Alfredo Contaldovideo
THE MAINSAIL TRAVELER how to use it - sailing course - sail trim ⛵
September 17, 2023 · 7 min · 33K views
What this video covers
The mainsheet traveler — called the "trasto della randa" in Italian — controls mainsail twist and angle of attack independently, and Alfredo Contaldo explains how to use it correctly for both racing and cruising.0:04 The traveler is a car on a track that can be shifted windward or leeward of the boat's centerline via a double-purchase block system, with lines led to clutch stoppers.1:04 Fixing the sheet's clew point at centerline, as was standard before the traveler appeared on Star-class boats in the 1950s, made it impossible to adjust twist and angle of attack simultaneously.1:50 In light air (7–8 knots demonstrated here), moving the car to windward lets the boom sit to windward of centerline while keeping the leech open, aligning the boom roughly parallel to the top batten — the key reference point for correct twist.3:53 As wind builds, the sheet is trimmed to reduce twist and the car moves toward center.2:24 When the boat heels excessively in stronger wind, easing the car to leeward depowers the upper sail and reduces weather helm without touching the sheet.5:36 Leech telltales flowing horizontally confirm correct twist; telltales curling to leeward indicate a closed leech, and a fluttering upper sail indicates an open one.6:09 Twist requirements vary by point of sail: minimal upwind, greater on a reach, and essentially zero downwind.4:47
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