Inside Look: AC75 Harken Traveler Systems

Step up to the Harken Test Bench. Each and every day, the Harken engineers work to push The Front further. The America's Cup is no exception. The workhorse of AC75 mainsail trim is the traveler system -- even moreso than the mainsheet. Constant traveler adjustments were critical with every shift, puff, and lull; a mistake could mean falling off the foils, which, in this Cup cycle often meant losing the race. Harken worked with the teams to develop and test CRX traveler systems. In the run-up to the Cup, teams were rapidly burning through thermoplastic bearings (initially designed to race around the world non-stop). So we pushed forward. Here's the story with engineer Drew Kosmoski.