Hints and Tips

 

 

Replacement of old Goiot traveller car

Barton 19105 unit - almost plug-and-play on I-19 track

 

Ghaaata is a Jeanneau Arcadia from 1984. She sails the Oslo fjord, under very variable winds. I bought her 3 years ago in a very fair condition, but the intense sailing are taking its toll. This document describes an almost plug and play replacement of the Goiot traveller car, which is something that I searched extensively on the internet but could not find a conclusive answer.


By the end of last autumn, just prior the yearly haul out, the traveller car finally failed by breaking the small plastic rollers. It was not a catastrophically failure, as the device is kept in place by the shafts on each roller, but it will ultimately wear out while damaging the I track. Also, its movement became difficult under load.

Photo 01 – Old Goiot traveller:

 

Photo 02: Damage on the old traveller


One possibility was to replace the complete traveller system by a new, more modern. There are many options out there and all are better than the existent one. However, to do that, it is needed to replace the track, which luckily, in my case, is lightly glued, but bolted with nuts of difficult access. The other difficulty is to make a new one fit neatly on the available space.


Internet search showed some others with similar questions, but I could not find a definitive answer.
By advice of a shop owner, I decided to order the Barton reference 19105, having in mind that I could return it if it would not fit.


The technical characteristics seemed a bit on the limit, but so the Goiot were probably.

 

Photo 03: Technical characteristics of the Barton 19 mm traveller cars.

 

Dimensions of the reference 19105 are almost the same as the Goiot, and it has 6 wheels as well. I don’t know the loads for the Goiot, but I assume they are at similar level.

 

Photo 04: Packaging of the Barton traveller, ref 19105

 

Photo 05: Old and new traveller side by side

 

Photo 06: Rollers view of the old and new traveller car

 

Removal of the old traveller car is by sliding to one extremity. It was easy, as the distance between the end of the track and the wall on the side is “just enough”. Inserting the new traveller was a bit more difficult, since the rollers do not allow any play, but possible.


Once aligned with the track, I found that despite all the careful measurements, the fit was so tight, that it would slide with extreme difficulty. I decided not to return it, rather file the top, between the rollers and the car body. I don’t know how much I removed, as it was by feeling, but it must have been some 0.2 – 0.3 millimetres, enough to allow a free movement.


Installed it, applied some WD40, and it is working properly. The setup is more tight than the old one, which was worn. The movement is freer than before. However I have yet to see if it will require constant lubrication.

 

Photo 07: New Barton traveller car in place

 

Conclusion:

- The best is to replace the complete system. The old is obsolete.

 

- If one prefers to just replace the car due to the reasons above or others, the Barton reference 19105 is suitable, provided that some material is removed by filing.

 

- The cost of the Barton reference 19105 is high compared to what we get and compared to the other references 19100, 19101, 19102 and 19103, which are 4 wheels cars, but less than a complete new system. I decided to take higher spec, but perhaps the others work as well.

 

- It pays off to search for price, as I’ve seen substantial differences. I ended up not buying the cheapest option, due to the likelihood of having to return it and corresponding hassle.

 

- The Barton reference 19105 comes ready for control lines. I don’t have them, since they are not really needed for a Jeanneau Arcadia, and it would only add confusion to the small cockpit.

 

- The new traveller car was tested yesterday, 09.04.2020, on the first sail of the year, with satisfactory results.


Gato - Jeanneau Arcadia - Norway