Ultimate tensile strength: 70 MBa

Elongation:  100%

Tensile Modulus: 2.6GPa (ability to withstand bending as I understand it)

Now I have to look up the values of oak to compare. Unfortunately, they are quoted in psi rather than pascals.  (we weren't told there would be math on this test!).

Let me get back to you

I should have suggested polycarbonate rather than delrin

Hi Dennis,  

Only building it and sea trials would show whether wear would be a problem, but there is a lot less rubbing than you would imagine.  As the hinge articulates there is no rubbing of the tube relative to the polyurethane hinge.  The central disc of the hinge rolls across the batten without sliding.  Similarly there is very little movement of the figure eight hinge and with the tenacity of dyneema I suspect it would be longlived.  Materials also play a role here and the polyurtehane is remarkably tough stuff.   Unfortunately, I'm in the middle of a full refit on the boat, so someone else will have to try it, or you'll have to be very patient and find my results.  Although, I suppose I could turn it into a flopping wind vane and see how it fairs with daily wear.

That's correct. All hinged battens articulate to a fixed angle, as chosen by the designer, and all my experiments in building in a variable angle of articulation have come to nought. It can't be done, and it's not necessary.

Another thought,

One of the problems with hinged battens is that they bend more in high wind (when you want a flatter camber) and less in light winds (when you want more camber).

Rather than a fixed sheeting point on the port side of the stern rail (pushpit), how about a traveler mounted there so the sheeting point (and thus camber) could be varied with wind speed and angle?