Lazy Jacks, anyone?

[jameswilson29]

My complaint is the need to motor directly into the wind to raise the main, or my battens get stuck under the lazy jack lines. The mainsail is small enough on the P28 that I could easily dump the main without it falling overboard or getting in the way without the lazy jack system.

After reading this thread, I looked more closely at this system and noticed that I can fully ease the lazy jack lines to allow more play. I will try this in the Spring and see if it makes usage easier.

[JohnChristopherBalch]

My original reason for considering Lazy Jacks goes back to a trip I took in Maine. It was late in the day and the winds had kicked up to somewhere around 25kts. I was singlehanding, ducked behind an island to drop sail, and as I emerged from behind the island under power, my sail blew all over the cockpit.

I got it back under control just as I entered a dense lobster-pot field, where I had to maneuver very carefully to avoid fouling my outboard on a pot warp.

I was almost clear of the field when an errant gust of wind picked up the sail and tossed it over my head, completely obstructing my vision.

I scrambled and clawed my way free, dodged a last couple of pots, then turned my eyes skyward and asked; "REALLY?"

I swear I heard heavenly laughter.

[Faster]

Originally Posted by JohnChristopherBalch

My original reason for considering Lazy Jacks goes back to a trip I took in Maine. ......

Perhaps what you need as much as (or more) than actual lazy jacks themselves is a quick and efficient way to secure the sail once it's down.

We used to have a shock cord assembly that stretched tack to clew on the boom and had sections attached across the main cord with hooks to act as sail ties.. always in place and ready to use.

A variation is Sailrite's Sail jockey.. two stretched runs of shock cord running the length of the boom, joined here and there with hooks in between, the advantage is you don't have the hanging ends of the 'centipede' style.

Some decent images here: They could easily be made DIY

sail ties

[Capt Len]

Thane is a gaff ketch and has double topping lifts with lazy jacks on both booms.Round up quick.Sails drop as good as furled into the jacks as the halyards slide thru my hands.Then take in the slack sheets as I fall away. If it's blowing over 30 I get a gasket over the gaff pronto. I do this twice a day at the harbour entrance and is less effort than I see on the other boats.Lazy jacks have my vote! for easy safe single handing.

[chris_gee]

I just made one up, just 3 lines, adjustable, and just using knots. Worked brilliantly saving a lot of hassle. Not as pretty as some but thats ok.
Also made up two lines of shock cord with those plastic balls on 1 fitting into knotted loops using the surgeons knot v alpine. Simple and quick.

[Waltthesalt]

If you're making your own two thoughts.\:
Mount the upper part on the spreaders a little way out from the mast. Maybe six inches or so.. might want to experiment, helps ease the sail going up and down.
when splicing and eye for them to run thru use a sailmaker's thimble. That's a circiular one rather than the teardrop shaped ones. Less chance of a sharp edge damaging the sail.

[Boise137]

So is it normal for your sail to rest against the lazy jack lines? To me this looks inefficient. I'm new to the sailing world and this doesn't look right to me. Do I need to loosen the lines up?

[Brent Swain]

Mine holds up lazy bags, a huge improvement. I used the pvc saturated 3 oz dacron, called "Samson" for my lazy bags. A local sailmaker said it holds up to UV far better than Sunbrella, and is far cheaper. Crossing the Pacific, it became my water catchment . With the area of the mainsail, it gave me more water than I could possibly use. Any time I drop my main, it is covered, which is why they are so popular with charter boats.

[PalmettoSailor]

We went with a Mack Pack (lazy jacks with integrated sail cover) from Mack Sails and are very happy with it. Yes occasionally a batten will get caught but really is that much of a big deal? You just lower the halyard a few inches and try again. To me its more than an even trade off for the ability to drop the main in a hurry and have it remain on the boom clear of the deck if I need it down now. The task of flaking the main tying it down and covering it used to take both the wife and I working together 10 minutes or so. Now I can douse the main, dress it out in the bag and stow it by myself in less than 1/2 the time.

I really recommend the Mack Pack solution.

[sailingfool]

I regularly sail a variety of boats during the summer, some with lazy jacks, some without, and I have to say my next personal boat will have lazy jacks . Combined with a full batten main, they make dropping the main with a crowd on board, or by yourself, a complete non-event. I like the idea of the EZJACK as a solution to the occasional hitches raising the main, but will want to install it with a small diameter white line that, maybe even filament, that twill be unobtrusive.