Lazy Jacks Materials Construction and Mounting Points

[thesaintlyone]

Almost Completed the new mast fittings and getting ready to Re step the mast ready for launch

I have a Dolphin Sails Stack Pack with three Lazy Jack Points Each Side. I need to mount the Lazy Jacks and Options appear to be.......

Underside of the Spreaders 8" out from the Mast with Pad eyes (Seen on some other boats in the yard and an Article on this old boat)

Through The Spreaders and Attached to the Mast (Suggested by a friend at Dolphin)

Secondly I'm on a budget what would be the options regarding size and construction of the lines them selves for a 31ft Westerly Longbow. will likely use bowlines to connect as already suggested

Regards

 

[Tomaret]

I’ve renewed my stack pack and lazy jacks gradually over the last two years - first the stack pack, then the lazy jacks.

Based on my experience, but no great expertise, having talked to people who know better than me, I used 5mm line running through snatch blocks bought from eBay for less than £20. My lines attach to the spreaders which have the advantage of keeping the pack open at boom level and make it less critical to adjust the lines according to the point of sail. They run from the spreaders down inside the mast but attaching them to the outside would work just as well. I’ve found that it’s easier to adjust the lines running through blocks than through bowline formed loops, but that may be down in part to the new clean lines rather than the 30 year old crud encrusted old ones.

No doubt different views will be along shortly.

Mark

 

[Iain C]

I'm going to move mine out to my spreaders...they are on the mast at the mo and it means the battens often get caught on the hoist. I'd also recommend using black lines. Black stays black, white goes green...

 

[Ruffles]

If you do use pad eyes on the mast place them well forward. Mine are on the sides and the main halyard tends to catch on them.
Only disadvantage with attaching to the spreaders is you could put accidental strain on them if you lose control of the boom.
If you are able to climb the mast when it's back up you could temporarily rig something and adjust until you're happy with it.

 

[johnalison]

If you do use pad eyes on the mast place them well forward. Mine are on the sides and the main halyard tends to catch on them.
Only disadvantage with attaching to the spreaders is you could put accidental strain on them if you lose control of the boom.
If you are able to climb the mast when it's back up you could temporarily rig something and adjust until you're happy with it.

I have adopted a compromise solution by having the lazyjacks led up to the mast near the upper spreaders but having a bungee cord leading in from the lower spreaders, using the signal halyard attachments, and the lazyjack halyard led through a ring on the cord. This keeps the line away from the mast enough to stop it rattling on the mast when sailing and widens the gap a little.

 

[Lodesman77]

In my experience using stainless rings is better than blocks/thimbles - less friction and wear on sails.

Consider running through blocks on mast/spreaders and down to cleats at the bottom of the mast to enable slacking off and bringing forward when sailing.

 

[dom]

Lazyjacks are often attached to spreaders, but this can overstress them as they are not designed for such a load. It is especially a problem if one attaches them to an upper set of smaller-section spreaders. Welding aluminium is not easy so cracked spreaders must be expensively and time consumingly replaced :ambivalence:

So I would go with through the spreaders, up to the mast, then back down the side of the mast to two cleats for adjustment. Or go straight to the mast and use bungee cords to pull open the slot as required. This last option is possibly the easiest

 

[Stemar]

Lazyjacks are often attached to spreaders, but this can overstress them as they are not designed for such a load. It is especially a problem if one attaches them to an upper set of smaller-section spreaders. Welding aluminium is not easy so cracked spreaders must be expensively and time consumingly replaced :ambivalence:

So I would go with through the spreaders, up to the mast, then back down the side of the mast to two cleats for adjustment. Or go straight to the mast and use bungee cords to pull open the slot as required. This last option is possibly the easiest

Depending on the size of the spreaders, I'd be concerned about a hole top and bottom big enough for a line to pass easily might weaken them. FWIW, my LJs go to blocks on the mast above the spreaders and, because we have to raise the boom when we aren't sailing to save braining ourselves, I've run the lJ lines back to the cockpit, so I can ease or tighten them as needed.

We had problems with the top batten catching in the LJs, so I added a loop to the forward end of the (home made) stakpak, and added a 4th line, which helped no end.

 

[dom]

Depending on the size of the spreaders, I'd be concerned about a hole top and bottom big enough for a line to pass easily might weaken them. FWIW, my LJs go to blocks on the mast above the spreaders and, because we have to raise the boom when we aren't sailing to save braining ourselves, I've run the lJ lines back to the cockpit, so I can ease or tighten them as needed.

We had problems with the top batten catching in the LJs, so I added a loop to the forward end of the (home made) stakpak, and added a 4th line, which helped no end.

i agree, and the holes must be properly finished with grommets.

FWIW worth mine are fitted the same as yours with two small bungy cords to open the slot a smidge. That wld certainly be my preferred option.