I need to replace topping lift - recommendations please

[ChattingLil]

Just read Nostradamus' thread on the topping lift with interest cos I've only just now realised that I could use the topping lift as a spare halyard. I've been thinking about replacing my current topping lift and if I want to use it as a spare halyard (good enough for hoisting a person up the mast) please can the esteemed panel give me some recommendations.

Am going to Essex boat jumble in a couple of weeks, so will add it to my shopping list.

thanks

 

[A1Sailor]

Just read Nostradamus' thread on the topping lift with interest cos I've only just now realised that I could use the topping lift as a spare halyard. I've been thinking about replacing my current topping lift and if I want to use it as a spare halyard (good enough for hoisting a person up the mast) please can the esteemed panel give me some recommendations.

Am going to Essex boat jumble in a couple of weeks, so will add it to my shopping list.

thanks

Please don't hoist me up your mast using a halyard that needs replaced - or one bought in a jumble sale! I need the heaviest and most reliale halyard/fittings available...

 

[ChattingLil]

Please don't hoist me up your mast using a halyard that needs replaced - or one bought in a jumble sale! I need the heaviest and most reliale halyard/fittings available...

err, not going to buy an old or second hand one - I thought there were dealers at the boat jumbles selling good new rope...?

And anyway, have you a recommendation if I don't get from there and go to a yachtshop.

 

[sailorman]

Just read Nostradamus' thread on the topping lift with interest cos I've only just now realised that I could use the topping lift as a spare halyard. I've been thinking about replacing my current topping lift and if I want to use it as a spare halyard (good enough for hoisting a person up the mast) please can the esteemed panel give me some recommendations.

Am going to Essex boat jumble in a couple of weeks, so will add it to my shopping list.

thanks

mine are dyneema but not necessary for a main really. it did replace a wire halliard.
go for 12 m/m braid on braid

 

[silverdawn]

tOPPING lIFT

Just read Nostradamus' thread on the topping lift with interest cos I've only just now realised that I could use the topping lift as a spare halyard. I've been thinking about replacing my current topping lift and if I want to use it as a spare halyard (good enough for hoisting a person up the mast) please can the esteemed panel give me some recommendations.

Am going to Essex boat jumble in a couple of weeks, so will add it to my shopping list.

thanks

Hi Lisa, the size of the sheeve at the masthead will determine the maximum rope
size you upgrade with, your existing rope should fit the sheeve go any larger and it will jamb!

 

[ChattingLil]

Hi Lisa, the size of the sheeve at the masthead will determine the maximum rope
size you upgrade with, your existing rope should fit the sheeve go any larger and it will jamb!

hmmm. this much I know!
my question was more about type of rope. ie dyneema as Sailorman suggested. Currently my topping lift is so old I don't know what it is except that it is just three strand, but three strand of what I don't know. And if I'm going to spend money getting something good enough for dual purpose I might as well try to edumacate meself and take some advice.

 

[nigelmercier]

my question was more about type of rope. ie dyneema...

I don't see the point in using a non-stretch and very expensive product for something that has no bearing on the sail trim. Any braid-on-braid to fit your sheeve will be fine, but put a hard-eye where the shackle goes.

 

[Vara]

Lill you are a genius.

Been pondering mast climbing, and with roll away main and genny. Need safety line when using spinnaker halyard as primary lift.

Topping lift, staring me in the face. Mans an idiot.

 

[ChattingLil]

Lill you are a genius.

Been pondering mast climbing, and with roll away main and genny. Need safety line when using spinnaker halyard as primary lift.

Topping lift, staring me in the face. Mans an idiot.

Don't thank me - I saw it in the thread on whats the point of a topping lift!

 

[rob2]

Trouble is that the TL is a relatively low load application when compared with a halyard, particularly if you're planning on using it to be winched up the mast! I like a TL of about 6 or 8mm (I've been told that 5mm tends to thrum anoyingly), but halyards come in at around 10mm or greater. The TL will still work as an emergency halyard, although only in cruising mode as it may not take kindly to exuberant sail trimming over too long a period. It has worked for me with both bolt ropes and slugs, the friction of which tend to hold the main up anyway, but a racing boat with Battcars or similar will work the halyard/TL harder especially if the sail flogs.

Is your TL in-mast and using a sheave box or an external block arrangement? The former is usually a much stronger arrangement, whilst the latter usually has a fairly small and therefore weak block and shackle arrangement, in which case you may as well use a lighter line.

Rob.

 

[Poignard]

. . . (good enough for hoisting a person up the mast) . . .

I don't want to rain on your parade but if I were you I would check what arrangement there is at the masthead before you get yourself hoisted up on a topping lift.

Many boats have the topping lift rove through a block at the masthead which is held out from the mast on a bracket ('crane'). If that were to give way, your day could be spoilt.

I would rather be hauled up on a halyard rove through a masthead sheave.

 

[lustyd]

Take a look at the following link for rope selection. It will tell you all you need to know.
http://www.marlowropes.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=38&Itemid=65

 

[MoodySabre]

Braid on braid will be fine Lisa.

Don't you ever go to Dauntless? 12mm about £1.30 a metre. 11mm (which would also be fine) for that price at Boatropes.

 

[lustyd]

And from the same site, even their worst 6mm rope has a breaking load of 600KG so would lift 6 average humans pretty well. That's ignoring any sudden loading (ie in a fall) but for your 29 footer you'd probably go bigger and better anyway

 

[ChattingLil]

Braid on braid will be fine Lisa.

Don't you ever go to Dauntless? 12mm about £1.30 a metre. 11mm (which would also be fine) for that price at Boatropes.

Cheers R

Yes I do go to Dauntless, and will look there too. I'm sure they have the rope, but the last three trips I've made to Dauntless have been fruitless. (weird I know as it's usually the opposite!) Anyway, as I will be in Colchester visiting my auntie, I may as well go shopping too

For the others - yes my TL goes through the mast.

 

[r_h]

And from the same site, even their worst 6mm rope has a breaking load of 600KG so would lift 6 average humans pretty well. That's ignoring any sudden loading (ie in a fall) but for your 29 footer you'd probably go bigger and better anyway

It's important not to confuse breaking load with Safe Working Load, which can be considerable smaller. In any case, some manufacturers quote average breaking load, which of course is a larger figure than minimum breaking load.

 

[wklein]

I am thinking the same thing at the moment as my main halyard and topping lift are both 10mm dyneema, dyneema is great for climbing but horrible for topping lift as you have to adjust it every time you adjust the vang as there is no give. too much slack and it gets itself into trouble.

I will try some liros porto type material and report back, 10mm double braided with <15% stretch, 2200kg break load. Pretty poor for halyard but excellent topping lift.

 

[HunterWanderer]

Stretch in the topping lift is not good as you need to tighten on the mainsheet to stop the boom moving and you dont want the boom touching the sprayhood.
Mine has a pvc coated wire fixed at the masthead and has a pulley block at the boom end. It then has a dynema line from the end of the boom , through the block on the end of the wire and back to the boom, round a fixed block then to a jamming cleat. The dynema has a stop knot in it to stop the boom from dropping too low.
I've added a shock cord to the end of the dynema line to the gooseneck which keeps some tension on the topping lift when the sail is up.

 

[Seajet]

A few points raised here.

For a start, I'd say pre-stetched line IS a good idea, as one sometimes wants to set the mainsheet / TL tight to prevent the boom swinging around on a mooring, and if using the TL as a spare halliard pre-stretched would pay.

I can confirm 4 & 5mm line resonates in anything above F2, David Harding commented on it while testing my boat, " that's a 4mm line isn't it ?! " without looking.

If using the TL with boom as a crane for MOB recovery a strong line seems an idea let alone for going up the mast.

I agree with checking the masthead arrangement before using the TL to hoist a bod up the mast though; my boat's TL goes through a crane extension, so would not be suitable.

12mm seems awfully thick for a TL though, I'm no racing nut but that seems a lot of windage unless on a pretty large boat ?

 

[wklein]

Stretch in the topping lift is not good as you need to tighten on the mainsheet to stop the boom moving and you dont want the boom touching the sprayhood.
Mine has a pvc coated wire fixed at the masthead and has a pulley block at the boom end. It then has a dynema line from the end of the boom , through the block on the end of the wire and back to the boom, round a fixed block then to a jamming cleat. The dynema has a stop knot in it to stop the boom from dropping too low.
I've added a shock cord to the end of the dynema line to the gooseneck which keeps some tension on the topping lift when the sail is up.

You only need the boom to stop moving in harbour when the dyneema main halyard is on the end of the boom doing this job. When sailing you want stretch.