batons

[bogsdolics]

Hi does anyone know what I could make batons out of ,thanks ,bogs. /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

 

[Talbot]

Presume you mean battens for a sail rather than long sticks to beat peoples heads. The material will depend on age of boat and performance characteristics. Originally it was wood, but I dont remember what type. I think some people have experimented with 1/4 marine ply. Plastic has been used on a lot of modern dinghys. My vertical battens are hollow fiberglass rod, and I suspect that carbon fibre has been used for some expensive high performance things.

Most people will buy replacements from a sailmaker.

 

[DJE]

[ QUOTE ]
... hollow fiberglass rod...

[/ QUOTE ]

Baton rounds?

 

[Evadne]

I think mine are made from tufnol. There's a world of difference between a 2' batten in the roach of a sail and a full length batten, so it will depend on exactly what you are talking about.

 

[Forbsie]

In a rush to produce some for my Sharpie, I got some 4mm x 30mm hardwood strips from the local timber merchant and cut them down to the required length. Don't know what the wood actually was but it seemed to do the job.

 

[PhilipH]

whale bone would work, but probably a bit tricky finding your whale

 

[ex-Gladys]

I've seen alkathene pipe used to good effect on a fully battened main, with the pipe progressively squashed to give the correct shape....

 

[TrueBlue]

Re: batons - material?

I am currently much enamoured of (with) a plastic sheet called Stokboard. It's available in 6mm thickness, but you have to buy a sheet 8' x 4'. Not quite sure of its strength but it is sold for lining horse boxes and pigpens. Available from Southern Sheeting Supplies in East Grinstead.

It's advantage is it is made from "recycled polythene", but works like plywood, being plastic it doesn't mind getting wet, but it's not laminated like the aforementioned.

Comments welcome....

 

[Dipper]

For some reason, I believe they used to be made from hickory (similar to walnut) but could be entirely wrong.

 

[VicS]

Traditionally the wood for battens was hickory but it is expensive. They should be tapered in thickness thinnest end innermost. I have one, bought to replace a lost ramin one. .... beautifully flexible.

 

[BlueSkyNick]

I have two vertical battens from my old mainsail, lying around getting in the way. They are about 20' and 30' long at a guess.

If you are close to Southampton, you can have either or both, and cut them down to your required size.

Send me a Private Message - see Send Message at the top of the screen - if you are interested.

 

[Captain Coochie]

4mm x 30mm from Alsfords i think would have been Rammin .

 

[William_H]

In answer to the post question a lot depends on whether you are looking for a cheap alternative that might be on hand or want the proper thing. It also depends on whether you are looking for a short leach baton or full length for a mainsail. I am pretty much a cheapskate but I would still go to a sailmaker or chandler and buy fibreglass baton material certainly for a full length baton.
The material I have seen is solid F/G about 25mm wide with a reinforcing web on each side to make it stiffer. There are many variations though. You plane or file off the web progressively on the inner one third of a full length baton to permit and encourage curvature/camber in the front third of the sail.
For short partial length leach batons just use as is as this part of the sail should be flat. for short batons you can use wood or even perspex it is not so critical. Just make sure they are tied or locked in so they don't escape when the sail is flogging. (and of course smooth the sharp ends) olewill

 

[sofka]

Yep Hickory.