Battens Fouling Lazy Jacks

[andyrawcliffe]

I have a fully battened main on my Westerly Tempest. The problem I have is that unless she is right up to the wind when raising the main the ends of the battens get fouled in my lazy jacks, she only has to drop off a couple of points for the sail to catch the wind and the problem occurs. This is a major pain as it means partially dropping the main to clear the foul before trying again. Has anyone else had this problem and if so how did you fix it. Thanks Andrew...

[skipmac]

Had the same problem when I bought my current boat, used as the PO had set up.

Solution is to make the Lazy Jacks adjustable IE the top line of the LJs runs over a pulley and down the mast. When hoisting the main, slack that line, pull the LJs forward to the mast where they hook behind a fitting of your choice. Tighten the line to hold them in place, Reverse the process when dropping the sail.

[s/v Jedi]

I have a cradle cover to which the lazy jacks attach. The cover works like a sail and thus the boom aligns with the wind, mostly. This means that I don't have to head into the wind.

In fact, we keep the wind 10-15 degrees off the port bow so that the boom points to starboard. The winch I use for hoisting the main is on the port side near the aft end of the boom, so I sit on deck on my knees and have a good view up the main that way.

There is only one batten that wants to catch one particular part of the lazy jacks. The trick is finding the trick by timing it so that you pas that point just as the sail/batten moves away from the lazy jack.
After that, all battens stick out behind the lazy jacks. This is due to the big roach in the sail.

check where the lazy jacks are and the full battens. Sail design has a lot to do with it:

[Stu Jackson]

Lazy Jack Trick
Many folks complain about full battens getting caught up when raising the mainsail. They then spend a lot of time moving BOTH sides of the lazy jacks to the mast.

We developed an easier way with our lazy jacks.

We have a small cleat on the forward starboard side of the boom. When we put the halyard on the headboard, we move ONLY the starboard side of the lazy jacks forward and snug them under the forward side of the horn of this cleat.

Then, when we raise the mainsail, instead of going exactly head to wind, we bear off a tad to starboard so the wind is coming from the port side of the bow.

We then raise the mainsail and it doesn't get hooked on the lazy jacks even though the port side jacks are still there.

Been working for 13 years.

Yes, we have to go forward again to unhook the starboard lazy jack for dousing the sail if I forget to do it right when the main is raised, but there's never any hurry. The drill is: after the main is raised, I unhook that starboard lazy jack, so they're both ready to go when we drop the sails at the end of the day.

So, for those of you with lazy jacks, consider doing only one side.

Your boat, your choice.



C:\Users\Stu\Stu\Boat\Lazy Jack Trick.doc

[roverhi]

I stow my lazy jacks at the mast except when lowering the sail. Must take me all of a minute per side to do this. Ain't no big thing especially since I stow them while I'm flaking and tieing down the mainsail at the dock or anchor. Deploy them before dropping the main, another 1 minute job usually in flat water heading into the marina.

Stowing the LJ's at the mast also means no need for cutting holes in the sail cover. Way easier to put on the sailcover without the LJ's in the way. Sail cover came with cutouts for the LJ's but it's just so much easier to move the LJ's to the mast and not hassle with the sail cover pukas.

Never hooked a batten with the LJ's stored at the mast. all I do is pull them forward and hook them under the cleat for the LJ lift and then tighten the lift and secure.

[Rakuflames]

Originally Posted by roverhi

I stow my lazy jacks at the mast except when lowering the sail. Must take me all of a minute per side to do this. Ain't no big thing especially since I stow them while I'm flaking and tieing down the mainsail at the dock or anchor. Deploy them before dropping the main, another 1 minute job usually in flat water heading into the marina.

Stowing the LJ's at the mast also means no need for cutting holes in the sail cover. Way easier to put on the sailcover without the LJ's in the way. Sail cover came with cutouts for the LJ's but it's just so much easier to move the LJ's to the mast and not hassle with the sail cover pukas.

Never hooked a batten with the LJ's stored at the mast. all I do is pull them forward and hook them under the cleat for the LJ lift and then tighten the lift and secure.

I don't think it even takes me that long.

[hpeer]

Can't imagine why I never thought of this!