My evo 25 has been set up with a short wire stro from the split in the backstay to hold up the outboard end of the boom when the sail is down. It also has a pulley block at the masthead which currently appears to have no use beyond holding flags.

I find it difficult to hook the boom onto the strop at times and was wondering whether to run a line through the masthead pully as as standard topping lift.

Does anyone have any experience to offer?

I would. Make sure you mark the "off" position though so the crew knows how much to let it out, saves being garoted!

Hello ‘Airesman’

I delayed an answer to your post in the hope that someone else would have some comments.
Like you I have a wire strop which attaches to the end of the boom, in place of a topping lift. This is not too much of a problem when another crew member is on hand to hold up the boom while it is attached by a shackle. However, to do this oneself in a choppy sea, is frustrating and potentially dangerous. I think your solution sounds a good one and although I do not have a spare pulley at the masthead, I could use my spinnaker halyard.
I will give it a try next season.

My '25' Quo Vadis has a standard topping lift attached to a pulley on the backward facing crane on the top of the mast. The arrangement works fine originally cleating off at the bottom of the mast. We have now led it back to the cockpit. You can see all this in a picture of our boat on the list of boats.
In the picture we also have the main halyard attached to the boom. Probably to stop it clanging on the mast.

We found that with this arrangement the boom can still flail about a bit if the boat is rocking at all so we sometimes fit a rope from the boom to the toerails on either side....stops excess wear on the mainsheets. We always do this when away from the boat for a long period.

Topping lifts are instruments of the devil and should be banned!. I work as a freelance sailing instructor and on numerous occassions I have seen topping lifts let go by mistake or break!.

Saying that - I do have a topping lift on my Evo as I'm too tight to buy a boom strut!. I have a pully on the mast crane and the lift is cleated at the mast. At the boom end I have a jambing block with a short 2:1 tackle. This means I never have to adjust the lift at the mast and there is no need to run another string back to the cockpit. All the adjustment I need is at the boom end which you can reach from the tiller. Also means that the boom can only drop a little way. Works well for me.

Dave www.teknet.uk.com/evolution26