Are Lazy Jacks Worth it? 4K

[@albertsaplys8661]

For hoisting the mainsail, I always completely loosen the lazy jacks so they are completely out of the way. Of course the primary lazy jack line has to be long enough so all the lazy jack lines can fall off and be tied to the mast. The lazy Jack's don't need to be there when hoisting. They are only useful when you drop the main and even then you may be better off hoisting only the lazy jack that is on the Lee side.

[@sailingelleray]

Yes I agree that they're a down thing rather than an up thing. I like your idea of loosening them off completely. Thanks for watching!

[@dreamtimesv]

I have the same setup and RT sails, bag and Lazy Jacks on my 33 ft Nantucket. They are all a great combination and couldn’t be without them as I sail solo a lot. I use my auto-helm to assist keeping boat into the wind when raising the main, it mostly overcomes the issue of batons catching on the LJs or at least allows fine control over the process, i find it better than a human at the helm for this purpose. Can’t imagine sailing without this setup anymore. Best.

[@sailingelleray]

Hi DreamTime, Thanks for watching. Yes I'm very happy with the setup and also wouldn't be without it. Autohelm is a great idea but unfortunately I'm without one at the moment. Makes for a busy sailing experience... Thanks again, Tony.

[@mrwoo7884]

Nice one. Good to see lazy jacks so well explained. Thanks for the great music at the end. Great video all around!

[@richardjoy5060]

G'day thanks for the video. I also own a Cab 28, I've had it for over ten years. The vast majority of my sailing/cruising (single handed) is on Sydney Harbour. I had new sails made for the boat some years ago and first thing the sailmaker suggested was I should remove the inner forestay. He said it was not needed whilst cruising around the harbour.. I removed (it is very easy to reinstall, if required), it has made a huge difference. Previously the jib would regularly catch on it during a tack etc. Now the jib comes an across easily and thus making tacking single handedly a lot easier. Regards Rick

[@sailingelleray]

Hi Rick, That's very interesting. Have you had any dramas offshore when the wind is up? There's a Cav30 moored near me that doesn't have the inner forestay so I wonder how vital it is. Anything to make tacking easier single-handed is a good thing in my books! Thanks for watching. Tony

[@richardjoy5060]

I have taken my Cav offshore numerous times in 20+kt NE albeit only for a few hours or so and have never had any problems. My sailmaker told me the inner forestay was only there to help to straighten the mast ( reduce the bend in the middle) and hence keep the forestay tighter and increase point ability, whilst racing. He did say, if you are going off shore "full time" it be worth using. I might see you on the water sometime, my Cav is moored in Woodford Bay.

[@sailingelleray]

@@richardjoy5060 Thanks for getting back to me. A friend who races his Cav is big on adjusting the inner forestay so that's interesting. Woodford Bay is a popular spot. Please give me a shout if you see me out and about and I'll pop over and say hi. All the best, Tony.

[@johnpublic168]

tried it with and without. it's a must have for single handing.

[@sailingelleray]

Yes I totally agree.

[@Inamorata.367]

Best improvement we ever did.

[@sailingelleray]

Hi Richard, Apart from my new engine, I totally agree! Thanks for watching.

[@boondog8504]

Hell yes they are. If you run them through blocks mounted on the spreader a foot or so from the mast, the battens won’t hang up when you raise the main.

[@sailingelleray]

I've never seen that done before. Sounds like a good solution. Thanks for watching!

[@bryllupsfotofilm]

Love it. I just got my first sailboat a 24 ft avance 245. I will change the genoa. for a self tacking jib and i will set a lazybag. I guess will be more enjoyable learning curve.

[@sailingelleray]

Congratulations on the new boat! I just had a look at the Avance 245 and it looks like a really good prospect. For what it's worth, although some people don't like lazy jacks, for single-handed, It just makes sense. Where are you based?

[@bryllupsfotofilm]

@@sailingelleray oslo fiord, norway. How much does its cost a lazybag like yours?

[@sailingelleray]

@@bryllupsfotofilm I bought mine 2 years ago and paid AU$870. There normally would have been an installation charge but I was getting some other stuff done so it was not charged. You can certainly do it by yourself if you're able to get up the mast. You've got some amazing sailing areas where you are. I hope to get there one day. Thanks for watching! Tony.

[@Makraska]

I used to, like the prev. owner, take the halyard shackle to the end of the boom. A much better solution, if you already have a topping lift (the previous owner did not), is attaching it to the spinnaker pole ring in front of the mast. Less walking on the deck...

[@sailingelleray]

@@Makraska do you get the halyard mast-slapping at night?

[@Makraska]

@@sailingelleray Pulled away from the mast by a bungee cord.

[@ratusbagus]

Hoisting with minimal batten snagging: 1.Head to wind on autopilot, set the main traveller fully to port or starboard. Ie. Choose your first tack. 2.Sheet in enough so that the boom is loose but it's not possible for the it to come across the cockpit and take your head off. 3. Unset autopilot. Steer the boat so that the boom is "head to wind". Set the autopilot. 4. Pull up the main halyard. Lazyjack/batten snag opportunity is much reduced. 5. Consider setting a reef. 6. Unset auto, then steer the bow toward the lee side (the boom side) and the sail will set. Set autopilot and trim the main-sheet. 7. Deploy Jib/Genoa. 8. Cross furl the main halyard ready for dropping. I thing you missed this in your vid. 9. Depending on weather, time for tea. ATB Bill

[@sailingelleray]

Ratus Bagus? That's a great handle! Yes the joys of auto helm/pilot. DreamTime also mentions this in his comment but unfortunately there is no such luxury on my boat. You raise some good points with the traveller that I might have a crack at next time. I've never heard of 'cross furling the main halyard'. Are you able to explain this please? Thanks for watching!

[@ratusbagus]

@@sailingelleray it's called flaking, or figure eighting. Cross coil the halyard in figure 8s around your hand and a winch before stowing it NEATLY the right way up. Before you drop sail unstow the flaked halyard and PLACE it on the floor or bench the right way up and it will unflake without a single twist or loop and with minimum friction through the clutches and blocks. Make this muscle memory. I don't race and flake my halyard before any other operation ...like deploying the next sail. It takes less than 20 seconds. As in the very last method shown here. kzbin.info/www/bejne/aGSWZHmcbax9etk ALWAYS flaking the mainsail neatly and tightly trains it to want to drop this way. Try to leave it stored with the same flakes. Adjust the lazyjacks so that they're not acting as the topping lift.

[@ratusbagus]

I don't know your boat but it could have a wheel stop/clutch or tiller pilot or tiller stop.....or rig lashes.

[@sepharad58]

Great video, just had one installed nd have yet to use it. Thnks for the explntion.

[@sailingelleray]

You're most welcome. You'll be very impressed by how much it makes life easier! Thanks for watching. Tony.

[@stevenbodum3405]

if you mount the lazy jack to the middle of the saling at the top, its much easier.

[@andreaspaul9138]

Danke. Schöne Erklärung.

[@sailingelleray]

You're Welcome! Thanks for watching. Tony

[@philbookallil3194]

Thanks for the great video. I am looking into new sails for 2023. Looks like a good setup. I have been getting quicker at lowing and flaking in the traditional way. Do you think it would effect twilight racing performance? Also are you out on Sydney Harbour over this holiday period?

[@sailingelleray]

Hi Phil, I'm not sure that it would help unless you're reefing or shaking out a reef during a race. It would certainly make it a bit easier to control the sail as it comes down for these reasons. I've only ever raced on lasers (which you're super familiar with) and Quests which haven't required any kind of mid-race main fiddling so I couldn't answer with any authority. As a mainly single-handed sailor, I just love that I can drop the main with one hand and go on to handle the other things that I have to on the boat. This is particularly great offshore if things are getting dicey or I'm getting fatigued and want to motor. If you give Greg at Rolly Tasker Australia a call he's very experienced and can talk you through what's best for your purposes without the hard sell. He's very familiar with the Cav28. The boom bag/lazy jacks were not expensive (I used the existing mainsail). I put most of my money into a new genoa and furler.

[@sailingelleray]

Hi Phil, in answer to the second question, yes I've spent a fair bit of time on the boat and hope to be retiring next weekend. I've been trialling my new inflatable kayak in Lake Burley Griffin so I'm keen to get it on the harbour. Thanks for suggesting it!

[@philbookallil3194]

@@sailingelleray Great to hear about the Kayak... I have one too but not used it with the Cav. So far we use SUPs (We have 3 of them). These work really well for day sailing as a Tender. I paddle out get on board. Dry it on the deck. Then once in sailing mode place it inside as far into the bow as possible. From there it is completely out of the way. We can fit 2 inside like this on family days so we can transport to shore (Most of the time lunch at Manly).

[@jasonfrodoman1316]

I sail 35 feet solo all the time. Seems like these lazy jacks might be too much work. If you have to go on deck at all, why not just wrap a bungie around the sail and deal with packing later. At least thats what I have been doing. Plus hoisting looks like it could be a hassle with batons getting caught up. Not sure if I'm sold.

[@sailingelleray]

Hi Jason, Yes the hoisting can be a nuisance. A few people have commented that they set the auto helm and that frees them up to hoist without snagging. I don't have auto helm so it can be a bit of work on occasion but this is outbalanced by the ease in which the sail comes down and doesn't fall all over the deck. I used to do the bungie thing on my old boat and I know which one I prefer... How do you go handling the 35 by yourself? Is there anything I should be watchful for if I decide to go bigger? Thanks for joining the conversation. All the best, Tony.

[@jasonfrodoman1316]

@@sailingelleray My boat is from the 70s. Halyard winches on mast. Hank on head sails. On the way out I lock down wheel under power. On the way in, I drop the head sail first. Then start engine before dropping the main. I pack everything nicely while motoring in. But for an old man, I seem to be doing a lot of running around. Especially if the wind is high. LOL. A single solo sailor lady slipped near me uses your system on her Erickson 27 ( I think its a 27 ). She loves the lazy jacks. But she has some sort of detachable autopilot gizmo that she hooks to her tiller. She built her own lazy jack setup also. For myself, I need the exercise, so I will just keep running the decks. But I grew up sailing the old-school way....

[@sailingelleray]

@@jasonfrodoman1316 Thanks for getting back to me. You clearly manage your boat well and I think that everyone can learn from that. Much appreciated, Tony.

[@jasonfrodoman1316]

@@sailingelleray Thanks Tony. Seems a common problem for all boat owners, power or sail, is getting a crew together right? Especially for sailing. So we a just do what works best to enjoy our passion. I am really respectful of all the solo sailors traversing the globe. Its my goal also. I'm still hopeful. Cheers.

[@jxdigital]

The boom bag appears to be too short. Did the sail maker provide no solution for part of the sail sticking out at the end? Other than that, nice setup!

[@sailingelleray]

Thank you. Yes I agree that it does look a bit short but the end of the boom bag does in fact close completely around the end of the sail. There are tabs on the end of the bag that I run line through to close it up tightly if I'm away from the boat for any length of time (to stop birds getting in). Thanks for watching!

[@brettharman8921]

why not ease the tension on the jacks for hoisting, and tension when dropping?

[@sailingelleray]

Yes that would work well. Thanks for watching.

[@karelvandervelden8819]

Sometimes less is more. After allmost 50 years of boatownership (28 and 36 footers) I prefer to sail without them (also solo).

[@sailingelleray]

Hi and thanks for watching. Can I ask if you use autopilot on our boat? I'm always keen to hear how other solo sailors handle their boats.

[@karelvandervelden8819]

@@sailingelleray Hello; Nowadays with better batteries and such its more practical to go electrical. Especially with your size of boat and use.

[@karelvandervelden8819]

@@sailingelleray On larger longer distance boats wind driven autohelms are still preferred. (I do)

[@sailingelleray]

@@karelvandervelden8819 Yes I'm a coastal cruiser so a wind vane would be overkill. Thanks for your feedback, Tony.

[@johnpublic168]

sailed with and without.. yes they are worth it..

[@sailingelleray]

Hi John, I couldn't go back now that I've been spoiled! Thanks for watching.

[@tomhermens7698]

NO. IN MAST OR IN BOOM FURLING. Lazy Jack's is more maintenence and more things to go wrong. Boom is probably best.

[@sailingelleray]

Thanks for the comment. I had boom furling on my last boat and I quite liked it. All the best. T.

[@84Rabbitz]

Till your out and a gale kicks up and your in mast binds and you can't get it in. Get de-masted and have to call the coast guard. No thanks.