Broken Batten ?

[skip1930]

Ever season I have broken the middle [of three] batten on my Com Pac 19.
Doesn't matter if it's wood or plastic.
Bare in mind I drive the boat as hard as possible in a good breeze.

Anyone else busting battens or ideas on why this happens? Everything is stock. Stock sails and rig.

skip.

[capt_nemo]

Skip,

Could it possibly be subject to a very tight fit and stress cracking when repeatedly flaking and tying down the main to the boom, and then eventually give way?

One of my battens seems to resist easy tying down to the boom and I have to "work" the sail to get it to lie reasonably flat before applying a ball bungee cord tie down.

Also, can it get in harm's way when reefed?

Can't think of anything else.

capt_nemo

[skip1930]

I have considered that the batten is breaking during the tie down operation.

I try to make certain that the batten lays parallel to the boom and 'rolled' in with the sail before tying.
Could be me, could be jibing? What makes it flex? I don't think repeated flexing [with in reason] does it in.

Once all I had was a cheap wooden yard stick. It lasted a couple of sails.
Hey I once made an R/C aeroplane out of yard sticks. It flew O.K., was a little heavy.

skip.