Breaking Battens on DF28

Mast, Boom, Standing and Running Rigging, Furler System, Reefing, Barberhauler, Lazyjack etc
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Jakob Madsen
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Joined: Fri 31 Jul 15, 23:41
Your Country: Copenhagen

Breaking Battens on DF28

Post by Jakob Madsen »

I have sailed my DF28 for a year now. I have big problems with jibing. The battens keep on breaking. They are all broken 2 times now and the one in the top 5 times.

When racing I do the chicken-jibe just to save the battens for the next upwind. Sounds ridiculous.

Now I have changed all carbon battens to glasfiber in a larger dimension.

What are your experiences?

Elvstrøm Sails say that there has been som other with broken battens but not that it is a big problem. They have been really nice and sent 2 sets of new battens.
Jakob Madsen, DF28
Double Horizon
Posts: 440
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Post by Double Horizon »

Chicken jibe is the only way to go if you don't want to break things. Uncontrolled crash jibe is for people who don't care about the equipment -- it is bad for everything when you let things slam hard -- bad for sails, rigging, and boats. Dangerous for crew too, if you get hit with the boom or swept up in the sheet.

Probably your battens near the top are hitting the top shrouds. You want light or do you want strong? Take your pick.
Larry - Former Owner DF-1200
EarthBM
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Joined: Fri 17 Sep 10, 0:54
Your Country: USA, So Cal -- So Florida

Post by EarthBM »

or can just execute a regular jibe properly... dead downwind is a pretty mellow place... get to ~160 apparent wind angle, bring the mainsail dead center, both traveler and mainsheet, jibe to 160 apparent on the other side, bring your genoa over, release the mainsheet, move the traveller where you want it. Easily done singlehanded if the autopilot works, or without autopilot if not over-canvassed.

You don't want to point anywhere lower than 120 apparent wind anyway (too slow), so the mainsail shouldn't be touching the sidestays.
Ivan -- DF 35 #29 "Lykke"
Double Horizon
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Post by Double Horizon »

I agree
Larry - Former Owner DF-1200
Anders B
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Your Country: Denmark, Aarhus

Post by Anders B »

Strange, never broken any battens in Tornado, F18, Dragonfly 800 and Dragonfly 25 - I think You have your mainsheet to loose during the jibe.
Anders Brandt
DF 25 Smultronbris
Stefan Kolmodin
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Joined: Mon 08 Nov 10, 21:50
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Post by Stefan Kolmodin »

I agree with Anders, I'm always crash jibing and have never broken any battens (round carbon rod) or anything else. Never let the main out to more than barely touching the side stays. I guess if you let the battens bend over the sidestay they may break when crash jibing. Remember always try to jibe at the end of gusts at highest possible boat speed. Least preassure on the sails and rig.
DF800R, SWE-257
tsnre2
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Joined: Sun 01 Feb 15, 13:33
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Post by tsnre2 »

If have lost in the last season 3 pair of the top round- battens. 2 pair of carbon batten and one of glas batten. It was allways windy, I think 5 to 6 bft without reef. My Sail is an square Top from Elvström on my 920 Extreme.

Always it is happend in a controlled jibe: Traveler in middel position, sheet closed, and when the Sail commes to the new site sheet opens.
The way wich is written in each tutorial.

On my old tri before, also with a square top, I have had never a broken batten. But it has not the round battens, may be that is the different....

Has someone an idea how I can avoid the expensive broken top batten?
"In 20 Jahren wirst du mehr enttäuscht sein über die Dinge, die du nicht getan hast, als über die Dinge die du getan hast. Also löse die Knoten, laufe aus dem sicheren Hafen aus und erfasse mit deinen Segeln die Passatwinde" Mark Twain

DF 920 extreme
Stefan Kolmodin
Posts: 62
Joined: Mon 08 Nov 10, 21:50
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Post by Stefan Kolmodin »

Check with Elvström and previous owner.
DF800R, SWE-257
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