Square-head sails with a combination of full battens and leech battens are used exclusively in the racing sector. Due to the wide sail head, it is not possible to secure and/or trim the rig using a backstay.

The square-head mainsail can therefore only be used on rigs without a backstay and with swept-back spreaders. Alternatively, it is also possible to use a square-head mainsail on a rig with neutral spreaders. In this case, however, you must use running backstays to ensure masthead stability.

Advantages

• – A wide sail head-depending on sail size, extending up to 2 meters-supported by a diagonally oriented batten, provides maximum increase in sail area. Full battens positioned asymmetrically along the leech support the wide sail head.
• – Improved aerodynamics in the sail-head region.
• – Excellent light-wind performance.
• – Leech battens in the lower sail area make trimming easier when a reverse curve appears.
• – Trimming advantages in light winds, as the sail opens nicely.
• – Weight savings due to shorter battens and fewer mast slides.

Disadvantages:

• – Weight savings due to shorter battens and fewer mast slides.
• – Suitable only for specialists.

High‑Efficiency Full-Batten Mainsails – Maximum Performance and Handling for Cruising Yachts

These high-quality, fully battened mainsails are the ideal choice for masthead or 9/10‑rigged cruising yachts, whether sailing on inland lakes or demanding offshore routes.

Key Advantages for Your Trip

• Enhanced comfort through a complete system solution:
  Four to five full-length battens stabilize the sailcloth across the entire surface. Combined with a ball‑bearing mast slide system, hoisting, lowering, and reefing the mainsail becomes significantly easier due to minimal friction. Ideally used together with a lazy bag system.
• – Stable shape and drive:
  Depending on yacht size, four to five full battens shape the sail, creating a flat, highly efficient, and powerful profile.
• – Best tuning capability:
  The flat sail can be trimmed precisely up to medium wind strengths without developing an unwanted reverse curve.
• – More safety and control:
  The sail’s effective wind range increases by approximately +1 Beaufort, delaying the moment when reefing or changing sails becomes necessary.
• – Relaxed steering:
  Reduced weather helm compared to traditional leech‑batten sails results in noticeably improved course stability and lower rudder pressure.
• – Protection against wear:
  Especially on larger yachts, the leech is divided into smaller segments by the four to five battens. This significantly reduces dangerous flogging in strong winds.
• Your benefit: Sail shape and generated drive are noticeably optimized on all points of sail.

⚠️ Important Note on Hoisting and Lowering

When hoisting the mainsail *without* a ball‑bearing slide system, the boat must be kept head‑to‑wind. If not, the full-length, stiff battens create increased friction against the mast, making the sail considerably harder to raise.

 

 

 

On yachts with flexible 7/8 or 3/4 rigs, semi‑full‑batten mainsails are predominantly used. This batten configuration has also proven effective on boats with masthead or 9/10 rigs that are sailed mainly on light‑wind inland lakes.
Advantages:

• The semi‑full‑batten combination allows for designing fuller sails. Flexible, modern 7/8 or 3/4 rigs offer many trimming options that masthead and 9/10 rigs lack, enabling the mainsail to be trimmed full or flat as required.
• Improved light‑wind performance.
• Easier trimming, as the reduced number of full battens makes the sail less static.
• Any reverse curve that may appear in a fuller mainsail in stronger winds does not invert the lower batten.
• Diagonal creasing in the lower sail area during ultra‑light winds is avoided.
• Weight savings.
• Fewer expensive batten cars are required.

Leech battens, also known as short battens, represent the basic version of all sail battens.
Depending on the sail size, 2, 3, or 4 battens are used. They are usually arranged at right angles to the leech chord and divide the leech into equal segments. The length of the battens is determined by the amount of roach they are intended to support and by the foot length of the sail.
Leech battens are still widely used in Dacron cruising sails, as well as in many one‑design racing classes where class rules require their use. In some racing classes, leech battens are also used—if permitted—in the leech of jibs (e.g., Star, Folkboat, H‑Boat). Here too, the battens help increase sail area, improve aerodynamics, and prevent the leech from flogging. Owners of classic yachts with wooden masts who do not use mast slides should always choose leech‑batten sails to protect their mast from chafing caused by full‑length battens.

Advantages:

• Since the battens do not extend all the way to the mast and do not brace against it, you can avoid expensive mast‑slide systems. Simple PVC mast slides ensure easy hoisting and lowering of the mainsail.
• Depending on rig, sailing area, and sailor preferences, sails with leech battens can be designed fuller and with more twist, especially for light‑wind conditions. This makes the mainsail more efficient and easier to trim in such conditions.
• A leech‑batten mainsail can be stowed in a space‑saving manner.
• The purchase of a leech‑batten mainsail is cost‑effective.