h40.5 owners- any topping lift line fraying issues

[Rich Stidger]

My 1997 h40.5 has frayed the topping lift within a couple feet of the end of the line and the beginning of the wire cable of the Dutchman flaking system.Another owner had a similiar experience and he found that it was due to a screw in the masthead casting that was too long and was rubbing on the line inside of the mast. He claimed that after replacing the screw with a shorter one the chafing problem was solved. His mast was claimed to be a Z-Spar 700.I have looked at my masthead and the nearest screw is 3/8-1/2" away from the edge of the line. I can't imagine how that could be the problem with the distance between the line and screw.However, the topping lift line passes over the top of the sheeve and then passes into the masthead casting. There seems to be a hole that the line passes into the casting, and this hole is only about 1/2-5/8" in diamenter. I suspect that the line is rubbing on the edge of the hole in the mast head casting.Anyone else had this problem? I have a Z-Spar mast that is a Z701 style.

 

[Don]

Same problem

RichSorry to say this may be a common problem in that I also had a similar experience but I'm not sure why. When I couldn't figure out the cause, I took the simple way out and replaced the topping lift halyard with wire rope which extends well beyond the masthead and so far, so good. Now if I could only get my dutchman adjusted properly...Don

 

[Don Alexander]

Me Too

Rich,The H376s also reported a spate of similar problems at about the same time. Their spar is a Z 601. In my case the topping lift used to last about 6 months before it became ratty. Up mast with file and drill but to no avail. Mystified as to the cause, in the end I spliced 6' of 1/8" diameter SS flexible rigging wire to the topping lift. It has a talurit loop for the Dutchman wire. No trouble with the wire since the modification but I get the feeling it is chewing the sheave up.