I have a boom gallows similar to David's (on the cockpit roof and designed to be snag-proof) though I rarely use it.  I usually leave my sail bundle hanging in the topping lifts, but always pull the bundle to one side with a preventer line and tension this by hauling on the mainsheet when anchored.  If I don't do this, no matter how tight I heave on the mainsheet, the bundle moves slightly with boat movement, which makes an annoying noise and could cause chafe.  If I leave the boat for any time on a mooring, or if I was under bare poles at sea (lying ahull for instance), I think dropping the sail into the gallows makes sense.  Then it won't move at all.  I have difficulty getting the bundle back up into the sailing position using the topping lifts, but overcome this by tying a line around the bundle and using the halyard.  It pays to pre-mark the fall of the topping lifts where they are cleated, to allow you to reset them easily, but one can always adjust them once the sail is hoisted.

Erik and Evi Menzel Ivey wrote:

Brian - the search function has not been working for me. Only returns internet results.

Hi George.

Use the search box on any of the pages in the Members’ area. This pulls up a few comments. David Tyler’s has the usual crop of tried and tested ideas. You’d need lazy jacks as well to keep the sail in control when the rig is out of the crutch. There was some debate about the need for a crutch a while back in one of the fora. Try searching for ‘boom crutch’ as well. That should pull it up.

Mit freundlichen Grüssen, Brian