Association Forum - lazy jack alternative

Assn Members Area · Join

Home.

Association Forum

Ships Store

Cruising

Racing

Technical Tips

Photo Gallery - New

Boat Search - Updated

Manuals & Brochures

Swap Meet

Links

Officer Flag Line & Staff

Bylaws & Constitution

Members Area

Join the Association

Notice:
The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ.
The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.

Association Forum

Username:	Password:
Save Password
Forgot your Password?

All Forums

Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

General Sailing Forum

lazy jack alternative

New Topic

Topic Locked

Printer Friendly

Author

Topic

Frank Hopper
Past Commodore

Member Avatar

Pitcairn Island
6776 Posts

Initially Posted - 10/07/2003 : 12:00:19

I moved this from a response in the 250 forum, thinking that more people might like to discuss the relative merits of different systems on boats of our size...
Just a thought... I question whether a main as small as that found on a 25' boat is really the target market of the inventors of lazy jacks. Of course the marketers have driven the product into opportunistic markets to improve their ROI. Personally I have always simply opened my companionway and let the sail drop and be held by that which falls into the cabin. But, is there an opportunity to integrate our toping lift and a single bungee to the boom vang bale to create a leeward lazy jack of sorts that would cost only a couple of dollars an serve the purpose of cradling the sail until it is convenient to flake it for storage?
<img src="http://members.cox.net/fhopper/Catalina25/eazerjack.jpg" border=0>
Loosening the TL to improve the shape of this rig could work if a person had a boomkin (I stand corrected, BoomKicker). Is there a bungee wizard in the group?<img src=icon_smile_wink.gif border=0 align=middle>

<img src="http://members.cox.net/fhopper/Catalina25/sigbow.jpg" border=0>Frank and Martha in Wichita KS. Lake Cheney

Edited by - fhopper@mac.com on 10/07/2003 12:02:05

Edited by - fhopper@mac.com on 10/10/2003 12:21:32

Edited by - on

Douglas
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

1595 Posts

Response Posted - 10/07/2003 : 12:42:48

I made a lazy jack system for under 35 dollars. 100 feet of small three strand nylon rope, 6 U shaped bails, two small cleats and 2 small turn pullies. Its a very simple system. Easy to install and loads of help when you single handing.

Doug&Ruth
Triska (Alberg 29)
Tacoma Wa.

Edited by - on

Gloss
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

USA
1916 Posts

Response Posted - 10/08/2003 : 08:28:35

Forgive my constant ignorance, but what is a "boomkin" or is this a misspell?

I was always one of the first kids who had to sit down in a spelling bee.

Frank Gloss
89WK/TR

Edited by - on

svmoxie
Past Commodore

Members Avatar

USA
331 Posts

Response Posted - 10/08/2003 : 09:31:08

Frank,

A Boomkin (also called a bumkin) is a structure over the stern of the boat, similar to a bowsprit. It allows the backstay to be placed further aft so that a larger main or mizzen can be used. A common example is seen on the pilot boats like the Bristol Channel Cutter. Here is one on a Montgomery 23.<img src="http://www.msog.org/m23_pics5/DSC00822_half.jpg" border=0>

I think that Frank was actually referring to a boom crutch that would support the boom if you loosened the topping lift.

Clif Thompson
Treasurer C-25/250 National Association.
svMoxie '81 25 sk

Edited by - on

Sea Trac
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

Vanuatu
1357 Posts

Response Posted - 10/08/2003 : 10:44:36

<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote>
I made a lazy jack system for under 35 dollars. 100 feet of small three strand nylon rope, 6 U shaped bails, two small cleats and 2 small turn pullies. Its a very simple system. Easy to install and loads of help when you single handing.

Doug&Ruth
Triska (Alberg 29)
Tacoma Wa.
<hr height=1 noshade id=quote></BLOCKQUOTE id=quote>

Hi Doug,

My experience with traditional lazy jack systems has been one of constantly snagging battens while hoisting the main, which convinced me not to install one on Antares since I always singlehand. What has been your experience in that regard? Also, what do you think about the Dutchman system?

Thanks,

J.B. Manley
Antares '85 FK/SR #4849
Grand Lake O' the Cherokees
36°29'58" -94°59'59"

Edited by - on

Frank Hopper
Past Commodore

Members Avatar

Pitcairn Island
6776 Posts

Response Posted - 10/08/2003 : 10:46:52

Cliff is right, I thought there was a brand of solid boom support called BoomKin but it must be boomKicker. Thanks Cliff, it is so strange to come back to sailing after so long and have these random words float up out of my sub consciousness. I really appreciate the level of knowledge at this site, it is helping me get my "sea legs" back.

<img src="http://members.cox.net/fhopper/Catalina25/sigbow.jpg" border=0>Frank and Martha in Wichita KS. Lake Cheney

Edited by - on

Douglas
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

1595 Posts

Response Posted - 10/08/2003 : 13:19:28

With regard to the Lazy Jack snaging the main battens. The Lazy jack can be released and stowed forward with its lines pulled up along the mast. I never sailed with it deployed. It would chaff against the main sail. I just went forward and deployed it when I decided it was time to head in. It would quickly deploy and be ready when I wanted to drop sail without a big mess.

Doug&Ruth
Triska (Alberg 29)
Tacoma Wa.

Edited by - on

Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 10/08/2003 : 20:49:00

I've sailed on boats with systems like Doug alludes to--one that used shock-cord to pull the lazy jacks to the mast when they were eased from the cockpit. That eliminates the snagging problems.

The Dutchman system is really cool for even flaking, but involves modifications to the main, re-rigging the topping lift, and getting a new sail cover. I've got too many things ahead of that on my list...

BTW, a bimini, mounted somewhat forward as it must be on a C-25, can help keep the main from falling on the cabintop where it obstructs your vision while motoring back to the dock. It ain't flaking, but it's a help.

Dave Bristle - 1985 C-25 #5032 SR-FK-Dinette-Honda "Passage" in SW CT

Edited by - Dave Bristle on 10/08/2003 20:52:12

Edited by - on

deastburn
Captain

Members Avatar

USA
334 Posts

Response Posted - 10/10/2003 : 11:46:23

My lazy jack system is similar to Doug's. I described it recently in this forum. I have a length of 3/8" shock cord attached just below the spreaders on the mast. One the lower end of the shock cord are two small blocks. A 1/4" line turns under the boom about two feet abaft the mast, up and over the blocks on each side, and back down just aft of the rope vang, where the two bitter ends are tied through a small bail. Including all parts, it did not cost $25. It is far enough forward on the boom not to snag battens, the shock cord gives it enough flexibility so I can sail with it up, and it catches the main body of the mainsail when I am dousing the main. Single-handed with no auto-tiller I would not be without a lazy jack system.

Dave on "Wood Duck" (#2616 - SR, FK)

Edited by - on

roberoo
Navigator

Members Avatar

USA
182 Posts

Response Posted - 10/10/2003 : 16:24:41

Okay, I guess I am not the only one to run into Lazy Jack problems. One of the first evenings we had the boat out and my wife was having a hard time keeping it in irons. I raised that main sail at 5 times and called it every name under the sun (Or above the sun as it was evening). In the morning I checked out my main halyard and all was ok, it turns out the top most batten was getting caught on the Lazy Jack mounts midway up the Mast. There is no fix as it narrows down to a 3 inch path and if you aren't dead in Irons it isn't going up.

What makes all of this so comical and bad was that our local Coasties were sitting on their patrol boat watching and I guess waiting for my big butt to fall in.

Bob Sirekis
83 SR/FK
Buffalo, New York
New Owner of "Stella Blue" (We will be renaming her proper this coming year)

Edited by - on

Bob3589
1st Mate

Members Avatar

31 Posts

Response Posted - 10/10/2003 : 18:01:20

I was looking at some other boats in my marina with lazyjacks and a few had a line looped over the spreaders about midway from the mast to outer tip of spreader on each side of the mast. This line came down to the boom with other lines looped under the boom and back up to each line that came down from the spreaders. Seems like this would catch the mainsail and the lines up at the spreaders would be far enough apart to avoid snagging the battens. The lines would also be loose enough that you could sail with them still up if you want to. I sindlehand a lot and don't have lazyjacks now and was thinking about trying this to see if it will work next time i go to the boat.

Bob3589, 83 TR/FK.

Edited by - on

Topic

New Topic

Topic Locked

Printer Friendly

Jump To:

Association Forum

Notice: The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ.
The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.