Mainsail Battens

[AIDY]

Is it better to have a thicker less flexible batten or a thinner flexible tapered batten. My new mainsail has been supplied with two sets.

 

[ex-Gladys]

It depends.... We need more info. Are they full battens or short, how do you control your mainsail shape? Is it 3/4 or masthead rig? etc, etc, etc...

 

[Strathglass]

Essentially the stiff ones are for heavy weather and the more flexable ones are to allow more curve in the sail in lighter winds and when sea sailing in a bit of a chop.

Really depends on the cut of the sail and weather/sea state you sail in.

Iain

 

[ex-Gladys]

Not true... One of the ways of depowering a main is to put tapered battens in backwards to allow the leech to fall off... Old fully battened cat trick....