[Rhodes22-list] backstay tension/traveler bar

Thu Jun 30 04:43:18 EDT 2005

Phyllis,

This is a bit of a mystery because, as Ed said, if there's sufficient
tension on the back stay tensioning line (and "sufficient" means as tight as
you can get it) then the traveler bar should not come out of its sockets.
But obviously it did, and clobbered the helmsman, so something is wrong.

As a quick fix, I would double check the tensioning line and make sure you
have it rigged right and as tight as you can get it.  Once you've done that,
test it by trying with all your might to see if you can get the bar out of
the sockets.  I know on my boat, I could never get the bar out of the
sockets without loosening the tensioning line.  In fact I've tried this.
When I set up my boom room, I disconnect one side of the traveler bar and
swing the tiller around behind it to keep it out of the way for the night.
There's no way I can get that puppy out of there without slacking the
tensioning line.

However, even if you can make it stay put, the traveler bar could still
twist within the sockets and wind up in a less desirable position.  You want
it to remain in place with the cleats on the top.  (although, the more I
think about it, the less worried I'd be about that.)  Nevertheless, you want
to get it pinned so you can have total piece of mind about it.

If you or hubby or a friend is a little "handy" you should be able to drill
a hole in the socket to accommodate the pin.  But like Ed has been
explaining, it's not a "clevis pin"  It's a "quick pin" that has a tiny
spring-loaded ball in the leading end of it that keeps it from falling out.
That's different from a clevis which pokes all the way through and requires
a cotter pin or cotter ring through a hole in the end to hold it in
place--like the ones on your shrouds connecting to the chain plates.  Some
quick pins have a push-button release mechanism on the end to ease the
little keeper ball, and others are just spring loaded and you just give them
a firm push/pull and they go in/out.  That's the type you saw in the picture
of Rummy's set-up.  It has a ring on the back end to get your finger through
to get a grip.  With a quick pin, you won't need to drill all the way
through.  You only need one hole in the socket and one hole in the bar.
Then you stick the pin in and it stays put.

Drilling the hole might be a little tricky but doable.  You'll need to
measure carefully to get the hole in the right place to line up with the
hole in the bar.  Once you've got it measured and marked, you'll need to
stamp it with an punch or awl to make a little dimple or indentation.  This
will provide a seat for the drill bit.  Without a dimple, your drill bit
will wonder and you don't want that.  But you might not be able to do this
with the mast up.  You'll have to put the socket down on something solid
like a vice or the dock or something that doesn't give when you're trying to
hammer in this little dimple.  I'd suggest starting with a very small drill
bit to make a tiny pilot hole first, then graduate to the larger bit.  My
guess is that the hole should be approx. 1/4".  To determine the right size,
first get a quick pin that fits in the traveler bar hole and go from there.
I'm guessing here, but the pin should be about 1/4' in diameter and about 1
and 1/2" long.  The length is less critical than the width.  You could go as
short as 1/2".  It just needs to poke through the matching holes on the top
of the assembly.

Hope this helps, keep us posted.

Slim

On 6/29/05 7:18 PM, "P&M Beals" <beals at rci.rutgers.edu> wrote:

> When I get over to the boat again soon I will inspect again all around this
> time, and take a digital photo...maybe, just maybe we have missed a hole on
> the underside of the socket...
> 
> I am about 30 minutes (min.) from the boat and 50 min.(yuck) in evening rush
> hour- as when we went over Tuesday. Not the best experience Tuesday...too
> much traffic, not enough sailing, a slammed head, ...the best part was
> plowing into waves under motor...the kids are happy as long as they get wet.
> 
> Will keep you posted.
> 
> Phyllis
> 
>> From: "ed kroposki" <ekroposki at charter.net>
>> Reply-To: The Rhodes 22 mail list <rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org>
>> Date: Wed, 29 Jun 2005 17:45:38 -0400
>> To: "'The Rhodes 22 mail list'" <rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org>
>> Subject: RE: [Rhodes22-list] backstay tension/traveler bar
>> 
>> Phyllis:
>> You used the term 'clevis pin' referring to Rummy's picture.  His
>> picture shows a quick pin with a clevis ring as I defined earlier.  Have you
>> actually looked at the underside of the socket?
>> There is the possibility that there was never a pin holding the
>> traveler into the socket, but that it was held in place by the tensioning of
>> the back stay adjusters.  If the tension was tight, there should be no
>> reason for separation.
>> You can help solve the mystery with a photo from the top and a photo
>> from the bottom.  Do you have a digital camera?
>> 
>> Ed K
>> Greenville, SC, USA
>> 
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: rhodes22-list-bounces at rhodes22.org
>> [mailto:rhodes22-list-bounces at rhodes22.org] On Behalf Of Mark Kaynor
>> Sent: Wednesday, June 29, 2005 4:52 PM
>> To: 'The Rhodes 22 mail list'
>> Subject: RE: [Rhodes22-list] backstay tension/traveler bar
>> 
>> Phyllis,
>> 
>> Raven (1988) has the same setup - single holes in both the traveler bar and
>> the end caps. Try rotating the traveler until the holes line up - maybe
>> you're trying to install the traveler incorrectly. The clam cleats for the
>> traveler line go on top, if I remember correctly.
>> 
>> Mark 
>> 
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: rhodes22-list-bounces at rhodes22.org
>> [mailto:rhodes22-list-bounces at rhodes22.org] On Behalf Of P&M Beals
>> Sent: Wednesday, June 29, 2005 4:19 PM
>> To: The Rhodes 22 mail list
>> Subject: Re: [Rhodes22-list] backstay tension/traveler bar
>> 
>> Thanks ALL for your help...
>> 
>> I have inspected the sockets several times...last summer and again now,
>> clearly there was never any hole there...my hunch is that Bob has hit it
>> that my model a 1986, with probably original traveler bar- the stay sockets
>> never had a hole-perhaps the screw theory might be it.  I would think the
>> socket would have the hole, a short screw to go in and impress into the
>> traveler bar...but it seems the other way around... I have the hole in the
>> traveler bar, once put into the socket the hole on the traveler bar is
>> covered up by the socket!
>> Perhaps I have two different pieces from different years models, the stay
>> sockets from one vintage and the traveler bar from another...
>> There have been several owners of this boat over the years..
>> 
>> Just to assure all that the stays themselves look very solid and not worn.
>> 
>> I have put in a message to Stan directly to see if he has anything to add or
>> anything I can buy from General Boats to help remedy this situation...
>> 
>> Rummy, that is a great photo and clearly I can see the place where the
>> clevis pin should be.
>> 
>> Thanks all.
>> 
>> Phyllis
>> 
>>> From: "Robert  Quinn" <rjquinn at bellsouth.net>
>>> Reply-To: The Rhodes 22 mail list <rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org>
>>> Date: Wed, 29 Jun 2005 13:22:50 -0400
>>> To: "The Rhodes 22 mail list" <rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org>
>>> Subject: Re: [Rhodes22-list] backstay tension/traveler bar
>>> 
>>> Phyllis: Depending on the year of the boat, earlier models had "set
>> screws"
>>> to hold the travel bar in place.  Take a look at the holes and see if
>>> you can detect screw groves.  If so, the set screws are missing and
>>> need to be replaced.  I do not, off hand, know the size.
>>> 
>>> Later boats have holes both in the ends of the travel bar and the cap
>>> ends that the traveler bar fit into, through which clevis pins fit to
>>> hold the bar in place.  I like that set up better and would recommend
>>> that you modify your set up to that system.
>>> 
>>> In ten years we never needed a Loos gage.  Tuned by eye (mast
>>> straight) and shrouds tightened to give a firm (but not too tight) feel.
>>> 
>>> Bob on the "NoKaOi"
>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>> From: "P&M Beals" <beals at rci.rutgers.edu>
>>> To: <rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org>
>>> Sent: Wednesday, June 29, 2005 9:04 AM
>>> Subject: [Rhodes22-list] backstay tension/traveler bar
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> __________________________________________________
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>>> 
>> 
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