Vertical Battens

[Jeff Jellick]

On our 2005 Hunter 45 CC we have a in-mast furling main, which has 3 full length vertical fiberglass batters, extending from the foot all the way up to the leech, and of course they vary in length. They are round, about 1/4" to 3/8" in diameter. I have noticed that in the newer 45 CC's Hunter changed the length of the battens, to somewhere around 3 to 4 feet, starting at the edge of the leech, and extending down towards the foot. Having had our share of trouble furling the main in and out, I am wondering if switching to the shorter battens would help, or possibly just removing our full length battens all together. Would like to hear any comments and or suggestions.
Thanks, Jeff

 

[stuartsw]

Don’t remove your battens permanently. They’re what’s keeping your roach in shape. Consult with a sailmaker familiar with in-mast furling about your batten weight and shape. Changing these may help your furling issues. You also may wish to double-check your furling technique and halyard tension.

 

[shemandr]

I had a 356 with in mast furling and vertical full length battens. I had terrible problems with the furling going in and out. I was finally discussing the problem with my sail maker who suggested that the round battens were 1st generation. He suggested that I switch to a newer type which were more flat but a little flexible in the fore/aft dimension. There weren't as thick port/starboard. They were thru the mast slot more easily. The taped round sections were a tight fit. We also decided to try smaller batten pockets - not the full length that had been so much trouble. Thusly we got rid of the taped sections and the battens didn't poke through the batten pocket at the foot of the sail, which. I was worried that the shorter battens would create a crease in the sail but that did not happen. They did support the roach which wasn't extreme at all. The batten pockets ended in the middle of the sail away from the major load lines. The system worked much better after that. I've learned from this website that if the sail is tired you will still have problems. Mine was and I still did but it was tolerable.
An aside for anyone who is familiar with the Liberty Landing Marina near the Statue of Liberty. My battens spent a winter taped to the handrail on the Lightship (I think Ambrose) in the main passageway. There were so long I couldn't figure a way to store them other than that. The boat was new to me and I didn't want to take them apart for fear I would have a problem re-assembling them. Even in pieces the longest parts were way longer than my car.

 

[dakno]

Ditch the battens. A good loft will recut/shape your existing sail if it is good condition for $550><. Your main will be slightly smaller, which if your main is like mine is good. Instead of paranoia at furling time you just roll in or out. Lubricate everything at least 2x yearly with McLube. Mark your vang when the boom is in proper position and never attempt to furl with boom out of that position. My main is 5% smaller and I hadn't had to call a rigger in 2 years. The battiness main has diagonials running from the luff upwards to the leach for support. Lose 1/4 knot and don't worry, be happy.

 

[Pat Hooyman]

Dakno is spot on. I went from full length battens to 5 foot battens to re-cutting the sail and removing the roach and battens as a final stress free solution.

 

[seadaddler]

A few friends did have the short vertical battens but they
decided to get new sails with out battens and they said they
were good for great shape but so much trouble furling in and out
most of the time and been racing ever since and doing very well winning many times with out battens.
Nick

 

[jssailem]

One does not need battens to win sail races, it just helps to maintain the sails in usable condition for a longer period between repairs.

 

[Jackdaw]

One does not need battens to win sail races, it just helps to maintain the sails in usable condition for a longer period between repairs.

Indeed. Maximizing sail area will help one well sailed evenly matched boat beat another. But for more casual racing, good sailing alone can often carry the day.

 

[dakno]

Free from the cool (not) battens. My main is rigid, crisp, and slightly smaller. The leach stands firm, no flutters . At deployment go dead into wind at 1000 rpm using auto-pilot, have someone pull the out line (furling foil) while you pull the outhaul line, the sail easily spools out without using a winch. It's so kool. This put the fun back in sailing. I had been looking at electric winches, a electric drill winch handle, etc, thats no longer necessary. THE most important thing is to get a tight furl to begin with. This eliminates many problems.