DIY MastClimber

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gregcope

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Hi All

Thought I would share my 12.5M DIY Mast Climber made from 25mm tubular webbing; 20mm PVC pipe; Figure of eight and overhand knots, plus whipping.

Took a while longer to make in the weekend sunshine ... I was looking to buy a pre-made one, however the parts are allot cheaper and I had little else to do...

Not tested yet, bar this tree.

Instructions available.F4C09320-DA30-413C-8194-2771F26F72D0.jpeg
 
Looks like it makes a good rope bridge too!

Good work. We almost made one a few months back but ended up buying a roll-up fire escape ladder, but yours would stash away smaller.
 
Ah - I can tell the wife it has multiple uses!

Cost was around £60 and my time. This used 38M of 25mm Nylon tubular webbing and 6M of PVC pipe. Also included mast slides which are hard to see, but should make climbing very much easier as it will stop the ladder moving around.

Now the right way up (posted from a Mac?!?!?)


DIY-Mast-Climber-3.jpg

Would make it again. Only mod would be to make the steps wider as its easier to get your foot in. Would obviously need more webbing and 20mm PVC pipe.
 
Here is an alternative. This one was professionally made, called a Mastclimb, no longer in production. I have seen many DIY alternatives, often using plywood and a camcleat. I have climbed my mast(s) using it for many years and find it to be a cheap and simple method for occasional use.
 
I made this one a few years back. Webbing, sail sliders and aluminium right angle.
 

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Gregcope, what sort of thread and sewing machine were used for this project? Been wanting to make one the same for a while but wasn’t sure if I’d need an industrial machine and super heavy thread to do so.

I have my mates a Singer 201k at the mo, I wonder if that would be man enough to get through tubular webbing?

EDIT: just re-read your post and I now see you just used knots! We’re the sail sliders sewn in position?
 
@fredrussell All hand whipped.

Some whipping of tubular webbing together.

Each Step is sewn to the webbing to stop it moving / away from knot so that its in the right place for when you want to place your foot on it.

I have seen sewn ones, instead of the overhand knot, they sew a rectangular box 25x40mm with an internal X pattern above where the knot is. Two layers of tubular webbing is quite easy to get through so I would assume any reasonable sewing machine should do it. Three or more layers less so.
 
Yellow Ballad said:
I love my mast ladder but my only concern with yours is the hard pipe may break when you've got your weight on it (that's assuming it's pvc conduit which it looks like on my screen?).
Click to expand...

It might. The webbing goes through the pipe and supports it. If it does break no biggie, you'll just be standing on the webbing. I have seen other versions with no pipe. The webbing breaking strain is more than upto it.

Tests so far, me going up the tree seem fine.
 
For info I brought my parts from Point North Profabrics for £55 inc delivery.

For a 12.5M ladder;
12 10.4mm main sail slides for my Seldon/Kemp mast
12 Large Plastic snap shackles
50M of 25mm White Polyester Webbing - you can buy this by the metre on ebay - I needed 38M for a 12.5M ladder.

Posted some detailed instructions here
 
I made a rope ladder to use to climb my mast but found it a slog to remove the sail every time I needed to run the ladder up the mast track

I then fitted folding steps to the mast so problem solved.

I also feel safer using the steps while supported by a bosun's chair winched up by SWMBO.
 
Oh ... and big warning;

You should not rely on this as the only device to climb the mast. You should have at least one, ideally two safety lines attached in case one or more fail.
 
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