Traveler Line

168580r

New Member
I am a pretty good laser sailor and i sail alot. However i continue to blow threw traveler line really fast. Can anyone tell me what is the best thing to use, and where i could get it?
 
it would help to know where you are.. at least the country..
Also what you are currently using for line and what you mean by "blow through"
 
well, i race on lake eire and on some inland lakes.
by saying blow through, i mean the line frays and eventualy breaks or just wears out.
if you check out this link, http://www.apsltd.com/c-1485-line.aspx have used something like the Vectrus 12 - Yale and MaxiBraid Plus - Yale
i have heard of people useing spectra for their traveler, what do you think?
 
Is it fraying/breaking at the trav eyes ? If yes, you have some casting marks in the eyes that you need to smooth down.

Spectra/dyneema is not as good as vectran in this application, you'll find it creeps just enough so that you tighten it down nice and snug and 5 minutes later, it creeps a small amount and the trav block is no longer out at the corner where it needs to be.

My opinion is that the double braids stick in the cleat better w/o movement as well. I have good success with Yale Crystalyne and the newer Paraloc Shark line. http://www.apsltd.com/c-1623-Shark-Paraloc.aspx

Currently APS believes that the PBO/Dyneema "Dinghy Star" line from FSE Robline http://www.apsltd.com/c-7278-dinghy-star-pbo-fse-robline.aspx is the cats meow, but it's rather expensive - $33 bucks.. I'd be darn sure all the casting marks are gone from the eyes before even thinking about this line..
 
If you have the aluminum fairleads you need to put some rigging tape on the corners of the traveler line, otherwise you'll be buying line every couple of weeks
 
Plus do bear in mind that a lot of these high performance lines have kevlar in them which is not class legal. Persoanlly I just use a 5mm pre-stretch line. Lasts for ages and at the level I race at will not make any difference.
 
Plus do bear in mind that a lot of these high performance lines have kevlar in them which is not class legal. Persoanlly I just use a 5mm pre-stretch line. Lasts for ages and at the level I race at will not make any difference.

At least in North America, it's actually quite difficult to find small line with kevlar/twaron in it. None of the line mentioned above have it in it.
 
As said above if you have the aluminium traveller fairleads they are not usually finished to the best standard and will wear out ropes quickly. I use a small file to smooth the inside of these to prevent wear.

Also check your tiller. I had the same problem years ago and it turned out to be the roller on my tiller at the time having uneven wear snagging the traveller.
 
One interesting thing to note is that recently we had a coaching day at Hunts and one attendee had a brand new boat from Laser. The traveller line that was supplier by Laser was not class legal as it had kevlar in it.

Apparently one of the easiest ways to tell this is when you come to seal the ends. If the rope melts then it is OK, if it chars or burns and you need to use tape to keep it together then it has an aramid of some kind in it and it generally not class legal.
 
Plus do bear in mind that a lot of these high performance lines have kevlar in them which is not class legal. Persoanlly I just use a 5mm pre-stretch line. Lasts for ages and at the level I race at will not make any difference.

Jeffers, I think you'll find that the class rules only prohibit kevlar (aramid) in the kicker and cunningham control systems, not the traveller (or outhaul or mainsheet).
 
You are correct, I still would not use an aramid line there though as aramids do not like going round corners, especially tight corners like on the traveller.
 
Vectran, Spectra and Dyneema are not aramids, but forms for polyester.

Jeffers, your guide to how to identify kelvar ropes is useful but has a few gaps. Some of these new non kevlar cores do not melt but shink and form into a puffy ball. Also natural fibre ropes will tend to char. My only additional guide to identifying kevlar rope is usually the core is a yellowish colour, but even that isn't full proof.

In Australia, it's been difficult to purchase kevlar ropes particularly in small diameters for more than a decade, vectran, spectra and dyneema ropes have better properties dinghy sailors, eg corners.
 

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