scudding along wrote:
Sorry, I know this is dumb. My old boat had a crimped 2' length of
wire about head high on the backstay. This clipped onto the end of the
boom and secured it when the sail wasn't up.
The handsome new "boat-in-a-basket" doesn't have that. It doesn't have
a rest on the housetop or a vang. It has a stirrup of some type on the
end of the boom by the outhaul. One of the rigging wires from the top
of the mast is dedicated to this? Where does it stow when the sail's
up? It's a short, wide, light weight coastal cruiser type of sprightly
craft. Mast is 26', boom is about 11', I think. Thanks again.
Only 6 months 'til summer!

The topping lift you refer to is sometimes left on the boom end, but
slackened off when sailing if it emerges from the mast onto a cleat. If it
is a "fixed" topping lift you would have to take it off the boom end and
make it up to a cleat on the mast when sailing.

6 months! Where do you live, the north pole?

On 3 Jan 2006 11:51:04 -0600, Dave wrote:

I run a piece of shock cord from the
hook on the topping lift to the push pit. When I take the topping lift
loose, it gets pulled back clear of the leach so as to avoid chafe,

That works OK but the best solution of all is to install a spring
loaded boom vang like the Hall Quick Vang. That totally eliminates
the need for a boom topping lift which reduces windage, sail chafe and
weight aloft.

On 3 Jan 2006 16:39:02 -0600, Dave wrote:

On Tue, 03 Jan 2006 15:29:58 -0500, Wayne.B
said:


That works OK but the best solution of all is to install a spring
loaded boom vang like the Hall Quick Vang. That totally eliminates
the need for a boom topping lift which reduces windage, sail chafe and
weight aloft.

Perhaps. But a piece of shock cord costs a lot less.

======================================

True, but I've tried everything at one time or another and still
regard the Quick Vang as a good investment.

My fixed topping lift is adjustable at the boom end with a knot. Once
set it is never a problem, except once or twice I have seen it
hourglassed around the backstay, but it has never posed a problem as it
is free to come loose easily when the boom is not near the centerline.
It seldom touches the leech, and I cannot see it causing chafe except
when sail trim and boat heading is neglected downwind.

I prefer a permanent wire fixed topping lift from masthead to boom end
with adjustable pennant at the boom end for several reasons, amongst
them :

Man overboard retreival - using the boom end, mainsheet tackle and
vang / preventer, it is already set up for instant use if needed. It is
also useful for other lifting chores as required.

Dropping main sail - the boom is not a problem, it's ready, aye, ready.
The boom is never low enough to conk your head unless you stand on a
cockpit seat.

Lowering the mast - release the boom gooseneck, snap the spinnaker pole
on to the end of the boom, secure boom gooseneck and other end of
spinnaker pole to stanction bases, and the mast is ready to lower
foreward, using the main sheet and a pennant to extend the main tackle.
Release the after lower shrouds and the backstay, pull aft on the
headstay, and you can do it all by yourself, if the boat is not rolling
too much.

Sailing - With a topping lift, the boom vang need never support the
boom, so it can be a lighter, less expensive tackle, rigged to be
useful as a preventer. Don'chya love stuff that does double duty?

The weight aloft of a single moderate duty wire lift is not a concern
to me, it is only a few ounces effective weight at the top and there is
little windage, especially since it is spiralled wire.

Terry K

I hate this format, google groups, my netscape mailer is better, but
Rogers has stopped usegroups, so I must web it, with only one reply
open at a time, no spel chequing, and an awkward presentation, or go
back to dial up. Crrrap! It's airtenly not Scottish!

On 4 Jan 2006 09:26:02 -0600, Dave wrote:

A desirable expenditure it may be. A good investment it's not.

====================================

Depends on how you value your time and energy. Once you get a solid
vang the topping lift disappears, never to be fiddled with, fouled or
maintained again. You also get a darned good vang thrown in with the
deal.

"Wayne.B" wrote in message
...


Depends on how you value your time and energy. Once you get a solid
vang the topping lift disappears, never to be fiddled with, fouled or
maintained again. You also get a darned good vang thrown in with the
deal.


You can never have enough of a good vang.

Eisboch

On Wed, 4 Jan 2006 21:30:04 -0500, "Eisboch" wrote:

You can never have enough of a good vang.

Are you [pun]ishing us?

The Hall Quick Vang is a work of art, talk about great industrial
design.

http://www.hallspars.com/Store/P_QV.htm

Made in Bristol, RI in true bristol fashion.