Strange Topping Lift

[dennismenace111]

This past December I purchase a New To Me, 1987 Watkins 29. The boat was relatively inexpensive and it looked great mechanically so I had a buddy drive me over to the West Coast of Florida in order to bring it home.

On the way, I got some time to get familiar with the rigging.

The topping lift is unusual in that Ive never seen one like this before.

The line attaches to the top of the mast... runs down to the end of the boom and then inside the boom, exiting at the goose neck where theres a cam cleat. That end of the line has a figure 8 knot about 6 inches from the cam cleat preventing the line from fully running through the cam cleat.

So to raise the boom, one must lift on end of the boom while one of your close friends pulls the line at the goose neck and securing with the cam cleat.

Im not sure I like this arrangement as Im an old dog that has trouble with new tricks and would feel more comfortable with the traditional topping lift that runs like a halyard...up the mast to a block then down to the boom.

Is this arrangement common? The disadvantage is that I dont have a backup should my main halyard fail.

[Hardhead]

Can you also try pulling the line directly at the goose neck - without lifting on the end of the boom? Maybe it's a reduction or friction issue? It should be fairly simple to replace if it's just a no-go. Sometimes you see some crazy arrangements..

[dennismenace111]

NO... It would take super human strength.... theres no mechanical advantage...someone has to physically lift the end...

[Hardhead]

Unless someone chimes in with a trick to it - it might be best to just flat out replace it. Sometimes these unusual designs are recognized by somebody, and a trick is revealed. Good luck-

[Hardhead]

Maybe contact this person - seems to know a lot about the design-


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