Boom Topping Lift

[robischd]

All,

I was rigging my used 2000 H260 Hunter (water ballast) this week. It is only the 2nd season I have raised the mast so I'm still not very comfortable with it. While I was rigging it, I attached the rear boom topping lift cable to the mast/cable which supports the rear of the boom. Then the boom lifting cable detached inside the boom from the front end and snagged inside halfway down the boom. The owner's manual does not show the routing of the boom topping lift cable through the boom.

Does anyone have diagram showing this?

The owner's manual shows the cable exiting the rear of the boom and the front of the boom only. I know where the rear end goes. Where does the front end of the boom topping lift go? What does it attach to? Is it attached to something in the boom itself toward the front? OR Does it actually exit the front end of the boom and attach to something near the mast?

Diagrams or pictures would really be helpful to accompany your inputs. Hunter customer service could not answer this for me, they referred me to this forum. Go figure.

Please post and send diagrams to robischd@yahoo.com if that makes it easier for you.

Thank you.

 

[Joe]

http://www.ayesail.net/sailing/Hunter/ManualH260/Contents.htm

The second diagram shows stoppers on the mast end of the boom for the reef and outhaul. I would remove those cleats and relocate them somewhere more convenient, like the cabin top. I would do the same with the topping lift... run it back to the same area as the other cleats.

The easiest fix is to put a horn cleat on the mast for the topping lift.

 

[sinnettc]

Better yet, get rid of the topping lift and buy a boomkicker.

 

[robischd]

Inputs I am receiving suggests the previous owner may have replaced the original Boom Topping Lift line.

My Boom Topping Lift is a braided SS cable. It looks like other owners use a line to adjust the angle of the boom (pivoting at the mast) from the cockpit. Does this sound correct?

 

[Joe]

Inputs I am receiving suggests the previous owner may have replaced the original Boom Topping Lift line.

My Boom Topping Lift is a braided SS cable. It looks like other owners use a line to adjust the angle of the boom (pivoting at the mast) from the cockpit. Does this sound correct?

You can do it anyway you see fit. The boat will sail either way. All the topping lift does is hold the boom up when the sail can't, either from lack of wind or because want to drop the mainsail. The reason you want an adjustment feature is so it won't hang up on the battens and interfere with the sail crossing over when you change direction.

I removed my topping lift years ago when I installed a rigid vang. When hooked up it was a static SS line connected to the masthead and with a small block on the lower end a foot or so above the boom. There was an adjusting line that ran from the boom end up through the static line block then back down to cheek block then to a clam cleat. It was inconvenient to adjust when the boom was let out and it seemed to always need adjusting. PIA.....the rigid vang was the best investment I ever made.

 

[John23883]

Topping lift

I stopped routing the topping lift through the boom and just attached a shackle to the end of the line. I just snap the shackle to the end of the boom leaving enough length so it is never taut when the main sheet is pulled tight.