sail pack for sailboat

Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, and many sailmakers now offer variations on the StackPack invented by Doyle Sails.

The problem of the flogging mainsail was solved in 1989, when Robbie Doyle delivered his first StackPacks – a fully battened sail installed in a StackPack, that is designed to last for cruising sailors.

For Cruising Sailors, being able to control the sail easily and efficiently is one priority, protecting the sail from UV damage is another – the solution to both is a Doyle Sails StackPack.

StackPack is a mainsail handling system comprised of a fully battened mainsail with integral lazy jacks and a cover that opens automatically to accept the sail as it is lowered.

Cruising sailors are often faced with the dilemma of whether to sacrifice sail shape and quality for convenience. The StackPack is the solution for sailors wanting convenience without giving up performance or sail shape.

The StackPack also delivers a beautiful finished product that will look great on any boat. When the sail is up the cover is held tightly against the sail to maintain the sail's aerodynamics.

You will never again have to lower your sail and attach a sail cover. the StackPack is the most innovative, best performing and best looking Mainsail handling system available.

STACKPACK FEATURES

Integrated cover with secured zipper tail Sunbrella cover Neatly Flakes the sail above the boom Reef lines pass through the sail cover Cover attaches to the foot of the sail Brummel hooks are used to connect the lazy jacks Existing mains can be used as a base sail Easily raise, lower and cover your sail when single-handed

STACKPACK BENEFITS

Enables quick and easy covering of the sail without the need for sail ties

Extends the life of a sail. Wide selection of colors. Customizable with logo or text

Improved visibility

Easy reefing with no need to tie sail to boom

The cover and sail can be removed as one for winter storage

Lazy jacks never need to be retied. Simplifies installation and removal

No need to replace your main to install a StackPack

Take the hassle out of dousing your main and enjoy your boat more

NO NEED FOR SAIL TIES

StackPack is a fully battened mainsail with integral lazy jacks and a cover that opens automatically to accept the sail as it is lowered. The cover and lazy jack system neatly flakes and holds the sail as it is lowered or reefed. The folds at the foot of a reefed mainsail also lie neatly in the StackPack cover, eliminating the need to tie off the excess fabric with ties.

EXTEND THE LIFE OF YOUR MAIN

With the sail completely stowed, the StackPack system presents a neat appearance and automatically protects the sail from harmful UV rays. While sailing, the integral cover lies flat against the foot of the sail for a clean aerodynamic effect.

MAINTAIN SPEED AND SHAPE

Cruising sailors are often faced with the dilemma of whether to sacrifice sail shape and quality for convenience. The StackPack is a solution for sailors wanting convenience without sacrificing speed and shape.

The StackPack also delivers a beautifully finished product that will look great on any boat. While designed principally as a mainsail furling system, StackPack works equally well with mizzens, staysails and other club-footed headsails.

This product may be ordered through your local rep or a class expert.

• Availability: In stock

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Extraordinary Sailmakers

The Mack Pack is a semi-automatic mainsail cover and lazy jack combination

How to Use and What to Expect

Setting the mainsail has never been easier..

The Mack Pack has a zipper closure running along the top length of it, connected to a continuous line running to the mast. To set the sail pull on the line to open the cover. Then attach the halyard to the headboard. Now it’s a bit tough to be fast enough to raise the sail up through lazy jacks without catching a batten on one of the lines, so reach back about three feet to the cleat on the boom holding the leeward control line.

Make a permanent mark on the line at the cleat so you will know where to re-cleat it after setting the sail–because the boom will be slightly higher when sailing than when at rest.

Then raise the sail, right out of the Mack Pack.

Very simple.

• Go to the mast
• Unzip the cover
• Attach the halyard
• Slack the leeward jack
• Raise the sail
• Re-cleat the jack line

When sailing,

we often leave the front of the cover fully attached to the mast. If we’re going on an open water passage, or if the wind is up, we unhook it and roll the front of each side down to the ties provided. When we need to reef we lower the sail to the luff cringle, hook it, retention the luff of the sail–then, (we have external reefing lines to a winch on the boom), we hook the cover back up to the mast so it cannot get caught in the outhaul reefing line–then we crank the new clew out tight, re-tie the cover down and off we go. The lazy jacks contain the bunt of the sail, so there’s no need to tie off the individual reef pendants.

When sailing is done,

we more or less reverse the procedure, leaving the top of the starboard side of the cover down so we can jam the slides and battens all the way down, then hook it back up. Our new and firmer Spectra/Mylar mainsail is a bit tough so we have to help the excess sail into the cover in a few places before we can zip it closed, but this is a small inconvenience compared with having to furl the thing, find the gaskets and tie them off, dig out the cover and try to install it over a 9′ x 9′ Bimini top, etc., etc. Note: You should be head -to-wind when dropping the sail or, lazy jacks or not, the sail will be all over the place.

There’s another benefit to the Mack Pack not to be overlooked.

We cruise the Bahamas almost every summer for about a month. Like many sailors, we have been less than religious about installing the sail cover after a day’s sail to another island, or wherever, and sometimes several days in between. With the Mack Pack the sail is covered anytime it is not in use. Depending on one’s boat use, a Year’s worth of UV exposure can easily be saved over the life of the sail.

We unconditionally warranty the Mack Pack for 18 months.

We recommend, for ocean crossing voyages, that the cover be rolled down tightly to the boom and the lazy jacks led forward to avoid chafe. The cover is sewn in UV resistant GORE® TENARA® thread and the zipper is buried in the hem for least exposure to UV. We will replace the zipper and refurbish the cover for $150, incl. UPS back, to anywhere in USA. This offer good for 6 yrs.—useful life in 12-month use: 8 to 10 years.

The Mack Pack is not part of the sail. It is completely separate from the sail and is best described as a glorified sail cover — with integrated lazy jacks.

How to measure video, instructions & form.

Attach tape measure firmly to topping lift at a point 12″ above the boom. From there measure forward to the top of the mainsail at the sail track, then forward to the tack of the mainsail at the intersection of top of boom and the back of the mast. DO NOT PULL, DEFLECT, BEND the topping lift forward when you do this or your dimension (and the cover) will end up too short. Best to super tighten the mainsheet to load up the topping lift before measuring.

Now measure from top of the boom, at the mast, to the top of furled sail, at the mast. DO NOT ADD ANYTHING—we will add to your measurement to make room at the top.

If you want a really nice installation, or don’t have a topping lift, we offer a stand-up bracket that mounts at the end of the boom. The cover is tied to this instead of the topping lift. Standard bracket is $150, Tall bracket is $160.

We will add a flap to the length dimension so that it will install just onto the mast by about two to three inches. we assume there is no obstruction in this area.

If your slide does not appear in the form below, don’t worry – just give us a call at 772.283.2306

Email Address

Approximate Mainsail hoist (P dimension)

OR name and size of stock boat and rig (std, tall, etc.)

Measurements: A

Measurements: B

Measurements: C

Measurements: D

How is Main attached to boom? How is Main attached to boom? Foot Slides Bolt Rope Loose Foot

If it is a flat slide, measure the width and then choose option below: If it is a flat slide, measure the width and then choose option below: Flat 5/8 Flat 3/4 Flat 7/8 Not Here

If it is round slide, measure the width and then choose option below: If it is round slide, measure the width and then choose option below: R 7/16 R 3/8 R 5/16 Not Here

Sunbrella color:(Pacific Blue, Forest Green, Navy, etc.)

Tap image to Download

Installation

You should have a topping lift. If not, you can rig an auxiliary main halyard (good idea anyhow) and lead it to the end of the boom. If you have a rigid vang and do not wish to rig a lift, then we offer this devise to fasten to the end of your boom–to hold up the back end of the Mack Pack — Standard bracket is $150, Tall bracket is $160, or you may contrive your own.

Not compatible with roller reefing booms. If you wish to roller reef, the Mack Pack is not for you.

The Mack Pack is compatible with mains with loose foot, bolt rope or foot slides, you just need to let us know what configuration you have.

Comes only with our lazy jacks. We cannot accommodate previously installed lazy jacks.

In use, the Mack Pack is open on its top, back and bottom so it will not interfere with most jiffy reefing systems.

Open bottom design allows for good drainage of rainwater and better ventilation.

MACK PAck Pricing

Prices complete ready to install with all fasteners and instructions.

10-12′ BOOMS $1080

13-15′ BOOMS $1160

16-18′ BOOMS $1240

OVER 18′ ADD $45 per FOOT

ADD BOOM END BRACKET $150

(Price includes up to 48″ for ‘A’ dimension. Measurements above 48″ luff, add $8 per foot to the price.)

We will measure and install locally, Vero Beach to West Palm Beach area — $400 additional.

Florida residents add sales tax.

About our Mack Jacks

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Two Humans and a Dog sail Mexico on a Sea Maid Ketch

Making a Sail Pack: Improve on Sailrite’s Method (Part 1)

January 21, 2016 3 Comments

Sailrite now offers an attractive booklet on making a sail pack, along with a rectangular and a throated sail cover, which you can buy on their site here: SailRite’s Instructions for Three Sail Covers . I apologize for not making my notes apply to this booklet, but as I am out of the country I cannot easily receive this mailing. I much prefer downloadable instructions anyway.

At the time I made my Sail Pack they offered a stand-alone PDF for the Sail Pack for the same price. That older, downloadable guide (as well as careful measurements of your own boat!) will make a fine sail pack that will be a huge improvement on your current sail cover. However a few simple changes make it more robust and flexible for use on a cruising sailboat.

You may notice in my images that my sail pack is red on the port side and yellow on the starboard side. Normally I would have made it all one color, but I was using up my spare sunbrella and I only had enough in stock for one panel in each color. Because of the height of our sail stack, about 42”, I could not cut both panels out of one sheet as I could on our former, smaller boat. So I wasted a lot of material. Our boat colors are red and yellow (What could be more appropriate for Phoenix, or firebird, than fire colors!) so I used both colors together for a rather wild effect. (We are retired, but not retiring).

What is a Sail Pack?

What Changes to the Sail Pack might be Useful on Your boat?

The Sail Pack PDF is divided into 17 steps. For ease of understanding where and why I made changes I will discuss each change I made under the appropriate step.

Attachment between Mast Boot and Front end of Cover. Step 13. I chose to attach my mast boot with twist lock fasteners rather than zippers. I find them quicker to fasten and I didn’t like the idea of having half of the zipper exposed to sun all the time (although this can be helped with a deep enough placket). If your ratio of sails up to sails stowed is much lower than ours then you may wish for a more attractive closure that might be a little more difficult to fasten.

Aft closure. Sailrite does not provide a way to close off the aft end of the sail. I wanted to make sure no stray sun rays had a chance to make its way into the sail so I added a patch that wraps around the aft end of the cover. Mine just fastens with velcro which won’t last forever in the sun but is easy to replace. Anything else such as a webbing clip would possibly flail around and cause an issue. This can be done after the cover is finished.

Bottom closure type. Sailrite has twist lock fasteners on the bottom edge. I did not want a row of metal fasteners along the boom that would strike the boom or possibly a body part. However I did want to be able to remove the cover without taking down the sail. I decided on marine quality plastic buckles. Steps 9 and 10.

Whew – that’s a lot of words. Take a break and then visit Making a Sail Pack: Part 2 when you want to go step by step through Sailrite’s instructions with the differences I discussed above.

About the photos on this site

As I am currently in the Bahamas working on a house, and my boat is in Washington state, the pictures I am posting are during the first fitting after 95% completion. The final changes and adjustments to make it look crisp and pretty had not been completed; the lazy jacks were being tried for the first time; etc etc. I will try to remember to post updated pictures when we are back. Hey – it took me two years to write up what I did!

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I’m looking at making a new sailcover for my Gulfstar 53 MS. I made the Mizzen & doing fine. Had the main done by a “canvas man” & have have multiple problems so after multiple repairs feel I need to remake completely. Problem I think is my main is so large ( boom 20 feet) and high (over the pilot’s house). My sails are also stiff & don’t flake well. New sails are very expensive & if ours work, well, use them! Like some of your ideas like the buckles instead of the twist fasteners. Our are always coming undone. …  Read more »

I’m so glad it was useful! Depending on your webbing you may want to sew the two halves of the stack pack together (with a 2″ gap or so for rain water to get out) instead of using buckles. On the stack pack above, the buckles worked fine – the webbing was good, thick polyester webbing. On our current stack pack I ended up with nylon webbing which was far too slippery to hold the buckles well. We ended up sewing the two halves together using the webbing straps and although it is a little harder to put on, it’s …  Read more »

Thanks! After sewing my sailpac for the first time I thought there could be some improvents. You nailed it! Thanks again.

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Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, and many sailmakers now offer variations on the StackPack invented by Doyle Sails.

The problem of the flogging mainsail was solved in 1989, when Robbie Doyle delivered his first StackPacks – a fully battened sail installed in a StackPack, that is designed to last for cruising sailors.

For Cruising Sailors, being able to control the sail easily and efficiently is one priority, protecting the sail from UV damage is another – the solution to both is a Doyle Sails StackPack.

StackPack is a mainsail handling system comprised of a fully battened mainsail with integral lazy jacks and a cover that opens automatically to accept the sail as it is lowered.

Cruising sailors are often faced with the dilemma of whether to sacrifice sail shape and quality for convenience. The StackPack is the solution for sailors wanting convenience without giving up performance or sail shape.

The StackPack also delivers a beautiful finished product that will look great on any boat. When the sail is up the cover is held tightly against the sail to maintain the sail's aerodynamics.

You will never again have to lower your sail and attach a sail cover. the StackPack is the most innovative, best performing and best looking Mainsail handling system available.

STACKPACK FEATURES

- Integrated cover with secured zipper tail - Sunbrella cover - Neatly Flakes the sail above the boom - Reef lines pass through the sail cover - Cover attaches to the foot of the sail - Brummel hooks are used to connect the lazy jacks - Existing mains can be used as a base sail - Easily raise, lower and cover your sail when single-handed

STACKPACK BENEFITS

Enables quick and easy covering of the sail without the need for sail ties

Extends the life of a sail. Wide selection of colors. Customizable with logo or text

Improved visibility

Easy reefing with no need to tie sail to boom

The cover and sail can be removed as one for winter storage

Lazy jacks never need to be retied. Simplifies installation and removal

No need to replace your main to install a StackPack

Take the hassle out of dousing your main and enjoy your boat more

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Sailing with lazy jacks and stack packs.

What are lazy jacks and stack packs? 

Lazy jacks are networks of lines that are rigged along each side of the mainsail from multiple points on the boom or a stack pack to a point on the mast just above the spreaders, at about 60% the mast's height. Their purpose is to hold the mainsail on top of the boom when it is lowered.

Typically, lines called "legs" are joined with single lines called "risers" to form two upside-down Y shapes. However, lazy jack legs and risers can be rigged in a variety of configurations. Also, the legs can be joined to the risers with blocks, rings, or even tied together. The space between the two sets of lazy jacks on either side of the sail is known as the "pocket."

The stack pack (sometimes called a lazy pack or lazy bag) is a modern type of a sail cover. It is secured to the boom and zips closed at the top to protect the sail from sun damage when it's not in use.

Lazy jacks can be set up with or without a stack pack. When a stack pack is present, the lazy jacks are tied to the stack pack to support it. With no stack pack, the lazy jacks are rigged directly to the  boom.

lazy jacks and stack pack system image.jpg

Nine yachts in the Modern Sailing School & Club fleet are equipped with lazy jack systems. Only one of these has lazy jacks with no stack pack.

• Fiore Italia  (Beneteau Oceanis 31)
• Kokomo   (Catalina 320) - lazy jacks only, no stack pack
• Traharta (Beneteau Oceanis 35)
• Auriah  (Beneteau Oceanis 37)
• Sijambo  (Beneteau Oceanis 423)
• Ry Whitt (Jeanneau 409)
• Coho II (Spencer 1330)
• Vela Mare  (Seawind 1160 Catamaran)
• Kanaloa  (Fontaine Pajot Lavezzi 40 Catamaran)

Advantages 

• On larger boats, a mainsail can be very heavy and unweildy to handle, especially in high winds. When dousing, lazy jacks guide the mainsail into the stack pack and keep it neatly flaked on top of the boom - instead of flopping all over the deck. In San Francisco Bay, lazy jacks and stack packs are particularly useful, even on smaller boats.
• Since a stack pack remains on the boom even while sailing, there's no separate sail cover to wrestle with and no need to fiddle with snaps or clasps at the bottom. After dousing the mainsail, simply zip up the stack pack and you're done!
• When hoisting the mainsail, batten ends can get snagged on the lazy jacks. It takes a bit of caution and precision steering to raise the main without snagging it.
• A stack pack adds windage that can detrimentally affect sailing performance to some degree. For many leisure sailors and cruisers, this is not a major concern.
• Lazy jacks are not intended to replace the topping lift as support for the boom. Never loosen the topping lift to the point that the lazy jacks bear the boom's weight.

How To Hoist a Mainsail with Lazy Jacks

Your goal is raise the mainsail without snagging the battens on the lazy jacks. The trick is for the helmsman to watch the sail as it goes up, steer carefully, and use the breeze to help keep the mainsail in the pocket between the lazy jacks. 

• Steer the boat to head the bow into the wind. Keep the boat pointed as straight into the wind as possible. 
• Loosen the mainsheet and begin hoisting the mainsail.
• As the mainsail approaches the point where the legs join the risers, keep a close eye on the sail. If the wind is pushing the sail into one of the legs, steer towards the wind until the sail is luffing evenly between the lazy jacks (in the pocket) on both sides again. 
• If a batten gets snagged on the lazy jack, immediately instruct your crew to stop hoisting, then lower the sail until the batten is clear of the line. Steer the boat towards the wind just until the wind pushes the sail back into the pocket.

Additional Tips

• In "Hurricane Alley" (the entrance to Richardson Bay, the Sausalito arm of San Francisco Bay), winds often blow in a circular or erratic pattern, which can complicate hoisting a mainsail with battens and lazy jacks. Before hoisting the mainsail, check the masthead windex frequently to determine if wind direction is steady. If not, consider motoring to a location such as Racoon Straights or The Slot where the wind direction may be more steady. Note that heavy winds will luff the mainsail more vigorously, increasing the odds that you'll experience a snag. (Wind conditions and directions on the Bay may vary by season and weather.)  
• Never force a stuck sail by grinding hard on a winch. Excessive force could damage the sail, lazy jacks, or other components.

How To Douse the Mainsail

Hoisting the mainsail may require attention and skill, but dousing is a breeze - and the best part of sailing with lazy jacks!

• If conditions and crew size permit, send a crew member forward to stand in front of the mast and evenly flake the luff of the sail as it comes down. 
• Steer to point the boat's bow into the wind and loosen the mainsheet.
• If a crew member is at the mast to flake the sail, ease the main halyard in a controlled manner to facilitate flaking. Otherwise, simply douse the sail and let it fall into the stack pack.
• Zip the stack pack closed. That's it!

Additional Tip

If the mainsail didn't flake evenly into the stack pack as it was doused, the stack pack may be difficult (or impossible) to zip closed. If conditions at the dock permit, hoist and douse the sail again and stand at the mast to flake it evenly as it comes down. Also, it helps to tug the leech to straighten out the sail, if necessary.

Coho II mainsail lazy jacks and stack pack.jpg

Article by Mary Elkins on February 6, 2020

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Testimonials.

Here are some snaps of Our Saturday, August 20, 2022 Modern Sailing Expedition with Captain Robert Bivin, who was outstanding. Please convey photos and thanks to him. He is an outstanding individual, leader and sailing instructor. His knowledge and experience made us all feel safe and our Farallones Day Trip educational and just amazing. 

I took ASA 101 with them recently. They have the best customer service I've ever seen! I mistyped my address when I signed up online so didn't receive the textbook. I called and the lady immediately sent me another copy! Everyone at the club is super friendly.

Since many, many years, I had the dream to sail underneath the Golden Gate bridge. On October 14th last year, my dream became true. Thanks to our dear friend Aaron Fritz who made it possible and organized this cruise for us. With this adventure I was able to achieve one more milestone on my sailing career.

Finally on the water, it was great! Full moon made the flows even stronger and it was like sailing in a washing machine.

I did my sailing education in the English Channel, where the situation with the wind and flows is comparable to the San Francisco Bay. So I felt pretty much "at home" being on the helm in the Bay.

I hope our skipper Stan Lander enjoyed this day cruise too. We, definitely did! It was an unforgettable experience for all of us.

A very big thank you to all of you who made it possible, that my dream became reality! Also thank you for the MSC flag I got at the end of the day. It found it's place in my study, where I can see it daily.

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Modern Sailing School & Club

Sausalito Location 2310 Marinship Way, Sausalito, CA 94965 (415) 331-8250 (800) 995-1668

Berkeley Location 1 Spinnaker Way, Berkeley, CA 94710 (415) 331-8250 (800) 995-1668

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WORLD RENOWNED REPUTATION THE UK’S PREMIER BOAT COVER MAKER

Stackpacks enable easy furling and stowage of a Mainsail. They are becoming increasingly popular these days, rivalling  Sail Covers  due to ease of use. Stackpacks usually attach to the boom by one of two methods and the most appropriate method depends on the foot of your Mainsail.

Types of Sail Stackpacks

If your Mainsail is loose-footed, the Stackpack will either have a bolt rope sewn into its bottom edge and slide into the boom groove or make use of sail slides to attach to the boom. If the Mainsail attaches to the boom with a bolt rope, the stack pack will have a tape sewn into its bottom edge and slide into the boom groove under the Mainsail bolt rope.

We supply our Mainsail Stackpacks without Lazyjacks as these are best configured on the boat and are usually installed by a rigger. The Lazyjacks attach to the stack pack by webbing loop, which is sewn onto the sides of the Stackpack. Reefing lines are accommodated for by either zipped access when the mainsail is not loose-footed.

With a loose-footed main, the reefing lines are accessed through the bottom of the Stackpack with access openings incorporated.

Other Benefits of Sailboat Stackpacks

Another advantage of a Stackpack is that the sail stays furled within its protective cover on ‘top’ of the boom, not draped over the boom. This increases headroom and avoids a Sail Cover, which hangs below the boom and chafes on the  Sprayhood.

It also increases headroom in the Cockpit, which is impeded to a certain degree when a Sail Cover hangs down below the boom. Our Stackpacks will usually incorporate a separate ‘boot section’ to cover the mast and head section of the sail; this part can be removed when sailing.

So why a Tecsew Stackpack?

In our opinion, a Stackpack is often subject to rough use being left attached to the boom when sailing. That’s why we ensure our Stackpacks will most often have an additional Lazyjack point each side while, in comparison, our competitors don’t go as far as to provide this. This means less strain on each attachment point, better support for the Stackpack from the Lazyjack system and much better furling and packing away of the main.

All Lazyjack attachment points are fully reinforced and we use Jackstay webbing with a 2-ton breaking strain for the attachment points. The rear and forward ends are fully reinforced and we use a fully turned tabling reinforcing for all main edges.

Contact us  today on 02392 556548 to learn more about our Stackpack Sail Covers and to discuss the creation of a Stackpack most suited to your boat. Alternatively, get in touch with us by filling out an enquiry form below.

Stackpacks Gallery

Bavaria Cruiser 33, 2013 Stackpack

Bavaria Cruiser 37 Stackpack, 2013

Beneteau Oceanis 50 Stackpack

Cheoy Lee Offshore 41 Stackpack, ref 10099

Hanse 388 Stackpack

Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 349 Stackpack, ref 5821

Maxi 33 Stackpack, ref 5154

Moody 35 Stackpack, ref 10384

Moody S38 Stackpack, ref 0577

Southerly 47 Number 5 Stackpack

Have a question we are happy to help.

02392 556 548

[email protected]

Tecsew Ltd, Unit E3 Eagle Building Daedalus Park, Daedalus Drive Lee-on-the-Solent, Hants, PO13 9FX

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Mainsail Pack

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Product Overview

$550.00 up to 10 ft  (305 cm)

Add $37.50 per foot over 10 ft

A mainsail pack (also known as Stack Pack*, Lazy Pack, Mack Pack*) is popular with boats that use a lazy jack system. Simply drop the sail into the pack and zipper to close.  The mainsail pack cover is integrated with a lazy jack system (not included) to support the top of the sail pack and guide the sail neatly into place inside the cover. At the foot of the cover there is 2" wide webbing every 12" with twist lock closures to either go between sail slugs(if you have slugs on the sail foot) for pack to sit above the boom, or the 2" webbing to go under the boom.  Any questions please feel free to call (800) 516-2703 or email me at [email protected]  (Not include: Lazy Jacks and #40 PVC 3/4" pipe). Install instructions click here: Mainsail Pack Install

Removable mast boot

2 - 3 week turn around

40 Reviews Hide Reviews Show Reviews

Posted by Tom Wynne on 2nd Jul 2024

We love our new stack pack. Fits like a glove on our Pearson 36-2. Highly recommended. Very easy people to work with, timely delivery and high quality. Thanks Lee Sail Covers!

Mainsail pack

Posted by William H Knowles on 6th Jun 2024

The pack could be 5 stars but I am not sure a new sail would fit. I did put it in my notes. The design and construction is very good, and trhe service was very fast. I would buy again.

Posted by Bob daigneault on 9th Oct 2023

It fit exactly like I had hoped. The material was better than sunbrella. There are now 3 less sailcover main oaks on our sailboat dock.

Posted by Kai on 1st Aug 2023

Works and looks great! Great price too!

Mainsail Pac

Posted by William Clark on 20th Jul 2023

Very pleased with the new mainsail pack for our Jeanneau Catamaran. The WeatherMax 80 is fantastic material. Becky was the absolute best to work with and we had a lot of discussions about what I wanted and how to make it. She was very patient and listened to what I needed. She built a very good product the way I wanted it and at a reasonable price . Definitely a GREAT experience . Thanks again Becky. I would recommend Lee Sail Covers to everyone wanting a really good product for their boat.

Posted by Ken on 11th Jul 2023

Webbing at "D" ring could be stronger

.mainsail pack

Posted by Michael Ramage on 5th Jul 2023

Fits perfectly, had many compliments on fit and look . Easy company to work with

Posted by John Stevens on 9th Feb 2023

We run a catamaran charter in Charleston. Just finished putting on 2 new mainsail pack covers and they are a great fit! Lee Sail Covers called after my online order to double check measurements and I ended up making some adjustments and I am glad I did. Their suggested adjustments were spot on!

Posted by Leo on 29th Oct 2022

The sail pack looks and fits great on my Catalina 30. I added 2 10’ pieces of PVC on each side from Home Depot. Easy install.

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Stackpacks & Sailcovers

We can offer single or two part stackpacks depending on your requirements and the stack height of your boat. Our standard stackpack design is a single section product, which starts behind the mast, and has a gusset sewn in at the front to protect the mainsail from the elements. We would highly recommend this over the two part version, however are happy to work to your requirements.

The below features are standard on all of our stackpacks:

• The main/central zip is covered with a binding on each side to protect it from UV damage, as well as helping to prevent water ingress
• Mesh base to prevent the build up of water and facilitate drainage
• Reef zips instead of slots cut into the stackpack
• Roll up clips for club racing or extended cruising to reduce chafe on lazyjacks
• Extra stiff ocean racer batten
• Integral batten pockets
• Re-enforced lazyjack take off points
• Removable/integral awnings upgrades available

Standard stackpacks

Stackpacks with side awnings.

To help with sun and rain protection in the cockpit we can include either removable or integral side awnings.

For those customers who do not require a stackpack we can produce a sail cover to suit. These covers include a mast collar, vertical zip down the front of the mast and webbing/clips to seal the cover under the boom.

Tenara Thread

• UV and weather-resistant
• Unaffected by sunlight UV(ultraviolet) radiation
• Unaffected by weather including water or saltwater
• Will not rot or decay

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Custom Stack Pack  3 products

Stack Pack - Mack Pack

CUSTOM TWO-PART STACK PACK > Sunbrella®/MasAcril® 340g UV-resistant acrylic fabric> Waterproof and breathable - extra durability> Great range of colours> UV resistant thread and seams> Suitable for loose or rope footed mainsail> Sail bag Zipper with UV-resistant flaps> 4 Lazy-Jacks attachment points per side> Lazy Jacks...

Classic Stack Pack

CUSTOM STACK PACK > Sunbrella®/MasAcril® 340g UV-resistant acrylic fabric> Waterproof and breathable - extra durability> Great range of colours> UV resistant thread and seams> Suitable for loose or rope footed mainsail> Sail bag Zipper with UV-resistant flaps> 4 Lazy-Jacks attachment points per side> Lazy Jacks included>...

Stack Pack With Cockpit Awnings

CUSTOM STACK PACK WITH COCKPIT AWNINGS > Sunbrella®/MasAcril® 340g UV-resistant acrylic fabric> Waterproof and breathable - extra durability> Great range of colours> UV resistant thread and seams> Removable cockpit awnings> Suitable for loose or rope footed mainsail> Sail bag Zipper> 4 Lazy-Jacks attachment points per side> Lazy...

Mainsail  Stackpack / Mack Pack / Lazy Pack / Sail Pack

Custom-made Stack Pack and Lazy Jack to fit every type of sail boat. Drop and zip sail bags perfect for short-handed crews. Simply drop the sail into the pack and your mainsail is in place, safe and well protected from the weather. Horizon Sails makes two parts Sail Bags: mainsail bag inserted into the boom groove and a mast hood with zipper that completely protect your mailsail. W aterproof and breathable acrylic fabric MasAcril or Sunbrella in a wide selection of colours. This material lets moisture out and prevents mildew. Top quality UV resistant thread and seams. Zip on the top, along the entire length. The rigidity is ensured by 2 battens. 3 or 4 attachment points per side for the lazy-jacks. Mast bag (removable part around the mast) with zipper. Mainsail packs are built to last and protect your sail from dirt and harmful UV rays. The covers are individually cut and sewn with triple-layered seams and double stitching. The wear areas are reinforced. The Stack Pack is designed to raise, lower or reef any type of mainsail, classic fitted or full batten. Our simple to fit stackpack is manufactured using the best UV resistant acrylic and comes complete with lazy jacks to be fitted to the mast. We also make stack pack with cockpit awnings.

COMFORT SAIL PACK

To order, only 12 measures to take on your boat.

Comparatively to other mainsail protections, with our Sail Pack:

Difference with the Classic model:

Design your product

• Dimension 1/2
• Dimension 2/2
• Number of fasteners
• Loose footed sails

• Description
• Product Details
• SPECIFICATIONS
• Measurement

1. Check dimensions when we receive your order:

- We design your sail pack with the measurements that you have entered, - We check the consistency of the whole product, - We will contact you if we need to check the information.

2. Depending on your sail's foot type:

In both cases, we include openings for the reefing lines.

3. About lazy jacks:

As requested, you can choose 3 or 4 ties on each side. They are strap toes sewn on the side of the sail pack, in which you attach the lazyjack lines you already have, or ones you can buy from a chandlery.

4. Comment: Battens are not supplied.

- Either you already have them on your previous sail pack and can use them in the dedicated sleeves. Our sleeves can hold a diameter up to 14mm or flat battens with a width of 30mm.

- Or you can buy them. The cost of shipping is higher than the cost of the battens, so we have decided to not include them, it is better you get them from a local chandlery.

Dimensions or size

Prices go up every 50 cm (20'')

Tailor-made to the measurements you enter online

Parcel size

L27'' x W16'' x H12'' or L32'' x W16'' x H20''

Average weight

11 to 15lbs on average

Colors available

12 colors in stock

Composition, material

Sunbrella fabric: 100% dope dyed acrylic fibres. Stain-resistant carbon fluoride treatment Certified rot-resistant - Waterproofing: 400mm schmerber and Breathability : 29 liters/minute

Fastening at the front of the mast: white colored Aceral clip buckles

Batten sleeves: Dacron, for round battens up to 14mm diameter and flat battens up to 30mm, if you need a larger size, please let us know. Reminder: battens not provided

10mm bold-rope to slide into the boom. If you need another diameter, please let us know.

Suitable for loose footed and attached sails (you will be asked when you place the order)

If the foot of your sail is attached to the boom, you cannot use the sail pack's bold rope: we replace the sail pack's bold rope with a PVC strip in which you can insert the sail's bolt-rope and you will slide them together into the groove on your boom.

Lazyjack ties, you will be asked the number when you place your order. (reminder: the lazyjack system is not included). 10mm white plastic YKK zipper, plastic slider, the zipper is longer at the back to close it more easily. The end of the zipper can be removed, it is separable, so you can remove the sail pack and keep your sail on the boom.

The zipper is on the side, it opens on the port side, from the mast towards the stern.

Maintenance recommendations

Regularly rinse in clean water and if it gets dirty, clean in water with TexActiv Clean

Additional information

Canvas guaranteed 10 years by the manufacturer

Colorfastness in UV light

Distinguishing advantages

• Zipper protected from UV light by a canvas flap
• Zipper sewn on the side for easier access when the head of the sail out of reach
• The zipper can be fully separated, enabling you to remove the sail pack without removing the mainsail
• Increased durability with PVC lining around the mast and all other places where chafing occurs

Webbing loop at the back

PVC reinforcement around the mast

Webbing loop on the inside, at the front of the bolt-rope

Reinforced at the back

Guardtex reef fasteners

Fully separable zipper

Zipper protected from UV Comfort Sail Pack

Velcro tab Batten stop

Reinforcements at the back of the batten sleeve

Reinforced stitching on lazyjack ties

Guardtex reef openings

3 sail ties

Comfort model Side zipper

Download measurement in inch

Download measurement in centimeter

Lazy Jack – stack pack sail covers

Click on the images in the gallery below for a step by step guide.

These names are some of the descriptions for a process of suspending sail covers.

I started making these Lazy Jack covers 20 years ago, as a progress/advance of the Lazy Jack rope system, designed to help flake a main sail as it is put away. The idea was to connect the rope to a sail cover to avoid having to remove the cover every time the boat was used. A few sailmakers and I had started making them by request; each one we made had small changes and became more functional as time went on. A sailmaker from Doyle Sails approached me one day and asked if he could copy some of my ideas, as he liked the way my covers worked. I agreed on the condition we swap ideas, as his shop was the only other manufacturer making improvements on each cover. We worked together for more than three years improving every one. As expected, others tried to copy our work with limited success.

Most of the original designs had removable front sections, which became annoying as many were blown, even lost, overboard. We then moved to either a front or side zip, and the excess fabric was tucked away on Velcro tabs inside the cover, as they are prepared for sailing.

We still make some this way. Most covers are tracked at the aft side of the mast. This makes them much more functional and user friendly, as there is only one zip to open. We even sometimes incorporate the zip slide into a continuous-loop pulley system. This way you can stand at the mast and open and close the bag. This is very handy when access to the aft of the boom is restricted by high Targas or are just too high to reach. We use Ronstan 19mm bearing pulleys for smoother deployment. There are different types; some can be screwed directly to the mast. The rope we use is a 6mm pre-stretch. At the bottom of the sail cover we run 12mm-1/2-inch PVC pipe between the two layers, through which the rope runs. This stops any friction on the continuous-loop system.

The covers we build are all Sunbrella acrylic canvas and are fully lined with mesh. This adds strength for the rope pull points. It stops abrasion from the corners of the sail when flaked and effectively stops the wearing to the Sunbrella and allows breathability. Breathability is very important to stop mold on the sail. As a further benefit, this adds a second layer where the batten is slid inside. The batten size we use is called Offshore 2 or 3, depending on how big the boat cover is. The No. 2 is 18mm by 8mm thick.

In addition, where the covers are mounted to the mast with track, sometimes we add a zip on one side to allow the owner access to the mast runners. The track mounting procedure is essential to add strength and stop corrosion between the track and the mast. We use 1mm VHB tape and Tef Gel on the screws to stop dissimilar metal corrosion between track and mast.

The covers are held to the boom with slugs. These are boom runners every 300mm, or 1 foot, apart. This adds a second tier of breathability and allows the release of water. Doing this also allows the reef points to sit where necessary without running them through the cover.

The main zip is a No. 15 Paskal zipper. Many of the original designs needed zip replacement regularly, mainly because of rough treatment. An upgrade was necessary for durability.

A zip on a sail cover is sitting flat, horizontal to the sun. Covering it is very important to eliminate UV degradation of the top zipper. Our solution is two-fold: First, the teeth are sewn inside each edge by 8mm (1/4 inch). Second, I make a molded acrylic cover flap, 60mm (2½ inches) wide. At the aft end, we add a 200mm zip extension. This is covered top and bottom to protect it from the elements. We do not use separating end zips on our sail covers. We use continuous zippers and again at the aft end. We use a canvas-to-canvas attachment version of the Stayput fastener. It is bolted right through the covering layers and next to the teeth on the zip. This stops the zipper from coming undone and acts as the stopper for the zip slide. PTFE lifetime thread is a must, and I have used it for 20 years on all my covers.

Early in my business I spent time analyzing failure points of covers. These are three-fold:

• Use lifetime PTFE thread.
• Where possible, fold edges and do not use binding.
• Properly cover all zips from UV.

In our local marinas, we have a very bad bird problem. Where most manufacturers carry the batten to the end of the cover, we stop them short of the end. We tailor the end of the cover down to a small opening. Doing this keeps the swallows and pigeons from nesting inside. In addition, we add extra eyelets in the gap between the track base and the start of the first slug, at the front of the boom. Lacing shock cord loosely between these eyelets stops bird access. If not used, birds usually find this access point quickly, which results in damage to cover and sail. We adapt the traditional look from a standard sail cover by placing a batten at the drop-off point. The drop-off point is the widest point of our sail covers. This method helps our sail covers shed rain. We believe most manufacturers create a water catcher by placing the batten too high.

I will be attending the 2017 MFA Conference in Jacksonville, and am always available if you have any questions. I am reachable on the Cover and Cushion Forum or by email. From time to time I will call to explain in detail.

David Elliott owns David’s Custom Trimmers in Brisbane, Australia.

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Stack Pack or Mack Pack?

• Thread starter Derek Rowell
• Start date Nov 27, 2004
• Forums for All Owners
• Ask All Sailors

Derek Rowell

Puting the sail to bed with a large bimini over a center cockpit is a royal PITA. I've been thinking about installing a lazy-jack system with built-in sail cover such as Doyle's Stack-Pack or Mack Sail's Mack-Pack. I would be interested in comments on the two systems (or any alternative). I currently have an ancient Dutchman system, and zipping the sall cover around the lines on top of the bimini is no fun at all *grrThanks,Derek  

No Free Lunch Same deal on my 40.5 Legend. Bimini and dodger up most of the time. I used to fight all the time getting the zipper done on my Doyle Stack-Pack. I finally went to a regular sail cover and retracting lazy jacks. For the price, I'd double it and go to a furling boom, or just make it the last thing you do before cocktails, and keep living with it. Rick D.  

Dutchman My C320 has a bimini and a dodger, and I use a Dutchman system. It seems to be a lot easier if I tighten the main sheet, then pull the boom to either side with the traveller (and secure it)...thus keeping it away from the bimini and dodger. This makes it relatively easy to reach the cover snaps to secure it when covering the sail.  

Dutchman System Having used both the Dutchman flaking system and lazy jacks, I would think twice before abandoning the dutchman. Check with your sailmaker. Tell him what your concerns are. It is possible to install a modified stack-pak type cover with top zippers for use with a dutchman. Swing your boom to the side for access to reach the zipper.Jon  

Reefing Derek,Becareful how each system affects your sail. I've seen a Stack Pack that covers reefing gromets. Its a tradeoff you may have to decide you want or not ...Chris  

I've had the Mack Pack . . . for two years now and am very happy with it. I have a Vision 32 with a 16' boom and understand your problems. Its not a cure all, as you still need to tuck the leach of the sail into the end of the Mack Pack, but overall, its very easy to use.  

Stack Pack - Not pleased My 1988 Catalina 30 when purchased last year came with the stack pack/lazy jack system and at times I just wished I went back to the good ole sail drop, flake, bungee and sail cover routine. The greatest problem I have is getting the sail raised and lowered without getting the battens stuck in the lazy jack rigging. Sure, you have to point dead in the wind, have a crew member up at the mast helping to guide and flake the sail in and out of its neat little zippered storage pocket, but its not always a perfect world with these set ups. In high winds if your not steady dead ahead, it gets messy. Many have said that the lazy jacks can be adjusted to eliminate the aforementioned problem of "batten wedge", but that would be a lot of deck time for a crew for all these adjustments. Since it is already on the boat, I will live with it, but the claimed convenience of these systems is more work then they are worth. Unless of course I am doing something totally wrong, of which further tutoring would be greatly appreciated.RegardsBobLake Lanier, GA  

I am a stack pack believer I have had a stack pack on my last two boats. As with any system on a boat, there are always trade offs. I single hand my current boat (39') much of the time and find that the occasional hickups of raising the sail are more than made up by not having to put up with a huge pile of canvas when I drop the sail. With minor adjustments, the sail raising issues can be minimized. I have yet to figure out how to deal with the pile of canvas that comes when dropping the main when operating in single hand or limited crew mode.  

Dutchman! Derek:Check out the Dutchman system. This is our second one and we love it. Once it is properly adjusted you can just forget it.  

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SAILING YACHT PACK-A-MAIN / STACK PACK

£ 804.00 – £ 984.00 Inc. VAT

A 2-piece cover ready for immediate use – complete with battens.

Lazy jacks, line blocks and mast blocks are all sold separately. 

Some sizes and colours are manufactured to order with a current lead time of 4-6 weeks. Please enquire at the Sales Office for further information.

Description

Additional information, pack-a-main – essentials range.

2 PIECE CANVAS COVER

Conventional or fully battened mainsails on any yacht often need a lot of hard work to use, especially whilst reefing and lowering and can cause stress within the atmosphere on board. Ease of handling with the mainsail usually means that a behind mast furling/reefing system, complete with a new mainsail, has been the only option available in reducing these stresses and strains until now….

The C&J Pack-a-Main is a cleverly designed combination sail cover and handling system, manufactured to use with your existing mainsail and boom. This easy-to-use system has removed the need to purchase new, expensive, heavier and less efficient equipment. Furthermore, with single or short-handed sailing of your yacht in mind, the Pack-a-Main will make reefing, lowering and storing your mainsail (or mizzen) a faster, safer and easier operation.

The C&J Pack-a-Main is manufactured from a UV stable acrylic canvas available in a wide range of colours to compliment your yacht or existing canvas work.

A full-length cover is held in the boom by the mainsail (the mainsail foot rope normally holds the pack-a-main in place) and held up via lazyjacks (not included). This cover forms an acrylic canvas “bag” to accept the mainsail when being lowered and to protect the sail from damaging ultra violet light when not in use. For loose footed mainsails, a reinforced rope is sewn into the bottom of the Pack-a-Main for attachment to the boom groove (please select this option when purchasing).

Full length fibreglass battens in the top edge of the boom section ensure that the Pack-a-Main is always held rigid and ready for use.

Accommodating your reefing lines is made easy by providing a strengthened sail cloth material that slides into the boom groove underneath the foot of your mainsail. Stop start sections in the tape allow for reefing lines to pass through the boom section. This in turns allow the reefing lines to be attached to the boom as normal.

An acrylic canvas forward section fits around the mast which enclosed and protects the luff edge of the sail when the mainsail is not in use. Complete with a reinforced head board area, for extra protection against abrasion.

Other available canvas colours upon request, surcharges will be applied for non-standard colours.

Important Notes:

• Measurement G, the overall length, is taken from the centre, front of the mast, to the black band/end of Clew.
• There is 20cm of tolerance in G, the overall length. Example:- if you require a 3.50 metre unit, this will fit an overall length between 3.40 metres and 3.60 metres.
• We have made every effort to make the colours and finishes on screen as close as possible to the colours and finishes of the products you’ll use. However, we cannot guarantee an exact match in colours and finishes and the images and information on this website should not be relied on as such.

To request samples of the canvas before purchasing please enquire via email.

Related products

PACK-A-MAIN – 5.40m x 1.62m

LAZY-JACK SYSTEM

BATTEN PROTECTOR

LAZY JACK LINE BLOCKS

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Matt Weidert

The complete sailing trip packing list- Here’s What to Pack

Clothing & personal sailing packing list items.

• Swimwear / swimsuits - you don't need one for every day, but they don't take up much space!
• Long-sleeved cover ups - there will be a point each day where it may be difficult to re-apply sunscreen. It's usually because you are wet - rain, sweat, dripping from a recent dip, etc. Having a couple of these sun shirts is a great idea to keep you protected from sunburn. For the guys, Florence Marine X - John John Florence's  brand - puts out a great SPF hooded shirt
• T-shirts/tank tops
• Sarongs for the ladies
• Dad hats for the guys. I also like this style hat from Florence Marine since they pack down easily and do great in the water.

•   Lightweight rain coat or windbreaker - we usually encounter a squall or two and someone still has to drive the boat! These aren't bad either for a nighttime dinghy ride into the wind.
• Sweater - it can feel chilly at night at times
• Theme night - we usually pick one night to dress up and have some fun: Luau Night, Dinner with the Captain (think Master and Commander), and 80s night are good ones.
• Polarized sunglasses - all the crew should bring polarized shares. They are helpful to read the water and see potential obstructions. My favorite brand recently is Electric - the Knoxville Sport model is a perfect everyday pair. Get them in Blue Polarized Pro for your boat trip.
• Snorkel & mask - I highly recommend bringing your own. Snorkeling gear is usually available from the charter company, but it gets a lot of use. The quality is not usually great either. Spend the money and invest in your own. I learned to scuba dive in 2008, and I am still using the same snorkel/mask. They will last you for years if taken care of.
• Fins - if you have them and have space, bring them. Otherwise, the fins from the charter company will usually be just fine.
• Walking/hiking shoes - these are usually the pair I wear on the airplane.
• Water shoes - optional, but they can be helpful. For example, jumping in the water to beach your dinghy or hiking the Baths Caves Trail
• Boat shoes - you definitely do not need these. I think most people that wear boat shoes have never been on a boat. I'm always barefoot when we are aboard.
• Quick dry towels - most charter companies don't provide beach towels, so plan to bring your own. Since they might get multiple uses every day, we like quick dry options. This type of towel also won't take up as much space in your bag.
• Sunscreen lotion - if you can find it, bring a reef friendly option. Reef Safe Sunscreen is a bit more expensive, but it's worth it to help protect the reefs.
• Personal toiletries - toothbrush, toothpaste, lip balm, deodorant, shampoo/conditioner (the boat will not come stocked with this), etc.
• Electronic chargers

 Things to bring for the crew

• Fishing gear and tackle - check out our sailboat fishing guide for all the details.
• Group flag - such as our Yacht Warriors flag! I ordered a custom burgee from bestflag .

• Dramamine for seasickness, extra band aids, neosporin, aloe, etc.
• Cash - it's a great idea to have a couple hundred bucks for each person. You'll need it for purchases such as mooring ball fees, trash pickup fees, and some restaurants might be cash only.
• Extra zip lock bags of various sizes
• Board game, playing cards, or dominoes - whatever the crew likes if games are your thing
• Floats - if you can rent them, we'd recommend just going that route. You can pack your own, but they take up space and are likely going to be thrown out at the end of the trip. I've taken a MONSTER float on a couple trips, but it always becomes way more work than it's worth.
• Flashlight or headlamp - bring a headlamp if you have one, but if you need one, your smartphone flashlight will probably be fine for the boat. You might want a real flashlight if you plan to take the dinghy ashore for dinner and return after dark.
• Collapsible cooler - for those shore excursions or storing extra ice on the boat. For some destinations, you could also pack meat in dry ice to bring with you. I like the TOURIT coolers. It's soft, so it can be packed or used as a carry on. They are also much more affordable than higher end coolers like Yeti or RTIC.  
• Waterproof speaker - believe it or not, some sailboats don't have external speakers that you can hear well while underway. You'll want a waterproof, portable speaker so that you can also take your sailing tunes ashore .
• Reusable drink cups , such as Yetis (get them personalized for a great trip souvenir)
• Dry bag - you don't need anything big, just something to fit phones in for a dinghy trip ashore. I've had a Sea to Summit dry bag for years - a 4L version should be perfect.  
• Paracord (550 cord) - you will find some many uses for this: securing fishing poles, tying on flags, making croakies for your sunglasses. Lots of color options are available online.  
• Spices - we always bring a basic assortment, salt and pepper at a minimum
• Hot sauce - I always pack some of my favorite all around hot sauce - Marie Sharp's. In Texas, I can get it at the local supermarkets, but you can also pick it up online. 

• Charts and cruising guides
• Fishing licenses (check local regulations)
• Drone (optional) - you won't regret it. Check out our trips to the Exumas, Bahamas or British Virgin Islands for some examples. I also post these pictures on our instagram profile.  
• Chefs knife or knife sharpener (optional) - this might sound silly, but I usually pack a well-sharpened kitchen knife since we are usually checking luggage for our fishing gear. We do a lot of cooking and working with a dull knife is the worst (and also dangerous)!
• Projector (optional) - OK hear me out. Yes I know we are going on a boat trip to cut the cords and enjoy the islands. It is sooo much fun, however, to watch Master and Commander or another favorite sailing movie (Captain Ron perhaps?) on the boat. We don't do it every night, but once or twice is fun! We hang up a sheet with duck tape and connect the projector via bluetooth to the boat's sound system. Check out our projector setup on our  Exumas trip.

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Sailing Gear Essentials: the Ultimate Packing List (and PDF)

When I first started, I wish I had an overview of what I need right now, and might possibly want in the future. So here's the list with all sailing essentials.

What gear do I need for sailing? You need clothes that dry quickly, deck shoes with good grip that don't leave marks, and multiple layers of clothing. You also want to bring water and sunscreen. Depending on your type of sailing and your role onboard, you need different kinds of specialty gear.

It really matters what sort of trip you're planning. Also, if you're the skipper, you're responsible for bringing a lot of additional skipper & boat gear. I've specified the complete list below for all different conditions and roles.

I've also made a printable checklist that you can download for free.

Download free sailing gear packing list

Interactive Sailing Packing List

On this page:

Gear essentials: quick summary, essential sailing clothes, skipper gear, gear you need if you own a boat, related questions.

What you need to bring depends on the sort of trip, the trip length, and your role.

I categorize gear into four types of gear:

Clothing - There are some basic rules for clothing, which I'll explain below. But the best way to know what kind of clothes to wear is asking the skipper or sailors that are regulars in the area. Weather conditions on the water are very different from land.

Crew gear - All other personal things like paperwork and toiletries. Only applies for trips of multiple days or international journeys.

Boat gear - Navigation equipment, electronics, and safety gear. Boat gear is always the responsibility of the skipper, so if you're joining as crew, you don't have to worry about this.

Supplies - You always need supplies, and with long trips, this can really add up. But with one-day trips, you don't really need to worry beyond water, since there will probably be restaurants and stores around. However, you never know: a simple trip around the lake can end up in spending the night there. Mechanical breakdown happens all the time, so perhaps you want to bring at least some food and extra water.

Below I'll go into more detail for each of the different gear categories. You'll also find all of these items on the downloadable checklist. But first, let's quickly take a look at the packing list for beginner day-sailors.

What you need to bring as crew on a 1-day sailing trip:

If you're tagging along for a short trip as (beginner) crew, you don't need to bring much. You need to wear appropriate clothes and bring a bottle of water and sunscreen. Appropriate clothes are:

• multiple base layers of clothing that are comfortable and dry quickly
• non-marking deck shoes that provide a good grip like sneakers or boat shoes
• sweater and (sailing) jacket
• sun protection, like a hat or cap, and long sleeve shirts

I'll go into multiple day trips below, but first I want to take a look at the stuff each skipper needs to consider when planning a trip.

Factors that determine the supplies and boat and crew gear

If you're the skipper, you're responsible for the boat gear and any necessary supplies. You need to decide what navigation equipment you need, and how much fuel, food, and what safety gear to bring. To make planning easier, I've created a system for myself.

There are basically three kinds of trips that determine what safety and boat gear I need to bring:

• freshwater trips - not a lot needed besides basic navigation tools
• coastal and offshore trips - more safety gear required by the USCG
• ocean passages - besides more safety gear, also more supplies and tools needed

Freshwater trips - Freshwater trips are the easiest to plan. There isn't a lot of safety gear required by the Coast Guard, and you don't need a lot of supplies or fuel, because there's always a gas station nearby. So no worries here. You just need to bring your basic navigation tools. Something like a compass and marine chart will do fine, or perhaps a chartplotter.

Coastal and offshore trips - For coastal and offshore trips you need to bring a lot more safety gear, especially on larger boats. You'll also want more navigation gear, and you'll need more anchors.

Ocean passages - Ocean passages are the ultimate planning challenge. Besides all safety gear, navigation, and so on, you also need to think about your supplies and bring extra tools. Once you're out there, you're on your own, so you need to be able to do minor repairs yourself.

Make sure to check out my Ultimate Guide to Required Safety Equipment on a Boat . There you'll find a USCG safety gear checklist for all different hull lengths.

Trip length

The second factor that determines required gear is the trip length. Obviously, the longer your trip, the more you'll need to bring.

• short trips (1-2 days)
• extended trips (2 - 14 days)
• ocean passage (multiple weeks)

I mention ocean passage again here because it's usually the longest kind of trip, but it also requires special planning. You need to bring a lot more fuel than on an ordinary two-week trip along the coast because chances are you won't find any gas stations in the middle of the Atlantic.

Also, you need to bring a lot more water onboard, and spare parts for minor engine and sail repairs. With long trips along the coast, you can always find a safe harbor with a store, or request Coast Guard assistance. They will probably be there within a couple of hours at most. But in the middle of the Atlantic, chances are nobody will come for at least a couple of days.

What you need to wear depends on your role and ambitions. If you're just tagging along as crew or a curious landlubber on a sailing yacht, you need to take a good look at your clothes, but you don't need to worry as much about specialty gear. If you're a pro sailor (or want to become one), you need special sailing gloves and wetsuits. And then there are foul weather clothes for heavy weather.

For sailing clothes, the rules of thumb are:

• you want to wear clothes that are appropriate to the climate
• you want to wear multiple layers because the temperature on the water can change quickly
• you always want to bring dry clothing
• wear clothes that dry quickly; neoprene and polyester are great for cold weather, linen is great for warm weather
• wear clothes that can't be caught in lines or winh; no scarfs or shawls, rather a large blanket or a thick coat for when you get cold

Beginner sailing outfit

• in cold weather, wear heavy, thick undergarments made from water repellant materials. Neoprene sailing socks are great, but wool works as well. Always bring plenty of spares.

Professional sailing clothes

• sailing gloves
• boat shoes or sailing boots
• water shoes
• polaroid sunglasses with croakies
• sailing hat, helmsman hat, or cap with retainer clip
• high-quality sailing jacket (inshore, coastal, and offshore jackets all have different linings)
• sailing trousers - this can be a polyester legging, made from wetsuit material, or a UV protective, water-repellent chino
• canvas sailing belt - works than a leather belt in wet conditions
• drysuit for cold weather

Foul weather/offshore clothes

• foulies (heavy weather rain suit)
• ocean trousers or salopettes

Crew gear is stuff every crew member needs to have, including the skipper. The safety gear is the responsibility of the skipper, the rest is up to you.

Safety gear

Each crew member should wear the following safety gear:

• life jacket - also called a Personal Flotation Device (PFD) - if you go sailing regularly, you might want to consider buying your own
• whistle for signaling when you go overboard
• waterproof headlamp for signaling when you go overboard
• For coastal and offshore sailing: harness and tether - clips you to a fixed padeye onboard to stay within reach when you go overboard

Toiletries (for multiple-day trips)

If you're going out for multiple days on end, be sure to bring your the following toiletries:

• toothbrush and toothpaste
• medications and perhaps medication for seasickness
• dry shampoo

If applicable, make sure to bring:

• passport for international trips
• diving certificate
• drivers license
• dry bag - to protect your precious gear
• swimming/snorkeling/diving gear
• fishing gear

Additional gear for multiple-day trips

• sleeping bag
• cellphone and charger
• electronics like an e-reader, tablet, laptop, camera, and chargers
• 12V to DC adapters
• power banks and spare batteries for all electronic equipment
• outlet travel multi-adapters for international trips

As skipper, you need to carry some tools to ensure a safe boat and the general safety:

• Personal Locator Beacon (PLB) to transmit location in case of emergency
• utility knife and marlin spike, or:
• mariners knife (has a marlin spike) - used to work on the rigging, splitting lines, and so on
• sailing watch - A digital sailing watch has at least an alarm, which you need for reminding you to do check-ups on the course, weather conditions, and so on. Most sailing watches also have a digital compass and barometer, which is great as a backup.
• captains log if you use one
• marine binoculars (with rangefinder)

The skipper needs some additional paperwork:

• International Certificate of Competence (ICC) - for international trips only
• USCG skipper's license
• VHF certificate
• sailing guides on the area
• legal paperwork for the boat and captain - like boat registration document, and a photo ID like a driver's license

Boat gear consists of cockpit gear, navigation, communication, and safety gear. For short inland trips, you only need some of that gear. You don't need a lot of navigation equipment since the waters are well mapped and finding your way isn't very difficult. First I'll give you the bare minimum, and then I'll specify each category for longer trips.

The bare essentials:

• boat compass
• marine chart
• required safety gear
• first aid kit
• small tool kit or multitool
• working anchor and rode

Cockpit equipment:

• wind vane and/or handheld wind meter
• Cockpit Mayday procedure card
• compass deviation card
• boat maintenance log

Navigation equipment:

Bring at least one (but preferably two) the following:

• handheld compass
• chartplotter - make sure you bring updated charts
• backup chartplotter - this can also be a laptop, tablet, or even smartphone
• sextant & up-to-date navigation almanac
• marine charts

I always want to bring at least two means of navigation. My favorites are the compass (by far) and the GPS since these are very reliable. I also plan to dive into celestial navigation, since this is a great backup, and it's more accurate than you might think.

You can get a cheap but reliable chartplotter and compass for less than $500 - in total. If you want to learn more, head over to the recommended gear section:

• Click here for my recommended chartplotter
• Click here for my recommended compass

For a complete overview of types of marine navigation, I recommend to check out my in-depth article about it .

Communication equipment:

• satellite phone
• marine VHF radio
• handheld depth sounder
• signaling flags for international waters

Safety gear:

• air horn or whistle
• bosun's chair for rig work
• radar reflector
• flares or LED signaling light
• emergency weather radio
• first aid kit - needs to contain at least
• fire extinguisher(s)
• life raft for offshore sailing

Other gear:

• 1 anchor for inshore
• at least 2 anchors for offshore (preferably 3 - 2 storm anchors)
• tool kit for minor repairs on rigging, sails, and engine
• multimeter for checking the wiring
• full tank of fuel
• spare parts (plugs, fuses, etc.)
• heaving line 50’-70’

Supplies start to get important with longer (offshore) trips. But it's especially important with ocean passages. These kinds of trips tend to take longer than expected. The most important supplies are food, water, and fuel.

Water - Fresh drinking water is your number one priority when at sea. If you'll be on the open sea for multiple days or even weeks, you should bring PLENTY of water.

Food - Make sure to bring plenty of canned foods. A fishing rod is also a great way to ensure food, in case you run out.

Fuel - For ocean passages you ideally want to carry at least 400 - 500 NM worth of motoring range in fuel. That's roughly 125 - 160 gallons of fuel. So make sure to install additional fuel tanks if you don't have the capacity.

If you want to know more about how to plan fuel consumption: I've written an article on it. Make sure to check my article on how much fuel different engine sizes burn here .

If you're the owner of the boat, you need to have some gear to properly maintain it.

If your boat can be hauled out onto a trailer, you probably want a trailer. A trailer is, however, not always the easiest way to transport a sailboat. You have to take down the mast and rigging, which is a lot of work.

You also need some basic maintenance gear to take care of your hull, engine, and sails.

You want an electrical toolbox that contains:

• wire cutters
• wire stripper
• needle-nose and vice-grip pliers

For engine maintenance, you need a basic wrench set.

You also need:

• a good selection of screwdrivers
• nut drivers for hose clamps
• large and small channel-locks

Sailing can require a lot of gear, but you can also do with the bare essentials - especially in the early stages of sailing when you're practicing on inland lakes for example. Remember, if you're the skipper, you are responsible for the bulk of the gear, and people depend on your planning skills. Don't take it lightly. But with this resource, I hope I've made it a lot easier on you.

If you're looking for quality sailing gear, I have a section on my website with in-depth information on all kinds of gear. If you want, you can check it out here .

What should I pack for a day boat trip? You want to wear multiple layers of clothes that dry quickly. Also, you want to bring sun protection, like sunscreen, sunglasses, and a hat. A sailing jacket is recommended. Always bring dry clothes and water. Besides the essentials, you probably want to bring your swimsuit, towels, water shoes, and insect repellant.

What should I pack for an overnight boat trip? Bring a pillow, sleeping bag, and toiletries. Wear clothes in multiple layers, and bring dry clothes. Always bring sun protection (sunscreen, sunglasses, hat). It gets cold on the water: bring a warm sailing jacket and gloves. Neoprene socks stay warm, even when wet. Insect repellant and Dramamine are also recommended.

What to wear when sailing in cold weather? Wear a reliable outer layer. Most quality sailing gear is water repellant and will keep you dry. Wear warm base layers, and bring spares in a dry bag. Warm your hands and toes using neoprene gloves and socks and bring spares. Wear neck and face protection, and cover your eyes using goggles. Also, wear a helmsman hat.

Hello, Shawn! It’s fantastic that you’re sharing such useful information with others. These items are necessary for any sailing trip, whether it is for a day, two days, a week, or a month. I’d like to add one or two items that are also necessary if you’re sailing with children, particularly, children can rapidly become bored and require entertainment. That is why you should bring a variety of activities to keep your child occupied. Also, keep in mind that children are naturally curious and will want to explore the boat. They can, however, become careless, so you must take precautions.

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