Full Batten vs Standard Batten

[Gulfsailor]

Buying new sails. 

My loft always recommends our mainsail be fully battened. I've seen others that go standard with partial battens.

I'm wondering, Did C34's come with full or partial battens?

[Ted Pounds]

All the original sails were partial battens. 

[waughoo]

I prefer full batten.  It helps keep the shape especially in lighter air.  I honestly can't see much reason to go partial unless the cost delta was significant and one was severely cost constrained.

[scgunner]

Listen to your loft.

[rmjohns]

I would guess what was included from the factory varied by year, but the 1998 specification http://www.c34.org/images/c34_98_specs.jpg shows a full batten main with the dutchman flaking system. It also had a single reef point. My boat had that full batten main when I bought it a few years ago.  I stayed with full battens on my new sail, but I went with a couple more reefs. 

[Carbon]

Listen to your loft.

The problem is that lofts don't agree on this. I got quotes from 4 different lofts. 3 said partial battens, one said full battens. The price difference was trivial.

The partial batten group pointed out that it's easier to see the main luff; probably true. I think I was able to surmise that partial battens are the current trend. One guy said, "We rarely make full batten mains anymore". 

I went with full battens mainly because I've found it easier to flake a full batten into the Mac Pack style sailcover. Just drop it and zip it up most of the time.

Jack

[Gulfsailor]

I've always had full battens. I'm not a fan of the Dutchman my boat came with and am considering doing away with it.

[scgunner]

Jack,

That's surprising, maybe everything old is new again. My first main was a Catalina partial batten sail. The sail would break along the batten line it was difficult to maintain good sail shape, the full batten practically sails itself and it's much easier to raise, lower, and fold. Plus I've never had a problem staying right up on the wind with full battens.

In spite of what the lofts said I think you made a good call going full batten, I'd advise the OP to do the same.

[Carbon]

Jack,

That's surprising, maybe everything old is new again. My first main was a Catalina partial batten sail. The sail would break along the batten line it was difficult to maintain good sail shape, the full batten practically sails itself and it's much easier to raise, lower, and fold. Plus I've never had a problem staying right up on the wind with full battens.

In spite of what the lofts said I think you made a good call going full batten, I'd advise the OP to do the same.

I agree. The last time I bought new sails was 20-plus years ago (different boat). There was no debate at the time, everyone agreed that full battens were the only way to go. Shopping this time, the consensus seemed to be for partial battens.

Maybe it's a fashion thing, like bell bottoms.

[Kyle Ewing]

I've had both and the only advantage I see to partial battens is they're easier to store in the off season.