StackPack-Type Main Sail Covers

[a1sailor]

I am considering adding a stack pack style of main sail cover (not the Doyle brand with the membrane) and want to know if they tend to flap while sailing.

I realize that Doyle has a version that has a membrane that attaches to the main and pull up on the sail pack when main is hoisted. The sail cover type that I am considering is held up by the lazy jacks when the main is up and is not attached to the main.

There are several versions on the market, some DIY kits, etc. My concern is will they flap around excessively in 15-20 knots and do they affect performance?

Any user comments?

[compassrose]

I had this system of stack pack (also known as a cradle cover) on my previous boat and intend to have one installed on my new boat. They work great and the leading edges of the cover do not flap in the wind. I always took the slack out of the lazy jacks so that the cover was 'hoisted' up. It gave a better appearance in my opinion and reduced the possibility of flapping.

Ed

[Minggat]

You should be able to stow the lazy jacks as mentioned above rather than leaving them deployed as you mention. But plenty of people sail with them deployed as well. You don't have to leave the Lazy Jacks so tight that they alter sail shape.

Lots of opinions out there. Mine is... You'll love it.

[delmarrey]

They are good for coastal boats but for off shore sails, being heavier, they don't work as well. Heavy sails (6 oz. +) are difficult to flake on their own.

Other then that I like'm!

[Minggat]

Please pardon my disagreement with this."Flaking on their own" is not the intent of the design. It is simply a way of containing a sail that is being doused and protecting the sail while not in use. It is basically a set of Lazyjacks incoroprated into a sail cover.

My heavy main is very happy.

Flaking on their own might be what a Dutchmen system is intended for.

Lots of threads on the subject here.

[senormechanico]

We have a home made version of the Doyle Stackpack. We roll up each side immediately after raising the main, but leave it up if the sail is reefed to hold the reef.
It works well with no problems or flapping.

[delmarrey]

Originally Posted by Minggat

Please pardon my disagreement with this."Flaking on their own" is not the intent of the design. It is simply a way of containing a sail that is being doused and protecting the sail while not in use. It is basically a set of Lazyjacks incoroprated into a sail cover.

My heavy main is very happy.

Flaking on their own might be what a Dutchmen system is intended for.

Lots of threads on the subject here.

Maybe "flaking" is not the right word.

I have a 4 strand lazy-jack and it's barely enough to contain the offshore main that I have. If it were a stack pack I'd still have to climb up and straighten out the sail to get it in. So, either way it would be just as difficult to handle.

......................................_/)

[Minggat]

Originally Posted by delmarrey

I have a 4 strand lazy-jack and it's barely enough to contain the offshore main that I have. If it were a stack pack I'd still have to climb up and straighten out the sail to get it in. So, either way it would be just as difficult to handle.

When you say barely able, are you saying you have a signifigant amount of mainsail that falls below the boom to the point of blocking your view?

I always "clean up" my main. No problem. It's nice to just drop it and not have it hit the deck. And when I have my main all nicely flaked, I simply zip up the cover. Don't have to remove it in the first place, dig it out and sort it out. I can't imagine it being any sort of compromise for convienience.

Mine is completely seperate from my lose footed main. I'm not crazy about having the cover sewn to the sail.

For years I salivated over a furling boom. Weighing cost vs convienience vs function. A former racer friend (read elderly) who just couldn't stand not having a boat, kept beatuiful boats-bought new-well maintained and well equipt (read- money no object). He had stack pak-equiv. With money being no object, he was after funtion over convienience.

I took note, and when I finally replaced my main before dropping the dock lines, opted for a custon built stack pack. Still happy with my choice.

[sck5]

i have a dutchman on my main and it flakes the sail on its own. pretty nice but you still have to get the sail cover on like always. But if I ever want the sail down it drops right on top of the boom every time.

[Joli]

Curious, do you have spectra lazy cradles? Without them you get a lot of strech. Our main and gear is about 350#s but it will drop in easily.

Originally Posted by delmarrey

Maybe "flaking" is not the right
word.



I have a 4 strand lazy-jack and it's barely enough to contain the offshore main that I have. If it were a stack pack I'd still have to climb up and straighten out the sail to get it in. So, either way it would be just as difficult to handle.

......................................_/)

[cchesley]

I have a variant of the Doyle system on my 41' cat. Less than 1 minute to unzip and connect the halyard when going sailing. Two minutes to stuff the last of the main in the pack and zip it up when I'm done. I can't imagine ever not having one again!

[senormechanico]

Full battens help a lot with a stack pack system.

When dropping the sail, all I have to do is dump the halyard (recirculating ball cars help a lot), fold up the reefing lines at the aft end of the sail and throw them on top of the flaked sail in the cover and zip it shut.

Done in about a minute.

[sck5]

my dutchman plus strong track system lets me drop it quicker - release the halyard and its down on top of the boom in 5 seconds. But the price for that speed is it takes a bit longer to put the cover on. I am ok with the tradeoff though because there are occasionally times when you want that mainsail down and out of the way RIGHT NOW.

[Minggat]

Originally Posted by Joli

Curious, do you have spectra lazy cradles? Without them you get a lot of strech. .

Stretch should be an issue unless the Lazy jacks are permanently deployed.


"Full battens help a lot with a stack pack system."

Good point. Having full battens, I forget that not everybody does. I also have the Strong Track system.

"I am ok with the tradeoff though because there are occasionally times when you want that mainsail down and out of the way RIGHT NOW."

My Lazy Cradle/Strong Track does that. Just follow with a little clean up of the flakes that you don't have to do wth the Dutchmen. So I think the trade off is perfect flaking vs putting on the sail cover.

[barnakiel]

Haven't seen any on AC boats thus inclined to believe they do affect performance.

Otherwise, my main problems have always been:
- the stuff moving frwd and getting attracted to our reefing gear,
- the stuff being build too close to the mast - prefer a short one with a separate bag for proper 'in harbour' protection of fully dropped main.

Otherwise, they are cream and I love them.

b.