Topping lifts

[bedouin]

My topping lift is a fixed length - fixed at the top of the mast with a snap shackle at the end of the boom. Normally does not need to be adjusted (as hoisting the main takes the strain off, but I have an extra 6 inches of rope with a second shackle should I need it. Works fine , no need for more ropes/cleats at the mast and as it is permanently attached no danger of forgetting it when dropping the main.

 

[charles_reed]

Though I have one it's never used - a fully battened 32m2 sail with gas strut and lazyjacks has made it totally redundant over the last quarter century.

 

[Binman]

I have corded lazy jacks,but wouldn't rely on them to support my main, it's been weeks since I have visited my boat for various reasons ,but now need to get my finger out,have planned to look at what I have, it will be all part of a package as I need to replace halyard and furling drum sheet, I can get my ropes all togeather and crack on,two/three weeks should do it,

 

[ProDave]

It's hard to imagine how you can use a boat without a topping lift. What happens to the boom when the sail is down? Pictures of Pandoras often show one so the fittings/ blocks may be in place. I'm sure a competant designer like EvdS would have provided one.

It might be hard to imagine, but when I bought my boat, it had no topping lift so the boom just rested on the top of the cabin. It was just about the first thing i added to make it usable. That and plastic sliders on the main sail to save having to feed the bolt rope into the mast as you raised the sail making it a 2 person job.

What I never understand is the need to adjust the topping lift while sailing? To me it's purely there to catch the boom when you drop the sail. It's set so the topping lift goes slack when the main is pulled tight and stays like that until you drop the sail at which point the boom drops just a little and hangs on the topping lift. What more is there to it?

 

[Lucky Duck]

The only use of a topping lift when sailing that I am aware of is to raise the boom to depower the main when picking up a mooring or anchoring under sail (etc)

However, like one of the earlier posters my topping lift is 0mm

 

[jwilson]

It might be hard to imagine, but when I bought my boat, it had no topping lift so the boom just rested on the top of the cabin. It was just about the first thing i added to make it usable. That and plastic sliders on the main sail to save having to feed the bolt rope into the mast as you raised the sail making it a 2 person job.

What I never understand is the need to adjust the topping lift while sailing? To me it's purely there to catch the boom when you drop the sail. It's set so the topping lift goes slack when the main is pulled tight and stays like that until you drop the sail at which point the boom drops just a little and hangs on the topping lift. What more is there to it?

And with your system when you let go the halyard the leech gets stretched. You should raise the topping lift BEFORE you let go the halyard. And whilst hoisting....

 

[DannyB]

Slight thread drift, but I've just added a gas strut to my kicker to take the strain off my topping lift. The main reason was the humming noise that the topping lift made during the night. Even in nights with very light winds, the topping lift vibrated like a violin string.

 

[Davegriff]

It's hard to imagine how you can use a boat without a topping lift. What happens to the boom when the sail is down? Pictures of Pandoras often show one so the fittings/ blocks may be in place. I'm sure a competant designer like EvdS would have provided one.

Strangely, most of the French boats we see in the South of France do not use topping lifts at all. Booms are just left drooped to the deck/coach roof. Certainly looks untidy and I imagine gets in the way when moving about on deck when docked or motoring with no wind.

 

[aquaplane]

And with your system when you let go the halyard the leech gets stretched. You should raise the topping lift BEFORE you let go the halyard. And whilst hoisting....

Are you sure? What about folk flattening the sail with kicker, I would have thought that would have way more effect than the main supporting weight of the boom?

 

[aquaplane]

On my slightly smaller boat(18ft) I have just clamped a bulldog grip to the backstay as high as I can reach and loose above that is a shackle with a short piece of thin rope tied to it. At the other end of the rope is a clip so that I can clip it to the end of the boom. When sailing I unclip and clip the loose end to the backstay and it's out of the way.

Pete, I think OP says he already has a short wire strop similar to the one I had on the Proctor set up before I had to re rig Chiron.

 

[Robert Wilson]

Though the load is small for the topping lift, I use a line the same size as a halyard so there's a spare halyard and a second, safety, rope for mast climbing.
Derek

Absolutely and if you lose the main halyard, you still have something to fall back on. 8mm sounds too small.

+1
And I have a beefy version, just in case I ever have to lift aboard an MOB, using the boom and tackle .
Or am I being ridiculous?

 

[Robert Wilson]

The only use of a topping lift when sailing that I am aware of is to raise the boom to depower the main when picking up a mooring or anchoring under sail (etc)

+1
( MOB retrieval would not be actually sailing)

 

[William_H]

On my 6.5 metre trailer sailer semi permanently moored I have just a bit of string from mast top to a snap shackle attaching to the boom. It is only used for rigging and furling the main sail. This bit of string attaches to the backstay other times. I always disconnect the topping lift and lay the boom on the cabin top. This stops any movement of the boom with rocking of the boat. I found that after some years the traveller car was worn out and ali track also worn due to this constant small movement. Yes it looks untidy and gets in the way on initially boarding the boat but still preferable.
For reefing I use the outhaul reef in stages to hold the boom up so no need for topping lift. olewill

 

[Daydream believer]

+1
And I have a beefy version, just in case I ever have to lift aboard an MOB, using the boom and tackle .
Or am I being ridiculous?

Personally I think that is a poor way to lift someone out of the water. It means main has to be dropped & tidied. the boom will be swinging side to side in any sea . Trying to get the tackle extended & down to the casualty will be fraught with tangles & flailing blocks etc. In a sea the boom will be rising & falling at an alarming rate & sod's law dictates everything will get tangled. Just getting the casualty under the mainsheet attachment point will be difficult

 

[Daydream believer]

+1
( MOB retrieval would not be actually sailing)

Only if you dropped all the sails but some might simply sail back & heave too alongside the casualty. Just depends on controlling the level of "panic" & ability to handle a yacht & how well the boat heaves to

 

[Robert Wilson]

Granted I would have to have the main dropped, but I had thought I'd have the boom held with preventer(s)

OK,
DUFF IDEA


A virtual embarrassing blush spreads across the thread............

 

[jwilson]

Are you sure? What about folk flattening the sail with kicker, I would have thought that would have way more effect than the main supporting weight of the boom?

By the time you use the kicker the main halyard will normally be fully tensioned, and the stress is spread through much more of the whole sail. Stretch the leech and it starts to flutter, then you tension up the leech line more and more to cure the flutter. Eventually you have a "hooked leech" which is like putting the brakes on when going to windward.

 

[Robert Wilson]

I forgot to mention, I was shown by my accomplished, aged BiL to lift the boom a little in very light airs to put a little bit of "belly" in the main. Seems to give a bit extra lift.

Any thoughts on that?

 

[GHA]

I forgot to mention, I was shown by my accomplished, aged BiL to lift the boom a little in very light airs to put a little bit of "belly" in the main. Seems to give a bit extra lift.

Any thoughts on that?

Handy option to have. My topping lift terminates on a cleat on the backstay so easy to adjust. In light airs with a combination of the mainsheet, preventer and topping lift it's easy to lock off the boom wherever you want and have some more control over the shape of the main.

 

[Fantasie 19]

I forgot to mention, I was shown by my accomplished, aged BiL to lift the boom a little in very light airs to put a little bit of "belly" in the main. Seems to give a bit extra lift.

+1

I pull in and lift the boom slightly when running down wind in lighter winds..

Let out when hard on the wind...