Topping Lift Pulley Wheel replacement

[kevsbox]

Hey all
Out Topping Life Pulley Wheel (is that the right name?) is starting to break up (the inner roller) and so needs replacing. As these a special type of roller or can any do the job such as those in photo 3?


Cheers

Kev

 

[LadyInBed]

The topping lift doesn't have a lot of strain applied to it so one as shown in 3 of similar size to original will do the job.

 

[VicS]

Hey all
Out Topping Life Pulley Wheel (is that the right name?) is starting to break up (the inner roller) and so needs replacing. As these a special type of roller or can any do the job such as those in photo 3?

Cheers

Kev

In the boaty world it would be called a "block" and the wheel itself a "sheave"

Any chandler will have a good selection. As Lady in Bed says the topping lift is normally lightly loaded so no need for anything fancy like a ball bearing block but it might be a good idea to have one on a swivel so that it aligns with the angle of the boom.

Make sure the replacement is suitable for the diameter of your topping lift

 

[kevsbox]

Cheers guys, will get the right one and haul the wife back up

 

[Chiara’s slave]

Cheers guys, will get the right one and haul the wife back up

And that isn’t ending in divorce? I don’t think my wife would take kindly to a trip up the mast, but then, I’d never ask. I have a suitably trustworthy and muscle bound mate who can winch me up.

 

[Daverw]

SWMBO has always gone up our mast, she would rather do it than hoist me up, does mean I have to explain in mor3 detail though what the task is and how to do it, this is not always straight forward

 

[Daydream believer]

...

 

[kevsbox]

And that isn’t ending in divorce? I don’t think my wife would take kindly to a trip up the mast, but then, I’d never ask. I have a suitably trustworthy and muscle bound mate who can winch me up.

She is happy to go up as long as me and our son have the lines below. It always costs me a steak and bottle of wine though

 

[Neeves]

Kev,

There are a number of devices that will allow you or your son to make you own way to the top of the mast, webbing ladders, jumars aka ascendeurs (from rock climbing retail outlets), 2 or three Prussic knots. It will save much steak and wine (though if you are investing in good Australia wine - I am not going to discourage you ).

It is difficult to tell from the photo taken looking at the deck but your yacht does not seem 'small'. If it is not small I'd say it would be unusual (though I'm no expert) to have an external topping lift (I am sure I will be corrected) and I wonder if instead of a new block all you might need is a sheave (attach sheave to the component to which the block is attached) and then run the topping lift down inside the mast (which will be a real bundle of laughs). Whilst a topping lift does not commonly take much tension - it might do if you are reefing - and if the mast should have sheave and the topping lift internal to the mast - it might be a good idea to instal now.

I've just noticed you son - he will be much easier to hoist up the mast

Jonathan

 

[kevsbox]

Kev,

There are a number of devices that will allow you or your son to make you own way to the top of the mast, webbing ladders, jumars aka ascendeurs (from rock climbing retail outlets), 2 or three Prussic knots. It will save much steak and wine (though if you are investing in good Australia wine - I am not going to discourage you ).

It is difficult to tell from the photo taken looking at the deck but your yacht does not seem 'small'. If it is not small I'd say it would be unusual (though I'm no expert) to have an external topping lift (I am sure I will be corrected) and I wonder if instead of a new block all you might need is a sheave (attach sheave to the component to which the block is attached) and then run the topping lift down inside the mast (which will be a real bundle of laughs). Whilst a topping lift does not commonly take much tension - it might do if you are reefing - and if the mast should have sheave and the topping lift internal to the mast - it might be a good idea to instal now.

I've just noticed you son - he will be much easier to hoist up the mast

Jonathan

Thanks for the input. The yacht is 8m

 

[Neeves]

Thanks for the input. The yacht is 8m

She looks bigger. She s not called Tardis by any chance

She may always have had an external topping lift.

Jonathan

 

[DanTribe]

Another system worth considering is to fix the topping lift at masthead and through a block at end of the boom then back to a cleat near the gooseneck. This saves a length of rope down the mast.

 

[BobnLesley]

Another system worth considering is to fix the topping lift at masthead and through a block at end of the boom then back to a cleat near the gooseneck. This saves a length of rope down the mast.

And adds one along the boom

 

[Daydream believer]

On my stella I had a fixed length topping lift with a short 4:1 tackle at the boom end. I could just reach up & pull on the tail of the tackle, pull downwards & raise the boom enough to allow the reefing to operate. Obviously there was a jammer in the tackle. The tackle line was 3 mm & the attached blocks very small. Typically what one might expect on a sailboard down haul.
It worked very well once I had established the fixed part of the topping lift length. That was about 6mm.
Light & functional

 

[Fantasie 19]

She is happy to go up as long as me and our son have the lines below. It always costs me a steak and bottle of wine though

Well done her... I hate heights... while she is up there get her to check all other pullys/blocks/sheaves, and VHF antenna.. shame to have to go up again..

 

[kevsbox]

Well done her... I hate heights... while she is up there get her to check all other pullys/blocks/sheaves, and VHF antenna.. shame to have to go up again..

Thats a good idea, I am not too good with heights either

 

[kevsbox]

Thanks for the tips, the wife did a grand job and that is one job ticked off the list

 

[Iliade]

Our kids used to love jumping off the boom, hence a strong topping lift was obligatory.

The fully battened main & stack pack now precludes such fun.

 

[samfieldhouse]

The topping lift doesn't have a lot of strain applied to it so one as shown in 3 of similar size to original will do the job.

Or - you could upgrade slightly so that it can double up as a main halyard or safety line for hauling people up if needed. I only have 4 full height mast halyards so I like them all to be good enough to do each others jobs if needed.