As another thread post says - one batten missing ! Silly question :

[Refueler]

I am trying to source a 3.0m batten to fill the empty pocket on my mainsail ... it slots into the mast slider and spans full chord of the sail.

So many I ask have up to 1.5m ... 2.0m ..... I am waiting reply from one - so maybe lucky. Being 3.0m - it would be difficult to ship in !!

The actual length is 2.8m - but I want to be sure and cut myself. I have one that is 2.5m - but cannot use it as the batten can slip out of the slider and then sail will chafe. I also have short lengths that are basically not of use in any sail I have. Why I don't know - but they are there !

Given that I have a batten of 2.5m and I need another ~30cms ... (here comes the silly bit ..... ) ... is there any way to join two battens to then cut to fit ? I would consider the joint to be near leech - not luff ?? They are flat profile 4mm thick ... 30mm wide.

Its just a thought ... was imagining a long scarf joint ??

 

[B27]

I have bought 5m lengths of 'contract batten' from sailmakers' suppliers, by post, it arrives as a coil.

The bending in a sail batten is a big ask for any glue, I tried once with dinghy battens.
However you can probably extend the leach end and have the last half metre pretty stiff without getting too bad a sail shape?
Will the sail pocket take a doubled-up batten?

Alternatively you can try wood or plastic tube.
Sometimes GRP rods and tubes are used in other industries but I'd be cautious about how much bending they will take,
Some tents have GRP spars which take a lot of bending.
Also fishing rod blanks have been improvised with!

 

[Refueler]

I have bought 5m lengths of 'contract batten' from sailmakers' suppliers, by post, it arrives as a coil.

The bending in a sail batten is a big ask for any glue, I tried once with dinghy battens.
However you can probably extend the leach end and have the last half metre pretty stiff without getting too bad a sail shape?
Will the sail pocket take a doubled-up batten?

Alternatively you can try wood or plastic tube.
Sometimes GRP rods and tubes are used in other industries but I'd be cautious about how much bending they will take,
Some tents have GRP spars which take a lot of bending.
Also fishing rod blanks have been improvised with!

The pocket can take up to 10mm thickness - but mast slider has slot for max 5mm - ignore the round - its not for a tubular batten - its just that way .. the batten slides in that deep though.



So yes - no problem to have the flat profile batten double thick ... especially if the joint is chamfered off ...

I've used plastic domestic water pipe in the past - but here would not work as it will not slide into the mast car

 

[LittleSister]

I've used plastic domestic water pipe in the past - but here would not work as it will not slide into the mast car

Cut slot into end of pipe to take a fillet which will fit into mast car?

 

[Refueler]

Cut slot into end of pipe to take a fillet which will fit into mast car?

Great minds think alike ... !

I thought of that and its on the cards if I cannot get suitable batten.

 

[dansaskip]

Are not sail battens tapered so as to give a proper shape to the sail? Surely a non tapered batten or ones joined would give poor still shape?

 

[Refueler]

Are not sail battens tapered so as to give a proper shape to the sail? Surely a non tapered batten or ones joined would give poor still shape?

None of my battens on 3 sail boats are tapered ....

 

[Daydream believer]

Are not sail battens tapered so as to give a proper shape to the sail? Surely a non tapered batten or ones joined would give poor still shape?

Full lenth battens are not always there to give shape to a sail

 

[Refueler]

Full lenth battens are not always there to give shape to a sail

The battens on the two mains I have - are quite flexi ... and they do impart a smooth curve to the sail.

but if the batten is not long enough for the velcro at leech to hold the batten into the mast slider - then the sail at that slider takes a serious crease.

Unlike common short battens that are used to control leech and part of sail - these do control the sails shape from luff to leech.

It crossed my mind whether to get sailmaker to convert to shorter standard style battens .. but I was advised not to ...

 

[greeny]

It would be messy but you could lay up your own batten with grp. Probably 10 layers of 450 cloth would give you the depth. Then trim the sides down to fit. Probably to much bend to flowcoat it, but could just paint it for cosmetic finish. Depends how hands on you want to be and the messy stickiness you want to be involved in.

 

[Refueler]

I have a GRP guy working on my other boat .. but I think he might baulk at this ... I can imagine him wanting to talk about vacuum bags or glass panels to get the finish required to avoid chafing the sale.

 

[Daydream believer]

I have a couple of 3.5 M ones 3m * 30mm in my study at the moment. They roll into a circle about 1 meter diameter but it would easily go to 900, so I cannot imagine why one could not get them supplied & delivered by a sail maker easily enough. They are from my lazy covers.
The set in question came from Doyle sails but another set I have come from a local sailmaker - Lonton & Gray.
My 2 mainsails have them from Hyde sails. But I am not sure of the longest. Must be over 3 M.All roll to 900mm

 

[jamie N]

Try Polymorph. It's 100% reusable/reworkable and only requires heat, be it hot water or heat gun to shape or mould it. It's also very cheap, non brittle and as flexible as you want depending on thickness.

 

[Refueler]

Try Polymorph. It's 100% reusable/reworkable and only requires heat, be it hot water or heat gun to shape or mould it. It's also very cheap, non brittle and as flexible as you want depending on thickness.

And Bio-degradable !!

 

[Refueler]

Sailmaker has come back and said he has 40mm x 3mm ... so just waiting his Whatsapp on price ...

40mm is a bit wide for the mast car slot - but I can trim that to the 35mm easily .. and being 3mm - means similar flexi as original 30mm x 4mm

 

[Fantasie 19]

I am trying to source a 3.0m batten to fill the empty pocket on my mainsail ... it slots into the mast slider and spans full chord of the sail.

So many I ask have up to 1.5m ... 2.0m ..... I am waiting reply from one - so maybe lucky. Being 3.0m - it would be difficult to ship in !!

The actual length is 2.8m - but I want to be sure and cut myself. I have one that is 2.5m - but cannot use it as the batten can slip out of the slider and then sail will chafe. I also have short lengths that are basically not of use in any sail I have. Why I don't know - but they are there !

Given that I have a batten of 2.5m and I need another ~30cms ... (here comes the silly bit ..... ) ... is there any way to join two battens to then cut to fit ? I would consider the joint to be near leech - not luff ?? They are flat profile 4mm thick ... 30mm wide.

Its just a thought ... was imagining a long scarf joint ??

If it's not tapered could you use some upvc strip from a double glazing supplier???

 

[Refueler]

If it's not tapered could you use some upvc strip from a double glazing supplier???

For short lengths I've even used conduit cover strip - sanded off the clip ridges.

Like I say - sailmaker should be giving me price for a 3.0m length ....

The sail is going to be raced later - so what I use now if not proper batten will only be temp.

 

[jamie N]

And Bio-degradable !!

Polymorph willl outlive the sail, that's for sure!

 

[Refueler]

Polymorph willl outlive the sail, that's for sure!

Tks for the post - but I think it may not be my choice ...

Its likely that either next year or one after - that I shall look to replace the sails .. maybe !

 

[Refueler]

Sailmaker came back with 10e per metre .. 40mm x 3mm gauge ... so just waiting Wife to get home - she's returning from Turkey ... then I'm in car and hours drive to sailmaker to pick it up ..

I may once I prove this batten .. change the others to have all same as at present I have a mix from other sail as well.