bending a traveler extrusion

Listmates: While I was working on my other boat I struck up a conversation with a Hunter owner who had just replaced his traveler. I was laughing about the one on my 1961 vessel--a piece of stiff sail track with a C-shaped sliding car (no bearings). He gave me his old traveler, which at least has some rollers to reduce friction and allow moving it under load.. But my traveler's location is on a cockpit coaming that's curved or crowned. The extrusion is roughly X-shaped. The rollers ride under the upper limbs of the X. Does anybody have a suggestion for putting a slight bend into the extrusion? I need less than 2" in four feet, roughly. The X-shaped extrusion seems pretty rigid. Chris Campbell

I use hardwood wedges on the sides in the cockpit on a CAL 25. Similar curvature. Dark rosewood stain. Good appearance. Cheers Charlie From: Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com [mailto:Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Chris Campbell Sent: Monday, April 26, 2010 9:36 AM To: Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com Subject: [Cal_Boats] bending a traveler extrusion Listmates: While I was working on my other boat I struck up a conversation with a Hunter owner who had just replaced his traveler. I was laughing about the one on my 1961 vessel--a piece of stiff sail track with a C-shaped sliding car (no bearings). He gave me his old traveler, which at least has some rollers to reduce friction and allow moving it under load.. But my traveler's location is on a cockpit coaming that's curved or crowned. The extrusion is roughly X-shaped. The rollers ride under the upper limbs of the X. Does anybody have a suggestion for putting a slight bend into the extrusion? I need less than 2" in four feet, roughly. The X-shaped extrusion seems pretty rigid. Chris Campbell ------------------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Links

I agree with Charlie's solution. I replaced the ancient Nicro X-track on my 39 with Harkin about 3 years back. The old track had a slight radius which conformed to the deck. I probably would have bent the new track but couldn't think how to measure the radius, how to put the bend into the new track, or who I could do it for me. So, rather than make the track fit the deck I made the deck fit the track. I used teak wedges to fill the voids at the ends of the new track. It seems to have worked out fine and doesn't look half bad. Wayne s/v Elusive From: "Husar, Charlie [USA]" <hu… [at] bah.com> To: "Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com" <Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com> Sent: Mon, April 26, 2010 10:14:05 AM Subject: RE: [Cal_Boats] bending a traveler extrusion I use hardwood wedges on the sides in the cockpit on a CAL 25. Similar curvature. Dark rosewood stain. Good appearance. Cheers Charlie From: Cal_Boats@yahoogrou ps.com [mailto:Cal_Boats@yahoogrou ps.com] On Behalf Of Chris Campbell Sent: Monday, April 26, 2010 9:36 AM To: Cal_Boats@yahoogrou ps.com Subject: [Cal_Boats] bending a traveler extrusion Listmates: While I was working on my other boat I struck up a conversation with a Hunter owner who had just replaced his traveler. I was laughing about the one on my 1961 vessel--a piece of stiff sail track with a C-shaped sliding car (no bearings). He gave me his old traveler, which at least has some rollers to reduce friction and allow moving it under load.. But my traveler's location is on a cockpit coaming that's curved or crowned. The extrusion is roughly X-shaped. The rollers ride under the upper limbs of the X. Does anybody have a suggestion for putting a slight bend into the extrusion? I need less than 2" in four feet, roughly. The X-shaped extrusion seems pretty rigid. Chris Campbell ------------ --------- --------- ------ Yahoo! Groups Links

Garhauer will build a track with the same holes as your existing traveler and curve it to match your deck. I don't even think they charge extra for that. I got the MT-2 which I see is $250, for my L-36 and it works just fine. Allen On Mon, Apr 26, 2010 at 7:54 AM, Wayne Gillikin <wa… [at] yahoo.com>wrote: > > > I agree with Charlie's solution. I replaced the ancient Nicro X-track on > my 39 with Harkin about 3 years back. The old track had a slight radius > which conformed to the deck. I probably would have bent the new track but > couldn't think how to measure the radius, how to put the bend into the new > track, or who I could do it for me. So, rather than make the track fit the > deck I made the deck fit the track. I used teak wedges to fill the voids at > the ends of the new track. It seems to have worked out fine and doesn't > look half bad. > > Wayne > s/v Elusive > > > ------------------------------ > *From:* "Husar, Charlie [USA]" <hu… [at] bah.com> > *To:* "Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com" <Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com> > *Sent:* Mon, April 26, 2010 10:14:05 AM > *Subject:* RE: [Cal_Boats] bending a traveler extrusion > > > > I use hardwood wedges on the sides in the cockpit on a CAL 25. Similar > curvature. Dark rosewood stain. Good appearance. > > Cheers > Charlie > > -----Original Message----- > From: Cal_Boats@yahoogrou ps.com <Cal_Boats%40yahoogroups.com> [mailto:Cal_Boats@yahoogrou > ps.com <Cal_Boats%40yahoogroups.com>] On Behalf Of Chris Campbell > Sent: Monday, April 26, 2010 9:36 AM > To: Cal_Boats@yahoogrou ps.com <Cal_Boats%40yahoogroups.com> > Subject: [Cal_Boats] bending a traveler extrusion > > Listmates: > > While I was working on my other boat I struck up a conversation with a > Hunter owner who had just replaced his traveler. I was laughing about the > one on my 1961 vessel--a piece of stiff sail track with a C-shaped sliding > car (no bearings). He gave me his old traveler, which at least has some > rollers to reduce friction and allow moving it under load.. > > But my traveler's location is on a cockpit coaming that's curved or > crowned. The extrusion is roughly X-shaped. The rollers ride under the upper > limbs of the X. Does anybody have a suggestion for putting a slight bend > into the extrusion? I need less than 2" in four feet, roughly. The X-shaped > extrusion seems pretty rigid. > > Chris Campbell > > ------------ --------- --------- ------ > > Yahoo! Groups Links > > > >