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pics of sail covers made for lazy jack systems?

15K views 64 replies 18 participants last post by  christian.hess 
#1 ·
hey guys if you have pics of your sail covers for mains with lazy jack systems that tie into the boom that would be great

I need to make a main cover...down here

my boom has 2 sheaves at 1/3rd and 2/3rds the way down the boom...

thanks
 
#36 ·
very nice so is the cover made in 3 parts? are those seams?

I see they simply let the lazy jacks go right up, are they just holes or is it a slit or is it 3 separate panels if you will to allow for the lazy jacks to pass through?

ps I have always loved beige colored covers, especially on dark colored hulls

nice!
 
#37 ·
Thanks, my hull is a very dark green, the deck is painted beige/sand.

The cover has zippers for at the two points on the port side. The starboard side is a solid piece of fabric. When putting it on, the zippers are open and I throw the cover around the lines. Once attached at the mast and end of the boom, I secure the fasteners along the bottom and zip up the rest.

Works great.

Skywalker
 
#38 ·
nice! duh makes sense so starboard side from front to back is one whole peice so it stays together and the slits are opened to go over jacks

then you zip up after covering?

I like it

ps happen to have a pic from the side?
 
#41 ·
Good luck.

If I made one now, I'm not sure which way I would go. The one I have works well, but in truth, once the sail is tied up, the lazy jacks are in the way of hoisting. If they were brought to the mast and tied off, you wouldn't need a special cover and they would be out of the way. The downside would be slapping against the mast. I use bungees to keep my halyards off, so I would just add the jack lines.

I'm working on this now, trying different things. I just added a longer jack line so I can play around with it.

But I do like the clean look now.

I'll let you know.

Skywalker
 
#45 ·
If I made one now, I'm not sure which way I would go. The one I have works well, but in truth, once the sail is tied up, the lazy jacks are in the way of hoisting. If they were brought to the mast and tied off, you wouldn't need a special cover and they would be out of the way. The downside would be slapping against the mast. I use bungees to keep my halyards off, so I would just add the jack lines.

I'm working on this now, trying different things. I just added a longer jack line so I can play around with it.
For anyone with retractable jacks, I suggest leading them to the spreaders, perhaps 12-18 inches outboard of the mast... This has the advantage of eliminating the mast slap issue, and makes the hoist much easier, lessening the chance of a batten hanging up if you're hoisting the main with the jacks still in place...

Few other rigging arrangements seem to be gotten wrong more consistently on boats I've delivered, than freakin' lazy jacks :) It's not exactly rocket science to figure out an setup that works, after all, but I'm baffled how some people live with some of the half-a$$ed arrangements I've seen...

I also like having them made from Amsteel... You can go with a very light line, virtually eliminate any potential chafe issues, and no need to go with turning blocks and some of the other needless crap many setups employ...

Longer booms with low aspect mains obviously present more of a challenge, but with my single spreader rig and high aspect main, taking the turning block for a retractable system outboard on the spreaders works very nicely, for me...
 
#42 ·
yeah I could extended the jacks but they are a weird braid and extending them would require a crappy knot...well probably not a big issue

my lazy jacks are actually continuos

is this true of yours and most?

i.e there are 4 sheaves in total...when you pull them up taught into the triangles they have a stopper where you cant pull anymore or else you break the second set of lines

or are there jack systems that use independent lines for each point on the boom?

honestly I guess its not that bad to tie them to the mast when not in use...and make the simplest and cheapest cover possible

I am on a budget big time with all the other jobs being done on the boat
 
#43 ·
My line is continuous. It starts tied to an eye on the forward, starboard side of the boom. Up to the block, which is suspended from a length of stainless wire. Down to an eye under the aft section of the boom, up to the port side block, down to a block mounted on the boom, and dead ends on a cleat. I can pull the lines to the mast easily or adjust the tension.

I can't think of a simpler set up.

Skywalker
 
#44 ·
I forgot mine is 2 sheaves per side...so you can adjust each side...not one conitinuos sorry

yeah it really is a simple setup

I have never needed or wanted them but Im not arguing with it since they are already installed plus I can see it helping when the wife is on board since she is new to sailing
 
#48 ·
mine are extended from the mast a bit but not as far out as being on the spreaders

Ill take a pic next time

more pics the better guys

thanks

covers, jacks whatever you have
 
#49 ·
Jon,

Excellent points. Great idea to eliminate the slap and batten hang up.

The PO installed mine and I was tempted to just remove it. I single hand a lot, so I figured I give them a shot. My Tartan 27 has a long boom, low aspect, and the two legs of the jacks don't quite cut it. I think I have to move both boom attachment points aft 18 inches or so. Of course, this would not work with that very nice cover he had made!

I'll play around with it this season.

And yes, Christian, I'll post pics of any changes.

Skywalker
 
#54 ·
That's exactly the way mine is set up, I just replaced my velcro again,, which I have now decided is not the ideal way to close these slots. :D

I think the toggle things would be a better way to go next on the next mainsail cover for mine.
 
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#55 ·
thanks guys !

awesome pics...appreciate it a lot

so the velcro lasts what a year 2 3 5?

we dont have those toggle thingies down here...maybe some eyes that I can use line to sew it together but cheap brass crap...not marine quality

I thought about zippers but man...dont want to spend so much on a simple cover really

thanks anyways
 
#57 ·


These are the things I am talking about, studs. I couldn't think of the real name for them. These are what close my mainsail cover together at the bottom and I wish they had put these at least at the ends of the slots for the lazy jacks.
 
#56 · (Edited)
It took me about 4 hours to replace all 4 slots of velcro. The longest time involved undoing the stitches I had just installed a few months ago because the velcro was dry rotting off the old stitches and the sewing store had run out of it at the time. That was a mistake. I don't know the maintenance history on the boat, but my guess is that this hasn't been changed for at least 6-7 years, and its's probably been longer than that. I'm not a fan of zippers and the toggles kinda drive me crazy - wouldn't want them all over the place.
 
#58 ·
#64 ·
Late to the party here - but I cut (gasp) slits in my mains'l cover for my lazy jacks following advice/vid from Sailrite:



Similar to the velcro design above, but using toggles to secure.

Sometimes I gather them up, bungee them close to the mast (life folk suggest); most times I use the slits, which seem to work well and look pretty good if I say so myself...

Yeah, I know, photos would help..will do in a few days (I hope).
 
#65 ·
not too late by any means! post the pics when you get them


Im still planning on doing some reinforcments and maybe the slits for the jacks since I know the positions exactly now

anywhoo

thanks to all
 
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