I believe the topping lift is just to hold up the boom when there is no sail raised and is left totally free when sailing and not a sail adjustment.
Boom Support/Rigging
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I have an "M" and attached a topping lift that I keep on whenever the mast is raised. I have ordered a boom kicker to relieve me of the extra line attached to the end of the boom. I agree with the general advice; don't let the boom go unsuported aft. Even ifit doesn't hit someone, it will cause undue wear on the boat.
Blue Skies
Blue Skies
I have a boomkicker on a classic. It fits in the exact same spot the Vang fits - so has the same issue with using it with the pop top fully up.
I have a intermediate pop top position which is about 1/2 up which allows me to use the Vang and boom kicker with the pop top partially up.
My main use of the boom kicker is for reefing. When I go up the mast to reef the main, the boom kicker holds the boom up - so I don't need to mess with a topping lift (which I dont have).
I also got the boom kicker because I have to set the mast up often and I would likely have tangle issues with both a topping lift and back stay to deal with.
Ive been pretty happy with it - bought it at sailboat owners (here..)
FYI, I also have a pig tail off the back stay that Ill hook up when the main sail is in the bag. You can not use the pig tail off the back stay for reefing.
I have a intermediate pop top position which is about 1/2 up which allows me to use the Vang and boom kicker with the pop top partially up.
My main use of the boom kicker is for reefing. When I go up the mast to reef the main, the boom kicker holds the boom up - so I don't need to mess with a topping lift (which I dont have).
I also got the boom kicker because I have to set the mast up often and I would likely have tangle issues with both a topping lift and back stay to deal with.
Ive been pretty happy with it - bought it at sailboat owners (here..)
FYI, I also have a pig tail off the back stay that Ill hook up when the main sail is in the bag. You can not use the pig tail off the back stay for reefing.
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Good info, I think I will try the topping lift since I dont have the factory installed lease on my backstay.
Was the boom vang standard equipment on the classic? I dont have one, but think some of the blocks/hardware left behind by the po could be used for one. Is there a significant benefit to having one?
Was the boom vang standard equipment on the classic? I dont have one, but think some of the blocks/hardware left behind by the po could be used for one. Is there a significant benefit to having one?
Walt what are you using to hold the pop-top part way up? If I can see it correctly looks like maybe a diagonal piece between the uprights on both sides??
The topping lift doesn't result in any tangles with the backstay when putting the mast up. Snap one end of it to the bail at the bottom of the mast and cleat the other end off on one of the mast side cleats. Once the mast is up, unsnap it and snap it on the end of the boom.
That is a nice picture also,
Sum
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I think there is a pretty good chance that about 1 out of 4 times, I would be dealing with a tangle if I had the topping lift in addition to the back stay - but that probably just me and because I'm taking the mast down in a hurry - maybe worried about getting struck by lightning or something. One year, I set up and dropped the mast over 20 times. Sounds like a big hassle.. but most of the time, I pull the boat out, gin pole stays on the boat all the time, set it up with a quick connect, unhook the hank on jib sail (which I like for the ease of mast raising), disconnect the boom (leaving the main sail on the boom with all the slugs still in the mast). Disconnect the fore-stay (easy to do since gin pole is keeping the mast tightly upright, drop the mast in the crutch with some load distribution. I leave the mast connected to its base.
I then drive the boat about 1 mile to where the boat lives in the summer. The mast sticks out a ways past the crutch but its no big deal in this area.
Next time I go to the lake, it takes me between 7 to 10 minutes to have the boat ready to splash. The 10 minutes is usually because of dealing with some sort of tangle. With the boom kicker, I really just have no need for the topping lift - works well for reefing the main. The boom kicker is also supposed to give a little better shape in very light wind - but I think this is more on the marketing side of useful info..
I then drive the boat about 1 mile to where the boat lives in the summer. The mast sticks out a ways past the crutch but its no big deal in this area.
Next time I go to the lake, it takes me between 7 to 10 minutes to have the boat ready to splash. The 10 minutes is usually because of dealing with some sort of tangle. With the boom kicker, I really just have no need for the topping lift - works well for reefing the main. The boom kicker is also supposed to give a little better shape in very light wind - but I think this is more on the marketing side of useful info..
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Yep I didn't expect you to go to one since you have the boom kicker, but want anyone else that is thinking of one to know that you won't get it tangled up with the backstay any more than you would the main halyard since it isn't loose when you put the mast up and down.
If you did put on a topping lift would the boom kicker allow you to raise the boom up at night to get it up and out of the way while on anchor? I have looked at them before and wondered if they were something for us at some point, but didn't consider not getting the pop-top all the way up. Are you able in any way to get the pop-top all the way up at night?
The main we just got is loose footed and that is suppose to also allow you more control over the shape of the main, but for us at this point until we learn more probably won't do much although I think I understand what I'm suppose to do
.I like the support. Do you have a close up picture of the bottom of the brace you made or can you explain what is going on there. Looks like the vertical bolt locates it from sliding out. What keeps it from sliding back? Does in have a lip that goes down into the slot in the bracket to keep it from sliding backwards?
Also when you lower the top does the brace go forward and lay over that screw ahead of it that is sticking out?
I'll have to think if there would be times we want the top part way up and if so I'll be copying you :dance:.
Thanks,
Sum
Our Trips to Lake Powell, UT - Kootenay Lake, Canada - Priest Lake, ID
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Top lift
As I said the top lift is not necessary to sail, it is a VERY NICE convenience if you will be putting the sail up and down a lot, and you are going to want to be on the boat if it is anchored, docked, or beached.
I have a 1970 V-21. If I am going to be putting up and taking down the main sail as when we go camping with the boat for a weekend I use the top lift. However if we are going for a couple of hours sail, a top lift is just one more thing to rig and un-rig as the boat goes from the trailer to the water and back again.
As I said the top lift is not necessary to sail, it is a VERY NICE convenience if you will be putting the sail up and down a lot, and you are going to want to be on the boat if it is anchored, docked, or beached.
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Just curious, where is you topping lift that it has to be rigged and un-rigged?
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Edit: Sorry, I just went back and see where you explained your rigging on the 1st page of the post. Looks like you have it rigged all of the time from that post?
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Mine is on the mast always and just gets the one end unclipped from there and clipped to the back of the boom when the boom is put on. I like it on to put the main up or down as it is quicker to deal with than having the boom in the cockpit.
thanks,
Sum
OK if you just want to try it, use your jib halyard for a topping lift. On my boat, I have a masthead spinnaker halyard that doubles as a topping lift when I need one. The bolt in question makes a good spot to mount your spinnaker halyard block on the face of the mast (what I did).
I'm actually thinking of running another spare halyard to the top of the mast. We could use it for a hot water shower bag, to replace one of the other halyards if they happened to go to the top :cry: or who knows what. With the CDI we will have the spinnaker halyard free, but I'd like to keep it free in case we decide to run a storm jib on another temp. forestay.
You been sailing John?, or is it no fun with no ice on the lake, or did it finally freeze completely over
. We still hope to be up the middle to end of July if things work out right,Sum
I'm kinda confused about the topping lift too. Mine is clipped to the spin pole car with all the other halyards. I just unclutch them all when raising the mast. Carabiner it to a dedicated eyebrow on the boom. I couldn't imagine NOT using it. Tripping over the boom when the sail is down seems to be a greater hazard.
John, do use an assym or sym spin on your masthead rig? My sym spin attaches at the hounds. I'd love to put it at the masthead, but I might have to move my pole track up a bit. Would love to get a gennaker too. Trying to fly a symm spin is just too hard when singlehanding.....even with a tillerpilot.(afraid of going overboard more than anything).
John
John, do use an assym or sym spin on your masthead rig? My sym spin attaches at the hounds. I'd love to put it at the masthead, but I might have to move my pole track up a bit. Would love to get a gennaker too. Trying to fly a symm spin is just too hard when singlehanding.....even with a tillerpilot.(afraid of going overboard more than anything).
John
Thanks Walt, I like that, simple, functional and looks good. We have never sailed with the pop-top up, but I might try this
,Sum
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