Over the years we have re-leathered a great many bowsprit travellers but last week we came across a first for us. This traveller arrived through the post for re-leathering, it is constructed from stainless steel tubing. Galvanised mild steel is by far the most common, stainless bar we see frequently but never a stainless tube.

After chatting to it’s owner we learned it was off of a Heard 28′ one of my all time favourite boats, and co-incidentally, the customer and yours truly had visited a sister boat a couple of years ago that came up for sale nearby on the River Crouch. I very nearly made an offer for her but the wife considered the interior a bit gloomy🤨.

Anyway, I digress. Why not stainless tubing? Saves weight and gives a larger, kinder, radius where the traveller bears on the bowsprit. I don’t think there are many faults on Heards and reckon this little innovation is a cracker.

The leather used here was 2mm veg tanned shoulder and it was hand sewn using waxed linen thread. Should give many years of service and with a regular application of tallow, should last as long as the bowsprit!