Lowering the Mainsail. (single handed)

[Daydream believer]

?…..from the wife’s washing lines you can set studding sails?

I see that you put a "like" to post #51.
I do not think that Poignard meant a pole to push the middle of the washing line up a bit higher to remove the sag ?

 

[Wansworth]

I see that you put a "like" to post #51.
I do not think that Poignard meant a pole to push the middle of the washing line up a bit higher to remove the sag ?

I throw like about like confetti?

 

[Poignard]

I see that you put a "like" to post #51.
I do not think that Poignard meant a pole to push the middle of the washing line up a bit higher to remove the sag ?

Talking of crutches, and working at the mast, I am currently (for reasons that need concern no one here) hobbling around with the aid of an aluminium Zimmer frame. The hospital does not want it back when I've done with it (something to do with limiting the spread of infection apparently).

In a few months time, I'll be getting another.

?

A round flange welded onto each of the feet, through-bolt them to the coachroof and, hey ho, I can have a set of granny bars for next to nothing!

I might even be able to screw a few quid out of PBO for writing an article about it. ?

 

[westhinder]

It all comes down to personal preference, I know, so let me explain my preference.
I have had a boat with all halyards and reefing lines at the mast, no lazyjacks, and one with all the lines in the cockpit, double reefing lines, lazyjacks, big fully battened main… Both normally sailed two up, but also regularly solo.
I vastly prefer the second setup as not only is it safer working in the cockpit, it is also more practical for me. I have all the lines to hand and at the same time control of the autopilot. This is a great plus when working solo in confined waters. I worried about too much string in the cockpit too, but I find it is just a matter of discipline to tidy the lines away in bags made for the purpose, or alternatively coil and hang them. As reefing is done quickly and in the comfort of the cockpit, I no longer hang on to too much canvas for too long hoping the wind will go down again, which results in a boat that is always nicely balanced, reducing the strain on the autopilot.
But, again, whatever works for you…

 

[Chiara’s slave]

I am another of those who favour doing things at the mast like raising and lowering main and putting in reefs. I find it is more efficient and keeps things simple. As as to people saying its more dangerous, well fiddlesticks, theres that great big stick think up there to hang on to and on my boat at least plenty to hold onto when going up there. If there isn't on your boat then there is something wrong with it in my humble opinion.


I'd love a boom crutch on my boat - it's one of those old fashioned things that seems to have gone out of favour mores the pity.

We’re all cockpit led, but since you can’t fall off the boat, the mast is a safe place. I can just pick up the halyard at the foot of the mast to control the speed of drop, rather that what folks ate saying up thread. No need for a turn on the winch, you can even just put your foot on it.

 

[SaltyC]

It all comes down to personal preference, I know, so let me explain my preference.
I have had a boat with all halyards and reefing lines at the mast, no lazyjacks, and one with all the lines in the cockpit, double reefing lines, lazyjacks, big fully battened main… Both normally sailed two up, but also regularly solo.
I vastly prefer the second setup as not only is it safer working in the cockpit, it is also more practical for me. I have all the lines to hand and at the same time control of the autopilot. This is a great plus when working solo in confined waters. I worried about too much string in the cockpit too, but I find it is just a matter of discipline to tidy the lines away in bags made for the purpose, or alternatively coil and hang them. As reefing is done quickly and in the comfort of the cockpit, I no longer hang on to too much canvas for too long hoping the wind will go down again, which results in a boat that is always nicely balanced, reducing the strain on the autopilot.
But, again, whatever works for you…

I completely agree, the last boat was Fully Battened main with lazyjacks and all lines led aft to cockpit, I could hoist, reef and drop without leaving cockpit, A Huge plus to me.

All single line reefing weo 3rd reef which needed tack on the horn - not the best in 30+ knots.

With indelible marker on the halyard, ease till line mark on tension side of clutch, wind reef in, tension halyard to line mark on free side of clutch. Reef done 90 seconds.

I have now gone to the Dark Side!! In mast reefing, the Jury are still out after 4 years!!

 

[Stemar]

I am another of those who favour doing things at the mast like raising and lowering main and putting in reefs. I find it is more efficient and keeps things simple. As as to people saying its more dangerous, well fiddlesticks, theres that great big stick think up there to hang on to and on my boat at least plenty to hold onto when going up there. If there isn't on your boat then there is something wrong with it in my humble opinion.


I'd love a boom crutch on my boat - it's one of those old fashioned things that seems to have gone out of favour mores the pity.

If that works for you, that's great, but what was wrong with my boat was small size, which meant she leapt about in any sea, and a nervous wife who didn't like me going on deck when things got bumpy. Then I had open heart surgery which left me a good deal less agile than I had been. I doubt I'd have been able to continue without lines aft. My current cat does everything at the mast, but she's much less inclined to try and throw me over the side than a small mono, so I'll see how I get on.

 

[oldmanofthehills]

Not sure the size of your boat, but over about 30 foot you will find that 95% or more of boats # have lazyjacks and a stack pack sailcover.
This is because they work very well and avoid the issues you describe. Drop the sail instantly, and held in the sailcover to be dealt with at leisure. And particularly beneficial if short handed or solo.

Some lead the lazyjacks forward when hoisting the sail. In our case the lazyjacks are permanently set, and simply hoist the sail when the sail is between the lazyjacks. Hoisted solo that way hundreds of times, but helps if have good autopilot.

As our boom is quite high, we have a short length of sail downhaul - tied to the headboard (with a Velcro “fuse”) and then to the third slide down. This gets the last few metres of the sail down, and tied off, without any excess of ropes.

# Clearly this excludes boats with furling mainsails, whether in mast or the increasingly popular in boom reefing

Nothing wrong with lazy jack with boom reefing, and have had it on two boats. The base line of the jacks merely sits below the boom between mast and mainsheet top fitment.

Some care needed reefing to make sure it doesnt snag, but as reefing must be done at mast its not a great burden to watch for twist. My jacks run over the spreaders about 3 inches from mast which reduces batton snag on raising sail. Cant include a stack pack however but I would rather a manageable sail when adjusting or lowering, more than immaculate stowage in harbour.

 

[Daydream believer]

. Cant include a stack pack however but I would rather a manageable sail when adjusting or lowering, more than immaculate stowage in harbour.

Why ( apart from the possible cost- which is fair enough reason) are you unable to fit a stack pack? That makes things so much easier when the sail drops into the lazy jacks & is really part of the system

 

[dunedin]

Nothing wrong with lazy jack with boom reefing, and have had it on two boats. The base line of the jacks merely sits below the boom between mast and mainsheet top fitment.

Some care needed reefing to make sure it doesnt snag, but as reefing must be done at mast its not a great burden to watch for twist. My jacks run over the spreaders about 3 inches from mast which reduces batton snag on raising sail. Cant include a stack pack however but I would rather a manageable sail when adjusting or lowering, more than immaculate stowage in harbour.

Not quite sure precisely what you mean by “boom reefing” here?

My post #1 referred to in-boom reefing (in terms of an exception to the ubiquitous lazyjacks and stack pack).

The in boom reefing, originally most common in super yachts but now staring to be common in (expensive make) boats from around 40 foot upwards, tends to have a carbon boom and the sail rolls on a mandrel inside the carbon boom. Then a small cover put over the gap in the top of the boom - which can be a pain to do with a high boom, except on superyachts where you have a professional crew member to crawl along the top of the boom to do this

 

[oldmanofthehills]

Why ( apart from the possible cost- which is fair enough reason) are you unable to fit a stack pack? That makes things so much easier when the sail drops into the lazy jacks & is really part of the system

Fitting a stack pack to roller reefing boom clearly not possible as whole lot turns. I suppose one might fit it to jack stay below the boom but I suspect it would weigh so much it drooped the system

 

[Stemar]

Fitting a stack pack to roller reefing boom clearly not possible as whole lot turns. I suppose one might fit it to jack stay below the boom but I suspect it would weigh so much it drooped the system

My first tryout had a line running under the boom to which I tied the lazyjacks. Worked fine, though, admittedly this was on a 24 footer. The line needed to be fairly taut, but not excessively so.

 

[Poignard]

My first tryout had a line running under the boom to which I tied the lazyjacks. Worked fine, though, admittedly this was on a 24 footer. The line needed to be fairly taut, but not excessively so.

That was what I had and it worked well.

A length of 3-strand polyester rope ending in 300mm of shock cord, with a caribiner clip at each end. The webbing tyers (longest forward, shortest aft) were simply pushed through the lays of the rope.

Then I picked up an Octopus sail tyer system cheaply and have been using that. That also works well.