Batten End cap stuck in Batten pocket!!

Argh! These Ends are really annoying. From my knowledge (get it done by a sailmaker) you to have the cut the seam of the pocket, open the pocket and then take the end out. Tape the ends or glue them so they dont come out next time.
 
It takes a lot of work but it is possible to get it out, I had to get 2 out of my friends sail, I think you have to like rotate the end cap out of the elastic, and i think it took 2 people working it but we eventually got it. I think it helps if you can slide the batten back into the cap and slowly work it out like that.
 
It is simple to extract a batten tip if you have an understanding of the construction of the pocket and the location of the tip in that pocket.
The pocket has an elastic seat sewn near its end. Slide a batten into a batten pocket and notice how the battten springs back when you push it all the way to the end. Hold the batten pocket up to the light and look through the pocket. Watch the elastic and figure out how it is held on each side of the pocket.
Look at the elastic while you slide the batten in and out a few times and notice how it is very easy to get the elastic a bit of to one side of the batten tip.
The batten tip is stuck in the pocket because the elastic slid around to one side of the batten. Whe you pulled the batten out, the elastic and the tip jambed where the elastic is stiched in place and when you pulled hard enough, the fiberglass came out and left the plastic tip struck in the elastic.

Two ways to rescue the tip..
Method where you must find a coathanger and some pliers.:
a. Bend an old wire coathanger to form a hook on the end. The hook should be about two CM deep and about 7 mm wide.
b. Slide the hook into the pocket.
c. Fiddle with the hook until you successfully get the hook inside the tip.
d. Pull the tip out.

Coaching:
The tip is probably sitting in the end of the pocket with the closed end against the end of the pocket. The most difficult part of the hook technique is turning the tip such that the open end is facing toward the closed end of the pocket. Then you slide the hook into the open end and pull both right out.

Using equipment you already have on hand.
a. Slide the batten back into the pocket.
b. Twist the batten and work it around the elastic. ( This may take a little patience but not any brains. The batten tip is stuck in the pocket because the brainless chunk of plastic managed to work its way past the elastic. You have opposable thumbs and a brain. Yoiu may also need persistence. )
c. Slide the batten tip over the end of the batten.
d. Squeeze the tip of the batten pocket between your thumbs and index finger sides and push the tip past the elastic. The first few centimeters take almost zero effort. The wadded up elastic, batten tip and batten will be very difficult to push past the line where the elastic is fastened but once you make it past that point the batten simply slides out as expected.

Total time spent?? About 30 seconds to five minutes.






oh boy






it is starting to boow outside and the fleet down the street has only been drifting ewith zero breeze since 9 am.





wheeeee






happy next year!!







ccc
 
Before taking to the sail with wire or a hammer to break the plastic into smaller pieces try re-inserting the batten - and as you approach the elastic, turn the batten (axially) 90 degrees to its normal position in the pocket. This often permits access/exit of debris caught in the pocket end. At least it can let you work the plastic bit back past the elastic without damaging the sail,
 
Poking a wire in there was just the trick. It also helps to have a flashlight to hold the end of the pocket agianst so ou can see where everything is.
 
o my gosh how annoying is that hey!!!!!
it happened to me twice at nationals and so annoying argh :(
good luk to nebody hoo gets theres stuk
 
I use CA (you can get it at michels or a hobby shop) to glue the end to the batten. you cant get it off after you do this, but oh well.:)
 
[Apologies for bumping an old thread...]
Yes, it happened to me on the weekend... top batten, right at the end of a long tiring weekends' sailing too! heh heh
I'll try the coathanger trick if gouvernail's tips don't work too easily for me. I'd bought an old Laser and foolishly assumed the batten tips were already glued on! Gagh! Silly me! [blushes]
 
ah I was going to start a thread about it, I'm more or less happy I'm not the only one having the problem ! :D

I've been sailing quite a couple of times with the end stuck in and a naked and batten in :cool: but I must get it out sometime...

Last sat I also made a hole in the batten end pocket, when I was taking out the top batten you know you have to push it in a bit, well it went thru at the other end making a hole :( it's not the one with the stuck end though. Is this common to happen ? I will need to take my sail to a sail repairer
 

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