Battens

[BART FORD]

i have a 240 and have managed to break several battens. Are they important? How do they affect sailing with or without them? Best place to buy more?Also, when I got my boat , the dealer never showed me or told me about the boom vang. Should I be using it? Or is it just another rope to pull on.

 

[Ray Bowles]

Bart, My name is Ray and I think were going to

be on a first name basis if you'd like.Yes, the battens are very important.I own a 95 H26 with the standard Doyle fully battened mainsail. The 240, 260 and H26 are very similar water ballasted boats.A boom vang is your basic lower mainsail control for all running and reaching modes of sail. Without a traveler the vang becomes even more important.I just searched the house for my West Marine catalog and it must be in the boat or truck. Therefore I can't quote prices. I think you can buy a nice manual boom vang for under $200. This is a must!!!If you are breaking battens then you are very, VERY close to tearing out your stiching on the mainsail. If this sail floggs enough to break battens then there are deep problems.Since this is a newer boat I would suggest you purchase a boom vang, additional battens and have a good sailing friend help you for a couple of days.If that is not possible I would hire a sailing instructor to come aboard and teach you on your boat.Breaking battens is a very strong indicator of a serious sailing problems. Catch it early before you ruin a sail or more.RayS/V Speedy

 

[Steven de Filippis]

need battons

i was sailing for a few months without them because i lost them in the drink by accident. i bought some at west marine and cut them to size, i definitely notice a difference in performance, can't help you on the boom vang.

 

[Frank]

It is common for folks to lose battens from this sail, but this is the first I've heard of them breaking. The stock 23.5 main sail will really suffer without the battens. On my 23.5 the battens were sturdy Fiberglass. I don't know how you could break them. Is the sail flogging a lot? The sail will definately flog without the battens and this will really shorten the sail life. Not having the battens in place also makes the boat slower, but unless you are racing you'll hardly notice.The vang does help shape the sail. Since our boats do not have travelers the vang is the only way to keep the sail flat. This is important in many situations. Start reading books on sail trim and talk to your dealer about the problems you are having. If the problems continue you can email me at Ladd333@aol.com.Frank