Submitted on August 31, 2005 by Tony Magee

Question: I purchased a Kettenberg 50 with in-mast furling. Well, it really furls into an aluminum extrusion that carries the furling mechanism.

The sail is battenless & has a negative roach, really limiting sail area. With a weight of 37,000 lbs and a 130 genoa, I think it is way underpowered. In fact, it tends to develop a negative helm on some points of sail.

Would a vertical batten main help restore balance & let me get more power from the main?

My sailing area is Southern California, so I'm generally in light to moderate winds.

Tony Magee

Answer: Hi Tony,

Most new in mast furling mainsails are now built with some sort of vertical battens and positive roach area. The product that we recommend has leech battens installed parallel with the mast, but they do not extend all the way to the foot of the sail like some other sailmakers products. The North in mast mainsail is designed with a straight leech, or a moderate positive roach. The North in mast furling mainsail is a more conservative design, but we think it is a smart compromise. There are potential problems with the full length vertical batten designs in terms of furling mechanics and roach support.

Compared to your current mainsail, a moderate roach sail with vertical battens will give you noticeably more sail area. Equally important, the positive roach will help the sail to twist more like a conventional sail, allowing you to ease the mainsheet for a twisted shape when you need power to sail through waves, or sheet more tightly when you can point high in flatter water.

Regards,
Dan Neri

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