I smashed my top battern the other day. I'm thinking of tapping it back together and putting it back together but I can't get 1 peice out, the peice running off the luff sleave. Anyone have any tips for this? Or know if you can replace them cheapy?

They can be a pain to get out sometimes, when the shards are catching on the luff pocket etc. Taping it together is a pretty sketchy idea, even though the top batten isn't that critical in terms of its 'shaping' it's pretty useless if it's just taped. I used a bit of a fishing rod once when I was caught away from civilisation with a broken top batten. Stayed that way until it broke again like a year later hehe.

They can be pretty difficult to get out . Last resort is carefully cutting a small slice in one side of the batten pocket and getting it out with needle nose pliers . Then just put some sticky back over the cut . It sounds drastic but I have had to do it and the sails are still going strong 3 years later .

yep what mr love said. I remember when it was more common to break battens we used to tape them up when we got a new sail, that way when they broke it was easy to get them out.

And of course we always had a supply of batten at home ready to be hit with the mouse grinder to get some camber happening to replace the broken ones.

Much better to scrounge a batten from someone with a busted sail. Must be plenty around -

Ask the guys from KA sails, its the one thing which always brakes on their wave sails.

If you follow Mr Loves advice you will get it out. As for replacing it, definately dont tape it up that wont do cr#p. Your best bet if you want somthing quick would be to go to your local sailmaker or boat shop and buy some battens from them, you can then cut them to fit. In sydney barracoutta sailmakers would be your best bet there in taren point, you can also get the sticky back from him too!

I asked this some time ago with 4 battens to remove, it took about 30 mins and I went with the dowel option, worked a treat, I would'nt even think of unstitching after this. Thanks again Elmo.
Posted 03/10/2007, 8:20 pm
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Two different methods for two different types of batten

Flat style
Get yourself something with a sharp point (like a school compass)

Try to push the sail back toward s the mast sleeve as much as possible without crinkling the sail.
Near the end of the broken batten tap the point into through the batten sleeve into the back of the batten (do not push it all the way through).
With the pin in place, go to the mast sleeve and pull the sail the from the mast sleeve. When first doing this it will be very tight as the batten is wedged in the bottom of the batten sleeve.
Repeat this process till batten comes out


Round Batten (Hollow)
Get yourself a bit of dowel around the same size.

If batten is slightly larger file a bit of a taper on front and then wrap with soft adhesive tape.
If the batten is smaller then just file a 4-1 taper on the end
Insert the Dowel into the batten pocket hold down the trapped batten then tap the dowel into the broken end of the batten, check the fit by rotating the dowel, if it moves the baten then its in far enough
With a gentle force try to extract the batten, remembering that it will be a bit tight to start with.