Bosuns chair success

[vyv_cox]

About a month ago I asked for opinions on a good, comfortable and secure bosun's chair, as my old one was none of these. Thanks for all the views offered.

I have searched and explored everything suggested, plus lots more in web chandlers and other sources. In all, I have found many, ranging in price from about £50 to almost £200. I'm sure some of them were very good. Then about two weeks ago, someone here suggested using a rope genoa shackle, as supplied by Compass24. Thanks to whoever it was, I bought one and it seems to be excellent. While looking for that I saw that the same supplier does a bosun's chair for £29.99. It looked good and seemed to tick all my boxes, so I bought one. It arrived yesterday and appears to be superb.

The base is rigid and well attached to the canvas. The straps are set in a sensible position and long enough that they won't crush my chest. There are thigh and body security straps and two sensible tool carriers, a cartridge belt type on one side and a velcro pocket the other. The whole thing is made in strong canvas and is very well put together.

So how much better can the £100 - 200 ones be?

 

[samwise]

It does look good, comfy too. Ours ( which cost about £30) does tend to press the lifting tackle agains your chest. The trouble is that you don't really know how they are going to perform until you are past the first set of spreaders, by which time it's too late to change your mind! I noticed in the illustration on the web that the guy in the picture is relying entirely on the snap shackle. I was always taught to loop the rope through the rings and tie it off properly. This, in addition to a safety line.

 

[vyv_cox]

Me too. I always tie my own bowline and then put the snapshackle on as well.

I use a Mastclimb, which is a kind of safety line, at least it's something in addition to the chair line when climbing.

 

[Twister_Ken]

Honetly, Vyv, you ask our valued opinion, then go off and do your own thing entirely.

Slighted, that's what we feel. Or maybe jilted. Or eschewed.

 

[Graham_Wright]

[ QUOTE ]
While looking for that I saw that the same supplier does a bosun's chair for £29.99. It looked good and seemed to tick all my boxes, so I bought one. It arrived yesterday and appears to be superb.

The base is rigid and well attached to the canvas. The straps are set in a sensible position and long enough that they won't crush my chest. There are thigh and body security straps and two sensible tool carriers, a cartridge belt type on one side and a velcro pocket the other. The whole thing is made in strong canvas and is very well put together.

So how much better can the £100 - 200 ones be?

[/ QUOTE ]

Look at the D ring. It capsizes and puts an unfair strain on the straps. (Problem persists despite advice to the sellers).

The seat is very short and will give you leg ache.

Just my personal experience (painful variety!).

 

[retsina]

Last year I bought a cheap one too, approx £30. I used it to go up and down my 36ft mast without any problem. Is it better than the expensive ones? , I dont know, but it is safe and comfortable and i can stay on it for 20 minutes without any problem. The point is, how often and extensively one will be using a Bosuns chair; for my needs, a £30 bosum chair is fine.

 

[RobBrown]

I used to use a bowline, but now use a double fig of 8, as this knot evidently has a smaller reduction on the breaking strain of the line. The research stats on this was posted again in a couple of different threads recently.

 

[vyv_cox]

When I become heavy enough to break a 12 mm halyard, even with a bowline that reduces its strength by ~ 50%, I shall definitely start my diet. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif