Are there better ways to climb a mast

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BrunoandChianti

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Having had to recover the signal halyard from the spreaders for the umpteenth time I'm considering better ways of getting up there and wonder if anyone has an opinion!

At present I use a bosuns chair on the spinnaker halyard taken through blocks to the main winch where SWMBO pulls me up. This is at the limit of her strength and the slow hoist means I'm a bit bushed by the time I get there from hanging on and trying to pull myself up to reduce the load. To get beyond the spreaders is virtually impossible and the mast head does'nt bear thinking about.

Alternatives seem to be some form of mast ladder that is pulled up the mast and then a slow climb, using the bosuns chair as a safety device.

Or permanent mast steps, fixed or folding and again using the bosuns chair for safety. Possibly using a fixed steps to the spreaders and folding steps above.

The use of abseil type climbers does not appeal.

Basically I think whatever system used it needs to be usable under way as well as berthed, quick to use and safe.

Any thoughts? Chianti is an S&S34 with approx 40ft of mast and one set of spreader.

Bruno
 
If you want a ladder to go up the mast, you can buy mine! B****y dangerous in my mind. You have to hold the ladder so you can't get a grip on the mast, felt very insecure for the 20 odd feet that I gave it a try.

Mast steps add a lot of unwanted weight, check what the impact would be.
 
I've had mast steps on one boat and found they were quite useful. You need to take care to prevent halyard snagging; I had a wire interconnecting the outside of each step so a halyard couldn't snag an individual step. However, I have found the conventional bosuns chair to be the best way of getting to, and working at, the mast head. If you have an electric windlass with a rope gypsy you can lead the halyard tail to it, or you may have to consider sending SWBO up the mast while you do the cranking!
 
I hate repeating myself but you cannot beat a pair of "mast monkeys" /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif or even just one is good enough. /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif
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"Artificial intelligence is no match for natural stupidity"
 
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or you may have to consider sending SWBO up the mast while you do the cranking!

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Now I thought of that but then the training involved in how to use a spanner, pliers, wire stripper etc etc plus then the added challenge of 'is it tight enough?' or 'does it look like its working properly?' has left me with the conclusion that its best to either, wait unill your neighbour is on their boat to help the winching or 'invite' the right peeps at the weekend!
 
Folders

I've put folding steps on the current boat and they are v. useful. Use a climbing harness/halyard for safety. Amazing how often one pops up to check things when it is that easy. The additional weight is irrelevant (They are alloy). Think of all the money peeps spend going down the gym to use all those machines, you can save a fortune!!
 
For straightforward operations in harbour(such as retrieving a halyard) my wife goes up. She’s much lighter and the manoeuvre is therefore much faster.

If I’m sailing single-handed, I use ascenders (what you describe as the abseil method) whether at sea or in harbour. Although I can understand anyone being nervous of this if they do not have a climbing background, it is straightforward and safe. I use two ropes (one for each ascender) as a safety precaution in the event of one rope failing.

If I’m at sea and my wife is with me, I use ascenders on a single rope and clip on to a second rope which my wife takes in (when she remembers) as a safety back-up.

Your wife should not have to hoist you with your current method. It is much better if you pull yourself up the mast , shrouds, spreaders or whatever comes to hand with your wife just providing secondary assistance.
 
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Having had to recover the signal halyard from the spreaders for the umpteenth time


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Tie a small bowline in one end of your signal halliard. Then join the halliard into a continuous loop, with the small bowline sticking out from the join. Put the toggle of your flag through the bowline, and join its tail onto the halliard with a rolling hitch. No more lost halliards!
 
Create a handy billy. Use two double blocks, one with a becket, and a line four times the length of your mast. Thread rope through blocks so the downhaul ends up (er) down!) and attach to halyard. Pull one block to top of mast. Attach self to lower blocks. Whoever then does the hauling has a MUCH easier job and you do not have to wear yourself out.

Three good criteria for this solution - you have a useful bit of kit for hauling in an MOB or indeed things like dinghies (ie dual use). You always get to check it yourself for integrity. And it's very simple.

Our boat came with mast steps and we are ambivalent about them. Always used this method on older boat.

HTH
 
<span style="color:blue"> I have an 11.5m old Beneteau.
SWMBO is 5' or less and weighs little. I would therefore be unhappy at having her winch me up so I bought a pair of double blocks and a piece of soft light string.

I hoist one block to the top, shackle the bottom block to a climbing harness and 'Bobs your auntie'.
Provided I make sure to remove the twists between the blocks so that the string falls straight it is very easy to haul myself up and SWMBO takes up the slack on a safety line which is any spare halyard.

Even if I let the rope slip when she is not paying attention, I can grab the 4 falls of rope and easily stop the rope. When I get to working height, I use the tail to make a couple of half hitches around the 4 strands and SWMBO cleats the safety rope.

Brendan </span>
 
S&S34

Hi,
I am from Perth Western Australia, and am a member of the S&S34 Association in Australia. We are in the process of tracking down as many S&S34's as possible around the world, and maintaining a register. Of which we believe there are about 200. Can you provide me with some information about yours, and any others that you know about.
I am co-owner of Swagman which was built in 1979 in Perth, Western Australia.

Thanks very much in anticipation......

Andrew.....
 
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