Lazy jacks

[PaulinVictoria]

Having just managed to do a line splice around a thimble (of which I am suitably proud ), I am going to tackle the issue of lazy jacks, or lack thereof, on my boat.
I'm thinking of attached a padeye to each spreader and then having a line coming down, terminating in a thimble about 3ft up from the boom, and slightly less than half way along. I'll then thread a line from about 1/4 way along the boom, up through the thimble and then down to about 3/4 the way along the boom to form the cradle. These two points are roughly where my vang and mainsheet attach. In order to not have to use blocks up top, or some other arrangement like that, I'm thinking of just having a couple of snap ring type fittings so I can unclip the cradle line from the boom and stow the whole thing at the mast to keep it out of the way. My rough measurements show that it should not need any adjustable components in order to swing neatly underneath the vang and attach at the base of the mast.
So there's the plan, that sound about right to you more experienced folk?

[chef2sail]

Paul,

We just installed EZ jacks on our boat. I highly recommend thier design if you are going to make them yourself. The deploy very easily and when not in use stow saelt under the boom, out of the way.

I would put small bullet blocks on the spreaders, run the pulling lines for deployment through these to two small cleats on either side of the mast just below boom height.
The other end of the line ould attach to a ring, which when the line is pulled ( deployed ) upward would be about 1/2 up the mast. Running 23 lines from the ring to differing intervals through smal bales on the underside of the boom to form triangles between which the sail will fall.

This may not be described well but look at the design on the ez jack site. These are the best, unobtrusive ones I have ever used


Lazy Jack System - EZ-JAX

Dave

[knothead]

Paul, It took a lot longer to write the lazy jack post than I thought.
Your system sounds like it would work fine.
That's the thing about lazy jacks. There is a bunch of different ways to make them.
I've described the system that I favor in the other thread. And some of the reasons why.

[PaulinVictoria]

Same kind of idea, but without the blocks, cleats etc. Here's a crappy diagram (the angles are all wrong, but you get the idea):


Grey line on the left is the vang, other grey line is the main sheet.
Point A is a padeye attached to the spreader with the red line to Point B, an eyesplice around a thimble.
Point C is a spring hook attached to the fitting where the main sheet block attaches. Point D is a spring clip with an eye through which the green line goes. Green line will either be one continuous line from C, up through B, down to D, under the boom, back to B on the other side down to C again on the other side, or maybe a separate line each side, haven't decided.
To secure it for sailing, unclip D, unclip C and swing it under the vang where it should reach point E where it can all be secured.
Clear as mud eh?

[newhaul]

here are some more diagrams to make your own
Lazy Jacks

[PaulinVictoria]

Is there a way, other than drilling/tapping, to attach a padeye to the spreader? I want to avoid drilling holes if possible.

[endoit]

I am at the same stage but I am also in need of a new main. I am considering a duchman system. Is one easier to control than another? How do you stow all those lines during storms?

[Jd1]

Originally Posted by PaulinVictoria

Is there a way, other than drilling/tapping, to attach a padeye to the spreader? I want to avoid drilling holes if possible.

How difficult would it be to remove the spreader and have an attachment point welded on ?

[PaulinVictoria]

Ummm, very. Rigger to take it down, welder to weld it (if it can even be welded), rigger to put it all back up again.

[Faster]

You might consider attaching the points on the spreaders with all-stainless hose clamps, as a way of avoiding drilling - esp if the spreaders are tubular rather than foil sectioned.

Also, if you're going to make them 'removable/detachable' then making the lower portions out of shock cord works well.. that's what we do; we clip each side to the cabin top rails while sailing (and hoisting) and simply deploy the jacks as a pre-douse ritual. This eases the hoist as you don't have a narrow gate to thread the headboard through, and takes the jacks off the sail and rig to minimize noise and chafe.