Full Batten Mainsail cars

[alan]

I have a full batten mainsail which uses Bainbridge Sailman 4000 full batten system. I have difficulty in raising the mainsail, and have to go forward to the mast to heave on the halyard, whilst the wife tails on the winch and steers to try and keep wind out of the sail.
The other week a sailmaker here in Italy showed me a small car for use with full batten systems, which does not require a track but runs on the inside of the luff groove. This would seem to be a better system than using larger "lugs" as is done on my Sailman system. Unfortunately the car that he had was too big to fit my mast (Sparcraft Ocean).
Does anybodu out there know who manufactures such a "car", so that I can try and find some that will fit my mast.

Thanks in advance.

Alan.
Nettuno, Italy.

<hr width=100% size=1>Alan Cloke

 

[sailorman]

Friedreckson are fantastic imho.
i had a new sail 3years ago fitted with these, they run on the aft face of the mast with a captive "slug" in the mast track.
they aint cheap but fantastic in use + they will proberble outlast another 2 sails.
wash them out regularly + a spray of silicone

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[philmarks]

I've got Rutgerson, they run inside the luff groove. Very simple. Available from Bainbridge in Titchfield, Hants. They are OK, but do jam occasionally when dropping. There may be better designs about. I now use a light line (4-5mm) permanently attached to the mainsail head as a downhaul when dropping sail. Works a treat.

<hr width=100% size=1>Rgds
Phil

 

[jonjo]

Re: Performance boost

Can I pick your brains about any performance boost you noticed when switching to a fully battened main?

I am considering purchasing a yacht that is on the motor sailor boundary as defined by its sail area / displacement ratio. I wonder if a fully battened main will give much of a power boost.

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[sailorman]

Re: Performance boost

i had a f/battened sail proir to new one.
it was a Hood but the battens had a very agricultural method of attaching the battens directly onto sail sliders / slugs.
the new sail Gowen / Ocean was made with a much larger roach + foot as long as possible, it has all the bells / whistles of a racing dracon sail. the sail goes from a very deep chord to quite flat when "tweeked-up" it also sets very well when reefed. able to go to windward full furling genny + full main 23kts over deck, reef required after this.
the new sail is far better in all ways to the Hood it is moor powerfull but this is proberbly due to its greater area + larger roach. also the f/battened sail wont "flog" so much when motoring / reefing


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[hansp]

Originally, my boat came equipped with a Rutgerson full batten system.
Hoisting and lowering the sail was often a problem because the cars tended
to jam in the groove.
However, two years ago I found out that Rutgerson now produce a new type of car,
that is not made of steel but of some composite material.
I borrowed one from the local sailmaker and tested if I could make it jam in the
groove. To my surprize, I could not make it jam, even if I tilted it completely and forced it against the mast. It would under all conditions continue to slide.
After replacing all the old cars, and the intermediairy lugs, my mainsail handling
problems were over. Flipping the halyard stopper is all I need to do to let the sail come down under its own weight.
The cars were not cheap but the change made sailing less stressful and safer.

Hans, Rotterdam

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[timevans2000]

Re: Performance boost

Interestingly, I have a larger rig (extra 6ft on the mast) and Fully battened main, Mylar genoa. I hold full sail upto 23 knots also before I reef in flat water. Other people advise that the same boat gets reefed earlier with standard sails and rig. We are quicker and point better to windward than the standard boat.
We have no problem with batten cars. They use derlrin ball bearings on a track that fits into the mast groove. No problem with hoisting or lowering. Z spars provided this system

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