top lift on a hunter 23

[docmyers]

i'm new to sailing and just bought a hunter 23, unfortunately the owner was in another state and so the broker went with me for the sea trial. we raised the mast, put it in the water, placed the boom and then realized that there was no top lift attached to the mast but that there was 2 ropes coming out of the aft end of the boom. i assume one of these ropes should be attached to the mast before raising.(?). If so, than i can do that. my other question is, what is the other rope in the boom for? i'm not referring to rope that tightens the foot of the sial, i do know what that one does.

 

[mikeepp]

boom lines

My '87 H23 with Z spar mast has 3 lines out the aft end of the boom. 1 goes to the top of the mast (topping lift), the 2nd is a jiffy reefing that attaches to the reefing kringle on the leech of the sail, and the 3rd is the outhaul.