Topping lift, useful or pointless

woodster · Nov 12, 2015

what is the size of the line on your tipping lift ...if 3/8 of an inch or better ...keep it and use it to do some lifting with the boom...it may come in hand in a man over board situation

JohnVTX · Nov 12, 2015

No need with a rigid boom vang.

Stu Jackson · Nov 12, 2015

JohnVTX said:
No need with a rigid boom vang.

Agree. My boat came to me with the rigid vang and no topping lift, 17 years ago. We have lazy jacks.

KZW · Nov 12, 2015

The topping lift is useful if you damage your vang or need to remove it to work on it. Otherwise, it doesn't do much.

shemandr · Nov 12, 2015

You can get along without it. No doubt. But unless you have a racing boat and are really concerned about weight aloft, it can be useful. It could be a spare halyard assuming that it is led around a sheave at the masthead to a cleat at the bottom of the mast. Or a way to lift something heavy aboard - like a dink. Maybe hold a shade up in the cockpit. Be a halyard for a riding sail. As was mentioned, support the boom for MOB recovery, or haul that giant tuna aboard. Maybe it could be use to kedge the boat off a grounding. Maybe support someone climbing out on the boom to heal the boat over to get off a grounding. Maybe a safety line for ascending the mast or a messager for tools. It seems to me that a line from the masthead is a useful thing.

paulj · Nov 12, 2015

shemandr said:
You can get along without it. No doubt. But unless you have a racing boat and are really concerned about weight aloft, it can be useful. It could be a spare halyard assuming that it is led around a sheave at the masthead to a cleat at the bottom of the mast. Or a way to lift something heavy aboard - like a dink. Maybe hold a shade up in the cockpit. Be a halyard for a riding sail. As was mentioned, support the boom for MOB recovery, or haul that giant tuna aboard. Maybe it could be use to kedge the boat off a grounding. Maybe support someone climbing out on the boom to heal the boat over to get off a grounding. Maybe a safety line for ascending the mast or a messager for tools. It seems to me that a line from the masthead is a useful thing.

Now that I have a stack pack for the main sail...........
I've used my Dutchman hale-haut line for every thing listed above except for the tuna......few months ago I pulled two 4d batteries out of the boat battery box and put them on the dock using the haut.
I'm not recommending this but that's what I use it for.

paulj

centerline · Nov 12, 2015

a topping lift is definitely not pointless, but it may be unnecessary for your type of sailing with how your boat is rigged.
as has been said, the "extra" line can have uses beyond just holding the boom out of the cockpit when lowering the sail.

I have a topping lift and I also have a boomkicker system on my boat that I am not fond of, but the boomkicker negates the need for a topping lift or vice-versa..... but when im NOT under sail, the boom is hoisted high out of the cockpit with the topping lift, with the traveler moved off to one side and the mainsheet pulled hard up... this allows for more room to move around without a boom in the way.

Kings Gambit · Nov 12, 2015

If while anchored you want to hang "flopper stoppers" or "rocker stoppers" from your boom let out all the way out to the shrouds, you'll want a topping lift to help support the boom. Also, as said above, if using the boom to support a hoist outboard the lifelines, you'll want the topping lift. If you need crew to weight the boom at the end to heel the boat off a grounding, you'll want the topping lift. Finally, an installed topping lift that runs through a sheeve at the mast head, like mine does, could serve as an emergency spare main halyard, etc. I take it you don't spend much time at anchor.

Long Story · Nov 13, 2015

paulj said:
Now that I have a stack pack for the main sail...........
I've used my Dutchman hale-haut line for every thing listed above except for the tuna......few months ago I pulled two 4d batteries out of the boat battery box and put them on the dock using the haut.
I'm not recommending this but that's what I use it for.

paulj

Paul,
Not looking to hijack the post - but

As we are getting older were looking for ways to say in the cockpit and avoid being up on deck especially in storm conditions. (I know avoid storms) And our Dutchman has never works as everyone seem to think it should. (local sail loft said they are a real love / hate relationship and we see that) So were looking at the Stack Pack, or locally named substitute of same. Looked at furling mast refit (ouch) or in boom furling (slightly less but still big ouch) and stack pack ($600.00 from sail loft) but wanted to get some real world feedback from a real (and trusted

User of the system) Do you find you can actually stay in the cockpit when dropping the main and deal with getting it stowed away at a later time? Are the lazy jacks associated with the stack pack a major pain? Your thoughts are appreciated.

Russ
s/v Long Story

SawyerCurt · Nov 13, 2015

I find with the stack pack that the sail doesn't easily drop the last 2 feet or so, and I end up going forward to push it down into the stack pack. In terms of hoisting the sail I don't have to leave the cockpit - I can open the stack pack and raise the main without going forward. But when I am taking the sail down that last 2 feet just refuse to drop into the pack and forward I go.

Roland5048 · Nov 13, 2015

marchem said:
With a rigid boom vang on the C310 I'm not sure I see value in the topping lift

Redundancy. It's a good thing. Keep it.

weinie · Nov 13, 2015

I use mine to keep insubordinate crew in line with the threat of rigging assisted wedgies.

paulj · Nov 13, 2015

Your wedgie
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wedgie

We call this our wedgie.........

paulj

Anonymous 121765 · Nov 14, 2015

Once again,

Sorry, but I am late in this thread. The watched forums I set up I am not receiving alerts on new threads.

I have a mechanical boom vang & a topping lift. I keep my topping lift as WOODSTER also mentioned. you may need to use it at some time. I use this for three reasons.

1. When back at the dock, I raise this abit to allow for any drainage of water that gets under the sail cover & some water that may sit in my boom. This helps in not allowing any mildew to form on my sail. I also never tighten my flaked sail with hold-down straps too tight, as this can trap moisture & also lead to mildew on my sail. I have sized my sail cover to support a looser folded sail that allows for breathing.

2. When hoisting my main with a 10° lift in my boom, after the sail is up, I then slacken the topping lift. Ever see sailboats with mains up & the boom is angled down? This is what stretches the main especially @ the leach. I would rather raise my main with no boom weight on it. Then when up, I drop my topping lift. Now all the vertical forces are even along the boom & not just angled towards the end. I get about 20 years of main life before changeouts without the telltale vertical stretch marks in my sail.

3. I have a full roach main & there are broad reaches to downward points of sail that by using the topping lift to raise the boom, gives me a neat main pocketing-set to grab-n-hold more wind. That's just how I fly in favorable conditions.

CR

SawyerCurt · Nov 16, 2015

The other thing I use the topping lift for is to help me take the boom off by myself. I unbolt the vang connection at the mast, then the gooseneck connection, then swing the boom over and set the mast end down on the deck, then slowly lower the back of the boom using the topping lift. I have tp take the boom off as I take the mast down at the end of the season.

JK_Boston_Catalina310 · Nov 24, 2015

Just to add my thoughts a little late. When I changed out my running rigging I replaced the topping lift with the same material as the halyard. The sheaves are the same size so it's no issue. That way I have a spare halyard for the main if any happens.

Topping lift, useful or pointless

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