Champagne Murphy
Well-Known Member
Topping lift also useful in light airs to lift the boom and unflatten the sail
Basics - Topping lift removed when sail is up?
- Thread starter Jaguar 25
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Poignard
Well-Known Member
If I disconnected it I would probably forget that I had. Then when I had to put a reef in I would waste time having to come aft again to reconnect it. 
Lakesailor
Well-Known Member
I had a spare cleat about 6" higher than the topping lift cleat on the mast. I cleated the topping lift off on the lower cleat so that it was slack when the main was hoisted. Then put a loop in the topping lift about 6" above the higher cleat. After releasing the kicking strap, but before lowering the main, I could pull down on the topping lift so the loop fitted on the higher cleat.
The position of the loop was chosen to give a level boom when the main was lowered. I used to raise the gooseneck after lowering the main to prevent the sliders falling out of the mast gate slot.
This sounds very complicated, but was very simple in practice.
The position of the loop was chosen to give a level boom when the main was lowered. I used to raise the gooseneck after lowering the main to prevent the sliders falling out of the mast gate slot.
This sounds very complicated, but was very simple in practice.
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GHA
Well-Known Member
+1
I moved mine from the mast to a jammer cleat attached to a backstay so it's easy to adjust a few MM or more without leaving the cockpit.
Ravi
Well-Known Member
I think I understand what lakesailor is describing. One loop for when there is no mainsail, one loop for a slack topping lift while sailing and one loop to lift the boom during the process of raising the main sail. Very neat. I might pinch that idea.
(It is always amusing to see yotties trying to raise their mainsail with the kicker rammed tight and the topping lift slack (and often the main sheeted hard), sweating over a winch unnecessarily and struggling to get the leach past the lazyjacks!)
In reply to the OP - All you have to do when sailing is slacken off the topping lift (just a bit) so that it is not supporting the boom. If you are shorthanding, it is always nice to have the topping lift led back to the cockpit. The bungee is an interesting idea.
Champagne Murphy said ..."Topping lift also useful in light airs to lift the boom and unflatten the sail"
?Wouldn't that just spill the wind from the sail and depower the boat?
I would have thought that loosening the main halyard / kicker / outhaul (/ downhaul, if you have one) would be the way to unflatten the sail and retain the sail shape.
(It is always amusing to see yotties trying to raise their mainsail with the kicker rammed tight and the topping lift slack (and often the main sheeted hard), sweating over a winch unnecessarily and struggling to get the leach past the lazyjacks!)
In reply to the OP - All you have to do when sailing is slacken off the topping lift (just a bit) so that it is not supporting the boom. If you are shorthanding, it is always nice to have the topping lift led back to the cockpit. The bungee is an interesting idea.
Champagne Murphy said ..."Topping lift also useful in light airs to lift the boom and unflatten the sail"
?Wouldn't that just spill the wind from the sail and depower the boat?
I would have thought that loosening the main halyard / kicker / outhaul (/ downhaul, if you have one) would be the way to unflatten the sail and retain the sail shape.
prv
Well-Known Member
I guess he's talking about the shape of the leach rather than the whole sail - if the boom's strapped down too hard then the leach closes. I'll admit I don't know exactly what the effect of that is, but I know it looks wrong and goes slower. Normally easing the kicker would do it, as you say, but Murphy's talking light winds where the weight of the boom is enough to have the same effect. Hence taking the weight on the topping lift.
Pete
GHA
Well-Known Member
That's what I find in very light airs. Downwind with a Topping lift, main sheet and preventer you can lock off the boom where ever you want it and stop the main "breathing" as the boom lifts.
Fantasie 19
Well-Known Member
+1 That's what I use it for... it's part of your rigging armoury, I can't imagine taking it off as I use it to change sail shape.. in fact one of the winter projects is to lead lines back to the cockpit and the TL is one of my two must haves...
Alan_B
Well-Known Member
Wish I had a dedicated one! Have to use the halyard for the main as one. Maybe a job for the winter when she is pulled out, along with many other things. In fact, all the halyards need sorted, hate using cleats on the mast, going to put them all through clutches on the coach roof.
