On Sun, 25 Feb 2007 10:23:36 -0800, "Capt. JG"
wrote:

As a follow up, I should say that LJs are definitely preferable to not
having anything.

I agree with that, I think they're a big help getting the main under
control.

On my old Cal-34 we rigged something that I called "poor man's lazy
jacks". Basically they were just two pieces of 3/8ths shock cord run
along each side of the boom, each with a small loop tied in the middle
of the shock cord. When I wanted to use the "lazy jacks" I'd bring a
halyard aft around the shrouds on each side of the boat, clip each
halyard to the loop in the shock cord, and then hoist the halyard up
about 15 ft forming a triangle with the shock cord on each side of the
boom. It was very effective, cost next to nothing, and was out of the
way when you didn't need it.