Super-Simple DIY lazy jacks?

[adam]

I'm working on updating my E29 so I can single hand her. I'll be getting an autopilot which will take care of many things, but I still need a way to be able to flake the mainsail myself.

The harken system seems unnecessarily complex.



Is there any reason I couldn't simply tie parachute cord (or other light line) to the topping lift and run it down either side of the boom like this?



To prevent chafing, I could simply tie these lazy jack lines to the end of the boom along with the topping lift.

Thanks for any advice!

 

[Randy Rutledge]

Adam
My Lazy jacks consist of 1/4 inch yacht braid and bowline knots with the only hardware being a halyard block and a snap shackle.
The attachment shows different colors for the different segments of the lines, all connections are bowline knots. Both of the upper lines (purple) are placed in the snap shackle on the halyard (green) at the front of the mast (this is to make boom removal easier for mast stepping). The top segment hooks under the whisker pole ring on the front of the mast when down and then pull halyard tight to hold there.

 

[Guy Stevens]

Not to toot my own horn

But here is a several thousand word article I wrote for Good Old Boat. No point in writing it all out again here.

http://www.goodoldboat.com/reader_services/articles/tamers.php

Should give you some things to think about.

Cheapest, and best Lazy Jacks both.

Have fun.

Guy

 

[Randy Rutledge]

I had read your article when I made my system, I simplified the halyard (result lines against the mast and single halyard) eye splices instead of thimbles and 1/4 yacht braid ($15 at our local flea market)

Thanks for that article and all the support you give this and other sites.

 

[Second Star]

Simple lazy jacks

Adam, I have a traditional set of LJ on my 28+ and while it works reasonably well it does have a few issues. Your concept looks workable. It would address a problem I have in that the full battens catch the line parallel to the leech when raising the sail. My concerns are that yours will slide down the toping lift unless well attached there and since you plan to move forward to undue the bottom attachment to the boom and move them to the end of the boom (which may not be reachable unless close hauled under sail) you are kinda defeating the purpose of limiting the need to move around when single handed. That problem may be reduced if you run the boom ends forward to the mast then aft to the cockpit but that complicates the system. Give your idea a try; it won't cost much!

 

[tenders]

I used Guy's approach on my 32 and it's worked quite well for several years. Thanks, Guy!

 

[Loren Beach]

Prior ralated thread.....

http://www.ericsonyachts.org/infoexchange/showthread.php?1084-Lazy-Jack&referrerid=28

 

[steven]

" . . . the full battens catch the line parallel to the leech when raising the sail ..."

if you can make the LJs fall vertically instead of angled as usually shown, they tend not to catch the batten ends. I did this by running lines P & S up through the spreader blocks and back to the far end of the boom where I tied them off - then dropping the risers from fixed points on the "clotheslines" (just tied them on with rolling a hitch) - looks like a suspension bridge. works fine and is as cheap as the line and a couple of small blocks. Tie-ing the P & S risers together under the boom, eliminates the need for putting fittings into the boom. Since I don't race, I leave them deployed all the time (instead of pulling the assembly back to the mast - which requires a little more complexity).

 

[Rocinante33]

But here is a several thousand word article I wrote for Good Old Boat. No point in writing it all out again here.

http://www.goodoldboat.com/reader_services/articles/tamers.php

Should give you some things to think about.

Cheapest, and best Lazy Jacks both.

Have fun.

Guy

I will give another thumbs up for Guy's system. I followed his plans, except that I too used only eye splices with no thimbles. It works!

 

[mherrcat]

I have the Harken style system. I have been singlehanding my boat for about 5 years and have had no problem handling the lazy jacks.

 

[adam]

Thanks for the advice everyone.

I'm going to start experimenting with the default method for lazy jacks, but I'm a bit concerned about the mess/clutter when it's stowed. Aren't all these lines going to be somewhat in the way of the main and jib halyards?

 

[mherrcat]

These aren't great pictures but the gist of it is, when the lazy jacks are stowed the lines are hooked under the reefing horns (lower red circle) on the gooseneck; there are two nylon cleats on either side of the mast (the upper red circle) where I tie off and and hang the remaining line. The picture of the mast shows the lazy jack lines in front of and behind the lower spreader when stowed. When it is windy, especially at night, I will criss-cross the lazy jack lines around the mast to keep them from slapping.