Catalina's topping lift kit is a tad pricey,
but it is a nice arrancement. Save big bucks and simply run a line from the mast head that is about 2 or 3 feet of reaching the aft end of boom. On that line, attach a single block. You'll need to attach a few pieces of hardware to the end of the boom....on each side, near the end. On one side, attach something like a fairlead, to tie a line off with. On the opposite side of the boom, place a turning block directly opposite the fairlead. Then, about two feet forward, put a small clam cleat. Now, tie off one end of a line (maybe 6 or 8 feet, depending) to the fairlead, run it up through the block hanging from the line that runs from the masthead, and then run it back to the turning block and into the clam cleat. You raise and lower the boom by pulling on this end of the line (tie a stopper knot in the end, so the line can't come all the way out of the clam cleat. To visualize, looking from the rear of the boat, you have a very long, skinny upside down "V". The point of the V is the block hanging off the line from the masthead. One end of the skinny V is on the side of the boom with the fairlead (the secure end of the V, the other end of of the V is at the turning block. From there, the line runs away from the end, forward, to the clam cleat. This is a little elaberate when all you really nead is a line that runs simply from the masthead to the end of the boom, but this lets you adjust it with no effort, knot tying, etc. Good luck. Brad
