>We are outfitting our newly acquired HMS 18 (#42).
>It is equipped with a backstay with a short cable and snap hook attached
>that serves as a topping lift of sorts.
>Have you other HMS 18/P 19 owners found this arrangement ok, or have you
>installed running topping lifts - and if so - how?
My P19 has the cable/snap hook off the backstay arrangement also. I plan to
go to a 'running' topping lift soon for three reasons:
1. I dislike having to clip the boom onto the cable while the mainsail is
still up in preparation for dropping it. A sudden gust, or other emergency
at such a time (and you will no doubt be aware that that is precisely when
weird things tend to happen), means I may not be able to unhook and let go
the main sheet as quickly as I would like. Sure I could drop the main and
have the boom and sail flop down into the cockpit, but it all seems so
........messy.
2. When in port, at the dock or at anchor, it is really handy to be able to
swing the boom all the way out and clear of the cockpit to give you room to
move about out there (on previous boats, we often just bungee'd the boom to
a shroud).
3. On our previous trailerables, we often would rig a very acceptable boom
tent during rainy weather(any month except August and September in
Washington) by hauling the boom up the mast track to standing room height
in the cockpit, supported aft by the running topping lift.
Just some thoughts in support of your idea. I should think a small block
could be placed near the top of the mast without much difficulty. It
doesn't seem that it would need to be all that robust. The working load on
the block and line are minimal. Not much more than a flag halyard.
Regards,
Tom
P19 #352 Windsong
Whidbey Island, WA