It is no secret that we have devoted a lot of time and hours into designing furling sails - and we continue to do so. Why? Because furling sails are easy and safe to furl in and reef from the cockpit. And luckily, the average life expectancy is increasing and with that the demand for convenience and safety.
Sail expert, Søren Hansen explains;
"With our furling concept you do not have to compromise on performance. With our unique vertical battens, we have long surpassed the challenge of combining easy handling and high performance. The vertical battens are furled inside the mast. Now let's zoom in on some of the specific details."
What's the deal with battens?
Furling sails with no battens are challenged on performance, furling capabilities, and leech stability. Moving from no or short battens to full vertical battens was indeed a quantum loop in the sail design. The long vertical battens make a positive leech possible resulting in a higher performance and more sailing fun. The full vertical battens provide support for the leech, whether the sail is fully deployed or reefed.
Furling these sails is a smooth operation. Battens can even be integrated in the membrane with our FatFurl designs, which results in a pure homogeneous sail surface. As with this EPEX Double taffeta sail with integrated batten pockets and the easy tie-on system, that secures and locks the batten in the tie-on pocket.
Stable sail
- A full battened furling sail is stabilized by the battens by supporting the roach and aft part of the sail, as illustrated on this illustration
- With the stabilization of the luff, creases are also eliminated
Smooth furling & easy reefing
A full battened sail will furl smoothly. The full battens stretch the sail and thus prevents folds when furling. The reefing of a sail with full battens is easier to control, and the battens work as a new luff (curve) when reefed/furled in.
Did you know that:
Full battens have two parts, where the top part is carbon. The strong carbon top provides ultimate support of the leech. Short intermediate battens further strengthen the leech.
Find video guides on various furling sails at our YouTube Channel. And contact your local Elvstrøm SailPoint for specific advice and a quote!
