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Full Batten Mainsail

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gop711
1st Mate

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Armenia
83 Posts

Initially Posted - 04/30/2007 : 12:01:31

Guys.

I need your input. I am serching for a new main for my C25TR. I cruise and try to race.

What is the advantage of a full batten mainsail?

What type of main would you get for Cruising and Racing?

Thanks
Greg

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tinob
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1883 Posts

Response Posted - 04/30/2007 : 15:20:44

Hi Greg,

I'll try to answer half of your question, the non racing half. I've been using a full battened main for five years now and sail it loose footed. Basically the battens keep the sail in the shape that it was designed to be in. They also help the sail weather the vagaries of wind and weather. Full battens reduce the flogging that causes a sail's early demise. They also make stowing the sail on the boom easier especially if you use lazy jacks. They aren't perfect just better than regular battens. IMHO

Val on CALISTA,( YEAH) #3936, Patchogue, N.Y.

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Jmurfy
Navigator

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USA
176 Posts

Response Posted - 04/30/2007 : 21:46:51

Is there any downside to full battens?

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aeckhart
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1709 Posts

Response Posted - 05/01/2007 : 11:17:05

Weight!

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tinob
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1883 Posts

Response Posted - 05/01/2007 : 13:30:29

I don't think much of the weight of the full battens, never weighed them but remember holding the group of them in one hand and nada, maybe a few ounces. And NO I'm not running down to the boat and weighing them.

Val on CALISTA, #3936, Patchogue, N.Y.

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gop711
1st Mate

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Armenia
83 Posts

Response Posted - 05/01/2007 : 13:53:40

Thanks for your input.

Greg

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Gloss
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1916 Posts

Response Posted - 05/03/2007 : 16:47:53

I agree with Val. My Ullman full batten loose footed main falls nicely into my lazy jacks when dropping the sail. That's especially nice when single handing. You just have to be careful when raising the sail not to get the first two battens hung in the lazy jacks. Going absolutely straight upwind, or just a slight tug on the sail will cure that though.
The sail is really nice when the wind blows hard.
One of my upcoming projects will be to lead the line from my 4 part outhaul to the mast, and back to the cockpit through my clutches. Should make adjusting it even easier.

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Brooke Willson
Admiral

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USA
983 Posts

Response Posted - 05/04/2007 : 04:54:31

One "downside," so to speak, about full battens is that they can put more lateral pressure on the sail slugs when raising or lowering the sail than do partial battens. That's why for bigger boats companies like Harken have designed pretty sophisticated ball bearing "battcars." My main has two full battens at the top and two partials at the bottom -- a compromise that works well for me on the sometimes windless Chesapeake. Like Frank, I have to be careful about the lazy jacks when raising the sail, and I've found that between the lazy jacks and the batten pressure, I need to be pretty dead-to-wind to raise and lower the main. That's a small price to pay for sail shape, longer sail life, and neater stacking on the boom.

The other issue -- which has been debated a bit on this forum -- is whether full battens restrict the ability to control sail shape. I agree with the opinion that a full batten stiffens the sail (that's its purpose) and limits the sail curvature. Where I sail, the ability to ease the mainsail outhaul and create a very deep draft helps on those hot and still August days. If I were in SF Bay, I think I'd want four full battens to cope with the stronger breezes. Talk to some experienced sailors in your area about what they've found helpful. This is also an argument for using a local sailmaker, as I did. Almost everyone gets their sails from China now, so it may be worth a little extra cost to have someone local guide you.

(Frank, after too many times hanging the battens on the jacks, I finally figured out that if I waited to deploy my jacks until after the sail is up and trimmed, I'd have fewer problems. DUH! Mine retract so I can put the sailcover on.)

Brooke

Edited by - Brooke Willson on 05/04/2007 05:18:02

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The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.