Batten Traveler Systems replace conventional sail slugs with ball bearing traveler cars to handle the compression loads from full-length battens. The main becomes easier to hoist and lower, and won't damage the sail track. Add a lazy jack system, and raising or lowering your mainsail becomes a single person operation. Battcar systems also improve sailing performance, because they do not require the sail to be cut flat, or reduce the size of the roach, as with other systems. They make mainsail handling safer, by allowing you to raise or lower the sail with practically no effort at all, even with the sail powered up.

Each system consists of four basic components. The Battcar track attaches to the mast with special "slugs" that fit into your existing sail track. At the inboard end of every batten, special ball bearing or slider Battcars move along the track. Between battens, a luff car keeps the intermediate part of the luff attached to the mast. At the head of the sail, a special headboard car takes the extra loads imposed by the halyard and leech tension.

The track can be installed with the mast in place. Your mainsail will need to be modified for your headboard, short luff cars and inboard batten fittings by your sailmaker.

Systems are available to fit boats up to 80':

• System AA optimizes hoisting and reefing performance of boats under 35'
• System A fits boats from 27'–48'
• System B is sized for boats to 58'

For information on sizing a system and selecting components, and for systems that exceed our standard selection, please call us.

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