Topping is it necessary.

[Binman]

I have a small 7m Pandora that appears to never have been fitted with a topping lift.No sign of any spare pulley at the mast head.The only thing that keeps the boom level is the haliyard, the boom will sit on the cabin hatch when slackened right off.Do you feel strongly that I should fit a topping lift?Looking for some guidance on this matter,thanks.

 

[RupertW]

I've only seen missing topping lifts where there is a solid vang to hold the boom up. My questions would be - is the boom secure on the cabin roof and does it get in the way?

 

[crewman]

Topping lift will support the boom when reefing. Mine is not adjustable, it is a line attached to the mast head and to the end of the boom. There is a loop in this line, which when slipped over the end of the boom supports it at a suitable height. When the main is hoisted I slip the loop off the boom so the topping lift is slack. I also use it when moored to support the boom.

 

[ghostlymoron]

I've always happy one even on my Leisure 17. Helps when reefing as well as keeping the boom above head height when your moored/at anchor plus you can't scandalise without one.
You can probably drop your mast without a crane to fit a block for one at the mast head so it won't cost more than a block and length of string.
I'd definitely do it.

 

[johnalison]

Although sailing without a topping lift or boom strut is possible, there may be times, such as when reefing, as above, or when hoisting or lowering sail in boisterous conditions when keeping the boom out of the way is far more comfortable and possibly safe. I'd be unhappy in anything above dinghy size without one.

 

[VicS]

I have a small 7m Pandora that appears to never have been fitted with a topping lift.No sign of any spare pulley at the mast head.The only thing that keeps the boom level is the haliyard, the boom will sit on the cabin hatch when slackened right off.Do you feel strongly that I should fit a topping lift?Looking for some guidance on this matter,thanks.

If you can find a way of fitting a suitable block at the masthead I would say adding a topping lift would be well worthwhile.

It'll support the boom when not sailing, when fitting the sails and while reefing.

Having the boom resting on the cabin hatch must be a PITA

 

[lw395]

You don't need a topping lift to reef such a small boat.
You can just reef a bit differently.
Dump the kicker and sheet.
Pull the boom up to the reef clew.
Drop halliard to the mark.
Sort the tack. If the tack is on a purchase instead of a ramshorn, it is quick and easy.
Sheet on and go.
Kicker on.

We raced like this for a bit. 2 up.
A suitable purchase on the reefing line makes it viable.
The boom will be moving around 'some' but you don't need to be near the aft end of it.
Your sheet and kicker systems need to be low friction or it will be a fight to lift the boom. The kicker needs to allow enough travel.

On the mooring, get a boom crutch or use the halliard to lift the boom.

 

[Neeves]

+1

On a bigger yacht I'd have a different view.

Most of the previous comments are equally valid

Its really what you feel comfortable with.

 

[Daydream believer]

You do not need a block at the mast head. You can fix the topping lift at the top & bring it down to the boom then have a small block on the end end with a small cam cleat fixed just below it. A light line from the boom & up through the pulley & back to the cleat. This can be adjusted as the boom swings over the cockpit to raise the boom up a little or slacken if needs be just by pulling on the line.
This saves on topping lift line length & you do not have to go forward to adjust.

 

[ripvan1]

2 boats I've owned had removable boom crutches for supporting boom when not in use. Topping lifts easy enough to retro fit tho'.

 

[Terra-Loon]

My boat doesn't have a topping lift but does have a solid, adjustable vang.

The boom is held in the center by the main sheet. I don't have a traveller.

 

[PetiteFleur]

Or fit a Barton Boomstrut - not sure whether they do one for your size boat - the larger one works well on my 33' boat.

 

[William_H]

My little 6.5 metre with large mainsail has a fixed topping lift from back stay mast top attach to a snap shackle going on to a saddle on boom end. I only use it for hoisting and furling the main sail. I use the clew reefing line as described to lift the boom when reefing. I only ever reef when hard on the wind and do the clew line/halyard in several bites.
I always drop the boom with furled main sail onto the cabin top when leaving the boat. My only problem is I often forget to take topping lift off when departing and main sail get scandalised a bit. ie not pulled down flat. Works a lot better with topping lift off. So to the OP if you can gain access to the top of the mast try a bit of light line tied to top of back stay. See if you find it worth having. Or alternatively to avoid lowering mast or ascending you can fit a cable clamp as high as possible up the back stay and run a bit of light line from there down to boom end. Nice to hold boom up and out of the way when on anchor and you are picnicking in the cockpit. Sailing to me is al;l about trying different things to see what works for you. olewill

 

[Neeves]

If you do not want, or cannot easily remove the mast:

Go and find a high pier wall and dry out alongside - if you have the right height of wall and the right tide you will be able to work at mast height. When we had a J24, bigger than your yacht, we went alongside a rather large, very large, ketch and could work on the mast top from the top of their coach roof. There are many variations.

 

[ashtead]

Would have thought a solid boom strut or vang by Barton or Selden would be of more use than trouble of fitting block and topping lift at masthead . I recall from sailing holidays that some seem obsessed with topping lift adjustment on reefing but given its mast mounted usually just seems a complication when short crewed . It does have a used when moored in raising boom but presumably most use the main halyard for this. I suspect a topping lift is only valued by those with rope kickers perhaps nowdays?

 

[John the kiwi]

Another option:
My 26 ft trailer yacht was fitted with a fixed topping lift when i bought her.
Fixed at mast head and a small tackle with jam cleat at boom end.
Hazardous and difficult to use when trying to drop the main or reef in a strong wind.
Someone suggested using the spinnaker halyard. Turns out that this is commonly done on smaller yachts here.
After all, one doesn't tend to want to use the spinnaker and topping lift simultaneously.
My spinnaker halyard is fitted with a snap hook and there is a loop shackle on the boom end.
Generally, we raise the main then take the topping lift/spin halyard around the rigging to the bow for its official duty.
The lead out from the exit box sheave which is on the front of the mast is less than ideal, but loads are low, and the idea has worked in practice for me for 5 years now.
Because of the friction, one tends to physically lift the boom to the desired height and take up the slack, but winching does work and is and option.
Its not an ideal solution, but then, most things on boats are a compromise of some sort, and it does achieve the desired result.
good luck with whatever you choose.

 

[Spirit (of Glenans)]

The Glenans 5.70's, (19ft long,) on which I used to instruct were quite commonly rigged without a topping lift, the boom resting on a plywood pad on the cockpit seating when moored, even on the ones that did have topping lifts. This helped to prevent unnecessary wear in the gooseneck as the only time there would be movement in it was when the boat was actually in use, a practice I now carry on in my own 30-footer.
There was no problem when reefing as, being a sailing school boat, there was always crew aboard to hold up the boom. In the unlikely event of reefing while sailing the boat singlehanded, it was possible to re-tension the halyard on the mast winch and get the boom back up, as the load was not all that heavy

 

[Daydream believer]

Fixed at mast head and a small tackle with jam cleat at boom end.
Hazardous and difficult to use when trying to drop the main or reef in a strong wind.

Actually it need not be. My first boat had a full length topping lift but after I fitted a small tackle at the boom end I rarely touched the mast cleat. If set up correctly one just ducks ones head as the boom swings over, catches the end of the line, which I had hanging about 2 inches below the boom end, give it a tug & the boom would go up another 6 inches which was all I needed for the roller reefed boom that I had. It was easy to release. It just needs setting up correctly & can be done with ease.

The suggestion posted earlier about a short line fitted to the backstay is a good one. On my current boat I have a short line & a clip fitted just above the split backstay, which hold the boom up so it is never left on the topping lift when not in use. I have had occasions where a crew has accidentally released the topping lift & it has hit someone in the cockpit. My fixed topping lift suggested earlier also stops that as it can only drop 6 inches

As for the suggestion that one goes alongside a jetty to fix the topping lift pulley to the mast top--- I would relate the story of a friend who borrowed a squib to do an open meeting at Lowestoft. He let the spinnaker halyard go so he took the boat to the pontoon by the wall & pulled on the main halyard to tilt the boat to reach the spinnaker halyard. The mast broke so he had to spend the week wearing the " Dick of the week" jacket-- plus explain to the owner what happened, plus pay for a new mast. So be warned

 

[ashtead]

Re the fixed line on backstay I believe this was a standard wire fitting of about 9 inches on Westerlys of the 70s

 

[Spirit (of Glenans)]

Actually it need not be. My first boat had a full length topping lift but after I fitted a small tackle at the boom end I rarely touched the mast cleat. If set up correctly one just ducks ones head as the boom swings over, catches the end of the line, which I had hanging about 2 inches below the boom end, give it a tug & the boom would go up another 6 inches which was all I needed for the roller reefed boom that I had. It was easy to release. It just needs setting up correctly & can be done with ease.

The suggestion posted earlier about a short line fitted to the backstay is a good one. On my current boat I have a short line & a clip fitted just above the split backstay, which hold the boom up so it is never left on the topping lift when not in use. I have had occasions where a crew has accidentally released the topping lift & it has hit someone in the cockpit. My fixed topping lift suggested earlier also stops that as it can only drop 6 inches

As for the suggestion that one goes alongside a jetty to fix the topping lift pulley to the mast top--- I would relate the story of a friend who borrowed a squib to do an open meeting at Lowestoft. He let the spinnaker halyard go so he took the boat to the pontoon by the wall & pulled on the main halyard to tilt the boat to reach the spinnaker halyard. The mast broke so he had to spend the week wearing the " Dick of the week" jacket-- plus explain to the owner what happened, plus pay for a new mast. So be warned

The mast shouldn't normally break in the performance of that operation. He probably had the boat too tightly secured to the pontoon so that it couldn't heel, and he was trying to pull it bodily out of the water by the mast!
In Baltimore, to retrieve lost halyards, or replace ones that had pulled out, we would use a work boat to pull the 5.70s right over on their beam ends, on the moorings. Alternatively we would go alongside a large mothballed MFV out in the bay, from whose upperworks the mast-top would be accessible.