William_H
Well-known member
The topping lift on my 21fter consists of a length of 4mm polyester with a snap shackle hook on the end. It is used only when hoisting or dropping the main sail.
There is a loop of bungy at he top of the vee of the back stay where this line is attached when sailing or indeed when moored. I always drop the bopom onto the cabin top when leaving the boat. (to stop movement and wear on main sheet traveler. ) The topping lift is simply attached to the end of the crane at back stay attachment and is fixed length. (adjusted by moving the knot at the bottom hook. Often I forget (getting old) to remove topping lift when sailing. It raises the boom a little from where it would sit hanging on the sail and she sails noticeably badly to windward.
Yes you can just attach the boom end to the back stay t a suitable height. However this limits the freedom of the boom to swing when the sail is up or coming down. So wind catches sail and causes all sorts of problems.
I choose not to have an adjustable topping lift simply to avoid one more line from mast. Note i can easily reef the main sail without use of topping lift just by incremental release of halyard and tightening of clew reef line.
Yes you should adjust the mast rake to essentially vertical or just slightly raked. (a few inches at top).
The wire you use is presumably the main sail halyard probably spliced to rope at the end. Easiest to leave this attached to the top of the main sail which can be left on the boom flaked (faked) down. ol'will
There is a loop of bungy at he top of the vee of the back stay where this line is attached when sailing or indeed when moored. I always drop the bopom onto the cabin top when leaving the boat. (to stop movement and wear on main sheet traveler. ) The topping lift is simply attached to the end of the crane at back stay attachment and is fixed length. (adjusted by moving the knot at the bottom hook. Often I forget (getting old) to remove topping lift when sailing. It raises the boom a little from where it would sit hanging on the sail and she sails noticeably badly to windward.
Yes you can just attach the boom end to the back stay t a suitable height. However this limits the freedom of the boom to swing when the sail is up or coming down. So wind catches sail and causes all sorts of problems.
I choose not to have an adjustable topping lift simply to avoid one more line from mast. Note i can easily reef the main sail without use of topping lift just by incremental release of halyard and tightening of clew reef line.
Yes you should adjust the mast rake to essentially vertical or just slightly raked. (a few inches at top).
The wire you use is presumably the main sail halyard probably spliced to rope at the end. Easiest to leave this attached to the top of the main sail which can be left on the boom flaked (faked) down. ol'will
