Catalina 30 Topping Lift

[boatless 4 now]

Hello all
well I guess I must change my user name. We now HAVE A CAT 30' I AM LOOKING FOR SOME TECH ADVICE. I HAVE TWO HALYARDS FOR THE HEAD SAILS AT THE TOP OF THE MAST. IS IT POSSIBLE TO CHANGE THE SHEAVE AT THE FRONT AND MOVE IT TO THE REAR ( AT MAST HEAD) SO THAT i CAN USE ONE OF THEM AS AN ADJUSTABLE TOPPING LIFT LINE?. CAT 30' HAS A NON ADJUSTABLE TOPPING LIFT THAT IS CLEATED OFF ON THE STARBOARD SIDE OF THE BOOM. THAT CONFIGUREATION ALWAYS TILTS THE BOOM OVER TO ONE SIDE, AND i HAVE TO LIFT UP THE BOOM BY HAND AND HAVE SOMEONE ADJUST THE CLEATED LINE, IF i WANT TO BE ABLE TO ADJUST THE BOOM ( OR FOLD THE BIMINI). iS THIS POSSIBLE? Sorry, I just saw that this is all in caps. But I hate to re-write the whole thing. Forgive me.

[gbendaly]

congrat on your new boat
I would advise to leave the sheaves the way they are for when you'll be flying a gennaker or a spinnaker and since you have to climb to the top of the mast , why don't you install a central pulley facing backwards for your topping lift ?
cheers

[bill good]

On mine the topping lift has a second loop which is used in conditions other than light. After the main is 1/2 up it is dropped over a horn & the extra length allows the main to operate clear of the topping lift. The reverse when dropping the main, put the topping loop on the horn with the first loop which is adjusted to give the required boom height with the sail down.

Regards Bill

[boatless 4 now]

I have a roller furler up front so I will not be flying any other sail ( just yet). Also, the mast is coming down for the winter so I will not be climbing.. I think it will be alot more condusive for my wife to sail if we can move the bimini ( she is 6'- the bimini is 5-11")

[E.L.Green]

on my santana the topping lift was non adjustable. while i used to be an arborist i have an exensive use of rigging knots under my belt. i use a V.T. hitch ( valdatian tres ). when the boom is not being used you slide it up like a normal prussic, then ease the top of the hitch down for sailing. it is better biting than a normal prussic and i can post pics if anyone is interested.

[YourOldNemesis]

I do not understand the concept of a non-adjustable topping lift. Are you telling me that as a sailor, you can't tie a knot to secure it at a different level?

[E.L.Green]

i just do it because its easier than running it all the way up to the mast where it normally goes.

[Pete7]

We have a none adjustable topping lift of sorts. Cable from the masthead to within 2 foot of the boom end when a rope from the boom end goes up to a pulley on the end of the cable and back to the boom. then along the inside of the boom to gooseneck and down on to the deck back to the cockpit. So shortening the topping lift could be an option.

Alternatively why not wait for the mast to come down to see if an extra halyard could be run for a topping lift at the mast head.

Pete

[E.L.Green]

sorry that it is sideways but basically i have about 1 foot of tail from this point. this is when the main is tucked away. after raising the main i slide the knot down which give plenty of slack to the topping lift so it doesnt interfere with the main, just hangs on the leeward side when under sail. hope this is helpful.