Purchased a Hunter 140 used. With no manual or rigging instructions, sort of figured things out by looking and guessing. Everything seems pretty simple and straightforward on this boat -- hard to get anything wrong. Here's my question: The way I'm rigged, the boom drops when the main is lowered, but I have often wished I could hit a cove for snorkeling or lunch and lower the main without the boom hitting the floor -- make sense? Am I rigging it right, or should there be a line that holds the boom up (without the main being hoisted)? Or could one be added?
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J
J Mashburn
Check into a Boom Kicker
The solution to your problem may be an item called a boomkicker. It will hold the boom up & out of the way with the sail down. Try West Marine & it will cost ~$70 to $80. Good luck! Jim Hunter 146 TIKI
The solution to your problem may be an item called a boomkicker. It will hold the boom up & out of the way with the sail down. Try West Marine & it will cost ~$70 to $80. Good luck! Jim Hunter 146 TIKI
C
Charlie
Rigging the 140
Marshall you are correct, when the main is lowered down comes the boom. When I lower the main I place a seat cushion on the deck to keep the boom from scratching it. If you decide to get the Boomkicker let us know how you like it. I've been thinking about getting one myself. Charlie
Marshall you are correct, when the main is lowered down comes the boom. When I lower the main I place a seat cushion on the deck to keep the boom from scratching it. If you decide to get the Boomkicker let us know how you like it. I've been thinking about getting one myself. Charlie
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Marshall
Thanks for the help.
Thanks Jim and Charlie for the quick responses to my question. I found the boomkicker several places on the net. Might try it, but . . . I just keep buying little things for the boat, it's killing me. I also found and read a little about top lifters in the rigging. Rigging something like that would work -- just have to losen it to sail, then tighten it before lowering the sail -- right?
Thanks Jim and Charlie for the quick responses to my question. I found the boomkicker several places on the net. Might try it, but . . . I just keep buying little things for the boat, it's killing me. I also found and read a little about top lifters in the rigging. Rigging something like that would work -- just have to losen it to sail, then tighten it before lowering the sail -- right?
R
Rusty
Topping Lift for Hunter 140
The "line that holds the boom up" that you asked about is called a Topping Lift. It is exactly as you described it... a line (probably 1/8th or 3/16th for the 140) is secured to an eyelet located on the side of the mast near the top. Another eyelet is located on the side of the boom near the aft end (the same side as on the mast!). The line is simply tied in place and its only purpose in life is to save your head and that of your guests when you drop the main. This line does NOT have to be released when you sail! I have a 170 and release the line from the boom whenever I sail, as it is said to extend the sail life (compared to it being connected when you sail). I don't know if this is true but it does seems to make sense as the line may cause the sail to wear as it the two rub against each other. I know nothing about the 140, but do not know why you could not do this. Approximate cost would be less than $10 for all the pieces (2 eyestraps, 4 rivets and some line). Tools would be: a 3/16th drill bit to drill the holes for the rivets, a drill and a rivet tool. I would think that it would take less than 10 minutes start to finish for this project. If you do not have an open cleat on the mast near the gooseneck to secure this extra line to when it is free from the boom, you may want to rivet one on also. Most of the time I just release my topping lift line and let it blow around in the wind. Probably a bad habit... Check out almost any daysailer and you will see examples of the topping lift...very simple, easy and cheap. Hunter uses this method on the 170, I don't know about the 146. If you have any questions, respond with a post or see the 170 at your local Hunter dealer. Any of the parts I mentioned are available at www.westmarine.com. As was also recommended, a boom kicker, this is what they are made to do. More expensive and probably over kill on a 140, but a good recommendation. One last thing. If you install a topping lift, it does not matter how high (or low) you tie up the boom, if it is released when you sail. If you leave it tied on while the main is raised, which will usually be the state, ensure that the main "picks up the boom" when you raise the mainsail. You want it longer, not shorter (i.e. the boom is lower that it needs to be when the main is down). You will notice as you raise the main, that when the main sail is almost all the way up, it will stop raising and feel as if it is stuck. Have someone lift up the aft part of the boom (and hold it up as you finish raising the main) and you will notice that the main will now raise the rest of the way very easily. This is such as the boom is pulling on the leach (the rear edge)of the sail and causing tension versus the tension coming from the luff (the forward edge of the sail). You probably notice this every time you raise the sail now. This is why it occassionally (sp) gets "stuck" now when you raise it. Good Luck. For my own information, please keep me posted on what you did and how it worked out. Rusty
The "line that holds the boom up" that you asked about is called a Topping Lift. It is exactly as you described it... a line (probably 1/8th or 3/16th for the 140) is secured to an eyelet located on the side of the mast near the top. Another eyelet is located on the side of the boom near the aft end (the same side as on the mast!). The line is simply tied in place and its only purpose in life is to save your head and that of your guests when you drop the main. This line does NOT have to be released when you sail! I have a 170 and release the line from the boom whenever I sail, as it is said to extend the sail life (compared to it being connected when you sail). I don't know if this is true but it does seems to make sense as the line may cause the sail to wear as it the two rub against each other. I know nothing about the 140, but do not know why you could not do this. Approximate cost would be less than $10 for all the pieces (2 eyestraps, 4 rivets and some line). Tools would be: a 3/16th drill bit to drill the holes for the rivets, a drill and a rivet tool. I would think that it would take less than 10 minutes start to finish for this project. If you do not have an open cleat on the mast near the gooseneck to secure this extra line to when it is free from the boom, you may want to rivet one on also. Most of the time I just release my topping lift line and let it blow around in the wind. Probably a bad habit... Check out almost any daysailer and you will see examples of the topping lift...very simple, easy and cheap. Hunter uses this method on the 170, I don't know about the 146. If you have any questions, respond with a post or see the 170 at your local Hunter dealer. Any of the parts I mentioned are available at www.westmarine.com. As was also recommended, a boom kicker, this is what they are made to do. More expensive and probably over kill on a 140, but a good recommendation. One last thing. If you install a topping lift, it does not matter how high (or low) you tie up the boom, if it is released when you sail. If you leave it tied on while the main is raised, which will usually be the state, ensure that the main "picks up the boom" when you raise the mainsail. You want it longer, not shorter (i.e. the boom is lower that it needs to be when the main is down). You will notice as you raise the main, that when the main sail is almost all the way up, it will stop raising and feel as if it is stuck. Have someone lift up the aft part of the boom (and hold it up as you finish raising the main) and you will notice that the main will now raise the rest of the way very easily. This is such as the boom is pulling on the leach (the rear edge)of the sail and causing tension versus the tension coming from the luff (the forward edge of the sail). You probably notice this every time you raise the sail now. This is why it occassionally (sp) gets "stuck" now when you raise it. Good Luck. For my own information, please keep me posted on what you did and how it worked out. Rusty
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Bobby McCullough
Just use the main halyard
You can use the main halyard to do what you want. When you drop sail, have someone hold the boom or allow it to drop also. Remove the halyard from the head of the sail and attach it to the boom and raise the sheet just enough to get the boom up out of your way. I've used this method a time or two with my 140.
You can use the main halyard to do what you want. When you drop sail, have someone hold the boom or allow it to drop also. Remove the halyard from the head of the sail and attach it to the boom and raise the sheet just enough to get the boom up out of your way. I've used this method a time or two with my 140.
M
Marshall
Several solutions offered -- Thanks
I appreciate everyone's advice and putting up with my lack of knowledge about correct sailing and rigging terms. Rusty: Thanks for your thorough explanation of the Topping Lift and suggestions on installation. I need to pick-up a pop rivet gun and go to work on her. Boomkicker can be put-off for now. Last weekend we were out freediving and spearfishing from the sailboat -- anchoring in a spot and diving it, then moving to another spot and anchoring again. The boom dropping whenever the sail was lowered made for a hassle. Rigging a Topping Lift will help I'm sure.
I appreciate everyone's advice and putting up with my lack of knowledge about correct sailing and rigging terms. Rusty: Thanks for your thorough explanation of the Topping Lift and suggestions on installation. I need to pick-up a pop rivet gun and go to work on her. Boomkicker can be put-off for now. Last weekend we were out freediving and spearfishing from the sailboat -- anchoring in a spot and diving it, then moving to another spot and anchoring again. The boom dropping whenever the sail was lowered made for a hassle. Rigging a Topping Lift will help I'm sure.
D
Dick in MI
topping lift
Go with the topping lift...I have one on my 170. Should be very easy to install and it does the job. Also, in addition to the issues Rusty raised about about "sticking" when raising the main, be aware that too much tension on the boom vang can cause the same thing. I usually keep the boom vang slack until the main is up and then tighten it according to wind condions. I usually don't have to worry about having someone raise the end of the boom as long as I haven't over-tightened the boom vang.
Go with the topping lift...I have one on my 170. Should be very easy to install and it does the job. Also, in addition to the issues Rusty raised about about "sticking" when raising the main, be aware that too much tension on the boom vang can cause the same thing. I usually keep the boom vang slack until the main is up and then tighten it according to wind condions. I usually don't have to worry about having someone raise the end of the boom as long as I haven't over-tightened the boom vang.
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