Lazy Jacks

[Guy Stevens]

Lazy Jacks are not a replacement for a topping lift

They are not supposed to be a replacement for a topping lift. The boom should be topped up, and supported before the lazy jacks are deployed.

This is true on traditional craft as well as our boats.

Guy

 

[Randy Rutledge]

real "LAZY" Jacks

I have always made my own lazy jacks. Eye splices and nylon thimbles and no real hardware to bang around or chafe sails. With a little design effort you can make them to lay parallel with the boom when not In use and deploy when dropping the sail. Also don’t have the lines any higher than needed to catch the sail and support it (if possible use a masthead topping lift to support the boom when raising and lowering the sail.) The higher the lines go the more interference when raising the sail battens hanging and the like.

The line and thimbles are of minimum cost and if you have to tweak the factory stuff why not build your own. A drop line for every three feet of boom will catch the sail and you can tie the sail and stow the lazy jacks and install the cover.