On Wed, 9 May 2007 10:27:25 -0300, "Don White"
wrote:


"wvnutt" wrote in message
roups.com...
I recently purchased an 83 Catalina 22' and am having some trouble
rigging for the first time. I am inexperienced with a roller furling
jib and am unclear as to where exactly to attach the jib. Aside from
the rolling forestay itself, there is a thin line, where I assumed I
was supposed to attach the jib, but the line is not tight enough to
stay close to the forestay when the jib is attached. Where do I
attach the jib? Also, when attaching the boom, it hangs very low
unless attached to a small wire hanging from the backstay. Do I keep
the boom attached to the backstay while I'm not under sail, and does
the sail keep the boom hanging high when it is raised? Thank you.

snip

Most sailboats have a 'topping lift' to hold the boom level or slightly up
when not using the main.
When sailing make sure the topping lift has slack.


If the "topping lift" is just a short wire attached to the backstay,
it _must_ be unhooked from the boom while sailing.

A "proper" topping lift will be a long line from the outboard end of
the boom, to a block at the masthead, then down the mast to a cleat.
It can be tightened to lift the boom to any desired level when not
sailing, but must be loosened so that the sail, not the topping lift,
supports the boom while sailing.

--
Peter Bennett, VE7CEI
peterbb4 (at) interchange.ubc.ca
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