topping lift / lazy jacks

[Ian Allen]

Good day everyone,
Ian here from Picton, New Zealand. I am a new member and have been building my own Cape Cutter 19 these last three years. She is now just about ready to launch, which auspicious ocassion (for me at any rate) should occur within days, after attending to a few rigging matters.
One such matter is the best way to rig a topping lift / lazy jack arrangement and I thought all you who are sailing this sweet wee craft might have some ideas you'd like to share on the matter.
I intend for starters to take a line down either side of the mainsail from the aft tang on the hounds to the end of the boom, and then another line off that (perhaps mid way up) either side of the main again to somewhere around mid way along the boom. But this will be experimental and any ideas would be most welcome.
Happy sailing,
Ian

[David Hudson]

Good evening Ian

If you look on the Tokoloshe 111 photograph "gennacker trials" in the community section, you will see a large part of my lazy jack system. It also acts a a topping lift

I'm using four fixings on each side of the boom, (maybe too many?). Correctly measured fixing spacings and cordage lengths allow the system to be stowed along the boom when under way. This improves laminar flow over the mainsail and stops the sail dressing being degraded.

Instead of using the bulls horns to make fast the "hauling end" of the system as shown in the photograph, I have now placed clam cleats on the boom just aft of the bulls horns.

I have attached shock cord loops to the top ring of the system. These are attached to the bulls horns when the system is stowed and also allow a lttle leeway in measured lenths.

The system requires to be in the "up" position when reefing, otherwhise you get a lot of boom and sail in the cockpit!

Marks out of ten for using timber!

Dest wishes
David and Tokoloshe111

[GRIMSHAW]

Hi Ian, Further to David H's message if you can look on the original capecutter forum on yahoo grievsie has included a file which shows his arrangement. I have slightly modofied that version replacing the eyes in the shortened topping lift with overhand knot loops through which I slide a length of cord which clips to the boom either side of the horn thus giving 3 receiveng lines to gather the furled sail. Grievsie mentions that he had to experiment with the aft placing of his cords so as not to foul the battens when hoisting : your intention to put the toppling lift obn the end of the boom may suffer from this problem. Go into //groups/yahoo.com/group/capecutter19/files to find the file. You may have to register first. There is a photo on this forum in Sarie Marais.
Best Wishes ,Graham

[David Hudson]

Grimshaw's point re batten snagging is quite correct. It tends to happen with the lower battens / aft lazy jacks and is just as valid on lowering the mainsail.This is generally solved by keeding head to wind and tension on the gaff halyard.

May I suggest that before placing permanent fixings you tie lenghts of line on the boom and then fine tune their position until you find the preferred position

Regards
David

[Dennis]

Hello Ian

Congratulations on completion of your boat. Your satisfaction and pride of ownership will be much enhanced than simply buying a ready made boat like most of us mortals.

The lazy jacks is one area where many owners have modified the designers very simple arrangement.

My requirements were for a simple arrangement which I could use during single handed sailing. I also wanted to have a topping lift which was instantly available by simply pulling one line.

I arranged this by attaching a double block at the aft hole of the hounds fitting. with lines on both sides of the sail passing through this block. These lines are then joined to become a single line which goes to a turning block on the deck and finishes in a clutch alongside the hatch. This means I have only one line to play with (very simple and quick, no tying/untying of knots etc), one pull and the lazy jacks tighten, continue pulling and the boom lifts.

The lazy jack lines either side of the sail have a soft spliced eye in the end which enables me to split the line into two. If you study some of the photos of Mary Ann you will be able to see this arrangement.

I have sailed with arrangement now for two seasons, but I intend to modify it for next season by by increasing the lines at the boom from two to three. This is simply to gather the sail better (particularly the sail battens) when lowering. I have been experimenting this season with temporary line to optimise the position of the third line.

Incidently "grievsie2003" on the old Yahoo forum published a comprehensive description of his double lazy-jack system, here is the link:

http://f1.grp.yahoofs.com/v1/IITSTPc_Y24R1FHeOGdI_5jlb1QC7qi9GLss1zUtpZqHzfvboKncwxL1a2xuMbBAgqb5Xvq-hOC-E_uTIGYZCQB_AJiUk9xb/Cape%20Cutter%2019%20Lazy-jacks.doc

Regards

Dennis

CC19 #100 Mary Ann

PS. How about making an album of photos of your boat under constuction and posting it on this forum.

[Dennis]

Hello all

My apologies for apparantly repeating information already given by others. Just it took so long to type out my previous post, by the time I had finished, Graham and David had also replied.

Ho hum!

Sorry

Dennis

[David Hudson]

And try 6mm rope on lazy jacks and reefing lines. This is not the Cutty Sark!!

David

[Ian Allen]

Wow folk! Thanks you so much for the feedback and all the ideas. I shall have to read through them all again and digest them, as well as having a look at Grievsie's site. I shall certainly get an album together. In the meantime I am trying to get onto the water ASAP with as few temporary remedies as possible, since often they tend to become permanent. But of course there will be much to do and to change as I learn about this little boat.
But point taken, I shall rig something eminently changeable for the topping lift/lazy jack system and then modify accordingly.
My biggest concerns of course will innitially be things like floating (the wee boat is called Tiptoe) to her marks, the keel plate swinging properly with enough wire and line to extend properly and no jamming/ and the boat going off and coming back onto her trailer. So it promises to be an exciting day. Still, enough beer all round usually helps at these times!
Thank you again for the encouragement and help - too bad I live so far away.
Cheers,
Ian

[Ru88ell]

As the proud owner of Greavsie's old boat, Zephyr, I've been using his arrangement for a season. I'm in the middle of updating it, since I didn't find it that quick, and could often be heard swearing at it.

Assuming, of course, that I had it rigged correctly, there was a 8mm halved and connected to the outer hole on the rear hound. The boom had 6mm running through two eyes on each side of the boom, and under the boom at the stern end. Forward of these eyes is a largish cleat. Lifting meant putting my shoulder underneath the boom, whist concurrently undoing each end from the cleats, pulling in the slack generated by the lift, then cleating off again. It's quite a task.

My new arrangement includes swapping the starboard clutch and deck block for triples. I have a size 1 double block on the outer hound hole. The boom rope is now fixed loops with ss rings, and a length of 6mm running from one side to the other via the size 1 block. I've used a sheet bend knot on the bight which passes through the size 1 block, and the loose tail runs down to the deck and though to the clutch. I now have a simple single line action to lift and lower.

The only issue was that the new size 1 double block catches the throat halyard block, but after a tip from Dennis I have a 10" ss strop in the inner hounds hole to lower that block out of the way.

It all seems to work well on land.

[David Hudson]

I initially mounted a third clutch by the port double. When I came to fit a third clutch on the starboard side, I noticed for the first time that the athwartship clutch positions were different!

By the way, Spinlock's clutches are A1 but I still contend that their cleats are cr*p. And no, I am not sponsored by Harken but forty years of use does bring confidence in a product, whereas I have had to replace two of the larger Spinlocks on Tokoloshe in two years.

Replies on one side of the paper only.

David