Climbing the Mast

[WindermereColvic]

Apologises profusely for not knowing this sort of thing
Planning my spring maintenance, and I recon I need at least 2 trips to the top of the mast to find out what type of bulb my broken ones are, then go up again to change them. From what I can tell, it’s the tricolour and the downwards deck light that need attention, but I don’t know the make/model of either. Thing is, I don’t really know how to go out up there. The deck light I could just about reach from a ladder, but I don’t like the idea of a ladder even when tied up at the pontoon, doesn’t seem stable enough. I have come to the conclusion I will have to be winched up on the main halyard, either with a spare halyard attached as well, of with one tensioned off, and a few rolling hitches/similar taken on it to support me if the main should break. The main h&s issue seems to be that I have no idea what condition the masthead pulleys are in, if for some reason they are badly corroded, then they could both fail at once :-s. What is the usual way of going about this? And any alternatives to a bosun’s chair? Been looking at a climbing harness, but also considered just tying a very large bowline with a doubled up rope, to give two small leg loops and a under the arms loop. Doesn’t seem like it would be too uncomfortable, but...
Bit of a ramble that lot, ta, Matt PS boats 28’

 

[earlybird]

If you are lightweight and have competent assistants of herculean strength and in whom you have complete trust, being winched up is a possibility. If you're anything like me, forget it. FWIIW, I use 2 climbing ascenders, one attached to a bosun's chair, one to a pair of foot-loops. With these, I climb a 12mm rope hauled up the mast on the halyards, and made off under tension at the foot of the mast. I can just manage one climb per day with this gear.

 

[Tranona]

Would be much more sensible to take the mast out. That way you can check all the rigging and fittings as well as the light. Chance are the lights are Aquasignal and bulbs are easy to get. However, if it were me, I would not want to use a boat I did not know without taking the mast down!

 

[MarkJohnson12345]

Consider a mast ladder, one that is made of webbing and is hoisted up the mainsail track. Easy to climb. I use it with a bosun's chair on another halyard as safety and somewhere to sit whilst I do the job.

The deck light is going to be a 12v halogen light, with two prongs, not sure of the name but is common, chandler should give the right one. Masttop light is also going to be well know by chandler, so hopefully one trip should do.

My only tip is to check the bulbs before you go up, I didn't and had to go up again to replace the duff new bulb!

Mj

 

[Salty John]

I usually go up on in a bosuns chair on the main halyard. Two people on the winch, one tailing and one grinding works best. On my last boat I used the electric anchor windlass rope gypy to make things easy.
When you get above the spreaders you can help the grinder by pulling yourself up on the shrouds when they come within reach.
If your main halyard pulley is located within the masthead box any pulley collapse will not be disasterous. If you have external blocks I'd have the mast down and check them before trusting them.
If you mistrust the halyard/pulley you shouldn't use them. If they seem alright, when you get to the spreaders run a loop of line from the chair around the mast and back to the chair. If the halyard lets go you will only fall as far as the spreaders in the worst case.
Don't trust the halyard shackle; tie a bowline and then clip the shackle on as a back up.
It's easy if you don't mind heights!

 

[Spyro]

I have been up my 30 foot mast on my own with 3 prussic loops (google it) around the mast. 2 for my feet 1 for the bosuns chair. Getting past spreaders and fitting is a bit of a pain. I use 12mm rope for the feet loops and thick soled shoes this way it does not cut into your feet. Start by standing on the boom attatch feet loops to the mast about 3 feet above attatch the loop for the bosuns chair fit a large snap shackle to the loop. slide it up to head head. stand in the feet loops snap the shackle onto the d ring on the bosuns chair. Sit in the chair and then slide the feet loops up the mast. stand in the feet loops slip the chair loop up the mast, sit in the chair. slide the feet loops up. Get the idea now? when you reach an obstruction like the spreaders you have to stand in the feet loops take off the chair loop re-attatch it above the spreader then clip back in do the same when the feet loops reach the spreaders. when you get to the top you can sit in the chair and have your feet in the loops for extra comfort. coming back down is the reverse.
I take up a spare loop in case I drop one. how do I know to do that? Had to come down once with one foot loop.
It's slow going but very comfortable when at the top.
If you don't fancy this and you can reach the deck light with a ladder, take the ladder on board. Tie the bottom to the mast and to the toe rails this way it cant move when you get up the ladder also tie the top to the mast.

 

[Quandary]

You are fortunate that your mast is really quite short and the boat is stable so the trip to the top is not a long one. Safety is paramount so you need a comfortable bosun's chair( you should be able to borrow one as many boats carry them but inspect the stitching carefully) tied to a strong halyard, (use a bowline, do not use the snapshackle). Put a second halyard on your safety harness as back up. Take everything you need in a bag or canvas bucket ( you should be able to discover what bulbs you need by testing the lights.) Take a spray can of teflon lubricant in case you come on any stiff sheaves and a roll of tape. Make sure the halyards are locked off once you are at a working level, if you are not too heavy you should be able to pull yourself up using the shrouds (I wear fingerless sailing gloves) or you may be able to use the anchor windlass. Two people to tail is safer, but if only one keep taking up the slack on the back-up halyard. Make sure not to drop anything on your crew below as injury or shock can spoil their concentration.
(My mast is 15m. and I am an old git who suffers from vertigo on a ladder but by being methodical and paying attention to detail I can get up and work at the top reasonably comfortably though I like to keep one hand for holding on most of the time or I put a harness strop on at the working level to let me lean back or twist around.) Once I had to go to the masthead on a Sigma 33 using a couple of loops of rope which eventually began to constrict me in a very sensitive region, when I threw up I discovered that the crew had not locked off the halyard I was on but they caught me before I hit the spreaders.

 

[deaks]

Having only been up a mast 3 times I was very grateful that I took my climbing harness along, when your hanging around I think your idea of a double bowline might be a tad uncomfortable. As I did my mast climb on a friends boat he had invested in a pair of Jumars ie rope prussiking devices.
So once you get the hang of it things go well. Tensioning the line you are accending at the bottom is a must.

In between jobs I'm usually based down in Ambleside so if you need to borrow my harness and you need an extra pair of hands even mid week PM me. After Jan 17th I will be there.

 

[matelot]

sail mostly with a pal. he's 18st and built like a brick privvy, I'm just 12 st. so its me that goes up the masts of both boats every year and usually several times a year. best way so far is for the muscle to operate the winch and you to go up in a bosuns chair. but there are many differnt chairs to chose from and most are crippling round the goolies. you need one with a wooden seat so you are not putting load where it isnt appreciated.

personally I've never worried about masthead pulleys - they get far more load with the sail halyards anyway, and provided you have two halyards fastened to the chair it doesnt matter if one pulley fails. if both go (and I am assuming halyards go up inside the mast) then its a fire brigade job.

take a thin line with you so you can pass tools etc up and down when you are at the top.

try and do it all in one trip so take a selection of the standard bulbs up with you together with silicone grease, a meter, screwdrivers and emery paper.

 

[alan17]

If you opt for the "Spyro" system don't forget to untie from top of mast before descending!

 

[Blue5]

I bought a topclimber, very pleased with it and allows me to go up and down without help. As previously said make sure you secure to a halyard, dont rely on a snap shackel, affix a secondary safety line and if possible make sure all your tools are secured with a lanyard,

 

[PetiteFleur]

I prefer the Deflens ladder - it goes up the mast track, hauled up by the mail halliard and tied off taut. I wear a harness with a lifeline which when I get to the correct height I wrap twice around the mast and clip back on. You can safely lean back with the harness. My friend and I share a Deflens ladder with sliders to suit the different masts on either side of the ladder. Always tie on tools or have someone below tying them to a rope to be hauled up. The assistant does NOT stand by the mast in case anything drops! Alternatively for the steaming and deck light I use an extending ladder tied securely to the boat in several places - but only if ashore. Good Luck!

 

[Heigaro]

Easy...

/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[catalac08]

however you go up be sure to be attached to 2 separate halyards, if not 2 halyards use the topping lift . This is potentially quite a dangerous project and remember to tie all tools on.
I go up by pulling myself up on the down going side of a halyard (2:1 pulley ratio) and swimbo tails the other halyard on a winch as a safety line.Both halyards on separate blocks. When at the top I put a loop of thick rope around the mast to lean out on.
As other members have noted a good way is to haul up a ladder and climb this tying it to the mast as you go - this is probably the most comfortable way of spending time at the mast head.

 

[Searush]

I usually go up the mast (13st) while no1 son handles the winch. I haul down on the halliard so I get a 2:1 advantage & son (10-11st wet) easily takes up the slack on the winch & passes the tail over a cleat so I can rest at any time. He is unlikely to let me go as he would not have time to get out of the way before I crushed him!

My Bosun's chair is a home made one with a plank seat and it is reasonably comfortable, but don't underestimate the effect of the stress of simply being up there, it is tiring & mistakes are easily made.

 

[spinny]

Hi
If you don't know the state of your halyards for climbing on it might be worth while changing them with new ones. Sew the end of the new one to the end of the old one, pull the old one out - the new one goes in.

Don't climb on any external masthead blocks (pulleys), if they go there is nothing stopping you falling to deck (unless you've got a back up line on). Always use a masthead sheave that allows the halyard to run down inside the mast. If the sheave shatters or breaks then the halyard you are climbing on will only drop a few inches until the mast slot catches it.

Masthead lights can sometimes be difficult to reach both in a bosuns chair or a 'work positioning harness' /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif and you can expend a lot of energy trying to reach up to remove the cover and get to the bulb. An option here which I've done in the past is the rig up a little standing platform. You can then work away to your hearts content.

It does sound though that you're not entirely happy going up the mast. Your yacht is on the small side, so as 'Tranona' said, why don't you just drop the mast. you can take your time then and do as many trips as you like to the masthead.

 

[tabernacleman]

'Just drop the mast' to change a bulb /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif!!! some sound advice here but also some dodgy /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif IMHO ie the 'topping lift' what breaking strain? 'put a line round the spreaders then you can only fall as far as spreaders' wrong- you fall past them as far as you have gone above!! Most bosuns chairs do not allow you to stand in any sort of foot straps, the chair leaves your bott. My advice FWIW if singe handed, minimum 10mm rope four time length of mast height, remove main sheet block and pulley, thread the rope and haul the pulley to mast head, attach the block with jammer to SIT HARNESS, haul away, 4 to 1 ratio makes it easy, and keep the tail through the jammers as you go, rig a foot loop below the sit harness to allow you to stand when at the top. If you have an assistant I would attach two halyards,one to sit harness, one to large foot loop, the assistant pulls up foot loop, jambs off, you stand up, assistant pulls up sit harness, jambs off, you sit and pull up feet while assistant pulls up foot loop, continue all the way to the top, the foot loop is pushed one foot either side of mast, keeps you steady, if one halyard breaks, unlikely, but you only drop about one foot, suprisingly quick once a rhythm is established, and no strength required by the assistant and very comfortable for you when at the top. Climbing sit harness quite cheap now and they have attachments for all sorts of climbing gear, so a couple of carribeeners useful.
Hope that helps, I get through to Billings area quite often if you want further help.

 

[spinny]

It's no big deal dropping a mast on a small 28 foot yacht. You don't even have to pay for a crane as the mast is small enough to do it with a 'jury rig'. With the mast down you can then inspect everything at leisure, not just the bulbs.

 

[William_H]

IMHO it is only a 50/50 chance it is the bulbs failed. Just as likely to be corrosion or bad wiring. Best pull the mast down and get the light working before you raise it again. olewill

 

[simonfraser]

if you do go up, take several bulbs with you, easier to buy too many and only go once (you might be able to get a refund on the bulbs) , test them first as said.
corosion is likely to be a problem too.