Battens fouling lazy jacks when hoisting main

[Ticoda]

I have a Westerly Tempest with a fully battened main. The problem I have is that unless she is right up to the wind when hoisting the main the ends of the battens foul the lazy jacks. She only has to fall off a couple of points for the main to catch the wind and the problem occur. Has anyone else had this problem and if somehow did you fix it.

Thanks
Andrew...

 

[pampas]

Two ways, keep them tight when hoistig or fit two down hauls via mast slacken Jacks and pull down haul thus bring Jacks clser to mast. YOUR CHOICE!!!

 

[Bobc]

Or cut the battens down slightly do they don't stick out beyond the leech.

 

[skip50]

I agree with the OP, you have to be pretty much exactly head to wind when hoisting. I get the helmsperson to watch the battens etc and adjust their course as necessary. I am usually doing the donkey work.

I still wouldn't be without the lazy-jacks and stack pack, or whatever mine is called.

Just seen bobc's reply, mine don't stick out past the leach.

 

[theoldsalt]

....or remove the lazyjacks completely. I did on my Moody, they were a menace.

The disadvantages when hoisting the main outweighed the advantages when lowering the main.

 

[alahol2]

I can get the same problems with normal battens. It doesn't happen often enough and I'm too lazy to bother making the boat any more complicated. I live with it.

 

[rivonia]

We had the same problem. What we do is let the lazyjacks go completely slack and that way they do not catch. Once the main is up we re-tighten the lazyjacks

 

[oldbilbo]

We had the same problem. What we do is let the lazyjacks go completely slack and that way they do not catch. Once the main is up we re-tighten the lazyjacks

Endorse....

A technique I found effective was to free off the mainsheet so the boom swung permitting the mainsail to feather, then hoist the sail until a batten caught on a lazyjack line, then ease the sail down a few inches until the light flogging and/or slight change of heading made it possible to haul the sail-and-batten up clear past that snagging-point. Then haul up some more until the same thing occurs to a different batten....then repeat the process. That took a few moments longer than a clean straight hoist, but never failed or caused further problems.

 

[johnalison]

This can happen with us. My way of coping is to steer slowly into the wind with one leg each side of the tiller to helm and pull on the main halyard with my hands. This way, I can control the hoist so that a snag is unlikely and drop the main a bit if it does happen. Oddly, it can often be easier with more wind, since the flapping sail tends to free itself.

An unsatisfactory alternative is to set the lazyjacks up after setting sail.

 

[Halo]

Endorse....

A technique I found effective was to free off the mainsheet so the boom swung permitting the mainsail to feather, then hoist the sail until a batten caught on a lazyjack line, then ease the sail down a few inches until the light flogging and/or slight change of heading made it possible to haul the sail-and-batten up clear past that snagging-point. Then haul up some more until the same thing occurs to a different batten....then repeat the process. That took a few moments longer than a clean straight hoist, but never failed or caused further problems.

+1 this is what I do

Incidentally putting in thinner reefing lines has made mainsail hoisting much easier

 

[jdc]

Try hoisting the jib first

I think we all have similar issues, and while the palliatives mentioned above work to some extent, none are perfect cures. The root of the problem is that when motoring directly up-wind the mainsail is pretty poorly controlled. This has not only the drawback of the battens catching on the lazy-jacks but also:

- the air flow is unstable (so they're more likely to get caught)
- the boat has to be steered dead upwind, +/- almost nothing
- the sails flap and it's noisy
- it's maximally dangerous as the boom swings across the cockpit
- it can only be done under engine.

In contrast if you hoist the jib first, go onto a close reach, let out the mainsheet and then hoist the main:

- the airflow from the jib is laminar and steadies the mainsail
- the boat can be luffed or borne-away while still under control and yet the main still goes up without snagging
- the sails are silent
- the slight heel and the airflow both move the boom out of the cockpit
- it can be done without engine.

So my suggestion is to give this method a go and see if you get on with it; I think you may never go back to the old method! I found it a revelation. The main goes up without fuss and catches a lot less frequently, plus it can be done singlehanded.

 

[Plevier]

In contrast if you hoist the jib first, go onto a close reach, let out the mainsheet and then hoist the main:

What an interesting idea - will definitely try that!
Helps a bit on my boat that the lazy jack lines go to partway out on the spreaders, not to the side of the mast.

 

[puddock]

I slacken the lazyjacks and lead them down/ forward to the mast (bungee chord and hooks) before hoisting. They only serve a purpose when dropping the main, so why have them in place when hoisting?

 

[Dipper]

I had lazy jacks fitted over the winter. I don't have a problem with the battens but my headboard starts flapping vigorously just before it clears the top of the lines and gets caught. I'll have to try setting the genoa first and see if that helps unless anyone has another good idea how to stop the board flapping or how to temporarily increase the gap between the lines as I hoist the main.

 

[maby]

What an interesting idea - will definitely try that!
Helps a bit on my boat that the lazy jack lines go to partway out on the spreaders, not to the side of the mast.

It is - and seems to make sense - will definitely try it the next time we go out - thanks!

 

[ianfr]

I have lazy jacks fitted with a downhaul.

When hoisting I release the uphaul, pull in the downhaul, leaving the lazy jacks lying along the boom.

Reverse when dropping the main.

Works for me, takes 30 seconds.

PM me if you want a diagram.

Regards

Ian

 

[MoodySabre]

I had a new stackpack made by Crusader and they only have 3 points of attachment for the lazyjacks. The aft one is further forward than the old one and I therefore get less snagging. Try adjusting the lazyjacks so that they are lower at the aft end - most of the work they do is on the forward half of the boom.

 

[TQA]

I slacken the lazyjacks and lead them down/ forward to the mast (bungee chord and hooks) before hoisting. They only serve a purpose when dropping the main, so why have them in place when hoisting?

I do this too, there is an additional benefit of reduced chafe from the lazyjacks.

 

[Rigger Mortice]

I keep promising to reposition the upper blocks of the lazyjack to the spreaders so that the lazyjacks form a "V". One day I'll get round to trying it.

 

[Houleaux]

A technique I found effective was to free off the mainsheet so the boom swung permitting the mainsail to feather, then hoist the sail until a batten caught on a lazyjack line, then ease the sail down a few inches until the light flogging and/or slight change of heading made it possible to haul the sail-and-batten up clear past that snagging-point. Then haul up some more until the same thing occurs to a different batten....then repeat the process. That took a few moments longer than a clean straight hoist, but never failed or caused further problems.

In contrast if you hoist the jib first, go onto a close reach, let out the mainsheet and then hoist the main:

- the airflow from the jib is laminar and steadies the mainsail
- the boat can be luffed or borne-away while still under control and yet the main still goes up without snagging
- the sails are silent
- the slight heel and the airflow both move the boom out of the cockpit
- it can be done without engine.

The main goes up without fuss and catches a lot less frequently, plus it can be done singlehanded.

I use both of these methods and they certainly make life easier. I also leave the clutch open when hoisting the main (my main's not too heavy to do this) which means that it's easier to lower the sail a little to free any snag and then quickly hoist again once the sail is free.