Batten box / receptacle - identification help.

icarusbop

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Hello:

I purchased a replacement sail whichneeds a small amount of stiching and batten boxes replaced. Aside from that it is in good condition.
I am trying to identify the batten boxes that were fitted to the sail in the hope of replacing them with the same units so I can reuse the fitting holes already in the sail.

I am hoping someone might be able to identify the batten box I need and maybe provide details of where I can get them in the UK. Please see the attached picture, for an idea of the fitting previously on the sail.
The dimensions of the box are approx 73mm wide at the top (as seen in the photo) and approx 85mm high from the top to the botton of the luff, the box was tapered onwards then curving at the end.
The other end of the pockets on the sail have a strap and buckle to strap over the end of the battens, which were presumably flat.

The closest I have been able to find so far is a Ronstan http://www.ronstan.co.uk/marine5/product.asp?ProdNo=RC00140#related Seen here, but the box on it's own does not seem to be available and buying it with the rest of the stainless ball fitting is way to expensive. Plus, the stainless fitting on this unit is not in line with the current mast sliders on the rest of the sail, which are plastic, which makes me wonder / hope there is a cheaper solution out there.

Thanks for any help / suggestions


Batten box.jpg
 
The part should be available from your local sailmaker - if indeed it is an RC00140

http://www.wavelineleisure.com/partnumber.asp?cid=&pnid=379212

The other option might be to convert to some of the plastic fittings (that are very similar) that you will find in the Contender sailcloth catalogue.

You don't say what fittings you have for the luff/mast attachment or what the mast track is.
 
I have those Ronstan / Friedrekson batten holder`s & cars on my fully battened sail.
what other sliders / slugs are on the luff

Thanks for your response - here is a picture of the sliders that are already on the luff, I cannot find any information (model . manufacurer) on them.

slider.jpg
 
The part should be available from your local sailmaker - if indeed it is an RC00140

http://www.wavelineleisure.com/partnumber.asp?cid=&pnid=379212

The other option might be to convert to some of the plastic fittings (that are very similar) that you will find in the Contender sailcloth catalogue.

You don't say what fittings you have for the luff/mast attachment or what the mast track is.

Hello: I've just posted a picture of the luff sliders on the rest of the sail, the mast does not have a track, but has a T slot in it for the sliders.
 
If the batten concerned is actually full length (which it looks like from the first photo) then I would expect a different luff slide for the forward end of that batten.

One with a webbing strap (like the last photo) is unlikely to hold the forward end of the batten off the mast at that point.. and you'll get a crinkle in the sail/luff.
 
All:

Thanks for your input - I've been researching, it looks like the original fittings on my sail may have been the Ronstan with the special pressure absorbing slides. The sail requires four of them, and each one (for the receptor and slides) cost over £100, so I'm afraid I wil not be refitting these to my sail as I simply cannot justify the cost. Perhaps this cost is why there are no longer fitted to the sail, they may have been sold or recycled...

I have found a much simpler (and therefore cheaper) unit Here
I got the size from between the holes on my sail, indicating the battens were 38mm / 40mm
There is a video on Youtube documenting how they are fitted and clearly showing how to attach the slug for the mast.

The downside to this is that there is no bracing between the luff end of the batten and the mast, so am wondering how important it is?
Thanks again.
 
All:

Thanks for your input - I've been researching, it looks like the original fittings on my sail may have been the Ronstan with the special pressure absorbing slides. The sail requires four of them, and each one (for the receptor and slides) cost over £100, so I'm afraid I wil not be refitting these to my sail as I simply cannot justify the cost. Perhaps this cost is why there are no longer fitted to the sail, they may have been sold or recycled...

I have found a much simpler (and therefore cheaper) unit http://www.kayospruce.com/index.asp?selection=detailed&uid=14733
I got the size from between the holes on my sail, indicating the battens were 38mm / 40mm
There is a video on Youtube documenting how they are fitted and clearly showing how to attach the slug for the mast.

The downside to this is that there is no bracing between the luff end of the batten and the mast, so am wondering how important it is?
Thanks again.
no doubt whom ever you got the sail from, has kept the cars for his new sail
 
Without the bracing/stiffening at the forward end of the batten pocket (for these full length battens), I would expect the sail luff to be pushed forwards and cause crinkles in the luff, possibly leading to more sail damage.

Those Rutgerson 1490 end pockets I mentioned are not a lot different in price to the Kayospruce ones... They will probably shackle (with the inbuilt shackle) straight onto your slides thus not allowing the sail luff to slip forwards out of place. It will just then be a little bit harder to hoist (without the special cars) but I don't recall you saying how high the hoist is and it will work without spending £100s.
 
As an extra enquiry regarding pressure absorbing slides.
Mt current sail which is torn has battens on it also, each batten has a batten box at the luff and the leech of the sail. But none of the batten boxes have pressure reducing slides attached at the luff.

Is this because the sail is poorly made or perhaps because it is an old design and expectations have changed over the years?
I'm curious because I am basing the requiremenbt for my new sail battens on the old one - hence my confusion regarding the requirement of the pressure reducing slides.
 
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