Making a single batten 24 metres long is no mean feat, and when Marine Results was given the task of replacing the original set of battens in the yacht's mainsail, because they kept failing, it was a question of designing something that was tougher, more flexible, and with a longer life.
The team at Marine Results designed the necessary specification and then called in engineers who were able to design the fabrication of the battens, numbering twelve in total (six and six spare). The battens were tubular and made of high-strength carbon fibre in an epoxy resin matrix. Because of their length they had to be transported in lengths under 12m and were then joined together on site. The diameters of the battens varied - the top batten was 72mm diameter and the bottom batten 93mm diameter.
Jon Morris of Marine Results, who led the project, commented “We believe these are the longest sail battens ever made, so it was quite a challenge to ensure that we could meet Mirabella’s brief, which quite simply stated that a tough structure was needed which was not prone to breakage. With the help of our engineering partners we have delivered to specification."
Completed in 2004 and still the largest single-masted yacht in the world, Mirabella measures 75.22 metres and her mast stands 88.5 metres high from the water.
