Phoenix of Hamble
Well-Known Member
Glad I'm not the only one who has that challenge!
Climbing the mast, why? How?
- Thread starter taz
- Start date
GlennG
Well-Known Member
I wanted to get the mast climbing thing sorted out such that I can do it on my own and not rely on those below to haul my (then) 17 stone carcass aloft.
After some Googling, I decided that I'd go round to the local climbing wall (in Shoreham) and have a chat with the staff there. I found a guy who was a sailor and an instructor of "Working at height". I booked my 2 hour lesson and returned a day or so later. Learned a lot and have used it many times since.
My technique, modified from the instructor's, is to use TWO halyards, one to climb and one for safety. I select the two halyards and bend on a length of climbing rope using a "Figure of Nine" knot (the instructor wasn't keen on our staple knots). This knot is a figure of eight with an extra turn; you feed the second rope through to follow the knot. Figure of eight knots are sods to undo; figure of nine are easy.
I use a standard Petzl climbing harness but add a sailing chest harness which I clip together with a carabiner. This means I can move my centre of gravity higher, so don't fall backwards (the climbers need to lean out, we don't).
The safety line is loosely attached to the deck, so it doesn't flail around. You use a "Petzl Shunt" which you always keep above shoulder height. (The Shunt is a one-way device which jams if you put downwards weight on it, e.g. the main halyard fails). When descending, you pull the shunt down using a thin piece of twine between your little finger and ring finger -- if you fall, it'll slip out of your hand and jam!
The main climb is done using a "Petzl GriGri" and a "Petzl Ascender" with the line doubling back up for a 2-1 purchase. A foot loop hangs from the ascender, so you push down on the foot and take the slack up in the GriGri. Then push the ascender up and repeat. Every third push, you slide the safety shunt up as high as you can reach.
The descent is a simple abseil down using the GriGri as a brake, holding the shunt's twine loosely in your little finger
It took a little bit of practice, but isn't too difficult. Only issue is getting your nadgers caught on a shroud when the boat's moving at sea!
I keep all the kit in a bag on the boat including the two dedicated climbing lines; once bought that's it. The main benefit is being completely independent of anyone on board.
After some Googling, I decided that I'd go round to the local climbing wall (in Shoreham) and have a chat with the staff there. I found a guy who was a sailor and an instructor of "Working at height". I booked my 2 hour lesson and returned a day or so later. Learned a lot and have used it many times since.
My technique, modified from the instructor's, is to use TWO halyards, one to climb and one for safety. I select the two halyards and bend on a length of climbing rope using a "Figure of Nine" knot (the instructor wasn't keen on our staple knots). This knot is a figure of eight with an extra turn; you feed the second rope through to follow the knot. Figure of eight knots are sods to undo; figure of nine are easy.
I use a standard Petzl climbing harness but add a sailing chest harness which I clip together with a carabiner. This means I can move my centre of gravity higher, so don't fall backwards (the climbers need to lean out, we don't).
The safety line is loosely attached to the deck, so it doesn't flail around. You use a "Petzl Shunt" which you always keep above shoulder height. (The Shunt is a one-way device which jams if you put downwards weight on it, e.g. the main halyard fails). When descending, you pull the shunt down using a thin piece of twine between your little finger and ring finger -- if you fall, it'll slip out of your hand and jam!
The main climb is done using a "Petzl GriGri" and a "Petzl Ascender" with the line doubling back up for a 2-1 purchase. A foot loop hangs from the ascender, so you push down on the foot and take the slack up in the GriGri. Then push the ascender up and repeat. Every third push, you slide the safety shunt up as high as you can reach.
The descent is a simple abseil down using the GriGri as a brake, holding the shunt's twine loosely in your little finger
It took a little bit of practice, but isn't too difficult. Only issue is getting your nadgers caught on a shroud when the boat's moving at sea!
I keep all the kit in a bag on the boat including the two dedicated climbing lines; once bought that's it. The main benefit is being completely independent of anyone on board.
nigelmercier
RIP
- Joined
- 20 Jun 2007
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- 16,234
- Location
- Live in Kent, boat in Canary Islands
Have you got a diagram for this arrangement?
Rossynant
Well-Known Member
Perhaps some may be of further help...
This article shows some ways, popular http://www.planetfear.com/articles/Going_Up_Rope_Ascending_Methods_499.html
This is more profesional http://www.angloaccess.co.uk/rope-access.html
Petzl GriGri - a braking device, lightweight, works by friction, used by alpinists because it's light. There are safety issues about it, though. How it work: http://www.petzl.com/files/imagecache/product_outdoor_slideshow_zoom/node_media/grigri-5_0.jpg
Petzl descender - device for profesionals - going down as well as up on the line - moves only when held in hand, otherwise it stops. attached at harness, used in conjunction with ascender for legs. Can be taken on/off the line when hanging on. http://campsavercontent.campsavercm...d6e5fb8d27136e95/p/e/petzl-stop-descender.jpg Used in caving and work, guess too heavy for alpinists to carry
Petzl SHUNT - for security, jams and stops when pull lands on it, but easy to move down - which is a plus... How it works http://www.napieraj.pl/xoops/modules/wfsection/images/article/Ropes_1_19.jpeg http://web.up.ac.za/sitefiles/Image/44/2163/MiniBaja/incline_shunt.gif http://ems.imageg.net/graphics/product_images/pEMS1-6230456venh.jpg
I was taught the best device for security is a simple knot of line, no mechanism to jam with dirt or such - actually using such devices for climbing line or descent, had always a prussik or such knot on the safety line, and NOT made of synthetics...
Nice look at the gear http://img.geocaching.com/cache/cf076a07-db98-47e3-a1b9-62385c3494ab.jpg
Safety lines with 'shock-absorber' - proff stuff, nice thing to have for harness anyway
http://www.alfabhp.poznan.pl/images/amortyzatory_3.jpg
Chest harness should always be used (not only just a lower one) as there is a danger of spinal injury without it, should one fall down. (Being old I was taught to use both in climbing - chest and sit)
Harnesses may by separate - chest harness (as used for safety aboard) + lower for sitting in.
Chest: http://www.nopex.com.pl/images/petzl/uprzeze/easy.jpg http://www.nopex.com.pl/images/petzl/c64.jpg
Lower http://www.nopex.com.pl/images/petzl/uprzeze/canyon.jpg http://www.e-pamir.pl/window.php?p=showFoto&adresFoto=files/652_big.jpg&tytylStrony=Navaho Sit
Line is connected to both, i.e goes through chest belt and attaches to lower, or both parts are connected by carabine and line attached at chest one, or whatever. The idea is that as one is falling first pull gets at upper body and keeps him vertical, so the pull force acts mainly on legs and hips, not across lower back and spinal cord... Even having chest belt only is better than bottom only, chest can take couple times more load, iirc over a ton.
Only climbers lately use the low belt one that can break unlucky man in half or put him head down (and slipping out of harness)
Or - This is "full" harness, for working professionals so to say http://www.nopex.com.pl/images/petzl/uprzeze/newton_fast_jak.jpg
http://www.nopex.com.pl/images/petzl/uprzeze/8003.jpg http://www.alpintech.pl/galerie/s/skill-uni-uprzaz-do-prac_4166_m.jpg
as can be seen this combines 'sitting' harness and chest harness in one. Line (safety line) is clipped into at chest height or goes through a chest part and clips at bottom. Sorry I don't know English terminology here.
This is in Polish, sorry, but shows various harness arrangements. Fig 4 shows nice sitting harness, in fact a perfect bosun's chair. For day's work on line. http://bialydunajec.org/pliki/linowa/ver9/2.3 Uprzeze.pdf
This article shows some ways, popular http://www.planetfear.com/articles/Going_Up_Rope_Ascending_Methods_499.html
This is more profesional http://www.angloaccess.co.uk/rope-access.html
Petzl GriGri - a braking device, lightweight, works by friction, used by alpinists because it's light. There are safety issues about it, though. How it work: http://www.petzl.com/files/imagecache/product_outdoor_slideshow_zoom/node_media/grigri-5_0.jpg
Petzl descender - device for profesionals - going down as well as up on the line - moves only when held in hand, otherwise it stops. attached at harness, used in conjunction with ascender for legs. Can be taken on/off the line when hanging on. http://campsavercontent.campsavercm...d6e5fb8d27136e95/p/e/petzl-stop-descender.jpg Used in caving and work, guess too heavy for alpinists to carry
Petzl SHUNT - for security, jams and stops when pull lands on it, but easy to move down - which is a plus... How it works http://www.napieraj.pl/xoops/modules/wfsection/images/article/Ropes_1_19.jpeg http://web.up.ac.za/sitefiles/Image/44/2163/MiniBaja/incline_shunt.gif http://ems.imageg.net/graphics/product_images/pEMS1-6230456venh.jpg
I was taught the best device for security is a simple knot of line, no mechanism to jam with dirt or such - actually using such devices for climbing line or descent, had always a prussik or such knot on the safety line, and NOT made of synthetics...
Nice look at the gear
http://img.geocaching.com/cache/cf076a07-db98-47e3-a1b9-62385c3494ab.jpgSafety lines with 'shock-absorber' - proff stuff, nice thing to have for harness anyway
http://www.alfabhp.poznan.pl/images/amortyzatory_3.jpg Chest harness should always be used (not only just a lower one) as there is a danger of spinal injury without it, should one fall down. (Being old I was taught to use both in climbing - chest and sit)
Harnesses may by separate - chest harness (as used for safety aboard) + lower for sitting in.
Chest: http://www.nopex.com.pl/images/petzl/uprzeze/easy.jpg http://www.nopex.com.pl/images/petzl/c64.jpg
Lower http://www.nopex.com.pl/images/petzl/uprzeze/canyon.jpg http://www.e-pamir.pl/window.php?p=showFoto&adresFoto=files/652_big.jpg&tytylStrony=Navaho Sit
Line is connected to both, i.e goes through chest belt and attaches to lower, or both parts are connected by carabine and line attached at chest one, or whatever. The idea is that as one is falling first pull gets at upper body and keeps him vertical, so the pull force acts mainly on legs and hips, not across lower back and spinal cord... Even having chest belt only is better than bottom only, chest can take couple times more load, iirc over a ton.
Only climbers lately use the low belt one that can break unlucky man in half or put him head down (and slipping out of harness)
Or - This is "full" harness, for working professionals so to say http://www.nopex.com.pl/images/petzl/uprzeze/newton_fast_jak.jpg
http://www.nopex.com.pl/images/petzl/uprzeze/8003.jpg http://www.alpintech.pl/galerie/s/skill-uni-uprzaz-do-prac_4166_m.jpg
as can be seen this combines 'sitting' harness and chest harness in one. Line (safety line) is clipped into at chest height or goes through a chest part and clips at bottom. Sorry I don't know English terminology here.
This is in Polish, sorry, but shows various harness arrangements. Fig 4 shows nice sitting harness, in fact a perfect bosun's chair. For day's work on line. http://bialydunajec.org/pliki/linowa/ver9/2.3 Uprzeze.pdf
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