Ep 53: Lowering Main Single Handed

[@peterblakeney1370]

I watch a lot of sailing channel’s, but yours is by far the most informative 👍

[@CarpeDiemSailingMagazine]

Wow, thanks!

[@gtrim995]

As a music teacher for over 30 years, I appreciate your efficient, concise method of teaching. I purchased my first boat (a Westsail 28) a few years back, & have been learning to sail single hand. I find your videos are more informative, & have helped me more than any book, video or even instructor so far. Thank you so much!

[@CarpeDiemSailingMagazine]

Thank you g trim. Love the support.

[@XylozQuin]

@CarpeDiemSailingMagazine To be frank I have been researching sailing, and ATM never sailed. (Fished all my life with motor fishing vessels 16-20ft boats) the idea of sailing to me is very appealing, being able to hold on the wind and fish along the coast solo or with friends and family is a dream. The only issue I have had is the anxiety of dealing with sails, and these videos have really helped my confidence pre purchase. I too am a firm believer in preparedness being calm in situations where most panick and the knowledge these videos have shared is certainly going to be put to good use when i do buy a 25-30ft fixer upper as a first yacht. 🫰real life saver keep doing what you're doing.

[@alwaysforward_WYO]

Judging by some of the comments on here I think I may in the minority of people who dislike lazy jacks on a small boat. As with most things in life, there are various options and opinions. Keep up the good work.

[@CarpeDiemSailingMagazine]

Agreed Always Forward, I'm with you there. Different Strokes... I might like them better on a 46 foot center cockpit boat with boom 12 feet of the deck but I definitely don't need or want them on my present boat (had them and took em off 25 years ago and never felt the urge to put them back up). Like you say though for those that like them I won't argue.

[@AntonioSanchez-tz2cl]

Good tip for flaking the sail ! Thank you

[@CarpeDiemSailingMagazine]

Our pleasure!

[@greggron]

Thanks - very useful video. I have a 25 footer with no lazy jacks and this is exactly what I do apart from I have the topping lift to led to the cockpit so I can raise the boom from there. The main halyard is at the mast. My sail is new so quite stiff and the slugs have yet to wear in despite lube. So, I need to pull the main down, flaking the luff as I go allowing the leach to take care of itself. A downhaul is not necessary as it's another line and hauling that while flaking would require a bit of a juggle. In a blow, I simply get the main down and get a sail tie on soonest about mid way along the boom. I can tidy up at my leisure and more safely at anchor or on my mooring. Lazy jacks are an unnecessary complication in my experience on my length of vessel and only add great convenience when the main drops easily under it's own weight. As for those who are commenting around safety, traffic checks, jackstays etc. at what point must those people accept that a person in charge of a sailboat, especially the solo sailor must at some point engage brain and apply some common sense around their risk assessment? In my humble view, and as reflected through the ages, first and foremost, a sailor is responsible for their vessel and own safety, and a skipper for the safety of the crew. You don't get that from a dumbed down video but from experience.

[@CarpeDiemSailingMagazine]

Thank you for your very pertinent comments. I agree completely. Very refreshing to hear that there are still a few sailors out there using their common sense. I wish you all the best. Fair winds.

[@greggron]

@@CarpeDiemSailingMagazine I come from a nation with a strong maritime heritage, and sail past Nelson’s flagship, HMS Victory whenever I leave harbour. Here it’s known as seamanship, it’s an attitude that has prevailed for centuries.

[@danielhinich5054]

Great video. Thanks. Learned some stuff that will come in handy as I am doing more single handed. Ignore any nit-picking know-it-alls.

[@CarpeDiemSailingMagazine]

Thanks Daniel. Great advice, I appreciate it.

[@charleslassiter6082]

wounderful channel much aprechaited for sharing your thoughts and knowladge on sailing

[@CarpeDiemSailingMagazine]

Thank you 🙏

[@Relay300]

Great video, great series! Thanks very much.

[@CarpeDiemSailingMagazine]

Glad you like them!

[@RichardChambers]

Some useful tips there, thanks. Looks like you might has well not have the halyard run back to the cockpit in your case, seems more useful for those with stack packs and lazy jacks.

[@CarpeDiemSailingMagazine]

Once I have my boom lift or rigid boom-vang all will be well.

[@catspaw3815]

Thanks, Marco

[@CarpeDiemSailingMagazine]

My pleasure. Thank you Cats Paw

[@jaekn]

These are great, thank you so much for the invaluable free info! However, I always have to check my audio for these videos, it only seems to play out of the left speaker :D

[@CarpeDiemSailingMagazine]

Thank you. I have corrected ongoing videos. I was not aware.

[@lancegrenzeback851]

Lazy jacks! Your approach is commendable, but the sequence of lowering, raising and lowering again, with multiple trips from the cockpit to the mast winch, could be challenging if the wind were blowing and the sea state rough. A set of lazy jacks to contain the sail and a single, temporary sail tie from the cockpit would be safer. The main sail can always be re-flaked and tied when you are anchored or (wind direction permitting) berthed.

[@CarpeDiemSailingMagazine]

Thanks for the comment. I had lazy jacks when I first got the boat. Hated them. At least on my boat. With a bigger centre cockpit boat with a tall boom a stack pack and lazy jacks make sense. In heavy weather I’m not too concerned about nice, neat flaking. I’m happy to flake it as it falls and then re raise the sail at the dock and flake it properly then.

[@lancegrenzeback851]

@@CarpeDiemSailingMagazine Re: "I had lazy jacks when I first got the boat. Hated them." That was my opinion of the lazy jacks on my boat when I bought it. It took me three tries to position the lazy jacks (no stack pack) so that they worked effectively. Your episodes are excellent. Keep up the good work!

[@normabaker5837]

I recently purchased a new mainsail for my Catalina 22. It has different type of slugs and unlike my old sail doesn't smoothly drop down. I need to go up and tug it down. I have heard of a line to pull it down ?dowsing? line., but have never seen one rigged . Just what I need, another line. Any advice or source for looking at this? Thanks so much. I have learned a lot from you channel.

[@jimguy08]

You are referring to a "downhaul", which can be used for the mainsail or any other sail halyard. I have one for my hank-on headsails. You might also try to get some sailtrack lubricant like McLube - that can help significantly.

[@CarpeDiemSailingMagazine]

Hi Norma, Thanks for watching and for thee question. I would be very surprised if you need a downhaul on a 22. Couple of questions: Is your new sail fully battened by any chance? Are the slugs plastic? Couple of tips in addition to the McLube mentioned below. Make sure that you are lowering your sail head to wind with topping lift supporting the boom and mainsail and boom-vang eased. It could also be a matter of wearing in. www.harken.com/en/shop/mclube/

[@normabaker5837]

@@CarpeDiemSailingMagazine Thanks for the tips. It is a new sail so hopefully it wears in. The plastic and metal combined slugs seem to be getting stuck on the mast gate mainly.

[@evanderwrites1930]

I just spent 2 months in Cape Town doing RYA training. This is exactly how they had us drop and put away the sail. I guess they’ve never heard of a lazy jack either. What a waste of time. Love all your other videos though 😊

[@CarpeDiemSailingMagazine]

Thanks Evander. Different strokes for different folks. Interesting that RYA and in Cape Town of all places they do the same thing.Personally I do not like lazy jacks on a boat this size (in fact I hate them). They have their place on large centre cockpit boats with high booms. I'm happy with dealing with my mainsail on my boat the way it is (except for the lack of a rigid boom vang, which I will be installing)in all weather. Thanks for the kind feedback regarding my other videos.

[@Bob-mi4ly]

@@CarpeDiemSailingMagazine why the disdain for lazy jacks?

[@CarpeDiemSailingMagazine]

@@Bob-mi4ly Disdain might be a bit strong. I just don't feel that I need them on my size of boat. I had them when I first got the boat and I personally found them to be far more trouble than they were worth. The biggest problem was the battens getting caught on the way up as the sail luffed (full battens probably would not have got snagged). When the sail was lowered they really didn't do much and I could not flake the sail the way I liked it. I have never regretted getting rid of them. But like I said for some bigger boats with long, high booms and heavy fully battened mainsails they might be the answer

[@walterstafford9354]

How about lazy jacks to aid in flaking? Also would keep the sail in place if there is a breeze blowing.

[@CarpeDiemSailingMagazine]

Personally I’m not a fan of lazy jacks, especially for boats under 40-42 feet. I had them on my 32 and hated them. Way more trouble than they’re worth. In a breeze they get in the way of battens, the sail hangs up when raising

[@davidncw4613]

TY!

[@CarpeDiemSailingMagazine]

My pleasure

[@AW9531]

Seems to me that to be optimally rigged for single-handing, a "Dutchman" system might be recommended (for those who do not like lazy jacks & stack packs) to ensure that the sail flakes correctly as it is dropped. Sail-ties can then be used to clean up the bunt.

[@CarpeDiemSailingMagazine]

Once again, like lazy jacks I personally find the Dutchman Flaking system to be more trouble than it's worth. In addition I personally don't like the line running through the sail and all the little plastic reinforcing parts disturbing airflow. When set up correctly it does work well but I have found it finicky and as with all the different flaking systems I just find myself going back to traditional lowering and flaking. It works for me on my boat.

[@beershortage]

i wish you created this video in more challenging conditions, 20knots plus.

[@CarpeDiemSailingMagazine]

This isn’t the first time I’ve had this suggestion. Frankly there isn’t much difference. You just have to be more careful moving around on deck and don’t expect the neatest results 😉

[@brianwilliams7]

all I can say is..all true and well done. but on ocean alone Jacks can really help in a blow. 😎🏴‍☠

[@CarpeDiemSailingMagazine]

For some people and some busts I completely agree. For my situation they’re way more of a pain than a help. I’ve never had any issues lowering my main single handed in any weather so far.

[@markberger5739]

Thanks, what would you do different in a rising gale ? I note you were not clipped on, is there a reason for that?

[@CarpeDiemSailingMagazine]

Good point Mike. I was not clipped in as the conditions were calm and for ease of filming. If the weather was heavier I would be clipped in and I would not bother raising the the sail at the mast to flake it. I would just let it drop and flake on the boom as best I could. Then I would re raise it and flake it properly alongside or in calmer weather. Best practice when single handing is to always be clipped in.

[@markberger5739]

@@CarpeDiemSailingMagazine While I take your point about ease of filming, however as teacher & role model others will tend to follow what they see you do regardless... Having experienced the dangers & difficulties of attempting to tame a lowered mainsail in wild conditions I am surprised you don't install lazy bag & lazy jacks as a safety measure,especially for single-handing, yes they can sometimes snag or tear & need to be managed - perhaps you have other reasons? Perhaps you can do a video about this & safely singe-handing large sails in wild conditions? Also I am very interested in learning more about sleep management on long passages solo as I am contemplating solo trans-pac someday-soonish.

[@24hourtravellers]

We're newbies, how come you lowered the main sail and then had to pull it back up & lower it again?

[@CarpeDiemSailingMagazine]

Thank you for the question 24 Hour Travellers. I'm a bit of a perfectionist and I like a neatly flaked mainsail. Since my halyard is led aft, I drop the sail from the cockpit and when I'm by myself that means that the folds or flakes as we call them, at the mast, may not fall correctly. If you watch my video on lowering the mainsail with crew you will see that we do not re-raise the sail since I have a crew member flaking the sail as it comes down. Hope this clears things up for you. All the best.

[@24hourtravellers]

@@CarpeDiemSailingMagazine this helps a lot thank you

[@CarpeDiemSailingMagazine]

@@24hourtravellers You're welcome. I just checked out your channel. Well done. I love your logo!

[@bradhallam7370]

You just need lazy jacks and a rigid vang to make things much simpler, and safer. This would be impossible if there was any breeze.

[@CarpeDiemSailingMagazine]

Thanks for comment Brad. I agree with the rigid vang but not the lazy jacks at least not on my boat. Had them, hated them. And I have to say that I find your comment about this being impossible in any breeze quite interesting. You know nothing about me and my experience yet you make such a sweeping statement. I have done it in a lot more than a breeze and since by then you’re lowering a double or triple reefed mainsail you don’t have that much cloth to deal with. Having said that in heavier weather I don’t bother flaking at the luff. I just drop it and flake it as best I can. As with all my instruction I start simply to introduce the concepts and then build difficulty into it. Rest assured there will be another in heavier weather. You can judge my ability then.

[@yangyang3175]

honestly in such no wind conditions, whatever ways all work. more educational/useful would be a demonstration of how you do this in at least 15 knots wind

[@CarpeDiemSailingMagazine]

I agree but it’s easier to teach the basics in calm weather. When I get a chance I will do it again in heavier weather.

[@yangyang3175]

@@CarpeDiemSailingMagazine thanks. but I'm afraid that in 15-20 winds, a lot of the techniques won't work. for example, as long as you leave the loose sail and walk back, it's going to get blown up and catches pressure; also more importantly, many boats can't point into wind (especially heavy wind) without an autohelm--- just locking the wheel doesn't work.

[@markberger5739]

try 40+!+++

[@CarpeDiemSailingMagazine]

@@yangyang3175 15-20 knots is not a lot of wind. And I was using autohelm. Once the wind gets heavy it’s just a matter of modifying the technische to suit the conditions. Much of single handing is adapting. Once the wind reaches those strengths you should be double or triple reefed so you’re dealing with a lot less sail cloth.

[@mrwrapper]

Just one comment would be do occasional traffic checks!

[@CarpeDiemSailingMagazine]

I didn’t mention it but was doing it out of habit. Good point. Thank you

[@spaceoddity2485]

who is stearing that boat? the autopilot? Try doing this without autopiolet or engine in high winds

[@CarpeDiemSailingMagazine]

Yes autopilot and I have done this in high winds and without autopilot