Best angle for lazyjacks?

[Renoir]

From your experience what is the least angle to form between the mast and the lazyjack turning block attached to the underside of the spreaders so that the line(s) will not slap against the mast in a heavy wind? I would prefer not to have to attach bungy cords to keep the lines off of the mast.

[benz]

Hi Renoir,

If you deadend the lazyjack line at the mast (or spreader), and put the turning block on the boom instead, making your adjustments from there, you will have one less line coming down the mast to worry about. A bit more boom clutter, to be sure, but I've seen it done with good success. If your boat is small enough, consider doing away with the lazyjacks altogether--I sailed my Irwin 27 more than 5000 blue water miles with no 'jacks, and I never missed them. They add weight and chafe and windage and bother.
Ben

[Renoir]

Didn't need jacks on my last boat which I put over 25000 blue water miles on. Had no trouble even at night and in storms. My present boat is a center cockpit 39' with the boom high and long and the main is just not as tractable as was the one on my last cruising boat (less slide friction).

I'm even considering adding a third set of reef points because I cannot depower the main going hard on the wind sufficiently in 40kts. This will make the boom even busier than it is now with two sets of jiffy reefing gear. Still, I will consider your suggestion yet don't quite have the visualization.

Any more comments that might help. I did install a boom gallows which makes handling the main bouncing around at sea much safer and easier. As it is without some sort of main catchment method I still consider handling the main with the boom so high off the deck and cockpit enclosure a danger in heavy winds and seas.

[Ian McColgin]

I combine quarter lifts with lazy jacks - called locally LazyIans but more properly LazyLifts.

In general, think of the boom divided in quarters and label the stations clew, 1, 2, 3, tack.

A continuous line passes under the boom at 1 (fairleads help), up on each side through blocks under the spreaders or cheek blocks on the mast, and down about half way, each ending in a thimbled eye. A second line goes up from under the boom at 2 (again the fairleads), through the respective eyes and down to cleats at each side of the boom at 3.

This arrangement provides maximum lifting power on the boom at 1. If you set it for just a little boom droop when the sail is down, then the slack created when the sail's lifted will be enough that the leeside lifts will push out with the sail and the weatherside tighten. Tack by tack.

When you reef, just tighten whichever side is easier to reach to peak up the boom, incidentally firming up the jacks which helps contain the bunt of the sail while you tighten the reefing tack and clew.

G'luck