Stack packs / covers for loose footed mains.

Pretty sure Rob would talk him out of the idea of making holes in a lovely new sail. but you are right if someone was determined to try it is not difficult, but clearly few people did as it was never popular here.

I had one of the very first stackpacks Rob made when he started out 30 years ago. Just made one (and mainsail ) for my project boat. Looking forward to getting the rig up in a couple of weeks time.
 
samfieldhouse said:
I’ve recently given my Cobra 850 a transformative upgrade to a Kemps loose footed mainsail.

My challenge is now stowing it; my original sail cover is very tight on the new sail (not good) and being loose footed my old technique of ‘bagging’ the main when I lower it into its own folds doesn’t work.

I’m single handed so flaking a new and stiff sail on deck is quite the challenge!

Personally I LOATH lazy jacks, I think they look naff. And I know the stack pack/lazy jack combo is both prolific and proven… but is there an alternative?
Are there any examples of a removable stack pack? And can they work without lazy jacks?

The foot of the main is tiny - 8ft 3” so there isn’t masses of sail.
Click to expand...
Pride comes before a fall. The most practical and proven solution for single handing lazy jacks and a stack pack.
They were the first essential addition to our boat when we got it. Work brilliantly and done LOTS of single handed hoists and drops.

Do you put your view of cosmetics ahead of practicality and safety ?
PS. If your boat is a Wm Fife 2 small gaff rigger in concourse condition, sailing at Les Voiles de St Tropez, perhaps.
 
If a lazyjacks set-up catches the battens, the simple solution is to lead the LJs aft along with the other lines and let them go when hoisting the sail. On a small boat, you may want them to be easily adjustable anyway, as you'll likely want to raise the boom to get headroom when not sailing.
 
flaming said:
Oh contrair...

If you don't like lazyjacks and stackpacks, have a look at the dutchman system.

The Dutchman — UK Sailmakers

Dad had a boat come with this in the 90s... We eventually replaced it with a stackpack, but if you're very anti them it's a neat system.
Click to expand...

That is beautiful!

Might concede to a stack pack next year then. I did ask Rob about it, but he didn't think it would be worth it on such a short footed main (the Cobra rig is from the IOR era, so tiny main, 150% genoa).
My lines aren't led back so there's a lot of bouncing around on the coach roof!
 
Sooo…. I’ve succumbed. Bought a Stackpack from Kemps at the Boatshow.

HOWEVER it does have rollable sides so if you slacken off the lazy jacks you can fold it out of the way when sailing so no flapping!
 
The chap I have my canvas work done by suggested he make a very simple stack pack in a webbed material. No zip but just a simple set up to catch the sail as its dropped. then cover with my original sailcover. Not done it yet but it sounds a good option .

Steveeasy
 
samfieldhouse said:
I’ve recently given my Cobra 850 a transformative upgrade to a Kemps loose footed mainsail.

My challenge is now stowing it; my original sail cover is very tight on the new sail (not good) and being loose footed my old technique of ‘bagging’ the main when I lower it into its own folds doesn’t work.

I’m single handed so flaking a new and stiff sail on deck is quite the challenge!

Personally I LOATH lazy jacks, I think they look naff. And I know the stack pack/lazy jack combo is both prolific and proven… but is there an alternative?
Are there any examples of a removable stack pack? And can they work without lazy jacks?

The foot of the main is tiny - 8ft 3” so there isn’t masses of sail.
Click to expand...
I also had the exact same issue a few days ago struggled to pack away a brand new loose footed sail and found it would not fit in my old pack , being so stiff.
I just did the best I could and tied straps around the sail cover but keep thinking I could have done a better job at folding it away.
 
steveeasy said:
The chap I have my canvas work done by suggested he make a very simple stack pack in a webbed material. No zip but just a simple set up to catch the sail as its dropped. then cover with my original sailcover. Not done it yet but it sounds a good option .

Steveeasy
Click to expand...
Sounds like a bit of a bodge, or worst of both worlds? The stack pack with integral sail cover and zip is fitted on the vast majority # of cruising yachts these days, for a good reason - they work and are very efficient.
# excluding in mast and in boom furling systems.
 
We had exactly the same problem. If you can tolerate lazy jacks, which work fine for me, the Kemp ‘performance’ spec stack pack is gorgeous and a real treat to use.
 
samfieldhouse said:
I’ve recently given my Cobra 850 a transformative upgrade to a Kemps loose footed mainsail.

My challenge is now stowing it; my original sail cover is very tight on the new sail (not good) and being loose footed my old technique of ‘bagging’ the main when I lower it into its own folds doesn’t work.

I’m single handed so flaking a new and stiff sail on deck is quite the challenge!

Personally I LOATH lazy jacks, I think they look naff. And I know the stack pack/lazy jack combo is both prolific and proven… but is there an alternative?
Are there any examples of a removable stack pack? And can they work without lazy jacks?

The foot of the main is tiny - 8ft 3” so there isn’t masses of sail.
Click to expand...
In any case 'bagging' a new sail is inadvisable, as it's "crackle" won't last long, it being rolled up in a ball, IMHO.
I your case the boom is short enough that you could flake the sail single-handedwhile studding to one side of it, controlling the run-out of the halyard with your foot, as I sometimes did on Glenans 5.70s on the rare occasions when I might have moored up a boat without three or four trainees on board.
 
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