Stack pack

[Tally Ho]

The Mack Pack uses something similar to your photo of the tabs that connect the 2 sides of the pack, but they are thin enough to put under the bolt-rope on the boom. I was very skeptical about cutting my main sail, which was the original Mack Pack design if you had a bolt rope. When I talked to them last year at Strictly Sail Chicago, they said them came up with this new design for a rope bolt main.

It works great, and removing the sail at the end of the season was a snap....the pack stayed in place, and the sail slipped right over the tabs in the track.

Greg

 

[Randall Schmidt]

it looks like you did not use the vertical track Mack shows for the luff slugs. Why not? I guess they sell that to make the main lowering easier. Is it needed?

 

[Tally Ho]

it looks like you did not use the vertical track Mack shows for the luff slugs. Why not? I guess they sell that to make the main lowering easier. Is it needed?

Not sure who you were replying to, but I do think lowering the sail is much faster and more complete if you use a batt-car system. My Hunter 280 had a Harken batt-car system, and the mail sail (with Lazy Jacks) came right down onto the boom. I did not have to go to the mast to pull down the last few feet.

On my O'Day 322, I don't have any mast track or batt-car system, and the sail does not fall all the way to the boom. Could be that the Hunter had a full-batten, full-roach main that came down more balanced than my O'Day 322, but I believe it has a lot to do with the sail track.

For me, I could not get the main down when solo without having a huge mess on the cabin top, so getting the lazy-jacks was a priority. The MackPack was a nice way to get the lazy-jacks, and have the convenience of the sail bag. Stuff the sail in and zip it up.

Greg

 

[Capt jgw]

I have a home built system that's similar to the Sailrite version. Works well except getting the last few feet down. As mentioned above, not enough weight in the top few feet of sail to overcome friction. I rig a downhaul to the top sail slide snd pull it down with that. I find that the harder the wind, the more the sail shakes, and the easier it comes down.
When I first mounted it I had the lazy jack top blocks on the mast and it was difficult to raise the sail without snagging a batten. I moved them to about a foot out each spreader and that fixed the problem.

 

[Randall Schmidt]

Got my day 28 last year and was only out a few times. It has traditional slugs in a track that mostly come down but some pulling sure helps. So you did not in star and use the track that comes with the mack pack?

 

[Rick D]

I had one on my 40.5 but removed it and simply went with lazy jacks. My full batten main still fell outside of the pack in the back 1/3rd and was a PITA to raise in any seas. Believe me, I tried all kinds of adjustments....

Well, I had a change of heart. After making a list of things to do for my 18th-year refit, I decided the furling boom would eat a lot of the plans all by itself, so I have ordered a new clamshell cover from UK (the maker of my sails). I explained at length what I didn't like about my own system and I am (supposed) to get one tailored to me. We'll see....