Topping lift?

[Jdpmus]

Our previous boat had a topping lift for the main boom consisting of a hook attached to the back stay.

In restoring our CD 25, we find a long cable running to the head of the mast from the end of the boom. It doesn't have any quick release hardware to qualify it as a topping lift. Is this supposed to stay attached permanently?

Not really a newbie, but we are with this boat.

Thanks.

[Carl Thunberg]

There's no saying you couldn't change it to whatever you prefer, but that's the way they came. Other than being annoying, it really doesn't negatively affect the way the boat sails. It's kind of like being a parent. If you focus on the annoying habits of your kids, they'll drive you insane. After a while those annoying habits just become part of the background noise and everything's blissful.

[jbenagh]

FWIW I replaced mine with a 1/4 rope when I replaced my mainsail. I thought the chafe on the sail would be reduced. I did not make it removable or provide a masthead block for adjustment. So far, so good.

Jeff

[seajunkie]

I removed mine and added a Boom Kicker. I don't miss it.

[Parfait's Provider]

Parfait had both a wire to the masthead and a tang to the back stay. Each are inconvenient, but in different ways. The masthead topping lift is adjusted at the mast via a block at the foot of the lift and end of the boom. The tang was just a clip that was convenient if you were at the stern, but I seemed to forget to undo it before raising the sail; it is gone.

Now I want to replace the wire with a synthetic to avoid coupling with the back stay antenna. I guess I am going up the mast or I am going to use a spare halyard and just move the wire away from the back stay.

[Cathy Monaghan]

Realization (CD32) has a wire from the masthead with a block & tackle at the bottom so the topping lift can easily be tensioned before lowering the mainsail and eased after the main is raised.


Cathy
CD32 Realization, #3
Rahway, NJ
Raritan Bay

[Steve Laume]

Raven had a pre stretched Dacron line from the mast head to a block and tackle with a cleat at the end of the boom.

This arrangement was okay unless you wanted to adjust the topping lift while the boom was not over the boat. It was also not an ideal set up if you wanted to take up some tension while reefing at the mast.

I now have a high tech line, run the same way as the original but have run the adjusting line forward to be cleated off near the goose neck. The line I now have is stronger than the original, about the same size as a wire would be and will produce very little chafe. I kept the cleat at the end of the boom too if I ever wanted to raise it from the cockpit, Steve.

[Kilgore]

I removed mine and added a Boom Kicker. I don't miss it.

I looked into this but still have roller reefing.

[Parfait's Provider]

One of the features of the back stay tang is that it will keep the boom from moving horizontally. This is an advantage when you want to keep the traveler from sliding back and forth at anchor or in the slip. Parfait's makes a lot of noise, so now I have to find ways of tensioning the traveler. If the sheet is tight on center, then pulling the traveler to one side and moving the stop will work.

[kerlandsen]

I now have a high tech line, Steve.

The sunlight can do a number on the high tech lines. I suggest frequent inspection and consider how long they have been in use.
I will probably replace mine every 3-4 years. Having the boom fall down would really treat the dodger poorly. The line splices really easy at home, it is just hard to install up top each time. I love the way the line will just blow away from the sail and not chafe the sail.

Kyle