Rerig topping lift? rigging brainteaser.

[RJJ]

Hi all -

The topping lift - goodness knows how or why - is running inside the mast within a loose length of plastic conduit. The helpful chap at Sparcraft tells me the conduit runs up the mast and accommodates all the cabling; it is cut in 2.2m lengths and should be gripping an extrusion at the rear of the aluminium section.

So it seems one of the 2.2m tubes has jumped off its tracks and wrapped itself around the topping lift. It has slid down to the mast exit for the topping lift (which is a slit at about 8 foot above the deck). It's really hard to adjust the topping lift; also the rope is wearing at the tube, such that the latter then slides down and grips it like a vice.

What to do? I mean, I've lived with it for a year and a half...but it's annoying and means the topping lift is all but useless. I'd really like to have it in case the vang strut breaks; also it's on the thin side and I'm minded to replace it with a spare main halyard.

Any clever tips or ideas for cutting the length of conduit, perhaps into two halves, through the slit (Dremel?)- and then being able to extract the pieces (there's another unused slot on the opposite side of the mast) so they don't rattle around for evermore?

Many thanks indeed

 

[greeny]

So is the cabling still in the conduit? It doesn't sound like it. From what you're saying it sounds as thought the conduit is floating around and got tangled in the topping lift and slid down to the rope exit slot, but what's happened to the cables?
I think the exits from the Sparcraft mast have a stainless lead surround fixed in with pop rivets. (I may be wrong) but if you take the fitting off does it give you a bigger hole and clearance to let the conduit slide down and out.

 

[GHA]

I moved mine to run back down parallel to a backstay terminating on a cleat attached to the backstay, much more usable as it's right there in the cockpit.
Twin backstays though.

 

[anoccasionalyachtsman]

a) Is the slot fitted with a fairlead that you can remove and so make it large enough for... b)

b) Can you squeeze/flatten the conduit enough to get it out of the slot and then keep pulling it through?

 

[PetiteFleur]

I fitted a Barton Boom Strut which replaces the topping lift. Excellent piece of kit, keeps the boom at an angle when the kicking strap is loosened tighten the kicking strap and away you go! The topping lift is now a spare main halliard, tied to ths backstay.
greeny seems to have the best solution that may help you. Or your suggestion of cutting the tubing with a dremel or a multitool with an oscillating blade but ideally you'll need to get it out in one or two long strips, but unless you are very careful you'll end up with a cut topping lift or lots of little pieces of plastic inside the bottom the mast.

 

[RJJ]

So is the cabling still in the conduit? It doesn't sound like it. From what you're saying it sounds as thought the conduit is floating around and got tangled in the topping lift and slid down to the rope exit slot, but what's happened to the cables?
I think the exits from the Sparcraft mast have a stainless lead surround fixed in with pop rivets. (I may be wrong) but if you take the fitting off does it give you a bigger hole and clearance to let the conduit slide down and out.

Don't think it is. I can probably check with one of those camera-on-snake things. It would be a shame if I cut through any cables...so good idea to check.

I don't think there is an exit fitting. I shall have to remind myself when next down.

Thanks

 

[RJJ]

a) Is the slot fitted with a fairlead that you can remove and so make it large enough for... b)

b) Can you squeeze/flatten the conduit enough to get it out of the slot and then keep pulling it through?

(A) don't think so. (b) no unless I can figure how to disengage it from the topping lift first.

 

[anoccasionalyachtsman]

(A) don't think so. (b) no unless I can figure how to disengage it from the topping lift first.

Would it make life easier to replace the t lift with a thin messenger line?

(I had misunderstood that the t lift was actually running through the conduit - which I now see is presumably the one for masthead wiring?).

Since I can't really get my head around how they're fouling I'm not sure if this is helpful, but could you tie one end of a hacksaw blade to the t lift and a 'downhaul' line to the other and then saw your way out of the dilemma?

 

[RJJ]

Would it make life easier to replace the t lift with a thin messenger line?

That could help, thanks!

 

[greeny]

Looking on the sparcraft website, the conduits used nowadays are 25mm or 32 mm, sections of round plastic tube that is split down its length. This split then fits over a "tongue" on the mast extrusion internally. It's feasible that the tube has come off the tongue and the cables come out of the slot. But how it's got tangled in the topping lift and not fallen down the mast is intriguing. Of course, your mast maybe a different generation and the conduits different.
As you say, a good look with a borroscope before doing anything else may reveal what the real problem is and the extent of the entanglement.
With the tube being split along it's length it will make it easier to squash it a bit flatter to enable you to pull it down and out of the mast exit slot maybe.
I rebuilt my Z spar mast about 10 yrs ago and the conduits in that were split tubes held the same way and were a real pain to feed up inside with the cables in them by myself, and that was with the mast on the trestles, so not much chance of getting it back in position with the mast stepped I'm afraid.