[Rhodes22-list] Installed new IMF Battened Main Today

[Bill Effros]

Thanks, Jerry,

I was sailing, too, 6 months ago, and just looking at the batten pocket 
in total frustration.  I bought a sail repair tool, and learned to use 
it, so I could sew up the strap by myself--but I never got to use it.

Since I had never seen the velcro strap outside the pocket I couldn't 
even get a mental picture of what I was up against.  I learned in no 
time that my fingers were not long enough.

I just gave up.  I like the paint stirring stick a whole lot.  If 
nothing else, it gives me hope.  If it works, maybe I'll varnish it and 
keep it on board all the time.

It is New Year's Eve, and I still believe in my heart I'll get out on 
the water early this year...

Have a good one,

Bill Effros



cjlowe at sssnet.com wrote:
> Well,Bill,this info ought to be worth every cent you paid for it.
> I would take a coat hanger,useing the arc of the hook part,loop it into
> the batton slot hole ,on top of the velcro strap,and back out the other
> side of the batton slot.
> Then,take a dull tool-  screwdriver,spatula handle,anything that you can
> stick between the hooks and the loops on the velcro to loosen up the
> mating surfaces. Once you get an inch inside the slot loosened,take a
> paint stiring stick ,with the sides trimmed off so it will fit snuggly
> into the batton slot,and start pushing the stir stick up into the area
> you already loosened,gently working back and forth,and side to
> side,until you free up the mated velcro all the way to the top.
> The stir stick should keep the velcro from re-attaching to each other ,as
> you pull down on the coat hanger and remove the velcro strap. You can
> work a pen or pencil or dowel rod in beside the coat hanger and pinching
> the strap aginst the rod and rotating  down for more leverage.
>
> Now comes the hard part,talking your wife into darning the hole in the
> velcro strap.
> Good luck.
>
> Jerry Lowe
>
> P.S.:Sorry,but six months ago I was busy sailing and didn't have time
> for this s* it
>
>
> On 12/31/2008, "Bill Effros" <bill at effros.com> wrote:
>
>   
>> Jerry,
>>
>> Thanks for the info.  I had the same question, and posed it to the list
>> 6 months ago, but no one responded.
>>
>> I guess I should just consider myself lucky to know people are still
>> here, and still answering sailing questions.  I quickly discovered
>> people would respond instantly to political questions.
>>
>> My sail arrived with no batten at all.  Stan sent one this summer.  The
>> velcro strip is inside the batten pocket so securely I cannot figure out
>> how to release it.
>>
>> The bottom of the velcro strip has a slit, through which I can insert
>> the batten, however it falls right back out again through the slit.
>>
>> Can this marriage be saved?
>>
>> Bill Effros
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> cjlowe at sssnet.com wrote:
>>     
>>> Pretty bold of you two starting a sailing thread on this political
>>> list,but I'll bite.
>>> 1.-same as Ron,but i might add ,I'm in a well protected slip.
>>> 2.- not the same as Ron, I got the rod.The rest of this is pure
>>> guessing,but this is what I do,YMMV.My rod has a triangle shaped plastic
>>> piece on the end which holds the line,and the velcro strip you mentioned
>>> in #3 has a pocket on the end.
>>> step #1- Shove the batton into it's slot.
>>> #2-  Put the plastic end of the rod in the pocket of velcro strip and
>>> start pushing the velcro strip up into the batton slot,making a U around
>>> the batton with the strip and trapping the batton in the pocket,as you
>>> push the strip all the way up.Then ,fold the sail vertically,so you can
>>> pinch the top of the velcro strip,while pulling out the rod and line
>>> out.It helps if you keep the line taunt during the pushing up process,it
>>> keeps the hook and loop from mating untill it's all the way up in the
>>> batton pocket.
>>> #3- #2 ought to cover this.
>>>
>>> Jerry Lowe
>>>
>>>
>>> On 12/30/2008, "Ronald Lipton" <ronald.lipton at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>>       
>>>> David,
>>>>
>>>> 1) I leave the batten in all the time.  I furl the sail until the batten is
>>>> about to
>>>> enter the solt and the stop.
>>>> 2) I didn't get the rod, but I bet that the line is used to help pull the
>>>> batten out of the
>>>> slot.
>>>> 3) The velcro strip secures the batten into the slot. There should be
>>>> matching velcro
>>>> inside (if I remember correctly).
>>>>
>>>> Ron
>>>>
>>>> On Mon, Dec 29, 2008 at 8:40 PM, David Culp <dculp at hsbtx.com> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>         
>>>>> I hauled the boat and lowered the mast today.  Took the opportunity to
>>>>> install my new battened, IMF main that Stan sold me.  It was the first time
>>>>> that I got to take a look at the IMF system and it was simple to take apart
>>>>> and put back together.  The only effort was stretching the luff of the sail
>>>>> so that it would use the same screw holes that old one did and I found it
>>>>> impossible to quite do it.  Stan, you must use a block and tackle at the
>>>>> factory to do it, either that or the battened main's luff is a little
>>>>> shorter.  Anyway, we stretched the luff as much as we could without bending
>>>>> the grooved tube and it was perfectly smooth and tight.   I reinstalled it
>>>>> and It rolled up just fine with no wrinkles and I think it is going to be
>>>>> fine.
>>>>>
>>>>> It didn't come with any directions so a couple of questions for anyone who
>>>>> has the battened IMF:
>>>>>
>>>>> 1.  Do you leave the batten in the sail when the boat is slip or take it
>>>>> out
>>>>> every time?
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> 2.  The sail came with a short piece of batten rod  with a tied line on
>>>>> it-I
>>>>> have an idea what it's for but am not sure since I haven't used the sail
>>>>> yet.
>>>>>
>>>>> 3.  There is a long velcro strip attached to the batten pocket how is that
>>>>> used with the batten is installed?
>>>>>
>>>>> Thanks and Happy Holidays to everyone.
>>>>>
>>>>> David Culp
>>>>> __________________________________________________
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>>>>> __________________________________________________
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>           
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