Lazy jack upper turning blocks.

[tjbrace]

Where should I fit them: to the sides of the mast or to the underside of the upper spreaders. The spreader option gives better separation but will they put unnecessary load on the spreaders.
They currently fix to the defunct topping lift (boom is supported by a strut) but that gives a converging angle which does snag the sail when hoisting.

 

[steve_l]

Mine go to the underside of the spreaders. Then there's a nice "V" for the sail to drop into.
As the lazyjacks are only guiding the sail, not carrying the weight of it, there is minimal downward loading on the spreaders. Of course there will be some loading but the majority of the weight of the sail should be supported by the boom as the sail flakes itself onto it.

-steve-

 

[dukes4monny]

Mine are fitted to the mast below the spreaders.........seems to work well providing I hoist directly into the wind (using bat-main).

 

[sailorman]

about 250m/m out from the mast under the spreaders.
mine are on the mast fitted by the first owner & more difficult to raise the sail

 

[charles_reed]

I have to say I haven't seen blocks fitted at that end of the lazyjacks (and I've seen a few), the top end is usually fixed directly to the mast at the 1st spreader root or, less frequently, about 10% of the spreader length from the root of the spreader. lazyjack adjustment is usually on boom or mast. I would suggest you consider going the whole hog and having a boom bag as well.
That will obviate the possibility of fouling the sail on dropping, but not on lifting.

 

[tjbrace]

Thanks for the advice Charles. I do have a boom bag and the lower ends of the jacks attach to it. I don't see how this affects the converging angle at the top of the jacks with my current system. (jacks are raised and lowered via a defunct topping lift). What I would like to do is increase the gap at the top of the jacks and hopefully lessen the interference of jacks/mainsail leach when raising the sail. I would use turning blocks up there rather than a fixed line to allow slackening of the jacks when the sail is hoisted. I just need advice on where to attach the turning blocks - mast sides or upper spreaders (rig is too tall to use the lower spreaders).

 

[gavin_lacey]

Mine are 250mm from mast on upper spreaders. Work well except for occaisionally catching the end of the top batten if not hoisting precisely head to wind. Once the batten is above the lazyjack no problems. Lowering very fast and not nearly so critical. If you build in the adjustment you propose you would have to be very sure that you never leave them tight and sheet in hard. Mine are made of nylon (stretchy) and need no adjustment once set up for the season.

 

[charles_reed]

My lazyjacks are fitted, fixed in use, just under the lower spreaders on a 13m lift.

Only the two upper battens are likely to foul the lazyjacks, so I heve to get them above the interference point by going head to wind. After that I can lay off and winch up the rest of the main.

Move the top fixing farther up the mast and you'll exacerbate the situation, because you'll have to lift more battens to clear the lazy jack.

I think you're on the wrong trail,with moving the top fix higher. Unless, of course, you have a 3-panel rig.

The boom bag, with sail raised is always above the boom. Boom is on a gas strut, topping lift redundant and kept as a safety line for going up the mast.

 

[rudolph_hart]

On my Dehler 35 they are factory-fitted on the underside of the upper spreaders, about 25% of their length out from the mast. Then the hoists run through mast slots below the spreaders and re-emerge at about goosneck level where they and are made off to small horn cleats on the mast. They work very well. If you want to have a look we will be on our WMYC mooring in Salcott creek after 8th May (currently ashore, mast out, on Fullbridge Wharf, Maldon).

 

[samwise]

We have just fitted a stakpak type arrangement and I am still pondering on the best way to modify our existing lazyjack set up, in which the upper lines are attached to the mast side and the descender nearest the mast acts as a tensioner, feeding through a small cheek block on the boom and into a jammer.
With the stakpak ( It's really a Jeckells Mainmate) all the lines attached to the bag (four) have to lead upwards to the main line. But I would like to retain the tension adjuster option and I am considering fitting small blocks shackled to the point where the earlier fixed main line was secured and running an extended line through them and down to a cleat, so that i can still adjust the arrangement from there if necessary. My only concern is that the upper blocks may frap on the mast. We have a fully battened main and have found that the mast side fitting worked fine.

 

[tjbrace]

Thanks for the offer Rudolph. I will be sure to take a look when you are back home