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Old 28-09-2011, 12:25   #16
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Re: Boom vang VS rod kicker getting rid of topping lift

The lazy jacks I copied from a friends boat holds the boom and he did away with the TL. Using amsteel. I have not mustered the nerve yet.
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Old 28-09-2011, 12:29   #17
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Re: Boom vang VS rod kicker getting rid of topping lift

I had a wire topping lift and it wore the tabling on the leach of the sail pretty much destroying it. When I got my new main, went to a Vectran topping lift. Since it's line instead of wire it doesn't grind away at the sail like the wire did. Alos, being lighter and more flexible it tends to blow away from the leech almost never touching it.

One caution if you go with a low stretch synthetic line, use something larger than 1/8". Small diameter line acts like a guitar string and sings in the wind when it's holding up the boom. Spent hours trying to figure where this very loud humbing was coming from the first night I spent on the boat with a bit of wind blowing.
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Old 28-09-2011, 12:29   #18
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Re: Boom vang VS rod kicker getting rid of topping lift

The problem with detaching the topping lift and/or using the main halyard is that you have nothing to support the boom when reefing unless you rig some sort of a topping lift temporarily or put the boom in a gallows. In a rough sea it's a lot safer to be able to really secure the boom.

I went to a rigid vang some years ago, but have mixed feelings about them. It is another fairly complex and expensive piece of gear, it puts additional stress on the gooseneck in directions the gooseneck may have not been designed for and required modification to the gooseneck to prevent the boom from rotating.

Unless you're using wire for your topping lift, chafe really shouldn't be much of an issue. Just pick the softest line you can find and be sure to slack it off some once you've raised you main.
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Old 28-09-2011, 13:21   #19
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I use amsteel for my topping lift. Same for the lazyjacks. No chafe and very light. Looks cool too
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Old 28-09-2011, 17:52   #20
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Re: Boom Vang vs Rod Kicker - Getting Rid of Topping Lift

A bare spectra lift will chafe less. The boom supports/trimmers you mentioned are fine if sort of pricey. If cost no issue, go for it.

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Old 28-09-2011, 19:09   #21
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Re: Boom Vang vs Rod Kicker - Getting Rid of Topping Lift

I like my Boomkicker.
http://www.boomkicker.com/images/Dragon33.jpg
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Old 28-09-2011, 20:53   #22
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Re: Boom Vang vs Rod Kicker - Getting Rid of Topping Lift

Yes you can use a boomkicker and if you like can use a normal vang at same time. Nice thing is kicker is allways on. Possible cheap solution is to have a line of off backstay that clips and unclips to end of boom as you need it. Works ok just remember to clip on before lowering halyard.
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Old 01-10-2011, 03:14   #23
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Re: Boom vang VS rod kicker getting rid of topping lift

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Originally Posted by Capt.Don View Post
I was thinking about this too. Are there any disadvantages to removing the boom topping lift and using the main halyard? I really don't like having this and having it either too tight, too loose, caught in a batten or bashing against the sail!
as long as the boom isnt too heavy. small boats like j24s do that sort of thing all the time
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Old 01-10-2011, 05:06   #24
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Re: Boom vang VS rod kicker getting rid of topping lift

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as long as the boom isnt too heavy. small boats like j24s do that sort of thing all the time
Yes, but there are some disadvantages too, e.g.:
- you can stretch the leech by applying to much pull on the sheet,
- you cannot lift the boom to open the leech,
- the boom will drop to the deck when the sail lowered,
- no backup halyard once the lift is removed,
etc

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Old 01-10-2011, 05:09   #25
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Re: Boom vang VS rod kicker getting rid of topping lift

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Yes. Every time you lower the main sail, the boom will crash into the cockpit.
This is especially annoying when you try to reef the mainsail. If you plan to reattach the topping lift or a spare halyard to hold the boom up while reefing, this adds two extra round trips to the mast.

I have boom kicker and it works great. I used a topping lift before and never had problems with chafing. I suppose you might get some chafing if your mainsail has a lot of roach.
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Old 01-10-2011, 21:34   #26
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Re: Boom Vang vs Rod Kicker - Getting Rid of Topping Lift

I've had boats with topping lifts.
Sure, they're low tech and reasonably bombproof, but they're a pain and chafe the main leech if you have any roach at all.
They also wear on the leech telltales.

If you forget to release the topping lift when the wind slowly pipes up, you risk bending the boom if you have center boom sheeting.
I came close to that more than once with my previous boat.
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Old 03-10-2011, 20:24   #27
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Re: Boom vang VS rod kicker getting rid of topping lift

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Oh I see, yes if you have a rigid vang the topping lift is pretty much an annoyance. But if you have a rigid vang why do you need to lift the boom with the main halyard?
Mark,
I use it to keep the main sailcover from chafing against the dodger! Usually about 2"

From other comments - I need to look at whether this is used when reefing.
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