If you use wood for battens - do yourself a favor and wrap them from end to end in waterproof tape. A broken wood batten has been the cause of tearing out the side of MANY a batten pocket back in the days when ash was used for battens. After you make the wood ones to get you going - take the measurements of the new battens (they fit properly) and send those dimensions to your favorite sailmaker having them send you some tapered fiberglass battens. OOOOOOHHHH yeah tapered smooth battens! Keep the wood ones as spares - although they warp quite easily. Take Care, Have Fun, Go Sailing Gary O. M-17 #316a the 'two toned' one at Sean's Site Team Geezer Racing.....Old and in the Way ************************************** Get a sneak peek of the all-new AOL at http://discover.aol.com/memed/aolcom30tour