Winter Rigging Improvements

[Mirelle]

Lazyjacks; case against

This is just my own experience:

Bryher is bermuda rigged in the 1930s-1950's manner, i.e. cutter rig with a biggish mainsail, staysail on inner forestay running to hounds with running backstays and jib on a masthead stay opposed by a permanent backstay.

Jolly good rig, too.

Now, in my experience, lazyjacks work nicely when you have either a gaff or a fully battened mainsail; i.e. when there is something reasonably substantial to bring the sail down and to keep it aligned fore and aft.

Where these things are missing, i.e. normal Bermudian mainsail, the sail is very tempted to hang itself up on the lazyjacks and not drop properly, needing to be tuged down in a hurry.

So the advantages of not having mainsail all over the deck are outweighed by having mainsail halfway up when you want it down...fast!

 

[Mirelle]

If I had learned that time spent improving sailing skills is better than time spent adding complications to boats, thirty-five years ago, I would be a bit richer, a bit healthier and I would have enjoyed a bit more sailing!

However, some of us just have to learn the hard way! /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

What brought it home to me, finally, was looking at pictures of working sailing craft, be they smacks, pilot cutters or whatever.

They were all incredibly simple, with large expanses of uncluttered deck.

 

[chinita]

What a clever idea - even though my boom is not as long as Mirelle's.

 

[Mirelle]

Nice topsides!

Tichmarsh Marina?

 

[Mukes]

Excellent idea - thanks - last season I regarded sail ties as a consumable item!

 

[Mukes]

Re: Nice topsides!

Yes Tichmarsh - my first experience of handling a long keeler in the confines of a marina - see http://www.ybw.com/forums/showflat.php/Cat/0/Number/1079488/an//page/0/vc/1

 

[cliffordpope]

You don't have to go all the way with lazyjacks. Just having a topping lift each side of the sail so that they catch the gaff is useful. Or you can divide the lifts so thaat they branch and have two attachment points on the boom.
My boat (1880s) has always had the peak and throat haliards (no standard spelling, I believe) led back to the cockpit, also the topping lift. A boon to singlehanded sailing - just raise the lift a bit, and let the haliards fly - gaff and sail drop straight down onto the boom, on virtually any point of sailing.

 

[Mukes]

Thanks - sounds simple and cheap enough to try - and if the "old salts" /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif are right - easy enough to remove!

 

[Mukes]

Re: Lazyjacks; case against

So - reading your post more carefully - others who have recommended lazy jacks seem to have gaffers - however not to be recommended with my bermudan "not" fully battened mainsail.

Roach 1948 - thanks for the Swedish furling - I wil try it - I hope it is easier in practice than in the reading.

Thanks all for your input - you cannot underestimate what a valuable resource this forum is for someone "learning the ropes",

 

[chinita]

Re: Lazyjacks; case against

You may also care to try the woodenboat forum at www.woodenboat.com

 

[Spuddy]

Re: Up to a point, Mirelle

Sure - pilot cutters were often sailed back by a man and a boy so simplicity was a necessity but smacks needed hands for hauling nets etc who were then available for sail handling so a low manning level wasn't a factor in their apparent simplicity. Not convinced, cos my experience of gaffers ( 30 years ago, I'll admit) was of string all over the place. The uncluttered decks of working boats was cos of lack of coach roofs and such like sheds. I'll side with those who say it's all cons; most sticking can be fixed with a squirt from an aerosol up the track.