Dec 2, 2019 15:35:58 GMT
Haven't spotted any bearings or rods. The whole thing is very low tech with anything but tight tolerances.
As Andrew has stated over tightening the main sail halyard can lead to Jamming problems as I also learnt early on. Something that is often overlooked.
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Post by tsenator on Mar 10, 2021 17:19:26 GMT
I replaced the original boom traveler with a custom made Garhauer Marine traveler. My original traveler had a 3 to 1 purchase and was only 39" long - almost useless. So I contacted Garhauer and we designed a much larger traveler that had a 6 to 1 purchase and functioned outstanding in the last Port Huron to Mackinac race; even in the 50+ knots of a storm that ripped through the race course. I looked at Harken but just the components were twice the price and I had to do the machining. This was a breeze. I sent them the old traveler for hole spacing reference and they reproduced a new traveler for around $650 plus shipping with an additional 21" of travel. We settled on the MT-UB-2 at 60" long with a windward sheeting purchase of 6 to 1. www.garhauermarine.com/travelers/travelers/traveler-mt-ub-2.html The traveler arrived and Imounted into the exact holes already on the deck and it has functioned perfectly. I would highly suggest to dump the original traveler and upgrade to a Garhauer traveler. Cayoloco, Do you have a picture of how the new 60" Garhauer traveler mounted on your 43DS ? I have a 43DS and the the fiberglassed mounts in the hull are only 39" apart. Did the ends stick out in the air over the lines running into the cockpit ? Does it just "stick out there" or did you fabricate another end mount ? What about routing the lines for the traveler? Did you have to run a block to have the traveler line go out to the traveler ends that are now 10" further out ? Pics would be great!
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