Apples, Oranges or Bananas?

[HappyMdRSailor]

Originally Posted by roverhi

Most AH 3000s had small totally unusable seats behind the front seats. They made a few 2 seater models that did away with these small seats and extended the cowl for a closer fit around the front seats. Yes, it had the electric actuated overdrive though the solenoid on mine was tits up. Hooked a wire to the actuator that I had to pull up to actuate. Really didn't like the seating. The bolt upright seats gave me a backache right quick. Blew a rear tire at 100 plus mph on the freeway late at night. Managed to keep it under control but just barely. The MGA and later an MGB that I owned ate valves when cruised at redline. They were a bit more civilized than the TR's but not as fast in a straight line. The Alfa was a really fun car with it's dual overhead cam engine, 5 speed transmission, and compliant suspension. Unfortunately, the rustermite ate the frame after 5 years on Michigan's salted roads. Bought all those cars with student loans and had to work near full time to support them. Always have been a little stupid when it comes to vehicles.

I'm with ya on the back set thing... The 3's were bigger, but not by much... ended up being perfect for a boom boom speaker box...

I ended gutting out the tunnel to do a clutch on a B for a guy that really wronged me in a bad way.... tacked it back in place and undercoated the hell out of it... Alfa's sang when all of the parts stayed in the covers!!!

[Cheechako]

My buddy had a Lancia Beta Scorpion.... that was a cool Italian thing for sure! Amazing what you could buy one for 20 years ago too... like a poor man's Ferrari!

[Windseeker]

Great progress on the genoa lines! Thanks!

I have a boom lift line that is 3/8" dia double braid. Can I replace it with something smaller like a 5/16" or a 1/4"??? I never adjust this line. I don't even know if I am supposed to. It doesn't seem to carry much load. I perceive its only purpose is to prop the boom up for convenience. Do I really need a 4,000 or 5,000 line supporting it? Can the line be too small and jump off the block at the top of the mast if it builds slack? Is that even possible?

Thanks in advance.

[roverhi]

If you are talking a topping lift, smaller diameter exotic line will work fine. Currently have an 1/8th" am steel line for a topping lift on my heavy 16' boom. Has worked fine and been there for 5 years. Only problem is it sings like a guitar string in the marina when the winds gets above 10k. I'll go larger just to lower the frequency when I replace it. The line has been way easier on the luff of the sail than the wire it replaced. There can be a lot of down force on the lift from crew hanging on the boom to honking down on the mainsheet in harbor to stabilize the boom.

[osirissail]

Originally Posted by Windseeker

. . . I have a boom lift line that is 3/8" dia double braid. Can I replace it with something smaller like a 5/16" or a 1/4"??? I never adjust this line. I don't even know if I am supposed to. It doesn't seem to carry much load. I perceive its only purpose is to prop the boom up for convenience. . . .
Thanks in advance.

I suppose you are talking about a "topping lift" or a line that runs from the mast head to the end of the main boom. With the mainsail stowed or "no up", the "topping lift" supports the boom and keeps it from falling down into the deck or cockpit.

After you have raised the mainsail fully up you may notice that the boom lifts a little upwards. Some don't so this is where the topping lift comes in to play. With the main sail fully up you slacken the topping lift to allow the main boom to lower and pull the clew of the sail down tightening up the leech of the sail and improving it shape.

Another use of the topping lift is to "depower" the mainsail. By tightening the topping lift you raise the boom a little which allows the mainsail to twist or the leech to go slack. This allows the mainsail to "dump" some of the air that is filling the sail. This effectively "de-powers the mainsail and is useful when "reefing" the mainsail is difficult due to weather or other factors.