What am I doing wrong here? (Rigging question)

[capnjohn]

Aaarghhh.  :oops: I hate asking stupid questions, but until now I've never had a boat without a backstay.  I bent the main on for the first time today, and there is WAY too much slack in it.  The topping lift is holding the boom up so high that I can't get any out.  It seems to me that the cable is too short, but it appears original and unbroken.  Am I rigging it wrong?  The pictures I've seen of Compacs under sail seem to have the boom lower than this one.   Also, what is supposed to secure the mast end of the boom from sliding up and down the mast- I'm assuming there should be a sail stop somewhere?  What is the ring for that is attached to it?  This boat is stock as far as I can tell.  

Thanks!

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[Beaker326]

Hey!  I had the exact opposite issue when I started rigging "Wild Oats".  I had no topping lift.  From the picture, it does appear that your topping lift is too short for the sails.  Is it adjustable or is it a single piece of line?  As far as the boom sliding up and down the mast track, except for aftermarket equipment, gravity is the only thing I've found to hold the boom down.  The downhaul cleat (The one about a foot below the boom in the mast track) is used in lieu of a line attacked to the bottom of the gooseneck to maintain tension on the luff of the sail while underway.  Tightening that once you're sailing will tense the sail right up.  

It's the equipment I haven't invested in myself, but another option to the topping lift is a boomkicker (www.boomkicker.com and various other places).  It mounts between the boom and the mast at about a 35-40 degree angle and takes the place of the topping lift.  It will hold the boom just where you set it.  Apparantly, that mixed with a boom vang is an excellent set up for maintaing tension and height on the mainsail.

Corrections welcome.  

Sean

CP16 #1540
"Wild Oats"

[Gil Weiss]

I have a "two position" topping lift. The lower (longer) position is for sailing and I have a hook about 8" up in the line  to clip on the boom when lowering sail to get the boom above everyone's head. It is very simple but I do not have a picture.

When making sail, you loosen the sheet, un hook the clip and raise the sail. When lowering sail you just put the hook back on the boom to raise it. I use the little eye strap on the back of the boom for the hook.

[capnjohn]

Thanks guys.  Mine is not adjustable, and there is no other hook on it besides the one I've got hooked to the boom in the pic.  To get out this weekend, I'm just going to make some sort of extension to the cable, but in the near future I'm going to have to replace the whole thing.  All of the stays except this one have been replaced, I can't figure out why he didn't replace it unless it's because it was a coated cable.  I need to find another source for cable & make my own because there is no way I'm paying West Marine's prices for it.  Ridiculous.   :roll:

[Gil Weiss]

Can you just add 8 or 10 inches of cable or line?

[capnjohn]

Yep, I went to the little "mom and pop" local hardware store today and picked up 20' of stainless coated cable today for about $8.00.  Came home and re-rigged and added another hook above it for more clearance.  Works great.  Problem solved & going sailing tomorrow!!!!  

[Craig Weis]

Well first don't sail with that topping lift. Unhook it and let the luff of the sail hold up the boom. I simply used a short cable from my CP 19 back stay to the end of the boom. You don't have that. So when the sail goes up get rid of that topping lift on the boom.
Down haul that boom till you see a 90 deg at the boom/mast junction and tie it down. Then adjust the outhaul and pull the sail snug toward the end of the boom. Unless you like to fiddle around with all that stuff, this ought to be good enough. We do sail slow boats.
Put an over abundance of sail tell-tails on both the main and lapper sail. That way you can read what the sail is doing. Learn how to read them.
skip.

[Craig]

All I use for a topping lift is a length of 1/8 (I think that is the diameter) line. The one end goes through a hole in the masthead (I do not not know if that is the original set up of if the PO driled hole because it did not come with a topping lift) and tied off with a figure 8. The other end I run through a snap block I installed on the boom end fitting. I have a loop tied part way up that I run the free end through. It is infinitely adjustable. I can lift the boom to whatever height I want and tie it there with a half hitch. It's as simple and cheap as it gets.

Craig