BrendanS
Well-known member
Re: nutcase option
ROFL!!!!! This I'd like to see even more.
Uhhm! any volunteers? I'd bring my video camera!
ROFL!!!!! This I'd like to see even more.
Uhhm! any volunteers? I'd bring my video camera!
Climbing mast without a ladder
- Thread starter Miker
- Start date
robstracey
New member
There was somthing in an old PBO (408, December 2000) about this. A bloke built a contraption out of a few peices of ply and a cam cleat, it seemed to work and may be cheaper than buying a load of new gear.
claymore
Well-known member
Mike
What on earth would a man of your tender years want with climbing a mast?
The answer is simple anyway - get to the Wyre side of the Marina and get Dick to park the crane on the wall above. Lower the hook - hook into rear trouser belt and make that corkscrew movement with finger up.
Hold onto mast and then make walking motion as upward progress is made. Near top get Dick to pull appropriate lever to arrest upward progress otherwise you will look silly climbing imaginary mast.
To descend - make funny corkscrew motion with finger pointing down.
Hope this helps
regards
Claymore
What on earth would a man of your tender years want with climbing a mast?
The answer is simple anyway - get to the Wyre side of the Marina and get Dick to park the crane on the wall above. Lower the hook - hook into rear trouser belt and make that corkscrew movement with finger up.
Hold onto mast and then make walking motion as upward progress is made. Near top get Dick to pull appropriate lever to arrest upward progress otherwise you will look silly climbing imaginary mast.
To descend - make funny corkscrew motion with finger pointing down.
Hope this helps
regards
Claymore
qsiv
New member
Yes - a pair of ascenders - one for feet, one for harness (stand up, move harness up, sitin harness lift feet up) gets you up the mast - you then need a descender (most use frighteningly thin rope!) to come down. The transfer from climbing to descending can be tricky - I use two lines as it is impossible to get the descender on to a loaded line. Practice in calm in the marina! it is worth restraining the tails of the climbing and descending lines (but they need a little slack), as otherwise you really flail around.
I use a regular climbing harness (it's good to know you cant fall out), and I have 4 or 5 caribiners and strops clipped to the sides in order to fix myself in position. My mast is 23 metres high and the angular acelerations (even at anchor) are staggering - how Ellen McA and theothers do it when the boats are doing 15 knots I just cant imagine!
I use a regular climbing harness (it's good to know you cant fall out), and I have 4 or 5 caribiners and strops clipped to the sides in order to fix myself in position. My mast is 23 metres high and the angular acelerations (even at anchor) are staggering - how Ellen McA and theothers do it when the boats are doing 15 knots I just cant imagine!
Miker
New member
John
I did ask Dick once but he said that he couldn't lift me as I would not be covered for insurance, or something like that. For normal problems I try to talk my crew into going up, but I was thinking of what I would need in an emergency.
BTW re your activities of 127 years ago, I can't say that I remember much about your Grad days but then I was always at the back of the fleet, unless they were lapping me.
Mike
I did ask Dick once but he said that he couldn't lift me as I would not be covered for insurance, or something like that. For normal problems I try to talk my crew into going up, but I was thinking of what I would need in an emergency.
BTW re your activities of 127 years ago, I can't say that I remember much about your Grad days but then I was always at the back of the fleet, unless they were lapping me.
Mike
castaway
New member
Charles
Can you let me have the number/EMail of this company, (Mast steps)
Thanks Nick Entract
n.entract@ntlworld.com
<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.yachtsite.co.uk/fairweather>http://www.yachtsite.co.uk/fairweather</A>
Can you let me have the number/EMail of this company, (Mast steps)
Thanks Nick Entract
n.entract@ntlworld.com
<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.yachtsite.co.uk/fairweather>http://www.yachtsite.co.uk/fairweather</A>
G
Guest
Guest
Re: nutcase option
I have witnessed this to retrieve the only spinnaker halyard in mid race, the bowman sent everyone to leeward hauled the main in tight and ran up the side of the mast grabbed the halyard and slid down the main, real fit guy! don't try this if your not !!
I have witnessed this to retrieve the only spinnaker halyard in mid race, the bowman sent everyone to leeward hauled the main in tight and ran up the side of the mast grabbed the halyard and slid down the main, real fit guy! don't try this if your not !!
qsiv
New member
I hesitate to contradict a climber - but my (petzl) descender fails safe - let go of the handle and it self locks. I know - I've tested it (allbeit from only three feet off the deck), and it is reassuring. My problem is that O sail to all intents and purposes single handed (I wouldnt yet trust my two youngsters to smoothly lower me from the masthead).
The transfer from ascenders to descender is very tricky without twin ropes - I hoist a pair of ropes to the masthead, climb one and come down the other.
Climbing to the first crosstrees is easy, the second by no means difficult. The third crosstrees or masthead really need an overpoweringly compelling reason. I have to admit that a failed ancor light was not enough - I rigged a lash up bulb in the fortriangle and left it till I had a competent hand to man the winch for me! (and I still cant relax when I'm working on the electronics and twigs on top of the mast - I just feel dangerously exposed once my chest gets to the masthead!
The transfer from ascenders to descender is very tricky without twin ropes - I hoist a pair of ropes to the masthead, climb one and come down the other.
Climbing to the first crosstrees is easy, the second by no means difficult. The third crosstrees or masthead really need an overpoweringly compelling reason. I have to admit that a failed ancor light was not enough - I rigged a lash up bulb in the fortriangle and left it till I had a competent hand to man the winch for me! (and I still cant relax when I'm working on the electronics and twigs on top of the mast - I just feel dangerously exposed once my chest gets to the masthead!
qsiv
New member
Re: nutcase option
20 years ago I could do it. The problem is that as the years go by I swap muscle mass and agility for flab, and the power to weight ratio doesnt work. I havent even tried itt recently.
I still remember the saying (plagiarised) of a friend of my parents "Middle age is when a broad mind and a narrow waist change places"......
20 years ago I could do it. The problem is that as the years go by I swap muscle mass and agility for flab, and the power to weight ratio doesnt work. I havent even tried itt recently.
I still remember the saying (plagiarised) of a friend of my parents "Middle age is when a broad mind and a narrow waist change places"......
claymore
Well-known member
You were the one in the shiney white GP - mine was a rather beat up yellow grad
There was quite a reasonable fleet at B&F in those days!
regards
Claymore
There was quite a reasonable fleet at B&F in those days!
regards
Claymore
Miker
New member
Happy days when we were young, or at least only middle aged!
extravert
New member
I have never used one of these Petzl descenders, they are too heavy for climbers to carry up big hills. They sound a lot better for mast descending though if someone wants to use a descender for getting down a mast.