Traveller (nautical fitting)

It may take the form of anything from a simple ring on a metal bar or a spar to, especially in a modern yacht, a more complex "car" – a component with bearing-mounted wheels running on a shaped aluminium extrusion.

[1][2]: 318 A traveller is used to modify the location at which lines used to control sails (such as sheets) are attached to the vessel.

This allows independent control of the direction and tension of the line running through the block, which allows the sailor to position the block in the optimal location for the wind conditions and desired sail trim.

A traveller on a smaller craft (such as the popular single-handed "Laser" sailboat) might simply be a line attached to two points on the deck, along which another block runs.

The term traveller can also be applied to the specialized lines used to control the location of the block.