Halyard Ladder or Mastaclimba Type Device

[Boathook]

For those on a budget:

Thread the line through the foot board and secure the line at the base of the mast. Sit in a harness and raise yourself in a similar manner to the other systems with an ascender or prusik knot. You can descend on the safety line with a descender or prusik knot. You need to release the cam cleat from the foot board to lower it.

I believe I saw this in PBO once.


View attachment 107240

Edit, Seen Here, thanks to "knuterikt" :
'Interesting' mast climbing device on eBay.

Mines very similar except that I have a piece of wood under the foot holes to increase the width you stand on. Very easy getting up the mast using your leg muscles and someone tailing on another line.

 

[thinwater]

Mines very similar except that I have a piece of wood under the foot holes to increase the width you stand on. Very easy getting up the mast using your leg muscles and someone tailing on another line.

I assume this will work nearly as well if you just use a rope grab on a halyard? Like the Topclimber, but not swinging free.

 

[Lucy52]

I assume this will work nearly as well if you just use a rope grab on a halyard? Like the Topclimber, but not swinging free.

Yes you could use prusik loops but with the cam cleat you sit in the harness and raise your feet which pulls the board up. If you use prusik loops then you have to unlock them and slide them up as you go, one more thing to do. Of course you have to slide your harness loop up either way. If your using a safety line, which perhaps you should, then you will have to push up the loop/ascenser/decender as well. No need to be to be tailed up if the safety line is fixed/weighted at the bottom.

 

[peter gibbs]

I understand
but I'm struggling to make sense of

Could you clarify please?

What is correctly implied is that these flexible ladder devices will career all over place unless put under tension. So doing can limit the foothold available to you. This approach definitely needs a second hand on deck to keep a safety line taut on you. You may surmise my conclusion, and it comes with some years experience climbing my mast the safe and controlled way.

I will now stand back and observe the other experts decrying my advice!

Good luck with putting your life at risk is all I can say, my friend.

PWG

 

[thinwater]

Yes you could use prusik loops but with the cam cleat you sit in the harness and raise your feet which pulls the board up. If you use prusik loops then you have to unlock them and slide them up as you go, one more thing to do. Of course you have to slide your harness loop up either way. If your using a safety line, which perhaps you should, then you will have to push up the loop/ascenser/decender as well. No need to be to be tailed up if the safety line is fixed/weighted at the bottom.

I didn't say prusik, I said a rope grab, like the Topclimber. All of the US rope climbing systems are based on rock climbing ascenders or are closely related. Really, very, very few use prusiks.

So really, very little difference, only sliding the ascender up, and that you have to climb back down.

I like the Camp Goblin as a fall protection safety when climbing ladders. It self tends up and down, just as though I had a mate on a winch. Unlike other rope grabs, it is fall-rated, and I've taken a lot of falls on it (solo rock climbing).
Camp Goblin

 

[PetiteFleur]

I have used a Defee ladder - shared with a friend so has different lugs for the sail track on each side. Must be nice and tight, not used recently as had a dodgy knee, now renewed, but still reluctant due to age etc, need new vhf aerial.

 

[Lucy52]

I didn't say prusik, I said a rope grab, like the Topclimber. All of the US rope climbing systems are based on rock climbing ascenders or are closely related. Really, very, very few use prusiks.

So really, very little difference, only sliding the ascender up, and that you have to climb back down.

I like the Camp Goblin as a fall protection safety when climbing ladders. It self tends up and down, just as though I had a mate on a winch. Unlike other rope grabs, it is fall-rated, and I've taken a lot of falls on it (solo rock climbing).
Camp Goblin

Sorry, yes much easier with a ascender, grigri or similar and maybe a stop on the safety line. Petzl do a belay device like the Camp Goblin that runs each way but locks up if you fall, quite expensive though. Prusiks are cheap and with the friction of rope on rope lock up securely if you fall, but as you say not much used nowadays with all the hardware available.

 

[michael_w]

What do the guys (and gals) use on the IMOCAs?

 

[Graham_Wright]

Just walk up the rope. At least twice as fast and your hands can be on the rigging or around the mast for stability in waves. He has them on the rope, but that is NOT required. I have used this method.

And note that you don't have to climb down! Of course, that feature can be adapted to other methods.

Rope Walking

I hate the word JUST. It should be banned!
You certainly would't want to swing around like that on a boat. He seemed to be using his hands to pull up but, I guess, they could go round the mast.
That is an expensive piece of kit - cost it.

 

[thinwater]

I hate the word JUST. It should be banned!
You certainly would't want to swing around like that on a boat. He seemed to be using his hands to pull up but, I guess, they could go round the mast.
That is an expensive piece of kit - cost it.

I was asked to explore the idea AFTER a mag editor saw video of a Vende' Globe sailor rope walking up the mast. I'm guessing he knows more than us. Let me explain, as I HAVE used this method (not guessing).

• Your hands are not pulling unless you want them to. They are simply holding you in balance. You can just as easily hold on to rigging with both hands, making it the method LEAST prone to swinging around.
• If you let go with your hands all you do is sit back in the harness, like other methods. It's just more efficient to use your hands for something useful.
• Very low energy. I've done this for 150 feet without pausing or getting out of breath. It only took a few minutes. Just ( ) like easy stair climbing.
• Is cost everything? If it was we wouldn't buy boats. But yes, the full kit is about $300 + harness.
• It is more complex. But the motion is simpler once you get going; just chug your legs up and down, since it is 100% self-tending.

Personally, the method is too complex for my needs, but this is a forum and it is interesting.

 

[thinwater]

Sorry, yes much easier with a ascender, grigri or similar and maybe a stop on the safety line. Petzl do a belay device like the Camp Goblin that runs each way but locks up if you fall, quite expensive though. Prusiks are cheap and with the friction of rope on rope lock up securely if you fall, but as you say not much used nowadays with all the hardware available.

Petzel ASAP. Very good. Different principle, based on fall speed. Common in industry, where I have used it.

 

[fredrussell]

I’ve bought all the climbing kit (ascenders x 2, harness etc) to go up the mast. Used it once and it was easy going up, but coming down took a bit longer and was tiring. I’ll purchase a Petzl ‘Stop’ descender before I use it again, much less hassle to come down that way.

 

[thinwater]

I’ve bought all the climbing kit (ascenders x 2, harness etc) to go up the mast. Used it once and it was easy going up, but coming down took a bit longer and was tiring. I’ll purchase a Petzl ‘Stop’ descender before I use it again, much less hassle to come down that way.

There are much simpler solutions, like the Black Diamond ATC.

 

[Graham_Wright]

I’ve bought all the climbing kit (ascenders x 2, harness etc) to go up the mast. Used it once and it was easy going up, but coming down took a bit longer and was tiring. I’ll purchase a Petzl ‘Stop’ descender before I use it again, much less hassle to come down that way.

Like with other methods, if you are sitting in a bosun's chair or harness and if you have an assistant, you can just )) be lowered down leaving behind whatever you used to ascend. In the case of the MastaClimba at first it is a bit disturbing to see it riding high. What about the next ascent? Of course, it will descend with the static line.

Whatever method you use to climb, use every safety device you can. You only fall once.

 

[jac]

At the risk of doing a Lazarus impression - What has happened at Mastaclimba - I remember trying one at Soton a few years ago and being impressed at it's easy ( as was my wife.) I was considering purchasing but seems to have disappeared.

 

[vyv_cox]

I have a Mastclimb, a simple device no longer manufactured but easy to DIY. It uses a cam cleat attached to a foot bar in conjunction with a bosun's chair on a halyard that is tended by an assistant. All the work is done with the legs. I have owned it for many years and have climbed the mast using it countless times.

I have photos if wanted.

 

[NormanS]

Mast steps are wonderful.

 

[Graham_Wright]

At the risk of doing a Lazarus impression - What has happened at Mastaclimba - I remember trying one at Soton a few years ago and being impressed at it's easy ( as was my wife.) I was considering purchasing but seems to have disappeared.

Watch this space! The lease on my factory has just expired coinciding with a realisation that it is time to retire. Emptying the factory and disposing of the contents has been an exhausting 8 week experience. Amongst the residue are many MastaClimba components. The temptation to stick them together will be irresistible1

 

[Mister E]

So Graham if you're retiring will you sell the business on or will the devices become unavailable?

 

[Graham_Wright]

So Graham if you're retiring will you sell the business on or will the devices become unavailable?

I'll probably knock up a few when the gin budget gets low or boredom strikes (highly unlikely).
They only sold at exhibition. There was so much hassle with H&S nonsense that exhibiting became tiring and then came Covid.