Lazy Jacks

letlmt

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Oct 21, 2018
151
Catalina Capri 22 Lake George
Does anybody use lazy jacks?

I plan to sail the boat by myself and am concerned about keeping the main under control when I drop it.
 
Jul 7, 2004
8,402
Hunter 30T Cheney, KS
Search on it and you'll get a ton of good discussion on it with diagrams and such. But yes, many people use lazy jacks or a Dutchman like myself for just that reason.
 
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Jul 4, 2015
436
Hunter 34 Menominee, MI; Sturgeon Bay WI
I installed a Harken lazy jack last season (at my wife's assistance) and is one of the best things I've done. Has minimized the amt of time I spend on a bouncing deck sailing Lake Michigan when we drop the main and now I consider it a safety must (34 foot boat). Also when I reef I now don't have to go up to tie the reef lines to keep the sail from flopping over the boom.
 

Slartibartfass

Capri 22 Mod
Dec 13, 2015
499
Catalina Capri 22 1139 Mamaroneck, NY
Does anybody use lazy jacks?

I plan to sail the boat by myself and am concerned about keeping the main under control when I drop it.
Decided against it. I have a tall rig and taking down the sail quickly even in strong wind is no problem using sail ties to temporarily attach main to boom.....
 
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Likes: Mickstr
Feb 16, 2017
164
259
They are a pain in the ass for small boats, here is the biggest problem the mast is 2.75'' wide, that leaves a gap of 1 5/8''.
the headboard is typically 3-4'' long when raising the mainsail and the sail begins to flap side to side the headboard gets caught under the lazy jack. Now it's "hey honey can you please lower the main that you just hoisted so and pull it back up again the clear the lazy jacks. That won't last long with her... Just saying.
 

Slartibartfass

Capri 22 Mod
Dec 13, 2015
499
Catalina Capri 22 1139 Mamaroneck, NY
They are a pain in the ass for small boats, here is the biggest problem the mast is 2.75'' wide, that leaves a gap of 1 5/8''.
the headboard is typically 3-4'' long when raising the mainsail and the sail begins to flap side to side the headboard gets caught under the lazy jack. Now it's "hey honey can you please lower the main that you just hoisted so and pull it back up again the clear the lazy jacks. That won't last long with her... Just saying.
Good point. Couldn’t agree more....
 
Oct 31, 2012
464
Hunter 2008 H25 Lake Wabamun
when raising the mainsail and the sail begins to flap side to side the headboard gets caught under the lazy jack.
The above issue is true BUT, the benefits of Lazy Jacks during dropping and stowing the main greatly outweighs an occasional hook.
I also like having an integrated sail bag with the lazy jacks to make this process much easier and quicker so the waiting beer can be in hand sooner. :beer:
 
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Likes: Bosman
Jan 8, 2015
360
MacGregor 26S, Goman Express 30 Kerr Reservoir
I would like to ins tall some on my boat but they are farther down on my list of things to do. My dock neighbor is installing retractable lazy jacks on his boat and he intends to use them only when lowering the sail. They would be stowed when raising the sail to prevent the issue of the battens hanging up on them when raising. I will watch how this works and maybe do the same on my boat.
 
Jun 25, 2004
1,108
Corsair F24 Mk1 003 San Francisco Bay, CA
I would like to ins tall some on my boat but they are farther down on my list of things to do. My dock neighbor is installing retractable lazy jacks on his boat and he intends to use them only when lowering the sail. They would be stowed when raising the sail to prevent the issue of the battens hanging up on them when raising. I will watch how this works and maybe do the same on my boat.
I set up my boat with retractiable lazy jacks. I found that 247 sf of fully battened mainsail was too hard to manage short handed in winds over 15 or 20, which is what we get daily around here.

we deploy them just before dropping the main. We drop the main and tie a single sail ties loosely around the stack. After flaking the laminate sail neatly and tying it with sail ties, we retract the lazyjacks and put the sail cover on.

We keep the lazyjacks stowed and out of the way when raising sail, so the battens and headboard can not get snagged whilst we are hoisting.

JudyB
 
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Oct 2, 2008
3,807
Pearson/ 530 Strafford, NH
Instead of using the mast for the upper tang, I saw a small boat with the upper block on the spreader to get a wider gap.
 
Jul 7, 2004
8,402
Hunter 30T Cheney, KS
What load? The weight of the lines? The shroud attachments at the tips should offer a lot of spreader support. At the worst they should only get a side load if they aren't eased when the main is under power.
 
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Likes: All U Get
Feb 16, 2017
164
259
The shroud attachments are plastic! The spreader attaches with a single pin going thru a stainless bracket. The spreader design is approx. 4'' too short! There is a lot more weight than just some lines. If lazy jacks are miss used it gets ugly quick.
 
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Oct 2, 2008
3,807
Pearson/ 530 Strafford, NH
I used to use a bungee cord to spread mine on our Catalina, then I added extra line to pull them to the mast.
 
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Likes: Cowpokee
Jun 25, 2004
1,108
Corsair F24 Mk1 003 San Francisco Bay, CA
A topping lift can be used with lazy jacks. There would be no load on the lazy jacks if you use the topping lift.

We made our own retractable lazy jacks, with two cheek blocks we attached about 70% of the way up the mast, 6 plastic eye straps spaced along the boom to have 3 legs on a 10' foot, and a lot of 7/64" dyneema. We used 1/4" dacron line for the part of the system that we have to handle to deploy and retract.

We copied the Jiffyjax concept, except that we spliced eyes into the dyneema instead of using stainless rings.

This is a video of my F24, with a Tides Marine track system and lazy jacks.

 
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Oct 2, 2008
3,807
Pearson/ 530 Strafford, NH
OK, I gave you a like, but not a like like, just an agree like because someone is reading over my shoulder.
 
Aug 1, 2011
3,972
Catalina 270 255 Wabamun. Welcome to the marina
waiting beer can be in hand sooner. :beer:
Somebody has apparently kidnapped Sailavie1 because there's never in recorded history been a time there wasn't a beer in hand. Except the time at the Yellow Submarine getting Ice Cream. :)
 
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Likes: Bosman
Oct 31, 2012
464
Hunter 2008 H25 Lake Wabamun
Somebody has apparently kidnapped Sailavie1 because there's never in recorded history been a time there wasn't a beer in hand.
I don’t care how many gadgets you have to help pack the sail away, it’s hard to do that with a beer in hand. Thus, the said beer waits till the chores are done. Maybe I see a potential money making invention for a new gadget. :stir: