lift

I am new to the forum and just purchased and launched a Hunter 260. At Lake Anna in Virginia the water never freezes but there are a few times when the air temps will dip to the 20s for a daily low for a couple of days at a time. I am concerned about the water ballast in the winter, but also...

Hi, I am new to sailing so might be asking a dumb question but here goes. Considering my Hunter has a stainless arch and the boom is attached to the arch by the traveller, what is the purpose of the topping lift?