EZJAX Lazy Jacks, Anyone have them? Comments

I want to install some kind of lazy jacks on my Cal 34. I'm reluctant to sail as much as I want, because its just to much hassle to drop and wrestle my mainsail when I singlehand. EZJAX claim theirs is the best system. One of the features that interests me is that they can be pulled out of the way when not in use, and they say can be deployed from the cockpit. My local rigger says her's doesn't have any blocks or hardware to chafe against the mast or sails. She splices loops in them and runs the lines thru the loops. Hers can also be pulled out of the way to the mast when not in use but she can't figure out how to install them so they can be deployed from the cockpit. Any suggestions??

We had them on my 34 and the setup had shock cords so they could be pulled forward to the mast when not in use. We hooked them over cleats or winches on the mast. There is probably a way you could release them from the cockpit but I don't know how you would retract them as well. There's probably a way. Mike Kennedy Conquest Cal 40 # 96 On Oct 17, 2006, at 3:58 PM, camaflge wrote: > I want to install some kind of lazy jacks on my Cal 34. I'm reluctant > to sail as much as I want, because its just to much hassle to drop > and wrestle my mainsail when I singlehand. EZJAX claim theirs is the > best system. One of the features that interests me is that they can be > pulled out of the way when not in use, and they say can be deployed > from the cockpit. My local rigger says her's doesn't have any blocks > or hardware to chafe against the mast or sails. She splices loops in > them and runs the lines thru the loops. Hers can also be pulled out of > the way to the mast when not in use but she can't figure out how to > install them so they can be deployed from the cockpit. Any > suggestions?? > > >

camaflge wrote: > > My local rigger says her's doesn't have any blocks > or hardware to chafe against the mast or sails. She splices loops in > them and runs the lines thru the loops. Hers can also be pulled out of > the way to the mast when not in use but she can't figure out how to > install them so they can be deployed from the cockpit. Any suggestions? ? > My suggestion is to ask her for local referrals, and call the customers to see how well that system works. If she has no other buyers, then you're the guinea pig. If she does, they should be willing to discuss how well it works. All sailors love to talk about their boats. Another solution would be to find a cheap Cal 20 and become a two-boat family. The 20 is probably easier to single-hand than a dinghy. Chris Campbell

It's a pricey fix, but it's the single best mod done on our 34' Sabre: The Dutchman Sail Flaking System; per Her Majesty, the Chancellor of the Exchequer. Gone are those thrilling days of yesteryear, rasslin' the piles o'sail off the cabin top in cross-wise seas and traffic amid loud communication breakdowns. We looked at a lot of interesting applications of different lazy jack configurations, but none met all our criteria. This system, however, remains a joy to behold as we, from the cockpit, drop the main onto the boom. Of course, it works best when dead into the wind, but that's true about any (or no) system. Jon Myers, occasional Cal 3-29 Bay Breeze crew, S34 MkI #094 Melusine Swan Creek, MD From: Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com [mailto:Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com]On Behalf Of camaflge Sent: Tuesday, October 17, 2006 6:59 PM To: Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com Subject: [Cal_Boats] EZJAX Lazy Jacks, Anyone have them? Comments I want to install some kind of lazy jacks on my Cal 34. I'm reluctant to sail as much as I want, because its just to much hassle to drop and wrestle my mainsail when I singlehand. EZJAX claim theirs is the best system. One of the features that interests me is that they can be pulled out of the way when not in use, and they say can be deployed from the cockpit. My local rigger says her's doesn't have any blocks or hardware to chafe against the mast or sails. She splices loops in them and runs the lines thru the loops. Hers can also be pulled out of the way to the mast when not in use but she can't figure out how to install them so they can be deployed from the cockpit. Any suggestions?? ----------------------------------------- ************************************************** This e-mail and any of its attachments may contain Exelon Corporation proprietary information, which is privileged, confidential, or subject to copyright belonging to the Exelon Corporation family of Companies. This e-mail is intended solely for the use of the individual or entity to which it is addressed. If you are not the intended recipient of this e-mail, you are hereby notified that any dissemination, distribution, copying, or action taken in relation to the contents of and attachments to this e-mail is strictly prohibited and may be unlawful. If you have received this e-mail in error, please notify the sender immediately and permanently delete the original and any copy of this e-mail and any printout. Thank You. **************************************************

We put lazy jacks on our Cal 34 a few years back. No need for riggers and kits-it's easy to make your own with about $40 in parts from West Marine. We added padeyes to either side of the mast, about 1/2 way between the spreaders and the masthead. Plastic-covered wire (like lifeline material but smaller) was spliced onto them-Harken bulet blocks spliced onto the other end at about the halfway point between the spreaders and the gooseneck. Then 2 small padeyes go onto either side of the bom, splitting it roughly into thirds. Harken ullet blocks on the padeyes closest to the gooseneck. On either side, small diamater line is run from the aft padeye, up through the block on the e3nd of the wire hanging from the mast, back down tothe block on the boom, then forward to a small cleat on the side of the boom near the gooseneck. When sailing, ease the line, loop the lines under the reefing hooks on either side of the gooseneck and it's all out of the way. When you go to take the main down, free the lines, pull them taught through the cleats, and presto-lazy jacks. Once you have the sail ties on, pull the lazy kacks back forward again so your sail cover doesn't need any modification. You can do the nicro-pressing of the wire in the store at West Marine yourself, the whole project takes about half a Saturday, and you've done the same thing a rigger would do but instead of paying the rigger $75/hr, all you have to do is buy a hamburger and a beer for the person who grinds you up the mast. Mike Kennedy Jr. Conquest Cal 40 #96 --- In Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com, "camaflge" <stillstandinginc@...> wrote: > > I want to install some kind of lazy jacks on my Cal 34. I'm reluctant > to sail as much as I want, because its just to much hassle to drop > and wrestle my mainsail when I singlehand. EZJAX claim theirs is the > best system. One of the features that interests me is that they can be > pulled out of the way when not in use, and they say can be deployed > from the cockpit. My local rigger says her's doesn't have any blocks > or hardware to chafe against the mast or sails. She splices loops in > them and runs the lines thru the loops. Hers can also be pulled out of > the way to the mast when not in use but she can't figure out how to > install them so they can be deployed from the cockpit. Any suggestions?? >

michaelkennedy05 wrote: > > and you've done the same thing a rigger would > do but instead of paying the rigger $75/hr, all you have to do is buy > a hamburger and a beer for the person who grinds you up the mast. > Or, and maybe better, for the person that you grind up the mast. It depends on the age of your halyards. Chris Campbell

--- In Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com, "camaflge" <stillstandinginc@...> wrote: > > I want to install some kind of lazy jacks on my Cal 34. We used our own portable lazyjacks on all the boats we chartered on W. Lake Erie, along with our portable hatch screens, sun tarps and other portable creature comforts. I just finished installing lazyjacks on our new old Cal 25. What we did was purchase 75' or so of very thin dacron line, tied one end to a wood block & heave over a spreader. We fix one end to the spinnaker pole slider on the mast, in a 2' loop ending in a rolling hitch (sliding knot); the other comes down aft of the spreader a couple of feet to a bowline. Through that is run a 2 part line that comes up from the boom vang mount and turns down to a reef line eyestrap about 2/3 of the way aft on the boom. Repeat for the other side of the boom. If you don't have an object on the boom to tie to there, and you don't want to squander $4 on yet another eyestrap, run a line from some object forward with a small loop where you want the aft lazyjack to tie to, extending aft to something else or an outhaul cleat or whatever. We slide the spinnaker pole eye on the mast all the way down to tighten the jacks during deployment and dousing of the main. At the dock we slide it all the way up to slacken them and let the sail cover ride normally. When sailing we slack the rolling hitches so we can put the spinnaker pole mount wherever we need it for the conditions. > install them so they can be deployed from the cockpit. WIth our system, run them to the bottom of the mast & lead 'em aft through some dirt cheap dinghy bullet blocks or just eyestraps to some micromini clam cleats or whatever on each side of the cabin top. Save the dollars for sails, engines or beer. David

I installed EZJAX on my 2-30 when I owned her. Yes, I could have purchased the line, blocks, etc, but I just bought the EZJAX, and never regretted it. It took one hour to install, and much of that time was cutting plastic spacers so no stainless touched the mast or boom. They retracted in a snap, and with the shock cord, made a close installation perfect. Last benefit was retracting at the dock, so I could use my sailcover with no modifications. EZJAX are great. From: st… [at] yahoo.com To: Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com Sent: Tue, 17 Oct 2006 6:58 PM Subject: [Cal_Boats] EZJAX Lazy Jacks, Anyone have them? Comments I want to install some kind of lazy jacks on my Cal 34. I'm reluctant to sail as much as I want, because its just to much hassle to drop and wrestle my mainsail when I singlehand. EZJAX claim theirs is the best system. One of the features that interests me is that they can be pulled out of the way when not in use, and they say can be deployed from the cockpit. My local rigger says her's doesn't have any blocks or hardware to chafe against the mast or sails. She splices loops in them and runs the lines thru the loops. Hers can also be pulled out of the way to the mast when not in use but she can't figure out how to install them so they can be deployed from the cockpit. Any suggestions?? Check out the new AOL. Most comprehensive set of free safety and security tools, free access to millions of high-quality videos from across the web, free AOL Mail and more.