Rodney Myrvaagnes wrote:

I bought a Harken lazy-jack kit when we bought th eboat in 1989, but
have never installed it. Using them on other boats in the mid 30-foot
range is a PITA to me. We normally sail as a couple, so my wife keeps
the boat into the wind while I take the main down or hoist.

We changed to hank-on jibs about 5 years ago and love it this way.


Many people *enjoy* testing their ability to endure pain and misery. I
did too - a long time ago. I still "test" because my boat came hank on
without lazyjacks. I too spend mucho time forward with my child bride
steering into the wind - which is, by definition, *always* blowing a
gale or shifting constantly or both. If it weren't I wouldn't need to
adjust the sails. But I can no longer imagine LIKEING it when (not if)
the half-flaked sail catches an errant breeze and heads over the side
blinding the tillerman, let alone depending on the autotiller that can't
see wind shifts. IMHO that's *almost* as much fun as loosing a good fist
fight. The only reason I don't have lazyjacks and a RF genoa 'rat now'
is the yardbirds can't get off their lazy's to install them. Hopefully
by xmas ....