Caaving ladders and masts

[Bejasus]

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Not tried it on a boat, but worked OK on a circus mast

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this needs further explanation. imho

 

[Adonnante]

>>>prussic knots - your having a laught surely.
Yes, they cost me less then 100th the price of all the other suggestions

>>>Used them loads and they are crap,
Not clear what you mean by that term, if you have used them loads I assume they have there uses.


>>>really just for the purist, emergencies or showing of
er,
Showing off to who, the wife has never been impressed.

Cheers Peter

 

[owen]

michael im no expert so i sked in a climbing shop. i bought 2 ascenders like this http://en.petzl.com/petzl/SportFamille?Famille=12#SousFamille1
. i bought a harnness off ebay. i used loops of webbing (safety harnesses). basically you put the ascenders on 2 separate ropes (topping lift and maimsheet). one ascender is attached to two foot loops and the other is attached to the climbing harness. you need to adjust the foot loops to an appropriate length.you then sit in the harness and push the other ascender up about 3-4 feet hou then stand up in the foot loops .while standing up you pushh the other ascender up and repeat the process.
you can buy a separate descender to rapidly come down or just use the ascenders which is much slower but safe.
it sounds complicated but is in fact amazingly easy.
the technique and equipment is v similar to that used by a well known mastcliber. i would buy new pezl ascenders but the harness can be sourced from ebay.

 

[Stevie_T]

Not wishing to set myself up as any kind of authority on the subject, but I do feel the need to pass some comment here. I have caved for 20 odd years and work as a rope access supervisor, so do have some experience on the subject of getting up ropes, or caving ladders for that matter.

The caving ladder is a perfectly efficient way to climb a mast, requires a little technique but once mastered is faster than using ascenders on ropes over such a short distance. However it would not be advisable in any seaway and I would think should be reserved for when securely tied up. As a previous poster said, the bottom should not be secured and it really is necessary to use a harness with back up device or a lifeline. The harness would enable you to belay off at the top and do some work instead of hanging on for grim death.

Prussik knots do actually work and certainly are extremely cheap though to be honest I have only ever used them for novelty value. They are quite slow compared to commercial jammers and probably not for the novice, or anyo9ne lacking the confidence to use them. Ideal as a back up though in case of emergency or lack of gear.

Prussiking gear is undoubtedly the easiest to use, but still requires some technique to be both safe and efficient.
Owen, I have a little doubt about your described technique. The 2 ascenders really need to be on the same rope, one to footloop and one to harness. I have no doubt you manage to get up the rope like that , but it sounds awfully inneficient. As you transfer weight from one rope to another you will be taking up the stretch on each step. There should then be a back-up device to a second rope, or somebody lifelining. Or perhaps I mis-interprit your meaning.
Buying the harness off ebay is okay if you know what you are looking for.

Perhaps we should have a mast climbing workshop some time?

 

[owen]

i probably didnt expain the technique very well. i must admit to using the ascenders on just one rope but it was a brand new main. the climbing shop recommended using 2 ropes but i take your point about taking up the stretch.
i watched this video to get an idea of how to do it http://www.topclimberinternational.nl/
i was going to buy a topclimber but found i could get all the bits for less than half the price.

 

[Stevie_T]

Yeah, nothing wrong with the topclimber just price really. Not that all the components of an efficient system are cheap.

I would suggest using one hand jammer and a petzl croll. The croll is designed to attach between the sit harness and chest harness. The hand jammer has a footloop and ideally should also attach to the sit harness for safety. The method is then to stand in the fotloop and the croll slides up. Sit down onto the croll and slide the hand jammer up, stand up again and the croll slides up etc. The chest harness isnt essential, a bit of string or elastic will do, but does help make it more comfortable.
The croll will also make it easier to sit comfortably in a position to work at the very top of the mast.
You should also use a shunt or Asap attached to a second rope as a back up in case your halyard were tobreak.

Oddly, another thread has started on almost the same topic I see.

 

[jimi]

I use the shunt attached to a halyard and the topping list and attach to my harness holding high with crossed slings (a la roped solo top rope) and use a jumar on a footloop. Works well in both directions

 

[Stevie_T]

Sounds okay to me, whatever works at the end of the day.

 

[Sea Devil]

Owen thanks - on the little Prout I have at the moment I would not trust the topping lift - maybe I change that first...

Michael

 

[claymore]

I cannot think of a safer concept that buying some used ladders cheap on ebay.