Lazyjacs or no lazyjacks

[MoodySabre]

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I wonder if we are not losing the ability to comfortably and confidently move around the deck of a small boat. Just a thought.

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I think that we are losing the desire to take risks (blame Elf & Safety) and there can be risks, hence jackstays and lifelines. SWMBO says that she doesn't like me taking risks and leaving her in charge. Can't argue with that (or convince her to leap about on deck in a blow).

Lazyjacks are great - wouldn't go back to sail all over the place and a mouthful of bungies.

 

[Lakesailor]

I would agree with the trend. My boat is only 18ft and the LJs were more a hinderance than a help. I took them off. I spent more time at the mast loosening them and tightening them than I did gathering up the main by hand.
Strangely on my last (18ft) boat they worked well. I think the older sail on that boat allowed an easier flaking down. This sail was new this year and still needs encouraging to flake onto the boom.

 

[Glyka]

Simple!

Go for it, and if you don't like it later, you can always uninstall... The cost is relatively low and you can always find some use for the blocks...

Advice (FWIW): cheap lines will produce a useless system. Use small diameter pre-stretched lines.

 

[Vara]

Well thats helpful /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif an almost 50/50 split for/against.

FWIW,IMO,a decent stak-pak or LJs well set up are very good news for single or shorthanded sailing.

The only probs I've had with lazy jacks have been easily sorted by moving lines about.

 

[achwilan]

I vote FOR the lazyjacks, with an additional comment: the greater the mainsail, the more useful the item. I've been sailing single-handed a 18' then a 23' for many years without it, but I've been happy with it later on a 32', and the current 35' !...

 

[ChrisE]

I'm not sure but my gut feel, looking at the posts, is that generally those with bigger boats have found ljs and stakpaks more useful. Even the relatively small main (250 sq ft) on our 38' is quite a handful in a blow and, before ljs and sp were fitted, was a real sod to tame, cover in sail ties and put to bed, a job now that can be done in a jiffy with no dramas.

 

[noswellplease]

For the record....I got a quote from an american company Mac Sails for a stckpac and lazyjacks of $720 including shipping. I think its a good price and may go for it. Thanks for comments. Russ

No wonder boats are female! you are alway buying expensive things for them

 

[Lakesailor]

That's the point. It's easy enough to handle a small sail, but the extra help for a big sail overcomes the futility of the minor adjustments.

 

[DeeGee]

Had mine done for me (so should be cheaper if DIY) by sailmaker. Cost about £200 in 2004, all inclusive. So your price of $720 or £360 looks a bit on the high side. Maybe shop around?

 

[Achillesheel]

Will stick my two penn'orth in; we have ljs and stackpack on a 24footer, and wouldn't be without them.

The only criticism is the top batten thing - but if you get the geometry right, and ensure the lj doesn't come to too far towards the back of the boom, there will be no problem. Hoist the main while the boat is head to wind, and time it right so there is no chance of the batten catching the lj, and you'll wonder how you did without them. And when lowering, theres no need to faff about flaking the sail down or wrestling with acres of canvas all over the coach roof when you're worrying about approaching mooring etc.

 

[snorkmaiden]

Do you have details of the system. I have just replaced a soft-as-old-boots 25 year old main with a Dacron stiffie. I am sure we are going to sail much better but the sail handling worries me, particularly since I have damage to my left thumb joint and both wrists! The boat is a Sadler 29 which seems to have quite a substantial main.
Hope you can help.
Jenny Jones
Snork Maiden
la Rochelle

 

[DaveS]

I currently use lazy jacks and a stack pack and they work well. I keep the lines fairly slack: looks a bit less tidy, but no need to adjust. I've previously used lazy jacks without a stack pack - OK but not so good, and no lazy jacks and a cunning device made of bungy and hooks for quickly tying up the sail - OK too, but again not quite so good. I agree with the point about thin lines: mine are 4mm and are more than adequate.

The point re. not leaving the cockpit is interesting. On my last two boats I've had everything arranged to operate from the cockpit: going forward is only needed for disconnecting the haliard, zipping up the bag, and stuffing away the looose luff reefing lines. I don't think that takes away the ability to move about the boat under way. I still get plenty practice of that when a sheet gets fankled up...

 

[joe17]

I sail my 22ft boat, often singlehanded.

I have thought about lazy jacks many times, but always conclude its not worth the hassle of more bits of string flying around the boat. After I drop the main it only takes a minute or so to get the sail in order and secured to the boom with 3 rubber bungy sail ties.

In my old boat I had a bolt rope on the luff and that was a pain as once the sail was down it was likely to go everywhere as it wasnt fixed to the mast. With this boat it is a typical setup with lugs into the mast track, so it is always fixed.
I start at the bottom of the sail at the end of the boom and pull the sail straight, flake it over, pull the next piece straight, and flake .... and so on putting the sail ties on as I go. Its done in no time.

If I went for LJs then it would be with a stack pack system where you could assume the whole sail drop, gather and cover operation would be done in one operation. At the moment I dont think I really need to optimise my sailing time and convenience that much.


Joe.