Boom Topping Lift Catalina 30

[Harry]

I reasently purchased a 1985 Catalina 30. I am having trouble figuring out how the topping lift is suppose to be set up. What I have is a steel cable that ends several feet above the boom, a line is attached to that which goes to a block attached to a swivel tang at the extreme end of the boom. Where the line is suppose to go from there I don't know. Is there something missing? Should there be a block at the end of the cable?

 

[Tim Dranttel]

Topping Lift

Harry,I have an 86 Tall Rig with the same set-up. After going through the block at the end of the boom the topping lift should go forward along the boom to the first cleat you get to. On mine the cleat is on the starboard side of the boom. You should have two additional cleats on the same side of the boom for reefing. I have two reefing points, some people only have one and therefore I believe in that case there would be only one cleat dedicated for that. Your Catalina owners manual should have a diagram dipicting the boom set-up. If not go to tcsn.net/bosun/c30/techdrawings.htm. Someone has scanned and posted all the diagrams from the owners manual. The drawings match mine exactly so they must be vintage '85 or '86.Tim

 

[Jim]

Topping Lift

I've got an '88 and I had the same set-up as Tim except that the cleat was on the port side (my reefing line cleat is on the starboard side). I like to lift the boom at anchor to get it out of the way in the cockpit, and I found it too awkward to adjust, so I modified it to match what I used to have on my old boat.I moved the block up to the steel line and looped a length of line from the end of the boom up to the block and back down to a cam cleat mounted to the side of a boom. Makes adjusting the height very easy from inside the cockpit!

 

[David]

I had a similar set up Jim

I used to have the exact same setup as you, but I changed it back when the pad eye and cam cleat came crashing down about 2 miles off shore. It's a shock to see your boom hit the cockpit! I think the previous owner had made this modification but didn't insulate the aluminum mast from the stainless hardware. It was a little easier to lift, but with the bimini up, I could reach the end of the boom while on the water. From now on, I'll stick to the Catalina way I think

 

[Larry Watkins]

Topping lift

For true sailing decadence, go with a rigid vang. Garhauer makes a few sizes, good quality and a very reasonable price. Once you get used to them, you'll never go back to a topping lift.Larry W.

 

[Chuck Graser]

Topping Lift NO, Rigid Vang YES

I agree. The rigid vang is the only way to go. It is not all that expensive. It is a good modification to keep you off the cabin top, and the boom off someone's head.Chuck C-30 Columbine

 

[Mike I.]

Topping

My c-30 has a topping lift arragnement similar to the previous ones. At the end of the wire rope is a small single block. On the port side of the boom is a padeye, and on the starboard side of the boom is a cheek block and forward is a cleat. A 1/4" line goes from the padeye to the single block to the cheek block to the cleat. I have the cleat about 16 to 18 inches foreward of the cheek block so I can opereate it from the cockpit.