What a flake!
- Thread starter Phil Herring
- Start date
I do charters often and to me the lazy jacks are more frustration than they are worth mostly in raising the sails and the battens get caught on the way up so you lower it and wait for the boom to dance and the crew to hit the timing just right to get them through the slot, to me more frustration than is needed, the Dutchman just raise and lower could not be simpler.
I see this complaint often. There are 2 solutions possible (I see) on your own boat (not so on a charter - you get what you get).
- One you can adjust the last line of the lazy jack to reset the angle so it follows the leach of your sail more accurately. This keeps the sail inside the lazy jacks and no batten hook ups. Most lazy jacks are cookie cutter designs. You need to tweak them to match your personal boat/sail design.
- Or you can set up your lazy jacks so that you can slack them prior to raising them. Some choose to slack both sides. Others choose to slack a single side, and then has the helm set on the boat so the sail favors that side to be raised.
I have lazy jacks integrated into a sail pack (mine is a Mack Pack).
I hear the issue with catching the battens on the jacks…I have full battens on my sail, and I don’t have many issues.
i like raising the sail with my Milwaukee right-angle drill…cranks it up fast (so lower opportunities to catch the battens) and I can move the boom or pull a Jack out of the way with my free hand…
Greg
I hear the issue with catching the battens on the jacks…I have full battens on my sail, and I don’t have many issues.
i like raising the sail with my Milwaukee right-angle drill…cranks it up fast (so lower opportunities to catch the battens) and I can move the boom or pull a Jack out of the way with my free hand…
Greg
jssailem,
I agree charter boats you get what you get and most of the dockboys have no idea as to how to fine tune them and they are never directed to do so anyway.
I also agree they are pretty much cookie cutter designs and most do not know how to fine tune them. I have seen this often and have suggested to people ways to improve them for their boat, rarely do they actually do it.
With my Dutchman I don't have to move or adjust or tug anything, I sail solo a lot and to me this it a big deal, I pull the halyard or I dump the halyard nothing else.
As far as it capturing a sail, I again agree absolutely.
Tally Ho,
I think the packs are a big improvement for dropping the sail.
I can visualize how the full battens would help if thee lines are ran correctly, ,but then you say, you don't have many issues. I have been spoiled for over 20 years with essentially no issues, that is why I am so sold on it. I also think that for most DIY's it is more idiot proof, no disrespect, could not think of a better term. I have seen owners that had issues and were absolutely clueless as to how to resolve it or adjust it. I know that is not you, I have read may of your comments for a number of years and have a great respect for you, jssailem as well.
Love your Milwaukee by the way.
I have owned about a dozen different racing boats and so never considered them much, then as I aged out of hard core racing and got a cruising my second cruiser had it or I probably would had not gotten anything. I kind of liked hand flaking, it was a lot like taking the saddle off the horse after a days ride. But once I get the Dutchman it was off a little, I adjusted the upper connectors a bit, changed the line and put them at the proper tension and have not had an issue since so it has been a long and overwhelmingly positive experience for me.
I will say I have never had the opportunity to see or use one on a bigger boat (over 38'), so I can't say much about that but I would sure love to try it. Maybe it is not a good size for them. I have wondered why charter boats have never tried them. I can only think that they fear them getting lines torn from the credit card captains. Or perhaps it takes longer to remove sails in hurricane season. I would have thought that they had thought about it. They also do rob things from one boat to another more often than you might think, torn main? take one off of #???.
Thanks for the video as well,
Ken
I agree charter boats you get what you get and most of the dockboys have no idea as to how to fine tune them and they are never directed to do so anyway.
I also agree they are pretty much cookie cutter designs and most do not know how to fine tune them. I have seen this often and have suggested to people ways to improve them for their boat, rarely do they actually do it.
With my Dutchman I don't have to move or adjust or tug anything, I sail solo a lot and to me this it a big deal, I pull the halyard or I dump the halyard nothing else.
As far as it capturing a sail, I again agree absolutely.
Tally Ho,
I think the packs are a big improvement for dropping the sail.
I can visualize how the full battens would help if thee lines are ran correctly, ,but then you say, you don't have many issues. I have been spoiled for over 20 years with essentially no issues, that is why I am so sold on it. I also think that for most DIY's it is more idiot proof, no disrespect, could not think of a better term. I have seen owners that had issues and were absolutely clueless as to how to resolve it or adjust it. I know that is not you, I have read may of your comments for a number of years and have a great respect for you, jssailem as well.
Love your Milwaukee by the way.
I have owned about a dozen different racing boats and so never considered them much, then as I aged out of hard core racing and got a cruising my second cruiser had it or I probably would had not gotten anything. I kind of liked hand flaking, it was a lot like taking the saddle off the horse after a days ride. But once I get the Dutchman it was off a little, I adjusted the upper connectors a bit, changed the line and put them at the proper tension and have not had an issue since so it has been a long and overwhelmingly positive experience for me.
I will say I have never had the opportunity to see or use one on a bigger boat (over 38'), so I can't say much about that but I would sure love to try it. Maybe it is not a good size for them. I have wondered why charter boats have never tried them. I can only think that they fear them getting lines torn from the credit card captains. Or perhaps it takes longer to remove sails in hurricane season. I would have thought that they had thought about it. They also do rob things from one boat to another more often than you might think, torn main? take one off of #???.
Thanks for the video as well,
Ken
All good Ken. As you say, my way may not work well for someone else.
I have never had a Dutchman system…so I cannot say much about it. But I can see how it also work well.
The Milwaukee drill and winch bit are slick. I say in the video ”30 seconds” to raise the main, but in reality, I think it is more like 5-10 seconds…really quick.
I got the cover off Tally Ho today, reinstalled the wheel and perch seats and sanded the bottom a bit in preparation for bottom paint. I have one more 2-week trip planned shortly and then time to launch in late April.
Can’t wait to try out the MaxProp
Cheers,
Greg
Dutchman works like a dream for me. The foot of my main is more than 18' and I am usually shorthanded. Flaking that thing single handed is not enjoyable and when it's blowing it is nearly impossible. I can drop it and have it under control in any conditions real fast, usually I do it on my own even when I do have crew. Crew helps with the ties and the cover. In my second year with the boat, I had trouble reinstalling the system and went without it for most of the season, spending a half hour wrestling that main is a bit more than a chore, It's time better spent sipping on a adult beverage watching the sun go down while waiting for the launch.