topping lift

[Guest]

I set up my new Daysailer yesterday. My question is it suppose to have a topping lift for the back of the boom or does the sail keep it up?

Gary (fishhead-at-cableone.net)

[Guest]

The sail keeps it up. A boom crutch is helpful during rigging and takedown. Descriptions for making one are elsewhere on this website.
Jim

jim (jimb-at-dsouth.com)

[Roger]

I plan to add a topping lift for the main this spring/summer, to avoid having to carry the boom crutch aboard. From what I have seen on other boats, the topping lift should be soft, (cord, not wire) as it can chafe the sail if it is wire. Also it must be adjustable, so that you can give the boom a bit more lift when the sail is down, and perhaps you have rigged a tarp over the boom to wait out a rain on the water, or have some shade during a doldrum. For me the biggest gain is not having to step over the mast when the sail is down, as well as allowing me to store the sail on the boom under a sail cover. I keep my boat in a compound a few hundred feet from the water. Having the sail already bent on to the boom makes launching that much faster.

In order to attach a topping lift, I think an additional tang has to be added to either the top of the mast or off to one side so that it does not interfere with the main halyard. Has anyone else added a topping lift, and if so, how did you attach it?

[Guest]

When the main is down I use the main halyard as a topping lift. Once the main is down the shackle on the end of the main halyard is attached to the end of the boom (usually the out haul shackel)then the main halyard is adjusted until the boom is at the hight I need...the main is then flaked and secured to the boom. This system alows me to use what is on the boat already..nothing needs to be added.

`dave (misunas-at-sasquatch.com)

[Guest]

I riveted a small block to one side of the mast an inch or two from the top and run my topping-lift through that. Seems to work fine. I really like not having the boom lying in the cockpit when taking down the sails (a) because the blocks on the end of the boom tend to chew up the transom where the boom rests, and (b) it increases the chances of slipping or going overboard when the cockpit is wet or the water is choppy.

--Mark
Boston, MA

Mark (miller_mark_web-at-yahoo.com)

[Guest]

I added a small cheek block near the top of the mast. At the bottom of the mast I rivited a small jam cleat. A line is run through the jam cleat up through the block and attached at the end of the boom. This makes the toping lift adjustable.

Dennis (Denmall-at-aol.com)

[Roger]

The one I saw this past summer on a friend's MacGregor 24 was a line attached at the masthead, running down to the end of the boom through a smal block, then back up about 18 inches where it was cleated to the line running down. A small snap hook and about three loops along the line gave simplicity and adjustment. I think a tent guy adjuster would do the same thing.

[Guest]

Gary .... Just rigged my daysailer for the first time as well . I was told by the previous owner that this stay was to support the boom when the mainsail was lowered. My question is .... what do you do with it while you are actually sailing .... should it be shackled to some point at the base of the mast , or can you keep it shackled to the boom ?

Thanks ... Ken

ken gilmour (kenjarg-at-sympatico.ca)

[Roger]

It it is made of nylon, just slacken it off so that it does not interfere with the leech of the sail. If it is wire, and the sail flogs against it, it will soon abrade so you might consider stowing it against the mast. I have a wire one installed, but may replace it with cord, it I notice the sail slapping against it. The lower end of the topping lift at the back of the boom should be adjustable so that you can slacken it off. The other option is if you have a block at the top of the mast, you can slacken it off at the cleat there.