Sigma 38 - Does it have a topping lift?

[james24goddard]

Hi everyone,
Does anyone know if the Sigma 38's have a topping lift, i've viewed one and it didn't have one (maybe something to do with its racing background?). I've also checked photos of Sigma 38's on the internet and to be honest i can't see one. Of course they might have moved it back to the mast once the main is up. But if anyone could help i would appreciate it. Also if they don't have a topping lift, then what do they do when reefing etc? Thanks in advance.

 

[NPMR]

Rod Kicker?

Did it have a heavy-duty support under the boom?

 

[james24goddard]

Hi,
when i viewed her she had the main halyard going out to the end of the boom, which was keeping the boom up. When i released the main from the winch the boom dropped nearly all the way into the cockpit. She did have a rod kicker but to be honest it didn't seem to support the boom that well (maybe broken??). Would be interesting to see how much further the boom would drop with out the rod kicker ie would it touch the cockpit?? Thanks for the reply.

 

[sailorman]

thats the system i use.
with a rod kicker / vang you dont need a dedicated topping lift as such. just use the halyard to haul it up out of the way.
if you need to ask this question is a Sigma 38 for you /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

 

[james24goddard]

Thanks for the reply Sailorman, this is what i thought, as for "is a Sigma 38 for you" the reason i raised the question was that i have seen a couple with a vang and a topping lift together which i thought was overkill or someone new something which i didn't. Thanks again

 

[wotayottie]

The one parked next to my boat has a topping lift biut if the boat in question has a gas strut kicker then it might well not need one. gets rid of windage.

 

[shmoo]

When I bought my 362 it didn't have a topping lift. The vang supports the boom way too low to be useful. I couldn't work out how to use the main halyard to support the boom when at the same time I needed it to pull the main up!


So we had a topping lift fitted.

(Apart from anything else the topping lift and upside down main sheet gear would be our method of recovering a person in the water)

 

[dt4134]

I've raced on several Sigma 38s, some had toping lifts others didn't.

Some had vangs (rod kickers) to hold up the boom when hoisting or dropping the main others just expected one of the crew to take the weight of the boom.

IIRC the mast on all of them would take a topping lift, which presumably was originally fitted, so if you bought one without you could always fit a topping lift.

 

[Nico]

I'm pretty sure the Sigma 38 I used to sail had a topping lift but we never used it out of the marina, and to answer your second question about reefing, we would continue sailing on the headsail and let the boom drop. It would not drop into the cockpit as such because the sheet would be eased enough to totally depower the main. A bit of assistance underneath the boom when winding in the reefing line would complete the reef, if needed.

 

[james24goddard]

Thankyou everyone for your replies, you've all said what i was thinking. So no hidden surprises. Thanks again.

 

[Refueler]

Many boats who aspire to racing - do away with topping lifts and use the main-halyard ... not a method I like as I like possibility to scandalise main if needed by use of topping lift.

I know of two Sigmas of friends and one has .. other hasn't !!

Simple matter to add one. You only need to rivet a small block to one side at top of mast to run a topping lift line through...... plus a medium size cleat at base..... or block to lead through to cockpit based clutch.

 

[ghostlymoron]

Can you see up the mast if there is a spare sheave - likewise exit at the mast base. If these are in place, its simple to fit a topping lift. I prefer a topping lift to boom struts - simple technology and more sail control.

 

[Roger_D]

My Sigma 38 came without one, (the kicker strut, however was good enough to keep the boom up). We simply led (re-roved?) one of the two spinnaker halyards to the second unused sheave at the mast head, (a bit tricky to do, but a wire coat hanger was helpful) and extended it to make a topping lift. Our main concern was that it would give us a second mast-head line for mast-head visitations. Theoretically, also better for using the boom and main sheet as a crane to lift heavy stuff from the water; contraband, wayward crew etc. Scandalizing the main can be done as well.