Topping lift question

[Joe Myerson]

Back to topping lifts again:

My topping lift, along with my halyards, is made of 3/8-inch Sta-Set. If I were to convert the boom-end section of the lift to an arrangement like Fred Mueller's or Steve Laume's (see earlier thread), I'm wondering what would be the best sort of thinner line to run through a topping-lift block and cheek block.

I have some 1/4-inch Sta-Set that would work, but do folks think it might have insufficient tensile strength or too much stretch for the job.

Steve says he used Vectran, and if I were going to replace the whole lift, I would probably do that. But, at least for this season, I plan to modify only the end attached to the boom.

What do folks think?

Thanks, and stay safe,

--Joe

[Frenchy]

The 1/4" should be fine. That's what I have on my 33. My setup is like fmueller's drawing except that there is a double sheeved
block on the end of the line coming down from the masthead. That line from the masthead is 1/4" dyneema; the line along the
boom is 1/4" double braid.
As a note of interest, my topping lift also broke a couple of weeks ago. The bail on boom's single block broke.
It seemed to me that the topping lift hardware on the boom could have been beefier, so I upgraded. - Jean

[Keith]

I just replaced mine this year with 1/4 dyneema from the mast head and 5/16 star set on the boom.

Keith

[Joe Myerson]

I just replaced mine this year with 1/4 dyneema from the mast head and 5/16 star set on the boom.

Keith et al.,
Thanks for all your feedback.
I ended up installing the 1/4-inch Stay-Set at the boom. I stupidly riveted the cheek block to the boom backwards (discovered it after one rivet was already "popped,") but it seems to work. The line has to stretch out a bit, but it seems OK now.

Best to all, and stay safe,

--Joe