Hope I can sneak in here with my Hunter 18.5. think this applies to most boats with similar sails. Ours has the full width battens and they are making us batty. We have had to cut them down 2 times to get them into the slots far enough to close the velcro. I think they are still too tight, tho now the sail will fill out by itself when we tack without shaking it or reaching up and hitting it, over tacking and all kinds of other tricks. I still think they keep the sail in an artificially curved shape instead of an optimum shape for the wind, especially when close hauled. Read that not using them will wear out the sails. what if I cut the batten pockets approximately in half or less and sewed them shut and used only 1/2 of the batten length. Would that work?
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Going batty!
Sandy, When in doubt ask a sail maker. We use Quantum sails out of Fishing Bay. They cut are battens, but they had the main with them to measure. The battens do increase the life, do enhance sail shape, and the do run the length of the batten holder. So if you can shut the velcro and the sail is straight under no wind, they are the right size. I would not recut them shorter, and sew the holders at all. Remember, the designers had a specific purpose for the length they chose and the sail shape and size. You will come to love a bigger main with the battens, but it takes some time and patience. Wait till you keep sticking them in the lazy jacks!!!!!
But keep them the size the designer wanted it will make a big difference later. And any boat size is always welcome. Everyone started on something smaller at some point! Good luck, stay patient, enjoy!
Sandy, When in doubt ask a sail maker. We use Quantum sails out of Fishing Bay. They cut are battens, but they had the main with them to measure. The battens do increase the life, do enhance sail shape, and the do run the length of the batten holder. So if you can shut the velcro and the sail is straight under no wind, they are the right size. I would not recut them shorter, and sew the holders at all. Remember, the designers had a specific purpose for the length they chose and the sail shape and size. You will come to love a bigger main with the battens, but it takes some time and patience. Wait till you keep sticking them in the lazy jacks!!!!!
But keep them the size the designer wanted it will make a big difference later. And any boat size is always welcome. Everyone started on something smaller at some point! Good luck, stay patient, enjoy!It's a lie
I've never known battens to add to a sail's life. Battens are added to increase the sail size and make the boat faster. If you don't race then you don't want them. Sure you'll pay a small penalty inperformance but the easy of sail handling will be tremendous. You'll eliminate batten pockec problems along the leach. You eliminate the battens causing wear along the stay when you sail downwind. And you'll eliminate batten pockets wearing out the sail where the battens run the mast in the front of the pocket. Your sail will go up and down much easier and you'll not need to point it into the wind. The cost of doing this on a boat like yours is less than 1/2 knot of boat speed in light winds. Also you'll reef a little later. (Probley in 12 to 15 knots instead of 10 to 12 knots) To doe this you simply that the sail to a sailmaker and he will remove the roach that the battens support and install a new leach line along the back of the sail. This is commonly referred to as dumping the hump. Last time I checked it cost about $100 to 150 for a small sail like yours. I opted to have a new main made instead for only about $700. I kept the old main in case I wanted to race in light air. I eventually give the old main away. If you buy a new sail you can have it made with no battens and no headboard. removing the headboard also helps you raise the sail at any angle to the wind. Sails modified or desined to have no battens last a long time so long as you don't let them luff in the wind for hours at a time. Simple taking the battens out will not do because the unsupported roach will luff and destroy the whold sail shape pretty quickly.
I've never known battens to add to a sail's life. Battens are added to increase the sail size and make the boat faster. If you don't race then you don't want them. Sure you'll pay a small penalty inperformance but the easy of sail handling will be tremendous. You'll eliminate batten pockec problems along the leach. You eliminate the battens causing wear along the stay when you sail downwind. And you'll eliminate batten pockets wearing out the sail where the battens run the mast in the front of the pocket. Your sail will go up and down much easier and you'll not need to point it into the wind. The cost of doing this on a boat like yours is less than 1/2 knot of boat speed in light winds. Also you'll reef a little later. (Probley in 12 to 15 knots instead of 10 to 12 knots) To doe this you simply that the sail to a sailmaker and he will remove the roach that the battens support and install a new leach line along the back of the sail. This is commonly referred to as dumping the hump. Last time I checked it cost about $100 to 150 for a small sail like yours. I opted to have a new main made instead for only about $700. I kept the old main in case I wanted to race in light air. I eventually give the old main away. If you buy a new sail you can have it made with no battens and no headboard. removing the headboard also helps you raise the sail at any angle to the wind. Sails modified or desined to have no battens last a long time so long as you don't let them luff in the wind for hours at a time. Simple taking the battens out will not do because the unsupported roach will luff and destroy the whold sail shape pretty quickly.
Battens
I hope I can help clarify the reason for sail battens. Full length battens do have some advantages. Battens, in general, are in a mainsail to add stability to the leech. Not only do they hold out critical roach needed for pointing, they also stiffen the trailing edge of the wing. Yes Wing! Sails are wings and wings are more efficient with a wider tip. You will notice that airplane wings do not come to a point. Full Length battens DO add to the overall life of the mainsail by dampening the damaging effects of flogging. Flogging happens whenever you raise or lower the main, and whenever you need to reef. Flogging breaks down the finishing resins in the sailcloth. It is these finishing resins that lock in the Bias stability in a woven fabric. When this bias stability is gone, the sail stretches out of shape. No matter how much roach a mainsail has, even with leech hollow, without battens the sail will develop a hook along the leech adding drag and further destroying performance
I hope I can help clarify the reason for sail battens. Full length battens do have some advantages. Battens, in general, are in a mainsail to add stability to the leech. Not only do they hold out critical roach needed for pointing, they also stiffen the trailing edge of the wing. Yes Wing! Sails are wings and wings are more efficient with a wider tip. You will notice that airplane wings do not come to a point. Full Length battens DO add to the overall life of the mainsail by dampening the damaging effects of flogging. Flogging happens whenever you raise or lower the main, and whenever you need to reef. Flogging breaks down the finishing resins in the sailcloth. It is these finishing resins that lock in the Bias stability in a woven fabric. When this bias stability is gone, the sail stretches out of shape. No matter how much roach a mainsail has, even with leech hollow, without battens the sail will develop a hook along the leech adding drag and further destroying performance
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