Topping lift ?

[Ralph Hewitt]

Ericson 38 1982
Topping lift broke at the top!
Need length and type of connection at mast head ?
Any close up photos of the mast head connection?
Covered wire like original lifelines or open wire?
THANKS

 

[Christian Williams]

I suggest Dyneema/Spectra, replacing the original coated TL wire and also the wire pennant through the boom sheave.

Lots here:

E381 - New Spectra Topping Lift, Thelonious II

The original Ericson topping lift was heavy stainless wire, coated in vinyl. I've tossed it, but the effective diameter was 3/8ths or more. It was dirty--how do you clean a fixed topping lift? I was unable to easily check the top shackle. The...

ericsonyachts.org

Rigging a topping lift on an E38

I'm getting very close to being ready to sail my E38 after nearly three years of work. I recently discovered that a bagged main sail, which will replace the ragged one that was on the boat, is rigged with a Dutchman system. However, the boat is not rigged with a topping lift because it has a...

ericsonyachts.org

 

[frick]

Ericson 38 1982
Topping lift broke at the top!
Need length and type of connection at mast head ?
Any close up photos of the mast head connection?
Covered wire like original lifelines or open wire?
THANKS

I replaced my topping lift with a vigid boom vang

 

[peaman]

I replaced my topping lift with a rigid boom vang

I'm thinking of replacing mine with a Boomkicker, but I haven't yet convinced myself to do it.

 

[Solarken]

I’ve never had a topping lift on my 32-2, just the boom vang and a hanger off the aft stay for parking. Just more to mess up at the top of the mast.

 

[Loren Beach]

If replacing the original TL, I would probably go with a Dyneema line. 1/4" at the most. That way you do not have be concerned with swaging like you would with wire.
As others point out, a "solid vang" has some advantages. I have had an adjustable TL on our prior boat that came down to a small block on the end of he boom. That boat had a conventional soft vang.

When we acquired the Olson, it had a factory solid vang. We then wished we had put one on the prior boat. It's nice not have to worry about catching the TL line on a batten pocket.
One caveat: you do need to shackle the main halyard to a ring or hard point on the end of the boom when you are putting the boat away. Then you can tension he mainsheet and 'lock' the boom into place.

No wrong answers, just choices...

 

[Christian Williams]

I’ve never had a topping lift on my 32-2

Kenny, what happens when the main halyard is released? How is it possible to reef without a TL or rigid vang to support the heavy boom?

 

[Ralph Hewitt]

Thanks Guys as usual ALL great information.
What I Really need is the length of the topping lift to the Boom, and what is the connection at the Mast Top?

 

[peaman]

type of connection at mast head ?
Any close up photos of the mast head connection?
Covered wire like original lifelines or open wire?

Top connection on mine was originally a pin, maybe 3/16", or 1/4" to secure an eye on a swaged end fitting on the small plastic covered wire. It has since been replaced with a Spectra line. While others here have recommended Spectra, with good reason, if you decide to go with wire, the plastic coating makes more sense here than it does for lifelines. On a topping lift, I think plastic coating would incur less wear on your sail stitching.

 

[Christian Williams]

You can use the main halyard to get a topping lift length. The precise length isn't critical because the low end will connect to a pennant just above the boom end. That pennant goes through the sheave and makes the internal purchase. For the connection of topping lift to pennant, I used a soft shackle of Spectra. Such a connection allows the fixed topping lift to be disconnected when removing the boom from the boat.

 

[Prairie Schooner]

A factor I didn't account for was whether I could reach the topping lift from the cockpit. The mast was down when the riggers installed it so they chose the length they thought right at the time. As it turns out, I can just barely make the stretch standing on the hump seat. Anyone shorter can not. Most of the time I just leave the lift on anyway, so it's a minor annoyance. Of course, if it had been too long we couldn't adjust the boom high enough. We went with dyneema and a snap shackle. This works out fine.

One 'problem' we do have is that, at anchor, in a good wind, there is a harmonic sound from the line, like a cello string. Sometimes I enjoy it as music. Other times, especially in high wind, it really howls and is quite irritating. I've experimented with a hack damper which drops the noise a little. I wonder if adding a soft shackle would help. I'm contemplating making something with an elastomer plug as an insulator.



Has anyone else here been irritated by this and found a solution?

 

[bsangs]

Has anyone else here been irritated by this and found a solution?

Oh hell yes, we get the tuning fork reverberations as well, Jeff. Only thing that "works" for us is loosening the main sheet a little bit and dropping the traveler, also a little bit. Don't ask me to explain why that works, but it does.

 

[Christian Williams]

I haven't noticed that effect. My replacement pennant is Spectra, like the TL, rather than the original wire. Maybe that dulls the harmonics.

You could test by rigging a temp rope to relieve strain on the wire pennant.

 

[Prairie Schooner]

Oh hell yes, we get the tuning fork reverberations as well, Jeff. Only thing that "works" for us is loosening the main sheet a little bit and dropping the traveler, also a little bit. Don't ask me to explain why that works, but it does.

I'll give it a shot next year, Brian.

 

[G Kiba]

A single block and a cam cleat can be used to make the topping lift adjustable. You can raise the boom at dock/anchor and set the height for daily sail use.

 

[Prairie Schooner]

I haven't noticed that effect. My replacement pennant is Spectra, like the TL, rather than the original wire. Maybe that dulls the harmonics.

You could test by rigging a temp rope to relieve strain on the wire pennant.

I could give that a try, too. I've got some spare soft shackles so I could put one between the snap shackle and pennant as a trial.