Stackpak for Dutchman?

Sep 25, 2008
464
Catalina 30 MKIII Varuna Boat Club
Hi all,
I have a '97 Cat30 MKIII with a Dutchman mainsail system. I would love to add a Stackpak cover, since I must replace the standard cover I have now. I have tried the usual places on line and no one seems to be willing to even try to make one. They all say that I should change over to a lazy jack system, which I do not wish to do. Has anyone been successful in having one made?
 
Jun 8, 2004
2,841
Catalina 320 Dana Point
Stackpaks require something like lazy jacks to hold them up, kinda makes the Dutchman redundant at that point.
 
Jun 25, 2004
1,108
Corsair F24 Mk1 003 San Francisco Bay, CA
May I ask why you don't like the standard cover? And why do you want a stackpack? What do you see as the advantages of the stackpack over the standard cover with openings for the monofilaments.

If you add a sailpack with lazyjacks, you will lose one of the best features of the Dutchman system, which allows you to hoist or raise the sail on all points of sail except deep down wind. With lazy jacks and a stack pack, you will no longer be able to hoist or drop the mainsail except when the bow is pointing into the wind.

Judy B
 
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JRT

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Feb 14, 2017
2,037
Catalina 310 211 Lake Guntersville, AL
Like others have said, the stack pack has to add lazy jacks to hold up the cover. I just priced a new cover made by SBO with proper cutouts for the Dutchman at just under $400. I was also looking at getting ride of my Dutchman, but the cost of a stack pack was more.
 

SG

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Feb 11, 2017
1,670
J/Boat J/160 Annapolis
In addition to the points above, I've never liked adding the cover material to the foot of the sail in terms of it's influence on mail sail shaping.
 
Sep 25, 2008
464
Catalina 30 MKIII Varuna Boat Club
May I ask why you don't like the standard cover? And why do you want a stackpack? What do you see as the advantages of the stackpack over the standard cover with openings for the monofilaments.

If you add a sailpack with lazyjacks, you will lose one of the best features of the Dutchman system, which allows you to hoist or raise the sail on all points of sail except deep down wind. With lazy jacks and a stack pack, you will no longer be able to hoist or drop the mainsail except when the bow is pointing into the wind.

Judy B
Thank you for the reply and information. Truth is, I'm getting older and looking to simplify as much as possible. A stack pack would eliminate removal and re-install main cover when I use the main. Now that I realize I cannot get away with keeping my Dutchman if I install a stack pack, I will be looking for a more efficient cover. Thanks again and Happy Sailing.
 
Jul 7, 2004
8,402
Hunter 30T Cheney, KS
My Dutchman cover has a zippered slit for each of the 2 monofilament lines. I just throw it over the boom from the port side, zip up the two slits and the front of the cover, the close the snaps underneath. I'm 64 in a couple months.
 
Jul 7, 2004
8,402
Hunter 30T Cheney, KS
You may have to allow for some shrinkage if new. My cover is just a little too short for the slits to align exactly

"I was in the pool!" George Costanza.
 
Jun 8, 2004
2,841
Catalina 320 Dana Point
Truth is, I'm getting older and looking to simplify as much as possible
A friend addressed this issue by buying a new 270 from the factory in (2006), replaced the Dutchman with a Stackpac. Discovered the 2 systems are really about equal in effort required, and replaced with a behind the mast furler. Sail is a carbon laminate that looks great, he must be pushing 90 by now and still sails year round and he's in and out with no canvas cover drill on each end.
 
Sep 25, 2008
464
Catalina 30 MKIII Varuna Boat Club
Thank you for the reply and information. I guess my question has been answered. I'll be sticking with my Dutchman and opt for a properly prepared cover. I turned 73 this past February and hope to keep sailing for a long, long time......God willing.