How to Stiffen Sails
Stiffened sails enable you, the sailor, to enjoy the serenity of the sailing experience. Prepare your sails properly before heading out on the water and reduce the chance of having your sails flog or flap in the wind. A properly stiffened sail has a longer life span than one that flutters wildly, especially when it receives frequent use from hoisting and lowering and during tacking maneuvers. The friction caused by the wind buffeting an inadequately stiffened sail will cause it to deteriorate quickly.
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Instructions
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Remove your sail from its bag and spread it out on the deck making sure all parts of the sail remain flat. Set the foot of the sail, the bottom, into the boom track and move the sail along until you can make it secure to the outhaul rig. Pull the sail taut along the length of the boom to make it ready for the battens.
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Insert sail battens -- thin strips of plastic, fiberglass or wood -- into the batten pockets sewn into the fabric of the sail. Place the thinned or tapered end of each batten into the pocket first. The sail's size dictates the length, width and number of battens needed. Work from the bottom of the sail, called the clew, toward the top, or head, of the sail.
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Check the position of each batten for proper fit. An ill-fitting batten may stretch the fabric of the sail and cause it to abrade. Always double-check to ensure the tapered end of each batten went into the pocket first. The sail has appropriate stiffness when each pocket contains a correctly inserted batten.
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Tips & Warnings
Sails are bulky and batten insertion is more easily managed with the help of another person.
Running a sail with a missing batten may result in a torn sail.
References
Resources
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