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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

General Sailing Forum

topping lift

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jerlim
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1484 Posts

Initially Posted - 05/17/2007 : 15:51:36

I'm not completely clear on this trim control. It seems to oppose the boom vang. I understand the boom vang and the reasons to keep the boom from lifting. I'm guessing in light air it's advantageous to lift the boom and cup the sail a bit.

IF SO - does that mean you set the topping lift and then tighten the vang?

Last question - how much travel does the topping lift typically require?

Many thanks!

Shakedown cruise this weekend weather permitting

Jerry

Edited by - on

SailCO26
Captain

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USA
457 Posts

Response Posted - 05/17/2007 : 16:49:43

The boom topping lift is really just used to hold the boom off the deck when the mainsail is doused. However, in really light air if the weight of the boom/sail is keeping the main from holding any draft, a little topping lift can be added to help support the weight and allow the main to keep shape. Under these circumstances, I wouldnt use any vang at all - just let the boom/sail rise as necessary to help keep airflow attached around the main. If the rise is caused by chop, a little vang pressure would keep the boom from wallowing more than the boat, but you need to decide which is better for keeping the airflow on the sail.

Edited by - on

Frank Hopper
Past Commodore

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Pitcairn Island
6776 Posts

Response Posted - 05/17/2007 : 16:57:15

The topping lift is cast off while sailing. How you do that depends on how your topping lift is rigged. I think 6-10" of slack lets it pull back from the roach without worrying about it getting wrapped on the backstay. As you figured out, the advantage to this type of topping lift is that you can use it for light air sail adjustment. I think raising the boom as much as 12" is conceivable.

Edited by - Frank Hopper on 05/17/2007 17:50:41

JimB517
Past Commodore

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USA
3285 Posts

Response Posted - 05/17/2007 : 17:40:56

With one exception, I only use the topping lift to support the boom when raising sail or when reefing. The vang I use downwind to keep the boom from raising. Upwind I generally have the vang off. I generally don't use the vang to flatten the sail, I use halyard tension and outhaul for that. In heavy seas the vang keeps the boom from pumping.

The one exception is down wind or off the wind in light air and flat seas. The vang is not really needed. I might in this condition ease halyard, outhaul and take up on the topping lift one inch or two. I have preventers for my main on port and starboard which somewhat take the place of the vang.

I'd never see a situation where I wanted to take up on the topping lift and down hard on the vang, these actions would cancel each other out.

Most times my vang is just slightly snug to prevent radical boom movements.

Edited by - on

Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 05/17/2007 : 21:38:19

Until I installed a bimini, I had the topping lift adjusted so that it kept the boom just overhead with the sail down (standard rig), and stayed slack with it up. With the bimini, I wanted to be able to raise the boom at the dock to keep the sail cover off the bimini, so I installed an easier-to-use topping lift adjuster based on Jim Baumgart's (which I used the day his boat caught fire five miles out...) A little jam-cleat-fiddle block and a stopper knot did the trick. I never intentionally used the topping lift to cup the sail.

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JimB517
Past Commodore

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USA
3285 Posts

Response Posted - 05/18/2007 : 13:26:03

Never going to forget that damn fire, eh?

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Brooke Willson
Admiral

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USA
983 Posts

Response Posted - 05/18/2007 : 13:36:29

Another use of the lift is to raise the boom out of the cockpit enough to not bash your head against it at anchor/mooring/dock.

Otherwise, while sailing, flatter sail = less power, fuller sail = more power. When it's blowing hard and you want to depower the sail without reefing, use the vang to pull down on the boom and flatten the sail. By the same token, when the wind is light, you can raise the boom via the topping lift to get more power. It really helps that my new main has telltales attached to the leech. Using the mainsheet, traveller, outhaul, vang and lift, I can make all four telltales stream aft. Well, for a few seconds, anyhow.

Brooke

Edited by - Brooke Willson on 05/18/2007 20:13:10

Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 05/18/2007 : 13:57:46

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by JimB517
 Never going to forget that damn fire, eh?
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
Probably not! ...nor will I let you forget it!

Edited by - on

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The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.