Definition of battenless
of a ship's sail
: having no batten (see 2batten 3a)
- Several years ago battenless mainsails were popular. They were supposed to alleviate the problem of lost and broken battens and the frustration of battens getting caught on the shrouds.
- —Jim Howard and Charles J. Doane, Handbook of Offshore Cruising, 2000
- Some Mediterranean charter fleets have also moved to battenless mainsails, and find them more forgiving for less experienced sailors …
- —Peter Nielsen, Sailpower: Trim and Techniques for Cruising Sailors, 2004
