[C320-list] Full vs. partial batten mainsails

[Steve Weinstein]

 I don't know about other folks experience with full-batten mains, but my Doyle sail comes down easily.  It's all about the batt-cars (NOT Batman's car, so no wise-cracks).  If your battens are installed with a good quality car, they should run up and down smoothly.  Doyle used good ones.  On my C270, Mack Sails in Stuart, FL made a main for me, full-batten, also with good quality cars.  I do lubricate them now and then to keep them running free. The rest are just regular sail slugs.  And the stack-pack with lazy jacks make the job of capturing the sail super-easy.
Steve W
"Vega" 2000 C320 #722

    On Thursday, July 6, 2023 at 10:18:52 PM EDT, jackbrennan via C320-list <c320-list at lists.catalina320.com> wrote:  
 
 So a lot of web discussion seems to center on how full-batten mains can be difficult to pull down unless you install a costly track system.Is that the case with the 320, or are we somehow exempt?Full battens are appealing to me partly because I have a large Bimini, Florida being Florida.Even without a sail-handling system, the sail should just pile up there until I get some ties around it.Jack BrennanSonas, Catalina 320Tierra Verde, Fl.Sent via the Samsung Galaxy A32 5G, an AT&T 5G smartphone
-------- Original message --------From: Troy Dunn via C320-list <c320-list at lists.catalina320.com> Date: 7/6/23  9:00 PM  (GMT-05:00) To: C320-List at catalina320.com Cc: Troy Dunn <troutwarrior at gmail.com> Subject: Re: [C320-list] Full vs. partial batten mainsails We have an Elvstrom full batten loose footed main.   The sail was made inDenmark using a high quality Challenger Dacron Sailcloth.   I want to sayit was roughly $2000 five years ago, but I’d have to go sort through myrecords to get an exact price.  Dacron is not all created equal, wepurchased the specific cloth based on our cruising needs, so that’ssomething important to consider. That price included a local sailmakercoming to the boat measuring for the sail, etc,  as well as some finishingtouches that were done here stateside and then coming back to the boat toinstall the sails etc.    We purchased a Genoa, stack pack and new canvasall at the same time so I don’t know if the price reflects any sort ofdiscounts.   We love the stack pack and would never go back to a Dutchman.  We are not racers and I could see how the stack pack might be anannoyance for folks that race a lot.  The joy of knowing we can turn headto wind, pop the halyard clutch and have the sail "managed" in less than 30seconds is really nice when you have a storm heading your way fast.   We'vehad quite a few opportunities the last couple weeks on the Chesapeake touse that feature….it’s been quite a couple of weeks for summer light showsand impromptu ground tackle testing.   A really nasty squall blew throughTilghman Island Monday night about 4 hours after we went through the cut.Gusts of 85 mph were recorded and some boats that were hauled out for workwere knocked off their stands.Troy DunnHull #514