Masthead connections on O'day 192

[Brian S]

I realize this is a long shot, but...

Does anyone happen to have a picture showing the backstay connection on a Dwyer masthead for a 192 or 222?

Mine currently has an eyelet swaged onto the backstay and pinned into the masthead cap, and then just aft of that is a fitting that looks like it's supposed to hold a T-toggle.

What I want to do is to rig a real topping lift. I suspect I may have to remove the toggle jaw, insert a clevis pin, and tie the topping lift to that. However, it would be way cool if I could get a T-toggle with a ring on the other side to fit in there...

Thanks,
Brian

 

[Joe11688]

Brian,
I think that you know what you need to do to rig up your topping lift cable you just have to Mickey Mouse some kind of an attachment point for it on your mast head which will need to be placed in between your backstay and the mast.

I don't know what type of topping lift you have in mind for your boat. There are a lot of ways to rig one. My mast is Z-Spar with internal halyards and my boom has three control lines inside of it, one being for the Topping lift.
I like the idea of being able to control my topping lift at the mast especially when reefing. You could rig your boat up the same way with a line running along the outside of the boom toward the mast.
Here's some topping lifts: http://images.search.yahoo.com/search/images?_adv_prop=image&fr=sfp&va=topping+lift+rigging

Here's what mine looks like. The first picture shows my topping lift with a bail strap that I later installed at the end of my boom. The boom never had what I'd call a good connection point for a topping lift shackle.
My topping lift is just a white neoprene covered cable very similar to a lifeline, with a marine eye swaged at the end for a single sheave.

 

[Brian S]

Thanks, Joe. I noticed the backstay connects in the spot closer to the mast, and that other fitting is in the hole further to the aft of the masthead casting. Looks like I'll be switching them. A clevis pin through the casting with the 3/16" line tied to it should do fine. I'm planning to have a single block hanging on that line 18-24" above normal boom position, with a singe and becket attached to the strap on the end of the boom where the backstay pigtail usually clips on. Then I'll run a separate line from the becket to the hanging single, back down to the sheave on the end of the boom, and then forward probably at least half way up the boom. I've seen some folks with a V-jam at the end of the boom for the topping lift. But I learned on my smaller boat that if my cleat on the boom is toward the end, and I'm not dead into the wind, the end of the boom won't be over the centerline, and it can be difficult to get to the boom end. I don't care for that very much!

Brian

 

[Brian S]

Also, I keep forgetting that the hardware I happen to find in position doesn't have to stay. If it doesn't work the way it is, I can change it any way I want.

Brian

 

[Joe11688]

You know what I always say? "Whatever works."