anyone got a cord stack pack that works?

J

jema

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we sail a race boat short handed sometimes, boat has std main sail thats usually flaked , tied & normal over boom cover put on top,
need to modify without installing canvas stackpack bag on boom, so that main will at least contain itself in one place when dropped (ie like a stackpack & not lie all over deck or not give huge windage) so boat can be handled single handedly, need then to be able to either get cover over top, or pull whole stringy contraption forward to clear way for cover.... any good heath robinson ideas pleease


basically a stackpack that doesnt have the canvas sail bag fastened to the boom, you can pull the (mast > boom) cords back against the mast when you've put sail ties on, any one used one that doesnt get tangled up / got one / made one up... comments pls
 
You can fit lazy jacks down to the boom without the stack-pack part of the system. The lines go to small bulls-eyes or similar rivetted to the boom. Our boat was like this when we bought her. The problem is how to fit a sail cover. You end up with a sail cover with slots in it to go round the lazy-jacks. It is possible, but as the sailcover that came with our boat was shot we installed a stack-pack and have never looked back.
 
I made lazy jacks with lines through small pulleys up by the spreaders and down to a cleat. I can let the lines off and pull them down to the boom - the sail cover goes over the whole lot.
 
I have cobbled up a similar system.
There are a couple of blocks on the mast about 3/4 of the way up fitted by a previous owner. One on each side of the mast.
I have a 4mm line through each of these linked to a 6mm line at the front of the mast and lead down to the foot of the mast the other end of the 4mm lines go the a lazy-jack system.
When the sail has been tied to the boom with sail ties I can let out the 6mm line and pull the lazy-jack system to the mast and hook each side to the reefing horns on the boom.
This allows a normal sail cover to be used.

The only problem has been getting the position of the lazy-jack system correct.
The Starboard side some times manages to hook it's self around the spreader when running and if not noticed and sorted rips the system apart when gybing.
 
Alternative is to use a removable envelope. Easy to make even for me;-)
Basically a long narrow sailbag which is open at one side. The forward end hooks to gooseneck, aft hooks to end of boom.
The sail is dropped and stuffed into bag, sail ties go round the lot. Tidying up can then be done at leisure. Have seen more sophisticated versions with a flap which goes over the top and fastens to bottom of bag with velcro.
 
It can be done, as others have said it helps to fit small blocks to the mast and run a line through them and down to a cleat, so that you haul the lazy jacks up before dropping the sail. Done that way you also avoid the problem with a full battened sail in which the batten ends catch in the lazy jacks as you haul the sail up. If you are going to raise the sail with the lazy jacks taut, you need to be very careful how you position the lazy jacks if you have a full batten main.
 
I made one up last year... I took it off quickly after i noted that the bits of string were damaging the sail. Be aware that you can damage your mainsail without a bag for the sail to go in.
 
I fitted lazy jacks to a boat I once owned, I didn't use bulls eyes on the boom but fitted nylon hooks with the hook facing aft on the under side of the boom. Once the sail ties were on I took the loop of rope out of the hook and moved it to the mast to get the sail cover on.
Stan
 
I made two (i have two booms) the same as Grahame and it works realy well. My sails used to blow all over the place but with this method they go strait into the bag,and with a flap over no sails to tie.
 
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