I just unstepped the mast from the 25 year old sail boat I recently bought. What I found was a topping lift made up with covered wire cable fastened with rusty cable connectors at each end with an el-cheepo snap shackle to the tang at the end of the boom. No method for adjustment. The attachment at the masthead was to a shackel using the same clevis pin for the backstay. What is the correct material and method to install a topping lift.
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Rigid Vang
Garhauer makes rigid vangs for a few hundred dollars; you can do away with the topping lift.
Garhauer makes rigid vangs for a few hundred dollars; you can do away with the topping lift.
Topping lift
In order to use a topping lift and have it be adjustable, there must be at least one block or sheave at the masthead. On my Oday 272 there is a sheave (one of several) at the masthead. When I bought the boat, the topping lift was led down inside the mast, out through a sheave at the foot and secured on a cleat on the port side of the mast close to where the boom meets the spar. I have since lengthened and rereeved the line so that it leads back to the cabintop on the port side to a line clutch. This allows me to control the topping lift from the cockpit. I single-hand a great deal of the time and have moved most controls to the cabintop so that I don't have to go forward as much. If there is no sheave at the masthead, you will have to install a block on the aft side of the mast and lead the line through the block to a cleat on the mast or, as I did, back to a cabintop clutch. If you lead it back to a clutch on the cabintop, I would recommend a deck organizer with at least two, better three sheaves in it. This will allow you to lead some of the other lines back to the cabintop in the future. If the line must be led outside of the mast, make sure it is led so that it doesn't get tangled with any fittings or gear on the mast. You could use a couple of fairleads if need be. Not a difficult or expensive upgrade. Regards, Tom
In order to use a topping lift and have it be adjustable, there must be at least one block or sheave at the masthead. On my Oday 272 there is a sheave (one of several) at the masthead. When I bought the boat, the topping lift was led down inside the mast, out through a sheave at the foot and secured on a cleat on the port side of the mast close to where the boom meets the spar. I have since lengthened and rereeved the line so that it leads back to the cabintop on the port side to a line clutch. This allows me to control the topping lift from the cockpit. I single-hand a great deal of the time and have moved most controls to the cabintop so that I don't have to go forward as much. If there is no sheave at the masthead, you will have to install a block on the aft side of the mast and lead the line through the block to a cleat on the mast or, as I did, back to a cabintop clutch. If you lead it back to a clutch on the cabintop, I would recommend a deck organizer with at least two, better three sheaves in it. This will allow you to lead some of the other lines back to the cabintop in the future. If the line must be led outside of the mast, make sure it is led so that it doesn't get tangled with any fittings or gear on the mast. You could use a couple of fairleads if need be. Not a difficult or expensive upgrade. Regards, Tom
cleat on the boom
Don, I can't tell you how its attached at the mast head but it is fixed on that end. It is very thin wire (sorry no dimensions) that runs to a block on the aft end of the boom. It then converts to rope and runs parallel to the outhaul along the boom to a cleat just past halfway to the mast. I didn't set it up that way and if I were to do it I'd leave it like it is except to put the cleat closer to the aft end where I could easily reach it from the helm. In the attached photo the cleat further forward is the topping lift the aft cleat is the outhaul. Enjoy, Mike
Don, I can't tell you how its attached at the mast head but it is fixed on that end. It is very thin wire (sorry no dimensions) that runs to a block on the aft end of the boom. It then converts to rope and runs parallel to the outhaul along the boom to a cleat just past halfway to the mast. I didn't set it up that way and if I were to do it I'd leave it like it is except to put the cleat closer to the aft end where I could easily reach it from the helm. In the attached photo the cleat further forward is the topping lift the aft cleat is the outhaul. Enjoy, Mike
Attachments
Another Topping Lift Question
I have purchased new to me a 1986 o'day 222. Regarding the topping lift line, is it to be attached to the boom at all times even while underway? Or is it secured in some place while the main holds up the boom. I am used to sailing smaller boats that only use the line when not underway.
I have purchased new to me a 1986 o'day 222. Regarding the topping lift line, is it to be attached to the boom at all times even while underway? Or is it secured in some place while the main holds up the boom. I am used to sailing smaller boats that only use the line when not underway.
To Brian
Yes, the idea is to unleash the topping lift once the mainsail is up, since it might otherwise interfere with the sail plan. One way to solve the original problem cited is to undo the topping lift at the mast by tying a permanent bow that can slip on and off the cleat beside the mast. Then you don't have to undo it at the end of the boom anymore.
Yes, the idea is to unleash the topping lift once the mainsail is up, since it might otherwise interfere with the sail plan. One way to solve the original problem cited is to undo the topping lift at the mast by tying a permanent bow that can slip on and off the cleat beside the mast. Then you don't have to undo it at the end of the boom anymore.
When we bought the boat
it had some weird lashup for a topping lift that was quite useless. I rerigged it according to specification. Which is a covered wire from a tang at the masthead culminating in a small block about ten feet off the deck. Through the block is reeved a line secured at the end of the boom and the other end run through the boom to the rope clutches at the forward end of the boom. I also installed a Garhauer solid vang. I find having both increases flexibility since I can raise the boom far higher than the vang can.
it had some weird lashup for a topping lift that was quite useless. I rerigged it according to specification. Which is a covered wire from a tang at the masthead culminating in a small block about ten feet off the deck. Through the block is reeved a line secured at the end of the boom and the other end run through the boom to the rope clutches at the forward end of the boom. I also installed a Garhauer solid vang. I find having both increases flexibility since I can raise the boom far higher than the vang can.
With the Garhauer Rigid Vang the topping lift is really unnecessary. When properly installed, the boom with no weight on it (as with the main raised) should be about 10 degrees above horizontal. I can't think of any wind conditions or point of sail where you would want to go higher than 10 degrees. So the drill is, you raise your main and then crank down on the rigid vang until you get the sail trimmed the way you want it for the point of sail and wind condition you are sailing in. There are a number of advantages to the rigid vang and the main one is that the mainsheet and soft vang lose their effectiveness the farther the boom goes over the side of the boat. The angle just becomes to severe. Take a look at the angle the next time your out sailing and you'll see what I mean. With the rigid vang, it doesn't matter where the boom is.
What About Dutchmen and Lazy Jacks?
I have both a Garnauer Solid Boom Vang and Topping Lift. The Topping Lift is used only to support the boom when using the Lazy Jacks (E-Z JAX). My partner has the Garnauer and Topping Lift which he needs with his Dutchman Flaking System.
I have both a Garnauer Solid Boom Vang and Topping Lift. The Topping Lift is used only to support the boom when using the Lazy Jacks (E-Z JAX). My partner has the Garnauer and Topping Lift which he needs with his Dutchman Flaking System.
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