Help needed! I am wanting To put a whisker pole topping lift on my hunter 340. My spinnaker halyard will be used and will be unavailable For the lift. Would it be better to run the new lift line internally thru a box sheave or externally. If external what set up would I need including block and hardware to connect it to the mast. I have no local riggers to ask! So any help would greatly appreciated
Whisker pole topping lift
- Thread starter HD74
- Start date
jssailem
SBO Weather and Forecasting Forum Jim & John
- Oct 22, 2014
- 22,328
If you have the mast down you can install a sheave on a box frame in the mast.
You would need to cut a hole in the mast. Insert and secure the unit to the mast. Then run the halyard down the mast to an exit point.
or if you want to direct it to the cockpit.
Provide a way to secure the line (ie. a cleat). The benefit would be the only one line would be on the outside of the mast and thus only one line would be banging if you did no secure it away form the mast.
Alternatively you can buy a Mast Hound.
Attach it to the outside of the mast. Put a block on the hound and run the lines down the mast. This would put two lines available to bang on the mast in the wind. They can be secured to say the shroud to give some peace and quiet.
You would need to cut a hole in the mast. Insert and secure the unit to the mast. Then run the halyard down the mast to an exit point.
or if you want to direct it to the cockpit.
Provide a way to secure the line (ie. a cleat). The benefit would be the only one line would be on the outside of the mast and thus only one line would be banging if you did no secure it away form the mast.
Alternatively you can buy a Mast Hound.
Attach it to the outside of the mast. Put a block on the hound and run the lines down the mast. This would put two lines available to bang on the mast in the wind. They can be secured to say the shroud to give some peace and quiet.
I assume you do not have a topping lift for the boom or want a dedicated one for the pole. For a dedicated topping lift for your pole you can run it over a masthead sheave, internally through the mast then exit midway or near the bottom through a mast exit opening OR you could install an external cheek block near the top of the mast. You also might find the sheave as described in the article below helpful.
.https://wanderer.org.uk/technical/hints-and-tips/fitting-a-topping-lift/
.https://wanderer.org.uk/technical/hints-and-tips/fitting-a-topping-lift/
You state that you have a spinnaker halyard in place. It follows that your boat also has a sheave box on the face of the mast for the pole lift. If you do not have this rigging in place, just feed a new line thru and down , and fish it out of the unused halyard exit plate.... tedious work but we have all done it. 
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I did this. I mounted a pad eye to the front of the mast about 2/3 the way up and then put a block on it. Another padeye and block on the deck at the base of the mast so the line runs through it and back to cockpit through a clutch. All external. Actually, it can be problematic to use the masthead sheave as the pole swings out to the side which can cause the line to come off the sheave. Better to have a block that can swing.
This in practice never happens.
1) The angle of the line created by the topping lift geometry make a very small angle off center, and
2) The sheave is designed for this; to keep the line captive on the block. All modern topping lifts are internal. They never fall off.