NormanS
Well-Known Member
The boatyard where my boat is kept in the winter, charges £140 each way, for masts. That would make it rather expensive to check both mast heads on my ketch. 
Going up the mast (solo) and what to expect at the top...
- Thread starter stevie69p
- Start date
Wansworth
Well-Known Member
Seems common sense,there could be weakness in any part of the rigging and its anchour age on the mast,chance to replace running rigging clean the mast and check electrics etc.......not something that needs to be done every year
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yimkin
Well-Known Member
Another vote for the "Mastmate" webbing steps. I haul it up the the mast slot on the main halyard and tension and lock off. I climb wearing a climbing harness with a safety strop attached to a jumar [ascender] running up the spinnaker halyard. I go up 2-3 steps then move the jumar up as high as possible and climb further. To descend I reverse the process.
At the mast head I stand in the top pair of steps with the Mastmate safety belt clipped round the mast so I can work with both hands free.
The webbing steps are reasonably rigid but do tend to 'squeeze' my feet. To mitigate this I wear a pair of walking boots and for the top steps have wooden inserts to act as spreaders. I normally work alone but if I have a helper she sits in the cockpit and I run a canvas bucket up /down the backstay for tools etc. this prevents stray items falling on her head!
The first trip up is always a bit of sphincter tightener but the more often I go up the easier it gets.
At the mast head I stand in the top pair of steps with the Mastmate safety belt clipped round the mast so I can work with both hands free.
The webbing steps are reasonably rigid but do tend to 'squeeze' my feet. To mitigate this I wear a pair of walking boots and for the top steps have wooden inserts to act as spreaders. I normally work alone but if I have a helper she sits in the cockpit and I run a canvas bucket up /down the backstay for tools etc. this prevents stray items falling on her head!
The first trip up is always a bit of sphincter tightener but the more often I go up the easier it gets.
Seajet
...
Good Post Yimkin :encouragement:
I'm still in favour of lowering the mast for a thorough inspection, but if going aloft yours seems a sound way.
I'm still in favour of lowering the mast for a thorough inspection, but if going aloft yours seems a sound way.
eddystone
Well-Known Member
I got all the gear to do this some years ago after a session at a climbing centre but using a GriGri to descend and a well padded climbing harness. In fact I never used it because the line I bought for a static line was a stretchy climbing rope and my first attempt as you might expect was unsuccessful. Since then I have paid others if I need to go further than the spreader but next time I will use an old but sound halyard as a static line as I would not want to damage a Dyneema halyard.
mikegunn
Well-Known Member
“ and I run a canvas bucket up /down the backstay for tools etc.”
Occasionally someone comes up with a really useful idea that is elegant in its simplicity. I will definitely adopt this technique next time I climb aloft. Thank you Yimkin.
Mike
Occasionally someone comes up with a really useful idea that is elegant in its simplicity. I will definitely adopt this technique next time I climb aloft. Thank you Yimkin.
Mike
Graham_Wright
Well-Known Member
I found a nice compact tool bag on ebay which zips shut but has a rigid square opening for access. It is good but requires fumbling to find what is needed. I think a box would be more useful but would need care when hoisting aloft.
We had an H&S survey performed on our product (at the behest of the SBS organisers). Additional to safety in climbing, it was advised that he/she below wear a hard hat and tools should be on a lanyard. Both make sense.
He/she is better positioned in the cockpit if possible. Make off the hoisting line and retreat. If the halyard winches are lead back to the cockpit, better still. From the cockpit, it is less neck straining when looking aloft. We use PMRs for comms. Ebay sourced, cheap as chips and excellent voice quality.
Take a line up with you for those things you forget.
We had an H&S survey performed on our product (at the behest of the SBS organisers). Additional to safety in climbing, it was advised that he/she below wear a hard hat and tools should be on a lanyard. Both make sense.
He/she is better positioned in the cockpit if possible. Make off the hoisting line and retreat. If the halyard winches are lead back to the cockpit, better still. From the cockpit, it is less neck straining when looking aloft. We use PMRs for comms. Ebay sourced, cheap as chips and excellent voice quality.
Take a line up with you for those things you forget.
rszemeti
Well-Known Member
We are lucky to have a full set of slot in mast steps, makes the job much easier, in theory a simple safety line and ascender is all that is needed, however, I prefer to just go and find someone to use a winch as a safety. seems to be the sensible option.
stevie69p
Well-Known Member
OP here...
So, after a lengthy delay while I re-thought things and waited for a weekend of no wind, Saturday morning dawned bright and calm. It was time to tackle the genoa halyard issue in particular, and run a new spinnaker halyard / attend to blown anchor light bulb, etc.
I had previously been up as far as the spreaders, but this time had a proper climbing harness.
On climbing to the very top, to my horror I discovered that the top of the forestay has started to unravel, I presume as a result of all the twisting / halyard wrapping that has been going on with the headsail furling problems.
Anyway, job abandoned... no point in re-routing halyards, etc., as there will clearly be no sailing getting done!
The plan now is to have the mast unstepped and replace all the standing rigging and running rigging in the yard. It's of an unknown vintage anyway and I had it on my plans for next year. I'm very glad that I did the climb, as the boat stays in all year round and I do sail in the winter, so some rough-ish weather wouldn't have been beyond a possibility.
So, after a lengthy delay while I re-thought things and waited for a weekend of no wind, Saturday morning dawned bright and calm. It was time to tackle the genoa halyard issue in particular, and run a new spinnaker halyard / attend to blown anchor light bulb, etc.
I had previously been up as far as the spreaders, but this time had a proper climbing harness.
On climbing to the very top, to my horror I discovered that the top of the forestay has started to unravel, I presume as a result of all the twisting / halyard wrapping that has been going on with the headsail furling problems.
Anyway, job abandoned... no point in re-routing halyards, etc., as there will clearly be no sailing getting done!
The plan now is to have the mast unstepped and replace all the standing rigging and running rigging in the yard. It's of an unknown vintage anyway and I had it on my plans for next year. I'm very glad that I did the climb, as the boat stays in all year round and I do sail in the winter, so some rough-ish weather wouldn't have been beyond a possibility.
Akestor
Well-Known Member
I also had a damaged top forestay due to halyard rap. That was not hard to fix it but not very easy either! I did it without unstepping the mast. I went up the mast and tied a rope at mast head to play the role of the forestay. I went down and uninstalled the forestay from the bow, i pulled firmly the temporarly forestay to be safe to go up again. Went up again and removed the top of the forestay and slowly got down the gemini with another rope. Pulled out from the gemini the damaged forestay, inserting an electricians snake at the same time... I ordered another forestay, inserted it in the gemini and installed a Norsman at the top. Went up the mast again and installed it! Job done for only 75 euros (50 wire +swag-25 norsman)! I am glad it was doable because i didnt want to go to the yard just for this. Ofcourse i had a friend to assist me.
stevie69p
Well-Known Member
Yes, I did think about just changing the forestay with the mast up, but weighing up the unknown age of the standing rigging (some of the rigging screws look ancient, probably original, so now 40 years old), then the furler top swivel being fubar'd, it made sense to just pull in the time frame and do the whole lot. I was already planning on replacing the standing rigging at the next lift out.
ffiill
Well-Known Member
A climbing harness and a couple of handed ascender which can be carefully used to descend.
grumpy_o_g
Well-Known Member
The one thing that never seems to be expected at the top of the mast for some reason is bird carp, and usually a fair bit of it. My days of mast climbing are long past but quickly learned to take cleaning materials up with me. It was a real pain sometimes as this was before the days of ubiquitous plastic bottles and you would have to haul a bucket up if it was really bad.
Allan
Well-Known Member
A really interesting thread. On our present boat we have fold away mast steps which I would recommend to the OP. For others who, like a previous contributor, are winched up by crew/wife/skipper/etc. there is an easier way, without climbing equipment. Main halyard tied onto a bosun's chair and down to a winch, via a clutch, hopefully in the cockpit. Tie a loop into another halyard or in our case the topping lift. Then simply climb the mast by putting your feet in the loop and each side of the mast. When you are standing up on the loop, your assistant tightens the halyard, then sit in the chair and they can tighten topping lift. In our case the halyard is led from the coachroof winch to the genoa winch and locked while i'm working at the masthead. We still do this now I can use the steps. I have no problem with the height but my partner would have a big problem winding 110kg of me up the mast.
Allan
Allan
peter gibbs
Well-Known Member
The proprietary climbers get you to the top of the mast but not in a condition to perform two handed work safely. And they are expensive.
You need a length of climbing rope which you attach to the main halyard and haul to the top, then secure the halyard with clamp and knots. Take two ascenders (climbing gear) - the top one carries the bosun's chair and is clipped on to the climbing rope. The bottom one has a short length of timber attached with stout rope to act as a push bar for the feet. No bits of rope and prussic knots, swinging all over the place and unstable.
You sashay up the climbing rope pushing the ascenders ahead alternately, advancing your weight.
At the top you deploy a lanyard round your body (I use a galley strop) and the mast to steady yourself, whilst standing upright on the bar - this is stable and safe.
Usually best to assemble all work gear in a stout bag at the foot of the mast, trail an attached line up with you, and haul it up when in position..
Descent is the opposite of the above. You can also use a figure of 8 abseiler on a separate thick rope (12-14mm) hauled up at the same time as the climbing rope; stand on the wooden bar, transfer the bosums chair to the figure of 8 using a secure carabiner, step off the bar slowly placing your weight smoothly onto the abseiler and descend gracefully.
There is a warning, of course. It is not that the halyard or climbing rope will part, or the bosums chair disintegrate. No need to have a second carrying line - it gets in the way and endangers the ascent. The danger is from inversion in the bosums seat; so progress has to be steady.
I have used this arrangement for nearly 30 years and still do. When it's your life at stake you use only the best gear and check it all every time as if you were Chris Bonnington.
PWG
You need a length of climbing rope which you attach to the main halyard and haul to the top, then secure the halyard with clamp and knots. Take two ascenders (climbing gear) - the top one carries the bosun's chair and is clipped on to the climbing rope. The bottom one has a short length of timber attached with stout rope to act as a push bar for the feet. No bits of rope and prussic knots, swinging all over the place and unstable.
You sashay up the climbing rope pushing the ascenders ahead alternately, advancing your weight.
At the top you deploy a lanyard round your body (I use a galley strop) and the mast to steady yourself, whilst standing upright on the bar - this is stable and safe.
Usually best to assemble all work gear in a stout bag at the foot of the mast, trail an attached line up with you, and haul it up when in position..
Descent is the opposite of the above. You can also use a figure of 8 abseiler on a separate thick rope (12-14mm) hauled up at the same time as the climbing rope; stand on the wooden bar, transfer the bosums chair to the figure of 8 using a secure carabiner, step off the bar slowly placing your weight smoothly onto the abseiler and descend gracefully.
There is a warning, of course. It is not that the halyard or climbing rope will part, or the bosums chair disintegrate. No need to have a second carrying line - it gets in the way and endangers the ascent. The danger is from inversion in the bosums seat; so progress has to be steady.
I have used this arrangement for nearly 30 years and still do. When it's your life at stake you use only the best gear and check it all every time as if you were Chris Bonnington.
PWG
Poey50
Well-Known Member
The fact that you are still alive after 30 years is not evidence of safety. If I have understood you correctly, this is a dangerous system. I'll elaborate later when I have some time.
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Daydream believer
Well-Known Member
I think that is the wrong advice to place on the forum. I went up the mast one day & only had one halyard- breaking strain 4.5 tonnes so no chance of breaking.!!!
When after 3.5 hours at the top of the mast I came down my son queried the state of the halyard.
It was hot & with no water & with the uncomfortable position I was going faint. In my hurry to finish the job I found that i had drilled 2 holes through the rope. I think that if I had not started to loose consciousness & been lowered quickly I might have come down even quicker than I did.
To make matters worse the new halyard cost me £220-00
I know of a rigger who was fitting a radar to a mast who also drilled through the halyard he was hanging on to
So please- Have a spare line attached. It is not that hard to adjust as ascending/decending. If it is then the system is wrong
Edit
Since reading your post again- you mention abseiling down a separate rope. So presumably there are 2 ropes. But is this totally separate to the first? If not then my comments apply. However, It should , in my opinion, be operational, ie partially loaded, at all times to avoid a fall. Your system makes that a little awkward I suspect.
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NormanS
Well-Known Member
I was up my mizzen mast just the other day, to install an extra aerial. Shackled the halyard to the bosun's chair, and with my wife taking up the slack, I quickly climbed up using the mast steps to the required position. My wife then made fast, and using the spare halyard, pulled up the bucket with all the bits and bobs. What's not to like?
Graham_Wright
Well-Known Member
That's what is not to like. I had a run in with the H&S adviser at SBS. He was horrified to observe that I used a "hand tied knot"!
He asked for a shackle and I then demonstrated that it was ideally positioned to take out teeth. I also queried how the shackle was attached to the halyard. Another "hand tied knot"?
Stupid prat.
Shackles can slide on the webbing which a knot can be arranged not to do. I use a fisherman's bend.
NormanS
Well-Known Member
My halyard shackle, to which the halyard is spliced, is passed through the two stainless eyes on the bosun's chair, and then shackled on to the standing part of the halyard. What's wrong with that?
