>Boom rest - Do you recommend a topping lift or a crutch to support the
>>boom when docked or at anchor?
I like a lazy jack. Whatever you choose, you will use it not only when
docked or anchored, but any time you lower your main for any reason, such
as to reef or to motor with your sails down, so it should be easy to use
when you are bouncing around in windy, choppy conditions, as well as quiet
anchorages.
My gunter rig came with an x-shaped crutch that was supposed to support the
boom and gunter yard when the sail was lowered, but it was always flipping
into the water, so I designed a simple lazy jack that consists of a single
loop of light line from the mast, down under a hook on the bottom of the
boom, back up the other side to a block on the mast, down the mast to a
fairlead, and back to a cleat near the cockpit. It has the additional
advantage of partly gathering in the sail as it is lowered. It works fine
on my gunter rig and my lateen rig, where I have two spars to catch, not
just one boom, but I see no reason why it wouldn't work on your boat as
well. (Is anyone out there using a lazy jack on their P15?)
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Harry Gordon
P14 #234, Manatee
I use lazy jacks on my P15. I put them on to catch the sail when it comes
down. I put them on the same time I put slugs on the sail. I decided real
fast I didn't like the slugs and removed them, but left the lazy jacks on.
I fashioned them by adding two small pad eyes to the bottom of the boom,
running a 1/8 polyester line through them to form a large loop on each side
of the boom( about 3' wide at boom and about 3' above the boom). I took
more 1/8 line and ran up the mast, through the padeye that the forestay is
fastened to, and down the other side of the mast. I added snap shackles to
each end to connect to the loops. I leave each component attached to it's
spar (as I do all lines and the mainsail) and merely connect the snap
shackles to the loops when rigging. I found that the lazy jacks do not hold
up the boom like I want so I also have a topping lift that is attached to
the becket of the cheek block IM installed for topping lift at the top of
the mast, with a snap shackle to attach it to the end of the boom on the
preexisting pad eye (I didn't like the adjustable topping lift. I prefer
fixed length).
This system serves well to hold up the boom and also catch the sail when it
is down. When motoring I add a couple of sail ties tied loosely forward
and aft on the boom to keep the sail from moving around .
Works good for me.
Lewis Baumstark
P15
Bristol, Tn.