Our FAVORITE TRICK to Make Raising the Mainsail EASIER!
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If you want to go sailing, you need to raise the mainsail. It can be like an intricate dance, and it's incredibly frustrating when that dance gets interrupted due to a questionable lazy jack design.
We've come up with a way move the lazy jacks outboard and create a lot more room to raise the main. No more having to lower and try again or wait and hope for the batten to spring free!
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@chuckmader9333 Жыл бұрын
Raising the main today in some juicy seas was a pain in the butt bc if our lazy jacks. I think I’ll be trying this in the future. Thanks much!
@allynonderdonk7577 Жыл бұрын
Genius main halyard hack. A swivel!!!!!! David dude so calm filming a video up a mast. You are my demi-hero.
@OutChasingStars Жыл бұрын
It's funny how the little things make such a big difference! 😄 And there may have been a not so calm attempt at filming this during a windier day...
@dougmarder Жыл бұрын
Somebody needs to write a book, "101 Uses for Antifriction Rings on a Boat". Good solution. I have even seen them anchored into the spreaders rather than the stays, but I think this is a safer way of spreading the load (although more points of failure). Replacing the Dyneema lines and loops and a couple of antifriction rings is much cheaper than replacing a damaged spreader.
@OutChasingStars Жыл бұрын
You're only limited by your imagination in using boat equipment for unintended purposes! 😂 I do agree with you about the method using low friction rings being a better way to spread the load. We had originally considered mounting the lazy jacks on the spreader but were worried about potential damage in the event of a shock load.
@WEsail Жыл бұрын
Great video, very helpful (been having constant chafe problems with the main halyard when the main is fully up)
@meatmwax Жыл бұрын
Another thing we've started doing recently is hand raising at the mast by pulling on the halyard. I can easily pull it past all the common "stuck" points on our lazy jack in 5 seconds. And I can see it better.
@OutChasingStars Жыл бұрын
Being able to get the main up faster would definitely help combat the "stuck in the lazy jack" frustration, but our solution was born of a "having to raise the main in big seas in the middle of the ocean" mindset. In that case, I don't want to be up at the mast if at all possible. But why not go for the best of both worlds? Move the lazy jacks out to make life easier in rough conditions, but go up to the mast when it's calm and have a bit more fun! 😉
@monicapuccetti3310 Жыл бұрын
Brilliant idea thank you for sharing, it’s being added to the to do list for our Seawind 1160 today 👍 can’t wait to get the bloody battens stuck less
@OutChasingStars Жыл бұрын
It really does make raising the main a significantly less frustrating procedure!
@shaneharvey1026 Жыл бұрын
Our Leopard 40 came configured like this. Presumably the previous owner Made the change. Great setup and it helps immensely. Thanks for sharing.
@OutChasingStars Жыл бұрын
The previous owner definitely did you a favor! Keeping the lazy jacks attached at the mast is definitely easier for manufactures, but a little effort into a change like this would make life so much easier for the owners.
@HighFlight2k2 Жыл бұрын
I've only ever chartered a cat but I found setting the autopilot to 0 degree offset from the wind helps too. It kept the boat dead into the wind better than this mere mortal can. :)
@OutChasingStars Жыл бұрын
The autopilot is definitely a big help, but there will still be days when the wind is just shifty or the waves are bouncing you around enough that the main just wants to act like a petulant child... 😂
@HighFlight2k2 Жыл бұрын
@@OutChasingStars For sure! Our last charter was SOOO frustrating to raise the main. Great job on this design!!!
@chrismehling9968 Жыл бұрын
Excellent video David! I've read your blog on this in the past, but the video makes it extremely clear. TY!
@OutChasingStars Жыл бұрын
Glad to hear it Chris! This is one of those boat projects that is a bit easier to show visually than describe in words. 😀
@keithbores4146 Жыл бұрын
Love it! Your videos are always so informative
@HopeOfJoe Жыл бұрын
Niiiiiiiiiiiiiiice tricks 🎉🎉🎉😊
@PaulBKal Жыл бұрын
Brilliant!
@vanzeitz3545 Жыл бұрын
Excellent video! I’ve never seen this trick before! I hate it when the battens get caught. No matter how short you trim and tuck them they always seem to reach out and grab those lazy jack lines.
@OutChasingStars Жыл бұрын
Exactly! When the lazy jacks are so narrow, it's almost impossible to get the main up without snagging one!
@Boody523 Жыл бұрын
Brilliant!! TY
@Lifes-Adventures Жыл бұрын
Great idea to widen the lazy jacks! Have you ever tried raising the main while still on anchor or mooring?
@OutChasingStars Жыл бұрын
We have raised the main while at anchor or on a mooring but it can be a little bit trickier since we try to get the main on the leeward side of our topping lift for the angle we're going to be sailing. If the main isn't feeling super cooperative, that can require us to rotate the boat to get some help from the wind. Hence it's a little bit easier to do that when we have room to motor and maneuver.
@kirkb3473 Жыл бұрын
We've had good success with pulling one side down and tying off at the mast then head off a few degrees instead of head on into the wind and then letting the wind be your friend. Super simple, just need to remember to put them back : ) Good tip though!
@OutChasingStars Жыл бұрын
That would work too. But is just one more step to have to remember. 😉
@USA4thewin 6 ай бұрын
what are some of the reasons i can look into when raising the main sail ,, . on my boat a smaller 25ft it always seems very difficult to raise or lower the main sail always stressful especially when i have someone new on the boat scares them
@sailingcoronado Жыл бұрын
We love the lazy jacks set-up, it’s now on our “todo” list when we haul-out this summer. Do you know anyone who’s used your set-up on a Lagoon 450? We’d love to get their feedback for our boat. We’re on our way from Inagua to FTL, we’ll wave as we sail by Hog Cay! 👋
@OutChasingStars Жыл бұрын
Hope you’re tucked in somewhere at the moment. A big blow is coming through the Bahamas tonight! And unfortunately, I don’t know anyone specifically on a L450 who has made this modification. But as I said, I have faith you can figure it out! 😉
@roberttorres809 Жыл бұрын
Nice quirk; talk about smooth sailing..
@BrianLockett Жыл бұрын
I have no idea why this video appeared in my recommendations. Watched it for the relaxing scenery, anyways.
@OutChasingStars Жыл бұрын
KZfaq's algorithm is weird sometimes... Glad you enjoyed the scenery at least!
@TPLeary Жыл бұрын
That’s an awesome 2:1 main halyard becket attachment to the mast 😂 I’m happy you focused on that upgrade, it’s important to be aware of this great upgrade that could possibly be costly if the 2:1 Main parted because of the accumulated twists. FYI that’s an Eye/Clevis swivel shackle from Tylaska. BTW: The coating that I applied on the mast still looks pretty good Great video today from aloft SH. I was hoping you would film those beautiful new solar panels from the masthead. Next time Enjoy your lovely warm weather
@waterwingssailing Жыл бұрын
OCS, Would like to know if you're worried about chafing from the halyard shackle? Have you had to place tape or anything over it?
@OutChasingStars Жыл бұрын
Tim Leary - It really is amazing what a difference the swivel makes. And you found us a much better one than we had previously! 😄
@OutChasingStars Жыл бұрын
WaterWings - I always keep a close out for chafe, but I'm not super worried about it with the swivel shackle. There aren't really any sharp edges on it and when the main gets raised, the topping lift goes a bit slack so less likely to be "cutting" into the shackle. And of course, now that I've said that I know the next thing that will chafe on the boat... 😂
@TPLeary Жыл бұрын
@@OutChasingStars Thank you
@ehavlice Жыл бұрын
Great trick! We will be adding that ASAP!
@samo-nx2pl 9 ай бұрын
Why not attaching lazy jack direct to the spreaders?
@WRMannIII Жыл бұрын
Nice video and well done as always. My solution to the twisted main halyard has been to manually untwist the line each time after raising the main. This works perfectly but is a tedious process. I'm now tempted to buy one of these swivel shackles but have concern about whether this swivel shackle is really able to fully keep twists out of the line for several reasons: 1) the swivel shackle rotation is not friction-free, 2) with the swivel shackle under the significant load of the heavy main the friction within the shackle would be raised, and 3) the twisting force of the line is not very strong until it has developed a lot twist. I mention these concerns to sort of 'double check' with you about whether this 'fix' really does eliminate the twist such that the main halyard is truly "twist free". ?? About the lazy jack solution . . . Like you I'd rigged mine up with a wider attachment but without the elegance of your installation. I did this while down here in the Bahamas where I didn't have access to marine hardware. Conceptually I wanted some type of hardware that would allow me to directly attach to the shroud . . like a "U" bolt clamp. This would eliminate the need to run that supporting line all the way up to the top of the mast. I did see some "U" bolt clamps, but the ones I saw were only a clamp w/o any point to attach a line. Maybe someone knows of a hardware item like this (i.e. - a "U" bolt clamp with an attachment ring)? Regarding the low friction rings . . maybe use a small block for less friction?
@OutChasingStars Жыл бұрын
For the twisted main halyard: all I can offer you is our experience (shared by others) that adding the swivel shackle significantly decreased twist in the main halyard. Is it ever going to be completely twist free? No. Especially at the end that goes around the electric winch. But it will certainly prevent situations where the twist at the mast becomes so great that the main physically won't come down. Lazy Jacks: Let's start with the caveat that I'm definitely not a professional rigger... I'd be a bit worried about the compression of a u-bolt on the shroud needed to make sure it doesn't slip if the topping lift fails and the lazy jacks take the shock load of the boom+sail. Also, metal on metal is another area of corrosion concern. Low Friction Rings: Kind of like you, low friction rings were what we had on hand when we did the project. 😄 I slightly prefer low friction rings for this application as the constant force on a block could make for a flat spot. But as I mentioned, I do wish we went with a larger diameter low friction block to make the turning radius bigger.
@douglasrobbie9998 Жыл бұрын
Does having the top of the lazy jack 3' from the mast cause any stress on one of the lines, let's say when you are on a broad reach since it is now a longer distance to attachment point on stack pack vs distance when boom is centered?
@waterwingssailing Жыл бұрын
Great question. following.
@OutChasingStars Жыл бұрын
I think any additional stress is probably minimal compared to the overall safe working load of the line used for the lazy jacks. And as we move to different sailing angles, the angle of the boom changes as well, usually being pulled upwards which would help slacken the lazy jacks. One thing I should have shown in this video but forgot is that the lazy jacks are secured at the base of a mast using a cleat. So if you're particularly worried about stressing them on different points of sail, you could always just loosen then a bit.
@marktaylor484 Жыл бұрын
Excellent hacks.
@en8581 Жыл бұрын
Great video as always! Did you consider connecting them on bottom of the spreader? I heard some people do that. Would not be 6 feet wide but perhaps 3-4 feet wide, Do you think that would be a good compromise solution?
@waterwingssailing Жыл бұрын
Came to the comments for the same question...so following. It's a great idea but wondering about advantages/disadvantages to this connection point.
@OutChasingStars Жыл бұрын
Using the bottom of the spreader was the first method Spike and I considered. At the time, we weren't sure how the spreaders were supported and were worried about the spreaders taking the full force of the boom/sail if something happened to our topping lift. Our method of using the dyneema "lift" line all the way up to the cap shroud tang is incredibly strong and I don't have to worry about damaging the spreaders. In general, I'd say that any extra width you can get for the lazy jacks is a big improvement, but if you want to use the spreaders for mounting, make sure you're quite comfortable they'd be okay handling a sudden shock load.
@oldtimingman7375 Жыл бұрын
Good info...... thank you!! I do have to ask though, what kind of knot did you use to secure your chair? I've spent alot of time climbing and I've never seen a knot like that. Just curious.
@TPLeary Жыл бұрын
That would be called a "bowline on a bight"
@OutChasingStars Жыл бұрын
The first person who taught me to go up the mast actually used a triple bowline with an extra half hitch and then secured the free end loop in the carabiner. So probably overkill compared to a bowline on a bight but I have used the extra loop to hold tools and things while on the mast before.
@JeffreyFay Жыл бұрын
I installed a wireless remote on my winch. I just stand next to the boom and raise the main in one shot. $15 from amazon.
@OutChasingStars Жыл бұрын
I'm quite interested in this. Do you have a brand/model number for the remote?
@JeffreyFay Жыл бұрын
@@OutChasingStars If you get 2, you can use channel "B" to operate the dinghy winch....
@OutChasingStars Жыл бұрын
Hmm... I think I may be missing a comment. Did you try to leave a link to the remote?
@howtodave1725 Жыл бұрын
No way would I let my wife wench me 60 feet in the air without a backup rope so I could come down on my own. Oh, I can hear it now "I am pushing the down button but nothing is happening, I am going down below to check the fuse". She would be downstairs with her earbuds in shopping on Amazon while face timing her sister saying I can't believe he fell for it. Thank goodness we say you make it down.
@OutChasingStars Жыл бұрын
I may need to hide this comment to prevent Amy from getting any ideas... 😂
@elysiumsailing Жыл бұрын
Now you are adding things to my to-do list for my boat, which is already long enough. I am going to have to unsubscribe now 😆 Just kidding, but these are good suggestions!
@OutChasingStars Жыл бұрын
We both know the to-do list is never ending! 😂 But I'm trying to add only helpful projects to the list!
@elysiumsailing Жыл бұрын
@@OutChasingStars I can't disagree with that. I just spent the last week on our little catamaran down in Bocas del Toro, she is getting so close to going back into the water! After two years of a refit, it is time. But patience is a virtue when trying to get things done down hwre.
Lady K Sailing
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