forum | Technical | Batten Flick | RS Aero Class Association

Welcome to the International Class Association website for the RS Aero. Here you will find all there is to know about the RS Aero including the latest news, how to register your boat, and links to relevant documents.

Sign In 

forgot password?
register free...

Please Register or Login to post to the forum.

Home >> Technical >> Batten Flick

You will find that in order to get the battens to pop that some downhaul is required.

When sailing upwind and reaching the Aero requires a significant amount of kicker - this is a function of having a very flexible mast which the sail is cut for this bend rather than a straight mast.

In terms of setting the batten tension, they don't come from the sailmaker correctly set so will need adjusting. To find a starting point, release the tension on both, then start with tightening the lower batten until the batten is securely held at both ends. Then repeat with the top batten. From here you then need to hoist the sail and see how they look/react and then gradually add tension no more than half a turn at a time.

If you are coming to the open meeting at Reading SC on Saturday then I'm happy to take a look.

Paul

24/03/2015 19:15:00
probson
Posts: 16

Thank you guys for all your friendly and valuable advice.. Much appreciated. I am now looking forward to trying stronger winds!

24/03/2015 18:56:00
David H
Posts: 5

Hi David,

I went sailing last Sunday, March 22nd, in very light Bft 2 wind & had the same problems.

Easing the upper batten tension, I took mine out to 1 complete thread turn showing, eased, but did not eliminate the need to 'pump' the boom each tack or gybe. That is not unusual, my experience of fully batten sailed boats in the same wind strength is the same.

The crease down the front of the sail I did not work out how to eliminate. Suffice to say when the wind piped up just a little, to low Bft 3, the sail shaped beautifully, 7 the boat smoothly picked up speed - Great!!

What I did find is that at Bft 2, with the crease present, an aero 7 rig was only slowly overhauled by a very similar new design boat with an 8 sq M sail!!

Jonathan

24/03/2015 16:14:43
Jonathan Rickels
Posts: 104

also don't have too much tension in the strap that goes around the mast at the bottom (the tack)

23/03/2015 16:47:53
haimark
Posts: 41

You will probably need more kicker that you thought if you are used to other classes to avoid the diagonal creases in light winds. With the carbon rig you want to bend the mast a bit. Once there's some wind the creases go easily. Worth playing with the sail. You don't want much downhaul in light weather - I've tried deliberately letting the halyard down an inch or two to soften the front of the sail because I find the downhaul doesn't ease enough. (need it right up if any real wind).

23/03/2015 15:58:41
Gareth
Posts: 171

Thank you all for your fast and comprehensive help. I will check out my baton tensions. And be VERY careful with the iron if needed (-;

23/03/2015 09:50:52
David H
Posts: 5

If the above does not solve the problem take out the offending batten to ensure it has not got a permanent twist in it. If it has, a hot iron will usually remedy the problem provided your wife is not around to witness it.

23/03/2015 09:04:31
Sailing Raceboats
Posts: 21

23/03/2015 09:03:58
Sailing Raceboats
Posts: 21

Each sail has a batten key with it. Take some pressure out of both battens. The screw head roughly level with the body of the adjuster seems about right with mine. They then tack fine. They should be on enough to remove the creases but no more. In terms of the luff crease, it's a function of the rig. It's a straight unstayed mast and needs tension to create the sail shape. Hence you need some kicker on off wind to create the shape. The rig provides a very efficient shape and plenty of power from a relatively small sail.

23/03/2015 08:07:33
Posts: 0

Hi, Could anyone please offer me some advice-

I sailed my RS Aero 7 (1343) for the first time this weekend deliberately in very light winds to get used to the boat first (I am still a fairly new sailor).

I found that the top 2 adjustable batons did not bend easily to the correct side when I was gently taking and had to often pull hard on the boom to correct this.

I also had problems trying to remove long loose creases running vertical near the luff- I am aware that tightening the batons may reduce this problem, so I increased the tension just a little because I did not want to make it even harder to ‘flip’ them on a gentle tack.

I still appeared to have problems with the sail crease, even with loads of kicker (which I would not normally apply in light winds on a reach).

Should I accept that you have to tack fairly hard to ‘flip’ the batons and increase tension in them further or is this normal (this and the creases) or am I missing something.

Any advice would be much appreciated.

23/03/2015 07:53:44
David H
Posts: 5

Contact