This might be a stupid question but I have to ask it. In all other boats I have sailed on, I have yet to see a topping lift used for anything other than holding up the mast when the main sail is down. I just purchased a '79 C30 ( an actual "dream boat" come true) and cant help but wonder if that topping lift should be used to get better sail shape out of my main in light wind. Is this what is intended, or does the mainsheet/mainsail ultimatly deturmine the boom angle?
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Derek
Hardware question...
Just purched '79 C30 from someone who was really not much more than a "hang out on the boat in the slip" type of sailor(Not that there's anything wrong with that). I am a little confused as to how this boat is set up. 1. It has a real nice Harken furler that seems perfect but the main halyard is still up at the mast base, even though there is a winch on the starboard side cabin top. 2. Now, the mainsheet is brought back to the winch, which the previous owner used to haul in mainsheet!?!?! 3. In that there is already a 4:1 purchase on the mainsheet, does it not make better sense to have the main halyard running back to that winch instead?!?!? 4. Or, would I be an idiot if I set up two clutches, as to handle the halyard and sheet? 5. Also, this boat has the main halyard on the port side of the mast. every other boat I have sailed on has the main halyard starboard. Is there any reason why this boat would have the main on one side or the other? I know that these may seem like stupid questions but I have never owned a boat bigger than a C22, no less set up the rigging.
Just purched '79 C30 from someone who was really not much more than a "hang out on the boat in the slip" type of sailor(Not that there's anything wrong with that). I am a little confused as to how this boat is set up. 1. It has a real nice Harken furler that seems perfect but the main halyard is still up at the mast base, even though there is a winch on the starboard side cabin top. 2. Now, the mainsheet is brought back to the winch, which the previous owner used to haul in mainsheet!?!?! 3. In that there is already a 4:1 purchase on the mainsheet, does it not make better sense to have the main halyard running back to that winch instead?!?!? 4. Or, would I be an idiot if I set up two clutches, as to handle the halyard and sheet? 5. Also, this boat has the main halyard on the port side of the mast. every other boat I have sailed on has the main halyard starboard. Is there any reason why this boat would have the main on one side or the other? I know that these may seem like stupid questions but I have never owned a boat bigger than a C22, no less set up the rigging.
Topping Lift and Sail Shape
I'm no expert, but I will weigh in with an opinion on the original post question. I suppose that the topping lift could theoretically help to hold some basic sail shape when sailing in light winds, but there is a little bit of a practical problem with that. Supporting the position that it might work is the idea that you frequently have crew sit on the lee side of the boat in light winds to add a little heal to the boat, and to cause the sails to hang closer to the position that you want them in when there is some wind. The explanation I was given was that doing that allows the little bit of wind there might be to start working with the sail right away rather than being wasted in putting that basic shape into the sail. Using a topping lift to keep the weight of the boom from pulling the desired shape out of the sail - by weighting down the leach of the sail, sounds like a good idea, but when you tension that topping lift, you'll also be interfering with the little bit of overlap that the leach of the main has with the topping lift, and that will goof up the shape even more. I think what I see being used more and more is a rigid boom vang. It takes care of a couple of jobs on the boat. It provide the traditional Vang function of hauling the boom down to affect the mainsail shape. When the Vang line is loosened, it also serves to support the boom (taking the place of the topping lift) and in light winds, adjusting the vang way off, the spring inside the rigid vang can hold the boom - and the sail shape - just where you want it. Good Luck! Tim Brogan April IV C350 #68 Seattle
I'm no expert, but I will weigh in with an opinion on the original post question. I suppose that the topping lift could theoretically help to hold some basic sail shape when sailing in light winds, but there is a little bit of a practical problem with that. Supporting the position that it might work is the idea that you frequently have crew sit on the lee side of the boat in light winds to add a little heal to the boat, and to cause the sails to hang closer to the position that you want them in when there is some wind. The explanation I was given was that doing that allows the little bit of wind there might be to start working with the sail right away rather than being wasted in putting that basic shape into the sail. Using a topping lift to keep the weight of the boom from pulling the desired shape out of the sail - by weighting down the leach of the sail, sounds like a good idea, but when you tension that topping lift, you'll also be interfering with the little bit of overlap that the leach of the main has with the topping lift, and that will goof up the shape even more. I think what I see being used more and more is a rigid boom vang. It takes care of a couple of jobs on the boat. It provide the traditional Vang function of hauling the boom down to affect the mainsail shape. When the Vang line is loosened, it also serves to support the boom (taking the place of the topping lift) and in light winds, adjusting the vang way off, the spring inside the rigid vang can hold the boom - and the sail shape - just where you want it. Good Luck! Tim Brogan April IV C350 #68 Seattle
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--RonD
Topping Lift
Basically, the topping lift is used to support the boom when the mainsail is down. The mainsheet, vang, outhaul and cunningham are used to shape the mainsail. Once you raise your main, it's a good practice to ease the topping lift a bit to prevent excessive loading on that line and possible interference with the sail's leech (particularly if you have full battens). --RonD
Basically, the topping lift is used to support the boom when the mainsail is down. The mainsheet, vang, outhaul and cunningham are used to shape the mainsail. Once you raise your main, it's a good practice to ease the topping lift a bit to prevent excessive loading on that line and possible interference with the sail's leech (particularly if you have full battens). --RonD
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Leroy Thomas
Left-handed solution
It occurs to that a left-handed sailor would prefer to have the main halyard where he/she could handle it more easily, and a right-handed new owner would never guess why it was there. I'm sure you have heard of foreign cars with left-handed stick shifts, left-handed scissors, left-handed golf clubs and left-handed guitar players--like Jimi Hendricks, whose guitar strings were also upside-down? Viola! You have a left-handed boat.
It occurs to that a left-handed sailor would prefer to have the main halyard where he/she could handle it more easily, and a right-handed new owner would never guess why it was there. I'm sure you have heard of foreign cars with left-handed stick shifts, left-handed scissors, left-handed golf clubs and left-handed guitar players--like Jimi Hendricks, whose guitar strings were also upside-down? Viola! You have a left-handed boat.
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Ray Bowles
Topping lift use when heaving to.
A little trick I use, and teach others, is to use the topping lift to support the boom with the main deployed while I change the jib or drop a drifter/reacher. On my Catalina I use hanked jibs and genoas. When overpowered I simply lash the tiller straight ahead into the wind, support the boom and mainsail with the topping lift and walk forward to complete my business. The boat slowly heads slightly off dead ahead into the wind. The severly depowered main provides a steady amount of power and nice sea motion while I change sails. I have done this on my Catalina 22, a San Juan 23 and a Catalina 25 all with the same results. Ray
A little trick I use, and teach others, is to use the topping lift to support the boom with the main deployed while I change the jib or drop a drifter/reacher. On my Catalina I use hanked jibs and genoas. When overpowered I simply lash the tiller straight ahead into the wind, support the boom and mainsail with the topping lift and walk forward to complete my business. The boat slowly heads slightly off dead ahead into the wind. The severly depowered main provides a steady amount of power and nice sea motion while I change sails. I have done this on my Catalina 22, a San Juan 23 and a Catalina 25 all with the same results. Ray
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Bob
Yes
I'm an Ericson driver but am enjoying visiting this forum and can shed a little light on the original subject. When the wind is VERY light, and usually just on a reach, the topping lift is useful in allowing the sail to shape out just as you suspect. The boom's weight on the sail, in these conditions, causes it to assume a less-than-ideal shape. Some folks try to solve this problem by trying to heel the boat by getting the crew on the lee side but that doesn't remove the boom's weight from the sail's attempt to assume a good shape; another fix that works well is to tension the topping lift just enough to get the boom's weight off the sail. I discovered this while sailing solo beside a buddy whose boat has virtually identical performance to mine. When I would lift the boom, my boat would ease ahead - when I let it back down, we were equal in speed. Tim is right, a rigid boom vang will do this also, along with a number of other good things, and is well worth the cost - it does away with the nuisance of having the topping lift being in the way and swinging around if you lose your hold on it. I love my Garhauer rigid unit.
I'm an Ericson driver but am enjoying visiting this forum and can shed a little light on the original subject. When the wind is VERY light, and usually just on a reach, the topping lift is useful in allowing the sail to shape out just as you suspect. The boom's weight on the sail, in these conditions, causes it to assume a less-than-ideal shape. Some folks try to solve this problem by trying to heel the boat by getting the crew on the lee side but that doesn't remove the boom's weight from the sail's attempt to assume a good shape; another fix that works well is to tension the topping lift just enough to get the boom's weight off the sail. I discovered this while sailing solo beside a buddy whose boat has virtually identical performance to mine. When I would lift the boom, my boat would ease ahead - when I let it back down, we were equal in speed. Tim is right, a rigid boom vang will do this also, along with a number of other good things, and is well worth the cost - it does away with the nuisance of having the topping lift being in the way and swinging around if you lose your hold on it. I love my Garhauer rigid unit.
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