Topping Lift Line Replacement - Oday 30

[Pcpk]

Hi All...need to replace my Topping Lift line on an Oday 30 and was hoping for some advice regarding best replacement materials. I have line currently installed (previous owner) but thinking of upgrading to stainless wire. Wire seems the way to go but any opinions are welcome.

Thanks...P

[skipmac]

Either will work. Both I think have advantages and disadvantages.

One of the new high strength lines would be fine, but wire would be cheaper. Also the new, fancy lines used fancy splices if you aren't used to that. Wire would chafe the sail and stitching more than line so you would have to be more careful about keeping it clear and tied off.

[Cheechako]

On bigger boats I often had vinyl coated wire. I like having the wire a fixed length with a block on the end. Then 2 part line down to the boom and forward to a cleat. On a 30 footer you may not need that. Probably just a good low stretch line will be fine. It doesn’t need to be very big. And line is likely lighter weight.

[savoir]

Wire is only better if the topping lift adjusts from the bottom and is fixed at the top.

[Paul L]

Originally Posted by savoir

Wire is only better if the topping lift adjusts from the bottom and is fixed at the top.

Why does that make wire better than dyneema? I can',t see any advantage to using wire for the topping lift. Strong, low chafe, easy to splice, small diameter dyneema is available for low cost and weighs less.

[UNCIVILIZED]

If you're up for a bit of DIY rigging, set things up so that it's adjustable both from the outboard end of the boom, as well as near the gooseneck. It gives you a lot greater ease of adjusting things. Especially when you're trying to do things like reef, under less than pleasant circumstances.

Also, so long as you don't have any sheaves which have been scored by wire, or any snags/sharp edges along the route where you'll be running the new lift. Then you'd likely be well served by using some cordage in this app'. Preferably something with a long lived, low stretch core, such as Dyneema/Spectra. With the core being 4mm-5mm in diameter.

And if you like, you can partially strip the cover on it. Just remember to properly splice the cover into the core, where the cover terminates. As well as lock stitching it in place in the same location.

[savoir]

Originally Posted by Paul L

Why does that make wire better than dyneema? I can',t see any advantage to using wire for the topping lift. Strong, low chafe, easy to splice, small diameter dyneema is available for low cost and weighs less.

Wire is more durable. The light weight and high performance of Dyneema are not a live issue on an O'Day 30 topping lift.

[Paul L]

Originally Posted by savoir

Wire is more durable. The light weight and high performance of Dyneema are not a live issue on an O'Day 30 topping lift.

The low chafe of dyneema is really nice to. As far as durable, the dyneema will last a very long time.

[Pcpk]

Thanks for the feedback all!

[Jim Cate]

If the lift is of the "adjust at t he mast" type, IMO is should be set up to function as a spare main halyard. This can be a real boon if some dolt lets the proper halyard go to the masthead at sea!

Jim

[sartorst]

My topping lift is the same as my halyard in case I loose the main halyard and being a fractional rig it will be needed to go to the top to fetch it

[savoir]

Originally Posted by Paul L

The low chafe of dyneema is really nice to. As far as durable, the dyneema will last a very long time.

Does it last 10 years plus like wire will ?

[SailFastTri]

Originally Posted by savoir

Does it last 10 years plus like wire will ?

Yes - and it will outlast the sail.

[sailcrazy]

The only issue with running the new topping lift so it's adjustable from the mast base as well as the boom end is that you will get alot of "halyard" slapping. The only way I was able to eliminate it was to run both ends of the topping lift to the boom end.

[SVTatia]

I just had to do this... I had vinyl coated wire and replaced it with amsteel blue, same diameter, not too much more cost. If you go with wire, remember that it will be whipping the main from time to time, so use coated wire.
I could not bring mine to the mast base because I have external wire halyards and wanted to avoid all the wires at the same place snagging into each other.