Battens
Ask SAIL: Time To Buy New Sails?
TIME TO BUY NEW SAILS? Q: I have a very old set of Dacron sails on my Catalina. Friends have told me I should have them replaced because it will make my boat sail better. But quite frankly, I’d prefer not to spend the money on sails that seem plenty sturdy enough for the kind of ...read more
Know How: All About Mainsails
It used to be simple. In the old days, your sailmaker offered you one kind of mainsail, and sailors were generally happy with the result. You got a sail with a moderate roach, four battens to support that roach, a few reefs and some sail-trim devices, like a cunningham or a ...read more
Ask SAIL: Where Should Telltales Go?
Q: My crew and I have been debating the location of telltales on our boat, a 30-footer we race only casually. We’ve already got telltales on the luff of the genoa and on the trailing edge of the main. The question is whether it makes sense to have telltales elsewhere, like in the ...read more
Ask SAIL: Satellite Antenna Concerns
Q: Do I have to place my satellite radio receiver antenna out in the open, up high, for effective satellite radio and weather chart reception? B. Hathaway, Coral Gables, FL GORDON WEST REPLIES The latest generation of satellite radio pre-amplified antennas offers such great ...read more
Ask SAIL: Where To Find Battens
Q:Scott Self, Rockwall, TX I have full-length battens on the mainsail of my Corsair 37rs. They are 17 feet long. I broke two this winter. Where is the best place to buy replacement battens? Win Fowler Replies The place to get full-length battens is your local sailmaker. He ...read more