Association Forum - Lazy Jack Problem

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 Problem

New Topic

Topic Locked

Printer Friendly

Author

Topic

mroettersr
Navigator

Member Avatar

USA
148 Posts

Initially Posted - 07/14/2003 : 00:00:27

I installed lazy jacks for my main sail pretty much as described in the tech section of the C25 site. I'm having an annoying problem with the main sail upper sail stays getting caught in the lazy jacks. I'm about ready to yank the things off the boat since my halyards are led to the cockpit and I have to stand on the cabin roof clearing the sail from the lazy jacks to get underway. Am I doing something wrong or is this a common problem with lazy jacks? The problem seems worse in light air. Any help or suggestions would be appreciated.

Mike Roetter
'83 C25 #3568 SK/SR
Marblehead on Lake Erie

Edited by - on

Brooke Willson
Admiral

Members Avatar

USA
983 Posts

Response Posted - 07/14/2003 : 09:32:57

Mike:

I asume that by "upper sail stays" you mean the battens. This is a common problem. Try the following:

1. ease the jacks a little so the slot between them isn't too narrow.

2. ease your mainsheet when raising the main, so the boom "weathervanes" and keeps the sail in the slot.

3. since you have the problem more in light air, perhaps you should power up the motor a little, generating speed and wind as you head into the wind to raise the sail (you ARE heading into the wind when you raise sail, right?).

Hope these help.

Brooke

Edited by - on

Douglas
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

1595 Posts

Response Posted - 07/14/2003 : 12:41:12

Stow the Lazy Jacks along the side of the mast. They are not needed when raising sail or sailing. Deploy and use them when getting ready to drop sail.

Doug&Ruth
Triska (Alberg 29)
Tacoma Wa.

Edited by - on

mroettersr
Navigator

Members Avatar

USA
148 Posts

Response Posted - 07/14/2003 : 23:49:39

Thanks for the responses. Yes, I did mean battons. Calling them sail stays was a senior moment, I guess. Of course, I head into the wind when setting the main and the main sheet is always eased to allow the boom to follow the wind. Perhaps speeding up the motor will help as I have been running it pretty slow when setting the sails. Moving the jacks forward while setting the sails and sailing would solve the problem but I would think it would defeat the convenience of having them ready for quick douse of the main.

Mike Roetter
'83 C25 #3568 SK/SR
Marblehead on Lake Erie

Edited by - on

Dave B
Admiral

Members Avatar

Mali
863 Posts

Response Posted - 07/15/2003 : 19:15:05

Mike: Have you rigged your lazy jacks so they can be loosened by easing a line that is led down the mast? That line could even come back to the cockpit. Sufficiently loosened, it should allow the jacks to fall toward the mast and the boom, out of reach of the battens as the sail is raised. Before dousing the sail, you tighten the jacks (although not too much.) I recall seeing at least one system where shock cords were used to pull the jacks to the mast as they were eased, which would reduce the possibilities of them flopping or being blown around and catching the battens anyway.

Also, are your battens fully within their pockets--they should not be sticking out, even a little bit.

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

Edited by - on

mroettersr
Navigator

Members Avatar

USA
148 Posts

Response Posted - 07/16/2003 : 00:14:05

Dave,
I screwed up when I measured for the amount of rope needed to bring the line to the mast or to the end of the boom where a friend with an O'Day 25 located his. I rigged the jacks with a single lower line that passes under the boom through an eye strap that could then be run forward or back with a turning block on the boom after passing through a small block suspended from one of the upper lines. Unfortunatelly, the rope was several feet too short. I'll have to get a new piece of rope and be more careful when I do my measurements. Thanks for your suggestions.

Mike Roetter
'83 C25 #3568 SK/SR
Marblehead on Lake Erie

Edited by - on

deastburn
Captain

Members Avatar

USA
334 Posts

Response Posted - 07/21/2003 : 00:48:07

A possible cause for the problem--mainsail battens getting 'hung up' on the lazy jacks is that the lazy jack line is too far aft on the boom. The lazy jacks are supposed to catch and control the main body of the mainsail, and so need to be located from near the mid point of the boom forward.

There are lots of ways to design lazy jacks. I made simple ones by attaching shock cord to eyestraps on either side of the mast just below the spreaders and attaching small blocks on the other end, about ten feet above the boom. A quarter inch line is wrapped under the boom forward, led through each block and then aft to an eyestrap on the underside of the boom just aft of the vang. It controls enough of the sail without fouling the battens. It cost maybe thirty bucks to make. <img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle>

Edited by - on

Dave B
Admiral

Members Avatar

Mali
863 Posts

Response Posted - 07/21/2003 : 09:04:29

<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote><font size=1 face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote>
I made simple ones by attaching shock cord to eyestraps on either side of the mast ...
<hr height=1 noshade id=quote></BLOCKQUOTE id=quote></font id=quote><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" size=2 id=quote>
Sounds like a good solution--I'll add one suggestion somebody gave me once for shock-cord that's exposed long-term... Sunblock. Wipe on some SPF 30 or whatever, and shock cord (including bungees) lasts many times longer in the sun.

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

Edited by - on

mroettersr
Navigator

Members Avatar

USA
148 Posts

Response Posted - 07/21/2003 : 23:48:55

I went sailing last Saturday in pretty light air. I ran the engine faster than normal and the main went right up with no problem. I also eased the lazy jack lines. I did intall the lower line fairly far forward since the bulk of the sail is there. I'm hoping my problem is solved by speeding the boat up a bit when I take her into the wind to set the main. It is nice to be able to drop the main without having sail all over the cabin top.

Mike Roetter
'83 C25 #3568 SK/SR
Marblehead on Lake Erie

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.