Fully battened mainsail

[zoidberg]

I'm looking at the prospect of a fully-battened mains'l when I change from the older 'vanilla' style. Most of the multis I sailed/raced back a few years had FB mains, and I liked the idea and the results....

....but what difference in performance, in 'drive', might I anticipate, on a modest MAB?

 

[penfold]

I doubt it will make much difference to performance in a MAB, better sail life is going to be the main effect.

 

[geem]

I doubt it will make much difference to performance in a MAB, better sail life is going to be the main effect.

How do you work that out?
Every boat can benefit from better sails

 

[Tomahawk]

How do you work that out?
Every boat can benefit from better sails

When racing and wanting to gleam every ounce of power from sparrow farts, very much so. But when cruising and not under pressure to perform, probably less so.

As to the question, you are carrying extra weight up high. and the sail is more hard work to haul up.

 

[Blueboatman]

Go for it . Better sailing better shape no slatting around in light airs, drops rather well
Then one day you can put the old one back on out of curiosity and go ‘ blimey, nah’

 

[Minchsailor]

I got a fully battened main for my Rustler 36. I think for general cruising boat the benefits, at the best, are marginal. There is a considerable increase in weight and complexity. I rather regret in not getting a 'vanilla' conventionally battened sail.

 

[LONG_KEELER]

Probably have to go down the StackPac route also which works well due to the falling weight. Benefits not in the super league of solar, furling jibs or Fray Bentos pies but definitely a goer .

Would suggest investigating cost of track and cars before making the plunge.

 

[penfold]

Probably have to go down the StackPac route also which works well due to the falling weight. Benefits not in the super league of solar, furling jibs or Fray Bentos pies but definitely a goer .

Would suggest investigating cost of track and cars before making the plunge.

That would be the biggie; full battens make dropping the thing a cinch combined with a stakpak and lazyjacks, once it has acquired a set it'll practically fold itself.

 

[DJE]

We looked hard at fully battened but the sailmaker recommended 3/4 length battens. Happy with the result.

 

[awol]

We looked hard at fully battened but the sailmaker recommended 3/4 length battens. Happy with the result.

View attachment 122934

Motoring cone????????

 

[capnsensible]

Often overlooked are batten cars. Facnor....grr.

 

[KenF]

From my experience with both the main points are:

FB - Advantages - powers up quicker (esp in light winds), better shape, drops easily, keeps shape better/longer.
FB- Disadvantages - can snag on lazyjacks when raising, heavier to haul up, can be difficult to de-power, more expensive.

The FB sail is heavier so this can be both a disadvantage (to raise) and an advantage (to drop).

 

[LadyInBed]

Are you thinking the full monty with cars on bearings or the poor mans version:

 

[zoidberg]

This is what's suggested.....

I already have a 'stakpak'.

 

[Deleted member 36384]

My experience from a standard batten to full batten mainsail. Rival 41C, masthead rig.

Some of this will be down to new sails and material, Vectran, Jeckels, includes new Genoa.

1. Boat points higher and is more stable, less pinching.
2. Less healing for same wind speed.
3. Acceleration is better, less healing, speed build up. Before it was just more drag as the wind came on.
4. Less weather helm.
5. Easier to flatten with halyard and clew out haul, no back stay tension or mast bend on my boat.
6. Less sail flapping.
7. Easier to hoist and drop, I hoist full height single handed, no winch. I could not do that on the standard sail with sliders.

I removed my stack pack as personally I don’t like them and find the convenience not a compelling enough reason, but that is just a personal opinion.

7. Easy to fold away, just pull back on battens to tension sail fold and place battens on boom top, sail tie over each batten end to hold in place. Fit standard sail cover.

All in all, I think FBs work well on my cruising boat and would recommend if changing your mainsail.

 

[westernman]

Go for it . Better sailing better shape no slatting around in light airs, drops rather well
Then one day you can put the old one back on out of curiosity and go ‘ blimey, nah’

The no slatting in light airs is a considerable advantage in the Med.

 

[jimi]

I also don't bother with a stack pack, just use a sail cover. I like FB , only disadvantage is weight .. which can be offset by bearing cars and keeping track lubricated.

 

[Deleted member 36384]

… , only disadvantage is weight .. which can be offset by bearing cars and keeping track lubricated.

The lubrication is a good point. This year at the start of season I could not hoist my main, like other seasons, winch free. Covid shutdown meant the boat not getting used. I cleaned track but also lubricated jammers and sheaves with a Teflon spray. It is now very easy to hoist again.

 

[DJE]

Motoring cone????????

Not motoring just changing headsails honest your honour.

 

[geem]

From my experience with both the main points are:

FB - Advantages - powers up quicker (esp in light winds), better shape, drops easily, keeps shape better/longer.
FB- Disadvantages - can snag on lazyjacks when raising, heavier to haul up, can be difficult to de-power, more expensive.

The FB sail is heavier so this can be both a disadvantage (to raise) and an advantage (to drop).

We

From my experience with both the main points are:

FB - Advantages - powers up quicker (esp in light winds), better shape, drops easily, keeps shape better/longer.
FB- Disadvantages - can snag on lazyjacks when raising, heavier to haul up, can be difficult to de-power, more expensive.

The FB sail is heavier so this can be both a disadvantage (to raise) and an advantage (to drop).

I think it depends where you are starting and how you go about the full batten route.
If you have a soft sail with sliders in a track, these can have a lot of friction. When hoisting it can feel like you are hoisting a horse up the mast! If you are going from this to full battens and something like Selden external mast cars the massive reduction in friction can be very noticeable. When you drop a full battened sail with good low friction cars on every sail connection point rather than just the batten connection points, you have to control the drop with the halyard or the sail will come down at serious speed. We used to release the mizzen halyard on our soft sail and the sail would remain up! Now with a full battened main it is a pleasure to use.
We wouldn't go back to soft sails on our main or mizzen. The performance advantage has been noticeable and the easy of handling with lazy jacks and stacpac is great for us.