Lazyjacks

[tsmyth]

When I lower the sail on my trailer sailer (e.g., when coming into the ramp), obviously I get the main flopping all over the place thus obscuring view and hampering movement in the cockpit. Consequently, I thought that I might try to make lazykacks to overcome these problems. Does anyone know of a site on which I can find instructions/advice on making lazyjacks?

Ray

 

[steve_l]

These ones worked for me on a 26ft'er...

http://www.ne-ts.com/ar/ar-402jacks.html

-steve-

 

[charles_reed]

Unless you have a fully-battened main, lazyjacks are unlikely to make a major improvement.

Lazyjack packs are available from most chandlers, alternatively why not wander round a marina eyeballing boats which already have them.

 

[Mulge]

I used the guidance on this site as well and even without a fully battened mainsail on a 24 footer it has made all the difference to taking down the main when sailing single handed.

 

[srm]

Lazy jacks can work well without a fully battened mainsail. I used them on a 42 ft sloop with about 20 ft of boom. Think I had three legs to the boom and it enable me to drop the main single handed without it spilling all over the place.
Simple enough to fit from the lower spreaders, attach the top blocks out from the mast if you can. Hoisting the sail can be a bit tricky as batten ends may hook under the lazy jack, just takes a bit of care.
Well worth taking a bit of time to set them up for your sail. I did not bother with blocks other than at the mast, just spliced eyes in the rope because once set up there is little or no movement in the spans.

 

[Anonymous]

I found lazyjacks essential when single handing my 26 footer and I did not have fully battened main. I agree about looking around marinas before buying an expensive kit - mine was a kit and could have been done far cheaper by buying bits.

 

[Metabarca]

I've found these two references to making your own which you may find useful:

http://www.columbia-yachts.com/C26-27lazyjack.html
http://www.jasperandbailey.com/tech/lazyjacks.html

This is a road I shall shortly be going down myself... Let us know how you get along! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[ShipsWoofy]

I built my own and have never looked back. I don't even own a fully battened main, so it might have been a fruitless exercise, yet it has made dropping and raising the main a joy now. Previously I had to use around 5 sail ties.

I have fitted two cheek blocks around a third of the way between the spreaders and the top of the mast.

I have the lines passing through two clam cleats at the mast base, this makes the lazy jacks quickly adjustable as I have an adjustable gooseneck on the boom.

On the boom I fitted 4 lacing eyes, at around ¼ and ¾ on the boom.

To these I created a triangle in 6mm line which run around mini blocks that are connected to the ends of the main lazy jack lines coming down from the cheek blocks. Using the mini blocks is not necessary, but it does make the lines easier to adjust should I want to.

All in it was quite a cheap job, maybe £20 tops for materials.

Hope this helps….

 

[fireball]

What is the consensus for where the Lazyjacks attach to the mast?

We're single spreader 30' mast and just about to receive our stackpack.
Terminating at the spreader would mean no extra fittings on the mast.
Going a 1/3rd or 1/2 up from the spreader will require extra fittings to be attached. I'm not worried about the cost of fittings as this is very little - just don't want to add more holes to a mast than absolutely nessersary!!

 

[geoffatstanpit]

Mine are fitted well above the spreaders and while they work better the higher up they are, be warned that if it is mechanically possible for them to hook round the spreader end they will do so the next time you are on a dead run. When you gybe the lazyjack will try to take the spreader with it. If its blowing a bit - down will come cradleand baby and all!
I've fitted lines from the spreader roots to the lj wires to prevent that happening.

Geoff