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 Battens
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Voyager
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
5376 Posts

Initially Posted - 05/09/2011 :  19:02:09  Show Profile
So last Fall I put my battens away in a "safe place".

I usually store them with the sails, but last fall I sent my sails to North Sails for a cleaning and repair.

So now I've looked for them high and low -- all over the boat (under the settees, in the V-berth, the dumpster, cabin shelves (port and starboard) and around the head). Looked in the garage and the loft and in the basement. So, now that I've launched, I need the battens, and thought - I'll just buy a new set!

Only problem is I don't know the width, thickness and length of each one. I seem to recall there are four battens, each with rubber ends. Can anybody tell me the sizes I need to purchase? I was planning on using liquid rubber to create the soft ends.

I'd like to get out on the water this weekend! Help!

Bruce Ross
Passage ~ SR-FK ~ C25 #5032

Port Captain — Milford, CT

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panhead1948
Captain

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345 Posts

Response Posted - 05/09/2011 :  21:36:59  Show Profile
Well I found two old battens. I have a 84 SR FK. They are 1 1/4 inch wide. Two are 23 1/2 inches long and two are 25 3/4 inches long.

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Ben
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1234 Posts

Response Posted - 05/10/2011 :  04:34:30  Show Profile
It might depend on who made your sail and when. My sails are from Catalina, and I have two long battens, one middle sized batten, and one short batten. you might just measure the pockets and go from there. I lost a batten to Davey Jones' Locker on a Capri 14.2 I had, and it seemed like back then there were a number of sources for battens. Panhead's width sounds about right to me when thinking about my own C25 battens.

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Davy J
Master Marine Consultant

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1511 Posts

Response Posted - 05/10/2011 :  04:47:38  Show Profile
<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"> It might depend on who made your sail and when.<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></font id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
I just replaced my main with a new sail from North Sails Direct. The battens that came with it do not resemble the old battens in any way shape or form.

You may have to go this route:
http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?productId=30720& catalogId=10001& langId=-1& storeId=11151& storeNum=10102& subdeptNum=10215& classNum=10221

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redeye
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3476 Posts

Response Posted - 05/10/2011 :  05:34:24  Show Profile
We usta go to a windsurfing store for that stuff. They would make them onsite, as the windsurfers had so many different sails and they all use battens a lot. Those fully battened sails had wonderful shape.

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dlucier
Master Marine Consultant

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Virgin Islands (United Kingdom)
7583 Posts

Response Posted - 05/10/2011 :  05:52:56  Show Profile
Each of my four battens is different not only in size (top is shorter), but in flexibility/taper. Each is labeled as to what pocket they go into.

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redeye
Master Marine Consultant

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3476 Posts

Response Posted - 05/10/2011 :  06:05:30  Show Profile
Oh.. we usta also make them out of wood lattice. Paint them. Tape the ends.

Probably work fine until you find yours.


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Stinkpotter
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
9080 Posts

Response Posted - 05/10/2011 :  06:23:02  Show Profile
Ya, Bruce... Your sail was a replacement, not OEM. You can buy fiberglass battens and plastic tips. 3/4" to 1" is probably the maximum width you want--wider might be too stiff for that size sail. (They should bend a little.) Slide a yardstick into each pocket, push a little against the elastic at the end, and see the length you need.

Edited by - Stinkpotter on 05/10/2011 06:28:34
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PCP777
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1225 Posts

Response Posted - 05/10/2011 :  07:11:30  Show Profile
<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by Voyager</i>
<br />So last Fall I put my battens away in a "safe place".

I usually store them with the sails, but last fall I sent my sails to North Sails for a cleaning and repair.

So now I've looked for them high and low -- all over the boat (under the settees, in the V-berth, the dumpster, cabin shelves (port and starboard) and around the head). Looked in the garage and the loft and in the basement. So, now that I've launched, I need the battens, and thought - I'll just buy a new set!

Only problem is I don't know the width, thickness and length of each one. I seem to recall there are four battens, each with rubber ends. Can anybody tell me the sizes I need to purchase? I was planning on using liquid rubber to create the soft ends.

I'd like to get out on the water this weekend! Help!
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></font id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

No sweat. make sure you know how many battens you have and order the correct set from CD. When you order the set from CD you simply cut their length to fit, I've done this twice. My sail is not original and the set still worked. Make sure you sand the end after sawing it as to not wear down your sail.

Can't beat the price either.

http://www.catalinadirect.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=product.display&product_ID=313&ParentCat=124

Edited by - PCP777 on 05/10/2011 07:13:14
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dlucier
Master Marine Consultant

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Virgin Islands (United Kingdom)
7583 Posts

Response Posted - 05/10/2011 :  08:09:56  Show Profile
The CD battens appear to be just the flat, single thickness kind. My battens are tapered, 1/4" on the leech end down to a 16th or two on the other.

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PCP777
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1225 Posts

Response Posted - 05/10/2011 :  11:42:01  Show Profile
<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by dlucier</i>
<br />The CD battens appear to be just the flat, single thickness kind. My battens are tapered, 1/4" on the leech end down to a 16th or two on the other.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></font id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Yes, they are flat, flexible sticks. You can still shape them pretty easily, sounds like you have something custom there.

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Prospector
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Canada
3159 Posts

Response Posted - 05/10/2011 :  11:55:29  Show Profile  Visit Prospector's Homepage
I don't think he does Peter, mine are also very thin (maybe 3/4" at the most, and taper from about 1/4" down to about 1/8" over their length. I think it depends on teh sails you have and what level of performance they were built to. My old original catalina main has battens that are about 1/4" thick and about 1-1/2" wide. they are far less responsive to the wind.

Bruce, if your sails are UK halsey full batten with 4 battens in teh main, I can get you the info pretty quick since my battens are all in the basement waiting for the new season to start. I think...

Edited by - Prospector on 05/10/2011 11:56:21
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PCP777
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1225 Posts

Response Posted - 05/10/2011 :  13:58:31  Show Profile
<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by Prospector</i>
<br />I don't think he does Peter, mine are also very thin (maybe 3/4" at the most, and taper from about 1/4" down to about 1/8" over their length. I think it depends on teh sails you have and what level of performance they were built to. My old original catalina main has battens that are about 1/4" thick and about 1-1/2" wide. they are far less responsive to the wind.

Bruce, if your sails are UK halsey full batten with 4 battens in teh main, I can get you the info pretty quick since my battens are all in the basement waiting for the new season to start. I think...
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></font id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Come to think of it mine don't entirely fill the pockets, I've never noticed if my pockets were tapered but they seem to work fine. Again, mine is not an original sail but not knowing what I don't know I ordered these and cut them to size. You might order a set, get them for this weekend if they they won't work send them back.

Edited by - PCP777 on 05/10/2011 13:59:00
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Voyager
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USA
5376 Posts

Response Posted - 05/10/2011 :  19:31:10  Show Profile
Thanks to all for your suggestions. I think Dave Bristle had a great idea - find a yardstick and measure the pockets, and check the West Marine fibreglass battens and the rubber ends.

Doesn't have to be exact, but it's best to have a proper fit, otherwise they slip out of the pockets and fall in the water.

Maybe some adhesive-backed velcro might help.

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aeckhart
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1709 Posts

Response Posted - 05/18/2011 :  05:16:50  Show Profile  Visit aeckhart's Homepage
Bruce,

Assuming you sent your sails in to North for repair because they are North sails, why don't you call them? They can probably replace them exactly as needed. I've been a North customer for years. They will treat you right.

Edited by - aeckhart on 05/18/2011 05:17:20
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Voyager
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
5376 Posts

Response Posted - 05/19/2011 :  19:07:44  Show Profile
Al,
Last weekend when we got 3" of rain, I finally located my original battens. I bought a spare at west marine which I can cut to size. I plan on installing them on Saturday.

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Stinkpotter
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
9080 Posts

Response Posted - 05/20/2011 :  07:08:29  Show Profile
If they're the ones I passed along to Bill VZ (in the sail), they're a motley collection. I occasionally (about once each spring) thought about making some new ones with real tips, but never got the necessary round tuit.

Edited by - Stinkpotter on 05/20/2011 07:09:14
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