Fully batten mainsail.

[jackho]

Had new main delivered. Doesn't look right. My understanding was sealed pockets for rod spear ends and fastened at batten cars.
See pic. open pockets and wide (7cm).
Rod battens largest dia.7mm.
A lot of money if something not right. Bav37.
(Original order returned as for wrong boat!!??) so this is replacement. Local uk sailmaker so wish to avoid name at this time.

 

[KevinV]

Have you asked the sailmaker?

 

[johnalison]

I can't really tell from the photo, but it looks as if it is a pocket for a flat batten to be held in by the tape. I have a similar set-up though my tape is more robust. I have had a rod batten on an earlier sail but the flat ones have been better and stiffer. I would discuss it with the sailmaker and see if he intended flat battens and maybe to supply them. My retaining tape is velcro and very secure but I don't quite see how yours works.

 

[Daydream believer]

Mine are not open at the leech ( I assume that is what you are showing) & are adjusted at the batten car by adjusting the car. Battens are flat ( from memory 30mm wide) & the batten fits inside the pocket with little play. I have several mainsails & jibs & all full & short battens are flat. Foresail ones are very tight & likewise are not adjusted at the leech end.
The only round ones I have seen are on sailboard sails .

I suspect that you have a badly spec'd sail from China & I would be inclined , first to discuss with the sailmaker & if not happy, refuse to accept it.

If you do not get satisfaction & are a member of the RYA, you can get free action in the first instance from their solicitor. I did this with sailmaker & received instant money back, after some months of delay

 

[jackho]

Have you asked the sailmaker?

Yes , and no. Had discussed when ordered as supplier only did rod fully batten mains . Returned the first set with explanation and promised replacement but on arrival same issue with batten pockets. So seeking more knowledgeable feedback before i challenge supplier.

 

[jackho]

I can't really tell from the photo, but it looks as if it is a pocket for a flat batten to be held in by the tape. I have a similar set-up though my tape is more robust. I have had a rod batten on an earlier sail but the flat ones have been better and stiffer. I would discuss it with the sailmaker and see if he intended flat battens and maybe to supply them. My retaining tape is velcro and very secure but I don't quite see how yours works.

Have rod battens with Spear end supplied with sail and instructions say install from luff in batten cars. Assume the ends must have to press into a pocket at the leech side.

 

[jackho]

Mine are not open at the leech ( I assume that is what you are showing) & are adjusted at the batten car by adjusting the car. Battens are flat ( from memory 30mm wide) & the batten fits inside the pocket with little play. I have several mainsails & jibs & all full & short battens are flat. Foresail ones are very tight & likewise are not adjusted at the leech end.
The only round ones I have seen are on sailboard sails .

I suspect that you have a badly spec'd sail from China & I would be inclined , first to discuss with the sailmaker & if not happy, refuse to accept it.

If you do not get satisfaction & are a member of the RYA, you can get free action in the first instance from their solicitor. I did this with sailmaker & received instant money back, after some months of delay

This is a reputable uk sailmaker according to feedback.

 

[Aja]

7mm rod battens don't sound rigid enough for the main on a 37' boat?

 

[Chiara’s slave]

So the pockets are closed at the leech, and have a slot to feed the battens in til you can pop them into the batten car? No adjustment then, so no means of tensioning. Personally I wouldn’t accept that. Mine slide in from the leech, push into a plastic pocket at the luff, which is pivoted on the batten car. 2 layers of Velcro tape retain and tension them. Tension is your last gasp of strength on our sail. I have not seen a different setup.

 

[Tranona]

This is a reputable uk sailmaker according to feedback.

That does not necessarily mean he actually made the sail.

 

[Chiara’s slave]

That does not necessarily mean he actually made the sail.

Nor even specified or designed it.

 

[geem]

So the pockets are closed at the leech, and have a slot to feed the battens in til you can pop them into the batten car? No adjustment then, so no means of tensioning. Personally I wouldn’t accept that. Mine slide in from the leech, push into a plastic pocket at the luff, which is pivoted on the batten car. 2 layers of Velcro tape retain and tension them. Tension is your last gasp of strength on our sail. I have not seen a different setup.

Our fully battened mainsail has plastic boxes at both end of the flat battens. You need to remove the bolts at the luff end of the batten boxe to insert the battens. A tension bolt is built in to the plastic box to apply tension to the batten to generate some curvature. Sail by Kemp. My third such sail from them.

Thr mizzen sail is also fully battened. It used round battens that are inserted into fabric pockets. The adjustment of tension is done at the leach end using a lace up system. This sail was made by Doyle in Barbados. It came with a 5 year or 50,000nm warranty, which ever came first. Its been bullet proof but only done about 25,000nm. Its still in good serviceable condition. Nothing wrong with round battens as long as the pockets are all designed for round battens. I have to say though, I prefer the flat batten system out of the two

 

[Daydream believer]

So the pockets are closed at the leech, and have a slot to feed the battens in til you can pop them into the batten car? No adjustment then, so no means of tensioning. Personally I wouldn’t accept that. Mine slide in from the leech, push into a plastic pocket at the luff, which is pivoted on the batten car. 2 layers of Velcro tape retain and tension them. Tension is your last gasp of strength on our sail. I have not seen a different setup.

On mine the batten car box is separated. The batten inserted & the box re assembled. Then the tension is applied by a screw setup. One does not put on lots of tension. Shape is set by the sail, not by the batten.

 

[Chiara’s slave]

On mine the batten car box is separated. The batten inserted & the box re assembled. Then the tension is applied by a screw setup. One does not put on lots of tension. Shape is set by the sail, not by the batten.

One turn of a screw is probably not far off everything you can put on with a Velcro strap.

 

[johnalison]

One turn of a screw is probably not far off everything you can put on with a Velcro strap.

My Velcro straps are very robust and require considerable effort when they are removed. I normally tension mine until the crease in the sail just goes.

 

[Chiara’s slave]

My Velcro straps are very robust and require considerable effort when they are removed. I normally tension mine until the crease in the sail just goes.

Similar, which takes some effort in our case. If I’m racing, I’ll tinker with the tension, in proportion to the likely halyard tension needed for the wind strength. as the halyard tension rises, so does the required batten tension to keep the wrinkles out. But too much in light winds makes it very hard to flip them when we tack. In light winds I usually have to jerk the boom to windward anyway.

 

[john_morris_uk]

So the pockets are closed at the leech, and have a slot to feed the battens in til you can pop them into the batten car? No adjustment then, so no means of tensioning. Personally I wouldn’t accept that. Mine slide in from the leech, push into a plastic pocket at the luff, which is pivoted on the batten car. 2 layers of Velcro tape retain and tension them. Tension is your last gasp of strength on our sail. I have not seen a different setup.

You may not have seen another set up but I’ve never seen a fully battened main where the battens are inserted from the leech.

On our own boat the battens are inserted by dismantling the box at the luff end. One screw retains a slide in cover that is removed and the batten is slid in. There’s another screw to adjust the tension of the batten. The sail was cut and made by Sanders.

The previous mainsail had a similar system.

 

[Chiara’s slave]

You may not have seen another set up but I’ve never seen a fully battened main where the battens are inserted from the leech.

On our own boat the battens are inserted by dismantling the box at the luff end. One screw retains a slide in cover that is removed and the batten is slid in. There’s another screw to adjust the tension of the batten. The sail was cut and made by Sanders.

The previous mainsail had a similar system.

Perhaps the leech entry is a multihull thing then. Some pontoon neighbours of mine have a brand new Saunders main, I will ask them. That one, mind you, is not Saunders finest hour.

 

[Aja]

You may not have seen another set up but I’ve never seen a fully battened main where the battens are inserted from the leech.

On our own boat the battens are inserted by dismantling the box at the luff end. One screw retains a slide in cover that is removed and the batten is slid in. There’s another screw to adjust the tension of the batten. The sail was cut and made by Sanders.

The previous mainsail had a similar system.

I think you are describing the Selden batten car. I also have the same on my mainsail made by Sanders.

Flat batten inserted from luff through continuous pocket to leech. Adjustment by screw at luff. Removable cover on batten car but batten can be inserted with cover in place, but loose and then tightened which is independent of batten tensioning screw.

Works well. What I understand from OP is that there is a pocket at the leech and a pocket at the luff where the ends of the batten are tucked with no option to tension?

 

[john_morris_uk]

I think you are describing the Selden batten car. I also have the same on my mainsail made by Sanders.

Flat batten inserted from luff through continuous pocket to leech. Adjustment by screw at luff. Removable cover on batten car but batten can be inserted with cover in place, but loose and then tightened which is independent of batten tensioning screw.

Works well. What I understand from OP is that there is a pocket at the leech and a pocket at the luff where the ends of the batten are tucked with no option to tension?

They’re Ronstan cars and track.