Catalina 36 lazy jacks vs. "stack pack" options

[DennisRyan]

Another vote for the Dutchman. Have your new main modified. I have the Dutchman on my 2001 Catalina 36 and love the ability to just dump the main quickly if/WHEN needed.

[elittke]

Had lazy jacks on my Catalina 38. Same issue. But now that they are gone and want to replace them, I have thought that the solution is to make them 1/3 shorter than what is recommended. Since they seem to catch the battens up high and do you really need them until the sail is almost down anyway? Thoughts?

[Sailorbob8599]

Originally Posted by Endlessummer56

We aren't planning on racing this boat,

. . . LOL . . . Sez he! LOL . . . but we all know, as soon as another sail appears on the horizon . . . the race is ON. LOL . . . BTW, welcome to the forum.

[Jim Cate]

Originally Posted by Sailorbob8599

. . . LOL . . . Sez he! LOL . . . but we all know, as soon as another sail appears on the horizon . . . the race is ON. LOL . . . BTW, welcome to the forum.

Yep, when another boat going the same way hoves into sight, we're racing. Unless, of course, the other boat proves to be faster -- in such cases we are hard core cruisers!
Jim

[conchaway]

I have used both. The Mack Pack is a pain, especially the too small, too weak, cheap, undersized, zipper system.
Stay with the lazy jacks and sail cover.

[jharding]

I've had lazy jacks and stack packs, I have now gone to Dutchman for last 7 years I would not think of going back. It works in any weather and no other lines to mess with, only "hassle" is putting on the sail cover, no big deal.

[macman4190]

I race a few times a year solo. I recently switched to the Doyle Cradle cover, which is a stack pack independent of the main sail. When I drop the sail or reef, I don’t need sail ties. That is a big plus for me. I no longer worry about the extra cloth attached to the boom. I got used to it.

[Training Wheels]

A stack pack is much easier on the sail. I had lazy jacks only on my old sail, and the lines were wearing through the sail where the lines creased the sail. With the lazy bag, the sail is always supported by the bag.

[DennisRyan]

As you read the above, the Common Thread is that lazy Jack's frequently catch on the battens. At the very least you need to plan so that they don't catch on the battens. With the Dutchman, there's no such extra thing to worry about. Effective and simple.

[Calif.Ted]

I've had Dutchman for a couple decades, works fine when you got it adjusted and set up right. Last had a new main made for a previous boat at the main Ullman loft in Newport, CA. They had to order the parts for the sail, fairleads and those discs for the control line pockets, about $200.

[Endlessummer56]

So I'm reading all of these and want to reply/ask questions to you all (thanks!) but I am so damn new to this forum I dont seem to be smart enough to be able to reply individually??? I will try to parse though all this info and I appreciate all your input! It's a hard choice... racer/cruiser/purist... I'm not a big fan of the Dutchman system (and yes I know that those that ARE really ARE fans) but I am not set on the "pack" system yet. Still rolling it around. And still trying to figure out how to reply to y'all!

[dcstrng]

I've looked seriously at the "pack" system, and wondered about the long-term durability of the zipper, similarly the "lazy-jack" battan and chaffing issues, at least in my imagination; I'd forgotten all about the Dutchman set up, but don't know anyone using one -- I suspect there ain't no free lunch (and maybe I'm just making up excuses to not make any decision at all), but appreciate all the insight/experience...

[svHyLyte]

In the late '90's we installed a set of "EZJax", a retractable lazy jacks system, on our (then) '76 Cal 2-29. The system worked very well when striking or reefing the sail and being able to retract the risers, did not interfere with the hoist of the sail. When we got our current yacht, in 2002, my intention was to have a set of EZJax installed on it as well. Our sail maker, however, convinced me to go with a Dutchman system which we have used since. Adjusted properly, the Dutchman works reasonably well on the "drop" but one can "hook" a batten end on a riser if one is not careful on the hoist. Given a choice between the two, the EZJax system was/is much preferable. While the EZJax vendor was a "one-man band" and now seems to be out of business, his EZJax has been supplanted by (click on) "Jiffy-Jax", which offers, essentially, the same system.

Further, I know no one with a "Stack Pack" system that replaced it with another once the cover of the first had worn out.

FWIW...

[Training Wheels]

I replaced mine. After taking off my old lazy bag that was in tatters, I switched to lazy jacks and a regular sail cover. After seeing the damage to my sail from the lazy jacks without the lazy bag, when I bought a new sail, also bought a new lazy bag. Protects the sail much, which to me is important, especially since my main is $15,000!

[jt11791]

Originally Posted by Captndave1

Why not stick with the Dutchman, I have been very pleased with the Dutchman on some of the many boats I have delivered. Sail goes up easily and comes back down and folds itself up nicely, then you put on the cover and all done. The Key is for the sailmaker to install the sail grommets close enough together to flake the sail narrow enough to fit comfortably over the boom. A new sail must be trained to flake properly.

I agree. I liked the Dutchman system on my former boat a lot. Better than lazyjacks IMHO.