Dangers of climbing masts

[Snowgoose-1]

I don't recall any injuries of people climbing masts when afloat in a marina.

Quite a few when falling off decks on hardstanding though.

Any experience ?

 

[RunAgroundHard]

Yes, a few reports of death and injury over the years. Some associated with climbing at sea, some associated with medical issues aloft alongside. This is from memory of stuff I have read in the yachting press over the years.

Personally, aloft outside Vigo, in a calm with big rolling Atlantic swell, I got bruised from just holding on, when releasing a stuck main halyard.

Why do you want to know?

Example, about 2 seconds search, using Google. Muore impiccato all'albero. Ecco cosa è successo

 

[Snowgoose-1]

Yes, a few reports of death and injury over the years. Some associated with climbing at sea, some associated with medical issues aloft alongside. This is from memory of stuff I have read in the yachting press over the years.

Personally, aloft outside Vigo, in a calm with big rolling Atlantic swell, I got bruised from just holding on, when releasing a stuck main halyard.

Why do you want to know?

Example, about 2 seconds search, using Google. Muore impiccato all'albero. Ecco cosa è successo

Interesting.
Just thinking that most of us (including me) baulk at the idea of climbing a mast in the marina in calm conditions, yet , work on boat decks on the hard standing where there are often nasty injuries.

 

[RunAgroundHard]

Yes, it's an odd one, mast or deck on the hard, when working at height is always more risky than working at ground elevation. This winter, on the hard, I had ice on my deck and that was a worry. Rushing to meet a deadline for lift in, reduced mobility as we age, reduced strength all add to the risk.

 

[finestgreen]

Interesting.
Just thinking that most of us (including me) baulk at the idea of climbing a mast in the marina in calm conditions, yet , work on boat decks on the hard standing where there are often nasty injuries.

I'd suspect there's a *lot* more collective hours of work on decks than of climbing masts.

 

[BobnLesley]

I'd suspect there's a *lot* more collective hours of work on decks than of climbing masts.

That; plus, when climbing a mast, you're likely to be giving a lot more consideration and attention to safety/fall risk than you'd do when 'just' working on deck.
There is a psychological aspect to mast climbing too: I've been up quite a few, but never once felt comfortable in doing so when a boat's been ashore and realistically, that's safer: The boat's not rocking for starters and if I did fall, that hard ground would almost certainly be an irrelevance; I'd be more likely to land on the deck whether the boat was ashore or afloat.

 

[NormanS]

When my boat is ashore, she is in a substantial cradle, so while I'm not that keen on going up the mast, I'm even less keen when she's afloat, and able to move.

 

[capnsensible]

With each lap of the sun, I'm less liable to go aloft. 8n more nimble times, was much easier in harbour than at sea. Good body padding is an advantage....of the wearable type.

As there is no Thunderbirds International Rescue, going aloft at sea is sometimes necessary. The racing guys who do it in the Southern Ocean are amazing.

 

[Snowgoose-1]

Interesting that riggers always wear hard hats now when climbing masts and we don't.

When I have been aloft, just a small movement of anyone below is magnified . Probably, more chance of something pointy harming your head than falling down.

 

[Davy_S]

Bring back bob a job, cubs were very easy to haul up the mast.

 

[Neeves]

Interesting that riggers always wear hard hats now when climbing masts and we don't.

Speak for yourself. We had a helmet for mast climbing and on the occasion if we had an MOB and someone had to go over the side to help them. I'd never go up a mast at sea without one. A decent cycle helmet is better than nothing and if you carry bikes has dual usage.

Helmets should be part of all safety kit.

Jonathan

 

[NormanS]

There's a good case for any deck assistants to wear hard hats when someone is up the mast. Things have been known to be accidentally dropped.

 

[Mark-1]

I don't recall any injuries of people climbing masts when afloat in a marina.

Quite a few when falling off decks on hardstanding though.

Any experience ?

I'm pretty sure a forumite's daughter died falling from a mast on a boat afloat.

EDIT: Unfortunately, I remembered correctly. Tragedy for one of our Community