topping lift

[Surfrdie]

1983 Com pac 16 - there is no back stay, does anyone have a boom topping lift or do you
just use the main halyard to hold the boom until you raise the main and the boom is attached to the main??

[Billy]

I just sailed my new 16 (1981 but new to me) and it didn't have a topping lift. There is a little plate with a hole in it above the two blocks at the top of the mast for the halyards and I just ran a small line from that to the back of the boom. Just make sure it is long enough so there is slack when you have the sails raised.
worked great

[mrb]

Welcome Aboard

I sail my 16 with the same type topping lift as Surfrdie describes.  Keeps the boom from falling down into cockpit when lowering sail.  This is much safer than having boom dropping into cockpit and hitting someone.

Melvin

[Greene]

My 84 CP16 has a topping lift which I found was necessary to keep the boom off my noggin as we motor away from the dock.  Once the wind fills the sail the boom stays up high enough to clear your head, but with the sail tied down or removed the boom is too low for comfort.  We tied a loop in the line about a foot up from the end so we could wrap the topping lift around the boom once and then clip the line into the loop.  This raises the boom a few more inches for us slightly taller than usual types.

Mike

[Joseph]

I sail a SunCat. This design does not normally have a topping lift (i.e., the boom rests on the gallows at the stern). However, while raising and dousing the sail the sail should be able to luff freely. Hence I installed as topping lift a line that runs from the top of the mast to a cheek block at the end of the boom and a horn cleat, both on the port side of the boom. In retrospect it would have been better to have installed a second main halyard (i.e., a line rigged similarly to the main halyard) but attached to the end of the boom instead of the head of the sail. In this way it would not only have worked as a topping lift but would also double as a spare halyard (I had one rigged like this in a previous sloop). Hope this helps.

J.

[kickingbug1]

   i have a topping lift on my 16. i installed two rings on it. the higher one to use before you raise the main the lower when the sail is raised. i put a small carbiner on the end of the boom to hook to either ring. works great and carries a nice flag midway up. just make sure the bottom ring keeps it slack when under sail.

[brackish]

   i have a topping lift on my 16. i installed two rings on it. the higher one to use before you raise the main the lower when the sail is raised. i put a small carbiner on the end of the boom to hook to either ring. works great and carries a nice flag midway up. just make sure the bottom ring keeps it slack when under sail.

Great idea KB!  Mine on the 23 is currently adjustable, but by doing what you have done I can free up a rope clutch, deck organizer sheave and a stand up deck mounted block for another purpose maybe my soon to installed asymmetrical halyard. Two rings, how simple is that.

[Craig Weis]

If I may make a suggestion? Why not run a line and a quick disconnect from Top-O-Mast to a 'hard point' tang attached to the transom. Then the CP-16 would have a standing rigging back stay, and from that a short 1/8 Cable with a Q/D could hang down and used to hook onto the boom? When not in use this short cable could be hooked onto the back stay.

Not my boat but you can see the transom tang for the back stay.

Here is the set-up. Note the short cable coming off the back stay with Q/D on boom.
Also note the inline 4 purchase block. Far better then side by side that keeps spinning around and tangling.

Here is another pic.


Pretty simple actually. Back stay doesn't have to do anything except hold that short boom holder-upper line with Q/D.

Best sailing is between two storms! Love the flags.


skip.[/color]

[Shawn]

The other way to make the topping lift really easy to adjust is at the end of the boom put one of fairlead V cleats:



Run the line from the top of the masthead  to the end of the boom through the fairlead and then just cleat it at whatever height you want. I did this last season and it worked very well. West Marine Part # 283475 $5.38.

Shawn

[brackish]

The other way to make the topping lift really easy to adjust is at the end of the boom put one of fairlead V cleats:

Run the line from the top of the masthead  to the end of the boom through the fairlead and then just cleat it at whatever height you want. I did this last season and it worked very well. West Marine Part # 283475 $5.38.

Shawn

Another good idea!  Where did you attach the fairlead cleat?  boom end cap above the sheet tang?  side of the boom?

[Shawn]

I put it on the port side of the boom right at the back edge.

Shawn

[brackish]

Think I'll keep the adjustable as it is, but move it to the starboard side.  The real issue is my adjustable topping lift is taking up a fairly expensive standing block, deck organizer and rope clutch spot rated much higher than necessary to hold a boom up until everything is down and stowed and I've hooked up the pigtail.  I'd like that spot for my spinnaker halyard.  Ordered a Ronstan series twenty stand up block, cheek block and fairlead v cleat to handle the topping lift.  About thirty bucks total and it keeps it in the cockpit next to the companionway for any adjustment without having to go to the end of the boom.  Should help with my goal of making this the easiest single handling boat I've owned.