Do I need a topping lift?

[ditchcrawler]

I have a Barton Boomstrut. It works well. My topping lift is tied off down the side of the mast as I was loathe to take it out completely but it has not been missed.

As others have said I always take my mainsheet halyard back to the end of the boom when finished sailing and tension it against the mainsheet to stop the boom swinging about. Works fine.

 

[capnsensible]

But if you got rid of the topping lift, then you'd never be able to say "topping lift" again...

You will if you say things like 'look at those yachts over there with rod kickers that don't need topping lifts'.

 

[Refueler]

You will if you say things like 'look at those yachts over there with rod kickers that don't need topping lifts'.

Or ... "look at those yachts over there with rod kickers that don't need topping lifts.... bet they wish they did have though !"

 

[TernVI]

+1

Invaluable when you need to use the boom to lift heavy loads on/off the boat.

You can use the halyard for that. Somehow I've sailed for 45 years without needing to do this though.

 

[Refueler]

You can use the halyard for that. Somehow I've sailed for 45 years without needing to do this though.

Lucky you ..............

 

[capnsensible]

Or ... "look at those yachts over there with rod kickers that don't need topping lifts.... bet they wish they did have though !"

Or 'of all the different yachts I've sailed with rod kickers, none of them needed a topping lift but they do come in handy sometimes especially when repairing the rod kicker.'

 

[capnsensible]

You can use the halyard for that. Somehow I've sailed for 45 years without needing to do this though.

Yes you can. Just a bit time consuming if you have to drop a roller furling main first.

Should you ever go off cruising it's very handy for lifting an outboard engine back on board. And the dinghy.

And heaven forbid, a man overboard. ?

 

[Sharky34]

I'm with "matt1" ..... why trust just a rod kicker - if a topping lift is already there ... then why not use it ?

I cannot help but think about the triangle of forces ...........

A boom with no sail set is levering that Rod Kicker with a large part of the boom outboard.
With sail set - the boom is held up by the sail and kicker is there to control rise and fall etc.

A boom with no sail and a topping lift is supported at the furthest end and is far kinder ... especially when you harden the mainsheet to stop boom swinging all over place .. or as some do - unclip sheets and clip to one side of cockpit.

If the sail is not set, do you not take the main halliard to the boom end to stop mast slapping?
Oops, hadn't read #6.

 

[TernVI]

Yes you can. Just a bit time consuming if you have to drop a roller furling main first.

Should you ever go off cruising it's very handy for lifting an outboard engine back on board. And the dinghy.

And heaven forbid, a man overboard. ?

Does the OP have a roller furling main?
Does he habitually lift heavy weights with the boom?
We have MOB tackle which doesn't involve the boom, bit of a separate subject.
Many things to consider which may vary from boat to boat.

Some of the responses might beg the question, why have a strut kicker?
If you're going to have a topping lift, you don't need one and it stops you scandalising the main for RYA course brownie points....

 

[Refueler]

Does the OP have a roller furling main?
Does he habitually lift heavy weights with the boom?
We have MOB tackle which doesn't involve the boom, bit of a separate subject.
Many things to consider which may vary from boat to boat.

Some of the responses might beg the question, why have a strut kicker?
If you're going to have a topping lift, you don't need one and it stops you scandalising the main for RYA course brownie points....

I have yet to see any MOB retrieval kit worth its cost yet ... all fine in calm seas .. but get into bad conditions and see what happens.

Best MOB kit I've seen is a variation on the main sail in the water .... let person into the sail or net and then roll them on board.

 

[capnsensible]

Does the OP have a roller furling main?
Does he habitually lift heavy weights with the boom?
We have MOB tackle which doesn't involve the boom, bit of a separate subject.
Many things to consider which may vary from boat to boat.

Some of the responses might beg the question, why have a strut kicker?
If you're going to have a topping lift, you don't need one and it stops you scandalising the main for RYA course brownie points....

Lots of personal preferences of course. On my own yacht I have a soft kicker. On occasion on boats with soft kickers, I don't think scandalising the mainsail is for scoring brownie points, whatever that means but an option for controlling a vessel under sail.

However, the op question is with a rod kicker, do I need a topping lift. Al I can say is that on the dozens of yachts I've sailed with a rod kicker, the answer is no. You don't need one. But as I pointed out, they are flippin handy! ?

 

[capnsensible]

I have yet to see any MOB retrieval kit worth its cost yet ... all fine in calm seas .. but get into bad conditions and see what happens.

Best MOB kit I've seen is a variation on the main sail in the water .... let person into the sail or net and then roll them on board.

Serious question, have you tried that on a windy day?

 

[newtothis]

Serious question, have you tried that on a windy day?

Have you ever tried it at all? Using does rather crush one against the side of the hull, and I was only doing it off the pontoon.

 

[capnsensible]

Have you ever tried it at all? Using does rather crush one against the side of the hull, and I was only doing it off the pontoon.

Yes, a couple of times using a storm jib. On the water. Really difficult to get the sail under water.

My favourite is a helicopter rescue strop and a halyard. Have tried a couple of times in harbour with a warm body in the water(volunteer) , lots of times just lifting off the side deck at sea to show how to rig it and stacks just to lift a Danbuoy out of the water on bumpy days to demonstrate the safety aspects. ?

 

[Refueler]

Serious question, have you tried that on a windy day?

Yes ... not easy ... but nothing is that I've seen yet.

People think that you need to sink the sail ...... usually not the case as the person should shuffle into it ... if they are passed out - in cold water - cold water can cause this quick and usually fatal ... then its a different scenario as then literally nothing works other than a weighted net instead of the sail.

 

[capnsensible]

I can recommend you try a helicopter rescue strop. ??

 

[Refueler]

I can recommend you try a helicopter rescue strop. ??

I've used one many times on and off shuttle ships ..... problem is they need MOB to be still active - or another person in the water.

 

[cherod]

"A boom with no sail set is levering that Rod Kicker with a large part of the boom outboard."

Not if you disconnect the main halyard from the sail and connect it to the topping lift point to stop it slapping on the mast all night.

With a full roach, full length battens and lazy jacks, a topping lift can get in the way of hoisting sail. Just when you want to swing the sail either side of a jack, the topping lift gets in the way and stops it swinging.

that is one reason why i do not have one,, bloody lazy jacks are bad enough with the battens without more obsticals .

 

[cherod]

Only you know how you manage your boat in reality so disconnect it and see how you get on.
Of cause the day you need to use the boom and main sheet to lift something heavy on board, then you'll need it..

the main sail halyard can do that just as well ,, even better

 

[cherod]

On my last boat I suspect the rod kicker was on the margins for supporting the boom, and as the boat rolled in wash / waves the boom could sway from side to side - this could have been fixed with a topping lift & then pulling down hard on the mainsheet

" preventors " can prevent that