Very nice Jes

Thanks David and Arne,

That's really helped me think. 

Attached is the actual batten pockets and the red line shows the rough length of wear. I think I will hot knife the material at 90⁰ just beyond the end of wear (blue).  That gives me two flaps which I can fit grommets in with matching ones on leather, make it wide enough that I can fit a suitable pvc padding pipe around batten. All without taking sail down!

(Basically what David said!)

Dan,

Here is another suggestion (..it is easy to be brave in one’s armchair…).

What about ripping the batten pockets at the mast from end to end along their middle? That would let you stitch on full-length patches, wide enough to make room for padding the battens along the mast. You could start with the lowest batten in the mizzen, the one you reef away first. As each patch will take an hour or two to make, you could fix one batten at a time, at leisure.

I bet that basting tape will be helpful in holding the patch in position while you slowly do the hand-stitching (again, with the sail on the boat).

Good luck!

Arne

Dan, so good to learn about your successful trans-Atlantic voyage!

I have only sailed my junks inshore, so have never experienced this problem. However, I have always made the batten pockets at the mast from a tougher material than the sail itself. I have used quite thick pvc material; the same as I use on the yard and boom, where they rub on the mast. I would consider to just stitch patches over the longish holes, still with the sail rigged. I would use long (20mm?) stiches (curved needle), as they see little load. When a patch wear through, it will be quick to replace it with another one.

When making new sails for offshore cruising, I would pad the (aluminium) batten with some soft 10mm material, and then make the forward batten pocket roomy enough for this. This should increase the contact surface between battens and mast, and thus reduce wear.

Good luck!

Arne

PS:
As for batten parrels, I soon changed my first 10mm ropes for 20mm webbing, as the latter don't catch each others when hoisting sail.

How do you guys deal with chafe of the parrels against the mast?  My sails were made and have a nice heavier fabric where the battens rest (rub) against the mast.  But after my transatlantic I have chafed through to the aluminium batten in about a 12" stretch.

I am thinking something leather to attach with grommets or something to create a sacrificial chafe guard.  

I am thinking this must be a common problem so rather than reinventing the wheel...

Many thanks in advance,

Dan