[Public-list] Full Battens

[John Birch]

Sorry Bob,
I missed your email or would have replied earlier.

Without some kind of car that captures the compression forces at the inner 
end of the full batten the batten will press against the mast when loaded up 
and under sail. The Schaefer slides are on a pivot pin on a 7/8ths slide 
with aluminium plated which sandwich the batten end and secure the batten 
from coming out with a Beckson screw. The battens stay in vertical alignment 
with the track and the housing is quite robust. The main keeps a beautiful 
shape.

That said, off the wind, in a good wind, I cannot lower the sail any easier 
as the rest of the battens length go all over the place and  I am afraid of 
breaking the battens as they try to wrap around the shrouds. So I head into 
the wind to lower. Have others found a way to lower or reef off the wind 
that does not cause the main to blow all over the place once the leach 
tension is released during lowering?

If so, what's your technique?

The problem seems to be the full battens themselves - the slides deal with 
compression and the combo gives great and long lasting shape - just, there 
are times and sea states where I'd rather not round up. But I haven't 
figured out how to reef or lower with the air behind me that doesn't put the 
battens at risk - have any of you?

Thanks.

Cheers,

John
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Janet Kirk" <isobar at bcpl.net>
To: "Alberg 30 Public List -- open to all" <public-list at alberg30.org>
Cc: "Alberg 30 Public List -- open to all" <public-list at alberg30.org>
Sent: Tuesday, January 10, 2006 8:15 PM
Subject: [Public-list] Full Battens


> At 08:47 AM 1/8/06 -0800, Jay Davenport wrote:
>>[...] The full battened sail was a good move, with no downsides as long as 
>>you have articulated batten pockets on the sail.
>>
>>   The Strong mainsail slide and articulated batten pocket system is 
>> outstanding. The sail raises easier from the cockpit, and it drops like 
>> an elevator when the halyard is released. I find that very important when 
>> single-handing.
>
> Jay... As I commented to John Birch, I'm not sure why special batten 
> pockets & slides are unique to full batten rigs. Why do full battens 
> require special slides? Mine seems to do ok without them.
>
> Bob Kirk
> Isobar #181
>
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