Boat Forum / Building / August 2006

I don't know what is available in Canada, but any of the marine supply
houses should have something that you can use.

I bought mine from West marine.  They were a little long but I was able
to trim them to size.  I have heard others who have bought batten blanks
and cut them to size.

www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/producte/10001/-1/10001/72138/0/0/b
atten/All_2/mode+matchallpartial/0/0

or www.westmarine.com and search for batten.

You may also try some of the web sites for other supply places or the
manufactures of sails.

One idea I heard but am not sure of appeared on a forum I visit
frequently.  They went down to the local hardware and bought yard sticks
and cut them to size.

When I was a kid, all battens were wood.  To me, the best part of plastic
battens is that soft piece that slips on the end.  Sails used to fail
frequently at the end of the batten pocket due to motion of the batten in
the pocket end.  If the sail is valuable, I would opt for the plastic
version.
Dave

Some of the plastic ones are tapered, which is preferable.  Put the soft end
forward.

If you must make your own, quarter-sawn spruce or ash would be a good
choice, both being  stiff for their weight.