The least expensive route for adding roach to an in-mast furling main is to upgrade to a UK-Halsey vertical batten main (VB MAX Furling Main). See photos on left. The partial-length leech-battens are parallel to the luff so that the sail can roll into the mast. The battens are staggered so that they will not roll on top of each other, which would make the rolled sail too fat to fit into the mast cavity.

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     To get an idea of the difference between a vertical batten main and a batten-less sail, see the picture below of the old Dacron main on top of the new vertical batten main. Both sails are for a Beneteau 411. Notice how much bigger the new sail is. The black lines are the carbon fiber tapes of the new sail underneath the old Dacron sail. The added roach makes the sail 15% larger. The extra roach makes the top of the sail almost 50% wider, which is much more aerodynamically efficient. The wider upper sections will increase boatspeed and helm balance greatly.

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     This sail was built for an owner who uses his boat for daysailing on Galveston Bay, some long-range cruising, as well as some offshore coastal races – basically everything except around the buoys racing. The sail of choice for this application is UK-Halsey’s Platinum-Drive, which is made with a polyester or Spectra laminate with Carbon Fiber reinforced tapes. The benefits of a higher tech sail for cruising sailors are many. Tape-Drive sails are lighter than Dacron, hold their shape much longer, and since the tapes all converge in the corners, they do not need big, bulking, stiff corner patches, which allows them to roll easier. In fact, this Beneteau 411 Tape-Drive sail has more area and is lighter than the Dacron sail it replaced.

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