Climbing gear for Solo mast checks... suggestions on where to find out?

[Jamesuk]

I fly out to the wonderful island of Corfu on march 25th. Anyone else going?

I was at the boat show the other week and like many others asked the people on the climbing stand for advice for going aloft solo using the right climbing gear. I was advised to go a course but that was as far as the advice goes, from what the chap was saying lots of people get sued in the climbing industry as it was hard pushed to get that.

So what do you do to go aloft solo, safely and more importantly in comfort because lets face it you might be up there for a few hours.

Cheers

James

 

[oldbilbo]

There are commercial climbing walls, now, in most big towns. That's your best bet..... or 'YouTube'.

 

[Uricanejack]

There are commercial climbing walls, now, in most big towns. That's your best bet..... or 'YouTube'.

First going aloft solo is inhearntly higher risk than having an assistant.
I would not do it.
Lock out power supply to any radars scanners off.
If you have mast steps.
Wear a full harness not just the belt type and use 2 lines to allways stay cliped on. I have to admit I used just one and did not clip on until I reached top and started work. I used two if going up a mast under way. I dont like hights and don't like going up underway.
take a heaving line up and use to bring up any tools parts needed a bucket is very usfull for small parts tie off when hauled up.
Tools having a lanyard is a good idea. assistant even with hard hats don't apreciate dropped tools.
your assistant will come in handy for tools parts ect calling 999 if you fall.

If no mast steps and using bosun chair.

Do not use a bosun chair unless you have been shown how and have practiced at low hight.

Never use an existing halyard.
Use halyard to pull dedicated gant line used only for chair.
Nowadays people use synthetics. I would only use 24 mill or 2.5 in manila. I can tell its condition. synthetic you just dont know unless its brand new.
It amy seem easy to have some one winch you up mast. you are trusting your life to someones else's tailing and or self tailing.
I used to be fit enogh to pull my self 30 years ago. not now.
a rigger I worked with used to use his own block and tackle with a double cam cleat like those from main halyard to pull himself
I would still tie it of though.

I'm sure a lot of posters will now say Im full of it and they don't use all these precautions which are not nessessary.

But you only get it wrong once.

If you decide to ignore my advice and do it yourself or have some one winch you up mast on an existing halyard and winch. make sure you have an assistant (preferably 2) who is very competant on winch and can also tend a second halyard as a safty line attached to a full harness making sure there is never enough slack for you to fall more than a couple of feet.

even if you do use safer version of pulling yourself by hand and with or without block and tackle and cam cleat. have your assistant tend a second safty line to a harness.

This may allow you an opertuntiy to get it wrong and tell about it.

Or just pay the rigger.

 

[bbg]

I used a climbing harness, Petzl Grigri attached to the harness and Petzl Ti-block with loops for the feet. Ascend using both. When you want to come down remove the Tiblock and come down on the Grigri.

The Tiblock is very hard on the rope so you might want to have a dedicated rope for climbing. Attach it to a halyard with a double sheet bend and hoist it to the top.

Practice a bit near deck level, going up and down. It would be a pain to get to the top and find you can't come down. It isn't terribly easy but becomes easier with practice.

Cue a horde of people who say you need to use a safety line. Using a second line is certainly safer, but I've never used one and I'm still alive for now.

There are certainly other methods bit that worked for me.

 

[nickf]

Cruising Association are running a mast climbing course on 10th March which is open to non members. Covers solo climbing

 

[Neeves]

There are a series of threads started about getting up masts on a variety of forum. One repetitive feature is the dangers involved and the demand for safety lines.

I wonder how many people have been killed or injured through a failure of a halyard as a result of going up a mast. A 10mm halyard probably has a breaking strain of 2t and 'man' weighs in at 100kg (I'm a thrifty 75kg). If it is an all rope halyard and the halyard has been visually inspected then why this paranoia? How many people have had all rope halyards fail subsequent to a visual inspection? The bosuns chair might be the weak link, the attachment of the chair to the halyard, call it a knot, might be the weak link - but the halyard, like a climbers rope, is probably the strongest part of the assembly. Get away from the doubts about the halyard, look at the strength of the chair or harness. Hands up anyone who has had an all rope Dyneema halyard having been visually checked - fail at sea.

I would not suggest, at all, about dispensing with the second line, halyard, as a safety device but I would suggest a lot more emphasis about looking at the chair and how to attach the chair to the halyard.

We (I) do not use a bosuns chair (the ones I know have no specification, have been used for ever and one can slip out easily) but use, my own, a climbing harness, with chest straps, we have 10mm dyneema halyards. If I am crewing and expect to be the 'mast man', I always use my own harness. Once up the mast we (I) tie the harness to the crane. We always have a second line to hoist anything up to the person in the harness (me). I confess I have no fear of heights (which is why I'm commonly the 'mast man' and being a slip of 75kg less useful at hoisting overweight beer guts up masts). Single handed I have used prussik loops (for each foot and the harness). I would use ascendeurs, or jumar clamps - but they are inordinately expensive and as far as I can make out no safer (but easier to use) than a prussik knot. If you are going up a mast at sea you need to have a loose loop round the mast to ensure as the yacht rolls you do not swing away from the mast, a loop with a carabiner works well (simply release and re-attach as you pass spreaders etc). I have thought of using a helmet, climbing, bicycle, when at sea - but have never actually had one with me! Because we walk when ashore I have decent boots - which I wear when mast climbing (helps the person hoisting me if I can part climb) and more comfortable when standing on spreaders etc. If you rely on someone to hoist you up then you and they need to be very clear about instructions, these need to be simple and unambiguous. You, if its you going up the mast, need to be sure they know what they are doing.

 

[bbg]

A 10mm halyard probably has a breaking strain of 2t ...

Too conservative (for dyneema). Try nearly 3.5 tonnes, possibly up to 5 tonnes depending on the rope. For the photo in my post I climbed an 8 mm spinnaker sheet. Which I had tied to a 6 mm halyard. The 6 mm halyard was too small to climb. 6 mm halyard had a breaking strain of nearly 2 tonnes.

 

[Iliade]

I used a climbing harness, Petzl Grigri attached to the harness and Petzl Ti-block with loops for the feet. Ascend using both. When you want to come down remove the Tiblock and come down on the Grigri.

The Tiblock is very hard on the rope so you might want to have a dedicated rope for climbing. Attach it to a halyard with a double sheet bend and hoist it to the top.

Practice a bit near deck level, going up and down. It would be a pain to get to the top and find you can't come down. It isn't terribly easy but becomes easier with practice.

Cue a horde of people who say you need to use a safety line. Using a second line is certainly safer, but I've never used one and I'm still alive for now.

Ther are certainly other methods bit that worked for me.

in general, +1

but:
- Use a bosuns chair. Climbing harnesses are too uncomfortable (excl. whillens types) and you risk compartment trauma. Optimally you should use both as you could fall out of a bosuns chair, but paranoia has it's limits.
- Petzl Shunts are designed to do much the same thing as the tibloc but without damaging the ropes. Tiblocs are really for emergencies only.
- Only use a rope passing right over the top of the mast or one passing inside the mast, never one running through an external pulley.
- I would now tape a dedicated static climbing rope to a sheet and pull it through, so I relied only on my dedicated cordage.
- That said, I have just doubled the length of my main halliard so that I have a full length idle at the mast which can be pulled through for mast climbing. I may in time get too annoyed with the look though.
- Learn how to use the gri-gri and shunts. Petzl have report on their website of accidents where people falling have instinctively held the wrong part, thereby ensuring that they continued to fall.
- When working at height I like to clip on to something solid at the top. A short length of rope/webbing looped around the mast & forestay may stop you.
- If at sea use two strops around the mast to stop you swinging about. Two so that you can navigate past spreaders etc.
- Do use a safety line - I have had a wire halliard snap while I was up a mast. I have had to rescue abseilers when they got in a knot and got stuck. There are many accidents where climbers mess up during descents. You only need to fall once.
- Before you haul up on the line ensure the deck end is secured twice. i.e., to a cleat and then to another secure object. Cleats have been known to fall off & track to break.
- Never rely on a jam or cam cleat.
- Bounce on the line a few times or tension with a winch before relying on it.
- Tie all tools to you. A drill or spanner can make a big hole in the deck/deckhand
- If someone else is winching you up, use a grigri or a shunt on the fall of your safety line, then you can also climb the mast and have responsibility for your own safety line.

Nonetheless I too have, on occasion, free climbed the mast and also climbed using only a single (albeit trusted) line...

(I see I took too long typing and have cross posted. Ho hum)

 

[jimi]

In general , same as BBG, I use a shunt fixed with crossed slings to my chest in place of his gri gri, and use my grigri on a second line as a safety line/ descent line. However I have all the gear as I do a bt of climbing and I used to use the shunt when doing laps on routes so I've got a bit of experience using.

 

[Neeves]

Too conservative (for dyneema). Try nearly 3.5 tonnes, possibly up to 5 tonnes depending on the rope. For the photo in my post I climbed an 8 mm spinnaker sheet. Which I had tied to a 6 mm halyard. The 6 mm halyard was too small to climb. 6 mm halyard had a breaking strain of nearly 2 tonnes.

I was not sure but thought 10mm nylon was about 2t, so I was erring on safety. So good that someone corrected me! Its this idea of the concentration on the second halyard - the hoisting halyard is probably the strongest and safest part of the assembly (as long as you can tie your own knots correctly). People rock climb, lots of them, on single lines, with often no belays (intermediary safety points). Why introduce this danger aspect for a mast that a rock climber does not even think about (well not much). Most mast climbing is done in marina in a fairly stable environment - its difficult to understand the fear it seem to engender.

And yes, some, climbing harnesses can be uncomfortable, the chest strap helps as do foot loops, so that you can stand up - and Don Whillans knew what he was doing (he even spawned Djbangi). An advantage is that you can put a climbing harness on, adjust it and walk around in it whereas you need to climb into a bosuns chair and they seldom feel nor are secure and are made for people as small as 75kg and 150kg, (no wonder they feel insecure).

And I'm too old and enjoying diminishing strength to think I can free climb a 20m mast, anymore.

 

[semolina pilchard]

Mast Climbing

I seem to climb my mast every year for some reason or other. If on my own I use a bosun's chair and a chest harness attached to the main halyard by a prusik loop. A larger prusik loop attached to the same halyard as a foot loop. and another prusik loop attached to the tied off spinnaker halyard as a safety line. It works very well although it can be quite difficult to slide the loops down after my weight has been on them. If friends are around I get them to do the hard work by winching me up on the main halyard with the spinnaker halyard as safety line.a

I was not sure but thought 10mm nylon was about 2t, so I was erring on safety. So good that someone corrected me! Its this idea of the concentration on the second halyard - the hoisting halyard is probably the strongest and safest part of the assembly (as long as you can tie your own knots correctly). People rock climb, lots of them, on single lines, with often no belays (intermediary safety points). Why introduce this danger aspect for a mast that a rock climber does not even think about (well not much). Most mast climbing is done in marina in a fairly stable environment - its difficult to understand the fear it seem to engender.

And yes, some, climbing harnesses can be uncomfortable, the chest strap helps as do foot loops, so that you can stand up - and Don Whillans knew what he was doing (he even spawned Djbangi). An advantage is that you can put a climbing harness on, adjust it and walk around in it whereas you need to climb into a bosuns chair and they seldom feel nor are secure and are made for people as small as 75kg and 150kg, (no wonder they feel insecure).

And I'm too old and enjoying diminishing strength to think I can free climb a 20m mast, anymore.

 

[NormanS]

One of the most sensible things that I have done on our boat, was to fit mast steps. I have metal folding ones on the main, and fixed ones on the mizzen.
I probably wouldn't choose to go up solo, unless it was absolutely necessary. For a short visit, I use a harness. For a longer job, I use a bosun's chair, in both cases with the halliard tended by someone I trust. (my wife). The bosun's chair has proper leg straps, and I don't see how it would be possible to fall out of it.
I agree with all the comments about precautions, and having spare halliard, bucket, tools with lanyards etc.

 

[Burnham Bob]

I have just bought and used for the first time a top climber. expensive but it does work. ignore the video that shows the user making the ascent line fast to the toe rail and climbing at an angle - all that happens is that your weight pulls downwards against the rope at an angle and you can't move either of the ascenders.. secure the line to the base of the mast and climb vertically - but if you are overweight and unfit as I am its quite hard work. to work on the top of the mast, stand up in the toe straps - you can't do that with a bosun's chair.

it's secure as you are strapped in and even at the top i felt totally safe despite having a fear of heights. however i did use a safety line in the form of the spinnaker halyard led back over the spreaders and tied to the harness with a bowline. i have coach roof winches and halyards led back so working the safety line is a non-skilled job - just take up the slack on the way up and let it out on the way down. the topclimber does say it's for solo use and as long as you have faith in the line you are going up that's okay. i attached a 12mm old and stretched but very carefully examined (!) halyard tied with a bowline to the new main halyard eye splice and pulled it up the mast. tensioned by a block at the base of the mast, led to another block on the to rail and led back to the sheet winch and tightened as much as possible.

at one point the helper on the safety line didn't let it out so i was left with the topclimber with a metre of slack and the safety line taking my full weight so i know next time that both the ascending line and the safety line will definitely take my weight.

i would suggest that the topclimber is a worthwhile purchase but that a second person on the safety line is advisable. it's an unskilled job and surely you can find a fellow boat owner to help for a bottle of wine.

common sense is your guide.........

 

[lw395]

I have a climbing aid which consists of a step with foot loops, and a cam cleat. I use it to climb a halliard made off at the mast foot and winched tight.
I usually have someone take a second halliard to a climbing harness as safety, but I have used a petzl ascender instead.
OTOH I've been up a dayboat mast to retrieve the kite halyard while racing, no aids at all, apart from gloves.

 

[fishermantwo]

I have a climbing aid which consists of a step with foot loops, and a cam cleat. I use it to climb a halliard made off at the mast foot and winched tight.
I usually have someone take a second halliard to a climbing harness as safety, but I have used a petzl ascender instead.
OTOH I've been up a dayboat mast to retrieve the kite halyard while racing, no aids at all, apart from gloves.

Mastaclimba or one of these plywood jobs?
http://www.sailnet.com/forums/gear-maintenance/95726-climbing-mast.html

 

[Boathook]

Mastaclimba or one of these plywood jobs?
http://www.sailnet.com/forums/gear-maintenance/95726-climbing-mast.html

A bit like mine except my foot rest is deeper to spread the load when standing on it. The rope displayed was not used for climbing and I suspect that it is a few years old when photographed.

 

[fishermantwo]

Much better with the square section of timber to ease the pressure on feet.

 

[Neeves]

Mast climbing should be second nature as mast inspection ought to be one of those tasks completed on a regular basis like antifouling or engine servicing. It ought not be something to be remarked about. I think the dangers are psychological and no higher than sailing itself.

Prussik loops (or their modern and expensive mechanical equivalent) is the way to go, 2 for your feet and one for the chest. Once you get to the mast top a bosuns chair is simply too low to work on top of the crane and you will need foot loops anyway. Also when you get up there then you need to feel fully secure otherwise you will only be able to work one handed. This is where a harness earns its money as you can tie it, with you inside, to the mast head. If you are relying on the chair then any security you felt will be lost when you stand up and try to undo the masthead light. But being hoisted up a mast is much easier, for the person going up the mast, and allows energy to be diverted to the work at the masthead.

Single handed you need to know, or guess, what tools you will need - getting there and finding the spanner does not fit is really frustrating. You will need a bucket, or bag, for the tools and I find something else to hold the disassembled components is useful. Its difficult rummaging around in the bottom of a bucket full of tools looking for a tiny nut. When you are up the mast, check what tools you might need to service other items, and buy the bulbs now (as LEDs).

As someone mentioned find someway of ensuring you do not drop anything. A falling screwdriver is much more dangerous to anyone on deck than the danger you think you are exposed to up a mast and there is a chance it will go through the deck.

 

[bbg]

Single handed you need to know, or guess, what tools you will need - getting there and finding the spanner does not fit is really frustrating. You will need a bucket, or bag, for the tools and I find something else to hold the disassembled components is useful. Its difficult rummaging around in the bottom of a bucket full of tools looking for a tiny nut. When you are up the mast, check what tools you might need to service other items, and buy the bulbs now (as LEDs).

Good tip. One time when the mast was down I spent an hour or so looking at EVERY fitting on the masthead, taking some apart to see if other tools might be needed when a cover was removed. I noted the type and size of every tool needed, and some of the nuts/bolts in case I needed to fit replacements. A note of what was needed was written inside the cover of the logbook. So if I ever had to go up after that, I wouldn't have to guess. I would know what I needed.

 

[Neeves]

No-one has mentioned tape ladders (used by climbers). I've seen them but never used one. Some have mainsail slugs that fit into your track - which is a great idea unless the gate is at the bottom and then you'll need to dump the main on the deck to fit the tape ladder slugs in. Others you simply hoist on a halyard, tie the bottom to something at the mast base, tension and then climb. You'll still need to tie yourself to the mast once you get up there but they solve some problems (you might want a harness and safety line as well). A decent sailmaker could make one up to fit 'your' mast in a few hours, or less - if you followed this route you could forget the sailslugs and simply have something that will secure the ladder to the mast as you ascend, say at the spreaders.