Dutchman or Lazy Jacks

[Hermit Scott]

What's the best retractable lazy jack set up? I have been looking at what I could find on the web which is limited.
On the retractable kind do they have a lot of line hanging down when they are not in use?
I have 6 1-1/2" bronze rings and 100' of 3/16" staset, is that to small to splice? Do I need more line? I think I need two blocks for the spreaders, do I want to terminate them ON the spreaders or on the mast BY the spreaders?

 

[RichH]

You'll probably want to keep the control lines, especially if they have any metal blocks, away from the mast. They can vibrate during high winds and that can severely chafe through the mast anodizing.

Simple nylon parachute cord works well for lazyjacks ... its stretchy and you can 'preload' it with some tension - this because the boom position will rise/fall with increased/decreased strain from the vang. Sta-set, etc. isnt 'stretchy' enough to be applied to a boom- IMO
I like the EZ-Jax type of jacks and when the sail is either down or up the EZJax are 'stowed' along the boom and mast.

I use a rigid vang with a boom gallows sans topping lift and which totally prevents usage of a 'dutchman'. The Dutchman can be a problem with sail shape; plus, you need a topping lift. I guess a dutchman system is OK for those who dont shape their sails by halyard tension, vang tension, etc. .... and I dont need yet another damn line to control.

 

[Benny]

Unless the main is to heavy to handle they are not worth the cost and trouble.

 

[Allan Frey]

One possibility that you might consider is what I plan to do this winter.

I have a Dutchman setup which holds the sail on the boom fine when I lower it. But I don't like to go up to the mast in rough weather to lower the headboard the last few feet and tie it down so that the top few feet of the sail does not shake in the wind and waves.

I plan to have a sailmaker attach three 1.5 inch rings just aft of the bolt rope, evenly spaced along the luft. I will have a 3/8 line attached to the headboard, passed thru the rings, turned on a block at the base of the mast and led to the cockpit. The rings will keep the long line from flipping around the steaming light or spreaders in rough conditions.

I will normally have a second or third reef in, in those conditions. To strike the sail and secure the headboard from the cockpit, I will pull the downhaul line attached to the headboard and cleat it.

Allan

 

[seadaddler]

Lazy Jacks

I did have fold aways lazy jacks on my 2001 Hunter that I really did like and pretty much copied and made my self,it was trial and error with some cheap line or you could use bungee line.
Nick

 

[Stu Jackson]

Mainsail downhaul

I will pull the downhaul line attached to the headboard and cleat it.

Alan, what you're describing is a mainsail downhaul line, good idea. As with a jib downhaul line, one must be careful to NOT connect it to the uppermost portion of the sail attachment (i.e., the headboard or the jib halyard shackle). The reason is that, if attached way up there, once you start to pull down the top will tend to bend off and create additional friction, stopping the concept from working. For a jib downhaul, I recommend a one size larger hank on the top or second one down. For the main, don't use the headboard or it will bend over and possibly bind - try something, like one of your ring ideas, slightly below the headboard.

 

[Allan Frey]

Your point is well taken, Stu...
and applies in most cases. Thanks.

I should have mentioned that I have a Strong track installed and the headboard has two machined stainless glides attached, each 3 inches long, that ride in a UHMW machined track. I plan to install the downhaul line at the bottom of the headboard to avoid a twisting moment although in preliminary tests, even attaching the line to the top of the headboard, the Strong track worked just fine and there was no binding.

Allan

 

[Hermit Scott]

seadaddler-did you have bullet blocks or something like that near the spreaders?
BTW the head is working great.

 

[Stu Jackson]

mainsail drops

... the Strong track worked just fine and there was no binding.

Allan,

We have Harken batt cars, which are heavy.. The downside, many say about them, is they weigh extra when raising the main.

I like 'em 'cuz they sure help it drop at the end of a day! Don't your cars allow the main to drop without assistance?

No mainsail downhaul on our current boat, but I did have a jib downhaul on our C25.

 

[Allan Frey]

>I like 'em 'cuz they sure help it drop at the end of a day! Don't your cars allow the main to drop without assistance?<

The Strong cars are fairly light. The main drops without assisstance except for the top few feet because the sail has a 50 ft luft and the sail cloth is stiff. I want to secure the headboard because in gale force winds and waves the headboard will move up and down a foot or so in the slippery track and the top few feet of the sail can flag and take a beating.

Allan

 

[Ron20324]

>I want to secure the headboard because in gale force winds and waves the headboard will move up and down a foot or so in the slippery track and the top few feet of the sail can flag and take a beating. Allan

I take the still-attached halyard down around a cleat on the boom if it looks like a blow coming.