[C320-list] Mainsail Upgrade for my c320

[Doug Treff]

After reading some of the comments regarding full batten vs. no battens, 
etc... I will say this:

There is another C320 in my marina that I often cross paths with out on 
the bay. I have the full batten stock sails supplied with the boat in 
1996. His boat has been upgraded to a new mast with in-mast furling and 
no battens. Otherwise, our boats are very similar. He is two model years 
newer than me (1998), and we both have 150 genoas made by North sails. 
Both boats are the wing keel configuration.

No matter what he does, he cannot hang with me. I consistently sail 
faster than him in most conditions. Now maybe it's a sail trim thing, 
but who really knows? I wish we were good enough friends that we could 
trust each other to trade boats for a day. I'd love to try my hand at 
sailing his boat while he sails mine and see if that makes a difference.

In the end, I really think that unless you are going to convert to 
in-mast furling, you'd be better served to stick with the battens. They 
do provide a lot of shape to the sail, and allow for more roach. Without 
the battens, the roach is reduced or eliminated, which will reduce sail 
area (and shape) by a small amount.

If you're looking for convenience AND still have a full batten main, you 
may want to consider in-boom furling. There are many schools of thought 
on this, and the early systems were not that great, so some people have 
come to dislike them. I sailed on one boat with such a system, and as 
long as it's properly maintained and operated, it's wonderful. HOWEVER - 
if it jams partway in a blow, it could be dicey.

---
Doug Treff
doug at treff.us