Removing battens from an original C-22 sail

Mar 31, 2019
64
Catalina 22 12640 Rose City Yacht Club
Hey gang,

Somehow my boat's PO managed to break several battens in the main, and I just got around to ordering a new set of replacement battens.

Can y'all provide any guidance on how to slide the old battens out? There seems to be a "V" sewn into the sail with a slit on the end that provides access, but I can't for the life of me get the batten to slide into that "V" and out the slit on the edge of the sail. See the second photo below where my finger is in the slit. (Yeah yeah, laugh it up.)

Much appreciate any guidance!




Andre
 
Feb 26, 2004
22,759
Catalina 34 224 Maple Bay, BC, Canada
Andre, your second picture: tilt your hand just the OTHER WAY and they';; slide right out & in.
 
Mar 31, 2019
64
Catalina 22 12640 Rose City Yacht Club
Well, that was utterly confounding.

I've subsequently learned this evening that the first 5" of the batten sleeve has a second layer of fabric sewed into it, presumably for re-enforcement. An intact batten could never slide behind that second layer of fabric, however a piece of a broken batten can slide behind it, leading to several hours of frustration and confusion attempting to remove the broken batten piece from a pocket of fabric which has no outward exit. Credit to my admiral for figuring out a trick using a chopstick, of all things, to open the correct passageway for the broken portion of batten to slide out. We had to slide the broken piece back down, use the chopstick to push the second layer of fabric out of the way, and only then the broken piece can exit via the "V".

Unbelievable.

Thanks,
Andre
 
May 23, 2016
1,024
Catalina 22 #12502 BSC
I keep long skinny hemostats (aka roach clips from what I've heard;)) on board for such duties...and the Admiral too...