I know this topic has been discussed before but is there another way of keeping your battens from flying out other than sewing them shut. Lost my second set. Am I doing something wrong with trim??? PaulH S/V Linda Belle 95 H26
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Sew them in!
I got tired of losing mine, so I got out the needle 'n thread and haven't lost another. Jim
I got tired of losing mine, so I got out the needle 'n thread and haven't lost another. Jim
What is wrong with sewing?
Paul: What is wrong with sewing them in? If you do not want to do this, then take your sail to a sailmaker and have them put something over the pocket to hold the batten in.
Paul: What is wrong with sewing them in? If you do not want to do this, then take your sail to a sailmaker and have them put something over the pocket to hold the batten in.
Mainsail Trim
Paul, I'm assuming the cause of your battens flying out is due to the leech of the main flogging heavily in the breeze...A sail should never flog in any condition when trimmed correctly...In addition to loosing battens, the flogging will beat/whip the sail material and stitching, which will greatly shorten the life of the sail... Tightening the mainsheet should stop the heavy flogging of the main and stop the battens from working out...If there is too much breeze to tighten the main, then you should be adjusting the traveler car (moving it to to leeward)...If there is still too much breeze to tighten the mainsheet then you probably have too much sail flying and need to reef... On a moderately windy day and sailing to windward, you should have the mainsheet tight (leech should not be flogging when sheet is tight)...If the boat is over-powered with mainsheet tight, you should then drop the traveler car down, NOT loosen the mainsheet---loosening the mainsheet allows the sail to flog... If you do not have a line control, ballbearing traveler car, I highly recommend upgrading to one...On a moderately windy/heavy wind day, it's one of the most important adjustments for the main--not the mainsheet...
Paul, I'm assuming the cause of your battens flying out is due to the leech of the main flogging heavily in the breeze...A sail should never flog in any condition when trimmed correctly...In addition to loosing battens, the flogging will beat/whip the sail material and stitching, which will greatly shorten the life of the sail... Tightening the mainsheet should stop the heavy flogging of the main and stop the battens from working out...If there is too much breeze to tighten the main, then you should be adjusting the traveler car (moving it to to leeward)...If there is still too much breeze to tighten the mainsheet then you probably have too much sail flying and need to reef... On a moderately windy day and sailing to windward, you should have the mainsheet tight (leech should not be flogging when sheet is tight)...If the boat is over-powered with mainsheet tight, you should then drop the traveler car down, NOT loosen the mainsheet---loosening the mainsheet allows the sail to flog... If you do not have a line control, ballbearing traveler car, I highly recommend upgrading to one...On a moderately windy/heavy wind day, it's one of the most important adjustments for the main--not the mainsheet...
Hello Paul
What brand of sails do you have for I have some good information on battens and Doyle sails.
What brand of sails do you have for I have some good information on battens and Doyle sails.
Leech tension
Leech flutter (as opposed to the whole main flogging) can also work the battens loose. Most sails have a leech tension adjustment line. Tightening it (after making all the other sail trim adjustments0 will stop the flutter.
Leech flutter (as opposed to the whole main flogging) can also work the battens loose. Most sails have a leech tension adjustment line. Tightening it (after making all the other sail trim adjustments0 will stop the flutter.
Steve D.?
Steve D., If your question about sewing was directed to me, then the reason I like to use sail tape is for convenience. When I first bought my '88 L37 in '94 (second owner), some were sewn in and others were missing. A sailmaker friend checked it out and suggested using sail repair tape. A strip across the open end of the pocket from one side of the sail to the other (with about 3-4 " overlap on either side) does the trick quickly. Up here in New England, where you remove the sails for winter lay-up, using tape eliminates the poking of holes through the sail by sewing them in each season. Since I've used this method, I haven't lost any battens, either, in the last 8 years.
Steve D., If your question about sewing was directed to me, then the reason I like to use sail tape is for convenience. When I first bought my '88 L37 in '94 (second owner), some were sewn in and others were missing. A sailmaker friend checked it out and suggested using sail repair tape. A strip across the open end of the pocket from one side of the sail to the other (with about 3-4 " overlap on either side) does the trick quickly. Up here in New England, where you remove the sails for winter lay-up, using tape eliminates the poking of holes through the sail by sewing them in each season. Since I've used this method, I haven't lost any battens, either, in the last 8 years.
Paul H
As you know at the end of each baton sleave is a piece of velcro strip that you fold over the end of the baton.? Sewn over the top of the end of the valcro strip (the strip sewn to the sail)is a piece of material about 15-20mm wide. Make sure you past the valcro tab underneath this stip, feed through and secure down on the other valcro strip. Just folding it over and attaching to the valcro strip will not hold them in. The strip to pass it (the velcro) through is right on the edge of the entry point for the baton. In addition to this we also tie them in with a fine piece of cord. Hope this helps. Regards
As you know at the end of each baton sleave is a piece of velcro strip that you fold over the end of the baton.? Sewn over the top of the end of the valcro strip (the strip sewn to the sail)is a piece of material about 15-20mm wide. Make sure you past the valcro tab underneath this stip, feed through and secure down on the other valcro strip. Just folding it over and attaching to the valcro strip will not hold them in. The strip to pass it (the velcro) through is right on the edge of the entry point for the baton. In addition to this we also tie them in with a fine piece of cord. Hope this helps. Regards
Sewing & taping are ok but this idea is better.
We drill a very small hole (3/32 of an inch) into the end of the batten and tie a small woven nylon cord thru the hole and then tie the ends of the line to the batten closure flap. You then tuck the velcro flap under the cover strap and fasten it to the velcro. Works every time and there is no tape sticky left on the sail and it is much faster to remove than sewing. Ray and Maria S/V Scooter
We drill a very small hole (3/32 of an inch) into the end of the batten and tie a small woven nylon cord thru the hole and then tie the ends of the line to the batten closure flap. You then tuck the velcro flap under the cover strap and fasten it to the velcro. Works every time and there is no tape sticky left on the sail and it is much faster to remove than sewing. Ray and Maria S/V Scooter
Ray-sewing and taping
Ray, Would fishing line do the trick with the same procedure you outlined? Paul H S/V Linda Belle 95 H26
Ray, Would fishing line do the trick with the same procedure you outlined? Paul H S/V Linda Belle 95 H26
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