What holds the boom up?

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Tom Drake

Just purchased a Macgregor 25 and trying for figure out all the rigging. What holds the boom perpendicular to the mast before you put up the main sail? I want to put it in the water tomorrow and hope there is someone out there on line that can help me.

Thanks a bunch.

Tom
 
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gabriel

Top lift

I have a 21 Venture, and there is a line thats attached to the top of the mast that runs down to the stern with a snap hook for the end of the boom. This holds the boom horrizontal to the mast till I raise the sail. When I raise the sail I hook the line to the base of the mast out of the way. I think its called a top lift line but I'm not sure.
 
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Timo42

Quick and dirty,

tie or bungie it to the backstay, a prussic hitch with a snap hook attached works well, when you have time, add a cheek block to the top of the mast and add a topping lift, (1/4" line with a hook on one end, runs to the cheek block and down to a cleat on the mast, attach to the end of the boom. Tim
 
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Mike

Attach to back stay

Have a Macgregor 26. A previous owner attached a short cable to the back stay with a snap hook. This hooks to the end of the boom when the sail is down. With the main sail up, there is no need to hold the boom up. This works well if you are headed straight into the wind when raising or lowering the sail.

Adding a topping line would be a better fix, but would be more rigging to be in the way when putting the mast up and down.
 
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caguy

There should be a triangular plate attached to the split

backstay. Attached to the center of the plate is a short cable with a snap shackle. This hooks on to the back of the boom. It doesn't hold it horizontal but raises it about a foot. I used to stand on the cockpit seats to reach it.
The original set up works dead into the wind but if you get blown sideways in stiff wind while the boom is locked it could get you into trouble. I changed to a topping lift much easier to raise the boom and it allows it to swing sideways in a cross wind.
Hope this helps.
 
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dancing_bear

Topping Lift Approach

At the top of the mast (and my slip neigbors) our Mac25s have a bracket pointed aft about 4-6 inches long.

There is a cable that runs from the bracket, to a pad eye at the end of the boom. We both are using the bracket for our topping lift. The bracket keeps the topping lift from chaffing the mainsail leach.

The neighbor uses a cable to connect the bracket to an eystrap on the end of the boom. I have an old halyard running from the base of the mast, through a block hanging on the mast bracket to the boom eyestrap.

I don't know if my neighbor's is adjustable, but the topping lift can get floppy and some adjustment is in order when under way.

Split backstay? I don't have this.
 
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dancing_bear

No lift at all?

You can sail without the topping lift. When you raise the sail (and the sail lifts the boom out of the cockpit) it is important that everyone in the cockpit focus on the boom movement. While the sail is lifting the boom, someone should guide the boom out of the cockpit, and be prepared that the wind is going to grab the sail and swing it out as fair as the main sheet will allow.

This could be hazardous, like an accidental jibe, but I would not miss a sailing day because I was missing my topping lift.
 
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Bob Gump

Did Not have a Topping Lift...

I did not have a t-lift when I got my Mac25.... I added the pigtail to the backstay... Simple enough and functional.... Once the sail is up, it is put of the way... I head into the wind connect the pigtail and lower the sail... Works fine for me...
 
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bill@tahoe

boom support

Or you could try a boomkicker, works great on my M26, check out the chandlery
on this site.
 
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Timo42

Just a thought on the oem

setup with a short hanger cable nicopressed to the backstay. The first place I noticed broken strands on my standing rigging was right there. Granted, the rigging was 30 years old, but I opted to leave it off when I rerigged. Oh yea, have fun out there :) Tim
 
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caguy

Mine came with split back stay that I got rid of.

I got tired of raking my elbow on it every time I started the motor. I ran an a small block to the transom plate that is just starboard of the tiller. It really cleaned up the back of the boat. Makes it much easier for fishing as well.
Frank
 
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Tonto's Revenge

Sailing with the topping lift attached?

Does any one sail with the topping lift still attached to the boom and tied off on the mast? I'm just learning to sail my 25 and went out the first few times with everything securely tied down. I wasn't getting much swing out of my boom and finally figured out the topping lift was to blame. Duh. However, if I'm motoring when there is no wind, the topping lift tied off and the boom sheets pulled in tend to keep heads from getting bonked. I'm just wondering how much better the boat's performance will be with the topping lift released.
 
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Timo42

No reason to remove topping lift

as it should be slightly loose with mainsheet tight, as far as I know, the only reason to tighten past that would be to increase the draft in the mainsail in light wind, I am no expert, but I did stay in a Holiday Inn last night ;) Tim
 
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Tom Drake

Thanks for the help all you people!

Now I know what holds the boom up. Thank you all. I couldn't believe that all of you responded so quickly. I have not as of yet decieded which way to go yet with regard to "holding the boom up" but I like the idea of attaching it to the aft stay.

I did get my 25 in the water as planned, but my old Spirit 9.9 died and the prognosis is not good. I was towed back to my dock by a pontoon of all things. But I still had a good time one the water. Didn't have a chance to get the sails up.

I slept on my boat last night for the first time. Slept like a baby. The moon rose about 4 am and I went out on the stern and watched the fire flies do thier thing.

Thanks again all of you that responded to my question. I hope you will respond to my new question. What is the ideal outboard for my 25.

Thanks;
Tom Drake
Rookie Sailor
 
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Ed

Tohatsu 9.9

The Tohatsu 9.9, 4-stroke, electric start, extra long shaft with charging system should be the perfect engine for your boat. Not cheap but sure is nice.
 
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Tonto's Revenge

No

I meant the topping lift. There is nothing attached to my backstay. The topping lift on my boat runs from an eye strap at the end of the boom, through a block at the top of the mast and is cleated off at the base of the mast. Right now, the lift is tied to the boom, but after reading this thread, I'll probably look into a small snap instead. Maybe I'll just let the tension off the TL next time and see if the boom responds better.
 
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Bob Gump

Tohatsu 6hp

I have a Tohatsu 6HP 4 Stroke with an electric generator built in.... Moves me along fine... I had a Yamaha 9.9 4 stroke electric start.... Way heavy and hard to pull start when the battery wasn't up to full power..... The 6HP pushes me as fast as the 9.9.... I had to by my second 3 gallons of gas for this season last week....
 
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Tom

overkill

Study the prints well, I have a new Nissan 9.9 electric start with alternator. Its too big for the transom well and I cant rotate the motor with the tiller. I need to move the motor back 6” with a set back plate. It’s a lot of motor I reach hull speed at ¼ throttle, I hope I’m building usable amps at that RPM.
 
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Tom Drake

I got a new outboard, thanks.

Got my new outboard. I had to drive 300 miles round trip to Grand Forks, North Dakota to get it, but I should have a reliable engine.

I got a 6 hp Nissan with an extra long shaft (25"). Found it at Cabelas. It was a floor model and they gave me an extra 5% off the stiker price.

I noticed when my Spirit long shaft (9.9) was running in its lowest position the prop did not extend below the hull and the power head was low and the rope hard to reach. This new engine should work much better. What do you think?

I will use it Sunday and let you all know how it works.

What I don't like about the arrangement is I still have the gas tank on deck. Do they make a tank and mount that can be attached on the stern so I can reclaim that deck space?

Thanks for the help.

Tom Drake

P.S. Bought a book on Sailing. Time to get educated.
 
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tpolo

hello new sailor

I just moved from Grand Forks to Brainerd to a new job and spent 4 years restoring my '74 Macgregor Venture 25. Lifetime ND native until now....I thought I was the only ND sailor with a MacGregor. Welcome....I now sail in Minnesota on Gull Lake and Cass Lake. Any advice....I learned much from this site and mostly from trial and error...more errors that caused trials. My boat came with a block at the top of the mast that raises and holds the boom.....Tom
 
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