Topping lift advice

[whitejw1967]

I just purchased a 1973 DS II in nice condition. I want to add a topping lift to a 1973 DS II I just bought to hold up the mast without sails. Has anyone out there done this and any suggestions? A good friend (with a much larger boat) suggested just running a small, non-stretch halyard from the top of the mast to a small block and cleats. I was thinking of something similar with a small stainless cable. Having looked at the top of the mast. however, I am not sure where or how to connect a fitting (it is thick steel or aluminum, narrow and rounded at the top).

[algonquin]

Attach an eye pad or something similar to the top of your mast just below the mast head to use for a mounting point. You will need to drill the mast to mount the new eye pad.
http://www.duckworksbbs.com/hardware/sh ... /index.htm

Attach a cheek block and cleat near the end of your boom.
http://www.duckworksbbs.com/hardware.htm


I would use a line like your friend has suggested. Attach the line to your new mounting point near your mast head and then through the cheek block on your boom and fastened it to a cleat on the boom. When you want to raise and secure the boom release the line from the cleat and pull. The boom will raise as much as needed then secure the line to the cleat. Brad

[GreenLake]

@whitejw1967: Notice the "near the mast top".
There's no need to go to the very top, or the center of the top. I suspect, that anywhere in the upper part of the mast is fine.

Whenever you put a stainless steel fitting on an aluminum mast, you need to electrically isolate the metals. The concoction of choice for that is called "TefGel", and sells in small quantities with an applicator.

[kokko]

Get the padeye near the top of the mast. The higher the better. If it is lower the slack topping lift line will interfere with the sail leech. The higher it is, the less you have to slacken the line to avoid the leech

[talbot]

But, as Greenlake said, the block can be on either side of the mast. If you want to be consistent with the tradition of main lines to starboard, foresail lines to port, you'd put it on the starboard side.

A couple of other things.
1. I put a cleat on the front of the mast for the topping lift, perfectly positioned to snag the jib on every single tack. I moved the cleat higher on the mast. This winter, I'm cleaning up the mast and rigging the lift to cleat alongside the main and jib on the cuddy top.

2. The topping lift is a small line, but it has tremendous leverage. It's pulling the end of a second-order lever that's more than 10 feet long. Down by the tack end of the boom, you've got enough power to snap a vang shackle (I know this for a fact) or possibly bend a spar (I'm glad the shackle broke).