sail battens

[BrianW]

Made an unintentional batten donation to the lake this past weekend. I'm going to order one, but don't know the width. My boat is 200 miles away so I can't easily go measure one. Its a 96 X and it is one of the long ones. Anyone know the length and width?

[kadet]

I use 20mm (5/8ths on an inch), factory are tad smaller probably 1/2 inch, on my and they fit fine, just had to make one up last weekend when the sail tape let go and neptune claimed another offering Think I need to get off my lazy butt and stitch the pockets closed.

[dlandersson]

FYI, ebay has them

http://www.ebay.com/itm/350808761986?ss ... 425wt_1053

Made an unintentional batten donation to the lake this past weekend. I'm going to order one, but don't know the width. My boat is 200 miles away so I can't easily go measure one. Its a 96 X and it is one of the long ones. Anyone know the length and width?

[dca81]

I purchased some from BWY a couple of weeks ago. Those ones on EBAY look a bit pricey to me. Don't remember BWY's exact price but they were just a few bucks, cheap enough that I ordered two to have a spare. The spare is setting at our weekend home. I am going up there this afternoon, so if you don't get an answer before then I'll measure it and post .

[Tomfoolery]

$42 for the full set of 4 battens from BWY.

"Kit Contents: 3- 30 IN & 1-24 IN STANDARD 5/8 IN BATTENS W/TIPS"

They also have tapered battens for $50.

"THIN & SOFT AT THE FORWARD END, THESE HELP KEEP THE SAIL FROM "FOLDING" AT THE FRONT END OF THE BATTEN. IMPROVES SAIL PERFORMANCE, ESPECIALLY IN OLDER SAILS. MUST USE AS A SET. A NICE IMPROVEMENT FOR NOT MUCH MORE MONEY. FITS ALL 26X (1995-2003) MODELS WITH STOCK MAINSAIL."

[March]

Made mine from some marine plywood, cut to specs, sanded lovingly and laquered. Work great!

[SENCMac26x]

I cut dowel rods to fit, sanded the ends and used hockey tape on the ends to prevent any damage to the sails.


Seems to be working ok.

[BOAT]

I used matchsticks and toothpicks taped together but the first time I jibed my sail caught on fire.

[opie]

I got scrap from a oak stairway project and ripped 12 strips of oak at 4 feet and keep them on the boat with a hacksaw blade and some sandpaper. Oak works well, three years so far. I don't lose them anymore since I sewed the pockets a bit tighter and I haven't accidently gybed in three years.

[K9Kampers]

I used matchsticks and toothpicks taped together but the first time I jibed my sail caught on fire.

I lost a batten 3 or 4 seasons ago... keep forgetting to replace it... still sailing w/o.

[BOAT]

Caught a giant sting ray in Mexico with my bare hands and cut off his tail with my teeth and dried it in the sun till it was hard and used that for battens -

[Johnacuda]

I have a new Judy B main coming by the end of the month. Didn't want to wait for replacements (lost all @$#%^ 3 of the partials), so I cut 30" off the end of some fiberglass driveway reflectors I had lying around. Taped the ends, closed the pockets with sail tape and 'that'll do pig'.

[Phil M]

After my sail battens slipped in to the water, I found some plastic edging in a lumberyard that looked similar, and it seems to do the job.