Reefing

[taylorjs]

Fairly new (3 months) owner (1989 mk 1) here. I reefed for the first time last week and had to use the topping lift to keep the boom off the hard dodger.  Is this normal?  The dodger isn't especially tall.  Is my reefing line poorly tuned?  That is, should the boom be horizontal when reefed (without the help of the topping lift)?  One my last (and first) boat the boom could be raised at the mast by the main halyard - conveniently, the downhaul/Cunningham just pulled the boom down (at the mast) to flatten the sail.  In the C34 the boom is fixed to the mast, so pulling on the halyard to slide the reefed main up the mast doesn't seem to be a solution.

[robbjd]

The topping lift is necessary to support the boom until you have your reefing line pulled tight and secured.
Our boom has hooks at the mast end to secure the tack reefing cringle, and the reefing line is tightened to secure the clew reefing cringle (new outhaul)to the boom.
The main halyard can then be tightened to flatten the sail, and the topping lift can then be eased. The sail will then support the boom horizontally.
If you have a solid (pneumatic or sprung) vang it will support the boom while reefing.
YouTube has many good videos of reefing methods, and tips.

[Jim Hardesty]

I reefed for the first time last week and had to use the topping lift to keep the boom off the hard dodger.

Was that when you were reefing or after the reef was in? 
If when you were reefing that's normal.  If it was after the reef something is wrong. 
FWIW.  I set my topping lift so the boom clears the dodger by about a foot.  I've rigged a shock cord onto the topping lift so when sailing the slack is out of the topping lift.  Before I did that the topping lift fouled on the backstay a few times.  This works good for me.  I rarely adjust the topping lift.  I'll try to remember to take a picture.
Jim

[taylorjs]

I might have messed up the 'order of operations'.  I think I attempted to add the reef without first using the topping lift.  Then, once the reef was in, the boom remained sitting on the dodger.  Perhaps if I'd set the reef while the boom was supported, the outcome would have been different.  I will try that this week.  Thank you for the quick replies.  In the future, a boom-supporting boom vang sounds like a good option.

[waughoo]

The klew reefing cringle will need to be pretty close to the boom when you're reefing to keep the boom level.  If the cringle is up off the boom, you'll have a droopy boom and a billowy sail that isn't good for heavier air.

Another point here might be that the sail has been stretched out over years of use.  That can also lend to a droopy boom when reefed.

[Jim Hardesty]

Pictures of topping lift shock cord.  It's has about a foot of tension.  The loop on the topping lift is an alpine butterfly.  Here is an easy way to tie it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fvh_LWBaomg
Jim

[Noah]

Not to "muddy the waters" but if you had a ridged boom vang you could dispense with the topping lift entirely.

[taylorjs]

Great suggestions.  Thanks.  I like the idea of controlling the toping lift.  The klew cringle might have been as much as 4" above the boom.  That that point (while sailing), pulling the reefing line wasn't bringing them together.  Finally, it might be an original main sail.  The previous owner said Falkor became a 'power boat with a stick' during his ownership, so the age of the sail wasn't an issue.  I'd like a sail with 2 reefs anyway, so for 2026 I will get a new one.

[Jon W]

A boom kicker is another way to support the boom without a topping lift.