I have recently purchased 2008 Beneteau 343. When pulling out the main sail it gets hung up at the three upper battens. It usually takes at least 30 minutes to set the main sail . We took out the three upper battens and now have no problem with outhaul or inhaul. We examined the battens and batten pockets and everything appears in order.
main sail problems
- Thread starter cgusto
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Do you have a Doyle sail? If so I read they redesigned their vertical batten pockets to address the issue you describe. Not sure what year they started with the new design but mine have the opening to remove them in the middle of the pocket. Makes it a pain to remove when folding the sail in the off season but the pocket is very thin and has never hung up. You might give them a call. If not Doyle might look at having the pockets redone to their spec.
Battens are needed on any sail with a positive roach, to support the leech and to keep it from fluttering. Older mast furling mainsails without vertical battens were typically cut with negative roach and ended up being say 80% of the size of a regular main for the boat. Performance suffered as a result. The v-battens allow the sail-maker to recover some (not not all) of that lost sail area.
I have only had the boat 2 months and it came with the battens. So I assumed it worked with them.
I have only had the boat for 2 months and the sail came with battens.
So I assumed it worked with battens.
So I assumed it worked with battens.
From 2006 on, Beneteau and Neil Pryde switched to this model with battens. For the OP, it's a good guide.
http://www.neilprydesails.com/pdfs/beneteau/PBF Overview.pdf
The 343 came with Neil Pryde Sails through it's production. Could be a lot of things...replacement battens too thick or maybe the velcro doubled up...
But best to look at it and see what's what. And I'd be happy to do that. P.M. me and we can figure it out.
Bob Pattison
But best to look at it and see what's what. And I'd be happy to do that. P.M. me and we can figure it out.
Bob Pattison
Brain cramp....Pryde, not Doyle
I have Neil Pryde main with the newer batten pocket design which works great.
I have Neil Pryde main with the newer batten pocket design which works great.
Lots of feedback available on Furling Mains. I have a 2006 Bene 343 with the original furler and Neil Pryde Main with vertical battens.
Make sure the mast is straight.
I keep a lot of tension on the Main Halyard.
Let out some slack in the Mainsheet and vang
I use a topping lift in addition to the vang.
I usually unfurl the sail heading downwind - it lowers the apparent wind and keeps the sail from flogging. I frequently furl the sail downwind as well - helps keep tension on the sail while furling.
I always keep a wrap of the furling line on a winch. Since I have the Spinnaker Halyard winch, I use both winches when launching and retrieving the sail My lines are setup to enable using each winch - furling line on port, outhaul on starboard.
Check the size on your furling line - mine is getting replaced with one size smaller due to friction between the line and the metal sleeve on the backside of the furler spool.
Make sure your outhaul slides smoothly under load.
Check the lead angles on both lines. Also the blocks supplied by Bene have plastic bushings so don't spin well especially if full of gunk.
Keep tension on the sail when furling.
I've only pulled my sail twice and removed the battens, but getting the flap on the batten pocket tucked back in is a problem unless you use another batten or something similar to keep the velcro from grabbing. It would not take much of a wrinkle there to hang up.
If you do remove the sail - tie a 1/4 or 3/16 line onto the lower shackle or through the hole and pull your furling line and the "sail" line to see how well your furler spins - gunk in the bearings or friction on the line are the biggest suspects. Also check how the main halyard is attached to the top shackle - a big knot will rub inside the mast sleeve.
Bob probably knows twenty other things to check.
Joe
Make sure the mast is straight.
I keep a lot of tension on the Main Halyard.
Let out some slack in the Mainsheet and vang
I use a topping lift in addition to the vang.
I usually unfurl the sail heading downwind - it lowers the apparent wind and keeps the sail from flogging. I frequently furl the sail downwind as well - helps keep tension on the sail while furling.
I always keep a wrap of the furling line on a winch. Since I have the Spinnaker Halyard winch, I use both winches when launching and retrieving the sail My lines are setup to enable using each winch - furling line on port, outhaul on starboard.
Check the size on your furling line - mine is getting replaced with one size smaller due to friction between the line and the metal sleeve on the backside of the furler spool.
Make sure your outhaul slides smoothly under load.
Check the lead angles on both lines. Also the blocks supplied by Bene have plastic bushings so don't spin well especially if full of gunk.
Keep tension on the sail when furling.
I've only pulled my sail twice and removed the battens, but getting the flap on the batten pocket tucked back in is a problem unless you use another batten or something similar to keep the velcro from grabbing. It would not take much of a wrinkle there to hang up.
If you do remove the sail - tie a 1/4 or 3/16 line onto the lower shackle or through the hole and pull your furling line and the "sail" line to see how well your furler spins - gunk in the bearings or friction on the line are the biggest suspects. Also check how the main halyard is attached to the top shackle - a big knot will rub inside the mast sleeve.
Bob probably knows twenty other things to check.
Joe
20?
Twenty might be a stretch! <grin>
But will add Two:
1. The knot issue...often it's a stopper knot on the upper swivel that has clinched enough to get wider and jam against the inside of the mast cavity.This isn't normally a problem as the knot ends up at the top swivel...and the swivel spins, not the knot (so the halyard does not wrap). But it may cause you some grief in trying to get the top swivel all the way down as when you are replacing a halyard..
2. Here's the best tip I'll probably ever give on this forum:
If you are removing the sail or for some reason like below planning to undo the bottom tack shackle make sure that you take about 5-6 paper towels and insert them into the cavity all the way around the furler, just below the tack. This way when you drop the pin, or the shackle it is not lost into the mast. From experience and a royal pain in the butt!
Bob
If you do remove the sail - tie a 1/4 or 3/16 line onto the lower shackle or through the hole and pull your furling line and the "sail" line to see how well your furler spins - gunk in the bearings or friction on the line are the biggest suspects. Also check how the main halyard is attached to the top shackle - a big knot will rub inside the mast sleeve.
Bob probably knows twenty other things to check.
Joe[/quote]
Twenty might be a stretch! <grin>
But will add Two:
1. The knot issue...often it's a stopper knot on the upper swivel that has clinched enough to get wider and jam against the inside of the mast cavity.This isn't normally a problem as the knot ends up at the top swivel...and the swivel spins, not the knot (so the halyard does not wrap). But it may cause you some grief in trying to get the top swivel all the way down as when you are replacing a halyard..
2. Here's the best tip I'll probably ever give on this forum:
If you are removing the sail or for some reason like below planning to undo the bottom tack shackle make sure that you take about 5-6 paper towels and insert them into the cavity all the way around the furler, just below the tack. This way when you drop the pin, or the shackle it is not lost into the mast. From experience and a royal pain in the butt!
Bob
If you do remove the sail - tie a 1/4 or 3/16 line onto the lower shackle or through the hole and pull your furling line and the "sail" line to see how well your furler spins - gunk in the bearings or friction on the line are the biggest suspects. Also check how the main halyard is attached to the top shackle - a big knot will rub inside the mast sleeve.
Bob probably knows twenty other things to check.
Joe[/quote]
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