Lazy jacks - attached to mast or spreaders?

RogerFoxTerrier

RogerFoxTerrier

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Just picked up a lazy Jack kit at boat jumble for our 22 footer.

I understand how to rig them on the boom etc, but despite watch countless YouTube videos, I can't figure out where the top lines attach - the mast or spreaders (we only have one set). There seem to be fixings on both...so she may have had them in the past.

Thanks
 
A number of views here:

W

Thread 'Lazy Jacks'

Just purchased a used stack pack mainsail system and I want to install a couple of blocks for the Lazy Jacks. My question is whereabouts should they be fitted and what type of blocks? I’ve seen loose blocks fitted to spreaders and and cheek blocks fitted to the mast. Since my mast is down I can easily fit the blocks wherever I want - so any thoughts on preferences for mast or spreaders? I should point out there are already signal halyards fitted to the spreaders.

FWIW, I'd attach to the mast, a good 2/3 the way up. It's where ours are, and they work well.
 
PabloPicasso said:
Mine are on the spreaders.

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The OP has a 22 foot boat. Sometimes the spreaders on smaller boats are not robust enough to take downwards load. Also if only one set of spreaders may not be high enough. Hence fitting to mast 2/3 of the way up might be better.

On our bigger boat we have twin spreaders, and they are very robust and supported by discontinuous stays so spreader can’t be pulled down. Hence on the upper spreader makes sense.
But does depend on on boat and rig.
 
When I released that the only time I need lazy jacks was when I needed to lower my man sail.

I fitted a line that allowed me to pull the lacy jacks towards the mast when I wished to raise he main sail but allowed the lazy jacks to be released so the lazy jacks aft to support the sail to control the sail.

This means that with the LZ at the mast the battens will not catch on the lazy jacks when hoisting the sail. as below

27649-27b08f1688bf7e6506c746cd02ce7831.jpg
 
On all the boats I've owned, the lazy jacks have always been on the spreaders. I think that you get fewer entanglements and it keeps the lazy jack's off the mainsail.
That includes my first cruiser, a Jaguar 21, which had contious wire shrouds and 1 set of spreaders. The wire was capture by U bolts in the end of the spreaders, tightened up to the point where it stopped the wire from moving.
The sail on a 20/21 footer is small, not much bigger than a dinghy sail, and the lazy Jack's shouldn't have much load on them they are there to guide the sail up and down.
Didn't have a problem with lazy jacks in the 8 years I owned the Jaguar 21.
 
Here is what mine look like. There's an attachment on both as shown, but they look a bit too far out, or are the for lines for courtesy flags etc?

spreaders.jpg
 
RogerFoxTerrier said:
Here is what mine look like. There's an attachment on both as shown, but they look a bit too far out, or are the for lines for courtesy flags etc?

View attachment 199157
Click to expand...
Yes, those are for signal lines for burgees etc.
If you use those the lazyjacks will be too wide, and too far off the sideways pivot axis when the boom swings, pulling the windward lazyjack too tight, and possibly stopping your full boom range.
 
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Ian_Edwards said:
On all the boats I've owned, the lazy jacks have always been on the spreaders. I think that you get fewer entanglements and it keeps the lazy jack's off the mainsail.
That includes my first cruiser, a Jaguar 21, which had contious wire shrouds and 1 set of spreaders. The wire was capture by U bolts in the end of the spreaders, tightened up to the point where it stopped the wire from moving.
The sail on a 20/21 footer is small, not much bigger than a dinghy sail, and the lazy Jack's shouldn't have much load on them they are there to guide the sail up and down.
Didn't have a problem with lazy jacks in the 8 years I owned the Jaguar 21.
Click to expand...
If the sail is that small do you really need LZs?
 
PabloPicasso said:
If the sail is that small do you really need LZs?
Click to expand...

Good question. It's not really about the size it's about being short-handed. There's plenty of life in the main sail, but it's lost that crisp rigidity that makes it easy to flake. Whenever it comes down, especially in a bit of a blow, it's a nightmare to control and flake neatly.
 
RogerFoxTerrier said:
Good question. It's not really about the size it's about being short-handed. There's plenty of life in the main sail, but it's lost that crisp rigidity that makes it easy to flake. Whenever it comes down, especially in a bit of a blow, it's a nightmare to control and flake neatly.
Click to expand...

I sail a H20 with a soft'ish main singlehanded but have never found it to be an issue - I have a couple of those bungee sail ties and just attach sail to boom with them until I'm back on the mooring and can tidy it away properly... ??
 
The only load I would ever want on spreaders is the one they are designed to withstand, ie an axial one.

That ruled out my hanging lazy jacks from them.

My lazy jacks had cheek blocks screwed to the mast, and I never had any reason to want any other arrangement.
 
PabloPicasso said:
If the sail is that small do you really need LZs?
Click to expand...

Nobody really needs lazyjacks, and while a 20/21ft boat's mainsail is relatively small, so is the hull, and tends to be vastly more tippy, often not very directionally stable, and typically has narrow side decks and very low and small handholds compared to larger boats. So, lazy jacks can be a real boon on a 'small' boat, especially if single-handed.
 
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Yes I'm sure all that's true.
I never bothered with LZs on my 26 footer. I felt it was unnecessary.

But handy on my current 30ft that came with 'em.

Set the boat up the way it suits your type of sailing. I'd prefer spreader mounted if it were at all possible. But hey, what do I know 🤣
 
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As others have described on other threads, you can get the advantage of wider spread lazyjacks without having a vertical load on the spreaders. This can be achieved by mounting the lazyjacks on the mast above the spreaders, but having them pulled apart sideways at the spreaders, e.g. by means of cords between the lazyjacks and the spreaders.
 
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