Climbing the mast. Anything I've forgotten?

[NUTMEG]

CW28 ketch. I need to fit a new VHF ANTENNA AND A NASA wind sensor unit.

Got middle son to offer to go up.

Brand new Crewsaver bosuns chair bowlined' to the main halliard. Main led to either the halliard winch on the mast or forward to the anchor capstan. Me doing the work and another person to tail.

Son also wearing his climbing harness that will be attached to the tied off topping lift (10mm) with a prusik or kliemheist (sp?) to act as a safety line.

Son also using a webbing strap around mast and attached to his harness to prevent swinging about whilst trying to drill holes,etc.

Tools in bag etc etc.

Does this sound safe? Anything missing? Any suggestions?

 

[rib]

yea check the topping lift and main halyard for chaffe where it goes into the mast at top

 

[prv]

If the anchor winch is electric, be aware that this is usually not advised. The supposed risk is of the control button or relay sticking on and the winch either pulling the climber into somewhere he doesn't want to be, or breaking the halyard or some other gear. Personally I reckon the risk of the winch running away is minimal and the mitigation if it did happen is to surge the line on the drum until the power can be turned off, but ever since a lady lost her fingers a few years ago by sticking them into a runaway electric sheet winch, the consensus against hoisting by power has hardened.

Pete

 

[NUTMEG]

Thanks mate, no the anchor,winch is a manual one. All the haliards are in good condition having recently been removed and washed.

So, we have a plan

Middle son is 30 and does a bit of rock climbing so has a head for heights.

 

[alan_d]

Perhaps the people operating the mast-mounted halliard winch should wear hard hats. The person at the masthead will be bound to drop something.

 

[Kelpie]

Do any if your masthead lines run externally? Ideally you want one that goes through the mast and exits again at the masthead. If you are lucky enough to have such a line, your son can pretty much haul himself up. Much, much faster than winching.

 

[Searush]

Have him take a spare line with him. There's bound to be something that he forgets to take, or finds he needs unexpectedly, or drops & has to be sent back up to him.

I have found that it is VERY hard to winch someone up the mast by the halliard winch alone (my lightly built son simply cannot winch my 13st), but if they haul themselves up even a small person can keep the slack round the winch & take the weight if I need to rest. Your son may have climbing gear (Prussics?) that will make it relatively easy for him to climb the halliard himself & you can have the safety line tailed off on the winch to take the load if necessary.

 

[Strathglass]

Perhaps the people operating the mast-mounted halliard winch should wear hard hats. The person at the masthead will be bound to drop something.

I agree with that.
Unless there was no other option I would try to avoid using a mast mounted winch. If a mast mounted winch must be used then, as soon as it is practical use the mast winch as a turning block and take the line aft to another winch.
I have had the spike from a shackle key fall from the masthead and stick vertically into the deck less than a foot from me. Even two weeks ago we lost a spanner overboard again from near the top of the mast. I anticipate that we will have someone at the top of a contessa 32 mast on wednesday replacing the taktic wireless wind unit after it has been repaired for the third time (internal battery replacement this time) but not anticipating any problems.

 

[Norman_E]

The problem with a bosuns chair is that it can only be hauled up so far, and it can be very difficult to work on the mast head, particularly if you have to drill holes downwards into the mast head to secure something, as you are simply not high enough. In some cases you cannot even see over the top. My solution is a device that I made, that slides up a rope tensioned from the mast head to the mast foot. It consists of a wooden footrest with a jammer attached and loops for the feet so that it can be slid up the rope with the jammer closed. If you don't have mast steps at the top such a device is very useful. Unfortunately it is on the boat and I cannot find a photo to make it clear. Others have made a device from a square of plywood with two holes for their feet and a cam cleat.

My preferred climbing method is to be hauled up using the main halyard attached by bowline to the bosuns chair, with the spi halyard led round the shrouds and tied to a separate harness, also with a bowline, as a safety line. I detach the topping lift from the boom and tie it at the mast foot to take the device that I stand on when working at the top. By wearing a harness with double crotch straps and having the safety line attached to that, even if I fell out of the bosuns chair or the lifting ring were to tear out of it I would still be held.

Noting PRV's comment on power winches, I am usually hauled up by a power winch. It is perfectly safe to do so provided the rope is tailed manually and never in the self tailer. In the very unlikely event of a runaway simply releasing the tail would allow the winch to spin harmlessly, whilst the closed jammer ahead of the winch would continue to support the load.

 

[NUTMEG]

All good points there. Will mention 'climbing' option to him. Plus spare line (good idea).

If he climbs rather then gets winched that would also mean we could 'stand clear' a bit and just take up slack on the halliard as he ascends.

Thanks all.

 

[Norman_E]

I forgot to add that the device I made allows me to "climb" and assist anyone using a manual winch using a stand up - sit down technique. If I stand up on the footrest the person on the winch just has to take up the slack in the halyard, in sitting down I pull up the footrest.

 

[Clarky]

Never had a problem winching people up the mast or being winched up using a climbing harness, but my main hobby is climbing/mountain rescue. It is always a good idea at height to have some redundancy in the system, i.e. use of another line/halyard as you have suggested.

 

[Woodlouse]

Make sure all tools are tied on. A bucket is often a better option than a bag.

 

[nigelmercier]

I have found that it is VERY hard to winch someone up the mast by the halliard winch alone ...

The problem with a bosuns chair is that it can only be hauled up so far, and it can be very difficult to work on the mast head...

Graham Wright's MastaClimba will solve both problems. An excellent bit of kit: http://www.mastaclimba.com/

 

[Daydream believer]

Being 17 stone i always flinch at the strain on the stitching on the bosuns chair.
I once had a wooden seat snap when i was at the top of a mast but as the line went under the seat i fell into the bight
As a result i always tie a line under the seat. But i do not bother with extra harnesses etc as they get in the way
There is the feeling with a chair that one is going to tip backwards so i tie a line to the halliard pass it over my shoulder & back under the opposite armpit & toe to the halliard with a slip not. I can adjust it if needs be & i feel safer when pushing on the mast to do a tadk at the top

 

[nimbusgb]

Genoa halyard as a backup to the main halyard.

 

[Graham_Wright]

If you can winch from the cockpit you are safe from falling tools and your neck will not suffer as much from staring vertically upwards.

 

[Daydream believer]

Genoa halyard as a backup to the main halyard.

Would not recommend - personal opinion-Trouble is you have to lead it round the shrouds & it can get caught up on spreaders
Also on a fractional it will not go to the top so anyone falling would have a big drop followed by a big swing round the shrouds before coming to rest,
could be funny or sheer butt clenching depending if you are watcher or the ascender

One also needs to know why the backup is needed
The halliard should be well strong enough & it is only the numpty on the winch to worry about,
If there are 3 of us one person has a hand on the jammer to stop the halliard running out too fast
If there are two lots of lines & only one person down below they could get mixed up & let the halliard go whilst taking slack up on the reserve or get the reserve jammed when lowering
Best to use one hoist & one chair, tied not shackled

 

[nigelmercier]

... tied not shackled

I keep hearing this, but don't see why.

 

[Woodlouse]

I keep hearing this, but don't see why.

No good reason as long as the shackle is appropriate. I think most of it comes because of the number of snap shackles found on boats, it really wouldn't be sensible to go up on one of those.