I found on the Hunter water ballast if you knew how to properly flake a mainsail, it was faster and easier than messing with lazy jacks. I concur with the larger boats it is easier to work with but on small boats, keep it KISS just like Jon said.
Topping lift never comes off the boom.Ours has a cheek block on the back of the boom, and a cleat about midway. I loosen it up once the sails are up, and tighten it back up when dropping them.You know, I'm also curious how you get the topping lift attached to the boom so you can drop the sails.
As a practice this seems amazingly dangerous. Any wind shift or puff will catch you stern-to the wind with your main up, traveler locked and halyard open. Ten things could happen then, and they're all bad.You want to practice dowsing the main, do it while sailing down wind. Pull on the mainsheet to center the boom, as the sail starts to flutter release the halyard and head for the mast and start pulling the sail down until it stops drawing the wind. I was heading for a channel once and this boat apparently was racing me to the entrance. As he came over my starboard side he did a quick 180 degree turn to drop his sails and I just cranked the engine and dropped the main going down wind and when I looked back I was about 1/4 a mile into the channel and he was just entering it.
I had lazy jacks on the Mac26 and I agree, even on smaller boats it makes life easier. The Hunter has the Dutchman system and it is even better than lazy jacks IMHO. More involved to install, but simpler to use. No snagging of the battens.Lazy jacks might be better than nothing, but nothing compares to a Dutchman sail flaking system. If you have a good mast track system, all you do is release the main sheet and your mainsail flakes itself neatly on your boom. Nothing to snag like with lazy jacks. Contact your local sailmaker.
http://dutchmar.com/sail-flaking-system
I have found it impossible to get the sail to stay on the boom. I've tried it in the driveway. It simply falls off. I can maybe get two flakes, before the weight of the sail drops the whole thing to one side of the boom or the other....Regardless where you are at, you first furl in the jib or drop it while pointing into the wind. I had the motor running of course to help depending on the wind conditions and then flicked the main halyard to drop the mainsail and started flaking it and tying it. ...
Mine, with 4 legs, are pretty simple and easy to put together. 1/4" nylon line and simple hardware.Anyone have any pics, instructions or opinions on lazy jacks for my H26
Thanks. Willem
Again, the perfect solution is the Dutchman Sail Flaking System. Release the main halyard and the sail fall and flakes itself. In the interest of honesty, I retired from Dutchman seven years ago and designed the sail layouts for sailmakers. Designed and installed properly, it is all but flawless.I have found it impossible to get the sail to stay on the boom. I've tried it in the driveway. It simply falls off. I can maybe get two flakes, before the weight of the sail drops the whole thing to one side of the boom or the other.
I really don't understand the resistance to something that is such a major help and a significant time saver. Especially if you ever sail in adverse conditions. Getting the sail down quickly, so it is not providing windage is absolutely critical if you ever get caught in a surprise squall. When we got hit with winds in the 50s, it was a mad scramble to get the sails down. No time to put the motor in the water. The absolute most critical thing was to get the sails down and secure. I can't image the mess I would have had, had I not had the lazy jacks to secure the sail. The main would have been all over, and very difficult to tie off.
Ditto Dave. I've been carrying the flag for the Dutchman system here on SBO, sometimes alone, for years. I liked mine on the Mark 25 I owned, which had a huge mainsail that would have been potentially hard to handle without the Dutchman. Not to start a fight, but after owning an in mast furling system, I would prefer the Dutchman every day. Ok, I did just start a fight ...Again, the perfect solution is the Dutchman Sail Flaking System. Release the main halyard and the sail fall and flakes itself. In the interest of honesty, I retired from Dutchman seven years ago and designed the sail layouts for sailmakers. Designed and installed properly, it is all but flawless.
The main problem with in-mast furling is poor sail shape due to a lack of battens. In boom furling is better, in my opinion. But a Dutchman is best because it adds almost zero weight to the rig.Ditto Dave. I've been carrying the flag for the Dutchman system here on SBO, sometimes alone, for years. I liked mine on the Mark 25 I owned, which had a huge mainsail that would have been potentially hard to handle without the Dutchman. Not to start a fight, but after owning an in mast furling system, I would prefer the Dutchman every day. Ok, I did just start a fight ...
@Dave Gibson ,Part of the key to proper operation of the Dutchman is having the design for your sail done by Dutchman. This is done at no charge to ensure your sail flaking system operates properly. Some sailmakers wing it with varying results. Some disastrous.