Since I got such a great result from my last rant about single-line reefing systems, I'm going back to the well. I've removed the lazy jacks from my 336 this year. True, they really help get the main down under control, and quickly, and they are especially helpful when single-handing, but, they drive me crazy when trying to hoist the main. Even dead on head-to wind, the first batten usually gets caught in the "corner" of the lazy jack rigging. Much cussing ensues, and I have to lower and reraise the sail until fortune shines on me and I get that batten past the sticky spot. My wife told me in the offseason, "you owe it to yourself to make raising that mainsail easier." She's right. Now, sans lazy jacks, I can raise the main with the wind abeam! Ah, just like on my old javelin! Part of the credit goes to my new batt-slides, but there's no way I could raise the sails off the wind with the lazy jacks rigged. I miss my lazy jacks when it's time to drop, however. I don't know what I'm going to do the first time I'm single-handed. My question is: has anyone cooked up a good way to *retract* the lazy jacks neatly while the main is being raised, then redeploy them when they are actually needed? I can envision some kind of shock cord thing, but it's all a pipe dream so far.
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E-Z Jacks
If I' not mistaken, they do exactly what you're describing: retract when not in use. Personally, though, I'm a Dutchman fan.
If I' not mistaken, they do exactly what you're describing: retract when not in use. Personally, though, I'm a Dutchman fan.
Re-rigged the Lazy Jacks
I have had problems with the lazy jacks on my boat, but it was never too bad because my boat was only equipped with two lazy jacks on both sides. I had to finesse the first and second battens thru the jacks, but its never been too hard to do. However, when dropping the sail, only the first half was controlled by these two lazy jacks. The rest of the sail fell off the boom and completely obscured the forward vision from the cockpit. I tried to use the same basic system but added a third lazy jack, but it never worked very well. This summer, I bought a new sail cover called the Mack Pack from Mack Sails in Stewart Florida. Doyle and a number of other sailmakers have similar models, but the Mack Pack was considerably less expensive than the others, but still with exceptional quality. It came with new lazy jacks, a 4 rope system on each side of the boom. These work similar to what you've described above, and I love em. Consider this! Put a turning block up on your mast where the current lazy jacks dead end. Now, install two cleats about 3 feet back from your mast on both sides of the boom. Take your first lazy jack line and put a small block on one end. Run the free end of this line forward thru the turning block on the mast, and back down to the cleat on the boom. This cleat allows you to easily adjust the system when you go sailing. The second lazy jack line back from the mast should also have a small block fixed to one end. This line runs thru the block on the end of the first lazy jack line, and comes down to a point another 3 feet or so (you need to devide your boom length by about 5, and use these dimensions for starters for the tie points on your boom) back from the cleat on the boom. The last line gets fixed another 3 feet or so back from the second line, runs thru the block in the end of the second line, and comes back down 3 feet or so from the end of the boom. This line CAN continue on up on the other side of the boom to allow a continuous line for the last two lazy jacks on both sides of the boom. When you get ready to raise sail, you reach back, undo the forward lazy jack line from the cleat, and either loosen it, or pull it forward to a fixed spot on your mast, to give additional room for the battens to clear the lazy jacks. It works pretty slick. By the way, I would recommend the Mack Pack. It comes with the lazy jacks, and makes raising and dousing the sail very easy. Check out their website at Macksails.com. I don't work for them, just bought new sails and cover from them and am very happy.
I have had problems with the lazy jacks on my boat, but it was never too bad because my boat was only equipped with two lazy jacks on both sides. I had to finesse the first and second battens thru the jacks, but its never been too hard to do. However, when dropping the sail, only the first half was controlled by these two lazy jacks. The rest of the sail fell off the boom and completely obscured the forward vision from the cockpit. I tried to use the same basic system but added a third lazy jack, but it never worked very well. This summer, I bought a new sail cover called the Mack Pack from Mack Sails in Stewart Florida. Doyle and a number of other sailmakers have similar models, but the Mack Pack was considerably less expensive than the others, but still with exceptional quality. It came with new lazy jacks, a 4 rope system on each side of the boom. These work similar to what you've described above, and I love em. Consider this! Put a turning block up on your mast where the current lazy jacks dead end. Now, install two cleats about 3 feet back from your mast on both sides of the boom. Take your first lazy jack line and put a small block on one end. Run the free end of this line forward thru the turning block on the mast, and back down to the cleat on the boom. This cleat allows you to easily adjust the system when you go sailing. The second lazy jack line back from the mast should also have a small block fixed to one end. This line runs thru the block on the end of the first lazy jack line, and comes down to a point another 3 feet or so (you need to devide your boom length by about 5, and use these dimensions for starters for the tie points on your boom) back from the cleat on the boom. The last line gets fixed another 3 feet or so back from the second line, runs thru the block in the end of the second line, and comes back down 3 feet or so from the end of the boom. This line CAN continue on up on the other side of the boom to allow a continuous line for the last two lazy jacks on both sides of the boom. When you get ready to raise sail, you reach back, undo the forward lazy jack line from the cleat, and either loosen it, or pull it forward to a fixed spot on your mast, to give additional room for the battens to clear the lazy jacks. It works pretty slick. By the way, I would recommend the Mack Pack. It comes with the lazy jacks, and makes raising and dousing the sail very easy. Check out their website at Macksails.com. I don't work for them, just bought new sails and cover from them and am very happy.
Shockcord or ? ?
I bought a cheap set of lazyjacks from Sailnet and they are mostly shockcord. They easily retract(manually) to the mast allowing me to use the unmodifed sailcover, raise the main, and sail hassle free. You might be ahead to buy something like that(see Related Link). For more money you could install E-Z-Jax(see http://www.ezjax.com). For even more money what I would like to have is the Doyle Stack Pack. Or you could trade your best car for a furling boom! Not sure if you can modify your own but you might get some ideas from the other websites. Lastly you should search the Photo Forum. I think someone posted their pictures for one they made. It used line and small blocks instead of shockcord for retracting.
I bought a cheap set of lazyjacks from Sailnet and they are mostly shockcord. They easily retract(manually) to the mast allowing me to use the unmodifed sailcover, raise the main, and sail hassle free. You might be ahead to buy something like that(see Related Link). For more money you could install E-Z-Jax(see http://www.ezjax.com). For even more money what I would like to have is the Doyle Stack Pack. Or you could trade your best car for a furling boom! Not sure if you can modify your own but you might get some ideas from the other websites. Lastly you should search the Photo Forum. I think someone posted their pictures for one they made. It used line and small blocks instead of shockcord for retracting.
The beauty of the Dutchman.
Paul: This is really the beauty of the Dutchman. There when you need it (do not need to worry about deploying it) and not in the way when you don't. The down side to the Dutchman is that you really cannot install it in the sail yourself and they are a little more expensive. I have had it on two sails and would not even consider lazy anythings.
Paul: This is really the beauty of the Dutchman. There when you need it (do not need to worry about deploying it) and not in the way when you don't. The down side to the Dutchman is that you really cannot install it in the sail yourself and they are a little more expensive. I have had it on two sails and would not even consider lazy anythings.
Retractable Lazy Jacks
I have retractable lazy jacks on my 335 and they work great. As previously described the top of the lazy jack is run through a block on the side of tha mast and down to a small cleat at eye level. I have a couple of shock cords that also attach to rings on the lazy jacks. They are out of the way when I don't need them and a piece of cake to put up when I do. The only disadvantage is that they require going on the foredeck for deployment. Gary Wyngarden S/V Shibumi H335
I have retractable lazy jacks on my 335 and they work great. As previously described the top of the lazy jack is run through a block on the side of tha mast and down to a small cleat at eye level. I have a couple of shock cords that also attach to rings on the lazy jacks. They are out of the way when I don't need them and a piece of cake to put up when I do. The only disadvantage is that they require going on the foredeck for deployment. Gary Wyngarden S/V Shibumi H335
I like mine
I have lazy jacks on my 336 and learned to add about 5 seconds of patience to the mainsail raising routine. I do have a fair amount of slack in them which prior to lowering the main, I take up with a little device my wife found at a hardware store that is normally used to tighten clothes lines (remember them?); a yank and slack is gone.
I have lazy jacks on my 336 and learned to add about 5 seconds of patience to the mainsail raising routine. I do have a fair amount of slack in them which prior to lowering the main, I take up with a little device my wife found at a hardware store that is normally used to tighten clothes lines (remember them?); a yank and slack is gone.
Trade Off
Personally, I much prefer a little annoyance in raising the main compared to having it go wild when I lower it. Until now I never really gave it much thought...Hmmmmmm!
Personally, I much prefer a little annoyance in raising the main compared to having it go wild when I lower it. Until now I never really gave it much thought...Hmmmmmm!
bungy cord
I got them. After lowering the main, I loosen the lazy jacks, hook them with a bungy around the mast, and leave them that way till I'm ready to lower the main again. They are completly out of the way for the raising of the main which I do single-handed often. PS: It also keeps them from effecting sail shape and flapping in the breeze.
I got them. After lowering the main, I loosen the lazy jacks, hook them with a bungy around the mast, and leave them that way till I'm ready to lower the main again. They are completly out of the way for the raising of the main which I do single-handed often. PS: It also keeps them from effecting sail shape and flapping in the breeze.
Lazy Jacks - secured/working
Lazy Jacks should be deployed ONLY when lowering the main. At all other times, they should be led to the gooseneck & secured vertical to the mast and horizontal to the boom. Bungee cord around the mast is OK, but could tend to creep up the mast. I installed two small hooks on the gooseneck pin and slipped the loosened Lazy Jacks in them, taking up the slack with the bitter ends which are secured to mast-mounted cleats. Entire process takes all of two minutes.
Lazy Jacks should be deployed ONLY when lowering the main. At all other times, they should be led to the gooseneck & secured vertical to the mast and horizontal to the boom. Bungee cord around the mast is OK, but could tend to creep up the mast. I installed two small hooks on the gooseneck pin and slipped the loosened Lazy Jacks in them, taking up the slack with the bitter ends which are secured to mast-mounted cleats. Entire process takes all of two minutes.
Tuck them out of the way 'till needed
I just slacken the lazy jacks and tuck them under the reefing hooks at the mast end of the boom after docking. The sail cover then goes on smoothly. The lazy jacks stay out of the way for the next sail. I only deploy them just before dropping the main at the end of a sail. Works fine. The other suggestions for blocks, etc, would certainly make for a better system, but I haven't found it necessary. And yes, I single-hand every day. It takes less than 30 seconds to deploy or retract.
I just slacken the lazy jacks and tuck them under the reefing hooks at the mast end of the boom after docking. The sail cover then goes on smoothly. The lazy jacks stay out of the way for the next sail. I only deploy them just before dropping the main at the end of a sail. Works fine. The other suggestions for blocks, etc, would certainly make for a better system, but I haven't found it necessary. And yes, I single-hand every day. It takes less than 30 seconds to deploy or retract.
Steve Dion
Steve, you say that you can't install the Dutchman system in the sail yourself. Why not? I'm putting in another set of reef points soon and I'd like to do the Dutchman system at the same time.
Steve, you say that you can't install the Dutchman system in the sail yourself. Why not? I'm putting in another set of reef points soon and I'd like to do the Dutchman system at the same time.
Here's how this turned out for me
(I wrote the original post.) What I did--after reading all of the excellent suggestions--is go the bungy-cord route. I now slack the lazy jacks by uncleating them from the boom and pull them all the way forward by hooking two short bungy cords into the short-shroud turnbuckles on each side of the mast. I reverse this process to deploy them. Before I did this, however, I had to buy 80 ft of line to replace the too-short lazy jack lines that came from the factory. Since I almost always go forward to raise the mainsail, I try to remember to deploy the lazy jacks then, so they are ready for a quick take-down of the main from the cockpit. On takedown, the last thing I do after tying the sails to the boom is slack the lazy jacks and secure them with the bungy cords. I tried this out yesterday on a sail to the Thimble Islands. It worked fine, we even raised the sails once with the (light) wind aft of the beam. I'm a new man.
(I wrote the original post.) What I did--after reading all of the excellent suggestions--is go the bungy-cord route. I now slack the lazy jacks by uncleating them from the boom and pull them all the way forward by hooking two short bungy cords into the short-shroud turnbuckles on each side of the mast. I reverse this process to deploy them. Before I did this, however, I had to buy 80 ft of line to replace the too-short lazy jack lines that came from the factory. Since I almost always go forward to raise the mainsail, I try to remember to deploy the lazy jacks then, so they are ready for a quick take-down of the main from the cockpit. On takedown, the last thing I do after tying the sails to the boom is slack the lazy jacks and secure them with the bungy cords. I tried this out yesterday on a sail to the Thimble Islands. It worked fine, we even raised the sails once with the (light) wind aft of the beam. I'm a new man.
Try a Sail Cradle
I bought a Sail Cradle, brand name, and it is made of braided line and bungee cord. It stows on the mast until needed then the bungees are attached to the boom. Works great and costs less.
I bought a Sail Cradle, brand name, and it is made of braided line and bungee cord. It stows on the mast until needed then the bungees are attached to the boom. Works great and costs less.
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