Topping lift or no?

[Not a spy]

Husband and I disagree about the need for a topping lift. The boat is getting all new standing and running rigging this year, so the mast is coming down. It's a perfect time to set up a topping lift.
I think the topping lift will help with reefing and dropping the main. He thinks we just need a better vang that holds up the boom. The rigger said the vang is fine and holds up the boom sufficiently for dropping the sail.
I'm not sure what the downside is to a topping lift and it seems like an easy way to keep the boom off the dodger when dropping the sail. Currently, we put the sail away and attach the halyard to the end of the boom to keep it off the dodger. A topping lift could do that instead and is a lot easier than walking the halyard to the boom and reaching over the dodger to attached it.
What say ye old sailors? Topping lift: yes or no?

[pjShap]

My topping lift is identical to the main halyard, so is also a spare halyard. A rigid vang does hold the boom up just fine, in my case, but the spare halyard is a nice feature too.

[ChrisJHC]

You don’t say what size boat, however it sounds like you have a rigid vang so I’m assuming larger rather than smaller.

Short answer is yes.
If for no other reason than to take the pressure off the vang when you’re not sailing.

It also gives you a spare halyard should you lose the main halyard for some reason.

Here’s what the guru says: https://www.riggingdoctor.com/life-a...016/3/8/toppin

[Mike OReilly]

I've never had a rigid vang, but my understanding is that they are not intended to act as a topping lift. Obviously they can do the job, but that's not their intended use.

The only downside to a topping lift is having an additional line to manage. But as others have already said, it gives you a spare main halyard should the need arise.

I'd go with a proper topping lift. So, YES.

[Tetepare]

Originally Posted by ChrisJHC

You don’t say what size boat, however it sounds like you have a rigid vang so I’m assuming larger rather than smaller.

Short answer is yes.
If for no other reason than to take the pressure off the vang when you’re not sailing.

It also gives you a spare halyard should you lose the main halyard for some reason.

Here’s what the guru says: https://www.riggingdoctor.com/life-a...016/3/8/toppin

More than 50 years sailing and that never occurred to me. Then again, I’ve never needed an extra aft halyard. But I’ll admit it- had I lost the main halyard last year, I’d probably have returned to port with no main. Duh. Frustrating when the obvious escapes me.

I’ve read in a previous discussion here, some say vang instead of topping lift, others said get a vang in case the topping lift fails. I’ve never seen one fail, but it could be bad.

[JPA Cate]

If your mainsail has a lot of roach, you will want to secure the topping lift at the mast to avoid chafing on the stitches while you are under way (if your mainsail has stitches--some laminates don't). And then, of course, you will want to secure the topping lift back on the aft end of the boom before you drop the sail, if you rely on the topping lift to keep the boom off the dodger. Even if you don't have a roachy mainsail, you will get stitch chafe, if you use a boom topping lift.

Our present boat has no topping lift and a vang that does support the boom, and there is no interference with the dodger, so I think you won't need to worry about dodger damage from just using a better vang... and the vang can help a lot with sail trim, which is a job the topping lift cannot do.

The time we broke the boom, we used the main halyard to support the aft end of the boom while we dealt with the wreckage. It worked fine, but so would have a topping lift.

Ann

[chris mac]

We just added a rigid vang and a new mainsail.
So far we have kept the topping lift for many of the reasons listed above. But I have been leaving it slack to test the ability of the vang to keep the boom up instead.
So far it is working well. I am hoping to eliminate it because of the chafe issue as mentioned by Anne.
Setting the vang location is the most critical part of this process.

[Bobby Lex]

Oh the joys of domestic (dis) harmony.... ;-)

Just one question: What are the downsides to having a topping lift?

Bob

[gonesail]

the boomkicker rigid vang can serve as a topping lift.

[Privilege]

Not sure of your boat, but catamaran sailors often use the topping lift to tighten the masthead when sailing downwind with a spinnaker only.

[Jim Cate]

As Ann said above, we've relied upon a rigid vang to support the boom on this boat... and support it it does. However, when reefing, we need the boom to raise above the horizontal position it assumes when using the full main. This means that whilst taking up the clew reefing line, one must both overcome any friction in the system and lift the fairly heavy boom as well. Requires a lot of heavy pulling on the reefing line, and a topping lift that could support the boom at its higher location would make life easier.

I have thought about adding a lift for that reason alone but have not yet done so. Also, having a backup halyard would be useful. Being a fractional rig, we have only one spinnaker and one main halyard at the masthead, and another would be a good thing.

Might be a good place for bare dyneema cordage... less windage and less chafing of the mainsail.

Jim

[GRIT]

Always disliked the topping lifts on our other boats. Built a new cat and eliminated the topping lift with a boom kicker. Very happy not to have the topping lift flailing around the Mainsail. Can't keep it tight, ot it chafes the main. If you keep it loose, you've got to remember to tighten it before reefing or stowing the main

Our kicker is plenty strong and raises the boom to roughly the level of the second reef, I can see how it would annoy if it didn't.

We also have a spare halyard, more or less permanently attached to one of the stations. Not having a topping lift doesn't mean you can't have a spare halyard. It just means you don't have to fuss with it.

The boom kicker is always there. To protect our solar panels from the absent minded sailor pulling the strings.

Horses for courses. I'm sure there as many reasons to have one, as there are to get rid of one.

Cheers.
Paul.

[Mike OReilly]

What you really need is a boom gallows [emoji6]

[thinwater]

a. Spare halyard. They can fly away or chafe.


b. Spare safety line when climbing mast. I also have Spin and reacher halyards, but they don't go all the way to the masthead. They are also on the wrong side.


Yes, it can snag on battens if hoisting is sloppy, but you learn to deal with that. I could go either way, so long as there is at least ONE spare halyard always available. If you think you may climb underway, with sails up, then two spare halyards is the minimum (unless you trust fully to the condition of one and the masthead pulley).

[Benz]

I would not own a boat without a topping lift.