Mack or Stack Pack ?

[Rakuflames]

Originally Posted by Rick Sargent

*I just readsome entries above that answer many of my problems (weird they wearnt there when i started. must'v missed a page)

Hi, Here I am going through the same choice Mack or Stack pack for my new main rig but old sail on my 53 Cruising Hudson.
Mack Pack made by Mack sails in Stuart Florida seem a good sturdy system which incorporates Harken lazyjacks and a custom cover to last the ages with all kinds of fancy stitching and a heavy duty sumbrella. For you West Coast Guys Mack Sails is a long respected sailmaker/ rigger here in the East. I'm guessing that this is there copy of the sysem with a fortunate play on words.
For my Hudson with a 21 foot boom around $850 + $10 a foot over 18 ft and 35% more to have it installed. About $1300. You can use your own sail as the pack is attached to the boom though a fully battened main is recommended.
Doyle Stack packs I know even less about as well as Dutchman systems which also appear to be a Doyle invention. I am learning here but hope you old salts can break the tie as I go over what I learned from the forums. I know you will feel free to correct me if I am mistaken.

1.) The Duchman is attach to the sail by a number small luff lead lines which are lead through eyelets.
Pros: A better faster flaking system
No lazyjack type jamming on raising the sail off wind
No cover flap or fold over problems
Cons: No integrated sail cover requiring more time secure and stow
Requires a fully battened main with eyelets
Lines need to be adjusted often

2.) Mack Pack which like stack pack is a top zippered cover attached to the boom and incorporating Harken lazyjacks
Pros:A fast efficient sysytem
High quality long lasting cover with quality lazy jacks
Can be use with existing main though full batten recommend
Cons: No top support of the cover which allows the pack to fold under the sail requiring additional clearing before zip up
has lazy jack jamming with battens on raising
Posible cover wind flaping
Expensive?

3.) Doyle Stack Pack
Pros: A fast efficient sysytem with no cover flapover problems because of it's top lazy Jack attachment
Cons: life span approx 5 years max before desinigration
- Lightly built
Has lazy jack jamming
Pack must be sewn on fully battened sail

This is about all I have now. If you could confirm or deny the above such as Stack pack having to definately be sewn on the sail and Macks flap over problem, Or perhapsother cradle type options not mentioned that wouldn't be a time consuming pain in the ass to find and get moving on and made. I am out of the yard here at Westland in Titusville (Love it here. Great "Old Time Yard") when I finish relaying my hull with epoxy and barrierer coat after blister gelcoat scrape. About 3 weeks / month. I would be nice to have a easy main for self handling.

I just took the stack pack off my boat and will use its lines as a lazy jack. Of course my boat is only 31' and has a relatively small mainsail for its size, so your mileage may vary ...

but here's what I didn't like about it.

I didn't like that it covered a significant amount of the foot of the sail. The sail was loose-footed but it did the sail shape absolutely no good.

The stackpack makes the furled mainsail area large enough, especially with my high freeboard, to act as its own -- uncontrollable -- sail. By going to a sail cover I reduced that wind surface by more than 50%, which makes docking in wind MUCH easier.

The zipper didn't hold up and deteriorated from sun exposure. The stitching also popped.

On my boat, the mast end of the stack pack was so high it was difficult for me to reach at 5'6". I couldn't have done it safely in rough water.

It made the boat look boxy.

It's great to have some kind of assistance for grabbing the sail as it comes down, but I was not wild about the stack pack.

[offline]

Mack Pack.

Service from Colin and his crew was great.

[Rick Sargent]

Wise words Island planet. Pay now or Pay more later. What type of warranty does Doyle offer. A good warranty usually means better quality.
I seem to find that Doyle has a stack pack one and two . One sewn and one using boom track or pins.
I like the slides application but am sure footed which I also prefer.
How many slides are required for the slide mounted pack?
Could I remove a few from the sail to place the pack slides in place?
Does the Doyle cradle model have battens on top?
Thanks for all the info guys
Rick

[sabray]

Originally Posted by Rick Sargent

Thanks Sabray, I am leaning toward the Mack. I don't know your situation on yours is but I just read on their sight that everything is totally warrantied for 18 months .. and -We will replace the zipper and refurbish the cover for $75, incl. UPS back, to anywhere in USA. This offer good for 6 yrs.
The battens at the top and some connections for the lazy jacks there to hold it up seem he way to go. though I do like them to be attached to the boom also for the added strength and less stress o the pack. I'll see if they would be willing to do that since it is a common complaint that it flaps over as well as zipping problems.
how do you feel about the general stitching and quality/ thickness of the fabric?

I think this system is 6 maybe 7 years old. The quality is fine. The zipper should have been double stitched. They added nice chafe point webbing which also should have been double stitched. I really
Like sailing with this set up. I wonder also about using braided line instead of 3 strand. The 3 strand gets a memory and starts trying to coil itself about. Looking at why this happens looks like the .main line is binding and can't unpin the tension. Anyone used something
Ing other than 3 strand for lazy jacks?

[Therapy]

Originally Posted by sabray

Anyone used something
Ing other than 3 strand for lazy jacks?

My Mack Pack is from March 09. All braided line.

Love it.

[redcobra]

braided on my stack pack

[sabray]

Thanks braided I thought would solve the issue. Mine lead through a small turning block on the hoist and a thimble eye on the secondary . Thought it could be binding here. Not allowing it to untwisted. Which is the case. Seems like the next set will be braided