Lazy Jacks

[Rakuflames]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

We have lazy jacks on our current boat: with an 18' boom and a P of 42', the mainsail is just way too big too manage without. I always sail with them in-situ, and have never had to pull them into the mast. No chafe problems. Just leave them loose enough so they aren't rubbing hard against the sail when hoisted, and you'll be fine.

We also use a boom tent at anchor. Lazy jacks are no problem with our set up, but this may depend on the length of your boom.

Really, it just depends on the lines used to tighten and loosen the lazy jacks. When I took my stack pack off, A friend simply lengthened those lines.

Now when my LJ is loose (most of the time) -- all three "catching lines" (if these things have other names I don't know what they are) can be pulled back to the mast, and behind a small cleat. Then I tighten raise/lower line and lock it off with a cleat hitch. They might as well not be there when they're not being used.

Tightened, they make a great "basket" for catching my mainsail. I can do it by myself and be confident that the sail will not flap around or obstruct my view.

I'm going to lengthen those tightening/loosening lines (one port an one starboard) again so I can lead them to the cockpit. Then I'll only have to go to the mast if I have to pull them back behind the cleat, and in an emergency/bad weather that won't really be necessary most of the time.

Just make sure the line that tightens and loosens the LJ is long enough, and they're tidy and completely out of the way when loosened.

[Rakuflames]

Originally Posted by rivonia

Lazy Jacks were designed originally to be left in situ. As long as they are loosely tied when sailing there should be no chaff.

With newer designs and the tighter fittings there could be a problem with chafe on the sail.

My advice would be to leave them up when sailing, as it makes for easy crash down sail in an emergency.

take you r choice and Good Luck

Disagree. If that raising/lowering line is low enough, just pull the three "catching lines" on each side, parallel along the boom, to the back side of a small cleat on the mast. No chafing at all.

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by Rakuflames

Really, it just depends on the lines used to tighten and loosen the lazy jacks. When I took my stack pack off, A friend simply lengthened those lines.

I'm not saying it can't be done, or that it's particularly hard to do. I'm just saying that in my experience it's unnecessary. Perhaps if I were doing a big crossing where I knew the mainsail would be up for days at a time, I might consider it. But in my experience I have no chafe issues with my LJ. They cause no problem in their ready position, and as others have mentioned, this leaves them available for an emergency take-down.

If your LJ are tight against the sail I can see where they would cause chafe problems (and other issues). Ours do not need to be tensioned tightly to work well. I'd suggest that if you are getting chafe caused by your LJ that you need to consider reducing the tension on them -- but pulling them into the mast works just fine too .

[zeehag]

ok so you have these moveable things you call lazy jacks.
wind is growing to 20-30 kts.
yoyu wantto douse sail NOW
yet those alleged lazy jacks are not in place..omg!!!!!!!!

rodlmao. keep it simple. why make a simple tool so over-thought..isnt difficult to make a sail catcher that stays in place--we had that in gaff rigged sailing vessels. those lazy jacks actually worked....i dont see how the added work of having to relocate the lazy jacks that were installed to make dousing sail EASIER having to be worked like the sail BEFORE dousing---losing much needed time before your wind is out of your ability to sail....go figger.
so you say these alleged LAZY jacks work --how nice for you.

mine will not have fittings made into it--will be original as per old days--truly functional equipment that doesnt need to be futzed with, causing potential danger rather than a truly helpful tool. movable items fail in times of dire need.

pardon me, but i sail in WIND, not calm.

[delmarrey]

Originally Posted by Rakuflames

Really, it just depends on the lines used to tighten and loosen the lazy jacks. When I took my stack pack off, A friend simply lengthened those lines.

Now when my LJ is loose (most of the time) -- all three "catching lines" (if these things have other names I don't know what they are) can be pulled back to the mast, and behind a small cleat. Then I tighten raise/lower line and lock it off with a cleat hitch. They might as well not be there when they're not being used.

Tightened, they make a great "basket" for catching my mainsail. I can do it by myself and be confident that the sail will not flap around or obstruct my view.

I'm going to lengthen those tightening/loosening lines (one port an one starboard) again so I can lead them to the cockpit. Then I'll only have to go to the mast if I have to pull them back behind the cleat, and in an emergency/bad weather that won't really be necessary most of the time.

Just make sure the line that tightens and loosens the LJ is long enough, and they're tidy and completely out of the way when loosened.

Similar to this? Although, I ended up adding a forth leg at the clew end of the boom.

[Jim Cate]

Well, here is some anecdotal data:

We just bought a new mainsail. The old one was 10 years and a bit over 42,000 miles old. Our lazy jacks were in place (not pulled back to mast or lowered) for every one of those miles. The stitching on the sail was still in good shape except for a bit on the leach which is not in contact with the LJs. There was no chafe evident except where the top three battens sometimes lie against the shrouds. Even where the sail lay against the spreader tips at times there was no chafe. Dacron is very chafe resistant in the real world!

And one thing that no one has mentioned: if you move the blocks for the LJ halyards out to the ~center of the spreaders there is less contact between LJ and sail, and less chance of hooking the batten ends whilst hoisting the sail.

Cheers,

Jim

[delmarrey]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

And one thing that no one has mentioned: if you move the blocks for the LJ halyards out to the ~center of the spreaders there is less contact between LJ and sail, and less chance of hooking the batten ends whilst hoisting the sail.

Cheers,

Jim

Good point! That's one of the problems I have leaving the LJ's up. With a full battened main the battens are ALWAYS snagging the LJ's, even dead in irons.
But I'm sure one has to loosen up the LJ's to swing the boom.

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

Well, here is some anecdotal data:

We just bought a new mainsail. The old one was 10 years and a bit over 42,000 miles old. Our lazy jacks were in place (not pulled back to mast or lowered) for every one of those miles. The stitching on the sail was still in good shape except for a bit on the leach which is not in contact with the LJs. There was no chafe evident except where the top three battens sometimes lie against the shrouds. Even where the sail lay against the spreader tips at times there was no chafe. Dacron is very chafe resistant in the real world!

And one thing that no one has mentioned: if you move the blocks for the LJ halyards out to the ~center of the spreaders there is less contact between LJ and sail, and less chance of hooking the batten ends whilst hoisting the sail.

Cheers,

Jim

Thanks Jim. That's what we've experienced so far -- no problem with chafe. On the other hand, I like your idea of moving the hoist point out on the spreaders. The only time I can be heard cursing our LJs is when hoisting. I'm going to look at our setup.

[belizesailor]

Regardless of whether you DIY or buy a kit, I suggest setting them up so they can be dropped and secured (as others have described...pulled forward and secured at the mast). Some installations are fixed and cannot be conveniently dropped and secured...this can be a pain.

The reason you want this ability is so that you can get them out of the way when raising the sail...otherwise the sail may tend to foul on the lazy lacks. How likely this is to be a problem varies with the specifics of the installation. For example, in my case I have a fully batten main and batten ends are quite fond of lazy jack lines. So it is easier to drop them, or at least slack them off when raising the main.

Once the main is up I sail with mine set...never any chafe issues (on this or previous boats).

Also, I would strongly consider going with a full "stack pack" (lazy jacks integrated w a sail cover)...makes dousing and stowing the main dead easy.

[Rakuflames]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

I'm not saying it can't be done, or that it's particularly hard to do. I'm just saying that in my experience it's unnecessary. Perhaps if I were doing a big crossing where I knew the mainsail would be up for days at a time, I might consider it. But in my experience I have no chafe issues with my LJ. They cause no problem in their ready position, and as others have mentioned, this leaves them available for an emergency take-down.

If your LJ are tight against the sail I can see where they would cause chafe problems (and other issues). Ours do not need to be tensioned tightly to work well. I'd suggest that if you are getting chafe caused by your LJ that you need to consider reducing the tension on them -- but pulling them into the mast works just fine too .

Thing is, it's so simple, and it makes the boat look nice and tidy. i'm going to extend them back to the cockpit so no one has to go up there to drop the sail.

[Rakuflames]

Originally Posted by delmarrey

Similar to this? Although, I ended up adding a forth leg at the clew end of the boom.

I can't tell where your LJ lines are from that photo. Mine are very thin. All I can say is that they form a backwards L, down the mast and out the boom.

[Rakuflames]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

Well, here is some anecdotal data:

We just bought a new mainsail. The old one was 10 years and a bit over 42,000 miles old. Our lazy jacks were in place (not pulled back to mast or lowered) for every one of those miles. The stitching on the sail was still in good shape except for a bit on the leach which is not in contact with the LJs. There was no chafe evident except where the top three battens sometimes lie against the shrouds. Even where the sail lay against the spreader tips at times there was no chafe. Dacron is very chafe resistant in the real world!

And one thing that no one has mentioned: if you move the blocks for the LJ halyards out to the ~center of the spreaders there is less contact between LJ and sail, and less chance of hooking the batten ends whilst hoisting the sail.

Cheers,

Jim

that has been a problem for me occasionally. I'll get to that one of these days -- thanks for the tip!

[boatsail]

check out Bacon sails. My wife just called today and for between 400 and 500 bucks depending on lenght of the boom, you can get their lazy cradle (stack pack thing). I saw it in person in their store and really liked the quality of the one I saw on display.

[delmarrey]

Originally Posted by Rakuflames

I can't tell where your LJ lines are from that photo. Mine are very thin. All I can say is that they form a backwards L, down the mast and out the boom.

The red lines. I'll be pulling them off today so I can unstep the mast next week. I'll get more pictures today.