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blinkerfluid · 15-01-2015, 06:09

Can someone tell me what the line that is attached to the front of my mast, just below the spreaders, is for? It looks like a halyard of some kind, but with no inner forestay I don't know what it'd be used for.

**John_Trusty** · 15-01-2015, 06:14

I'm guessing running rigging (?), as you note that this is not a baby forestay. Size of the line compared to other halyards on your vessel (robust, or smaller)? First guess is that it's your uphaul for bearing the weight of your spin pole.

blinkerfluid · 15-01-2015, 06:19

Yes, definitely running rigging, and same size line as the main halyard. I think you're probably right about it being a topping lift for the spinnaker pole. I thought it might be something like that, but most pictures I see of people running spinnakers don't have a line to lift the pole, only to bring the end down, so I wasn't sure. I was just googling for pictures though and saw a couple setups with a topping lift.

sanibel sailor · 15-01-2015, 06:21

most cruising size boats use a pole lift. Simplifies managing the beast and you can drop the sheet/guy without the pole crashing.

sailr69 · 15-01-2015, 06:37

use for a staysail halyard as well

Randyonr3 · 15-01-2015, 07:03

Topping Lift For your spinnaker pole..

UNCIVILIZED · 15-01-2015, 07:46

It may be for your whisker pole, as it looks as if you have one stowed on your stanchions. Although I kind of question that, as there's no pole track, to hold a car for the butt end adjustment of such. Which (also) in my mind, Definitely outweighs it's use as a topping lift ("proper", as in used with a kite). Especially when coupled with it's low mounting height (the line in question I mean). Most spinnaker poles are mounted a good bit higher.

Do you have any fittings on the mast to hold a pole, even one's as simple as a fixed ring on the masts sides?
With say a ring fitting bolted in place on either side of the mast, then the line may be for a whisker pole. And if there are 0 fittings on all 3 of the masts sides, then I'm in the dark on this one.

leftbrainstuff · 15-01-2015, 08:06

Staysail halyard and / topping lift for your spinnaker pole. We also use ours to hoist the dinghy onto the fordeck.

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blinkerfluid · 15-01-2015, 09:13

Quote:

Originally Posted by UNCIVILIZED

It may be for your whisker pole, as it looks as if you have one stowed on your stanchions. Although I kind of question that, as there's no pole track, to hold a car for the butt end adjustment of such. Which (also) in my mind, Definitely outweighs it's use as a topping lift ("proper", as in used with a kite). Especially when coupled with it's low mounting height (the line in question I mean). Most spinnaker poles are mounted a good bit higher.

Do you have any fittings on the mast to hold a pole, even one's as simple as a fixed ring on the masts sides?
With say a ring fitting bolted in place on either side of the mast, then the line may be for a whisker pole. And if there are 0 fittings on all 3 of the masts sides, then I'm in the dark on this one.

There's 1 ring fitting mounted on the front edge of the mast at the same height as the boom. You can see it in this (very large) picture:
http://underkill.smugmug.com/Boats/A.../0/O/image.jpg

I'm pretty certain that the entire setup was added on at some point, and not installed from the factory. The boat originally had a 150% genoa on it, so perhaps it was mounted low on the mast with the intent of using it to hold the genoa out instead of for use with a spinnaker. She has a 110% jib now and an asymmetric. I haven't tried to fly the asymmetric yet, so I'm not sure if the pole is mounted too low ideally.

I think it'll be great for a staysail halyard, but I'll have to add an inner forestay first.