Topping Lift: New Cable and Next Steps

New Topping Lift

What a delightful surprise to check the boat today and find a new topping lift cable installed!

As I approached the boat, I could tell that something was different but it wasn’t immediately evident what that was. As I went to board the boat, I saw that the rubber pad I keep on the side deck had been moved. Curious, I thought.

Boarding, I immediately noticed the old topping lift cable coiled on the port lazarette. The old topping lift was probably the one purchased in 2004 by the previous owner. That was the year (according to the vendor) that he bought a new topping lift and boom hangers.

Looking up, I let out a holler as I saw the topping lift was now a Dyneema line. I am pretty excited to finish my topping lift renovations and get the boat out in the wind. The rigging company that provided this service is Evergreen Rigging.

Next steps

Next up is replacing the topping lift line and some blocks. The current system has blocks that appear to be original to the 40-year-old boat. This morning, I got a call from the Garhauer folks, telling me that my triple block with becket is finally ready to ship. My plan is to replace the current system with new blocks and new line.

I do still have a new wire topping lift cable on order. (Supply chain issues have delayed that cable.) If I end up being unhappy with the Dyneema, I can swap it out with the new cable and keep the Dyneema cable as a spare. If I like the Dyneema, then I’ll keep the wire cable as a spare.

I also need to inspect the boom hanger cables. As with the old wire topping lift cable, replacements were last purchased in 2004. Along with the new wire topping lift cable coming later this summer will also be two new boom hanger cables.