Topping Lifts

[John]

CommanderPete,

I noticed that rather than a full length topping lift, you have a short length one seized to the back stay. Have you been happy with that arrangement? I am about to replace mine which is full length. The only problem I forsee is that I have taken to storing the boom to one side now that I have a traveler.

John G.
Valhalla
Commander No. 284

[marymandara]

Well, I'm not Pete, but I set up Commander #280 in similar fashion...I hated that running topping lift with a passion, so I replaced it with a piece of 3/32 wire rope with thimbles nicopressed in both ends and a tackle to the tail of the boom attached to it. My Triton is going to get same, but I will probably lead the running end of the line along the boom to a spot appx. 2/3 the way forward so it is operable with the boom way out.

I did not have any problem storing the boom off to one side, the whole thing swung with the boom.

Dave

[commanderpete]

What you see in the photos is called a "pigtail" (I think). Its just a short length of wire clamped onto the backstay. I've got a snap hook at the end of the pigtail.

[commanderpete]

I hook the pigtail onto the end of the boom when I drop the sail. This just keeps the boom sitting up high and out of the way.

I do have a regular topping lift too, or else I might forget to attach the pigtail and the boom would crash into the cockpit when I dropped the main.

With the pigtail, I don't have to adjust the topping lift anymore. Otherwise, I would have to ease the topping lift when I went sailing and tighten it up after I dropped the main.

Alot of owners never adjust the topping lift and leave it set too tight. The topping lift then prevents you from sheeting the mainsail in tight enough towards centerline when close-hauled.

I also think alot of owners use line that is thicker and heavier than it needs to be for a topping lift. The line then slaps the sail constantly while underway.

Dave, I'm having trouble picturing how you set up that arrangement. How does it work?

[ebb]

Capt Dave,
I can't and won't deal with the limitations in the Private Messages.
Right now it says you are TOO FULL to receive messages, this, of course, AFTER I had f....d around trying to not go over 500 characters.

Unlike some people, I can't collect my thoughts, hunt for the letters, AND COUNT TO 500 at the same bloody time. Trying to exchange info not play a game.

As with anything Tripod or Yahoo I won't go to the obviously infected Private Messages page again!!!

email me.
:mad:

[marymandara]

OK...I did away with the block at the masthead, and stuck the clevis pin thru a thimble in the new wire rope.

Then, I put together a tackle not dissimilar in configuration to the boom downhaul, purchase wise. The running end goes around a cheek block on the boom and to a cleat, which you may place wherever convenient.

I set the tackle to the SHORTEST space between blocks I would want, hooked it up to the boom, and had a longsuffering buddy hold the boom up as high as I would ever want it. Held up the tackle, eyeballed the wire rope, marked it where, and let buddy let go of the boom while I nicopressed the thimble in that end.

Pretty common setup, actually, a lot of boats have it including many 1970's Pearsons. Not uncommon to also have the pigtail. Belt and suspenders, I guess.

Dave

[John]

Dave,

why not attach a tackle to a shortened topping lift??? Wouldn't that be best of all possible worlds. That way you could have an adjustable fixed length topping lift.

John

Valhalla
Commander No 584