1987 Catalina 22 " SeaClusion" Raising the Head Sail

Feb 20, 2016
153
Catalina 22 Palm Harbor
I sear at these Lazy Jacks every time I try to raise the Main wail. I go to wind, roll the Furling out and when attempting to do this all myself from the Cockpit, that Main sail either gets hung at the top portion of the up the real lazy, lazy jack system or the sail is binding on the mast slide which immediately ceases on the mast slip. The guides are old and plastic. Is there a product other than WD40 that I can address to get this Main Sail up on my own with out all the snares?
 
Mar 20, 2015
3,094
C&C 30 Mk1 Winnipeg
McLube Sailcoat is a great dry lube and should help with your slides.
+1 DO NOT USE WD40 or any other liquid lube.
Use a dry lube like Sailboat or similar.

I assume your mast has a gate cover, to prevent the sail slugs from jamming in the slot where they are inserted above the mast ?

Does your lazy jack system have a way of pulling the lazy jack lines away when not using it ?

 
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Feb 26, 2004
22,759
Catalina 34 224 Maple Bay, BC, Canada
Lazy Jack Trick

Many folks complain about full battens getting caught up when raising the mainsail. They then spend a lot of time moving BOTH sides of the lazy jacks to the mast.

We developed an easier way with our lazy jacks.

We have a small cleat on the forward starboard side of the boom. When we put the halyard on the headboard, we move ONLY the starboard side of the lazy jacks forward and snug them under the forward side of the horn of this cleat.

Then, when we raise the mainsail, instead of going exactly head to wind, we bear off a tad to starboard so the wind is coming from the port side of the bow.

We then raise the mainsail and it doesn't get hooked on the lazy jacks even though the port side jacks are still there.

Been working for 20 years.

Yes, we have to go forward again to unhook the starboard lazy jack for dousing the sail if I forget to do it right when the main is raised, but there's never any hurry. The drill is: after the main is raised, I unhook that starboard lazy jack, so they're both ready to go when we drop the sails at the end of the day.

So, for those of you with lazy jacks, consider doing only one side.

Your boat, your choice. :)
 

Joe

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Jun 1, 2004
7,999
Catalina 27 Mission Bay, San Diego
I raise the main first. In my case, since I have an upwind slip, it's very convenient to simply raise it before leaving the dock. I don't cleat the mainsail until I'm underway...If you just let it swing free you can maneuver the boat pretty much any direction under power... I've never used lazy jacks.... but it may be easier to pull them out of the way before hoisting... since you only really need them to control the sail when it comes down. If you fear the sail slipping off the boom.. well... that's what sail ties are for... so lash one or two around the sail and boom with slip knot until you get to the place you want to hoist... then yank them off as you raise the sail.

P.S. The more I think about it, the more I wonder why lazy jacks are even that useful on a 22 foot boat. I've never felt the need for the rig once I figured out a way to manage the main by myself.... One way is to just let it drop, then stand on the cockpit bench and pull on the leech to fold get the sail over the boom. I only do that if it's not convenient to go to the mast and pull the sail down so the folds alternate.... then lash a couple ties around the sail and boom to maintain visibility until I get back to the dock and finish tidying up. If I have crew, life becomes much simpler. On large cruising/daysailing boats I think lazy jacks can be a big plus .... especially if you have a zip up canvas cover bag (like a "stack pack").
 
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Mar 20, 2015
3,094
C&C 30 Mk1 Winnipeg
The more I think about it, the more I wonder why lazy jacks are even that useful on a 22 foot boat. I've never felt the need for the rig once I figured out a way to manage the main by myself....
+++1

I had vaguely considered them before I actually sailed our C22. But the reality is the boat has less sail area than the 18ft beach cat I learned to sail on.
The furler is nice, but never.did bother installing lazy jacks on the C22.
 
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Likes: Gene Neill
Sep 30, 2013
3,538
1988 Catalina 22 North Florida
Me neither. I heave to, lower the main slowly, and sail-tie it, starting at the aft end and working my way forward as the sail slowly comes down. It does help to have my wife stand at the mast and flake the sail with me, just to keep it all nice and neat. She also controls the descent of the sail by standing on the halyard where it exits the mast.

It can be done the same way under motor power, if you have an autopilot.

It's not as easy or as fast as just blowing the halyard and letting the sail free-fall into the jacks, but like everything else, that too comes at a price. Everything's a compromise, and everyone has to decide what works best for them.
 
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Mar 20, 2015
3,094
C&C 30 Mk1 Winnipeg
starting at the aft end and working my way forward as the sail slowly comes down
Yup

That's the usual method of course but what Gene doesn't explicitly say is:

The C22 is small enough that you can stand at the front of the cockpit and actually reach most of the boom, while using the cabin top cleat tor rope clutch to lower the main gradually.

I do it alone, by lowering a bit.. gathering and tying the sail... lowering a bit more... gathering and tying.. lower the rest of the way.

No need to make it pretty. If crew is available, they can help flake it nicely on the boom, but if single handing or in a hurry, you can simply tie it down and deal with making it pretty when you have time, at the dock or elsewhere.

Our sail ties are all snap buckle types that allow cinching up. snap... yank.... done. Making them all pretty is later.

And yes, she's a nice boat and she deserves to be pretty later. :biggrin:
 
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Likes: Gene Neill
Mar 20, 2015
3,094
C&C 30 Mk1 Winnipeg
Wait.....aren't you the guy with 3 autopilots??? :biggrin:
Not unless you figure a bungie cord, me, and my wife are autopilots. Truth be told, all 3 are a bit unreliable. Wandering all over the planned course. "The sail is luffing ! Eh whatt ? Oh sorry..was falling asleep."

FWIW: I may eventually install one in the "new" boat. The last couple years have been either boring light winds or big wind which is fun and requires attention.
Damn retirees seem to get the better weather midweek when the rest of us are working.:(
 
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Likes: Gene Neill