Mainsail batten ends

[Barra]

Hi guys

My sailmaker had provided my new 55m2 full batten mainsail with Velcro battens ends and I'm just wondering how people go with these in long term cruising. He reckons they will be fine but I'm not so sure so looking for opinions here.

My last main and most I see on similar cruising cats are sewn in box ends which are obviously very strong and have excellent longevity. My experience with Velcro ends has been beach cats and racing monos where the odd batten does burst out the end at times.

So will the Velcro be strong enough for the high strength battens this sail will have ( fat head multi hull mainsail) when the winds up and how will they fair longer term?

Thanks

[model 10]

Our Hood batten pockets with all the velcro have been perfect for 8 years. The rubber tip on the fwd end of the batten is a pain.

[UNCIVILIZED]

It would help to know what sort of Velcro retention system you have, as there are several. Pics would be best, but... a detailed decription might work.

- In order to "lock" or "unlock" the Velcro from the pockets so that the battens can be inserted or removed, it a batten insertion tool required?
- What kind of end hardware is on the other end of them?
- How much tension is on the battens, & is being able to tension them vital to trimming your particular mainsail?
- Are the battens stiff enough that it's impossible to get your main to flog, & thus be likely attempt to eject them?
- Does your main overlap a backstay? And if so what kind of setup do you have to protecte the batten pockets from this?
- What's the sail material?

Keep in mind too that worst case you sew them shut later, or add a couple of grommets near the end of each batten pocket, & bolt the leech end of the batten in place.

[psk125]

We have velcro straps that wrap around the end of the batten and "connect" in the pocket to hold everything in place. There's a flat plastic stick that slides in with the strap to keep it from engaging the velcro until it's holding the batten in place firmly. A pull string breaks the velcro bond so the batten can be removed. Our sailmaker is upset that we've had this main for seven years and haven't ordered a new one yet. We race most Wednesday nights at our club and do weekend and longer cruises. The sail gets a good deal of use and we haven't lost a batten yet.

[S/V Alchemy]

Originally Posted by psk125

We have velcro straps that wrap around the end of the batten and "connect" in the pocket to hold everything in place. There's a flat plastic stick that slides in with the strap to keep it from engaging the velcro until it's holding the batten in place firmly. A pull string breaks the velcro bond so the batten can be removed. Our sailmaker is upset that we've had this main for seven years and haven't ordered a new one yet. We race most Wednesday nights at our club and do weekend and longer cruises. The sail gets a good deal of use and we haven't lost a batten yet.

Ours (on a new main) are much the same. The battens terminate in a luff pocket with an SS slug into the Tides Marine slide system, a sort of middle ground between batt-cars and traditional slugs. From yesterday's sail:

[ebsail]

We also have a main with the Velcro batten retainers. Haven't lost a batten yet and its been 3 years. System works quite well and its easy to insert battens as long as you have the little plastic peice to insert the battens and isolate the Velcro while inserting l.

[Barra]

Thanks for the replies guys.

More detail Uncivilised -

Velcro end is as PK describes - wrap around end then insert into pocket with tool and string to break it back out.

Luff batten pocket ends are plastic end with screw ins for attaching to batt cars and as per last mainsail. No issue.

Yes battens are under pretty high tension being multihull square top main.

Yes they are stiff (dont have specs to hand) but they will prevent luffing.

No backstay issue

DCX laminate sail. Low stretch.

You have hit the nail on the head re my concern - battens stiff enough to prevent luffing will put alot of pressure on the ends in high winds. Seen em pop on big racing mains and while its rare we did lose one over the side in 40knots.

Its good to hear its not been a concern in cruising world for you guys.

[YARGESOL]

I have a velcroe batten pockets at the main ... this is a pain. Velcroe bond is perfect, but the ends... The battens 25x12mm squize around the pocket when the sail is flagging,while rising,or tacking.Once lost 3 battens in the ocean. Repaired the pockets 3 times. Now,I'm going to laminate to the ends a stainless semi-ring,so the pocket with velcroe will be hold in vertical move.
The sail is 60 sq.m laminated Banks .

[Capt Gary]

I have velcro on the pockets of my full batten main. 39 ft cruising boat. I had a couple of battens sneak out while flogging, so I fixed the issue by applying some velcro tape to the ends of the battens themselves. Now the pockets adhere to both the batten and the batten pocket. It all sticks together perfectly and nothing has slid out since.

[YARGESOL]

Originally Posted by Capt Gary

I have velcro on the pockets of my full batten main. 39 ft cruising boat. I had a couple of battens sneak out while flogging, so I fixed the issue by applying some velcro tape to the ends of the battens themselves. Now the pockets adhere to both the batten and the batten pocket. It all sticks together perfectly and nothing has slid out since.

How did you apply velcro to the buttens? Just screw? Is it doble side velcro?

[Capt Gary]

Just velcro tape with one sticky side and then the velcro side. I intended for it to be a temporary fix, but it has lasted two seasons now. I cut an 8 inch length, and tape about 4 inches from the end and go around the end of the batton and tape 4 inches on the other side. The batton is essentially trying to pull the velcro tighter the more it tries to slide out.