Hi John, I set my topping lift up with a cheek block at the mast head with a cleat on the forward side of the mast and out to a swivel strap at the very end of the boom. I talked with Judy B who make my new main and she advised against using a topping lift on the boat though I can't remember why. Anyway since all that extra gear at mast head, and bottom of mast and extra line just added to the clutter I went back to my original M-17 rig. It consists of simply a light line run from the mast head aft to a hook at the back end of the boom. It is set to hold up the boom when the mainsail is reefed to the boom yet will not interfere with the set of the main when I use the vang. It is simple enough and does what I need it to do. Tom B <https://www.avast.com/sig-email?utm_medium=email&utm_source=link&utm_campaign=sig-email&utm_content=webmail&utm_term=icon> Virus-free. www.avast.com <https://www.avast.com/sig-email?utm_medium=email&utm_source=link&utm_campaign=sig-email&utm_content=webmail&utm_term=link> <#DDB4FAA8-2DD7-40BB-A1B8-4E2AA1F9FDF2> On Wed, May 18, 2016 at 5:19 PM, John Schinnerer <john@eco-living.net> wrote:
Hi all,
I'm going to put a topping lift on Pajarita. I have various examples to go by I've seen on other boats, and, if anyone here has added a topping lift, my basic question is what's your experience of the simplest easiest to use approach.
The first two are just a matter of which hardware up top - in both cases it's the standard line up the mast and then down to end of boom:
1) cheek block on side of mast at top, or... 2) eye strap with hanging block on side of mast at top
Or, a different approach:
3) line fast at top of mast and adjust with cleat on boom.
Of 1 and 2, I imagine the cheek block is quieter and simpler but maybe there's advantages to the swivel/swing available with the block hung from eye strap?
Then, 3 seems overall simpler and can be put on/off and adjusted while in the cockpit. But also it adds another line and cleat on the boom, and I don't want to add too much complication there because of existing reefing & outhaul lines & cleats.
cheers, John S.
-- John Schinnerer - M.A., Whole Systems Design -------------------------------------------- - Eco-Living - Whole Systems Design Services People - Place - Learning - Integration john@eco-living.net - 510.982.1334 http://eco-living.net http://sociocracyconsulting.com