Lazy jacks

dlochner · Mar 29, 2023

Turning blocks. You do want to be able to adjust the lazy jacks, especially to pull them forward when sailing.

Low friction rings will work as well as the tried and true SS rings.

4 legs is better, less room for the sail to fall out.

5/16" lines work well, ¼" would also work.

Look at the design for the sail pack you will build. Install lazy jacks that are compatible.

Tally Ho · Mar 29, 2023

I put small blocked mounted to the mast about 4 feet or so above the spreaders. The first leg goes up to the mast blocks, and down to the next leg. The bitter end cleats off on a plastic cleat on the boom. On my Mack Pack, the legs all have small plastic blocks. Makes tightening, loosing or pull them down and forward to the mast all that much easier.

I am not sure size the lines are, but on mine the first (and longest) are thicker than the next leg. I think 2nd and 3rd legs are the same diameter.

Not sure that there is much info of value, but here is a video from the day my friend and Tom and I installed our Mack Pack…

Projects are so fun!

Greg

justsomeguy · Mar 29, 2023

dlochner said:
pull them forward when sailing.

Hm, I pull mine forward after I'm back at the dock.
Set them during my tacks so they're ready to contain the eventual drop.

It's not like I'm racing or anything.

Previous owners did an excellent job designing them, but I doubt a sail pack could be accommodated with the design.

Hello Below · Mar 29, 2023

fred1diver said:
Hey everyone, I« m thinking about making lazy jacks for my Pearson 30.
I know I need either turning blocks (or whatever they are called) to put on the mast or fixed points if I don‘t want them adjustable.
I was wondering if I should put blocks or lead rings for the legs?
would you recommend 3 or 4 legs?
what size lines do you recommend?
I want to slowly get ready for another project, a sail pack, I made one on my old boat and just loved it.

@fred1diver have you had a read of this article. It may answer a few of your questions.
Lazy Jacks Sail Tamers

kappykaplan · Mar 30, 2023

fred1diver said:
wondering what the smallest line I can get away with is.

Slightly bigger Pearson . . . my lines are 1/4 inch.

Tally Ho · Apr 23, 2023

Those are pretty cool, and should work ok.

if you can splice, that is the best looking way to do it. But if not, one of your alternatives would work. If you knot it, and are worried about it untying, you could put a few stitches in it to ensure it doesn’t untie.

On my jacks, from Mack Sail, the little blocks are spiced in the line the smaller jacks just have a low friction ring, also spliced into the line.

Greg

jssailem · Apr 23, 2023

fred1diver said:
now my question is should I try and splice the lines or just sew them and whip them?

Sewn Splices Two-Year Followup - Practical Sailor

Since 1974, Practical Sailor’s independent testing has taken the guesswork out of boat and gear buying.

www.practical-sailor.com

If you read PS's conclusion you will find the sewn splice holds up over time and it is a useful tool for certain conditions, like having tight space on lines of light force.

I felt this defined the system of lazy-jacks on my boat. I wanted a tight eye splice on the line. This made the typical eye splice technique difficult. My sewn eye splices take up little extra line/space and have held over the past 2 seasons. They do require regular inspection. I will sew splice them again should they need repair.

thinwater · Apr 24, 2023

I'm surprised no one has brought up Dyneema, if low friction and minimum size are important. Polyester single braid (what Sailrite recomends) is also nice --easy to splice.

thinwater · Apr 24, 2023

fred1diver said:
Yes I agree that dyneema is a great rope to work with, but I already bought the double braid, normally I would have spliced it, but I find the smaller rope is hard to splice

Yup, small double braid is a buger to splice. Use a sailmaker's sewn eye.

Lazy jacks

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SBO Weather and Forecasting Forum Jim & John

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