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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

Catalina 250 Specific Forum

Lazy Jacks

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Mariposa
Deckhand

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USA
11 Posts

Initially Posted - 03/06/2012 : 11:58:52

I will be installing lazy jacks on my 250 and have reviewed the excellent information in the threads and technical notes here. However, there is one question I have for those of you with lazy jacks. Did you use cheek blocks on the mast or blocks on the spreaders?

If you mounted on the mast, did you go above or below the spreaders? Some of the information indicates you would place the blocks above the spreaders, but because our spreaders are wide I am concerned about the lazy jacks’ halyard fouling or chafing on the spreaders.

If you used blocks or pad eyes on the spreaders, how far from the mast did you put them? Eight or 12” seems to be the norm. Since the shrouds float through the end of the spreader, I am concerned about the spreader being able to handle the extra weight or is this no problem when the rig is in tension?

I am leaning to using the spreaders, but don’t want to put too much of a load on them. Thanks for you advice.

Mariposa

Jim and Cinda Gangle
2001 C250 WK #561
Eugene, Oregon

Fern Ridge Resevoir

Edited by - on

JohnP
Master Marine Consultant

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1520 Posts

Response Posted - 03/06/2012 : 12:34:15

Here is the setup of the lazy jacks on Steve's C-250 Piseas II, which I may copy on my boat when I get around to it.

The cheek blocks are on the mast. I would not want to add any loads to the spreaders on my C-25, other than the tiny block for the flag halyard which is original equipment.

Edited by - JohnP on 03/06/2012 12:53:39

Sailor Vic
1st Mate

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56 Posts

Response Posted - 03/12/2012 : 09:15:38

A friend of mine owns an identical Catalina 250wk to mine and last summer removed his lazy jacks due to him getting "sick and tired" of what he perceived as the annoyance of the lazy jack lines getting in the way.

He had purchased his boat used and it came with the flaking system. He ended up feeling that the lazy jacks on a small sailboat are annoying and aggravating and that he would rather deal with a sail on the deck than to deal with a lazy jack system and the lines getting in the way.

I had sailed on his 250 a few times with him and must admit also couldn't see the advantage of them on a 25 foot sailboat. To me a flaking system certainly isn't "needed" as they might be when single-handling on a much larger sailboat.

I personally have used the Dutchman sail flaking system on my former Catalina 34 for 7 years and loved it.

To me if one felt like they needed a flaking system on a Catalina 250 or 25 the Dutchman might be the way to go. It does cost quite a bit as the main sail needs to be modified/sown however to me the Dutchman flaking system is a nicer way to go than a lazy jack system.

JMHO

:-)

Edited by - Sailor Vic on 03/12/2012 09:18:40

John Russell
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3444 Posts

Response Posted - 03/12/2012 : 11:23:11

My jacks are attached to the mast not the spreaders. I don't think I've ever seen them out on the spreaders. I wouldn't want that load out there. I like them but, I, too, would prefer a Dutchman system. Can't afford it. I use my jacks to just catch the sail before entering the marina. I worry about properly flaking the sail after I'm secured in my slip.

Be sure you secure the aft line of the jacks far enough aft on the boom to catch all of the sail. Mine needs to move further aft by about 12-18 inches.

Edited by - John Russell on 03/13/2012 10:46:37

zebra50
Captain

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USA
408 Posts

Response Posted - 03/13/2012 : 10:17:24

I have had a lazy jack system for about 10 yrs and love it. We never have a problem when lowering the sail, a job which I usually do single handed as the First Mate is dozing. When raising the sail it takes very little effort to keep the battens from snagging, and during sailing the jack lines are just loose enought to not restrict the sail or boom. I also installed a stop ball to the topping lift in the rare case that dropping the sail in an emergency is required, so the boom doesn't fall.

Edited by - on

islander
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4024 Posts

Response Posted - 03/20/2012 : 15:32:35

Had them on my boat when I bought it. Had cheek blocks on the sides of the mast. I removed the system because about 2 out of 3 times when raising the sail the head board would get jammed between the lazy jack line coming down from the cheek block and the mast. Just didn't work for me.

Edited by - on

Mariposa
Deckhand

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USA
11 Posts

Response Posted - 03/28/2012 : 13:20:12

Thank you all for taking the time to respond to my queries.

Consensus seems to be to put cheek blocks on the mast and not the spreaders. The very helpful picture JohnP posted shows the blocks mounted below the spreaders and above the lower shrouds. That would solve the problem of our wide spreaders fouling the lazy jacks halyards if the blocks were mounted above the spreaders. While this is below the recommended 60% to 70% of mast height most systems recommend this height does work as others have said.

However, I am unclear about the room to mount a cheek block between the spreader bracket and the top shroud rivet. There is only about 1 7/8”. JohnP, do you know what block was used and how it was mounted? Mounted sideways?

Looking at the spreaders I got the idea of using the spreader pin to mount a block on. Just put in a longer pin and a Harken U adapter to attach the block. Has anyone done that with success?

“Good old Boat”, Lazy-jacks: Mainsail Tamers By Guy Stevens is a great source of information on lazy jacks. I decided to use a retractable system to eliminate sail cover modification and sail raising batten and board snags. Good Old Boat (July/August 2010) describes an owner built system, EZ Jax, whom many have recommended in this forum, and Skip Meisch appear to be capable systems.
As to the Dutchman system, I would prefer that system but I don’t want to put that many dollars into a solution.

Edited by - on

dmpilc
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4593 Posts

Response Posted - 04/17/2012 : 15:45:02

I have recently sailed on a boat that has an interesting lazy jack system, which, based on some of the hardware installed on the boom, leads me to think it is a modification of the original set-up. Two lines come down from the mast just below the spreaders and have leather 'jacket' covered microblocks at the ends. A single continuous, and adjustable, line forms the 2 loops that go under the boom, starting at the rear of the boom, go up through the microblocks, and terminate at a cleat on each side of the boom at the bottom of the loop closest to the mast. Here's the interesting piece. There is a short line under the boom with a plastic spring clip that attaches to the bottom of the aft loop and runs through a lead cleat near the end of the boom. That short line is used to hold the aft loop in position, or tighten both loops, and, when disconnected, allows both loops to go slack and rest up close to the boom vang where it will not interfere with the main while sailing. To reingage the 2 lazy jack loops, simply clip the line back on the aft loop under the boom and tighten as needed. Took me a few minutes to figure out the setup, but I like it. Next time I'm on the boat, I'll try to remember to take pics.

Edited by - dmpilc on 04/17/2012 15:52:36

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