Topping lift

[IanS]

Hi Folks,

I made a small experiment on the weekend with a fixed topping lift to help with raising the sail solo (see image). Its 4mm double braid polyester with a snap shackle. I thought about adding a small block with v-cleat but I think that's overkill.

The boat has a snap shackle on the backstay to hold the boom but this means you need to be pointing into the wind to raise the sail. Even when on anchor this is a problem as the boat always starts sailing with only half the sail up. Has anyone tried this? What do most people do?

Cheers, Ian

[Ozzie]

I have a topping lift going through a block on the starboard mast head Ian which I think is actually for the spinnaker (which I don’t use). It comes down to a cleat on the mast. It allows the boom to fly loose without worry when raising the main although if I haven’t lubed the sail track for a while the sail can bind if it gets too far out. The adjustable topping lift is handy to lift the sail from the mast when reefing as you there anyway the way my boat is rigged.

I forgot to reattach the topping lift one haulout and just clipped the boom to the back stay “till I get around to it”. I then embarrassed myself on occasion by forgetting to unclip it after raising the main and getting instant heel at 40degrees when the wind caught it

Be interested to here what others have as well.

[IanS]

Thanks Ozzie,

I have no spare sheaves on the mast head so I just tied it on to the same place the backstay is attached.

I had the embarrassing 'catching the wind' every time I raised the sail by myself... That problem is now solved. Now I just have to remember to detach the topping lift.

Ian

[Geoff]

Hi Ian,

My boat came with a topping lift that ran through a sheave on the side of the mast and cleated off at the mast base. I changed it to a fixed line that attaches under the backstay fitting, so I guess similar to what you have. Mine now just goes through a carabiner and ties back on itself with a timber hitch type knot. Basic and easy to adjust.

Works much better for being able to raise and lower from the business end and not have to go to the mast. But I only use it when fitting and de-fitting the boom to the mast. I don't use it when reefing.

[IanS]

Thanks Geoff, nice to know I'm on the right track.
Ian

[IanS]

The other thing I tried out on the weekend was a small tackle for the tack reefing eye. It was in the collection of bits that came with the boat. Not sure if that is what it's for but it works. It has a hook on the block at one end and I attached a snap shackle to the other to connect to the saddle on the mast base where the vang attaches. Now I can haul down on the luff and set the tension with the halyard cleated. Reefing pennants at the boom end do the clew. I managed to reef with sail set on a beam reach.

Always something to try, always something to learn.

Ian

[Geoff]

Hi Ian,

Again, I think we have very similar setup, I did the same. That block - others can correct me if I am wrong - is a Cunningham. Mine is riveted to the mast. It was on the port side and unused when I got the boat. But all the reefing setup is on the starboard side of the boom. So I moved the Cunningham to the starboard side.

So now when reefing, all is on the starboard side, c'ham, reefing line and main halyard. That's why I don't use the topping lift when reefing - I lift the aft end first with the reefing line, drop the halyard a bit and fit the cunningham hook, and re-hoist.

[Ozzie]

I got the unidentified block set up with my investigator also. At first I thought it was the block set up shown in the Careel diagram below even though it had a hook rather than a sister clip. The other thing that made me think it was not a Cunningham was that most Cunningham setup’s I found on the net were less complicated than that. (There was a lot less stuff on the net 16 years ago) It seemed strange that such a bulky block set up would be meant to furl up in the jib so I eventually accepted that it was a Cunningham but rarely used it.

As a further comparison, what do posters use to tension the jib halyard if using the furler. I have a small tent spring that substitutes for the block setup in the diagram. It goes around in the furled sail with no issues and gives good tension to the halyard .

7C3D1525-83B2-431F-94D6-ADD519A8470A.jpeg (27.59 KiB) Viewed 3500 times

[IanS]

Hi Ozzie,

I have the jib set-up as per the diagram. Too much tension on the jib halyard and the forestay goes slack.

On my list is to read up on how and when to adjust the backstay...

Cheers, Ian

[arraschristie]

I am lifting the mast for the first time. There is a pulley on the left of the top of the sail which I thought would be for a flag. Perhaps I could use that for the topping lift to raise the boom when moored to allow more room in the cockpit for getting around or for a boom tent. I wonder if I am on the right track. Thanks, Christie