Boom topping lift

[Tom23400]

After I raise the main all the way there is about 4 to 5' of slack
in the topping lift and it slaps against the main. Is this correct
or am I raising the main to much?

 

[Don S/V ILLusion]

no halyard?

Is there no halyard by which you can haul in or ease the topping lift? If not, adding one would solve thie problem.
Is the boom horizontal when the main is up?

 

[jrpla]

A photo will help

I think your sail have to much roach, which is good but it is a pain with the topping lift.

I have the same problem on my boat,
The solution I think will be detaching the topping lift all the way once you have your sail up, or buy a rigid boom bang or boomkicker.

 

[Dick Carey]

Topping Lift settings

Tom,

The primary function of the Topping Lift is to support the boom to a near horizontal position when the Mainsail is NOT up (while it's flaked on the boom or off the boom completely.

After raising the Mainsail all the way, you should ease the Topping Lift so that there is a little slack. The Mailsail is now supporting the boom and the Topping Lift is "at rest". In very light air, you can do some sail shaping with a little tension on the Topping Lift. But, that is not often done.

Hope this helps.

Dick Carey
S/V Puffin
Hunter 33.5

 

[jrpla]

here is a photo

here you can see the topping lift having a slack with the mainsail,

I have my topping lift ease, this is complete normal, sometimes it boders me, the rigid boom have been on my wysh list for a while.

you can se my sail was design with a lot of roach almost hitting the backstay.

 

[caguy]

I take as much of the slack out of the topping lift as I can

without affecting the boom. I have concers about topping lift rapping around the backstay on a gybe, which could be to asy the least inconvient.
Frank

 

[RichH]

Setting the topping lift. ....

Raise the mainsail. Put in the maximum amount of strain that you will ever normally need on your *mainsheet* and then set/cleat the topping lift.

Reason: if you over-stress the mainsheet on a mainsail (with a roach), you will change the shape of the leech portion of the sail .... hooking the leech/battens up-to-weather. This is like applying full flaps on an airplane and will allow you to sail 'much higher' on a beat ... but at slower speed.

Without setting the topping lift in the above manner will prevent you from purposely over-stressing the mainsheet which correspondingly 'reshapes' the leech. If this 'setting at max. stress' results in a boom that becomes 'too low' or in the way when your boat is serving its purpose as a dockside entertainment center ... leave the above setting alone but simply pull in the control to shorten the Topping lift to raise the boom but simply leave the 'worst case' setting alone.

 

[Rascal]

Controlling the Topping Lift

Just a quick note about keeping the topping lift out of the backstay. One little technique I used on my previous boat, a Catalina 25. Before stepping the mast up, in the spring, I tie my flag on the backstay ....... about 3' up. It worked out pretty good ...... the wind took that flag, and the topping lift, in the direction of the wind, and kept it out away from the backstay, most of the time, but did keep it from whinding around anything. Just an idea for you ...... Bob Burns=Rascal.

 

[Mike - Papillon]

Happy medium

Tom, try for a happy medium with the topping lift. I set mine tight enough to keep the boom off the dodger when the main is furled yet loose enough that when the main is out that it doesn't prevent me from trimming down on the main. You can take her for a sail and trim the main as tight as you would expect you'll ever need to. Then drop the main and see if the topping lift is tight enough to keep the boom off the dodger or better yet your head. If you can't find a happy medium then you'll just have to make it a part of your routine while sailing. Loosen it when you raise the main and tighten it BEFORE dropping the main. Note to do so before dropping the main or you'll risk knocking yourself or crew on the head with the boom. Trust me on this
Mike

 

[Brian D]

I do not have an adjustable topping lift

So I changed out the lower section and use a rolling hitch to adjust the topping lift. When under sail, I will usually tighten the topping lift just so there is a little slack in the line. Keeps it from banging the main. As I may broad changes in course/wind direction, I will adjust again. Works well for me.

 

[Ray T]

topping lift slack

Tom, The way I've always done it on my boats is to give the line enough slack that it doesn't interfere with the Roach on the main and let it fly. Ive never had it wrap the backstay or slap the main. If it did slap the main I didn't hear it. My advice is to set it and forget it. Ray T

 

[Joe]

put in an adjuster...

at the boom end. Cut off the topping lift wire a few feet above the boom and crimp in a reiforced eye. Attach a small bullet block to the wire loop. Now attach a small eye strap to the boom end, connect a length of 5/16 or 1/4 inch line to the eye strap, run it up through the TL's block and back down to the boom...reave it through a horn or clam cleat that has a fairlead. Tie a stopper knot in the free end so the line won't pull through the cleat fairlead and to give you a nice handle to pull the line with. You're all set. Ready to adjust to desired slackness.

 

[Joe White]

Topping Lift adjustment

I had this problem where the topping lift would constantly flug the roach. Over time it wore out and tore the main so much that I had to order a new main. My solution now is that I detach the topping lift from the boom and tie it to the stern pulpit near where the back stay is attatched. This makes it as far back as the back stay so it never runs into the main sail. When I want to lower or reef the main I reattach the topping lift to the back end of the boom where I have installed a clam cleat, then make the adjustment. Using clam cleat allowes for quick attaching, deteching and adjusting. Try that.