N17 Topping Lift

[gburling]

My Newport 17 has a topping lift (really just a 1/4" line tied off pretty tightly at the end of the boom w/o any way to adjust--I would say it is taunt). I know from searching past posts about topping lifts generally that there is a lot of discussion about what they are for and whether or not they are needed, but here is my question: Specifically, what have other owners of the Newport 17 done and what was the result? Did they leave the topping lift connected and taunt when sailing, take it off when sailing, or leave it connected but somewhat loose? My boat does not have a vang, but it does have a traveler, downhaul, and a way to apply some outhaul pressure on the mainsail as well. I am a novice sailor and I sail the boat on a smaller inland lake. I would like to read about other's experiences with this particular boat on this issue.

Thanks,
gburling

 

[st nick]

gburling, ya leave the topping lift loose while the sail is up . and use as a crane to level the boom when the sail cover is on.. I sailed 17 foot boats for years in new jersey as a kid..

 

[gburling]

Thanks for the reply. I will figure out a system to loosen the lift. At the moment it is attached without possibility of adjustment at the end of the boom and the top of the mast (which is up b/c the boat is in a slip). I guess one way to make it adjustable would be to add some length to the bottom of the cotton line used as a lift and then in the fall, when the mast comes down, figure out a better system. As a novice, everything is new, so I didn't even think of the question until invited to sail on another boat. The first thing the owner did after the main was up was to let the lift go entirely. I am finding a lot of things that catch me by surprise, and I find myself feeling a lot like the guy in the old joke about the chainsaw who asked, "What's that noise?" when the mechanic pulled the start cord!

 

[Ward H]

I put a carabiner type clip on mine and tied the line so the boom angle to the mast was less than 90 degrees. Once the main is up I clipped the TL to a side shroud so it was out of the way. Just remember to hook it back to the boom before dropping the main.
You would probably be OK just leaving the line a bit longer so when raising the main it lifts the boom and leave the line attached.
The consensus on the traveler was it was too short to be much good. I pinned mine in the middle because the clam cleats would let go at the worst times.

Making the T/L adjustable is easy. Put a block on the boom and run the line through it to a small cleat on the boom. That way you can raise it up high for lounging in the cockpit. I set up the boom on my 25 that way.

 

[gburling]

Sounds very workable!