Emilia on the move

That sounds reassuring! I am looking forward to try out the new genoa.

My new selftacker has got three vertical battens. My concern was that it would be a hassle to change between the sails but I was convinced by the sailmaker that with the solution for the pockets it would not be so difficult. I have tried to take the new sailtacker down once and it looks promising. Mind you, I sailed with a selftacker with vertical battens between 2007 and 2012. That sail was far more difficult to get down. By the way, it was made in Pentex and its short life is the main reason my new sails are made in dacron.

I had long discussions with the sailmaker before ordering (I made a long list with queries during sailing that I presented to them) and one of the things we settled down for is just to have one reef in the main, located between the previous two reefs that I had in my old sail.

Johan

Martin&Rene wrote: Am I right in thinking only the top 2 battens in the main sail are full length?  If so, what prompted that decision.

Yes, only the two top battens are full length while the two bottom ones are partial.

It was not really a desicion to have only two full length battens as it seem sailed are designed this way these days. It is more a question why four full length battens were used in the first place, I think.

One of the main reasons why I picked this particular sail maker was a leaflet they posted on their website that I read with great interest. Regarding the main, I learned that the battens should follow the shape of the sail and not create it. Another thing that got me hooked was the fact that they put the cleat for the leech line at the mast. Details like that tells you that they have experience.

Here's another little story: when my boat was new I was enticed at a boat show to order an asymmetrical spinnaker and it was advertised as an all-round sail (which it is not). I sailed with it a few years but was dissappointed to the point I decided to sell it. In order to put the right measurements in the ad I called up the sail maker to ask for them. I remember the silence at the other end when they realised that they had designed it for a mast several metres shorter than mine. They then offered the swap the sail for one they had on the shelf made for a Dehler 34 and that's the assymmetrical I still sail with today.

Johan