Full Batten?

[SirMichael]

I am thinking about buying a new main sail for my 1988 Hunter 28.5. When they talk about a full batten, does that mean that the batten goes all the way from the luff to the leech? Or is it about and that just covers the last 1 to 2 feet of the leech? Do sails come as a partial batten and full batten as an option?

Do I need full battens?

My boat is on a MN lake, and will likely stay there...
Mike

 

[Tony_Furst]

SirMichael,
A sail batten is a flexible insert in a fore-and-aft, triangular sail—parallel to the direction of wind flow—that helps shape its qualities as an airfoil. The most common use of sail battens is in the roach of a mainsail. The batten extends the leech past the line that runs from the head and the clew of the sail to create a wider sail towards the top. Cruising sailboats may have four to six battens. Racing sailboats may have full-length battens, as well, that allow for better sail shape.

 

[Calif. Ted]

Usually the term "full batten" main refers to all 4 or 5 battens extending from luff to leech. A sail may come with 1 or 2 full battens at the bottom and partials at the top with additional full battens being an extra cost option.

 

[David in Sandusky]

Our "partial full batten" main has 2 full battens at the top, and 2 partial battens (about 3 feet long) at the bottom. Full battens help shape the sail, especially the roach, far away from the boom.

Our sailmaker explained the the details to me when we discussed our first set of replacement sails. The full battens allowed him to cut a fuller roach toward the top of the sail where it does the most good. The ideal shape for a sail would be a wing shape, not a triangle, and the full battens help the widen the top of the sail.

 

[shemandr]

Full battens also prolong the life of the sail by reducing flogging of the sail while luffing. I think most sails now are combination full and partial battens. A sail that has all full battens can be more difficult to raise since the full battens put more pressure on the luff. There was at one time a cart system for the mast/luff to address this problem. I haven't heard much about that lately - probably because fewer sails are full battened.
For race boats the sailmakers love to add roach to increase sail area. Often these sails catch on the backstay while tacking in light wind. If you primarily cruise it is annoying at the very least. On racing boats I've wondered if the extra sail area is worth the bad tacks which can occur when the helmsman or someone else in the back is focused on freeing the sail while they should be getting the boat up to speed.

 

[Justin_NSA]

+1 on everything said so far. They also allow the sail to flake easier when it's dropped. Stackpaks always rely on full battens. My Dutchman system also works better with them.

 

[Joe]

If you read this month's copy of Sail Magazine there is an entire article on Mainsails..... Most common option today is two full length battens at the top ... the lower two or three are partial... to allow for better trim action in the wide part of the sail.

BTW.... battens do not have to be horizontal...

 

[Gunni]

Don't know if you have one but the Hunter / B&R rig is designed to fly roachy mainsails that benefit from full battens...since they don't have back stays. Make the most of the rig design.

 

[Hunter Ad Bot]

And now a word from the sponsor...

Hunter replacement stanchions

From current Marlow-Hunter boats to the classic cherubinis of the 80s, we have most stanchions and bases available, many of them in stock for quick shipment.
See the product

 

[SirMichael]

I thank you all for the replies. I was surprised to get so many, but it did help me to understand a little more. I used to sail a Hobie 16, which has full batten on both the main and the jib. The main that I have on my Hunter 28.5 has partial battens and four of them as I recall which keeps the roach from fluttering. I'm just more or less a cruiser and not so much into racing and high-performance. I think just a partial batten probably do me just fine if I order a new sail.

Many thanks,

Mike

 

[SirMichael]

For what it's worth, I after much deliberating, I ordered a sail with 2 full battens (at the top) on a tri-radial design from a local loft. This way, if there is any problem, they are local.
Mike