I broke the Carbon Battlestick on my Viper this afternoon. Best way to repair?

I've given up on sticks, consider them expendable, and plan to replace about once a year.

Go with the arriba fiberglass ones. They work fine aside from being a little heavy (probably the weight of drinking one bottle of water before racing... Or carrying a bottle). They flex more than the carbon ones without breaking.

I've still got a hot stick in my spare stuff, guess I could convert over to it. I did like to quick connect thing on the Ronstan stick though.

Totally repairable, and will be cosmetically very subtle. Call Dennis Key of Barefoot Boats - he has experience with this.

Thanks all. I think I'm going to fix it using fiberglass as carbon fiber isn't readily available here and I need it fixed by next weekend, going to Spring Fever and the camp before hand. My only concern is getting it to set up straight.

What are the advantages of the long, fixed length Sticks as compared to the fiberglass adjustable ones, weight aside? I'm new to the Fixed length, it seemed to be in the way all the time when not trapped out....

go to the next home depot and buy some bamboo-sticks, afforadable, flexible and lightweight.
cheers

The long, fixed sticks are something that you have to teach yourself to use. You are exactly right - at first they are always in the way and miserable to use. After some time (prolly different for each sailor) they learn to stay out of your way and you learn to appreciate their simplicity.

or take aluminium tube, it will not brake just bend. Hence you can even fix it on the water.

I've been thinking of going to Home Depot and getting a long piece of that white plastic (PVC) lawn sprinkler type pipe, about 1" OD, 8 feet long, and just drill a hole in one end, to pin it to my cross bar.

Light, flexible, and about 1/30th the cost of a $300 carbon fiber battle stick.

On all my previous cats I had a slide-adjustable stick, but on my Blade it's a fixed length. At first I thought it was a PITA when tacking and gybing, but now I'm used to it and I actually prefer it.

I never have to worry about it slipping in or out when I'm doing my thing.

Yep, I got a fixed length glass fibre tiller as well and I will never go back to telescopic setups.

You get used to it pretty quickly and now I prefer it.

Basically what you learn is to lay the tiller on your aft schoulder and steer with your thumb towards your face instead of pointing towards the crossbar.

This lifts the tip of the fixed length tiller sufficiently to clear marks and boats nearby.

Only when your crew is trapezing behind you or aft you is it in the way but this typically only happens under spinnaker and then I trail my tiller extension behind the boat.

Wouter

For regards to the broken Tiller

I would just insert a piece of PVC or aly tubing and laminate the tiller back together after it has been slid out to its maximum length.

Make it into a fixed length tiller.

You might consider an adjustable paint roller handle. Home depot about 20 bucks.

Paint roller handles piss me off while painting. If I tried using one as a tiller extension I'm about sure that would end in bloodshed.

Plus using a paint roller as a tiller extension on this new of a boat just seems wrong

I use a Marstrom adjustable tiller extension and really like it.

NACRA has a similar unit that seems pretty nice, and I've heard good things about the Hobie Cat Europe adjustable ones too.

Two things I really like about the Marstrom one, its light, and its easy to replace just half of it. I don't like the price, I think list is $400. I'm not sure if the NACRA or Hobie ones you can replace just half. The NACRA one does come apart, so maybe?



I can't stand sailing with a fixed tiller. I singlehand a lot which means sitting forward of the beam when its light. I just can't stand swinging that big stick around the shrouds all the time.

Prepare for swinging stick jokes..........

Karl, where did you get the Marstrom stick? I've been looking for a picture of it with no luck. I too would like an adjustable carbon stick but with a Ronstan quick connector so that I don't have to modify my tiller crossbar.

Red Gear Racing. Or, I can sell you one.

We are all using 20mm aluminium from the local hardware store, About 1.2mm wall thickness, It does break if you do bend it put it on your knee and straighten it up. i have done the upgrade of adding some black sail number insignia cloth on the aluminium, to give it a bling look, And the best part is they cost about $10.00. And if they do break ( this is my 4 season with the original) it not too much to replace
Just my 2 cents worth
Richard

I've also given up on adjustable stick. They either jam or don't lock at the most inopportune moment! I use carbon sticks, and I break them regularly. But as they were cheap (waynemarlow bought a bundle of them for around £15 each) it is not a big issue. I just install a rubber thingy at one end and put the cheapest golf grip I could find on the other end. Done.