450: Jackstays

[anthonyp0808]

I need to set up jackstays on my Lagoon 450.

The factory fitted attachment points seem somewhat inadequate. Attachment points running fore to aft but ending at the helming station steps. So no way of coming out of rear cockpit being attached. My measurements is 10m jackstay from front on a 14m boat.

Also beam to beam seems underprovided with a couple of attachments for jackstays forward of the coach roof only. 2.6 m wide only.

So, what ingenious solutions are out there please?

[thinwater]

Originally Posted by anthonyp0808

I need to set up jackstays on my Lagoon 450.

The factory fitted attachment points seem somewhat inadequate. Attachment points running fore to aft but ending at the helming station steps. So no way of coming out of rear cockpit being attached. My measurements is 10m jackstay from front on a 14m boat.

Also beam to beam seems underprovided with a couple of attachments for jackstays forward of the coach roof only. 2.6 m wide only.

So, what ingenious solutions are out there please?

Photos?

[Pascals Wager]

I have set Jackstays on my 450S and found like you, that the factory hard points are lacking. My intended solution is to fit more attachment points.

[michaelratinter]

We run nylon webbing from stern cleats to cleats just aft of the bow. We reach out and clip in before leaving the cockpit.

[Catapault]

Originally Posted by michaelratinter

We run nylon webbing from stern cleats to cleats just aft of the bow. We reach out and clip in before leaving the cockpit.

Deck level jacklines outboard on a Cat make me VERY nervous. I can't see that holding you on the boat, and not dragging along in the water if you go over the life-lines.

I'm leaning towards cross-over Jacklines that go from stern, near the mast, then to the oppositie corner. There are a number of good write-ups on this approach, and from what I saw on one boat, makes it almost impossible to end up over the side.

I also intend to run some to get to the flybridge clipped on from the back door. In weather I don't want anyone moving untethered, anywhere outside the cabin.

Note: I don't have my boat yet, but have been looking into this a bit lately.

[PaulinOz]

Have to admit that have no Jack-stay system fitted to our boat at present. Then we have not crossed any Oceans and so far have only ventured up and down East coast of Oz for 2 1/2 years.

In rough conditions we close the rear cockpit area off completely and I restrict all movement from Flybridge to bellow and back up to Flybridge via the Starboard stairs, this has a temporary rope gate fitted (from coach roof grab rails ) stopping you from going straight out on the side deck from the Flybridge or being thrown there if standing on the starboard stairs at deck level.

This also ensures all movements of crew up and down have to pass the helms person. Nothing worse than helming in low light, rough conditions when you realize somebody who was sitting at helm with you, all be it at the other end of the 4.5 meter helm seat, is not there anymore. This is less of an issue when there is only two of you on board but can be a worry when you have a number of guest crew on board. Easy not to see a guest for an hour or two when sailing so as long as I know if they are not up on the flybridge they are safely bellow somewhere, I am happy.

I think the first thing to decide is where and for what reasons on the vessel you need to go being clipped on. On a mono jackstays on each side deck from bow to stern will give you access to the entire vessel.

I assume you are going to go forward to sort out some sort of problem with or fit a head sail or do something with the anchor. Not a lot of reason to go to the actual Port or Starboard bow that I can think of.

In which case you need to go forward then cross to the center of the boat some 4 meters in from the side life lines of a L450.

My idea was to fit strong points at the side stairs on top of the coach roof going forward to the front of coach roof then down to the center of the vessel at the fore stay from each side.

Clipping on to a line down at deck level seems to make no sense to me on a L450, when you will most likely be standing to go forward on what may be a pitching and moving deck, using the provided grab rails, but unlike a single hull vessel you are a lot less likely to be crawling along a deck at 30 degrees on all fours 6 inches from the water.(If you are you probably need more than jackstays ) Having the jack stay up on the coach roof would not negate that either, if you felt the need. I think the jack stay being a meter up and a meter inboard from the lifelines would be safer than running along the deck just inside the lifelines. Only my thoughts though, have not felt the need to do it considering our current cruising situation.


The provided attachments points always had me guessing, especially the one behind the wheel at the helm. The ones at the base of the stairs on deck each side of the Flybridge, I use for a snatch blocks to turn the secondary headsail sheet from a snatch block on a dyneema loop at the center cleat up to sheet winch when running downwind with the headsail.

Will follow with interest to see what system anybody has fitted and used successfully.

[DavefromNZ]

I have 4 jackstay fitted on my L450. Two running from the front deck centre cleat to the attachment points next to each step. I keep them tight and use a short harness lines. One from the same step points across the fly bridge, loose so I can get to the mast or aft up top. One from the same points around the stern of the yacht.

So always easy and available to be attached anywhere.

Must not go overboard as none of us have the strength to pull ourselves back onboard.

[Pascals Wager]

On the few occasions I have rigged mine I found that a single stay from the anchor cleat along the deck to abeam the Genneker winch was too long. It made it easy to move the full length of the Boat with out reclipping but there was too much give in the stay even when fitted taught. I tested it in the Marina and the "give" in the stay allowed me to go over the life line too far for my liking. So now I plan on setting the stay in two separate lengths. I use a three hook Baltic leash so it will require hooking and unhooking, but feels a lot more secure. I need to install two more Padeyes on the deck either side of the saloon to achieve this. On the cockpit roof I set a Jack Stay on the centerline from the mast back towards the traveller. The installed Padeye at the traveller is too far aft as I could fall off the roof so will install one forward so that I can still reach the end of the boom when the leash is at full stretch. Work in progress....

[Pascals Wager]

Dave that sounds a good set up, as my boat is a Sport Top I have a line from the saloon door to the helm, the one you have across the flybridge sounds like it would cover a good area.

[anthonyp0808]

I like Dave's setup.

Attached is a photo from the top of SPRING's mast. The yellow dots are approximate positioning of pad-eyes. There are 4 on either side plus 2 in front seating area.

I am considering permanently fitted jack stays as shown in blue. The one on the fly-bridge back (under bimini of course) would be loose enough to get to running rigging at the rear, as well as serve as an attachment for the helming station.

Jack-stays along the front would be attached to the pulpit rod rigging.

A temporary jack stay would be ready for fitment using the rear two pad-eyes, running outside the fly-bridge compression posts at the rear, also loose allowing access to rear steps without risk of going overboard. (I think a permanent arrangement would be too intrusive).

[anthonyp0808]

... and the "curved" ones around the front seating area also loose enough to allow step-up to address issues at mast. Damn that 3rd reef!

[Pascals Wager]

A picture paints a thousand words... I am not too keen on the idea of the lines across the front cross beam for two reasons. To get to the furler from the helm requires unclipping three times and when at the Bow, vulnerable to going over the front. Perhaps a diagonal line from the pad eye amidships to the anchor cleat? You can still reach the working areas on the Bow and the mast base on a 1m tether. You haven't mentioned any line inside the cockpit so are you assuming this as a safe area. Personally I wouldn't leave the lines permanent rigged as possible UV damage or cuts to the webbing may result in failure when you need them most.

[PaulinOz]

Quote Pascals: Perhaps a diagonal line from the pad eye amidships to the anchor cleat? You can still reach the working areas on the Bow and the mast base on a 1m tether.

That would seem the better option in my opinion as well, the majority of what can go wrong forward is going to be associated with the headsail and anchor so thats where you need to get to easily and safely. This will still allow you access to the bows on the tether.

Another vote for not leaving them rigged permanently, UV will kill them sooner than you think and they just act as a dirt and grim collector on deck. Which is not only a visual issue also the dirt gets into your jackstays and abrades them.

[anthonyp0808]

Originally Posted by PaulinOz

[B][I]
Another vote for not leaving them rigged permanently...

Having experienced calm to 66 knots in 30 minutes (Meltemi) on a friend 421, there was no time to fit jack stays and I was happy to have them permanently fitted when I had to go forward to reef.

However, I will remove them for wintering.

A good warning to check for solar and other damage and replace periodically.

[PaulinOz]

Quote: "Damn that 3rd reef!"

I don't get the 3rd reef thing at the mast, surely the time you need to go to the third reef is not the time at all to be clambering around the mast. An extra reefing line, block and clutch and there would be no need. What is the reasoning for the hook at the mast for the 3rd reef. I get you can not do it with one continuous line as in 1st and 2nd reef because of the length.