Swallow Yachts Forum > Technical
Raising and lowering the main
Michael Rogers:
Name-calling is not my style, Colin, but I walked into that one.
Actually, you've raised an interesting point. Lazy jacks are essential to junk rig, for reefing. My Storm Petrel Cadenza is junk rigged (I was out this afternoon, and had occasion to reef because of a squall under a black rain cloud). And I lower my mast. LJs are the least 'tidy' aspect of my rigging and de-rigging, and I am still trying to work out how deal with them most neatly: I'm sure there's a simple solution somehow, and will let you know when I've cracked it.
Of course, I'm on a relatively small scale (14 ft mast). Robin Blain, the founder of the Junk Rig Association, will shortly take delivery of a BayCruiser 20 hull, which he intends to junk rig with a lower-able mast (he trail-sails). I will ask him what he does by way of 'tidy' LJs, in case that helps.
Cheers
(SP Cadenza + T12 in build)
Tony:
--- Quote from: Michael Rogers on 07 Jul 2011, 00:40 ---LJs are the least 'tidy' aspect of my rigging and de-rigging, and I am still trying to work out how deal with them most neatly: I'm sure there's a simple solution somehow,
--- End quote ---
Here is the system I use on the lug rigged Four Sisters. It acts as a topping lift, lazy jack and courtesy flag halyard all in one.
Indgredients:
• one long bit of string
• one short bit (you might want 2 short bits and hang the expense),
• bullnose screwed to the mast head,
• small snapshackle ,
• turning block
• jamb cleat,
All were rescued from failed projects - oh – except the bullnose. I blagged that off Matt when he wasn’t looking.
Method:
1. Fix the bullnose to the masthead. (You could use a small block- but why get complicated?)
2. Tie the long bit of string to it and run it down to the snap shackle fixed to the aft end of the boom.
3. Run it back up, through the bullnose, then down again to the turning block at the base of the mast and finally, aft to the jamb cleat.
On Four Sisters the yard is longer than the boom so that is all that is needed to control it when hoisting or lowering. The string marked ( D) is a highly technical and expensively engineered addition to stop the lowered sail catching the wind or falling off the cabin top into the sea when lowered.
Use the short string(D) to tie a bowline or a rolling hitch around (C) then pull forwards until you have made enough of an angle. Then tie it off at the foward end of the boom. You might want to use tiny snap shackles or stainless steel rings instead of the knots if you cant stay out of the chandlers. For a sprit boom sail use a duplicate (D) string the other side of the sail with its rolling hitch at (A). ( I don’t need to stand the extra expense of this as the mast is there to catch the sail for me.)
Come to think of it, on a sprit boom sail it might work better if the (D) strings are fixed to the base of the mast. That way when you remove the sail and boom all the string can be hauled up tight against the mast to stop it getting snarled up when you drop the mast.
Thought for the day:
If you give a hundred monkeys a hundred lazyjack systems for a hundred years ...would you get a macramé jump suit?
Tony:
Here is a pic of the thing in action in the grey light of dawn.
NB only one (D) string in use....and it was the photographer who had taken on a list, not the boat. (Hard night at the Lawrenny Arms.)
Michael Rogers:
To misquote Prof Higgins in My Fair Lady - 'I think he's got it! By Jove he's got it!'. That's very clever, Tony, and most helpful. It's given me ideas to improve my lazy jacks considerably. When we eventually meet, the first pint at least is on me.
Two related chandlery queries. 1) You mention 'tiny' snap shackles. I suppose tiny is a relative term, but can anyone point me to a supplier of something really small of this kind? I found some small snap hooks (mini carbine hooks, really) on e-Bay. They are alloy of some sort, seem to be anodised or something similar. They are OK, but possibly a bit flimsy. I'd rather have SS if I can get it. 2) does anyone know of bullnose-type of lead (a screwable down ring) which can be opened to slip a line into it without having to thread the whole length of line through from one side: and then can be closed into a ring again, obviously? (I hope I've made that rather laboriously clear?)
Academia thought for the day
Two PhD subjects waiting to be picked up by some eager beaver. 1) The influence of lazy jack systems on Florentine Art in the 16th and 17th centuries. (Might be quite a short thesis I think.)
2) The rise and fall of the string vest.
The second one might appeal to you, Tony?
Tony:
--- Quote from: Michael Rogers on 08 Jul 2011, 10:34 ---
When we eventually meet, the first pint at least is on me.
--- End quote ---
Now you re talking!
(Note to self: arrange first meeting somewhere with a few decent guest bitters on hand pumps.)
Split ring leads - do you mean the sort of thing they used to use for jib hanks before someone invented the Wykeham Martin roller furling gear? (Was it Martin...or Wykeham?) Try http://www.classicmarine.co.uk . If they dont have it they ll make it for you. (At a price)
String vests?
In the early sixties I had a girlfriend who used to buy em from M&S, dye them and wear them as a mini-dress. (Yorkshire lasses - didnt feel the cold.)
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