Stupid question not covered in any book I've read

Paul · Post by **Paul** » Wed Oct 12, 2011 9:21 pm

All right you guys... I see your pictures, main all nicely folded on the boom. I've tried it and the slick-as-snot sail material always dumps off one side or the other leaving me with a wad of sail cascading into the hatch/cockpit. Sailors of other vessels point and laugh at the ineptitude. What's the secret???????

Paul who plans on going sailing saturday and wants to get better at it.

J. Austin · Post by **J. Austin** » Wed Oct 12, 2011 9:24 pm

Lazy jacks!

Harken makes a great kit.

CaptainScott · Post by **CaptainScott** » Wed Oct 12, 2011 10:30 pm

j42goose wrote:Lazy jacks!

Harken makes a great kit.

LOL! Best answer!

OK, let me try to explain. Not sure it will work though . . ..
IF you have two folks it is easier!!! Especially when learning!
Also practice a couple of times in dead calm wind!!!!!!!

First of all, do you have a topping lift or the ability to support your boom from the aft end? If so, good. If not, look into it.

OK, your buddy is at the mast with the main up and the main halyard loosened from the cleat and ready for very slow lowering. As he/she lowers the sail SLOWLY you are at the aft end of the boom with three or four lengths of ropes to use as sail ties all in your hand.

What you do is pull gently aft on the main as you flake or fold it left and right over the boom. After a couple of folds, wrap a tie. Continue to move forward, couple of folds, add a tie until you get to the mast.

It really helps if your helper at the mast folds their end at the same time.

Remember nice even folds. The sail comes over the boom nicely right at the each slug!

I hope that helps! Maybe a UTUBE search would be better. The term is flaking the main.

Scott

lecker68 · Post by **lecker68** » Thu Oct 13, 2011 2:31 pm

I made lazy jacks for My Getaway and works well you do need a topping lift or a boomkicker lazy jacks should be slightly loose and as you let the main halyard down pull aft on the sail and it flakes well and then the sail cover goes on easy.

LeatherneckPA · Post by **LeatherneckPA** » Thu Oct 13, 2011 3:03 pm

Oh man, where was that article? Either Good Old Boat or Practical Sailor had a great article on making your own set of lazy jacks. They even color-coded the different lines used. I have GOT to get around to organizing my back issues so I can find stuff like this.

skyking · Post by **skyking** » Thu Oct 13, 2011 3:31 pm

Here is a neat system that I saw at the Annapolis sailboat show..

http://www.thesailingchannel.tv/ussbs05 ... ssbs05.htm

Banshi · Post by **Banshi** » Thu Oct 13, 2011 4:51 pm

I use the method Scott described, which is to secure it as you work your way forward with some bungee cords or what ever you have handy.

trev · Post by **trev** » Thu Oct 13, 2011 5:27 pm

I have the Dutchman system that Skyking linked to on my Cal 2-25. It is easy to use and the sail flakes perfectly once the sail is trained.

EmergencyExit · Post by **EmergencyExit** » Thu Oct 13, 2011 5:28 pm

I have this link in my bookmarks, still on my project list...
http://slowflight.net/upgrades/lazyjacks_how-to.html

these are handy for sail wrapping, and they can be chained together to make longer ones
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Cargoloc-10-B ... e/16930204

lecker68 · Post by **lecker68** » Thu Oct 13, 2011 6:20 pm

first is good old boat and second is easy jacks which is what I did.

http://www.goodoldboat.com/reader_servi ... tamers.php

http://www.ezjax.com/index.html

Capt. Bondo · Post by **Capt. Bondo** » Fri Oct 14, 2011 10:39 am

We have a Sail Lash Centipede

http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs/st ... sNum=10216

Very convient.

CaptainScott · Post by **CaptainScott** » Fri Oct 14, 2011 10:43 am

Hey EE!

Funny you should bring up Slow Flight!
He is a buddy of mine!
That is a Catalina 22 he had! He just recently sold it to buy a Catalina 27!

He is also the guy that did the painting of Destiny for Diane and I!
He is in Oak Harbor now!

Small world!
Scott

EmergencyExit · Post by **EmergencyExit** » Fri Oct 14, 2011 11:50 am

Small world indeed !