Topping Lift Setup Options

[Ward H]

My C30 has a strange topping lift setup. (Photo below) What is there now is a block at the mast head, a continuous loop of line down through a block and cam cleat. There are two spacers that keep the loop apart but lets it slide through the spacer. Below the block with cam cleat is another block. A line runs from the normal boom end tang up through this block and back down to and tied to the boom.
Of course this is succeeding in supporting the boom but all the tackle is a waste.

On my O'day I ran a single line from the mast head to a block with becket and another block, then to a cleat on the boom. This gave me an easy way to adjust the boom height.

Is this strange topping lift on my C30 a similar attempt for boom height adjustment? Just a previous PO's attempt to support the boom with whatever he had?

I'm thinking of two solutions. Replicating what I did on my O'day or using the spare halyard blocks on the mast and run the topping lift from the boom up to the spare masthead sheave, down to the spare mast exit block and back to the cockpit where I can use a line clutch to hold the TL and raise it with the halyard winch if needed.


Any suggestions?

 

[justsomeguy]

Just a previous PO's attempt to support the boom with whatever he had?

This is usually the case. My fix would rely on whatever I had on hand, too. I trust you'll follow suit.

 

[JamesG161]

Dingy lift and launch?
Jim...

 

[JK_Boston_Catalina310]

It's a Dutchman mainsail flaking system.

 

[Tom J]

As Jesse said. There should be monofilament lines running from the rectangular blocks through grommets in the sail to pockets at the foot of the sail. When the halyard is released, the sail flakes as it descends.

 

[mortyd]

it's certainly not a dutchman which eventually came standard from the atalina factory like my 1991. among other things, the dutchman had two vertical ine from the bom. both of which ran through the mainsail

 

[Calif. Ted]

It certainly is the remains of a Dutchman flaking system, if you don't use it you can replace as you wish.

 

[Ward H]

So it’s not part of a topping lift so it will be replaced.

Does it make sense to use the currently unused 4th halyard position for the topping lift?

 

[Calif. Ted]

The bottom section you see is the adjustable portion of the Dutchman topping lift, on the mast end is a block between the doubled adjustable section and the single line topping lift holding it up. You may be able to just remove that doubled section and find the single line part is already long enough and is/was actually the topping lift before the addition of the doubled section.

 

[JK_Boston_Catalina310]

So it’s not part of a topping lift so it will be replaced.

Does it make sense to use the currently unused 4th halyard position for the topping lift?

YES! I don't understand why more boats don't do this. Use the 4th halyard spot and use the same diameter as your main halyard (you need to check the size of the sieve to make sure it fits). Then you always have a backup halyard if something goes wrong with your main halyard.

 

[The Shadow Knows]

WARD,

Got into this thread late but, I can tell what I did.

I have a hard cable topping lift that stops about 3 feet above the boom.
From there, I ran a line straight down & attached a turning block below on the side of the boom to work in unison with my main halyard.

Along the boom side close to the foot (near the mast), I also installed a camlock lever fitting.
This way, I can control the halyard & raise or lower the topping lift easily.
When raising my sail, I do not want boom weight against the main. Once my main is up,
then I slacken the topping lift.

When back at the dock, I raise my boom 6". I do this for when raising my main again,
there is NO boom weight on the sail when hauling it up. When raised & locked, then I ease the topping lift.
When sailing, my boom is hardly ever lower than perpendicular, except in extreme conditions.

Ever see boats out there with vertical stretch lines paralleling the leach, this is because
there's always tension from boom weight when raising their mains.
My sail does NOT have these stretch lines.

As further proof, do you see other sailboats under sail & notice the boom is angled down & vertical stretch lines show on the main? If so, I will bet that they did not have a properly raised boom when lifting.

This is just a suggestion for you..........

 

[Tom J]

So it’s not part of a topping lift so it will be replaced.

Does it make sense to use the currently unused 4th halyard position for the topping lift?

It actually is a topping lift, and can be used as one, and setting up the 4th halyard as Jesse described makes sense too.