Beginner Question re: Lazy Jacks

[Letterkenny]

So this is my first boat that used a lazy jack and lazy bag. Does the main usually touch the lazy jack rigging when sailing or should it be tightened enough so that can’t happen?

[ohthetrees]

Mine usually touches. For long passages, I'll lower the lazy jacks. For short ones, I leave them up, and they usually touch the main. I made my own lazy-jacks, and I selected dyneema, not because of the strength, but because it is so slippery, I felt it would chafe the sail less.

[Group9]

I usually just slack mine off enough so that they don't interfere with the sail shape. Touching is fine if it's not changing the sail shape. Then I tighten them before I lower the main.

[Letterkenny]

Thanks. It wasn’t affecting the shape but notice them touching on the leeward side of the sail. New boat with nice sails so just want to make sure that they are going to be okay.

[roverhi]

Mine are stowed forward at the mast when not dropping sail. Use a regular sail cover.

[Kd9truck]

Loosen up, tighten down to raise and strike…and as long as there is no hard on hard or hard on soft sail on lines you should not have to worry about wear or chafe. You should also train the sails to drop into the bag in a orderly zig zag fashion. Imho, cheers

[Letterkenny]

Originally Posted by Kd9truck

Loosen up, tighten down to raise and strike…and as long as there is no hard on hard or hard on soft sail on lines you should not have to worry about wear or chafe. You should also train the sails to drop into the bag in a orderly zig zag fashion. Imho, cheers

Yep we are up there to guide it down. It’s new sail so needs some break in to get trained like that.

[caffel]

Good advice above.
I would add a note on a common issue with lazy jacks and mains'l battens that varies with every setup.
The upper or aftermost lazy jack line will be prone to hooking itself onto the battens as you raise the sail.
So find and mark the sweet spot on the lazy jack halyard so you can pre-set it to minimize this.

CA

[Stu Jackson]

You didn't ask, but:


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 20 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

[Captain Anthony]

Following

[Hoodsail]

Stu, thanks for the trick...going to give it a try...and I'm w/ Roverhi regarding lazy jack lines once main is up..
like the idea of dyneema to replace my lazy jack lines as they are a bit tired looking...winter project when stick is down. thnks

[garyfdl]

Originally Posted by Group9

I usually just slack mine off enough so that they don't interfere with the sail shape. Touching is fine if it's not changing the sail shape. Then I tighten them before I lower the main.

Ditto

[MJH]

Originally Posted by Letterkenny

So this is my first boat that used a lazy jack and lazy bag. Does the main usually touch the lazy jack rigging when sailing or should it be tightened enough so that can’t happen?

While I see a number of boats sailing with lazy jacks up, I think that would cause chafe on the main. I always secure my lazy jacks at the mast when sailing and deploy them only when bringing the mail down.

~ ~ _/) ~ ~ MJH

[smith8273]

I need a new mainsail cover, it's worn and time.

I have lazy jacks, and the previous owner pulled the lazy jacks to the mask after flaking the sail, and covered the mail with a convention cover.

Knowing that I'm replacing the cover, I have been leaving the jacks up. I simple drop the main, add a sail tie or two, then cover. Quicker, easier, I definitely prefer this method.

So, I want to leave the jacks up, and get a cover made to fit around the lazy jacks.

What does everybody think? I am aware that there is possible extra wear here and there, but hey — easy living is worth a bit of chafe...

[DEAN2140]

We have chartered numerous boats with a lazy jack sail bag system and never have a problem with hooked battens; just go head to wind under power. It's not that hard.