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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

Catalina 25 Specific Forum

Full Batten Main Sail

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Daren
1st Mate

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USA
81 Posts

Initially Posted - 06/05/2007 : 13:35:50

I am seriously thinking about deploying a full batten sail on my C-25 tall rig. Does anyone have any suggestions on what size sail to get? I'd also like to have at least two reef points. My current main has only one reef point.

S/V Prima Donna
1986, 15 HP Universal Inboard Diesel, Fixed keel, Hull # 5362

Edited by - on

gop711
1st Mate

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Armenia
83 Posts

Response Posted - 06/06/2007 : 12:38:22

Daren,

I recently purchased a full batten main from Ullman Sails. This is the second sail I bought from them for my 1990 C25 tall rig. I have been totally satisfied with the sails and would suggest you get in touch with Gary at Ullman.

Greg

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Daren
1st Mate

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USA
81 Posts

Response Posted - 06/06/2007 : 13:25:09

Thanks, Greg. I guess it is a given we lose the C25 logo on the sail along with the hull number....?

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dlucier
Master Marine Consultant

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Virgin Islands (United Kingdom)
7583 Posts

Response Posted - 06/06/2007 : 13:28:53

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Daren
 Thanks, Greg. I guess it is a given we lose the C25 logo on the sail along with the hull number....?
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

They'll put new logos and numbers back on the sail for a nominal price or it may be included with the sail.

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ajniemira
Deckhand

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18 Posts

Response Posted - 06/06/2007 : 13:29:38

I purchased Ullman sails last year, full batten main lose footed and 150% genoa. The put the logo and hull number on the main.

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Ed Cassidy
Captain

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USA
365 Posts

Response Posted - 06/06/2007 : 13:32:34

What is the benifit of a loose footed main?

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Trust Me
1st Mate

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USA
71 Posts

Response Posted - 06/06/2007 : 13:34:14

Daren:
I also went with an Ullman full batten with logo and number included.
It felt like dropping a corvette LT-1 into the old camaro

Wouldn't have it any other way.
Ron

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Frank Hopper
Past Commodore

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Pitcairn Island
6776 Posts

Response Posted - 06/06/2007 : 14:36:59

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Ed Cassidy
 What is the benifit of a loose footed main?
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
You know your main is shaped like an air foil. Your boom is straight, the chord depth of the foil shape must go to 0 at the boom. If you have a loose footed main the shape of the foil is maintained all the way to the bottom of the sail. That chord depth is controlled by several factors. The quick gross adjustment is the outhaul on the boom, a loose footed sail has almost no resistance to the outhaul so it is much easier to get a uniform change to the tension with less effort. You will adjust your outhaul a lot more and become glad that you can. Powering up in light air is very nice.

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Gloss
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1916 Posts

Response Posted - 06/06/2007 : 20:51:37

This topic comes up quite frequently.
You will see that several of us have bought an Ullman full batten loose footed main and are very happy with it.
Of course some folks buy other sails, but I would guesse that other than the original, this is the most popular sail being bought as a replacement sail.
I suggest that if you like to anchor out overnight, have Gary Swenson build you an anchor riding sail. He charged me only 85 bucks for mine, when ordered with a new main. I do think he has since raised his price a little.

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Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 06/06/2007 : 22:12:16

Another way to think of the loose footed sail is that with a standard bolt rope in the boom, if you ease the outhaul, not much changes--the bolt rope keeps the foot shape constant and prevents much change in the rest of the sail. With a loose foot (only a slug at the clew), when you ease the outhaul, you can dramatically change sail shape, especially to make it much fuller for light air or downwind sailing. If you want to be able to tune for performance, it's the only way to go. You will probably want to install a multi-part outhaul with a cam cleat--I think Catalina Direct has a kit.

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DaveC25
Navigator

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USA
152 Posts

Response Posted - 06/07/2007 : 09:07:11

Has anyone modified a bolt rope sail to work as a loose footed sail? I suppose if you sewed slides onto the sails foot, it would raise the sail by a 1/2 inch or so but then you'd be able to use the sail as a loose footed sail. Just a thought. I have an old main that I might try it out on...it could become my "light air main." :)

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tinob
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1883 Posts

Response Posted - 06/07/2007 : 11:20:23

Dave C25,

I bought a full battened Ullman sail six years ago and soon afterwards thought I'd have Gary sew in a foot. Between the price to do the conversion and the loss of time (in season), the light bulb went off over head and the idea struck me to just slip the bolt rope from the sails foot and loose foot the sail. It's been that way ever since. Ullman's sail is so well and strongly made that it wasn't necessary to have a loose footed sail made.

Try it, if you have any concerns about it just put the bolt rope back in the boom's slot. I'm sure it will stay loose footed.

Val on Calista, # 3936, Patchogue, N.Y.

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stampeder
Master Marine Consultant

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1608 Posts

Response Posted - 06/07/2007 : 22:24:21

what a great idea Val.

Has anyone else loose footed their bolt rope main?

I'm going to try it this weekend.

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tinob
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1883 Posts

Response Posted - 06/08/2007 : 13:12:03

Mike,

I'm reasonably sure that should you do so you will have as much success as I have had these past years. I'm assuming that the sail that you plan to do this to is as well made as the Ullman sail that I did it to. My sail employed a S.S. leech/foot slug. Should anyone try this with a plastic slug I'd test it first under ideal conditions.

Val on Calista, #3936, Patchogue, N.Y.

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Brooke Willson
Admiral

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USA
983 Posts

Response Posted - 06/09/2007 : 08:44:32

Daren, the number of full battens is a much-debated topic on this forum. A couple of years ago I bought a new main (made by Doyle, via the catalinaowners.com website). I talked to lots of people and several sailmakers. I was persuaded by a very fine local sailmaker that all full battens are not a good idea here on the Chesapeake. Full battens don't allow as much adjustment of depth as partial battens. When the wind gets very light, as it does in the summer here, easing the clew outhaul allows you to make the sail deeper and get more power (which is why loose foot is such a good idea). Full battens restrict how deep the sail can get. That's their purpose, after all: to stiffen the sail. After much debate, I went with a local sailmaker's recommendation that I get two full battens at the top of my main and two partials at the bottom. That has been an absolutely wonderful choice for me here on our Bay.

You might want to spend a day in Annapolis (any excuse is a good excuse to go to Annapolis) and talk to the people at Ullman sails, Andrew Scott at Scott Sails, and other folks about what to use in our locale. The Chesapeake is not SF Bay where the winds are consistently stronger, or a lake in the midwest, or New England. This forum is a terrific help, but it's hard for us to understand the different sailing conditions where we don't live and sail. So, talk to your locals about what works and what doesn't.

If you buy a sail with four full battens, it will be great in the Spring and the Fall, but on a hot August Day off Thomas Point you'll be firing up the outboard a little sooner.

Brooke

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Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 06/09/2007 : 10:11:29

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Brooke Willson
 ...I was persuaded by a very fine local sailmaker that all full battens are not a good idea here on the Chesapeake.... So, talk to your locals about what works and what doesn't...<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
Good advice from Brooke. When I lived and sailed on western Long Island Sound (in conditions somewhat similar to the Chesapeake), I would not have bought a full-battened main.

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The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.