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 Post subject: Traveler Replacement
PostPosted: 03 Oct 2017 15:09 
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Joined: 29 Dec 2006 09:38
Posts: 656
I need some advice from someone who has been there. My Schaefer traveler needs replacement. The car is funky and one of the double turning blocks disintegrated (delrin) the other day and the new Schaefer stuff will not fit their old track (though they told me it would). Seems like I will need to go with Garhauer replacement as Schaefer and Harken are obscenely expensive. Garhauer will custom make a 4:1 with all the fittings for $650. I am trying to understand what it takes to get at the screws and nuts that are in the space under the hatch cowl in the center of the traveler. I assume some of you have had this apart. Do you have to remove the hatch cover rails to get the hatch out? It seem like there must be nuts you can reach under there with the hatch out. Any advice appreciated. Pictures as well. My situation might not be standard as I think the PO installed a longer traveler track, but I think the fastening under the cowl is likely the same. I couldn’t find anything on the technical site. If I am successful, I will post this process.
Ray Durkee


 
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 Post subject: Re: Traveler Replacement
PostPosted: 04 Oct 2017 07:48 
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Joined: 16 May 2009 08:06
Posts: 236
For the section over the hatch cover, the stainless screws are screwed into an aluminum bar which is glassed into the hatch cowl. I used a hand held impact driver and it took forever. I suggest getting an electric impact driver (the one I have now is by Dewalt and it is very good). Make a mixture of acetone and automatic transmission fluid as a penetrating oil and apply that a day before. For the outboard bolts, I had to take down the headliner but I did not get it all the way off. I only opened it enough to get a wrench in there. The rest of the drill is pretty straight forward. Send the old track to Garhauer and they will drill the holes in the same place prior to anodizing. I switched mine out about 10 years ago. I hope this is helpful. It is nice to have something to offer after all the good advice we have taken from you!


 
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 Post subject: Re: Traveler Replacement
PostPosted: 04 Oct 2017 07:52 
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Joined: 16 May 2009 08:06
Posts: 236
Although it is not necessary to take the hatch cover out to replace the traveler, if you want to anyway, it is held in place by the wooden rails on the sides. I found that mine had worn sufficiently that I had to build the wear section on the hatch cover up with a couple of layers of glass and epoxy. Then I flooded a small amount of resin over the wear area of the cabin top. That fix has lasted a long time (15 years or so).


 
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 Post subject: Re: Traveler Replacement
PostPosted: 05 Oct 2017 06:52 
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Joined: 29 Dec 2006 09:38
Posts: 656
Thank you so much. This is going to save me a ton of time and grief trying to understand what is under there.

If I decide to take the hatch cover slides out, are they through bolted or just screwed into the deck?

My boat has spent years in Central America and California and those screws may not come loose from the aluminum backing plate without twisting the heads off.

Were you able to use the same sized and threaded screws in the Garhauer replacement?

Appreciate your help.

Ray Durkee


 
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 Post subject: Re: Traveler Replacement
PostPosted: 05 Oct 2017 09:25 
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Joined: 16 May 2009 08:06
Posts: 236
Esprit is hull 324 and had been from the Great Lakes to Florida (originally sailed out of somewhere in New Jersey, I think) through 4 different owners. It probably didn't have quite the corrosive environment you experienced but there was galvanic corrosion, no doubt. My recollection was that I had to drill at least one screw head off and remove that screw with vice grips once the track was removed. I know Bob Engle (Whim, hull #52) actually cut his track into sections to get it out but I don't think that was necessary. My guess is with the application of the penetrating solution and an impact tool, you should be able to get the screws out. I chased the threads with a tap (1/4-20 if I recall correctly) and used new stainless screws. I did apply never seize to the screws before I put them in. If you don't have confidence in the remaining aluminum, you can send a print to the Garhauer indicating where you want the holes and drill and tap new ones. I didn't find that necessary and I suspect you won't either. All the screws took up as tight as I could make them with a big screw driver and considering how many there are, that load should be taken up to the point that the fiberglass deck will tear before the screws pull out.

Once you remove the 4 screws that hold the wooden rails in place, the hatch cover will just lift off. The screws are regular wood or sheet metal screws. I take those caps / rails / whatever you call them home with me in the winter while the boat is covered because it is easier to keep up with the finish in my shop so mine come off regularly.


 
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 Post subject: Re: Traveler Replacement
PostPosted: 05 Oct 2017 09:35 
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Skipper

Joined: 16 May 2009 08:06
Posts: 236
Another thought would be to use the same holes and go up to a 5/16" screw but you would have to get the track counter sunk for that size screw. I might even be inclined to find the closest (larger) metric thread to avoid drilling the hole bigger than needed. Still, I would bet that the original 1/4" screw holes should still have sufficient "meat" to take the new screws.


 
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 Post subject: Re: Traveler Replacement
PostPosted: 05 Oct 2017 18:08 
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Joined: 29 Dec 2006 09:38
Posts: 656
Thanks for the additional information. I have some check cracks around the base of the shroud that covers the hatch cover possibly from the force of a some accidental jibes. I am thinking I might like to see if this can be easily strengthened with a little structural glass under there to beef it up a bit. The cracks are very small. What do you think?

Ray Durkee


 
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 Post subject: Re: Traveler Replacement
PostPosted: 05 Oct 2017 20:52 
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Joined: 16 May 2009 08:06
Posts: 236
The cracks at the turn of my shroud are pretty big. I'll try and remember to take pictures this weekend and post. They were there when I bought the boat 19 years ago and I have spent 19 years thinking about what to do about them. They have not changed that I have noticed and that includes many ocean miles and the accidental gybe that blew my traveler car to smitherines (which is what brought me into this exchange). My cabin top heaves with sudden changes in wind strength, or gybes and that sort of thing and I have gotten used to it. At some point, I will arrive at a structural and esthetic solution if I don't die or sell the boat first. If you beat me to it, please share!


 
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 Post subject: Re: Traveler Replacement
PostPosted: 06 Oct 2017 06:35 
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Skipper

Joined: 29 Dec 2006 09:38
Posts: 656
Thanks again for your insight. I have had my boat #373 for 25 years and sailed it maybe 35K miles in all kinds of conditions with a few unplanned jibes and have just some hairline cracks in the edge of the shroud cover. These really look cosmetic to me, and I can see no movement (as others have described) of the shroud when the traveller is being stressed, so I am probably not too concerned. I am not sure what I am going to do, but I think I will photograph the process and add it to the technical section of the T37 site.

Ray Durkee


 
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