Anyone local to Bristol have a bosun's chair or climbing harness?

[Reptile Smile]

Hi all,

I have a new-to-me cheap banger of a boat (a Hurley 24/70), on which I raised the mast this morning. Due to various time constraints, I had to make the most of the help and labour I had with me at the time, and even though I couldn't get a mousing line down the mast, I kind of had to put it up anyway, meaning my main halyard is going around the topping lift pulley (and I have no topping lift for now), and my jib halyard is going around my spinnaker block.

It's not the end of the world, but it means really I have to go up the stick to sort it out (which I've never done before. I've done a lot of climbing and prussiking but never been up a mast). Does anyone in the Bristol area have a bosun's chair or (even better) a climbing harness I could borrow for an hour?

 

[steveej]

I have a harness you can borrow, based in Hanham if that's any good to you.

 

[Reptile Smile]

That's really good of you - thanks so much.

I've just discovered a bit of an issue with my rigging - http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthread.php?473375-Stainless-repairs-on-bow-roller - so need to get this sorted before I go up the stick, and, to be honest, I might have to bring the stick down anyway to sort this, so it might not yet be an issue. It it's still necessary, though, I'll def be in touch - thanks again.

 

[Sneds]

I have absolutely no idea what you guys are talking about ��
Only wish I could help. Good luck with the new boat ️

 

[howard easton]

Hi all,

I have a new-to-me cheap banger of a boat (a Hurley 24/70), on which I raised the mast this morning. Due to various time constraints, I had to make the most of the help and labour I had with me at the time, and even though I couldn't get a mousing line down the mast, I kind of had to put it up anyway, meaning my main halyard is going around the topping lift pulley (and I have no topping lift for now), and my jib halyard is going around my spinnaker block.

It's not the end of the world, but it means really I have to go up the stick to sort it out (which I've never done before. I've done a lot of climbing and prussiking but never been up a mast). Does anyone in the Bristol area have a bosun's chair or (even better) a climbing harness I could borrow for an hour?

First of all you have my sympathy. I can count on the fingers of one foot how many times I have put a mast up and not had some rope in the wrong place.

I have been up many many masts but always on bigger boats than you are talking about. I would be nervous of climboing the mast on a 22 footer. Obviously it depends on how big you are but at some point between a laser dinghy at one end and a maxi yacht at the other, there is a limit to what you climb and what you simply drop. Personally I would drop the mast of a 22 footer particularly if it was new to me and with old rigging.

I have 3 bosuns chairs. Happy to sell you one if you wish.

 

[steveej]

I went up the mast of my Hurley 22 back in November by climbing the Main halyard running through the main blocks at the top of the mast. I did however have confidence in the rig having sailed the boat all season. Nevertheless it was exciting when the gusts blew through.

I used climbing gear (petzl ascender & grigri).

However, I would not want to climb any lines attached the topping lift block or spinnaker block as in my opinion these are not strong enough on the H22 and are only a single point of failure. Never been up a H24 but wouldn't be surprised if they are similar.