Climbing the mast, why? How?

I have metal folding steps on the mainmast. They are excellent. When folded in, you would hardly hnow they were there, and they have never been a problem.
 
NormanS said:
I have metal folding steps on the mainmast. They are excellent. When folded in, you would hardly hnow they were there, and they have never been a problem.
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Even better is a long ladder hoisted on the main halyard to give access to spreaders where you rest and the ladder is hoisted up the next leg etc. By attching the ladder to the halyard two or three rungs down from the top, you have good access to the instruments or whatever you've gone up for.
 
My best sailing pal is 18 stone - I am 12. So who gets hoisted up the masts of both boats and who does the hoisting? Despite being frightened of heights, going up a mast doesnt bother me at all.

Why go up? Every year at least once to check fittings. Often to replace bulbs or the wind vane etc. Its just another job. Climb it at sea? No way unless forced by circumstances.
 
Time to mention that apocryphal story of the double handed mid-transatlantic yacht where the bloke went to the top of the mast, shackled himself on and promptly died of a heart attack.

His Missus was left to sail the next 800 miles or so with her hubby swinging about like a swingy thing :(

I doubt it ever happened though.
 
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Partner and I were running an Ocean 60 schooner and were having the masts out at a yard in N. Carolina. She doesn't like heights so she hauled me up both masts with the self tailing winches. And I weighed the wrong side of 14 stone !
On our present boat we re reeve one of the spinnaker halyards, through a block at the base of the mast, to a block on the foredeck and then onto the drum of the anchor windlass. Works a treat ! Once up I clip on a spare halyard for safety. I actually love doing it allthough 4 hours in mid atlantic trying to unwrap a spinnaker did cause a sense of humour failure !
Chris
 
I hate and I mean really hate going up the mast. There is only one thing I can imagine that is more horrific and that is what my wife would do to me if I even hinted that she is far lighter.
I have a bosun's chair but every time I start going up i feel I am going to tip over backward and be left dangling or drop out.
I suckle the mast going up and down like a baby to the bosom.
Bosun's chairs are suppose to be safe so why do I never feel safe in them?
 
Mudisox said:
Even better is a long ladder hoisted on the main halyard to give access to spreaders where you rest and the ladder is hoisted up the next leg etc. By attching the ladder to the halyard two or three rungs down from the top, you have good access to the instruments or whatever you've gone up for.
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I've done this a couple of times (on an Albin Vega 27) - hoisted a standard aluminium "painters ladder" close to masthead with main halyard then secured shorter (?) 5 meter ladder at mast foot to get me to base of upper ladder.

Obviously only works on a shortish mast (about 10 meters in my case).

But very painless compared with bosun's chair etc.

Obviously I had a safety line and a helper on deck...
 
Nostrodamus said:
I hate and I mean really hate going up the mast. There is only one thing I can imagine that is more horrific and that is what my wife would do to me if I even hinted that she is far lighter.
I have a bosun's chair but every time I start going up i feel I am going to tip over backward and be left dangling or drop out.
I suckle the mast going up and down like a baby to the bosom.
Bosun's chairs are suppose to be safe so why do I never feel safe in them?
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I do know what you mean... but I have to say, I recommend my bosuns chair- it's called a 'Solent' I think, and it feels safe and comfortable- I always have a trial 'sit' in it just above the deck to make sure I've got it adjusted right. http://www.marinechandlery.com/solent-bosun-s-chair I can sit in it for ages without feeling too bad.
 
phanakapan said:
I do know what you mean... but I have to say, I recommend my bosuns chair- it's called a 'Solent' I think, and it feels safe and comfortable- I always have a trial 'sit' in it just above the deck to make sure I've got it adjusted right. http://www.marinechandlery.com/solent-bosun-s-chair I can sit in it for ages without feeling too bad.
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Yep, that's the one we have but when you take your hands off to do something I still don't feel safe. It is probably not the chair but me and being up high. I have to do it but I really hate it. Would rather spend a day unblocking the loo.
 
nigelmercier said:
Wasn't there a DIY version of this type of thing published?

They seem quite expensive http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/370589385241
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Yes, the subject has come up several times on PBO. There are some made using a plywood board and a couple of fairleads and cam cleats. My Mastclimb is quite simple and could be made easily by anyone with reasonable engineering skills.
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vyv_cox said:
There are some made using a plywood board and a couple of fairleads and cam cleats. My Mastclimb is quite simple and could be made easily by anyone with reasonable engineering skills...
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I'm not sure what is worse, my woodworking skills, or my metalwork.

Damn my parents for making me be in the A-stream at school, and taking Latin: hoc flumen tam latus est ut nemo facile transire posit. Very useful.
 
There seems to be an awful lot of stigma about mast climbing when in reality, with only very basic precautions its very difficult to get wrong.

For me, the burgee halyard is my number one reason for going to the masthead. Followed by the occasional lost or fouled halyard.

Otherwise I've spent many weeks up the masts of big classics to varnish them as we'll as minor rigging, checks and again, burgee halyards. I'm much more comfortable up traditional masts as I like to be able to hold onto something. Bit sparse modern masts I find very unpleasant.
 
I made one, same principle as Vyv Cox's, but made of oak with a rope clutch instead of cam cleats. I get hauled up in a bosuns chair on the main halyard, but assist the person hauling me up by using the home made climber which is on a second halyard tied off at the mast foot and tensioned. For complete belt & braces safety the spinnaker halyard is led round the mast and used as a safety line attached directly to my harness and not to the bosuns chair. Standing up in the climber allows me to see over the masthead and work on things up there.
 
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