# How to set up lazy jacks



## ilikerust (Apr 19, 2010)

Anybody got a link to a good resource that shows a good way to set up lazy jacks? 

I've got an older boat with a roller-reefing boom that I want to convert to traditional reefing, with lazy jacks. I'm looking for a reference that shows how to set up a good system of lazy jacks. 

Thanks!


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## SailingWebGuy (May 5, 2010)

Give this a try

http://www.harken.com/pdf/4059.pdf


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## ccriders (Jul 8, 2006)

The July/August 2010 issue of "Good Old Boat" has a very good article on making your own lazy jacks and an article on making a "stackpack". Also at Anything Sailing there is a link for complete instructions on building a "stackpack". 
John


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## newhaul (Feb 19, 2010)

heres a good reference page for making your own
Tips - Lazy Jacks


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## fordo (Jul 3, 2006)

The rigger I use (Dave Thompson of Eggars Sails) showed me the Harken system SWG posted above and then made up his own kit; nicopressed the cable fittings and sold me the blocks, cleats and line. Most important he explained how to do everything; measuring the placing of the fittings, tapping and threading the holes for mounting the fittings on the mast and boom, setting it up and using it. He saved me a lot of money. 

It works very well; It is out of the way when sailing, deploys easily and keeps the main in check. An absolute necessity for single handing.


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## SailingWebGuy (May 5, 2010)

fordo said:


> The rigger I use (Dave Thompson of Eggars Sails) showed me the Harken system SWG posted above and then made up his own kit; nicopressed the cable fittings and sold me the blocks, cleats and line. Most important he explained how to do everything; measuring the placing of the fittings, tapping and threading the holes for mounting the fittings on the mast and boom, setting it up and using it. He saved me a lot of money.
> 
> It works very well; It is out of the way when sailing, deploys easily and keeps the main in check. An absolute necessity for single handing.


I was thinking about doing the same this spring. How many hours did it take ya?


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## nickmerc (Nov 2, 2008)

I set up my own retractable lazy jack system for about $100 and 4 hours of work. I am in the process of moving so I do not know where my NAS drive with the pictures is at this time. I will work on writing a quick reference on this later today and post it. It was very easy and one of my favorite low cost projects I have done.
________
thai property in Pattaya


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## fordo (Jul 3, 2006)

It took me about six hours working slowly and carefully with the mast already down. Doing it again would take me less than half the time.


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## BeneteauMark (Nov 7, 2002)

Instead of dealing with wire and swages, I made my lazy jacks purely from line using Splicing Nuts. I like that the system has some elasticity.


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## Liquorice (Nov 28, 2007)

Going back to the original thread, I'm not sure how traditional reefing and lazy-jacks are related.
Lazy jacks just control the mass of main sail when lowering it. They are not involved with the reefing process.
With your roller reefing boom, (I've never sailed on a boat with this method of reefing - so I'm speculating a bit) I assume you would need to put in reefing cringles and reinforcing patches on the main sail, as well as reefing nettles in the body of the sail. Also, rams horns at the tack and/or lines from tack and clew down the boom.
All this is doable of course, just needs a little time and effort and a little forethought to get it right.
For instance, both the lazy jack lines and the reefing lines will be on the boom somehow! You will need to prethink this, so they don't interfere with each other.
Have a look at other sailboats to see how they do it. I've got both and it works fine. I suspect the most difficult part is sewing the reefing patches and putting in the cringles.


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## Paysay (Apr 4, 2007)

I put Lazy Jacks on my boat two years ago and I love them.

I designed a four part Lazy jacks system for a boom almost 16 feet long. The attachment points on the mast should have been placed so that the lazy jack would hold the end of your baton as the sail is furled. I didn't consider this and attached my lazy jacks just beyond the end of the baton (I have a full batoned main), allowing the end of the baton to fall off the boom. I'll fix that in the spring.

One thing I did right was to use a control line. My Lazy jacks are attched to the mast just below the lower spreader. I've never found a majic formula for determining where the lazy jacks are attached to the mast, but I'd suggest 1.5 to 2 times the boom length above the goose neck. At that point I mounted a Harken #233 Micro Block on the mast and ran the control line back to the goose neck with enought slack to allow the lazy jacks to be hauled down. A major complaint with Lazy Jacks is getting the baton caught on the lazy jacks as the main goes up. I can release the control line and gather the lazy jacks up to the control line cleat near the goose neck before I run the sail up. You'lll want this feature!

This cleat also secures the control line. Many plans show this mounted on the mast. *Don't do it!* Instead, mount it on the boom 12 to 18 inches from the mast. This keeps the control line away from the mast so it won't slapping at anchor.

It's a great DIY project and worth the effort. Good luck.


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## catamount (Sep 8, 2002)

My lazy jacks are made of spectra line with eye splices -- no hardware what-so-ever (except where the lines attach to the spars). No hardware to chafe on the sails, and the slippery spectra line also helps reduce chafe. They are re-tractable, too. They were made up for my by Chesapeake Rigging in Annapolis.


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## Paysay (Apr 4, 2007)

No luck posting a picture of my Lazy Jacks, but I must make a correction: I attached my Lazy Jacks below the top spreader, not the lower spreader.


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## sailingdog (Mar 19, 2006)

I've written about it on my blog.


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## arf145 (Jul 25, 2007)

catamount said:


> My lazy jacks are made of spectra line with eye splices -- no hardware what-so-ever (except where the lines attach to the spars). No hardware to chafe on the sails, and the slippery spectra line also helps reduce chafe. They are re-tractable, too. They were made up for my by Chesapeake Rigging in Annapolis.


Catamount, what kind of eyelets are you attaching to on the boom and the mast? Looking to do this and need the details!

Thanks.


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## Pogo-2 (Jan 3, 2006)

*ezjax system*

Goto Lazy Jack System - EZ-JAX I used their system this summer on a Newport 30 and it worked great.
Capt Al


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## catamount (Sep 8, 2002)

arf145 said:


> Catamount, what kind of eyelets are you attaching to on the boom and the mast? Looking to do this and need the details!


Something like this (RF1057):










(image from APS Ltd.)

But really any kind of eyestrap would work. There shouldn't been much load on your lazy jacks...


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## arf145 (Jul 25, 2007)

Thanks, Catamount. But now I see I have a couple of other questions:

1. Just so I understand, you have a cleat on the boom near the gooseneck, and the point where the line is attached to the mast is fixed. You loosen the blue line to release, but what keeps the now loose lines from flapping around? Do you attach the eye from the blue to red junction to the cleat or something?

2. What size spectra did you use?

Tom


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## catamount (Sep 8, 2002)

Yes, on mine, the attachment to the mast is fixed (I'm not sure I like this, though).

When we are retracting the lazy jacks, I loosen the "blue" line from the cleat that is on the bloom, gather the flapping lines and pull everything down and hook them (all the lines) under the reefing horns at the gooseneck (but could just hook them under the cleats on the boom if those are far enough forward), then I tighten the blue line again so that everything stays hooked, and belay the line to cleat again.

The line is a 12-strand single-braid about a 1/4" in diameter--probably much larger than you need from a strength perspective, but makes for easier handling. The eyes are made with short splices that are covered with heatshrink.


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