Yesterday I was talking with a rep at Harken and learned that, as of 2003, Harken has stopped production of the #214 traveler car. They only have a couple left in their warehouse. Given that the new Harken CB travelers won't fit on the old rails, what does this mean for the future?

That's going to be tough for those of us who's traveler tracks are extruded as part of the rear beam like on the 6.0NA. yikes.

Harken has a good reputation for recontinuing past discontinued products.

Talk to Walt at layline about it, he got the aluminum cam cleat reproduced after the proclaimed death nail had been inserted in its coffin.

I think there is a Fredrickson traveler that is compatible with the that track

Kevin,
If they really are going to do away with the car, which would suck for almost anybody with an Older NACRA, I would start buying the endcaps, screws and bearings as spares so you can rebuild your own. These are what typically break or wear out anyway, I have never seen the main body of the cars break it has usually been the bearings wearing out or the cap breaking from too many hard jibes mixed with mainsheet lines that are too long.
Anyway I am sure that folks with this will not totally be left in the cold since there are too many people using that car.
Have a Good One
Doug W

Speaking of such bearings:

Delrin and Teflon bearing balls are available VERY cheaply from McMaster-Carr. In fact a lot of other things are available from MMC

mcmaster.com I think it is

Regards
Jay

Doug,

I've done just that. I picked up one of the remaining travelers, to mount on the track as a spare, and ordered end caps and bearings.

Given the numbers of us that use the extruded tracks, I can't help but think that someone (if not Harken) is going to come along and accommodate us.

NM