Topping lift... and your point is?

[Nostrodamus]

I have a gas kicker that holds the boom up. In fact I have to pull the boom down rather than ever pull it up now it has been re gassed.
There is no chance of the boom ever falling on someone's head so why a topping lift as well. It just seems like an appendix getting in the way.
I may be missing something but why have a topping lift and a gas strut?

 

[sailorman]

I have a gas kicker that holds the boom up. In fact I have to pull the boom down rather than ever pull it up now it has been re gassed.
There is no chance of the boom ever falling on someone's head so why a topping lift as well. It just seems like an appendix getting in the way.
I may be missing something but why have a topping lift and a gas strut?

the topping lift will double as a spare halliard.
in fact we use the main halliard as the topping lift

 

[Lakesailor]

I've never had a boom strut, but why, if it's called a kicker, doesn't it pull the boom down?

 

[sailorman]

I've never had a boom strut, but why, if it's called a kicker, doesn't it pull the boom down?

he has a kicker ( Vang) with a gas strut within it.
the strut is used in light airs to raise the boom weight from the sail
in heavier weather the vang tackle is deployed

 

[Cardo]

We have a gas kicker and no topping lift whatsoever. Was rather taken aback when I noticed this, but doesn't seem to make any difference.

 

[Ex-SolentBoy]

We have a similar system.

The gas strut is great as it makes it easy to raise a very heavy boom above head height in the cockpit.
The topping lift can serve as a spare halyard.
We also use it to haul someone up the mast when they want to be aft of the mast. With inmast furling we cannot use the main halyard for that.
If your gas strut fails, you will be glad of the topping lift.

 

[john_morris_uk]

The short answer is that you don't need a topping lift if the gas strut is working properly. Lots of racing boats don't have a toipping lift..

If its not doing any harm, then you might keep it as a belt and braces approach - but its up to you.

 

[aitchem]

Is not the topping lift handy,? say if you want to use the boom as a crane.
In say a MOB fat person recovery, or even a normal wet person.
Lifting equipment into the cockpit.? etc.........
Anyway being a traditionalist luddite, I am accustomed to the routine.

 

[Twister_Ken]

Having seen a gas strut fail, when the kicker was pulled on hard during rigging a boat, the owner would have been glad of a topping lift. It would have stopped the wheel acquiring an interesting modification.

 

[Lakesailor]

he has a kicker ( Vang) with a gas strut within it.
the strut is used in light airs to raise the boom weight from the sail
in heavier weather the vang tackle is deployed

I see now. Ta.

 

[Tintin]

So you have a gas strut and a spare halyard.

 

[Roberto]

I have a gas kicker too and am planning to fit an additional topping lift; I have two aft sheaves originally for halyard and topping lift, as I use one for the mainsail halyard and the other one for the HF antennas I have to install a third one for the topping lift.

The reason is when I have to fold/arrange the mainsail over the boom and there is a bit of a seaway, no matter how tight I pull the mainsail sheet the boom keeps a lot of sideway motion, which makes tidying up the sail a very dangerous moment.
With a taut topping lift, the boom does not move in any way, you can lean against it and working on it is a lot safer.

Of course I am not saying it is always the case, just something you might consider in your choice.

 

[Nostrodamus]

he has a kicker ( Vang) with a gas strut within it.
the strut is used in light airs to raise the boom weight from the sail
in heavier weather the vang tackle is deployed

So that is what it's for... thank you.

The boys thought the topping lift had been made as a swing for them to see how far they could get from the boat.

 

[merlin3688]

The topping lift can be used when on a mooring to take the loads of the vang, if the boom is just left on the vang and the spring/gas fails the boom will drop to the deck. It is good to take the load of the kicker especially on the cheaper vangs.

 

[Nostrodamus]

The topping lift can be used when on a mooring to take the loads of the vang, if the boom is just left on the vang and the spring/gas fails the boom will drop to the deck. It is good to take the load of the kicker especially on the cheaper vangs.

I am not to sure if my Vang is over gassed or not. If I take the load off it completely the boom ends up pretty high.

 

[Norman_E]

Serious risk

Do not do away with the topping lift and just rely on a gas strut. I have had a gas strut fail suddenly, in my vang. Only the topping lift saved the very heavy boom from crashing down into the cockpit and anyone underneath it. The only warning that the strut was about to fail was a leakage of oil. I have replaced the original gas struts with a pair of custom made stainless springs.

 

[Flying Penguin]

I am not to sure if my Vang is over gassed or not. If I take the load off it completely the boom ends up pretty high.

Considering the size of your boat, and consequently the likely size and weight of your boom, that's not exactly surprising!

 

[ditchcrawler]

I have the Barton Boomstrut but have kept my topping lift at the side of the mast as a spare halyard.

 

[chinita]

Also to be used as a second safety line when you send SWMBO aloft in the Bos'ns Chair.

Besides, if you remove it you will be back saying "Why is it............that as soon as you bin your topping lift some Johnnie Foreigner decides to nick your main halliard?????"

 

[Boo2]

We have a gas kicker and no topping lift whatsoever. Was rather taken aback when I noticed this, but doesn't seem to make any difference.

Me too, but I intend to fit a TL at the first opportunity to act as

1. a backup to the gas strut in case it ever fails
2. a spare halyard
3. mast climbing safety rope

Boo2