Alan Gomes wrote:
Capt. JG wrote:
"Alan Gomes" wrote in message
...
Capt. JG wrote:
"Alan Gomes" wrote in message
...
Can't imagine they would catch the battens coming down. Our
problem was catching the battens going up.


Precisely. I often read of people who complain about the battens
hanging when raising the sail. But that's why I installed mine so I
could pull them to the mast, just because of the problem you have
mentioned. I only deploy them for dropping the sail, which is when
I need them anyway. I guess the issue with some setups is that they
cannot be pulled forward to the mast and kept out of the way; they
just stay up all the time.

--AG
Ah... ok. Made me nervous. LOL This is the reason why I chose the
other system... yet more stuff to do. Do you have help or do you
single hand?

I usually single hand. Sometimes even with non-sailing guests it
amounts to the same thing. :-)

It is true that I have to go to the mast to release the jacks before
dropping the sail. Takes less than 30 seconds. But it really does
help with flaking the sail, and actually keeps it secure enough so I
could dispense with sail ties until I get into the dock. But
typically I put on a few ties to hold it and then pretty it up when
I'm back at the dock, before I put on the sail cover. So while not
perfect it is definitely a net positive.

Alan Gomes


Yeah, I pretty much do the same thing with the dutchman. I pop the
halyard, give a couple of tugs to get the mail all the way down, then
one tie with the halyard captured underneath it. On the way back to
the cockpit, I flip the clew end of the main onto the boom, and it
pretty much stays. If the wind is really up, then I'll put another tie
on near the leach.


Though I've never used it the Dutchman sounds like a really nice system.
What do they cost? I was able to install my own lazy jacks quite
inexpensively and it was easy to do.

Alan Gomes

Dutchman can get expensive as they recommend your sailmaker and rigger
do the work. It requires some holes punched in your sails.
It is a nice system. http://www.doylesails.com/dutchman.htm

Gordon