From hydraulic furling mast to slab reefing

[marcot]

I want to abandon the in mast hydraulic furling system (selden mast) and fit a full batten system with batten cars .

A rigger told me not to install it as the mast will suffer.
I don't think so, maybe the only disadvantage is a ruttling luff extrusion.
Any experience?

 

[Tranona]

Think you will find the masts are different sections so you will have to change the whole mast and probably the boom. Suggest you talk to Selden as they may well have the rig specification for a fully battened sail on your boat. Then you can take your decision about spending probably big sums of money.

 

[Steve_N]

Our mast was converted from in-mast furling (though not hydraulic) to fully-battened main by the previous owner.
While not a particularly neat conversion it does work faultlessly.

A sail track has been rivetted up the full length of the mast and the sail uses standard Seasure 04.65 slides.
There are no batten cars, just a pair of slides at each batten.
There are 4 full length battens, tensioned at the leech.
As I say it all works fine.