Lazy Jack Setup

[SJFK]

Hi everyone,
Could I ask for some collective advice? I have a stack pack and lazy jacks set up.When under sail I usually lash the stack pack to the boom and loosen off the lazy jacks. This means they do not disrupt the sail, and the stack pack is not thrashing about in the wind. However, when reefing down I end up with a big fold of sail that inhibits my forward vision, and of course the sail flaps around and is uncontrolled, as there are no eyelets in the sail to tie it up. This happens even if the stack pack is not lashed to the boom, as the sail tends to be blown out of it when reefing, despite the lazy jacks. I have a four point lazy jack set up on the stack pack.
A local rigger has convinced me to drill through the lower spreaders, and to pass the lazy jacks through these holes to provide a wider angle for the stack pack to remain open, which means the sail should drop into the stack pack more easily.
However, I am concerned that the lazy jacks will chafe through, and the stack pack will also experience a whole lot more wear and tear.
I would welcome your advice.

[Snowpetrel]

Drilling through the spreaders? What kind of spreader material is it. Is there any bushing material. In the hole to reduce chafe? In theory having the lazyjacks run out wider on the spreaders can work well, but more to help raising the sail. Dropping it is not normally a big issue. But sometimes I worry about potential loads on the spreader if something fouls or gets a lazyjack pulled to tight. I like to put some bungy or a weak link in somewhere.

I normally just leave the stack pack up. Maybe more chafe, but stowing the things causes its own issues. I dont see how the sail could fall out of the lazyjacks when reefed, unless they are really very loose.

Maybe getting some grommets in the sail so you can put a few ties around the bunt of the sail is the easiest fix, but make sure you undo them before you shake out the reef!

Another option is to add struts to hold the boom bag out in position, kind of like a park avenue boom.