Length of Sail Battens?

Setting up the sail on my new TI:

After inserting the battens all the way down into the long pockets of the sail I still noticed that all 3 battens extended out beyond the sail by about 3".
Is that they way should be?
The picture on page 5 of the Assembly Manual shows them much closer to the point at which you tie them off.
Thanks in advance.

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Sun E Sailor
Ezra Appel
Palm City, Florida
2014 Tandem Island

You want a little tension on them, but not too much - the tension on the battens will help the sail achieve a proper curve when mounted on the hull and unfurled. Too much tension will stress the batten pockets and possibly damage the sail.

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Mitch

2010 Tandem Island
2010 Revolution
Chesapeake Bay and Eastern Shore

My sailing blog
Our sailing videos

This is the exact question I was going to ask, thanks Sun E.

whosyerbob - what is the correct tension? as tight as I can, or maybe leave approx 1 inch showing?

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Hobie Adventure Island (Yellow Papaya)
Hobie Tandem Island (Yellow Papaya)

On the AI, I tension them pretty tightly, but on my TI, the same tension caused the sail at the batten to curve back and forth and look odd, so I had to back it off. If it looks good under sail, it should be fine.

Be sure to tie it very well (multi knots). Here in Hawaii about half the AI's I've met were missing the rear batten from the wind causing the knots to loosen and the battens pop out under sail.

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Hobie Island Sailing since 2006

Thanks Reconion & whosyerbob,

This is helpful information for a new sailor. I didn't know that also having proper tension on the battens would be so important. The manual just talks about knoting them properley. Does it matter then if I have 3+" of extra batten sticking out beyond the end of the sail?

Perhaps to better illistrate this I should post a picture, but I'm at home and my TI is at the warehouse

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Sun E Sailor
Ezra Appel
Palm City, Florida
2014 Tandem Island

I trim 1-2 inches off, but they must extend beyond the sail at least 3/4"

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Hobie Island Sailing since 2006

reconlon,
Thanks for this information, I was reluctant to "trim" anything off a brand new batten but when I get back from my trip to NC I will do just that, and be sure to leave at least an inch showing.

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Sun E Sailor
Ezra Appel
Palm City, Florida
2014 Tandem Island

Before you trim anything make sure the batten is all the way down in the pocket. Sometimes they get hung up an inch or two before getting all the way down.

Remember, no matter how many times you cut them you can't make them any longer.

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Jerry D.
St. Johns, Florida
2010 TI
2008 AI

Thanks dosjers...got it. Reminds me of an old Maine expression we used to say:
"You can always cut it shorter dear, you just can't cut it longer"

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Sun E Sailor
Ezra Appel
Palm City, Florida
2014 Tandem Island