My topping lift let go with a bang yesterday while securing after a sail. (336) Before I go up mast, can someone tell me what to expect as far as attachment method. It seems the cable must connect to the inner-mast line at the top of the mast since I have the cable down on my deck. When I pull on the end of the topping lift line however it still has tension (presumably at the mast head somehow). Could it possibly be as easy as dragging the cable up the mast and reattaching to the line (hope so). Anyway. I need some advice on this connection if anyone has the knowledge. Thanks Don
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?????
If you have tension on the topping lift line it is not due to the "upper" connection. You indicated that that was busted. It is most likely from the lower connection where the actuall adjustment takes place. The topping lift on most boats is fixed at the upper end (pad eye)and has a block at the lower end. The "topping lift adjusting line" runs from the boom end up thruogh the topping lift lower end block and back down to the boom. It can then run to a cleat on the boom end or be routed to the cockpit via the boom, down the mast and back to the winch/stopper in the cockpit. I could be wrong, but I have never seen a topping lift run from the boom end to the top of the mast, down the mast and back to the cockpit. There is nothing wrong with this arangement but I have never seen it done that way. To test it pull on the "topping lift adjusting line" and see if the "boom end" of the topping lift moves around. If it does then you have a situation like in the beginning of this post. If it does not then your going to have to get us a picture cause i can't under stand how the topping lift could hold a tension and be laying on the deck at the same time. Good luck aloft
If you have tension on the topping lift line it is not due to the "upper" connection. You indicated that that was busted. It is most likely from the lower connection where the actuall adjustment takes place. The topping lift on most boats is fixed at the upper end (pad eye)and has a block at the lower end. The "topping lift adjusting line" runs from the boom end up thruogh the topping lift lower end block and back down to the boom. It can then run to a cleat on the boom end or be routed to the cockpit via the boom, down the mast and back to the winch/stopper in the cockpit. I could be wrong, but I have never seen a topping lift run from the boom end to the top of the mast, down the mast and back to the cockpit. There is nothing wrong with this arangement but I have never seen it done that way. To test it pull on the "topping lift adjusting line" and see if the "boom end" of the topping lift moves around. If it does then you have a situation like in the beginning of this post. If it does not then your going to have to get us a picture cause i can't under stand how the topping lift could hold a tension and be laying on the deck at the same time. Good luck aloft
Topping Lift
Don, sounds to me your topping lift is the same as mine. It attaches to the end of the boom with a coated steel cable. That is tied off to a topping Lift halyard that is run thru the mast. I run that line back to the cockpit so I can adjust the topping lift tension while under sail. With that said, if the cable broke or the halyard gave way, you would need to run a new halyard down the inside of the mast to reattach to the coated cable. The tension is probably coming from a knot or some other hang-up as the line is going over teh top of the mast.
Don, sounds to me your topping lift is the same as mine. It attaches to the end of the boom with a coated steel cable. That is tied off to a topping Lift halyard that is run thru the mast. I run that line back to the cockpit so I can adjust the topping lift tension while under sail. With that said, if the cable broke or the halyard gave way, you would need to run a new halyard down the inside of the mast to reattach to the coated cable. The tension is probably coming from a knot or some other hang-up as the line is going over teh top of the mast.
Good description Bill
Bill, your description below is exactly what I have. "I could be wrong, but I have never seen a topping lift run from the boom end to the top of the mast, down the mast and back to the cockpit. There is nothing wrong with this arangement but I have never seen it done that way." So the cable from the boom end runs up to the top of the mast, somehow connects (which is what I don't know how) to a line which comes down the mast and back to the cockpit. The line to the cockpit still has tension, which I assume is something caught at the top or within the mast. Again, I don't know what the cable to line fitting is. Thanks. don
Bill, your description below is exactly what I have. "I could be wrong, but I have never seen a topping lift run from the boom end to the top of the mast, down the mast and back to the cockpit. There is nothing wrong with this arangement but I have never seen it done that way." So the cable from the boom end runs up to the top of the mast, somehow connects (which is what I don't know how) to a line which comes down the mast and back to the cockpit. The line to the cockpit still has tension, which I assume is something caught at the top or within the mast. Again, I don't know what the cable to line fitting is. Thanks. don
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