Topping lift on BR17 set up suggestions please?

[DavidBotterill]

Any hints on good rigging solutions to putting a topping lift into my BR17?
David
Nona Me

[IanCollinson]

Hi David, I have never felt the need to fit a topping lift on my BR17. I prefer the vertical solution which is to harbour furl by disengaging the boom and furling the leech of the sail round the vertical boom, securing with the spinnaker halyard. I have read that BR20 owners can find the boom too awkward/heavy for this especially in a breeze, but I have akways found it easy on a BR17

[DavidBotterill]

Ian
Thanks for getting back to me. Just be clear, after detaching the sprit/boom from the sail, the vertical gaff/topmast is attached by a 2 halyards, the main and reef halyards. Do you detach these in order to furl the sail around the topmast or do you just furl it on itself'? I presume that either way you then lay the furled sail it in vertical position against the main mast , and then secure with spinnaker halyard? Am I close?
David

[Graham W]

Here’s an article on the BR20 double topping lift http://www.swallowyachtsassociation.org/?page_id=404.  My BR20 sprit boom is really heavy and I couldn’t harbour furl even if I wanted to, especially in any sort of wind.  It’s much favoured by Drascombe sailors, many of whom are boomless.

[James Lowden]

I use the double topping lift as in the article.
If set at the right length(just loose with sails up) you can drop the main in seconds and continue sailing.
It gathers up some of the mainsail and keeps it all out of the cockpit where you definitely don't want it!.
Tidying up later.
Works very well - just hoisting the main you need to make sure that it is routed correctly with the topmast inside it!!!.

[DavidBotterill]

Many thanks James and Graham
David

[IanCollinson]

I only have one halyard attached to the gaff and this does not need to be disconnected. To harbour furl I go into wind and furl the jib, bringing the mizzen in hard to keep the boat head to wind. If it is blowing hard I might lift the rudder to stop a reverse turn. Then I disconnect the main sheet. Then release the outhaul and lift the boom out from the gooseneck (leaving the boom attached to the sail). I then lift the boom so it is parallel to the leech and tightly wind the sail round the boom until the sail, now wrapped round the boom, is parallel to the mast, with the gaff still in position. Then I take the spinnaker halyard and wrap it round the furled sail, as high as I can manage, to prevent the wind from catching in the top of the sail and causing it to flap, securing the spinnaker halyard on its cleat.

On the BR17 I have never had a problem doing this, even in gusty conditions, and the furled sail is secure for a return to shore and for temporary mooring.

You need a couple of practice runs, nut once mastered it is a very easy and tidy way to furl the sail, without having the boom and sail getting in the way. There is of course less room in a BR17 than a BR20.