Arne Kverneland wrote:
Stavanger, Thursday
David,
after a bit head-scratching, I now think I understand your Amateur Method D and it seems to be doable. I guess one would have to make a couple of test runs to get the right distance between the first two lines of stitches, to ensure the pocket works as you wish (.. that distance should be about the same as the batten’s diameter, right?).
To play the devil’s advocate, I have two objections to version D:
- 1. The minor one is that it is fairly awkward to make, since the straight batten pocket cloth has to be forced into a quite sharp curve prior to the first seam. Also when preparing for the second seam, the pocket and upper panel will fight each other. This could lead to many wrinkles. I suggest using lots of staples!
- 2. My major objection is not so important for a fjord sailor like me, but for a long distance sailor, I would think it would be best if the batten pockets could be replaced or patched easily. I cannot see how that can be done with Method D, without picking the sail apart.
However, my arguments could be an excuse for hiding my sloppy attitude (which resulted in Amateur Method A and B):
Yes, I know that the sail looks less neat along the battens, when on the port tack (with a sail riding on the port side of the mast) - I showed how it looked in my latest write-up about my Frøken Sørensen. Still, I leave it as it is since it doesn’t seem to do damage to the camber in the panel itself. The fact is that the boat sails OK, even on this “bad” tack.
Cheap, available and good enough,
that is my attitude…
( well, and maybe; performance goes before looks…).
Cheers, Arne
Arne, it's not at all difficult to work this way, and I speak from practical experience, having done so. We made Footprints' sail this way, except that the seam protruded on the batten side, not the reverse side, and there were no problems with the assembly. This may be because we used double sided tape to assemble the pieces, which is much better than using staples if you want to get your pieces well aligned.
My batten pockets are only a little bigger in circumference than the circumference of the batten - and this is much too tight. If I can remake my batten pockets with this method, they will be about 25% bigger in circumference, which I think will be about right. This will allow me to mould on a "bump" onto the battens, to provide a stop for the batten parrels, rather than having to screw on a stop after the battens have been inserted into the sail.
Even using method 'B', the seam has to be ripped apart to put on a new pocket. Since I want to adjust the camber, taking out some cloth, this will be no disadvantage.
My main point is that if my batten pockets had been made to method 'D' in the first place, I would have no need to repair them now, after 10,000 miles. My considered opinion is that method 'B' is not quite "Good Enough", for long distance sailing. Method 'C' is better, and method 'D' is better still. Method 'D' gives as good a result as the sailmaker's method of sewing the panels together and then stitching on the pockets, but without having to pass a roll of cloth under the machine, and so that is what I will use, if I can find a suitable room to re-work my sail when I reach my winter quarters.
Performance, and Longevity, ahead of Looks. Method 'B' may have performance, but it has neither longevity or looks to commend it. It works as the "quick and dirty" way to make a sail, as you found at first, but it's time now to move on to better ways of working.