Defee Mast Ladder

[I never get the name I wa]

Problem is the new mast is taller than the ladder is long. Do I get SWMBO to pull it up whilst I rest on another halyard/ spreader base?

That's in fact what we used to do. I'd climb to first spreaders with my wife tailing the bosuns chair with minimal load on it. No effort for her at all.

Then while I was on the spreader she'd pull up the extra 5 feet of ladder and I'd continue climbing.

Priceless bit of kit.

 

[Babylon]

I use a Deffee system - quick to rig, easy and stable to climb/descend, and I like the rigid rungs.

If I'm alone (ie have no-one to work the spinnaker halyard safety line), then I simply go up with a lifeline attached to the bosun's chair: when I get to the spreaders I sling the line around the mast above them; when I get to the top of the mast I sling the line around the shrouds.

Used it several times in the last three years.

 

[Graham_Wright]

I'll lend you a MastaClimba for comparison if you like. I see you are just down the road.

 

[zikzik]

My Defee mast ladder arrived a week or so ago. Not tried it yet but looks very well made.

 

[prv]

2) I'm not relying on a single line to support me. If the halyard supporting the chair broke my weight is taken by the Mast Climb on the topping lift

Well, presumably the chair halyard would only break when there was load on it, ie when you were sitting in the chair. If that happened, I very much doubt you would find yourself standing on the Mast Climb, any more than you would find yourself standing on the lawn if a garden chair collapsed under you. Instead, you would topple backwards, your feet would fall off the steps, and you would plummet to the deck arse-first. Alternatively, your boots would jam under the top stirrup part, break both ankles, and then plummet to the deck, this time head-first.

Sorry.

It's no good just having multiple lines, you need to consider how the weight and balance would transfer when the accident happens.

Pete

 

[prv]

I wonder what safety line system can be rigged for single-handed climbing?

There are devices used for industrial access at height which will follow you slowly up and down a rope, but if pulled hard/quickly will lock in place - a bit like a car seatbelt in concept. I've recently bought one now that I have a bigger mast; I haven't used it in anger yet but a test on a short piece of vertical rope set up at home seemed convincing.

Pete

 

[antares]

There are devices used for industrial access at height which will follow you slowly up and down a rope, but if pulled hard/quickly will lock in place - a bit like a car seatbelt in concept. I've recently bought one now that I have a bigger mast; I haven't used it in anger yet but a test on a short piece of vertical rope set up at home seemed convincing.

Pete

Are these things called ascenders? If anyone knew of the name , make or model of such a thing which could be used rather like the gismo which the topclimber set up uses I'd really like to know where to get one. Any info much appreciated

 

[prv]

Are these things called ascenders?

Ascenders (sometimes spelt ascendeur) are similar, but they only go up. Even under no load, they will not go down. Most use a mechanism somewhat like a dinghy sheet cam cleat, inside a metal body that holds the rope in position. The main manufacturer is Petzl, but others are sold.

They're not quite the same as the industrial ones; those will mostly back off if not under load, to allow you to climb back down a ladder, say. I'm not quite sure what the right word is for those; I have seen "rope grab" used, but that's probably not the proper term.

Pete

 

[fishermantwo]

Are these things called ascenders? If anyone knew of the name , make or model of such a thing which could be used rather like the gismo which the topclimber set up uses I'd really like to know where to get one. Any info much appreciated

Ebay. Usually a whole range of climbing gear.

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/190743314176?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

This is a descender but gives you the idea.

 

[robbieg]

Very Good Bit of Kit

I have one-very good bit of kit. Do bear in mind however that you need the sail track to be free to use it-for me with a fully battened main that means quite a bit of work removing the main to clear the gate and feed in the ladder. Not a problem if you are scheduling a trip up the mast when the sail is off-slightly more of an irritation if a mast bulb goes and you want to nip up to change it after mooring up for the night.

 

[webcraft]

A friend used our Deffee on his boat even though our slides did not fit his track. We just hauled it up and lashed it so it was under tension. Not as good as with the slides in place, but still quite useable. The rigid rungs are what set it apart from other mast 'ladders'.

- W

 

[antares]

Ebay. Usually a whole range of climbing gear.

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/190743314176?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

This is a descender but gives you the idea.

Many thanks for that, looks good for a start,there'sclearly a whole new range of kit out there.

 

[Houleaux]

Well, presumably the chair halyard would only break when there was load on it, ie when you were sitting in the chair. If that happened, I very much doubt you would find yourself standing on the Mast Climb, any more than you would find yourself standing on the lawn if a garden chair collapsed under you. Instead, you would topple backwards, your feet would fall off the steps, and you would plummet to the deck arse-first. Alternatively, your boots would jam under the top stirrup part, break both ankles, and then plummet to the deck, this time head-first.

Sorry.

It's no good just having multiple lines, you need to consider how the weight and balance would transfer when the accident happens.

Pete

There's no need to apologise! What you say is absolutely true and highlights the need for additional precautions. However, your garden chair analogy is not a perfect one as you don't have things in front of you to hold on to (or be strapped to). You also support your weight with your butt rather than your feet.

I'm not a great fan of heights and do all I can think of to stay safe. When ascending I either hold on to or loop my arm around the topping lift or mast so that, if the chair gave way whilst my knees were bent, I wouldn't fall backwards. When I've reached the required height, I stand on the Mast Climb rather than sit in the chair and either hold on to the boat with one hand or, if I need both hands to carry out whatever job I'm up there for (I hate that!), take a life line from my harness around the mast - preferably above a stay or something so it can't slide down - and back to the harness. If there's nothing to stop it sliding down the mast or to clip it to, I take a turn around the mast before clipping it back to the harness in the hope that that would slow any accidental descent (I've not tested this and don't wish to!).

It's these measures in combination that I believe provides additional security when compared to a single line on a bosum's chair.

Cheers,

Rob