Hunter 18.5 Topping Lift Setup? Need Help

[FreedomCrawler]

Good afternoon, recently picked up a Hunter 18.5 and was finally able to get it out today. While this is my third sailboat I’m still fairly new to sailing and getting my feet wet.
I was able to get most of the setup good to go but had some issues with the main sail. Looked it up and realize my topping lift has me confused. I just don’t understand how it’s supposed to be setup.
I don’t have a slip so I have to raise and drop the mast every time I go out and will need to set it up for this.
(Sidenote, I’d love some pictures of how others are raising and dropping the mast on their own)
That aside, I didn’t know what it was called until now, but there was a line tied to the top of the mast and I assumed it was for the topping lift for the boom. It’s tied off on the top of the mast and had a clip where I thought it would clip to the back of the main sail boom. However it was way too long and wouldn’t run through the main sail like it’s supposed to. There is a line in the boom for what I assume to be a topping line but it’s tied off into a knot.
Also I assume these boats don’t have a back stay as I don’t see one but maybe that’s what the line knotted to the top of the mast is? But then again, how do I make that work and the topping line setup?
Here’s what I have setup, I knotted it up to “make” it work but I know it’s wrong.

any help would be appreciated on how to rig this up.
First two pictures show how the line is presently knotted to the top of the mast, that just leads down a long line with a clip at the end.
Last picture shows the main sail and how I just tied off that line to make it hold the end of the boom up for today. I just want to make it correct.

 

[FreedomCrawler]

In the picture of the back of the boom you can see the metal clip that’s at the end of the line running to the top of the mast. As it was way too long and I had no way of pulling it tighter, I tied it all up to the back of the boom so the boom would stand up.

you can also see how I didn’t run it through the main sail because the metal clip wouldn’t allow me too.

 

[isaksp00]

If your boat is like the Hunter 23 you have 3 sheaves at the aft end of the boom and matching 3 jam cleats at the front end. These would normally be used for the topping lift, the outhaul and a reefing line, assuming your sail has a cringle for reefing.

I think the stock setup had a topping lift line from the aft end of the mast crane (where you have it tied with a knot) down to the boom, through one of the sheaves, through the boom extrusion and out the corresponding fore end sheaves and it's jam cleat. You adjust it by pulling or slacking that line up near the mast. It'd normally be slack after the main is raised, letting the sail support the boom.

Since you remove the mast frequently that causes a hassle, as you can't easily remove the boom entirely, at least, until you have the mast unstepped and can unclip the topping lift from the clevis pin on the crane. Or you pull the TL line out of the boom and have to run it back through later.

A mod often recommended here is to use a thin line or wire rope from the masthead down to about 2 or 3 feet short of the end of the boom when it is horizontal. Attach a small swivel block to the end of that line. The adjusting line part of the topping lift assembly ties to the bar above the 3 sheaves, goes up to and through that block, back down to the boom, through a sheave (I'd use either of the outer ones, leaving the center one for the outhaul), forward through the boom and out the corresponding sheave and cleat.

This lets you remove the boom without having to pull that line out of the boom (you just untie the running line from the boom and pull that end out of the block), and of course avoid having to thread it back through the boom later. And you get a 2 to 1 mechanical advantage when you want to lift the boom with the TL.

 

[isaksp00]

On second look at your photo, it looks like the topping lift may actually already be routed into the boom and forward, though you look like you've got the main jammed up with a batten behind the line. If the TL were slack that'd probably come loose.

Maybe the line that is all wrapped up is the reefing line? I see that one sheave is unused, and the center sheave looks like it may be the outhaul?

 

[rgranger]

As already mentioned. The topping lift line is supposed to be run through the boom so that you can reach it from the boom end. The Hunter 26 has the exact same set up and the line diagram is in the owners manual. You can find the owners manual as a download here on this website if you go to the resource page for the H 26

 

[FreedomCrawler]

Maybe this picture will help a bit more as I’m trying to use it for reference based off the replies.

As stated above correctly, there is a boom topping lift line running through the boom in slot #1. In the picture the red circle is is a knot with a loop. The blue line represents the line tied directly to the top of the mast that ends with a metal clasp. This line is not adjustable at all and is about 10’ too long if I clasped it to the knot with loop in slot 1.

I originally thought that’s how it was supposed to work but then realized there is zero way to tighten it if I do that.

it seems like the mod mentioned in the first comment is going to be my best bet. This will allow me to keep that line tied to the top of the mast for when I raise it and then just connect it to the line running in Slot 1.

 

[JBP-PA]

BTW, in picture 2, your forestay has a broken wire.

 

[FreedomCrawler]

BTW, in picture 2, your forestay has a broken wire.

Yes thank you , one of my side stays does as well. I need to add that to my list also.
Once I get the boat out a couple times and have everything at least setup correctly I’m going to start running through and replacing things. Trying to get an initial foundation and adding to my list of things I need to address immediately and over time.

 

[Crazy Dave Condon]

Everyone hold your horses. Tomorrow I will provide an easier way

 

[FreedomCrawler]

Everyone hold your horses. Tomorrow I will provide an easier way

Much appreciated

 

[isaksp00]

The photo of the boom confuses me. Is the taut line that runs up to the masthead the same line as the one going into the port sheave, that is, not part of all the wrapped up line? Is that the same line as the one shown tied to the mast crane in the other photos? If so, is the line with the eye, and what looks like a snap shackle, attached to anything in your photo, or did you just wrap it around there as a place to keep it? That line may be a halyard, as it has the soft eye.

 

[FreedomCrawler]

The photo of the boom confuses me. Is the taut line that runs up to the masthead the same line as the one going into the port sheave, that is, not part of all the wrapped up line? Is that the same line as the one shown tied to the mast crane in the other photos? If so, is the line with the eye, and what looks like a snap shackle, attached to anything in your photo, or did you just wrap it around there as a place to keep it? That line may be a halyard, as it has the soft eye.

Stand by, I’ll run to the boat and get a solid picture for everyone

 

[FreedomCrawler]

This is what it looks like. Top of mast shot, bottom of the line tied to the top of the mast and then the end of the boom in slot 1.

 

[FreedomCrawler]

Also just found this. So maybe it’s supposed to be used there? Or it’s just a spare for the bottom of the boom however I can use it to help raise the mast which is nice

 

[isaksp00]

That helps, but there are still too many photos taken at different times with different configurations. I took your photo of the boom with sail up and highlighted what looks like the topping lift, in what you call slot 1. The line in the center slot (sheave) is the outhaul, you can see it in img_0186. Does that line I highlighted (blown up from img_0093) go straight through that mess of coiled line, or is it actually the coiled line itself? It looks like the previous owner (PO) may have moved lines around. It is possible they had it rigged so that the snap shackle attached to the pin in the mast crane, went down to "slot 1", into and through the boom and out the slot 1 sheave/jam cleat, and you (or someone) reversed its direction. I assume the yellow highlighted line that goes into slot 1 exits at the front of the boom - yes? Is that line and all the coiled line one long piece? Next time you sail maybe take a pic of that line before it is all wrapped up, and also a pic of the front of the boom where the lines exit, and showing where the boom vang might go (from the mast base to a point on the bottom of the boom, maybe 3-ish feet from the mast)/

img_0187 shows what looks like a main sheet to me (and yes it can be used to step the mast, if long enough). But img_0093 shows a mainsheet on the boom already, and it looks different. Maybe the PO had two mainsheets for some reason? Or maybe one is a boom vang, though they look kind of large for that.

 

[FreedomCrawler]

The last three photos are how it sits before its setup. The picture with it setup was just me tying the line that hangs from the top of the mast to the line that runs through slot one on the boom. So it looked like a mess of lines because I had to wrap up the slack.
There’s only two lines. One long line tied to the top of the mast with the clip and one in slot 1 on the boom that runs through it to the knot made and out the boom to where it clears at the boom/mast connection.
I just need to figure out how to make one connected line that holds the boom up and runs through the main sail

 

[isaksp00]

If I were you I'd start from scratch. Measure the length of the boom and the length from the gooseneck to the masthead and use that to calculate the hypotenuse, that is, the length from the masthead to the aft end of the boom when it is at right angles to the mast. Add to that the length of the boom, and add about 8 to 10 ft for the length of line that would extend out the front end of the boom. That is the total length of line needed for the standard setup of the TL. I gather the line going into slot 1 only has a foot or so sticking out of the boom - how much of that same line extends out the front end of the boom? Unless it is quite long it isn't going to be long enough to use as the TL. If the long line currently tied to the crane is long enough, I'd remove it from the crane, make sure the end without the shackle is properly whipped, and then use the line in the boom as a messenger to pull the bitter end through the boom in slot 1. You could use the snap shackle to attach it to the crane's pin, though that is overkill.

If no line is long enough, buy a new line. It doesn't have to be high tech as the topping lift doesn't require much strength or stretch resistance; it's only purpose is to hold up the boom when the sail isn't up.

 

[Crazy Dave Condon]

@patbratton @Monsterfish @FreedomCrawler

Look at my response in general Hunterowners

 

[FreedomCrawler]

@patbratton @Monsterfish @FreedomCrawler

Look at my response in general Hunterowners

Looks like a great solution, thank you! Copied over your response in case it helps anyone else

 

[FreedomCrawler]

Most people forget to circle back on these type of posts. Wanted to follow up as I went out yesterday and this worked perfectly. I just need to trim more length off the line as I left some excess to judge my length after the first go (That’s what’s wrapped around up top) and possibly locate a swivel clip. Worked great though

Thank you all for the help!