Batten-less, In-Mast Furling Mainsails

The simplest cruising option is the batten-less, in-mast furling mainsail. Many production cruising boats come standard with furling masts. These sails can be set and furled from the cockpit. At the end of the day, no sail cover needs to be rigged. There is a trade-off for all this simplicity though. Without battens, the sail is much smaller since the sails have to be cut with a concave leech. To roll well, the sail has to be designed with a flat shape. Being smaller and flatter hurts the boat’s light wind performance.