Performance of partial vertical batten vs no batten mainsail

[Viktor Eysselein]

My mainsail is stretched out (Doyle sail, 4 years old) making furling very difficult. The rigger told me that a new sail eliminate the problem.

I have a Hunter 45CC with a partial vertical batten mainsail. I was told that a mainsail without battens has much less problems during furling. The disadvantage is less sailing performance. Does anybody have experience how much the sailing performance goes down? I am a cruiser, not racer, but still would like to have reasonable sailing performance.

Thanks so much!

Viktor

 

[Jeff Jellick]

My mainsail is stretched out (Doyle sail, 4 years old) making furling very difficult. The rigger told me that a new sail eliminate the problem.

I have a Hunter 45CC with a partial vertical batten mainsail. I was told that a mainsail without battens has much less problems during furling. The disadvantage is less sailing performance. Does anybody have experience how much the sailing performance goes down? I am a cruiser, not racer, but still would like to have reasonable sailing performance.

Thanks so much!

Viktor

Viktor,
What yera is your boat? We have a 2005 Hunter 45 CC with the FULL Length vertical battens. I have been asking the same question as you. I was thinking of converting to the partial battens, but maybe not
Jeff

 

[seadaddler]

Battens

I was racing last night with a few Hunters last night and one of the 42 CC
that just got new sails had partial verticals and last night his new sails did not have any vertical battans that I could see and so I will see what he has to say today at the race picnic.
Nick

 

[Viktor Eysselein]

Viktor,
What yera is your boat? We have a 2005 Hunter 45 CC with the FULL Length vertical battens. I have been asking the same question as you. I was thinking of converting to the partial battens, but maybe not
Jeff

My Hunter 45CC was build 2008, commissioned 5/2009.

Best wishes,

Viktor

 

[sailmaster39]

partial battens

I just replaced my in-mast OEM main sail with a new Mack main sail with vertical partial battens.Big improvement under sail. Highly recommend it.We own a H356 with in mast furling main sail.

 

[Viktor Eysselein]

Re: partial battens

Did your OEM sail have vertical battens?

Thanks,

Viktor

 

[sailmaster39]

Hi
No, having partial vertical battens is new to me. I've read that full vertical bsttens are troublesome. My oem main was battenless.

 

[stephen Penny]

Re: Performance of partial vertical batten vs no batten main

I replaced the original non-battened main sail with a partial battened main sail. It is a bigger sail and with better shape that offers faster boat speed.

 

[chuckwayne]

Re: Performance of partial vertical batten vs no batten main

We went with a Doyle cruising laminate main that keeps a really great shape without battens

 

[seadaddler]

Main sail

I find it hard to believe after only 4 years that you need a new sail,a 420 Hunter who races alot in our club just changed sails and it is a 98 boat.
I asked why he changed to a new sail with out partial battens and he said he had a few times that the sail was trouble dew to the battens and after last nights race he seem to do pretty good.
Another Hunter 410 with partial battens who wins most races seems to not have problems but it is not the original sail I think.
I think most Hunters with partial battens seem to sail better but also need to deal with the battens and to make sure when furling back into the mast that
the sail needs special attention when furling for sure and some sailor's seem to have trouble with inmast with out battens.
It's all about learning to handle the sail with special attention.
I have also heard good things about bacon sails with partial battens.
If I do more racing I will look into bacon sails for my boat with partial battens.
Nick

 

[Ken Honeycutt]

Re: Performance of partial vertical batten vs no batten main

I replaced my OEM Doyle mainsail with a UK partial battened that I had the local UK dealer custom build at his shop in Chicago. I never experienced any furling problems the whole summer and in fact it seems to furl better then my old main. I was surprised at how much difference the new main made in boat speed. If you buy a new sail I would use a local sail maker that will custom fit it to your boat.